Eggs and fish are higher melatonin-containing food groups in animal foods, whereas in plant foods, nuts are with the highest content of melatonin. Some kinds of mushrooms, cereals and germinated legumes or seeds are also good dietary sources of melatonin.
1. Cherries. Cherries (especially sour cherries like the Montmorency variety) are one of the only (and highest) natural food sources of melatonin. Studies have shown a boost in circulating melatonin after consumption of cherries, though sweet cherries have half the melatonin content as sour cherries.
5 foods that are naturally high in melatonin
Nuts: Walnut seeds were found to have high amounts of melatonin, and the hormone is present in other nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds and pistachios, according to a January 2022 study published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis.
In humans melatonin is produced mainly in the pineal gland and a small portion in the retina. The synthesis and release of melatonin are stimulated by darkness, melatonin is the "chemical expression of darkness" and inhibited by light [4].
Melatonin secretion decreases during aging. Reduced melatonin levels are also observed in various diseases, such as types of dementia, some mood disorders, severe pain, cancer, and diabetes type 2. Melatonin dysfunction is frequently related to deviations in amplitudes, phasing, and coupling of circadian rhythms.
Melatonin is produced by various tissues in the body, although the major source is the pineal gland in the brain. Melatonin (blue) is produced naturally from the amino acid tryptophan, by the pineal gland (purple) at night-time.
Melatonin is a natural hormone that plays an important role in sleep. Foods like pistachios, tart cherries, mushrooms, and tomatoes are good sources of melatonin.
Melatonin levels increase in the evening when it gets dark outside. The brain senses darkness, which signals a message to produce more melatonin. Light exposure may slow or stop the production.
Although the functions and synthesis of vitamin D and melatonin are contrary to each other, both are involved in the immune system. While melatonin synthesis is affected by light, vitamin D deficiency may be involved in melatonin secretion.
Cherries are known for being one of the best foods for sleep as they naturally contain melatonin. Snacking on cherries or drinking cherry juice can help promote longer, deeper sleep.
Eggs also offer a considerable amount of straight melatonin. These superfoods are one of the highest melatonin-containing animal products. As a melatonin-rich food, eggs can assist with falling asleep and improve your sleep efficiency.
Melatonin alternatives include magnesium, GABA, valerian root, and tart cherry. If you regularly struggle to fall or stay asleep, speak with your physician, who can determine if underlying issues are causing your sleep problems.
Natural alternatives to melatonin, such as magnesium, valerian root, l-theanine, chamomile, and passionflower, are all-natural remedies that have been used for centuries to promote relaxation and help people get a better night's sleep.
In humans and most diurnal mammals, melatonin is secreted at night with a robust circadian rhythm and maximum plasma levels that occur around 3 to 4 AM. The daily rise of melatonin secretion correlates with a subsequent increase in sleep propensity about 2 hours before the person's regular bedtime.
What test measures melatonin levels? Your healthcare provider can check your melatonin levels with a blood test, urine (pee) test or saliva (spit) test, but it's not a common test.
Most of these studies have suggested that, after puberty, the magnitude of the nocturnal melatonin peak declines progressively with age 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 35, 36, 37.
Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the enigmatic pineal gland in response to darkness, hence the name hormone of darkness.
The pineal gland secretes melatonin principally at night. Regulated by norepinephrine released from sympathetic nerve terminals, adrenergic receptors on pinealocytes activate aralkylamine N-acetyltransferase that converts 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) to N-acetylserotonin, the precursor of melatonin.