<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Earlier this year, I posted about my success with using melatonin for a good 
night's sleep as recommended by Dr. Jerry Mixon, a leading edge MD 
specializing in longevity medicine.  I was overwhelmed with emails warning 
that melatonin may cause autoimmune disease because it says so on the bottle 
& the websites.  I knew Dr. Mixon wouldn't recommend anything that is 
dangerous, but I wanted to know the origins of that warning.  I had an 
opportunity to ask Dr. Mixon about it today.  He said that warning is a 
perfect example of "over labeling" manufacturers put on products to protect 
themselves from lawsuits.

Dr. Mixon further explained the origins of that warning.  Melatonin is known 
to enhance the immune response, so some have postulated that over doses of 
melatonin could cause autoimmune disease.  But, so far, there's no evidence 
found anywhere that normal physiologic doses or even overdoses of melatonin 
have ever caused development of autoimmune disease or even an aggravation of 
autoimmune symptoms in people already diagnosed with autoimmune disease.

[To refresh your memory:  Melatonin is a chemical our brains make in 
response to light stimulation to the eyes that enables us to sleep soundly.  
Melatonin production decreases with age, causing the sleep problems that 
come with middle age & beyond.]

I asked why my husband & I were recently not getting the same results we got 
earlier this year from taking the same dose of melatonin.  He felt the most 
likely reason is that the days are getting shorter & we need to increase our 
dose accordingly.  Bright sunlight stimulates the brain to make more 
melatonin during the spring & summer, but now that winter's getting close, 
we are getting less light that we need to stimulate our brains to make 
sufficient melatonin to assure a good night's sleep.  He further explained 
that in his practice his patients gradually increase their doses until late 
January then taper if off in the spring, some not needing any at all during 
the summer months.

I also asked Dr. Mixon to comment on the rumor that we need to periodically 
get off melatonin because our bodies become "immune" to it.  He said that's 
totally false.  It's all a matter of finding the appropriate dose for the 
individual & the time of year.

To find your correct dose, he recommends starting with 1 mg a night.  Every 
third or fourth night increase by 1 mg until you get the desired results.  
If you get wild & vivid dreams that actually disturb sleep & feel "hung 
over" the next day, that means you've overdosed, so back off 1 mg.  That is 
your ideal dose for the time being.  (Understand that you may need to 
increase during the winter months.)  If you've titrated to your ideal dose & 
still don't sleep well, there's probably some other problem that needs to be 
addressed.  [Melatonin is not needed for people under 40 years unless 
prescribed by a physician for specific medical conditions.]

There's absolutely nothing quite a nice as a good night's sleep.  According 
to Dr. Mixon, there's no reason to fear using melatonin to help you get the 
rest you need.

~Valerie in Tacoma

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