Re: Why avoidance of the sun might help sarcoidosis?

[Guest guest]

Mark, nice to see you here, and thanks for this paper. Very thought provoking. penny Mark London <mrl@...> wrote: You think maybe an increase in melatonin, might be why the MP's recommendation to avoid sunlight, helps people with sarcoidosis?J Pineal Res. 2006 Sep;41(2):95-100.Melatonin is a safe and effective treatment for chronic pulmonary and extrapulmonary sarcoidosis.Pignone AM, Rosso AD, Fiori G,

Matucci-Cerinic M, Becucci A, Tempestini A , Livi R, Generini S, Gramigna L, Benvenuti C, Carossino AM, Conforti ML, Perfetto F. Section of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.Chronic sarcoidosis (CS) is often unresponsive to usual treatments. Melatonin, an immunoregulatory drug, was employed in CS patients in whom usual treatments were ineffective or induced severe side effects. Melatonin was given for 2 yr (20 mg/day in the first year, 10 mg/day in the second year) to 18 CS patients. Pulmonary function tests, chest X rays, pulmonary computed tomography, Ga(67) scintigraphy and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) were assayed at baseline and in the follow-up. Normalization of ACE, improvement of pulmonary parameters and resolution of skin involvement were found in the patients given melatonin. After 24 months of melatonin therapy, hylar adenopathy

completely resolved in eight patients and parenchymal lesions were markedly improved in all patients; in the five patients with reduced diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide, the values normalized after 6 months of therapy and remained stable until month 24. After 24 months, Ga(67) pulmonary and extra-pulmonary uptake was totally normalized in seven patients and, at month 12 months, ACE was normalized in six patients in which the values were high at the baseline. Skin lesions, present in three patients, completely disappeared at month 24 months. No side effects were experienced and no disease relapse was observed during melatonin treatment. Melatonin may be an effective and safe therapy for CS when other treatments fail or cause side effects.

[Guest guest]

> Melatonin was given for 2 yr (20 mg/day in the first year,

> 10 mg/day in the second year) to 18 CS patients.

Interesting. This is not a dose that anybody would normally be

taking. I wonder if it helps other conditions.

- Kate

[Guest guest]

Mark, I got a quick reply from Shoemaker that he has not seen

patients who avoided sunlight raising their MSH levels from doing so.

He measures MSH, not melatonin.

Here is a link which suggests if you don't get enough sunlight your

melatonin levels drop.

http://www.diagnose-me.com/treat/T175911.html

" You can improve your melatonin levels by going outdoors and turning

yourself toward the sun for at least 15 seconds. You do not need to

keep your eyes open, but rather blink in the direction of the sun. It

is best to do this during the times of day that avoid the 2 hours

either side of noon, so the sun will be less intense. The most

perfect times are near or at sunrise and sunset. You can increase the

time you " gaze " at the sun by 10 seconds each day, with a maximum of

30 minutes per day. Then, as you drive or spend other time outdoors,

eliminate the use of sunglasses. This will help your sleep cycles and

your melatonin levels by eliminating the brain confusion associated

with darkened rooms and eyecoverings. It has also been shown to be

helpful with endocrine balances in general. "

a

>

> You think maybe an increase in melatonin, might be why the MP's

> recommendation to avoid sunlight, helps people with sarcoidosis?

>

> J Pineal Res. 2006 Sep;41(2):95-100.

>

> Melatonin is a safe and effective treatment for chronic pulmonary

> and extrapulmonary sarcoidosis.

>

> Pignone AM, Rosso AD, Fiori G, Matucci-Cerinic M, Becucci A,

> Tempestini A , Livi R, Generini S, Gramigna L, Benvenuti C,

> Carossino AM, Conforti ML, Perfetto F.

> Section of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine,

University

> of Florence, Florence, Italy.

>

> Chronic sarcoidosis (CS) is often unresponsive to usual treatments.

> Melatonin, an immunoregulatory drug, was employed in CS patients in

> whom usual treatments were ineffective or induced severe side

> effects. Melatonin was given for 2 yr (20 mg/day in the first year,

> 10 mg/day in the second year) to 18 CS patients. Pulmonary function

> tests, chest X rays, pulmonary computed tomography, Ga(67)

> scintigraphy and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) were assayed

at

> baseline and in the follow-up. Normalization of ACE, improvement of

> pulmonary parameters and resolution of skin involvement were found

> in the patients given melatonin. After 24 months of melatonin

> therapy, hylar adenopathy completely resolved in eight patients and

> parenchymal lesions were markedly improved in all patients; in the

> five patients with reduced diffusion capacity of the lung for

carbon

> monoxide, the values normalized after 6 months of therapy and

> remained stable until month 24. After 24 months, Ga(67) pulmonary

> and extra-pulmonary uptake was totally normalized in seven patients

> and, at month 12 months, ACE was normalized in six patients in

which

> the values were high at the baseline. Skin lesions, present in

three

> patients, completely disappeared at month 24 months. No side

effects

> were experienced and no disease relapse was observed during

> melatonin treatment. Melatonin may be an effective and safe therapy

> for CS when other treatments fail or cause side effects.

>