Rhythms of life: melatonin, nutrition, sleep, and antioxidant strategies for healthy aging - PubMed
4 hours ago
- #circadian-rhythms
- #melatonin
- #healthy-aging
- Circadian rhythms regulate physiological and behavioral functions, deteriorating with age and leading to sleep disruption, cognitive decline, and disease vulnerability.
- Melatonin, the hormonal signal of darkness, maintains circadian synchrony, regulates sleep, and provides antioxidant and neuroprotective effects.
- Aging alters melatonin secretion, amplitude, and receptor sensitivity, impacting sleep, metabolism, and cognitive function.
- Melatonin acts as a circadian synchronizer, sleep facilitator, mitochondrial protector, immunomodulator, and neuroprotective agent.
- Age-related melatonin decline accelerates aging through oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammaging.
- Restoring melatonin levels via supplementation or diet may mitigate aging processes.
- Chrononutrition, including timed food intake and melatonin-rich or polyphenol-containing foods, enhances circadian rhythmicity and sleep quality.
- Melatonin decline is both a biomarker and mediator of circadian aging.
- Integrating chronobiological and nutritional interventions can preserve circadian integrity and extend health span.
- Future research should focus on personalized chronotherapy and nutritional chronobiology to optimize melatonin's therapeutic potential.