Jan-Dirk Fauteck - The Magic of Melatonin: How this Amazing Hormone Will Help You Sleep, Reduce Pain, Relieve Anxiety, Slow Aging, and Much More

In this book, Dr. Fauteck summarizes critical information related to the necessity of maintaining regular biological rhythms and succinctly describes the pathological consequences of circadian rhythm disturbancesand there are many such negative side effects. One of the most fundamental and best-known rhythms is that of melatonin. Disturbance of the melatonin cycle due to any reason interferes with the sleep-wake cycle, which leads to a number of other neurobehavioral and psychological problems. It is without doubt that the consequences of the loss of melatonin and its rhythm, which normally peaks at night, far exceed sleep problems. Ample melatonin has positive effects on the brain morphology and neuronal function, as well.

Unfortunately, in modern societies, a clear distinction between day and night no longer exists because of the widespread misuse of light at night, that is, light pollution. Light at night interferes with the ability of the pineal gland to produce and disperse melatonin. As a result, either no or a severely dampened melatonin rhythm exists in individuals exposed to artificial light during the normal dark time, which includes most people living in cities and in all individuals who work at night. This suppression of a distinct melatonin rhythm and all other biological cycles represents a serious perturbation of the biological clock of many organs, contributing to pathophysiology. Chronic perturbations of biological rhythms and the melatonin cycle have been tentatively linked to a variety of neurodegenerative disorders and to an increased cancer risk. Loss of neurons is often a consequence of excessive oxidative stress that can be prevented by antioxidants. Melatonin is an uncommonly effective antioxidant, so its reduction due to the exposure to light at night may have multiple negative health consequences related to the accumulation of oxidatively damaged molecules.

In addition to the loss of melatonin resulting from the exposure to light during the normal dark period, aging usually takes a severe toll on the biological clock and on melatonin production. The reduction in the ability of humans to produce melatonin begins some time during middle age, and it is often essentially absent from the blood of elderly individuals. The drop in melatonin with aging seems to be related to many debilitating changes associated with advanced age, for example, skin deterioration, cataracts, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegeneration.

Supplemental melatonin has been widely used to correct problems of sleep disorders; its benefit in these areas stems from its ability to regulate the circadian clock. Due to its actions as a potent antioxidant, melatonin may also have benefits that protect against the ravages of aging and many age-related diseases. Dr. Fauteck comprehensively and authoritatively reviews the extensive scientific literature that illustrates the potential benefits of the use of melatonin. Melatonin is a nontoxic molecule that has been widely used by humans for many years with very few adverse events being reported. Its side effects are essentially nil.

The book by Dr. Fauteck clearly describes how melatonin is produced and secreted, how the prevailing artificially imposed light/dark cycle can disturb its rhythm, and how this translates into other potential pathologies. The author does an excellent job in explaining the relationship between disturbed circadian rhythms and suppressed melatonin levels to disease processes at a level that will be comprehensible to all readers. This is a valuable and essential contribution to understanding the association among light and darkness, the biological clock, melatonin, and human health. This book will be useful to virtually everyone who reads it. The information it contains meets a very important unmet need.

Russel J. Reiter, PhD, Dr. h.c. mult.

San Antonio, Texas