I've hears that you can take melatonin too long, that is build up a tolerance.
Any thoughts? I prefer it to other sleep aides, otherwise.

After reading the article, I'm going to give melatonin a try.  Bought a bottle of 1mg tablets.

I don't know if I have a weird body or something, but melatonin doesn't agree with me at all. It makes me a tiny bit groggy when I take it, but it turns me into a zombie the next day. Even small doses, like 1-2grams, basically makes me feel like I didn't sleep at all that night, and I feel crummy all day.

Dr. Davis,

I have taken melantonin for many years and it helps me not only sleep, but get back to sleep if I wake up in the middle of the night.

I've found a huge difference in the effectiveness of various company's pills. Trader Joe's for example, don't work for me at all. Schiff work very well.

I was told years ago to take 1/4 of a pill for best results, and that is what I do. That works better than a larger amount for me.

I have found melatonin to be very helpful. I go to sleep easily and I stay asleep. After I had bypass 8years ago, I was unable to sleep more than an 4-6 hours without Ambien. 8 months ago I started taking melatonin. It did not work right away, but after a few weeks I started to sleep very well and I have not had to restort to Ambien since. I take 3mg.

I take 25mg metoprolol, a Beta blockers and found out that BB's decrease melatonin. Found this info through the internet, not my doctor.  

My BP has been well controlled, even at night so I never checked to see if it went lower with melatonin.

Jenny,

Have you ever been told that you can't take it for a long period of time?
I'd like to keep taking it, but was told not to.

Jeanne

I have been taking melatonin for years and credit it with restorative sleep and general good health.
Even so, my success rate is only about 70%. I discover that the amount of melatonin (in the blood) for a good night sleep (the desired effect) is a very small fraction of the oral dose that you can take. The difference is how the body (liver) metabolizes the substance. You really have to experiment to find the right dose for yourself; more is not better.
For someone to try it for the very first time start at .1-.2 mg (a very small chunk of the tablet) and modify the dose accordingly.
Do not think of it the same way as Ambien. It's best function is to ease you into sleep.
Good luck.

I am so hot at night that when I sleep, I wake up because of it.  I started taking my blood pressure upon waking and found it to be high.  160 or so over  90-95. I could feel the way my body felt. My blood pressure during the day is usually 115-120 over 70.  I knew I was peri menepausal, so the hormone thing was very suspect. After a lot of research, I decided to start taking 3 mg Melatonin. I checked with my doctor and he was catching up with me on his computer as we spoke.It was funny!  But anyway....I have been on these for about 3-4 weeks now and find that although I'm still warm when sleeping,  I am in a deeper sleep. My blood pressure now upon waking is about 123-125 over 82-83.  I have seen a significant improvement in lower blood pressure.  I will add that I have been walking daily and started taking a B complex also before bed.  I take my melatonin just before bedtime.  I have never had any problems with falling asleep. So the timing of use should be adjusted for when you need it.  I would much rather take this hormone than take the blood pressure medicine my doctor was so fast to offer.

I swear by melatonin, and recommend the 5mg time release.  For me, it works best if I take it about 30 minutes before bedtime.  The time release eliminates the problems with waking up too early.

The only time I have problems with feeling groggy is when I don't get enough sleep.  If you take it at midnight, then get up at 5 am, you're going to feel it.  If I know I'm not going to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep, I will skip the melatonin that night so I don't feel groggy.

I have seen extreme differences in brands, so I think there is something to the comments about the quality of different manufacturers.

I've never been told not to take it over long periods, but then I didn't ask a doctor about it.  I've noticed a slight tolerance if you take it all the time, so I sometimes will stop taking it for a while to break that cycle.

Hello.

Your post looks quite interesting.. I never knew that Melatonin is a substance which has such uses.. I had heard of the term anywhere in any book but never took much interest in it..

But your post spills out quite knowledgeable information definitely this much that it will hold my attention for a long long time..

I also have a great interest in Heart related issue's and I have created a blog myself for it..

I hope my posts will also help you gain some info..

There is some interesting research that suggests that melatonin is one factor that reduces insulin secretion at night.

