Melatonin-FYI

[Guest guest]

The Experts Speak

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Menopause, Melatonin and Women

Giulio Bellipanni, MD

" Madonna della Grazie " Health Institute

Via Salvo D'Acquisto 67

00049 Velletri (Rome), Italy

39696441606 / 39696441671 (FAX)

giuliobellipanni@....

" Effects of Melatonin in Perimenopausal and Menopausal Women:

Our Personal Experience, "

Ann N Y Acad Sci, 2005 Dec;1057:393-402. 44837 (6/2006)

Kirk Hamilton: Can you please share with us your educational background

and current position?

Giulio Bellipanni: I'm a gynaecologist and a general surgeon. I am chief of

general surgery department of Madonna delle Grazie Health Institute in Velletri,

where I started to put my attention on treating menopausal women by creating the

" Menopause Center. "

KH: What got you interested in studying the role of melatonin in

perimenopausal and menopausal women?

GB: I have been studying melatonin and its role in aging for more than 20

years. A lot of patients of mine are around perimenopause so I observed the

progressive decline of reproductive sexual-functions that leads to severe

psychosomatic side-effects and to a chain of negative events that stem from the

close relationship between neuroendocrine and immune functions. We decided to

study the role of melatonin in this process.

KH: Are there any unique qualities of melatonin as a hormone or antioxidant?

GB: Melatonin plays a critical role in the neuroendocrine-immune network with

more than one single function (effects on LH-RH, gonadotropins and thyroid

hormones); but I'd like to note that melatonin thwarts the growth of

hormone-sensitive tumors (breast cancers) and can increase the density of

hormone receptors on cancer cells.

KH: Why did you use 3 mg of melatonin in your study and when was it given?

GB: Because of the duraion of the trial (6 months) and the daily

administration. All women were asked to take the capsules at bedtime (10-11 pm).

KH: How did you assess for melatonin - in the urine, serum or saliva? And

what was the reason for your method of choice?

GB: Evaluating the correlation existing between blood and salivary levels of

melatonin we decided to use salivary samples because of the rapidity, simplicity

and low patient discomfort. Levels of melatonin were determined from five daily

saliva samples taken at a fixed time. Hormone levels were determined from blood

samples three times over the six-month period.

KH: Can you tell us about your study and the basic results?

GB: The purpose of the clinical trial was to find if melatonin by itself

modifies levels of hormones and produces changes of any kind, independently of

age and the stage of menstrual cycle. At present we assert that the six-month

treatment with melatonin produced a remarkable and highly significant

improvement of thyroid function, positive changes of gonadotropins towards more

juvenile levels, and abrogation of menopause-related depression. Our results

indicate that a cause-effect relationship between the decline of nocturnal

levels of melatonin and onset of menopause may in fact exist.

KH: Were there any side effects to the melatonin?

GB: No.

KH: What effect did melatonin supplementation have on the menstrual cycle

and/or menopause and its symptoms, if at all?

GB: Melatonin abrogates hormonal, menopause-related neurovegetative

disturbances and restores menstrual cyclicity and fertility in perimenopausal or

menopausal women.

KH: What effect did melatonin have thyroid function?

GB: Evening administration of melatonin produced a significant increase of

total T3 and T4; there was no differences in TSH levels.

KH: What effect did melatonin have on gonadotropic hormones?

GB: Melatonin produces a significant decrease in plasma LH in the younger

group of treated women. This demonstrates that effects of melatonin in

controlling and maintaining low levels of LH which are much more pronounced in

the younger women.

KH: What effect did melatonin have on neurologic function and

neurodegeneration?

GB: In the article we didn't put our attention on neurologic function. We

correlated the effect of melatonin on menopause-related depression and its role

in thwarting the decline of neuro-immune-endocrine functions.

KH: Is melatonin a compound that should be supplemented with during menopause

and beyond?

GB: Absolutely yes.

KH: Any other comments you would like to share regarding your research on

melatonin and health?

GB: Melatonin, with many other compounds, play a key-role in healthy aging

humans and is responsible for the development and maintenance of neuroendocrine

and sexual function.

http://www.vitasearch.com/CP/experts/GBellipanniAT06-08-06.htm

Check Nutrition at:

Nutrition.teach-nology.com

Ortiz, RD

nrord@...

Eat Healthy, A Body is a Terrible Thing To Waste

[Guest guest]

I have a very young friend (my age ) that has been taking melatonin due to her

insomnia--- wonder if long term use has any contraindications??

Anyone?

Sandy Cortez, RD

ide Community Health Center

- office

- cell

" Wisdom is to the Mind what health is to the body "

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[Guest guest]

From Naturaldatabase.com

LIKELY SAFE -when used orally short-term. Seems to be safe

when used for up to 2 mos.

POSSIBLY SAFE-when used orally long-term. There is some

evidence melatonin can be used safely for up to 9 mos in some people.

Dianne Kiyomoto, RD

Fresno, CA

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I have a very young friend (my age) that has been taking melatonin

due to her insomnia--- wonder if long term use has any

contraindications??

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