Low Melatonin Doubles Diabetes Risk
Home / Resources / Articles / Low Melatonin Doubles Diabetes Risk The evidence for a link between the body clock hormone melatonin and type 2 diabetes continues to mount. According to the study findings, in a case-control study nested within the Nurses Health Study cohort, women in the lowest category of melatonin secretion had more than double the risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared with women in the highest category of melatonin secretion. Lead author Ciaran J. McMullan, MD, of Brigham and Womens Hospital, said in an interview, that the findings raise the intriguing possibility that increasing melatonin levels in the body may lower the risk of diabetes, although that remains to be tested. Ian Hickie, MD, executive director of the Brain & Mind Research Institute at the University of Sydney in Australia, said in an interview that the study "is an important contribution to the emerging literature that suggests a likely physiological link between nighttime melatonin secretion and risk of diabetes." Hickie was not involved in the study. Among the lines of evidence pointing to a protective effect of melatonin against diabetes development: In several large, genome-wide association studies, loss-of-function mutations in the melatonin receptor were associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. In a cross-sectional analysis of persons without diabetes, lower nocturnal melatonin secretion was associated with increased insulin resistance. Diabetes-prone rats fed melatonin supplements were protected against the disease. Because a prospective association between melatonin secretion and type 2 diabetes has not been previously reported in humans, McMullan and colleagues analyzed data from the Nurses Health Study cohort. Among participants without diabetes who provi Continue reading >>
What Is Melatonin?
MORE Melatonin is a hormone produced naturally by the pineal gland in response to darkness. Levels remain high during sleep until the pineal gland tapers off production in response to light. Melatonin's effects on sleep, other hormones and cancer are the reason it has been studied ever since its discovery in the 1950s. In the mid-1990s, synthetic melatonin became available as a nutritional supplement. Melatonin supplements are often recommended for sleep problems involving sleep cycles, such as jet lag or irregular night shift work. Melatonin supplements are also recommended for sleep disorders due to side effects from beta-blockers (blood pressure medication), from stopping benzodiazepine drugs or from quitting smoking. Melatonin may also be given for insomnia linked to attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism in children. People who have trouble sleeping typically have low levels of melatonin, so melatonin supplements seem like a logical fix for insomnia. There is a high demand for sleep aids, especially in the U.S. The National Health Interview Survey done in 2002, and again in 2007, found 1.6 million US adults were using complementary and alternative sleep aids for insomnia. Melatonin was a top choice. However melatonin dose more than influence sleep. Melatonin also regulates the start of menstruation, the length of ovulation cycles and menopause, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Melatonin supplements are purported to help bone loss and menopause symptoms. Melatonin levels are also linked to cancer in various ways. Women with breast cancer typically have lower levels of melatonin than women who don't have it, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Similarly, men with prostate cancer typically have lower melat Continue reading >>
Newly Discovered Link Between Sleep And Diabetes Warrants Early Bedtime For Children
Once a disease of adults, Type 2 diabetes is now affecting an increasing number of children in the United States. This disease is linked to increased insulin resistance and metabolic effects that can have devastating lifelong consequences. Doctors and scientists are struggling to discover the reason that so many children are suffering from Type 2 diabetes and other types of metabolic syndrome. New research finding links between sleep and diabetes suggests that our circadian rhythms may contribute to how sugar is processed, even at a very young age. Diabetes in Children There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 usually begins in childhood. In this disease, the body wages an autoimmune attack on your pancreas that leaves you unable to produce insulin. Because insulin is needed to let blood glucose into cells, this leads to cells that are starved for food even with dangerously high blood sugar in the bloodstream. This disease is usually random and unpreventable, with rates remaining stable over decades. Type 2 diabetes also affects glucose metabolism, although in a very different way. In this form of diabetes, people’s cells become insulin resistant. Even with the pancreas working harder than ever to meet increasing insulin demands, cells simply do not let blood glucose into cells as effectively. While people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes will both have high blood glucose, Type 1 patients will have no insulin at all in their bloodstream while Type 2 patients will have very high levels. Unlike Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes is caused mainly by lifestyle factors and can often be treated with lifestyle changes as well. New Connections Between Sleep and Diabetes Type 2 diabetes can destroy blood vessels, nerves, eyesight and kidney function. It is import Continue reading >>
Can Diabetics Take Melatonin?
