Melatonin shows promise in DNA repair for night shift workers
Research indicates that melatonin supplementation may support DNA repair in people working night shifts, potentially reducing cancer risk.
Working night shifts is linked to circadian rhythm disruptions, which can damage DNA. Melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep and wake cycles, may help repair this damage. A study published in "Occupational & Environmental Medicine" suggests that melatonin supplementation increases the body's ability to repair DNA.
As reported by the portal "Super Express," melatonin is naturally produced in darkness, and its synthesis is disrupted by night work. This not only leads to sleep problems but also weakens the ability to repair oxidative DNA damage, which increases cancer risk. Scientists decided to investigate whether melatonin supplementation can support this process.
The study involved 40 people working night shifts. Half of them took 3 mg of melatonin before sleep for four weeks, while the other half took a placebo. Participants wore activity trackers, and their urine was tested for 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG), an indicator of DNA repair.
The study results are promising
The study's authors emphasize that people taking melatonin had 80% higher concentrations of 8-OH-dG during the day than the placebo group, which indicates better DNA repair. However, no differences were observed during night shifts. The authors emphasize that these results could form the basis for further large-scale research.
Our results suggest that melatonin supplementation improves oxidative DNA damage repair capacity among night shift workers. Future larger-scale trials are needed to evaluate the impact of varying doses of melatonin supplements and examine the impacts of longer-term use of melatonin supplements by night shift workers — claim the authors of the publication.
Scientists propose that melatonin supplementation may be recommended to night workers to reduce cancer risk. However, they stress that further research is necessary to evaluate the long-term effects of melatonin use. The study had limitations, such as a small number of participants and their occupational homogeneity, warranting repetition on a larger scale.
Read also:
