Re: melatonin may lower BP

[Guest guest]

Saw the news item regarding melatonin. The Feb. issue of Hypertension is not

available on the web, yet, apparently.

Other supplements to consider?

Vitamin E, C Supplements May Prevent Alzheimer's:

http://story.news./news?tmpl=story2 & u=nm/alzheimers_vitamins_dc

>From: Francesca Skelton <fskelton@...>

>Reply-

>support group < >

>Subject: [ ] melatonin may lower BP

>Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2004 09:23:22 -0500

>

>this story is making the rounds today. If anyone has the study, please

>post.

>

>Melatonin is the only supplement I currently take (although I'm considering

>taking Vit D in the winter months).

>

[Guest guest]

Melatonin May Lower Nocturnal Blood Pressure

Laurie Barclay, MD

Jan. 20, 2004 — Three weeks of melatonin therapy significantly reduces nocturnal blood pressure and improves sleep, according to the results of a preliminary, randomized, placebo-controlled trial published in the February issue of Hypertension. A single dose had no effect on blood pressure or heart rate.

"Patients with essential hypertension have disturbed autonomic cardiovascular regulation and circadian pacemaker function," write A. J. L. Scheer, from Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. "Nighttime melatonin amplifies circadian rhythms directly via the central pacemaker as in dementia, shift work, and blindness."

In this double-blind, crossover design trial, the investigators studied the effect of a single and repeated doses of oral melatonin, 2.5 mg, given one hour before sleep, on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure and actigraphic estimates of sleep quality in 16 men with untreated essential hypertension.

Although a single dose of melatonin had no effect on blood pressure, melatonin given nightly for three weeks reduced systolic blood pressure during sleep by 6 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 4 mm Hg. Heart rate was not affected.

With three weeks of melatonin treatment, the day-night amplitudes of systolic and diastolic blood pressure rhythms increased by 15% and 25%, respectively. Sleep quality was also better, but improvements in blood pressure and sleep were statistically unrelated.

Study limitations include the small number of patients studied.

"This is the first double-blind crossover study to investigate the effect of repeated melatonin intake on 24-hour blood pressure rhythm in untreated hypertensive patients," the authors write, while recommending future studies in larger patient groups to define subgroups of patients who would benefit most from melatonin intake. "The present study suggests that support of circadian pacemaker function may provide a new strategy in the treatment of essential hypertension."

Institut de Recherches Internationales Servier helped support this study.

Hypertension. 2004;43:1-6

Reviewed by D. Vogin, MD

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

Why the below incorrectly cites the reference is not understood by

me, but here is the paper (it is just good fortune that I found it).

Cheers, Al.

Hypertension. 2004 Feb;43(2):192-7. Epub 2004 Jan 19.

Daily nighttime melatonin reduces blood pressure in male patients

with essential hypertension.

Scheer FA, Van Montfrans GA, Van Someren EJ, Mairuhu G, Buijs RM.

Patients with essential hypertension have disturbed autonomic

cardiovascular regulation and circadian pacemaker function. Recently,

the biological clock was shown to be involved in autonomic

cardiovascular regulation. Our objective was to determine whether

enhancement of the functioning of the biological clock by repeated

nighttime melatonin intake might reduce ambulatory blood pressure in

patients with essential hypertension. We conducted a randomized,

double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial in 16 men with

untreated essential hypertension to investigate the influence of

acute (single) and repeated (daily for 3 weeks) oral melatonin (2.5

mg) intake 1 hour before sleep on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure

and actigraphic estimates of sleep quality. Repeated melatonin intake

reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure during sleep by 6 and 4

mm Hg, respectively. The treatment did not affect heart rate. The day-

night amplitudes of the rhythms in systolic and diastolic blood

pressures were increased by 15% and 25%, respectively. A single dose

of melatonin had no effect on blood pressure. Repeated (but not

acute) melatonin also improved sleep. Improvements in blood pressure

and sleep were statistically unrelated. In patients with essential

hypertension, repeated bedtime melatonin intake significantly reduced

nocturnal blood pressure. Future studies in larger patient group

should be performed to define the characteristics of the patients who

would benefit most from melatonin intake. The present study suggests

that support of circadian pacemaker function may provide a new

strategy in the treatment of essential hypertension.

PMID: 14732734 [PubMed - in process]

>

> Melatonin May Lower Nocturnal Blood Pressure

>

>

> Laurie Barclay, MD

>

>

> Jan. 20, 2004 †" Three weeks of melatonin therapy significantly

reduces

> nocturnal blood pressure and improves sleep, according to the

results of a

> preliminary, randomized, placebo-controlled trial published in the

February issue of

> Hypertension. A single dose had no effect on blood pressure or

heart rate.

> " Patients with essential hypertension have disturbed autonomic

cardiovascular

> regulation and circadian pacemaker function, " write A. J. L.

Scheer,

> from Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School in

Boston,

> Massachusetts. " Nighttime melatonin amplifies circadian rhythms

directly via the central

> pacemaker as in dementia, shift work, and blindness. "

> In this double-blind, crossover design trial, the investigators

studied the

> effect of a single and repeated doses of oral melatonin, 2.5 mg,

given one hour

> before sleep, on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure and actigraphic

estimates

> of sleep quality in 16 men with untreated essential hypertension.

> Although a single dose of melatonin had no effect on blood

pressure,

> melatonin given nightly for three weeks reduced systolic blood

pressure during sleep

> by 6 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 4 mm Hg. Heart rate was

not

> affected.

> With three weeks of melatonin treatment, the day-night amplitudes

of systolic

> and diastolic blood pressure rhythms increased by 15% and 25%,

respectively.

> Sleep quality was also better, but improvements in blood pressure

and sleep

> were statistically unrelated.

> Study limitations include the small number of patients studied.

> " This is the first double-blind crossover study to investigate the

effect of

> repeated melatonin intake on 24-hour blood pressure rhythm in

untreated hyperte

> nsive patients, " the authors write, while recommending future

studies in

> larger patient groups to define subgroups of patients who would

benefit most from

> melatonin intake. " The present study suggests that support of

circadian

> pacemaker function may provide a new strategy in the treatment of

essential

> hypertension. "

> Institut de Recherches Internationales Servier helped support this

study.

> Hypertension. 2004;43:1-6

> Reviewed by D. Vogin, MD

>

>

>

>