Melatonin
Melatonin, a natural compound, is produced by the
pineal gland which is located in the mid brain directly behind the eyes. The production of
Melatonin occurs mainly at night. In addition to telling our bodies when to fall asleep
and wake up, it is important in governing several other natural rhythms of the body
including body temperature and stress response.
We produce Melatonin abundantly throughout early life,
but the levels in our blood drop slightly before puberty and decline steadily into old
age. When Pierpaoli, an Italian immunologist, restores youthful levels of the hormone in
mice, they out live their life expectancies by nearly a third. And his findings are
consistent with a burgeoning scientific literature. Recent studies suggest that
supplementing the hormone may bolster our immune systems, keep our cells from
disintegrating, slow the growth of tumors, and ward off heart disease. All of this while
helping us sleep better.
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