Melatonin:
Melatonin is a hormone that is
secreted by the pineal gland in
the brain. This hormone is
involved in sleep, as well as
light-dark cycling. T he use of
Melatonin has been studied in a
number of groups of people, including the elderly and
children. Insomnia has
been improved by the use of
melatonin in children,
adolescents, and especially, the
elderly. It seems to be
most
effective in individuals that
have low natural secretions of melatonin. Melatonin has also been shown to
help with muscle retention after
exercise. Melatonin is also
often used to correct
disturbances in sleep patterns
that are related to jet-lag and
working graveyard shifts. [4,
5,
6]
L-Tryptophan:
L-Tryptophan is an amino acid
that is a precursor for the
neurotransmitter serotonin. L-Tryptophan has hypnotic
properties, which tend to induce
sleep. L-Tryptophan has been
shown to be effective mainly in
cases of sleep onset
insomnia, possibly due to the fact
that this amino acid decreases the amount of
time it takes to fall asleep.
L-Tryptophan also lacks many of
the side effects of sleep
medications, such as developing
tolerance, sleepiness, and
forgetfulness. [7,
8,
9]
5-HTP
(5-Hydroxytryptophan)
5-HTP is L-Tryptophan that is
one step further along the
process to becoming serotonin. 5-HTP has been shown to have
good oral availability, and can increase the levels of serotonin
in the central nervous system. By increasing serotonin levels,
sleep onset time is reduced and
there are fewer awakenings
during the night. When taking
5-HTP, it is important to
supplement with other cofactors
necessary for the conversion of
5-HTP into serotonin, like the
nutrients magnesium, vitamin B6, and
niacin. [10,
11]
Caution: Patients
taking any type of
antidepressant or other
psychoactive drugs should only
use L-Tryptophan or 5-HTP under
the supervision of a qualified
health professional, as this
combination has the potential to
produce adverse reactions.
Botanicals:
Valerian Root
(Valariana officianlis):
The
strong smelling roots of this
plant contain several compounds
that are thought to have
sedative effects. Numerous
clinical trails, including preparations of
valerian, have been shown to be
effective in reducing sleep
latency (time to fall asleep)
and improving sleep quality. Valerian has also been rated as
being more preferable treatment
for insomnia by subjects in one
particular study. Valerian was also rated
as having less impairment in
performance the day after
treatment when compared to a
popular
pharmacological agent. [13,
14]
Passionflower
(Passiflora incarnata):
Passion flower is an herb that
grows as a vine and has a long
history of use as a sedative and
psychoactive substance. One of
the primary constituents of Passion
flower is Harmine, which has the
activity of inhibiting the
breakdown of serotonin (see
above section) and thus can lead
to amplified effects of
supplements that increase
serotonin, such as 5-HTP and
L-Tryptophan. [15,
16]
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