What is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone secreted at night by the pineal gland. The pineal gland is a small organ in the brain sensitive to light levels.
(mitr.p.lodz.pl/biomat/ mela.html)
It and its product, Melatonin, regulate the circadian rhythm in most vertebrates. The circadian rhythm administers such things as the timing of hormone productions, sleep, and body temperature.
Melatonin is
especially well known for regulating sleep.
Infants do not begin producing melatonin until three months, and this is
factor that contributes to their irregular sleep patterns.
Melatonin levels are high in children, and they peak during adolescence
and early adulthood. As humans get older, their pineal glands shrink, causing
Melatonin levels to decrease. In
the elderly, melatonin levels are extremely low. 
(www.celestia.com/SRP/ MJ96/Melatonin.html)
Synthetic Melatonin is produced by companies, usually in the form of pills. Melatonin has been claimed to cure many things, from cancer to the effects of menopause, however, it is mainly sold to correct sleeping disorders, such as insomnia and jet lag.
(www.cnn.com/HEALTH/ 9911/05/melatonin/)
Melatonin is actually found in almost all living organisms. In mammals other than humans, melatonin is thought to have a key role in regulating breeding and mating. In amphibians, it causes the skin color to change. Since melatonin is found in most living organisms, it is also found in our food. Because of this, synthetic melatonin does not require a prescription, because it is considered a dietary supplement.
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