Is Melatonin the "Next Vitamin D"? TOP Melatonin Tips for Optimal Health

19 Jul 2025 · 53 min
52:45

Episode features Ben Greenfield interviewing Diana Minnig (PhD, functional medicine) about melatonin. They discuss melatonin’s broad biology beyond sleep—its antioxidant (amphiphilic) capacity, mitochondrial regulation, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects, potential roles in cancer adjuvant therapy and antiviral/immune modulation, and its chronobiotic function. Practical topics include high-dose use for jet lag (anecdotal high-dose product 'Sandman' with 300 mg), physiologic low-dose replacement (Diana uses 0.3 mg Herbatonin), differences between synthetic and plant-derived melatonin (Herbatonin claimed higher antioxidant potency), testing approaches (saliva curve vs. morning urinary sulphated metabolite), genetics (melatonin receptor SNPs), age-related decline in pineal melatonin, light exposure effects (blue-light suppression), gut-derived melatonin (100–400× pineal output), product quality variability, and simple dosing strategies for travel and regular use.

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