Hair loss is something that many adults, male and female alike, have to deal with but can be rectified by using melatonin for hair. Melatonin has been proven through research to generate hair growth.
What is Melatonin
Melatonin is a chemical that is produced by the human brain. It aids a person in getting a proper night of sleep. If you do not produce enough of the stuff you wind up not sleeping very well and having bad dreams that are very vivid. You can also become narcoleptic. This chemical is naturally occurring in human beings and animals through the pineal gland.
Melatonin is produced in varying quantities based on how much light a person gets throughout the day as well as the kind of light they are getting. If you spend a lot of time working in an office environment, at night or under fluorescent lighting, you will produce a lot less melatonin than those who work outside in natural lighting.
Lack of melatonin has been linked to various ailments:
- Hair loss
- Cancer
- Vivid nightmares
- Grogginess
- Depression
Some of the same effects can be linked to toxic levels of melatonin but that is a highly unlikely occurrence as people have been given up to 3,000 times the normal amount of melatonin with no signs of toxicity. Studies have also shown that that melatonin can aid you in proper sleeping habits and peaceful dreams. It has also been linked to a possible solution to Alzheimer's.
Melatonin for Hair Regrowth
You are most likely wondering what this naturally occurring chemical has to do with hair loss or why one would even use melatonin for hair loss in the first place. As we age we lose melatonin which can cause us to lose sleep as well as needed chemicals to promote proper hair growth and pigment. Without melatonin, our hair begins to turn gray and thin out.
Scientists have been doing research on various uses for melatonin. They noticed that animals with high levels of melatonin were subject to fast fur growth. There has been much success with using melatonin for hair growth. It has been touted it as a possible treatment to undo the changes brought on by the loss of melatonin from aging.
Men create a chemical known as DHT. This chemical causes the hair follicles in men to stop working, thus creating hair loss. Melatonin, besides just being a very powerful anti-oxidant, blocks out DHT receptors thusly preventing hair loss from occurring in the first place. Anti-oxidants alone do not cause hair growth but melatonin is used to help stimulate these changes, reversing the damage that free radicals cause.
One caution is that DHT is much needed for both men and women to function sexually. This is why melatonin is often used as a topical solution that can be applied directly to the skin in large quantities because melatonin, generally speaking, is completely safe and not at all toxic. Topical application is the preferred method of use because it is targeted to the needed area.
Cautions for Melatonin Use
Some words of warning for using melatonin in excess were covered briefly earlier but they warrant a second glance because the side effects, if left untreated, can be quite severe.
If vivid nightmares occur then see a physician and stop using melatonin supplements immediately. Also, be aware of the possible sexual dysfunction that can come from using too much. Melatonin can also interact poorly with the following types of medications:
- Medicines for high blood pressure
- Immune system suppressors like cyclosporine
- Antidepressants
- Arthritis medications like corticosteroids
- Drugs that cause sedation effects such as valium
- Certain herbs that cause sleepiness like kava kava and valerian
- St. John's Wort
If you are taking any of the medications listed please contact your doctor before beginning any type of melatonin therapy. Children and young adults should not take melatonin for any reason unless prescribed by a doctor. This is due to their bodies still producing many natural chemicals and excess supplements could cause natural levels to fluctuate.
