Melatonin in the Promotion of Health, Second Edition

Book excerpt: Melatonin is a powerful hormone and antioxidant with numerous effects on the metabolism and the health of humans. Available as a dietary supplement in the United States since 1993, it is one of the most popular over-the-counter alternative remedies available. Comprising contributions from researchers who have studied the role of melatonin in various disease and physiological states, Melatonin in the Promotion of Health, Second Edition provides a wide variety of expert reviews on the biology of melatonin relevant to health. Beginning with a history of melatonin and its relation to circadian rhythms, the book examines its use in a host of applications, including: Gut motility and gastrointestinal diseases Anesthesia and surgery Bone health Breast cancer Cardiovascular diseases Diabetes Age-related macular degeneration and uveitis Melanoma, solar skin damage, and collagen synthesis The prevention of DNA damage Mental disorders, sleep, and issues related to jet lag and shift work The data gathered from a large number of carefully controlled animal and human studies have clearly implicated melatonin in the control mechanisms of a wide variety of physiological and psychological activities, making it a potent candidate for therapeutic use in the treatment of a diverse range of diseases. This volume demonstrates that continued studies of this molecule raise the exciting prospect of providing new avenues of treating numerous diseases more effectively and with less side-effects than those found in conventional treatment modalities.