Diabetics who experience sleeping problems might want to try melatonin, a common supplement that is thought to help regulate sleeping patterns. But diabetics must monitor the supplements they take to ensure they don’t interfere with any other medications they’re taking. Another concern is whether a supplement, such as melatonin, affects blood sugar levels, which are prone to fluctuate rapidly in diabetics. Check with your doctor before taking any supplements. Video of the Day Typically, people take melatonin to help their bodies adjust to a new sleeping schedule. For example, people who travel between time zones might experience jet lag, or an inability to conform their sleeping habits to the night/day cycle of the new region. Your body naturally produces the hormone melatonin to regulate your sleep cycle. Some people who have insomnia or other sleeping disorders have low levels of melatonin, so they take melatonin supplements to restore the hormone to normal levels. MedlinePlus warns diabetics that taking melatonin might affect blood sugar levels, so you should monitor your blood sugar level often if you decide to take melatonin. Even if melatonin doesn’t negatively affect your blood sugar levels, there is still some question as to its effectiveness. MedlinePlus says melatonin is "likely effective" for treating sleep problems in blind people and in children who have autism or mental retardation but is only "possibly effective" for treating otherwise healthy people who experience such sleeping problems as jet lag or insomnia. The American Diabetes Association warns that melatonin might decrease glucose utilization and increase insulin resistance. This is a problem for diabetics, who either have too little insulin or poorly functioning insulin, meaning they can’t Continue reading >>
Role Of Melatonin On Diabetes-related Metabolic Disorders
Go to: CHRONOBIOLOGY, METABOLIC CONTROL AND DISEASE It was realised as far back as the eighteenth century that organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular, exhibit inherent rhythms. Such rhythmicity plays an important role in the temporal control of a wide range of biological processes in the body, the most notable of which is metabolism[3]. The most important and well-known biological rhythm is the circadian rhythm, which is defined as the roughly 24 h cycle that characterises virtually all organisms on Earth. It is an adaptation to the periodicity at which our planet moves around its axis, which determines day length. In addition to circadian rhythms, there are ultradian rhythms, which are shorter than 24 h, and infradian rhythms, which extend beyond 24 h. To be considered a circadian rhythm, three major criteria must be fulfilled: (1) it should persist under constant external conditions, i.e. be endogenously generated; (2) it should be temperature-insensitive; and (3) it can be reset by an external stimulus, i.e. entrainment. Tremendous advances have been made in recent years in the understanding of how circadian rhythms are controlled[2]. A complex of transcriptional factors referred to as circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (CLOCK) and brain and muscle aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT)-like 1 (BMAL1) controls the Period (PER) genes. This offsets oscillating feedback loops of transcription and translation, which generate waves of gene expression with a periodicity of 24 h. While this machinery is endogenously generated, it is entrained by external stimuli, of which light is perhaps the most critical one. It is also sensitive to signals from metabolism, e.g. cellular redox state has been shown to affect CLOCK activity[5]. The system i Continue reading >>
Melatonin, Grape Seed Extract, Coq10 And Diabetes
Simple lifestyle and nutrition changes can make a big difference for people with diabetes. The latest supplements everyone is talking about include melatonin, grape seed extract and CoQ10. Find out more about each of these supplements and if they are beneficial for people with diabetes. CoQ10 is a supplement that may be useful as a supplemental therapy for blood sugar control. It is also reported to help reduce the risk of cardiac disease. CoQ10 is an element involved in energy production in our bodies as well as an antioxidant. It is a helper-vitamin our bodies manufacture in a limited amount. It can also be found in vegetable oil, poultry and fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel. The levels of CoQ10 found in the body can decrease when people age or have diseases such as diabetes, congestive heart failure, AIDS, neuromuscular disorders, Parkinson’s or take statin medications for elevated cholesterol. Because it relates to energy metabolism, supplements may help improve blood sugar control for people with diabetes. Some studies have shown a reduction in blood sugars as well as lower cholesterol and blood pressure. There is still insufficient evidence to draw definite conclusions about the benefits of taking CoQ10 supplements. Talk to your doctor about the latest research and whether taking CoQ10 supplements could be beneficial for you. Europe has been using grape seed extract as a health care treatment for years. Studies have shown it can be beneficial for cardiovascular conditions, high cholesterol and poor circulation. It has also been shown to reduce inflammation and help with eye diseases related to diabetes. Grape seed extract comes from the seeds of red wine grapes. Known as procyanidin oligomers, it contains antioxidants such as Resveratrol. It has been studi Continue reading >>
What Is Melatonin And Can It Help Me Sleep?
