We Age
Because Our
Hormones Decline

Melatonin

Melatonin is probably the primary candidate for the role of the proverbial “biological clock” that controls degeneration of human hormone production.  Produced in the pineal gland at the center of the brain, melatonin receives direct stimulus from the eyes. Thus, it recognizes when it is daytime and night time; so it can regulate sleeping and waking cycles.  Each night, melatonin is released in spurts to cause sleep. That is why some travellers take it as a pill at bedtime to alleviate “jet lag.” It can help reset the internal clock that is confused by time zone changes.

In Italy, Walter Pierpaoli, MD, PhD, tested the theory that the pineal gland controls both aging and our life rhythms. He transplanted the pineal glands of old mice into young ones forcing them to age much faster.  When he reversed the experiment, the old mice were rejuvenated. As a final point, he showed that when their diets were supplemented with melatonin, the mice lived up to 25 % longer.  For obvious reasons, comparable studies have not been done in humans. What young person would sign up to be drastically aged? However, large doses of melatonin have helped in treating breast cancer patients with no significant negative side effects.
 
It is well documented that, as they age, many humans produce progressively less melatonin.  Many people create less than 50 % of the melatonin they produced at age 20 by the time they become 60.  Melatonin is a strong anti-oxidant and cancer fighter (studies prove that solid tumors partially regress when treated with melatonin).  For these benefits and because it is safe in even very high doses, Optigenics physicians often recommend our patients age regularly take melatonin at bedtime. Routinely, as they age we adjust the doses.

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