Melatonin?

[infomaniac]

I have been reading about Melatonin but there are vastly differing views on whether Hypo people should take it. Does anyone know anything about it?

[RedApple Administrator]

Melatonin has been discussed here lots of times, so you might find it useful to put the word into the search box top right of this page and read previous conversations.

I tried it, but a tiny dose made me feel awful. Then again, taking any exogenous hormones (including thyroid and vit D) seem to have that effect on me!

[infomaniac in reply to RedApple]

Thanks RedApple, I've just read all the posts but it seems the jury is still out! I read something last night about Circadian Rythms and I've been on a mammoth session on Google ever since trying to make sense of it all but I'm no further forward. Apparently if your Circadian Rhythm is unbalanced it can cause Hypothyroidism and one way to tackle this is with Melatonin but then I read that Melatonin is bad for the Thyroid. I'm going round in circles!

[Framboise in reply to infomaniac]

This is also new to me - if the circadian rhythm is unbalanced it can cause hypothyroidism - do you have any references for this please?

[infomaniac in reply to Framboise]

perfecthealthdiet.com/categ...

I must stress this is the author's opinion not mine! Very interesting though

[greygoose in reply to infomaniac]

I think maybe what he means is it can be one cause of hypo. There are so many.

As to melatonin, I don't think there's ever going to be agreement. I've never tried it, but Dr D told me that it isn't recommened for hypos because it lowers available thyroid hormone in the blood.

However, thinking about it, is that such a very bad thing? Melatonin is produced at night and maybe the reason it reduces available hormone is to do with resting the body. Maybe that's why it promotes sleep. I can only think that one has to try it onself to see how one gets on. If it doesn't agree, just stop. We're all so different it's not going to suite everybody, anyway.

Hugs, Grey

[infomaniac in reply to greygoose]

I'm going to try to normalise my Circadian Rhythms naturally as I am a terrible night owl which is a bad thing according to what I've read today. Apparently, you're supposed to rise early, eat a hearty protein breakfast then (automatically so it seems!) your appetite will diminish during the day so you'll only need a sparse evening meal-with nothing after 8pm. Then early to bed in a totally dark room for a deep restful sleep. Just like that! I'm going to give it a try though if it's going to be helpful Thyroid-wise.

[Framboise]

I didn't know there was any problem about taking melatonin with thyroid hormones. I'm being evaluated by a Sleep Centre at the moment and wearing a wristband actigraphy thing for 2 weeks to monitor when I sleep etc because the consultant thinks I have a melatonin deficiency, but didn't want to prescribe melatonin until he knew for sure. He's suggested I have hypothalamic disfunction and has recommended I see an endocrinologist who also refers patients to him, so these two doctors at least treat with both melatonin and thyroid hormones at the same times.

I shall check through the old posts on this so thanks for mentioning it.

[infomaniac in reply to Framboise]

You would be better of Googling it Framboise as there is a lot of info out there. Some is a bit technical however. If you find anything concrete please let me know would you?

[roslin]

I have too been trawling the web re melatonin and as far as i can find, it has no direct effect on hypothyroidism. It does however effect cortisol and therefor thyroid hormones indirectly. I think it has an antagonistic action to cortisol, lowering it at night . So if your cortisol has gone haywire and is high in the evening, it may be a very good idea to take it early, some say as early as 2 hrs before you go to sleep( I take it 1 hr before). I never take more than 3mg except for jet lag. Some people feel ill on it particularly but I have never had a bad reaction. It is short acting unless you get the slow release, so it wont maintain sleep if that is your problem. It should not affect your morning cortisol. It is a strong antioxidant. I sleep wonderfully on it but I dont take it every night

Roslinxx

[infomaniac in reply to roslin]

I'm sorry but I've read so much today I can't remember what I've read and where I've read it so can't supply any links but my deduction was that your circadian rhythm being out of whack can affect your Thyroid, so you take melatonin to help. But the melatonin isn't good for your Thyroid (in particular Hashis) so you're back to square one! As I said I'm going to try to alter my sleep pattern naturally and see where that gets me

[Hidden]

Circadin, a timed release 2mg dose of Melatonin is available for prescribing on the NHS to (generally) over 55's and supposedly for 13 weeks only, not that many GPs know it exists!

nyrdtc.nhs.uk/docs/nde/NDE_...

nhs.uk/medicine-guides/page...

I was using a different version, 3mg slow release type for a while, but when I got pain relief improved, I was sleeping a bit better so discontinued it, although have recently started it again due to it's potential benefit to prostate health (Mine is enlarged) as the prostate has plenty of Melatonin receptors. It's no miracle cure, but there seems to be some positive aspect to it's use it, and it seems to be relatively low or free from significant side effects.

As ever, there is loads of proper info out there, (and a lot of junk), so do your homework on it first.

[Karispitit]

I've been taking melatonin for the past 11 years. I queried whether it would be a problem as I am now on Levo and Dr S said it was fine and nothing wrong with taking it as well as my Levo.

I read that stress increases cortisol levels and high cortisol levels blocks T3 conversion. Never heard melatonin affecting cortisol though.

[MrsJim]

Not my opinion but might be useful to some.x

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/1...