One problem in overweight individuals is the loss of 24-hour rhythm patterns (circadian rhythms), a problem that is central to the clocking operations of every cell and consequently to the coordinated calorie burning efforts of your body as a whole. This aspect of the issue has lead researchers to focus on the use of melatonin¹, especially to help protect against the slide into diabetes and cardiovascular problems. A new animal study confirms that melatonin may be a potent nutrient² for weight management efforts.

The study was carried out using well-studied Zucker diabetic fatty rats, a type of rat that readily develops high blood pressure, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, and has rapidly expanding white adipose tissue due to leptin receptor gene mutations. In the melatonin-treated group less weight was gained, there was a reduction in triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, and a boost in HDL cholesterol. The treatment was performed in young rats, prior to the onset of cardiovascular disease, indicating the potential benefit in helping to reduce risk for health complications from the now-raging obesity epidemic in this country.

It is known that melatonin levels decline with age. As little as 0.5 mg of melatonin may be all that it takes to help improve sleep, while others may benefit from doses in the 3 mg – 12 mg range. This information is likely to be of help to any person who is overweight and has trouble sleeping. 

Nighttime issues and daytime issues, are highly interdependent in terms of linked rhythms. This means that as you manage stress better during the day and become consistent with exercise, you tend to sleep better. On the other hand, any time you sleep better you have more energy to deal with stress and to exercise. Thus, looking for entry points to help solve the energy/rhythm aspect of this problem is valuable.  For some, melatonin may be a workable strategy to help sleep. You tend to need more in the winter and less in the summer, but many people over the age of 40 tend to benefit from at least 0.5 mg per night. You can tell it is of help because when you use it you sleep better.

Posted by Byron J Richards at 04:49 PM.

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