What are the benefits and side effects of melatonin?

Generally, melatonin is an endogenous circadian rhythm regulator. The effects of melatonin include promoting sleep, assisting in retinal protection, antioxidant action, regulating immune function, and alleviating anxiety. Side effects of melatonin include affecting hormone secretion, drowsiness and dizziness, gastrointestinal discomfort, exacerbation of depressive symptoms, and allergic reactions. It is recommended to use this medication under the guidance of a physician. A detailed analysis is as follows:

I. Benefits of Melatonin

1. Promoting Sleep

Melatonin can regulate the body's circadian rhythm, helping to shorten sleep onset time and enabling individuals to fall asleep more quickly, which is beneficial for those experiencing difficulty falling asleep.

2. Assisting Retinal Protection

In the retina of the eye, melatonin can regulate retinal cell function, protect the retina from light-induced damage, maintain normal retinal structure and function, play a certain role in preventing retinal diseases such as retinopathy and macular degeneration, and help maintain eye health.

3. Antioxidant Action

Melatonin has certain antioxidant properties, capable of scavenging free radicals in the body, reducing cellular damage caused by free radicals, aiding in delaying the aging process, and protecting bodily tissues and organs.

4. Regulating Immune Function

This medication can, to some extent, enhance the body's immune function, helping it better resist invasion by external pathogens and reducing the risk of illness.

5. Alleviating Anxiety

This medication can exert a regulatory effect on the nervous system, helping to relax the mind and body, relieve tension and anxiety, and stabilize psychological state.

II. Side Effects of Melatonin

1. Impact on Hormone Secretion

Long-term and excessive use of melatonin may cause abnormal levels of melatonin in the body, which through neuroendocrine regulatory mechanisms, feeds back to affect related endocrine organs, interfering with the normal secretion rhythms of hormones such as thyroid hormone and adrenaline, thereby affecting bodily metabolism and physiological functions.

2. Drowsiness and Dizziness

Melatonin regulates sleep patterns, and excessive intake may overly inhibit brain nerve cells or affect cerebral blood circulation and neurotransmitter balance, leading to daytime drowsiness, dizziness, headache, reduced attention, and reaction capability.

3. Gastrointestinal Discomfort

Melatonin may irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa or affect the neural regulation and secretion of digestive fluids in the gastrointestinal tract, causing disturbances in gastrointestinal motility and digestive function, resulting in symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which can affect digestion and absorption.

4. Worsening Depressive Symptoms

Melatonin may participate in regulating the metabolism and function of neurotransmitters such as serotonin. Individuals with existing depressive tendencies or depression may experience further disruption of neurotransmitter balance after taking melatonin, affecting the brain's emotional regulation function and thus exacerbating depressive symptoms.

5. Allergic Reactions

In some individuals, the immune system may identify melatonin or certain components in its formulations as allergens, triggering an immune response and releasing inflammatory mediators such as histamine, leading to skin rashes, itching, and, in severe cases, symptoms such as respiratory mucosal edema and difficulty breathing, which can be life-threatening.

In daily life, individuals should not take melatonin arbitrarily, especially those without sleep problems or other relevant indications. If use is necessary, one should first consult a physician to determine suitability, appropriate dosage, and timing of administration to avoid adverse effects from blind medication use.