One of the drugs used for treatment that is currently being investigated and showing some positive effects is melatonin.
Although there is currently not enough scientific evidence to support that melatonin can protect against the serious effects of COVID-19.
However, there are indications that melatonin may affect the severity of the disease.
The excessive immune response and subsequent serious lung damage that is present in most patients with severe new-onset coronavirus infection.
What is melatonin
Melatonin is the hormone best known as a sleep aide.
Melatonin regulates sleep by affecting the body’s biological clock (sleep and wake cycles).
Melatonin is produced in our body primarily by the pineal gland in the brain naturally.
It is also available in the form of supplements.
Scientific studies show that such melatonin supplements can have a beneficial effect on sleep and wakefulness cycles.
There are also supplements that improve sleep, but they are without the hormone melatonin.
Natural melatonin is produced by light.
Our brain receives light signals through the retina, which are then transmitted through the optic nerve to the brain’s main biological clock.
A special nucleus, sends the appropriate signal to the pineal gland, which is responsible for hormone production.
Like most hormones, melatonin is produced according to the daily circadian rhythm.
Melatonin production increases during the dark hours of the day and is suppressed when exposed to light.
Melatonin levels start rising significantly around 9 p.m. and, peaking during the night, fall to their lowest levels in the morning.
The relationship of melatonin to light and dark cycles is the main reason why nighttime light can be detrimental to our sleep and health.
We also know that as we age, the body’s ability to produce melatonin at night, decreases.
If you are having trouble sleeping, you may want to start taking melatonin
Effects of melatonin on COVID-19
Some scientists suggest that a possible reason for the low prevalence of COVID-19 in children is due to their naturally high levels of melatonin.
Melatonin is best known as a sleep regulator, but it also plays an important role in regulating our immune system.
Melatonin is also a strong antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Melatonin inhibits immune activity by affecting the production of proteins that act as immune system signals to body cells.
Melatonin is known to reduce the production of cytokines that cause inflammation.
Melatonin is also known to be an antioxidant, neutralizing free radical cells.
Pro-inflammatory cytokines are involved in the body’s inflammatory response, which fights viruses, bacteria, and other pathogenic agents.
This is how our body protects itself.
But for this cytokine response to be beneficial, it must be proportional to the threat.
An excessive pro-inflammatory cytokine response creates a danger to the body and can promote viral infection rather than weaken it.
It is this excessive inflammatory response and the associated spread of the virus, in the most serious cases of COVID-19.
COVID-19 is an acute respiratory illness that in some cases results in exceptionally severe lung damage.
While most cases of the new coronavirus infection have mild symptoms, similar to colds and flu, and cause relatively little damage to young and healthy people.
In the elderly and people with chronic illness, COVID-19 can lead to severe pneumonia.
In the most severe cases, coronavirus infection leads to acute lung damage and acute respiratory distress syndrome, because of which the lungs and respiratory system cannot absorb enough oxygen and distribute it through the bloodstream.
Such patients need artificial respiration (ventilator assistance).
Melatonin research
At the heart of the pneumonia and lung damage that severe cases of coronavirus infection manifest.
Underlies, an excessive inflammatory response of the body’s own immune system.
The new coronavirus activates specific inflammasomes, including NLRP3.
NLRP3 inflammasomes have been shown to have a strong association with acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome.
These are the key triggers of an excessive immune system response.
Which can lead to disabling and life-threatening lung damage.
Melatonin has been noted in several scientific studies as a suppressor of NLRP3.
Melatonin’s ability to inhibit NLRP3 activation has been found to affect the severity of inflammatory responses.
Studies in mice that looked specifically at the effect of melatonin on acute lung injury.
Demonstrated that melatonin provides protection against the most severe lung injury because of its ability to suppress NLRP3-mediated inflammation.
It is this ability of melatonin to impact inflammation.
Along with its high degree of safety and benefits for sleep, has attracted the attention of scientists to melatonin.
As a remedy that can impact the body’s immune response when exposed to coronavirus, potentially reducing the severity of the course of a new coronavirus infection.
Recommended melatonin can be purchased below
If you or your family, friends, or acquaintances who are over the age of 50, it is recommended that you take supplements.
It will improve sleep, and it is also possible to get rid of the serious effects of Covid-19
If you need supplements that also improve sleep, but you don’t want to take melatonin for some reason.
I suggest supplements without melatonin.
