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There are several factors to consider when it comes to optimizing declining melatonin levels, whether due to stress or age. Here are some science-backed ways to personalize a clinical approach to melatonin to help ensure improved status.
- Adjust your blue light at night, especially if you have light-colored eyes.
One study indicated that people with light-colored eyes like blue, green, and light brown eyes, are more susceptible to greater (17%) melatonin suppression at night when exposed to artificial blue light, compared to those with dark brown eyes. In another study, there were improvements in fasting plasma glucose levels, insulin resistance, and sleep quality in healthy participants who wore blue-light shield eyewear for 2 to 3 hours before bed for one month. Therefore, if you have light-colored eyes, you may need to be extra attentive to evening light and even melatonin supplementation.
- Correct for vitamin D levels to help with sleep and melatonin production.
In a study with 79 women, researchers found that vitamin D levels tracked closely with their melatonin levels. Specifically, when they were deficient in vitamin D, their melatonin was also lower. When vitamin D was sufficient, melatonin was higher. This relationship between the two was found to be statistically significant. Therefore, correcting for vitamin D levels using laboratory tests may indirectly or directly improve melatonin levels in the body. It has also been suggested to combine vitamin D and melatonin to improve sleep. There is no preferred timing for taking a vitamin D supplement, except that it must be taken with fat to help with absorption.
- Evaluate melatonin in the wider context of antioxidant status.
One published paper suggested that vitamin D and melatonin may exhibit synergism with the essential minerals, zinc, and copper, due to their collective collaboration in antioxidant status. In a similar manner, a combination of nutrients (vitamin D, vitamin C, melatonin, and zinc) was reported to be helpful for reducing the inflammation in COVID-19. Along these lines, it has been proposed in animal and human studies that melatonin and vitamin C may work synergistically. Finally, in other publications, vitamin D and melatonin were suggested to be synergistic for this immune indication and even for mitochondrial protection.
And, it may be worthwhile to take melatonin with sulforaphane. One study in 18 healthy Japanese adults with poor sleep reported that broccoli sprout capsules (30 mg glucoraphanin) capsules for 4 weeks helped with sleep and melatonin production compared with placebo. Sulforaphane is derived from glucoraphanin and has been extensively explored for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, which may be implicated in healthy sleep.
While it is too soon to suggest specific amounts and ratios for all these nutrients, it may be worthwhile for an individual to be looking at their overall antioxidant status with the help of a knowledgeable healthcare practitioner to ensure that nutrients are sufficiently in balance for the different reactions.
- Choose a quality, efficacious melatonin supplement that is non-toxic.
Plant melatonin is the premier melatonin supplement as has been shown in head-to-head cell studies with synthetic melatonin, which is the predominant melatonin in the market. Plant melatonin, made from alfalfa, rice, and chlorella, is up to 6 times more anti-inflammatory (measured using cyclooxygenase-2, or COX-2), almost 5 times greater in its free radical scavenging (as assessed by the marker, DPPH), has double the ability to quench free radicals in a skin cell line, and is more than 9 times greater in antioxidant potential (measured by ORAC). Therefore, for those people interested in melatonin for its anti-aging and longevity properties, which is typically individuals who are doing some form of “biohacking,” it makes perfect sense to amplify the quality and performance of melatonin on its own, which is why plant melatonin is the best choice.
Furthermore, what’s unique is that plant melatonin also contains other plant actives like lutein and zeaxanthin that can help protect the macula in the eye from artificial blue light.
- Take melatonin with a little bit of fat.
Melatonin is both water-soluble and fat-soluble. Directions on a melatonin supplement usually state to take it 30-60 minutes before bedtime. Of course, you don’t want to be eating too much before sleeping, but you also want to make your melatonin more bioavailable. Therefore, it may be worthwhile to take your plant melatonin together with an omega-3 fatty acid softgel or even opening the plant melatonin capsule (green plant matter) into some liquid fish oil, almond butter or extra-virgin olive oil, stirring it on a spoon and then taking it in. In theory, including fat may slow the release of melatonin from the stomach and increase its activity in the body due to the “sustained release”.
Men tend to have about 50% less bioavailability of melatonin than women, which implies that men need to be even more conscious of how and when they take their melatonin supplement. Oral absorption in healthy men has been estimated at 3%. As discussed above, bringing in fat or even tweaking the dose to be slightly higher may be some strategies if the intended results are not being obtained.
- Take higher doses of melatonin -/+ 4 days before the full moon.
One study in adults showed that regardless of outdoor light exposure, there is a natural decline in melatonin production by the pineal gland four days before and after a full moon. Therefore, if you find you are not sleeping well during the full moon times of the month, which tends to be a common experience, you may want to bring in additional melatonin (for example, maybe double your daily dose, so instead of 0.3 mg, 0.6 mg, on those select days).
- Shift your melatonin intake seasonally.
Just like the day changes into night, nature also takes us through different seasons. Those seasons are important to take into consideration from a melatonin supplementation perspective. One review article discussed the seasonal changes of vitamin D and melatonin, and how they might be implicated in autoimmune diseases. Specifically, melatonin production is higher in the winter months and lower in the spring. Theoretically, melatonin levels should also be lower in summer. Therefore, it might be reasonable to shift up or down one’s supplementation depending on their symptoms within the respective season.
- Take melatonin away from caffeine.
Those sensitive to the effects of caffeine, such as those individuals who are slow metabolizers of caffeine, may need to take melatonin supplements further away from coffee intake (about 4-5 hours) and perhaps a little longer before bedtime. There is mixed data about caffeine increasing melatonin, perhaps because they share the same enzyme and compete for its activity. The usual time for taking a melatonin supplement is 30-60 minutes before bedtime; however, for some people, their metabolism of melatonin is slower, so they could wake up groggy. In those cases, try taking the melatonin supplement 90-120 minutes before bedtime, and adjust from that point.
Summary
Taking a melatonin supplement is helpful beyond its role in sleep. More and more people are taking it for its ability to address some of the root causes involved in aging and longevity. Starting with an excellent melatonin supplement is the first step to being on the right track for optimizing health. From there, personalizing one’s approach with other nutrients and ways to increase melatonin’s action in the body is useful to know for the best results possible. Therefore, if you have questions about melatonin, supplementation, or doses to best support your health, talk to your doctor, nutritionist, dietician, or another healthcare team member for personal options based on your circumstances.
