X-Message-Number: 4874
Date: Thu, 14 Sep 1995 10:00:54 -0400 (EDT)
From: Ben Best <benbest@io.org>
Subject: Cryonics organizations, melatonin

     I was surprised to only see Robert Ettinger reply to Joseph Strout's
query about cryonics organizations (I thought that we had fierce 
competition).  The CryoCare/Alcor (signup-perfusion/storage) option is
not available. 

     Cost is always important, but buying the cheapest product is often a
bigger waste of money if the product is shoddy. Conversely, the highest
price does not necessarily mean the highest quality. I mean this as a 
general principle, and am not making a specific statement about cryonics 
organizations. If you believe that your life is at stake, it makes sense 
to investigate the product. 

   Before I signed-up with a cryonics organization I had met the 
principles of all existing organizations and had visited their 
facilities. I highly recommend this to Joseph and anyone else contemplating 
a signup. I don't know if BioPreservation is offering public tours, but 
it is in Southern California. Alcor and CryoCare have local groups with 
meetings in the area and a trip to Arizona might not be out of the 
question (or Michigan, if you are going east on another trip).

    On an unrelated matter, the fact that melatonin can offer a good 
night's sleep is only of primary importance if you are looking for a
good sleeping pill. My main reason for taking melatonin is for its
anti-oxidant properties and the fact that it crosses membranes so much
more readily than many other anti-oxidants. For this reason, I am very
concerned about claims that it suppresses natural secretion of 
melatonin -- although this might result in more even levels of melatonin
for a younger person. Older persons have sleeping problems, but since
their natural levels of melatonin are low anyway, a time-released 
product seems like a good idea. Our needs for anti-oxidant are greatest
when our metabolic rates are highest. Yet nature has given us melatonin
release when we sleep (when our metabolic rates are lowest). Why would
this be?

                         -- Ben Best (benbest@io.org)


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