• Question: How does Melatonin work?

    Asked by join42egg to Sudhin, Sergio, Katie, Frances, Diarmuid, Aoife on 13 Nov 2019.
    • Photo: Frances Shiely

      Frances Shiely answered on 13 Nov 2019:

      You’ll have to ask the anatomy and physiology people that question. I’m an epidemiologist!

    • Photo: Katie Fala

      Katie Fala answered on 20 Nov 2019:

      Melatonin is a hormone (chemical messenger) that can be made and taken as a supplement but is naturally produced in a part of your brain called the pineal gland. There are receptors that bind the melatonin molecule throughout the body e.g. brain, retina, cardiovascular system, skin. It seems to help regulate the sleep-cycle (circadian rhythm) by binding receptors in the brain that dampen brain signals, making you feel sleepy, but also seems to have a wide range of other effects based on the numbers of melatonin receptors found across a wide range of body sites.

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