Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
What is it about cold weather that makes us more susceptible to coming down with the common cold? Let’s ensure your immune system is ready to fend off anything that can cause damage, especially during the winter.
One of the most underestimated factors in our overall wellness is sleep. But foods and nutrients can really support a restful night of sleep?
melatonin
Invite Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Jerry Hickey. Ph
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Today, we’re going to discuss melatonin. Is it important to use during the time of the COVID-19 infection? The indication is yes.
But let’s get this straight. There have been no studies to my knowledge directly testing melatonin with the current coronavirus. However, this nutrient is really important for the immune system. Melatonin is a very good anti-inflammatory nutrient, and melatonin is very safe. It has an antiviral effect. In fact, it helps prevent a lot of the damage caused by other viruses.†
What is melatonin and what does it do?
Melatonin is a hormone that we release from different parts of our bodies. For instance, most people know that it’s released in a part of the brain called the pineal gland at night when it’s getting dark to help us sleep at night. But it has many other activities. The lining of our intestines can release melatonin. It’s needed for good digestion.†
COVID-19 Update: T-Cells and Immunity – InVite Health Podcast, Episode 178. Listen Now >>
It’s also expressed by immune cells. That’s how important it is to the immune system. They’ve shown that it’s really important for making the immune system more competent. Many of the cells in the immune system depend on melatonin for direction, plus melatonin helps prevent an overwhelming attack by our own immune system, which is one of the things that happens with the coronavirus.†
People who are very sick with this virus wind up in the hospital fighting, sometimes for their life. What happens is the virus triggers inflammation, and then the immune system itself can also trigger inflammation, and it can get to a serious level. The end result is that it can damage the lungs, the heart, the lining of the intestines, and the brain.
In fact, a recent study looked at people admitted to the hospital with COVID-19. Eighty percent (80%) of them had neurological symptoms, and they’re finding through postmortem autopsies that somehow, the coronavirus is getting into the brain and causing persistent brain damage. So it’s important to have things available to us at this point that can help protect our brain, lungs, heart, and digestive tract.†
Some reports on the efficacy of melatonin
A study titled “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Its Neuroinvasive Capacity: Is It Time for Melatonin?” was published in August in the journal Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology. The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio was one of the academic institutions involved with this study, as well as the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Madrid. The study says that the virus is entering into the brain and causing brain damage, though it’s not known how or why. The researchers said that high doses of melatonin are not only good for your immune system, but it can also help block the inflammation in the brain caused by the coronavirus.†
MELATONIN SUPPORTS IMMUNITY, SLEEP & BEYOND – INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 87. Listen Now >>
Once again, they haven’t designed studies directly using this nutrient and SARS-CoV-2, but a lot of doctors are recommending melatonin because they know it has antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity and is very safe. The problem is that many people with compromised immune systems are lacking melatonin. The activity of melatonin also drops with age.†
Here’s Molecular Biology Reports. It’s a study done in September by the Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Dentistry, Near East University in Nicosia, Cyprus. The study looked at a protein that’s expressed by our immune system that’s called CD147. CD147 works with immune cells, but it’s also responsible for the cytokine storm in the lungs, which is when the immune system damages the lungs. The researchers said that melatonin had previously been found to help protect from cardiac damage relating to other viruses and CD147, so melatonin should also be useful with the coronavirus. They said that melatonin may help prevent severe symptoms in coronavirus patients.†
For more research about the impacts of melatonin on COVID-19 patients and symptoms, tune into the full podcast episode.
Thank you for tuning in to the Invite Health Podcast. You can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting www.invitehealth.com/podcast. Make sure you subscribe and leave us a review! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at Invite Health today. We’ll see you next time on another episode of the Invite Health Podcast.
Did you know that your immune system can manufacture and release Melatonin? This demonstrates the importance of Melatonin, like Vitamin D, to our immune system. Here’s what you need to know.
Anyone can have a bad nights sleep, but when it is persistent and beyond your control it is called insomnia, which can damage your health and sometimes shorten your life. Chief Scientific Director and Pharmacist, Jerry Hickey, Ph., brings you information on natural remedies for insomnia.
Invite Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Amanda Williams, MPH
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On today’s episode, I am going to be talking about sleep! Often times people take its importance for granted and that we need at least seven to eight hours every single night.
Did you know that 35% of Americans do not get adequate sleep? This has been shown to have a direct link to conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. I will be giving you some tips in terms of dietary changes and nutrients that can help support and maintain healthy circadian rhythm.
Importance of A Healthy Sleep Routine
The CDC performed a sleep questionnaire to determine self reported sleep quality, investigating how poor we do as a nation with getting adequate sleep. The National Health and Nutrition Examination study showed that African Americans and Hispanics seem to have the hardest time.
Fifty million Americans report having a hard time with concentration, focus and memory. So, why aren’t we doing more to address this?
Getting adequate sleep is vital to overall health. It impacts learning, memory, mental health, immune system health and even heart health. The long term risks of insufficient amounts are linked to chronic disease starts like diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety to name a few.
Impact on Your Heart
Trying to decipher the exact cause of your sleeping issues may be complicated. But we know that there are very common factors that can impact it. The University of North Carolina reports that only 12% of Americans are metabolically healthy so we know our diet plays a huge role.
The journal of the American College of Cardiology came out with their findings on the correlation between sleep quality and heart health. Researchers looked at overall sleep duration and the coronary artery. They were able to determine that lower sleep time was independently associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis. This shows that healthy sleep directly benefits a healthy heart.
The European Heart Journal studied the baseline data on insomnia – problems with falling and staying asleep. In this study, researchers assessed people over an 11 year time span and looking for correlations between sleep disturbances and cardiovascular risk. They found it is indeed associated with an increased risk of heart failure.
Separately, women have a greater likelihood tvo struggle with this more than men, due to the impact of their hormones during menstruation, pregnancy and menopause.
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Lifestyle Modifications
You have to make sure your brain is getting essential nutrients like Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Vitamin D3, following a Mediterranean diet antioxidants fro foods alone. Everyone should focus on this as a healthy foundation, but especially those who do shift work.
Other modifications are:
Nutrients for Healthy Sleep
5-HTP (or 5-Hydroxytryptophan) is an amino acid that contributes to healthy serotonin activity in the brain, helping to boost your mood and promote a feeling of wellbeing. Studies have shown this amino acid may be beneficial for an overactive brain.
Melatonin is a hormone naturally found in the body that signals the body to prepare for sleep and supports healthy sleeping patterns. For individuals who have trouble falling asleep, this hormone may reduce the length of time it takes to fall asleep. For those who wake up frequently, Melatonin has been shown in studies to induce deeper, more refreshing sleep.
L-Theanine is an amino acid derived from the tea plant that safely promotes relaxation and natural stress relief, without the side effects. It works by offsetting cortisol, the stress hormone.
Thank you for tuning in to the Invite Health Podcast. You can find all of our episodes for free wherever you listen to podcasts or by visiting www.invitehealth.com/podcast. Make sure you subscribe and leave us a review! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at Invite Health today. We’ll see you next time on another episode of the Invite Health Podcast.
