X-Message-Number: 4426
From: 
Date: Fri, 19 May 1995 21:13:00 -0400
Subject: melatonin

In SCIENCE NEWS May 13, 1995 there is an article on melatonin and its various
purported uses and doses--except that some of the statements are conflicting
(as related to melatonin for sleep) and no dosages are mentioned for use in
anti-aging, although it is claimed that  Russel J. Reiter, U. Texas Health
Center in San Antonio, thinks melatonin may act against aging through its
antioxidant effect, and that he "takes a lot" of it. Others, it is said (not
necessarily in contradiction) believe melatonin makes up for degeneration of
the pineal or the thymus. 

Mention is made of an article last year in ANNALS OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF
SCIENCES vol. 719, by Walter Pierpaoli (Bia/ncalana-Masera Foundation in
Ancona, Italy) and Vladimir A. Lesnikoff (Inst. for Experimental Medicine,
St. Petersburg, Russia): pineal glands were switched between old and young
mice, with the spectacular result that the young mice had shorter lives than
controls and the old mice lived one third longer than the controls. Again,
dosage is not mentioned.

Will someone volunteer to check these out, or otherwise shed light?

Robert Ettinger


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