Oxidized-LDL and Fe3+
/Ascorbic Acid-Induced Oxidative
Modifications and Phosphatidylserine Exposure in Human
Platelets are Reduced by Melatonin
Abstract.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) modifications and platelet activation are major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. When platelets are exposed to oxidative stress, they become activated. Oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) and metal-catalysed oxidation systems such as Fe3+/ascorbic acid increase free radical production.
We wanted to verify whether melatonin has a protective effect against oxidative modifications and phosphatidylserine externalization in platelets induced by ox-LDL and Fe3+/ascorbic acid.....snip.... These data suggest that melatonin may protect platelets from iron overload-induced and ox-LDL-induced
oxidative modifications and also from the triggering signals of apoptosis activation, possibly due to its scavenger effect on toxic free radicals.
The full text of both abstract and paper are the link above.

This article regarding Melatonin for high blood pressure? is very interesting and useful, blood pressure may affect your sexual activity, and this not only happen to older people as I used to believed, young people can also be affected so you may need  to buy viagra to help yourself on those situations.

I also favor the sustained-release preparations, e.g., 5 mg sustained-release. Immediate-release, while it exerts a more rapid onset of sleep, allows you to wake up prematurely, The sustained-release preparations last longer and allow longer sleep.

One such remedy that has gained popularity in recent years is melatonin. Melatonin is a growth hormone naturally produced by the pineal gland in your brain. Melatonin hormones are secreted at night or in the dark and helps regulate the sleeping cycle. It is believed that melatonin may help the body know when it is time to go to sleep and when it's time to wake up. These days, melatonin can be taken in pill form to treat everything from jet lag to insomnia. However, like with all medications, there is the potential for serious melatonin side effects if take with other medications.

Reference:
melatonin usage consider your age

melatonin side effects

all should keep in mind that 4 grams of sugar is equal to one teaspoon.  31 grams is 7 teaspoons plus; not exactly what one would think in what is promoted to be a healthful product!

Like most juices, pomegranate juice just has too much sugar.  There is a reason why a juice glass is very small!

I don't buy pomgrante juice anymore, and when I did I would water it down.  100% is very expensive too.

Another thing about pomegranate juice, people might be surprised to find that many of them are not 100% pomegranate, but a blend of several juices.

At what point do the positive health benefits of pomegranate outweigh the bad parts of fructose?

Thanks for your great blog! Your information on wheat and sugar is a must read for anyone serious about their health. I like your blog so much, I added a link to it at my blog at http://eatingandfasting.blogspot.com/

Dr. Davis,

Are you implying that there is no difference between a glass of Kool-ade and a glass of fresh Orange Juice?

IMO, the problem is not fructose. The problem is highly refined sugar sources that are isolated from their highly complex natural matrix of fiber, vitamins, minerals, flavanoids, antioxidants, enzymes, amino acids--all which act in synergy together.

That's why PJ reduced atherosclerosis by 35% compared to control group, lowered BP by 20%, increased antioxidant status, and did not raise blood sugar.

(FYI, I happen to have heterozygous FH and drink daily one full glass of PJ along with one full glass of concord grape juice, and 97% of my LDL particle size remains large, my blood sugar is perfect, and my apo B is not too high. I do avoid refined sugars and carbs, however.)

So please, Dr. Davis, don't compare an apple with a candy bar.

Nephropal on fructose

Guava juice used to be my particular poison - literally speaking. But it's just not worth the hit to my metabolism. It's been awhile since I last drank any fruit juice and it will be never before I drink it again.

It's an uphill battle to get people to realise the dangers of fructose, particularly when food manufacturers are allowed to put "No sugar added" on the label. Have them put the grammes of sugars the whole bottle contains on the front of the container in large bright type. It won't stop everyone, but it may help a few people make healthier choices.

Pomegranate juice more than triples PSA doubling time.Is that significant?

I like to dilute the pomegranate juice with vodka.  That way I only use a couple of ounces of juice at a time, minimizing the fructose but still getting some flavanoids.  Of course once the long term study on this regimen comes out I may have to revise my view.

It's the same flawed logic of "healthy whole grains": If it contains something good (B vitamins, fiber), then it must be good. And it must be even better when consumed in greater quantities.

Just because it contains one or two desirable ingredients doesn't mean that the entire "package" is desirable,

There's always pomegranate extracts.  You can get the polyphenols in a pill without all the sugar.  I'd be interested in what Dr. D thinks about this form of "sugar-free pomegranate".

Dr Davis,What about the research on pomegranate juice and PSA doubling time?

