The tiny pineal gland is located in the center of the brain and it secretes melatonin, a hormone that acts as a chemical messenger throughout the body. As we age this gland slows down in the production process. Melatonin controls how long and how energetically we will live so we don’t want this slowdown as we age. Cells inside the pineal gland that are sensitive to light control the internal mechanism that tells us when to sleep or wake.
In other animals the pineal gland regulates reproduction in spring, migration in fall and hibernation in winter. When spring comes around again, it’s the pineal that rings the alarm clock that it’s time to move or change the behavior. In humans, melatonin from the pineal gland oversees the workings of the other glands like a conductor leading an orchestra. It maintains the correct levels of hormones and governs growth and development throughout life, including when puberty starts and reproduction ends.
During midlife, sometime around the age of 50, melatonin levels begin a steep decline. By age 60, the pineal gland produces half the melatonin it did when we were in our early twenties. Depleted melatonin informs the body that our years of sexual reproduction are over and some cells may as break down completely. Chronic diseases related to aging may begin like cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer's, heart diseases, cataracts, diabetes, asthma and many others. By simply adding manufactured melatonin to our bodies' declining supply we can reverse the patterns of aging. This will keep us vital, healthy and sexual into our 90s and beyond. Melatonin is available. Inexpensive melatonin pills and capsules are sold at drugstores and health food stores without a prescription.
Melatonin As A Cancer Fighter
Melatonin is a multifaceted anticancer compound that performs a number of cancer fighting services like:
• Reduceing the effects of hormones that can trigger the growth of certain cancers, such as cancer of the breast and prostate.
• Enhanceing the ability of the immune system to identify and destroy abnormal cells that may become cancerous.
• Preventing the usual age-related decline in immunity that makes the body vulnerable to cancer.
• Hindering the growth and spread of cancerous tumors.
• Melatonin has been shown to protect the brain from injury and to protect nucleic acids from carcinogens.
• Melatonin acts as a free-radical scavenger. Free radicals are highly reactive chemical substances (including oxygen) that can damage tissue and play a role in the aging process and the growth of cancer cells. Melatonin is an antioxidant with extensive powers to bolster your immune system overall. It can also…
• Protect your natural production of melatonin. Certain medications interfere with the body’s natural production of melatonin. These drugs include aspirin, ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), as well as beta-blockers, used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease. Ask your doctor for an alternative.
Melatonin As A Sleep Aid
The decline in melatonin production as we age may well be the reason we have difficulty sleeping as we get older. Taking melatonin at night helps many people fall asleep more readily and most people wake up ready to go about an active day. Adding one-tenth to three-tenths of a milligram of melatonin can help you sleep. Alzheimer’s patients, who tend to wander dangerously at night, are often given sedatives so that they and their caretakers can sleep. It’s far better to give those patients a hormone that isn’t addictive.
If you travel melatonin eliminates jet lag. After reaching your destination across one or more time zones, take three to five milligrams of melatonin before bed. Take melatonin for several more nights until your body clock has reset itself. If you wake up too early, take another one to three milligrams of melatonin to fall back asleep. Readjust after returning home by doing the same.
Melatonin Is A Strong Sex Hormone
Many people lose interest in sexual activities as they get older. The zest for life and physical vigor are typically crucial elements for a robust sex life. A good night’s sleep facilitated by melatonin refreshes you and makes you ready for other things. It also fortifies enclorphins, the pleasure hormone, and one aspect of good sex is the ample release of these natural opiates in the body. Even the hugging and bonding that cement closeness are fostered by melatonin. Melatonin enhances zinc absorption and a zinc deficiency can lead to prostate trouble, which often impairs sexual function. Melatonin also help prevent atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries, a leading cause of impotence in men.
How Much Melatonin Should You Take?
Melatonin is available in tablets, capsules and pills. Tablets and capsules typically come in a choice of 2, 2.5 and 3 milligrams. Tablets can be broken into halves or fourths to create the dosage you want. Capsules can be opened and divided. The pill form are placed under the tongue and dissolve and are quickly absorbed. Take melatonin about half an hour before bedtime. Start with a low dosage and work up slowly to the maximum if necessary. If you’re groggy in the morning then you’re taking too much and should slowly decrease the dosage until it works for you. A good time to start taking melatonin is when you are in your 40.s, but it’s never too late. If you’re at high risk for cancer or heart disease, ask your doctor if you should start sooner.
Suggested Dosage By Age Bracket:
40—44 0.5 to 1.0 milligrams
45—54 1.0 to 2.0 milligrams
55—64 2.0 to 2.5 milligrams
65—74 2.5 to 5.0 milligrams
Over 75 3.5 to 5.0 milligrams
Want to live longer? How about 120 or more ? A woman in France, Jeanne Calment, reached the age of 122 years in 1997, according to details provided by her retirement home. Now you may not want to go that long but 100 is a piece of cake. Those "blessed" with long lives always make us wonder about their secret.
Dr. Lester Packer is the world's foremost authority on lipoic acid, says that lipoic acid supplements can act as a broad shield against the degenerative health problems associated with heart disease, stroke, and cataracts. In talking about the research on alphalipoic acid in his book The Antioxidant Miracle, Dr. Lester Packer (1999) says, "Obviously, these findings have profound implications for healthy aging." Dr. Packer's work has shown that alpha-lipoic acid can help strengthen memory and prevent some signs of brain aging.
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Good blood testing is the single most important step aging adults can take to prevent life-threatening disease. Many diseases and disorders are treatable when caught early, but can severely impair the quality and length of your life if left unattended. Identifying these hidden risk factors will enable you to implement powerful strategies such as proper nutrition, weight loss, exercise, nutrition supplements, and medications in order to prevent the progression to full-blown, life-threatening diseases. Blood testing can also detect biochemical changes that threaten well being and quality of life, such as declining levels of sex hormones. With blood test results in hand, you can catch critical changes in your body before they manifest as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or worse. Having the proper blood tests can empower you to enact a science-based disease-prevention program that could add decades of healthy life.
