Minari Tatiana Palotta, Pisani Luciana Pellegrini
Department of Bioscience, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Santos, SP, 11015-020, Brazil.
Sleep Breath. 2025 Apr 25;29(2):169. doi: 10.1007/s11325-025-03331-1.
Melatonin supplementation has gained considerable attention for its potential health impacts. This study aimed to review the recent literature on melatonin supplementation and its implications in areas such as obesity, diabetes, gut microbiome, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, sports performance, sleep quality, psychiatric disorders, pediatrics, pregnancy, and respiratory health. Additionally, assess the supplementation protocols, potential adverse effects, associated risks, and symptoms observed during supplementation.
An extensive search was conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed, Scielo, Web of Science, CrossRef, and Google Scholar, focusing on publications from 2011 to 2024. A total of 71 articles were collected and analyzed.
Recent studies highlight melatonin's promising antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties, particularly in improving sleep quality and addressing specific neurodegenerative diseases. Evidence supports its role in reducing anxiety in preoperative contexts and enhancing recovery under certain conditions in athletes. However, findings on melatonin's role in obesity, glycemic control, and gut microbiome regulation remain inconsistent and influenced by external factors such as diet and exercise. Similarly, evidence supporting its efficacy in cancer, psychiatric disorders, pregnancy, and pediatrics is limited and requires further research. For respiratory health, while melatonin's theoretical benefits include reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, current evidence is weak and largely preclinical. Concerns regarding adverse effects, including nightmares and grogginess, highlight the importance of thorough and careful monitoring. To ensure safety and effectiveness, supplementation protocols should be tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual.
Melatonin supplementation is not a universal solution but a potentially valuable tool in specific contexts. Its benefits are most evident in sleep regulation and certain neurodegenerative conditions. However, significant gaps in research, including inconsistent methodologies, small sample sizes, and limited data on long-term effects, necessitate further robust clinical trials. Individualized recommendations and cautious interpretation of findings are essential, particularly given the variability in outcomes based on study designs and populations.
补充褪黑素因其潜在的健康影响而备受关注。本研究旨在综述近期关于补充褪黑素及其在肥胖、糖尿病、肠道微生物群、神经退行性疾病、癌症、运动表现、睡眠质量、精神障碍、儿科、妊娠和呼吸健康等领域的影响的文献。此外，评估补充方案、潜在的不良反应、相关风险以及补充期间观察到的症状。
在多个数据库中进行了广泛检索，包括PubMed、Scielo、科学网、CrossRef和谷歌学术，重点关注2011年至2024年的出版物。共收集并分析了71篇文章。
近期研究强调了褪黑素具有的抗氧化、抗炎和免疫调节特性，特别是在改善睡眠质量和治疗特定神经退行性疾病方面。有证据支持其在术前减轻焦虑以及在某些条件下促进运动员恢复方面的作用。然而，关于褪黑素在肥胖、血糖控制和肠道微生物群调节方面的作用的研究结果仍然不一致，并且受到饮食和运动等外部因素的影响。同样，支持其在癌症、精神障碍、妊娠和儿科方面疗效的证据有限，需要进一步研究。对于呼吸健康，虽然褪黑素的理论益处包括减少氧化应激和炎症，但目前的证据薄弱且大多为临床前研究。对包括噩梦和昏沉在内的不良反应的担忧凸显了全面仔细监测的重要性。为确保安全性和有效性，补充方案应根据个体的独特需求进行调整。
补充褪黑素并非万能解决方案，而是在特定情况下可能有价值的工具。其益处在睡眠调节和某些神经退行性疾病中最为明显。然而，研究中存在重大差距，包括方法不一致、样本量小以及长期影响的数据有限，因此有必要进行更有力的临床试验。个性化建议和对研究结果的谨慎解读至关重要，特别是考虑到基于研究设计和人群的结果存在差异。
