Calcium is one of the most important minerals your body needs. It is critical for keeping your bones and teeth healthy, and it contributes to numerous vital functions. Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate your sleeping rhythms and is used to treat sleep-related disorders. These two important substances may have an indirect link that can affect your sleeping patterns.
Function of Calcium
Calcium is one of the most abundant minerals in your body, with around 99 percent of it in your bones and teeth. Besides maintaining the strength of your skeletal structure, calcium is critical for ensuring proper function of your muscular, cardiovascular and nervous systems. Individuals who fail to meet their body's calcium needs may be at increased risk of high cholesterol, rickets, stroke, high blood pressure and osteoporosis.
Function of Melatonin
Melatonin is nicknamed "the hormone of darkness" since exposure to light inhibits your body's production of melatonin, while darkness causes greater synthesis and release of this chemical. Melatonin is used primarily for regulating your sleep-wake cycles and related activities. People who have problems sleeping may have low melatonin levels. This hormone is used to help with a wide range of disorders such as insomnia, delayed sleep phase syndrome, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and sleeping problems related to autism, cerebral palsy and mental retardation.
Interaction Between Calcium and Melatonin
Melatonin causes a decrease in calcium levels, according to a April 2005 article published in the "Journal of Neurophysiology." This study showed that melatonin reduced calcium levels, especially in cells within the brain. However, this result was only evident in a type of frog called Xenopus. Further studies are needed to establish the effect of melatonin in humans.
Dietary Sources and Supplements
Melatonin as a food product is most often encountered as a dietary supplement in pill form. It is sometimes combined with other products such as vitamins and herbal extracts. Calcium, on the other hand, is found in a wide range of foods, including milk, yogurt, cheese and other dairy products, kale, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, canned sardines and salmon, fortified breakfast cereals and fruit juices, tofu, and certain kinds of bread and pastas, as well as in supplement form. Talk to your doctor before taking any supplements.
References
- Journal of Neurophysiology; "Stimulation of Melatonin Receptors Decreases Calcium Levels in Xenopus Tectal Cells by Activating GABAC Receptors" Claudia Prada et al.; 2 April 2005
- Mayo Clinic; Melatonin; July 2011
- MedlinePlus; Melatonin; December 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Calcium; March 2009
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