A perfect sleeping pill — one that gets people to fall asleep faster, and for a longer period of time, with no side effects — is still a dream. Such a magic pill could potentially solve many problems. Millions of Americans don't get enough sleep. In a recent survey, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 35 percent of Americans are sleeping fewer than seven hours per night, the recommended healthy amount. Good sleep doesn't just boost our feelings of well-being. There's a growing scientific consensus that it protects us against heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. In sleep labs, participants who have their sleep cycles severely thrown off for just three weeks can start to appear pre-diabetic on blood tests. (If you doubt the importance of sleep consider this: Scientists now believe that cycles of restfulness and alertness are core organizing principles of all life on Earth. Even the tiniest single-cell organisms contain the genetic coding for a circadian rhythm.) Of course, there are many prescription sleep aids on the market; unfortunately, they aren't very effective and can be addictive and dangerous. So many prefer to walk into a corner drug store and buy an alternative for just $6 that's marketed as safe and all natural. It's melatonin, and unlike other chemicals sold as nutrition supplements in America, there's some scientific evidence to back up its claims. But like all sleep drugs, melatonin's story is complicated. Despite the fact it's a chemical that our bodies naturally produce during sleep, how melatonin actually works, and what it's best for, is worth a good, hard look. What is melatonin? Melatonin was originally discovered in the 1950s, when a dermatology lab thought it played a role in skin pigmentation. The researchers all took a m Continue reading >>
The Role Of Melatonin In The Onset And Progression Of Type 3 Diabetes
The role of melatonin in the onset and progression of type 3 diabetes Alzheimers disease (AD) is defined by the excessive accumulation of toxic peptides, such as beta amyloid (A) plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFT). The risk factors associated with AD include genetic mutations, aging, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress. To date, several studies that have demonstrated an association between AD and diabetes have revealed that the common risk factors include insulin resistance, sleep disturbances, blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption, and altered glucose homeostasis. Many researchers have discovered that there are mechanisms common to both diabetes and AD. AD that results from insulin resistance in the brain is termed type 3 diabetes. Melatonin synthesized by the pineal gland is known to contribute to circadian rhythms, insulin resistance, protection of the BBB, and cell survival mechanisms. Here, we review the relationship between melatonin and type 3 diabetes, and suggest that melatonin might regulate the risk factors for type 3 diabetes. We suggest that melatonin is crucial for attenuating the onset of type 3 diabetes by intervening in A accumulation, insulin resistance, glucose metabolism, and BBB permeability. MelatoninType 3 diabetesAlzheimers disease (AD)Insulin resistanceHyperglycemiaBlood brain barrier (BBB)Beta amyloid (A) Alzheimers disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by the abnormal aggregation and accumulation of toxic peptides resulting in beta amyloid (A) plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) [ 1 ]. According to recent reports, the number of patients with AD will be over 13.8 million by 2050, which will place a tremendous burden on society globally [ 2 4 ]. The onset of Continue reading >>
Melatonin Links Gene Variant To Type 2 Diabetes Risk
Melatonin Links Gene Variant to Type 2 Diabetes Risk The natural sleep hormone melatonin inhibits insulin secretion among people with a very common variation in the gene coding for the melatonin receptor and may help explain a higher risk of type 2 diabetes among that large population, new research shows. Almost a third of people (30%) are thought to have the variant, which causes pancreatic beta cells to become more sensitive to melatonin and in turn impairs their ability to secrete insulin. The new data may hold clues as to why people who work overnight or who have sleep disorders may have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, although that connection is less clear, the authors say. Understanding the link between the melatonin receptor 1b gene variant (MTNR1B), melatonin, and type 2 diabetes may also help in designing new drugs for the disease, senior author of the new study, Hindrik Mulder, MD, PhD, associate professor at Lund University in Sweden, told Medscape Medical News. Findings from the study by Tiinamaija Tuomi, MD, PhD, of the Endocrinology and Abdominal Center in Helsinki University Hospital in Finland, and colleagues, were published online May 12 in Cell Metabolism. Dr Mulder said the findings build on their previous work from 2009, which concluded that people who had the gene variant had a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. The current study consisted of an experimental phase and then a clinical investigation. In the experimental portion, the researchers studied pancreatic islet cells from human donors and found that people with the MTNR1B gene variant had more melatonin receptors. Those who had two copies of the variant had greater numbers of receptors on the islet cells than those who had one. From there, researchers set out to find the consequences of having Continue reading >>
