Melatonin: Double-barreled Weapon against Alzheimer's Already in Your Bathroom Cabinet
Their findings?
• Melatonin may help prevent Alzheimer's disease by clearing the brain of the tangles and plaques typical of Alzheimer's disease and by acting as a potent antioxidant in the brain.
• Melatonin can ease sleep disruption and sundowning in Alzheimer's victims, according to recently published studies.
Antioxidant and Protective Properties
Able to pass through the blood/brain barrier, melatonin is one of nature's most powerful antioxidants. Researchers have found that it combats the oxidative stress that is linked to Alzheimer's disease. Researchers in Argentina studied the effects of melatonin with identical twins suffering from Alzheimer's disease. They found that melatonin significantly reduced the symptoms of sundowning in the twin who received the hormone.
Sundowning, a common symptom in Alzheimer's disease, gets its name because it usually occurs around sundown. Alzheimer's victims often display increased agitation and disorientation during the late afternoon or early evening.
"I've always kept a supply of melatonin," says Dr. Phyllis Staff, a psychologist whose father had Alzheimer's disease. "I used it for many years to combat jet lag, but I didn't realize it could help my father."
"For years, at dusk, Dad would put on his cap and jacket and head out the door to 'go home.' A couple of times he made it out to the street unnoticed. My mother and I are grateful to a compassionate police force that picked him up, but it would have been better if we had known that melatonin can help stop sundowning."
What is melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain during dark and dissipated by sunlight. Scientists are learning that it not only regulates sleep and wakefulness in humans but has a number of additional functions as well.
Largely ignored by pharmaceutical companies because they cannot patent natural substances, melatonin supplements are inexpensive and readily available over-the-counter in drugstores. They are commonly available in 1 Mg. and 3 Mg. doses. These doses are consistent with those administered in most the research studies reviewed in preparation of this article. However, in certain Alzheimer's cases, stronger doses may be required. You MUST check with your healthcare provider on whether to use melatonin and in what amounts.
How is melatonin linked to Alzheimer's disease?
Autopsies have shown a much lower than normal level of melatonin in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. This, researchers believe, accounts for the difficulties in sleeping and waking experienced by many sufferers.
Potential side effects?
Users should be alert to three significant side effects that may occur when taking melatonin. These include:
• Grogginess
If daytime grogginess occurs, check with your healthcare provider to reduce the dose or stop taking the hormone altogether.
• Decrease in Sex Drive
Melatonin appears to reduce the function of human gonads. Thus, women who are pregnant and those who wish to become pregnant should NOT take melatonin.
• Interaction with pharmaceutical agents.
Melatonin interacts with many pharmaceutical compounds including antidepressants, blood pressure medications, blood-thinning medications, nonsteroidial anti-inflammatory drugs, and others. If you are taking medications, you should discuss potential interactions and side effects with your healthcare provider before adding melatonin to your routine.
How can you use melatonin safely?
1. Consult with your healthcare provider to determine if melatonin may be beneficial in your case.
This report is available on AlzheimersFree.com as a downloadable Acrobat file. Print it out to use when you consult with your healthcare provider before you begin taking melatonin or give it to an Alzheimer's patient. The Acrobat file includes a list of current studies used in preparation of the article.
2. Once you begin to use melatonin, keep a diary of daily reactions. Include dosage, side effects, and reactions for sleep patterns and sundowning, if appropriate. Share this diary with your healthcare provider so she can adjust the dosage properly.
Related Tags: alzheimers, dementia, alzheimer, antioxidant, elder care, hormone, melatonin, brain care, sundowning, pineal
Phyllis Staff is a research psychologist and the daughter of a victim of Alzheimer's disease.
"I studied the medical research literature for two years to discover why my father developed Alzheimer's disease and whether I would develop it as well. I was baffled until I remembered that, as a pilot and aeronautical engineer, Dad was continually exposed to solvents and aluminum dust for more than 50 years. I believe this exposure had a significant negative impact on his health," says Dr. Staff.
You can watch our video on aluminum and Alzheimer's and get a full-length Guide to Aluminum and Alzheimer's Disease on our website, www.AlzheimersFree.com/aluminum.html
Visit us at www.AlzheimersFree.com for the latest research on the prevention of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- Facts About Walk In Baths
Walk in baths are different from a regular bath because it has a door that seals. It is designed for - Staying Active In Old Age
Growing older shouldn't mean growing inactive - even in old age it is very important to remain as ac - Emergency Alert Devices For Seniors At Home
Isn't it remarkable to see that today, seniors are healthier, more active, increasingly independent, - Retirement Communities Catered For Seniors With Alzheimers
Retirement planning is an investment and should be done by everyone when they reach a particular sta - Elderly Care Jobs
These days there are many families struggling to cope with raising a family whilst working in demand - Healthy Tips For Senior Citizens
When you get older things you used to enjoy becomes more difficult in many ways. Increasing aches an - Legal Guardianship Entails Great Responsibility
If you are requesting legal guardianship over an individual, you need to understand that being a gua - Happy Retirement Living
Most people think that planning your retirement can be done overnight. Unfortunately, this is far fr - The Retirement Planning Checklist
When it comes to planning your retirement, there really is no definite time when you should start wo - Easy Steps To Choosing A Retirement Community
Planning your retirement years is something that you do not just do overnight. There are several fac
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Medicaid Estate Recovery
You've met with your elder law attorney, you've come up with a plan of action, time has gone by, and - Beware of Illegal Medicaid Plans!
You may have received one of those postcards promising in breathless prose how you can "save your ho - Remembering More - How To Recall Memories
We make memories through our senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch) and it's through those same - Nursing Home Survey Issued---2006
The annual MetLife Mature Market survey for 2006 was just issued. Here are some of the key findings: - Medicaid Estate Recovery: Exceptions
It's not enough to qualify for Medicaid unless you also plan for the possibility of "estate recovery - Reverse Mortgages and Medicaid
Many seniors are pitched the benefits of a "reverse mortgage" as a way to "unlock" the equity in the - Medicaid Estate Recovery: What to Do?
Merely qualifying for Medicaid is not enough if upon your death your family will have to pay back th - Elder Abuse: What It Is & How to Prevent It
I'm sure you have heard the tragic story of Brooke Astor, the multimillionaire New York socialite wh - Who Pays for My Home After I'm On Medicaid?
The home is one of the biggest assets you are allowed to own and still qualify for Medicaid coverage - Life Insurance and Medicaid Eligibility
In order to qualify for Medicaid coverage of your nursing home stay, your assets cannot exceed $2,00