How to boost MELATONIN levels

Eat foods rich in tryptophan and MELATONIN

Tryptophan-rich foods:

• Protein - turkey, chicken, fish, pheasant, partridge, cottage cheese, eggs, nuts, milk, cheese
• Non-Protein - bananas, wheat germ, avocados, and the legumes (beans, peas, pulses, soy)

MELATONIN-rich foods: 

Bear in mind that circulation levels of MELATONIN vary from several ng in the day to a peak of about 50ng at night. 

Dietary Sources and Bioactivities of Melatonin - PMC (nih.gov)

University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, research published in "Nutrition Reviews" in September 2001

Using Supplements

5-HTP (A better supplement choice than MELATONIN)

5-hydroxytryptophan is the "Best SEROTONIN Supplement".   The body converts SEROTONIN to MELATONIN, the "Body's natural sleeping pill". Low MELATONIN levels can prevent you from falling asleep.

• Dose: Take 100mg 5-HTP before bedtime - also ensure sufficiency of vitamins B6, B12, folic acid and magnesium, which are cofactors in conversion pathways

More about 5-HTP

Supplement MELATONIN

How to Supplement MELATONIN

Health Benefits of Supplementing MELATONIN

Herbs, vitamins, minerals

Boost body's MELATONIN production with herbs.     Most of these should be used one at a time and not be mixed with prescription drugs. Note that these supplements are also used in depression.

• Valerian - 250-500mg (Start with lower dose);
• St John's wort - 100mg before bedtime ;
• Calcium with magnesium - 600mg calcium and 600 magnesium before bedtime with food. (Be careful taking magnesium if you have a kidney disease.);
• Vitamin B6/Niacinamide (B3) - 10 mg B6 (>5-10 mg converts too much 5-HTP to SEROTONIN before crossing blood brain barrier) and 500 mg Niacinamide before bedtime;
• Chamomile - as a tea, 1 cup in the evening;
• Kava - 250 mg before bedtime (Standardized to contain 3.5% kavapyrones);
• Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5) -50 mg daily; Good for relieving stress;
• Inositol -100mg daily; Enhances REM sleep;
• Other herbs: skullcap, California poppy, passionflower, catnip

SAMe and vitamin B

Conversion of SEROTONIN to MELATONIN depends on SAMe. (S-Adenosyl Methionine) vital for neurotransmitter metabolism, SAMe donates methyl groups in the SEROTONIN to MELATONINsynthesis pathway. The body makes and recycles SAMe from the amino acid methionine, a process which requires enough vitamin B6, B12 and folate (folic acid) to maximize production.

• B12 - Take 125mcg - 1 mg of methylcobalamin / day if you suspect deficiency (can be a problem for vegetarians);
• B6 - Take no more than 10 mg/day as a supplement
• Folic Acid  (Vitamin B9)

SAMe - And other methyl donors

Exercise boosts MELATONIN

Study demonstrates that exercise boosts MELATONIN - a study involving 7 healthy women demonstrated that 1 hour of exercise on a stationary bicycle could double or triple MELATONIN levels. Other studies have also demonstrated that physical exercise can boost MELATONIN levels. However, do not exercise right before bed, which has a stimulating effect;

"NATURAL LIGHTING"- LIGHT DURING THE DAY /  DARK AT NIGHT

Daytime sunlight exposure

Go out in the sun - several studies confirm that natural sunlight exposure increases MELATONIN levels. This is not surprising, since bright light is known to increase SEROTONIN production, preventing depression.

Sunlight -Let there be Light!

Avoid light late at night

Reduce light exposure in the evening - artificial light sources and excessive light exposure after darkness onset in modern societies can lower MELAONIN production by desynchronizing your biological clock, making your body think it's still daytime;

• Use subdued lighting in the evening
• Install F.lux sofware (free) on your computer to cut down on blue light emissions - don't forget your children's computers
• Reduce computer screen brightness
• Wear orange safety glasses at night to filter out blue light - Blue-filtering lights can also be installed in bathrooms (for the night-time excursions) or in the nursery / hall for nursing mothers who necessarily must attend to their baby at night, but don't want to stop MELATONIN production.
• Use candlelight (read how J.D. Moyer gave this a try for 30-days).