Gaba, A Major Therapeutic Breakthrough For Type 1 Diabetics
Welcome > Stress and Sleep >GABA, a major therapeutic... GABA, a major therapeutic breakthrough for type 1 diabetics The results of a new scientific study could mark a significant advance in the treatment of type 1 diabetes. Recently published in the prestigious scientific journalCell, the study has just revealed new therapeutic potential for gamma-amino-butyric acid, commonly known as GABA 1. This is a neurotransmitter hitherto known for its sedative and anxiolytic effects. A popular option for relieving stress and anxiety, GABA could now improve daily life for type 1 diabetics, due to its effects on insulin-secreting cells. Such is the view of a team of researchers from the Institute of Biology Valrose in Nice. Promising results for treating type 1 diabetics Diabetes is a chronic disease characterised by a dysfunction in metabolic control of glycaemia the level of sugar in the blood. There are two types of diabetes, each with very different causes. The most common is type 2 which is primarily linked to excess weight and a sedentary lifestyle2. A number of preventive and therapeutic solutions have been developed to counter this form of the disease, as detailed in our comprehensive article on diabetes. In the case of type 1 diabetes, advances in treatment have been more challenging due to the complexity of the disease. Type 1 diabetes is due to an auto-immune response which causes the pancreas to stop producing insulin. Without insulin, glucose accumulates in the blood, causing an increase in glycaemia. Since excess glucose can lead to health complications including cardiovascular problems, controlling blood sugar with insulin is essential. Type 1 diabetics thus require insulin therapy which consists of daily insulin injections. These new findings on GABA show that thi Continue reading >>
Insulin Resistance Low Carb Rn (cde)
Ok, so youve begun an insulin regimen and now you are gaining weight, what is happening? So let start from the beginning. Likely, you were placed on insulin because your blood glucose was consistently high, maybe 200, 300 or greater. When your blood glucose is very high, that means glucose is remaining in your bloodstream where it cannot be properly used. Sometimes its even high enough that it will start spilling into your urine. So, in the bloodstream, that damaging sugar is being carried all over your body, causing inflammation and damaging everything in its path. Bad news. You should NOT be living with high blood sugars. So, with insulin, your blood glucose is coming down because now the glucose is going from the bloodstream, into the cells to be properly utilized. So why does this make you gain weight? We always hear insulin is a fat storing hormone. Its true, but just how is this happening? So now that your body can utilize the glucose, it has two options. Now, most people dont get active right after a meal, so very little glucose will actually be used around the time we consume a meal. The majority will be stored. There are three main places your body will store glucose. Your body stores glucose (in its stored form) in the muscles. This is glucose that can be quickly used for exercise or activity. There is a limited space in the muscles to store glucose. Also, if you have less muscle, you store less glucose. And if you are not active, these stores can stay full, not allowing more glucose in. Your body stores glucose (in its stored form) in the liver. This glucose is used in between meals and during sleep to keep blood glucose stable when youre not eating. There is a very limited space in the liver to store glucose. If you stay in the fed state too long or too oft Continue reading >>
How Diabetes Affects Your Sleep
People with diabetes have poorer sleep than the general population, and poor sleep has been proposed as a risk factor for developing the disease. Sleep issues in people with diabetes can lead to greater insulin resistance (the inability of the body to use insulin efficiently) more difficulties in controlling high sugars, and development of diabetic complications. There are a number of reasons why people with diabetes have trouble sleeping. High glucose levels at night can prompt the kidneys to excrete extra sugar in the urine, which can mean additional trips to the bathroom and disrupted sleep. Other common sleep difficulties for people with diabetes include sleep apnea, a disorder characterized by loud snoring and pauses in breathing. Restless legs syndrome (RLS), where uncomfortable uncontrolled movements of the legs can occur during relaxation or while laying down, can occur in people who have peripheral neuropathy or nerve damage from chronically high or uncontrolled blood glucose levels. Problems with sleep in people with diabetes have also been linked to a drop in melatonin, a hormone primarily produced by the pineal gland. Melatonin regulates circadian rhythms or the 24-hour sleep/wake, dark/light cycle. During the night, melatonin production peaks, then drops off during the day. The less melatonin you have at night, the less chance of a good night’s sleep. How Diabetes Impacts Melatonin Levels and Circadian Rhythms A number of recent studies reveal a connection between poor sleep, melatonin production, circadian rhythms and insulin. Melatonin’s main job is to regulate circadian rhythms: the night and day or sleep-wake cycles. Darkness causes the body to produce more melatonin, which signals the body to prepare for sleep. Light decreases melatonin production Continue reading >>
