Posted on 06/10/2024 9:45:54 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
A team of medical researchers has found further evidence that regular consumption of melatonin reduces an older person's chances of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease that often leads to blindness.
In their study, the group researched case histories of 200,000 older patients looking for an association between regular consumption of melatonin and the development of AMD.
Prior research has shown that as they age, many people begin to experience degeneration of the macula, a central part of the retina. Currently, approximately 11 million people in the U.S. alone are experiencing vision loss due to AMD. Medical scientists have been looking for ways to prevent or stop the progression of the disease for many years. Some progress has been made, but there is still no cure.
In recent years, research teams have been finding that people taking melatonin supplements may be less likely to develop the condition. In 2020, one team found that the higher levels of melatonin can prevent retinal damage due to AMD.
The following year, another team found that patients with AMD tended to have lower-than-average amounts of melatonin in their blood and tears. In this new effort, the research team looked at the medical records of 200,000 older people covering the years 2008 to 2023 looking for an association.
They found that out of 121,523 patients aged 50 years or older who had no evidence of AMD, many were regular users of melatonin supplements. They also found that many patients who began taking melatonin supplements after developing AMD experienced slower degradation than patients who did not begin to take the supplements.
Melatonin is a hormone that is produced naturally in the brain; it has been strongly associated with the sleep cycle. The brain makes more of it in response to darkness.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
It seems solid, uninterrupted sleep, without any light, helps prevent AMD.
Try a comfortable eye mask and ear plugs, as I sometimes use.
Or...just don’t eat too late and get a good night’s sleep.
AMD runs in my family, so I take melatonin, sleep in a dark room and get annual checkups, asking doc to look for signs.
bkmk
Praise the Lord!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092MDFC3P?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
ping
At 80 years of age, that's good news.
That, sir, is most excellent news.
To what do you ascribe your splendid health?
Thanks for that link ... I think I have melatonin covered, with the amount of pistachios I consume, daily 😂
Melatonin supplements make me have awful dreams. Per the article you linked .... maybe I took too high a dose (5 mg).
Daily vigerous exercise and a lifelong diet of mostly vegetables...no I'm not a vegan. I eat everything but, mostly vegetables.
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