Melatonin HP

Description

Melatonin HP is a vegetarian formula with a biphasic delivery system that releases melatonin quickly and then steadily. Melatonin is naturally produced in the pineal gland in response to changes in light exposure; it helps promote healthy sleep patterns as well as antioxidant and immune activities. This formula can support these functions by helping to maintain normal levels of melatonin in the body.*

Suggested Use: Take one tablet with water 45 minutes before bedtime, or as directed by your healthcare practitioner.

If you are under medical supervision or using any tranquilizers or sedatives, seek the advice of your healthcare practitioner prior to use. Consult your healthcare practitioner before using if you have an autoimmune condition or depressive disorder or are a pregnant or lactating woman. Not for use by children under 12 years of age. Do not take when operating machinery or driving a vehicle.

Bottle Contains: 90 tablets

Ingredients: Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine HCl), Melatonin

Other Ingredients: Cellulose, dibasic calcium phosphate, hypromellose, magnesium stearate, stearic acid, silica, methylcellulose, and glycerin.

Does Not Contain: wheat, gluten, corn, yeast, soy, animal or dairy products, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, or preservatives.

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The Science

Melatonin is a neurohormone produced from tryptophan by the pineal gland when it is stimulated by darkness. It regulates many other hormones, but its primary function appears to be regulation of the body’s daily and annual biological rhythms.*

Oral supplementation has been shown to have some benefit with regard to time to sleep onset, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency. [1]

Noteworthy advantages over pharmaceutical sleep aids are improved performance upon awakening and the absence of memory impairment. [2,3]

According to studies, daytime melatonin supplementation by travelers crossing time zones and/or shift workers also promotes sleep. [4]

Research has shown that it not only fights free radicals during sleep but also stimulates the body’s own antioxidant systems. For example, it reduced harmful oxidized cholesterol (LDL) in post-menopausal women. [5] Melatonin’s antioxidant capacity also accounts for its role as a neuroprotectant. By delivering antioxidant benefits and correcting the circadian rhythm, melatonin could support cognitive function.* [6,7]

A decrease in plasma melatonin correlates with a decline in immune function in some individuals beginning around the age of sixty. Interestingly, lymphoid cells are an important physiological source of melatonin in humans.The hormone appears to stimulate the production of T helper (TH) cells and their release of interleukin-2, gamma interferon, and opioid peptides. [8] Considering the decline in melatonin synthesis with age, exogenous supplementation with the hormone has long been of interest in anti-aging protocols.* [9,10]

The addition of pyridoxine in this formula supports the biosynthesis of melatonin and may also enhance dream recall.*

The biphasic delivery system consists of 1mg of melatonin in the coating solution and the remainder in the tablet core. The melatonin in the coating solution is immediately released upon digestion. The melatonin in the tablet core is released over a 6-hour period. The tablet core contains a tableting agent, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose that works by forming a gel layer when hydrated. This gel layer acts as a diffusion barrier to control the rate of release of the melatonin in the tablet core. As the tablet travels through the intestine, the gel layer slowly erodes to release the melatonin, which then is available for absorption in the intestine.*

 

References:

1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15649737
2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11718517
3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15700725
4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18342269
5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10739299
6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15249281
7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12928714
8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19047804
9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1865836
10. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2889131
11. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10082254
12. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9406044
13. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1727807
14. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12644393