Serotonin, Melatonin, 5-htp, And Diabetes
I wanted to do an article on serotonin and diabetes, and I also wanted to do one on melatonin and diabetes, but these two go together so we’ll cover both in this article. These are not substances we often think about when looking at type 2 diabetes but both play a factor in the disease. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter known as the feel good hormone, although it’s not a hormone. Melatonin is a hormone though, and is responsible for your feeling tired when it gets dark, as levels of this hormone rise in the absence of light, at least typically anyway. I mentioned 5-HTP in the title as well, as this is a precursor to serotonin, and many people take 5-HTP to keep their serotonin levels up, including myself. I also take melatonin which is available in supplement form, and is well known as something that helps sleep quality and quantity. Serotonin also converts to melatonin so the two are related in that way, although serotonin has several other important functions in the body as well. So what do these two have to do with diabetes? Well let’s start with serotonin. Serotonin is found in the beta cells and is involved in proper insulin secretion, and it tends to be low in type 2 diabetics, so this has led some scientists to believe that this is involved in the pathology of type 2 diabetes by causing insufficient insulin secretion. These folks don’t really understand the pathology of type 2 diabetes, and don’t seem to be aware that type 2 presents and is caused by excessive insulin secretion, not an insulin deficiency. So low serotonin causing lower insulin secretion would actually be protective here, and is indeed one of the protective adaptations that type 2 diabetics have in order to slow down the progression of the disease. However, there is a form of diabetes know Continue reading >>
Can Melatonin Help You Lose Weight?
Content provided on this site is for entertainment or informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical or health, safety, legal or financial advice. Click here for additional information. Melatonin is wonderful for helping to promote a restful nights sleep, but can it also help you lose weight? The results of a new study say that just may be the case. Melatonin is a natural hormone segregated by the body and melatonin levels generally increase in the dark at night. For those of us who have sleep issues like myself, melatonin is taken in a supplement form. Several years ago I began taking melatonin due to what I call stress insomnia. Typically I fall asleep without much issue, but am a light sleeper and once something wakes me I may not be able to fall back to sleep for several hours, if at all. The one I prefer now is a sublingual supplement that dissolves under the tongue. In addition to supplements, melatonin can be found in small amounts in several fruits and vegetables, such as: almonds, cardamom, cherries, coriander, fennel, Goji berries, mustard, and sunflower seeds. Now, scientists out of Spain have released results of a study which show melatonin has metabolic benefits that can counter obesity and be beneficial in the treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases that occur as a result of metabolic issues. Here is how it works. There are different types of fat in the body. White adipose tissue is the one that stores calories that lead to weight gain, while beige fat helps regulate body weight control by burning calories instead of storing them. The researchers found that melatonin consumption stimulates the appearance of this beige fat. They also found that melatonin heightens the effects of exercise, since beige fat contains the protein r Continue reading >>
The Use Of Melatonin
Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community Find support, ask questions and share your experiences. Join the community I'm 17 and as exams are coming up as well as the stresses of university, I am finding myself less and less likely to get a good nights rest. At least once a week I suffer from a bad sleep that is non-diabetes related. I found some melatonin at home, but from prior research I knew it wasn't safe (or at least it said to avoid use with diabetes). I decided i'd research a bit deeper and some diabetics have actually used melatonin successfully. My only problem is the lack of solid information. Some sites say STAY AWAY while regular forum posters on other sites have used it. Is melatonin a safe sleeping aid that won't put me out, so much so, that I wouldn't be able to wake up if I was suffering from hypoglycaemia? Does anyone here use it? I know there are other types of 'sleeping aids' for diabetics that are out there, but I am more interested in something that naturally comes from the body. I've done plenty of research but it seems like most of the information on it is related to T2 diabetes and not T1. Any suggestions? Thanks I can and probably will call my doc or wait until my upcoming appointment, but I'd like to know either way other peoples experiences with it - so if I do get the go ahead, I know what to expect. I wanted to add the use of melatonin will probably be once a week and not long term kinda thing. Good luck with your research on this. I used to use Melatonin pre- diagnosis when I could buy it freely (we were living in Cairo and in non-Western pharmacies you can buy anything - it's great!). I found it very helpful. But it's become a health fad thing, so for reliable research I think you'll have to go to real medical papers online. Not Dr Mer Continue reading >>
