Low, but not high, doses of melatonin entrained a free-running blind person with a long circadian period
Abstract
In a previous report, we were unable to entrain one out of seven totally blind people with free-running endogenous melatonin rhythms to 10 mg of exogenous melatonin. This person had the longest circadian period (24.9 h) of the group. We now find that this person can be entrained to 0.5 mg of melatonin, but not to 20 mg. These results are consistent with the idea that too much melatonin may spill over onto the wrong zone of the melatonin phase-response curve.
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Lewy et al. found that physiological doses (0.5 mg) may offer benefits that pharmacologic doses (20 mg) do not.
“In 2002, Lewy et al. found that physiological doses (0.5 mg) may offer benefits that pharmacologic doses (20 mg) do not [281,282].”
From Is Melatonin the “Next Vitamin D”?: A Review of Emerging Science, Clinical Uses, Safety, and Dietary Supplements (2022) · cites this paper as [281]
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- Authors
- Lewy, A. J., Emens, J. S., Sack, R. L., Hasler, B. P., & Bernert, R. A.
- Affiliations
- Oregon Health & Science University (US)
- Venue
- Chronobiology International
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2002-01
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 649-658
- ISSN
- 0742-0528 (ISSN-L)
- 1525-6073
- OpenAlex
- W1981924427
- Cited by
- 99
- References
- 32
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 1.58
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Chronobiology International (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (5r01ag015140-03, 5r01mh055703-05)
- National Institute on Aging (R01 AG15140)
- National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH056874, R01 MH 56874, R01 MH55703)
- National Center for Research Resources (M01RR00334, M01RR000334)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Impact of Light on Environment and Health
- Keywords
- melatonin, circadian entrainment, free-running rhythm, blind people, phase response curve, exogenous melatonin
- MeSH terms
- Administration, Oral, Blindness, Circadian Rhythm, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Humans, Male, Melatonin, Middle Aged, Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm
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