X-Message-Number: 4478 From: (Thomas Donaldson) Subject: Re: Melatonin Date: Sun, 4 Jun 1995 18:10:29 -0700 (PDT) Hi again! I find I must answer Saul Kent. Saul, as I recall my message I said that I didn't think melatonin WORKED because it was an antioxidant. It may well be an antioxidant --- there are lots of antioxidants. But if we are to suppose that ALL antioxidants work against aging, we must somehow deal with the many that do not. Ultimately, of course, we must find out how a proposed antiaging drug works by examining that question empirically. I mean by this that we look in detail at the chemical actions by which it prolongs life. These may or may not have to do with its antioxidant activity. In my previous message I was only stating my opinion, and will bow to empirical results. But those empirical results must verify just how it works; it's not enough just to discover that it is an antioxidant, again because there are many chemicals which are. I will also provide, for what it's worth (remembering that this is only a hypothesis rather than a fact) my notion of why melatonin works. Basically I think it is somehow tied up with whatever process turns off production of chemicals which aid our bodies in self repair and protect them from damage -- from oxidation, among other kinds of damage. The experiments on transplanted pineal glands influence my opinion a lot. Possibly melatonin itself acts to suppress production of these protective chemicals, and prevent activty of any protective processes in our body. In this context it would be very interesting to verify whether or not melatonin can extend maximum lifespan, although (because generally we are talking of very few animals when we discuss maximum lifespan) any such experiment should use enough animals that the difference in survival at high ages will be statistically significant. Best and long long life, Thomas Donaldson PS: Incidentally, we know now that not all substances that prolong life do so because they act as antioxidants. Chromium picolinate gives a good example. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=4478