Can you also comment on the reported benefits of cranberry juice in preventing urinary infection?

Thanks,JC

You are absolutely right that fruit can contain large amounts of fruit sugar, and that large amounts of fructose can have serious consequences. The idea that fruit juice must be good (in any quantity) is not supported by the evidence.

But fruits are more than sugar and moderate amounts of fruits and fructose are not inherently bad - the question is what is reasonable. For those of us with fatty liver, certain patterns of dyslipidemia, or a GI fructose intolerance, the ideal amount is very low. For those who don't fall into that category, the ideal amount of fruit is somewhat greater (but probably less than most people assume).

I can't remember the last time I saw someone outside my household drink juice from a small juice glass.  Most people I see drinking juice are consuming quantities of juice that practically rival a 7-Eleven Big Gulp.

Many days I squeeze a half orange to make a couple ounces of OJ to mix with cod liver oil to make the CLO palatable for my young son.  

To fill a 4 oz juice glass (with about 3-3.5 oz juice), it takes 1-2 oranges, which means that larger glasses of OJ contain the sugar of a whole lot of oranges!  Who would ever eat that many whole oranges in one sitting?

Also, I know from using a glucose meter that OJ sugar is nearly instantly into my blood stream (and that isn't even measuring the affect of the fructose portion of sugars.  The glucose spikes an insulin response and later a nasty feeling low BG.  So I approach fruit juices with extreme caution and limitations on both quantity and frequency.  I eat whole lower sugar fruits in extreme moderation (avoiding higher sugar tropical fruits).  I focus more on non-starchy veggies rather than fruit, anyway, because veggies are high in the nutrients I want without the excess sugar that fruit has.        

Not long ago I was in waiting in line at a Starbucks to order an Americano (lack of local coffee shops at that particular suburban area) and right next to me a dad was reading aloud to his young daughter the number of grams of sugar from her “fresh-squeezed 100% fruit juice” bottle label. He noted incredulously there were 30-something grams of sugars per serving and there were 2.5 servings per bottle. He said  â€œwow, that’s a lot of sugar in that bottle”. I thought to myself, wow, here’s a dad who is “getting it”, so I said to him, “there’s 4 grams of sugar to a teaspoon, so that’s at least 7-9 teaspoons of sugar per serving, very nearly the sugar content in soda.”

His response was, “but it’s fruit sugar, and she doesn’t eat enough fruits and vegetables, so I guess that’s ok.” Sigh. I let it go, and ordered my Americano (unsweetened).

I've had many interesting conversations with a glycobiologist colleague of my husband's.  He has confirmed I'd be wise to keep all sources of fructose intake to a minimum, as well as being especially wary of concentrated sources of fructose.    I'm sure he follows his own advice; he's looks at least 15 years younger than his 60 years - lack of AGEing, I guess.

Tell this stuff to a dietician and they won't believe you "but it's low fat!"

My BG meter tells me fruit juice is an exceedingly toxic substance, and most of my once favourite fruits aren't much better.

Fortunately it permits me to eat a few berries, but I'd rather get my bioflavinoids etc. from vegetables.

IMO there's a balancing point between the beneficial and non-beneficial properties of many foods, we probably evolved to deal with small acute doses of toxins but fall apart with chronic exposure to high levels of the same stuff, and all the bioflavinoids and vitamins don't outweigh the damage.

I just stuffed some strawberries in my face following my lamb chops and runner beans, but only a few, and I washed them down with a fine Bordeaux, that'll about achieve a balance.

i have been using Pomegranate juice for 3 years every day after i had 2 stents placed. i also had type 2 diabetes. It has worked very well for me and has not effected my A1c in the least. My cardilogical nuclear studies have been perfect. i am a believer my opinion this stuff can save your life.

ink it should be avoided by sugar patients.It contains almost a spoon of sugar...though with wheat bread the whole effect of the meal is balanced.

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Pomegranate-juice-shows-possible-diabetes-benefits

Quit being sugar paranoid.

What a great post.

Here is another that I found that posts some great research!

Pomegranates link to lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and decreased cancer

Remember: Fructose increases LDL cholesterol, apoprotein B, small LDL, triglycerides, and substantially increases deposition of visceral fat (fructose belly?). How about a slice of whole grain bread with that glass of pomegranate juice? The Heart Association says it's all low-fat!