Melatonin and Vitamin D3 act synergistically

Husband11

I like vita cost's time release formula melatonin.  We "think" it works better for us in helping restful sleep.  Of course that's a really subjective matter.

suzieq60

Sheila - can you tell me which melatonin you bought from iHerb - looks like they have too many for me to decide

Anonymous

Interesting thread!

The ONLY REASONABLE way I can get D3 in NZ is to get it by script as 50,000 IU tabs, (Cal D forte) which is what Im taking. I say reasonable, because the small dose tablets you can buy would turn out to be too cost prohibitive.

Late last year I got tested. My readings were 39nmol/L  (equivalent to about 16ng/ml [???] ) By our standards I was rated as "mildly deficient". I was to  take 1 for 3 days and then 1 every 4 weeks for a year.   According to places like VitD Council and their recommendations Im seriously deficient.  ANyway I got tested again in January this year and now my levels are 101nmol/L (around 40ng/ml) so something must be going right  .... Even though my Doc advised me that the health board MOANS about people having these tests because theyre very expensive to do here apparently. 

Latte wrote:

for the NZers who are having trouble buying melatonin - you can get it, but it is prescription-only for use with insomnia and jetlag. you can't get the script filled on the same day as you take it to the chemist, and your gp has to follow certain protocol to give it to you (see here http://medsafe.govt.nz/profs/riss/unapp.asp - scenario 1). It's a bit difficult, but it can be done.

Thanks for your comments on this. I spoke to my Doc about melatonin and he said he would have no probs prescribing it for me, but it is horrendously expensive. This was a few months back now.  I wasnt aware they had to adhere to rules so I'll go check your link out.

suepen wrote:

I don't know. I think I saw it wasn't approved by the FDA. One interesting thing I know is that in NZ you can buy 'cherry vite' tablets. Apparently cherries are high in melatonin. I haven't checked if they will send them to Australia yet.

I just wrote to the NZ company and asked if they send to Australia. We'll see what they say.

Thanks for the headsup on these which I didnt know about.  Were you able to get them?

Musical

DesignerMom

Musical-  One of the ladies from Australia just found out that she can order her Melatonin through the mail from places like USA with no problems or scrutiny.  It's really cheap here , like $4 a bottle.  It might be worth it even with the shipping.  She actually found and posted the policy from Australia which seemed to indicate it was allowed. Sorry, I can't remember her screen name.  I know Usana makes a Melatonin.  They are one of these big multi level marketing companies that sell all over the world.  Maybe that would work?  You could try their online site.

suzieq60

Musical - I didn't try ordering the cherry vite yet - finances are limited. They never replied to my query either - thanks for reminding me of it. But I'm thinking of ordering from iHerb like Sheila did. Just waiting for her to say which one she bought.

Where are you from in NZ - I was born in Devonport and remain a citizen even though I came to Oz as a child.

Sue

Anonymous

DesignerMom, thanks.

Maybe from Oz it might be worth it, but NZ Im not so sure. By the time we pay this and pay that it can really mount up. Im a bit rusty on my research on melatonin and need to do a "refresher" (cant remember how much the DOC said it was, but that it was 'exhorbitant' )  A lot of people here have noted in times past that Tamox has really interefered with their sleep. I was never a good sleeper, and Im sure Tamox for me hasnt improved the situation. If I could come up with a decent solution with melatonin, I'll give it a try. At the mo I get by on the occasional sleeping pill when it gets too much.

suepen  .... "They never replied to my query either " 

Dont you just love it when people do this to you....grrrrrrr!.   Oh and Im from Manawatu area. If theres a lot of choice as to which melatonin you go for Id be interested to see what is recommended.

Musical 

Meggy

Great thread.  I just popped my first tablet.  Can't sleetp tonight.  Hope it helps.  how long does it take to kick in?

luv_gardening

Hi Sue, I have no idea if the ones I bought are better or worse than the others. I bought 90 chewable tablets, Natural Factors Melatonin 3MG each for AU$4.49 from iHerb so I doubt any extra charges will add much to the NZ cost for Musical.  I paid the minimum AU$8.00 postage and as I always wait till I have several supplements to buy, that spreads the postage out among all the supps.  I also bought some 1MG tabs to use while I get used to the melatonin but they did work out more expensive at AU$13.43 for 300 caps.  I probably could have just cut the 3MG tablets in half to start.  I have no idea how much we need to take to get therapeutic results.

Musical, Here is a forum discussion about importing supps to New Zealand. According to all the sites I looked at there are no restrictions for reasonable quantities to New Zealand.  Vitamin D is restricted to 1000IU caps.

http://ask.metafilter.com/99259/Where-can-I-order-melatonin-online-which-will-ship-internationally 

-Sheila- 

suzieq60

Thanks Sheila - I'm taking the homeopathic stuff you get here as I am having trouble getting to sleep - it works ok so far, but that site looks a lot cheaper as I'm paying $18 for 90.



Sue

DesignerMom

sheila-  thanks for providing the details for mailorder melatonin.  I couldn't remember your new screen name!

weety

Thanks, Timothy, for sharing this thread as it is highly interesting!!!  I guess I'll have to get my melatonin back out of the cupboard.  I had started taking it a while back, but didn't like the way it left me feeling groggy in the morning.  Someone on this thread said that your body just needs to get used to it???  I'll try it again starting tonight.

amystrong--that's too funny about how you said you'll have to switch your vitamin D to your "after-dinner" pills.  Gee whiz--before BC all I ever took was a multi vitamin and every once in a while an ibuprofen.  Now we have morning pills, evening pills, and even after-dinner pills!  LOL!

If we take the vitamin D with our dinner, though, so that it has the fat needed, does it still work synergistically with the melatonin that will be taken a few hours later? HMMM. . . does anyone have thoughts on this?

Husband11

In my personal experience, melatonin's influence on sleep, both its good (sleep inducing) and bad (groggy mornings) attenuate with time.  I think the body gets used to it and things normalize again.  On the other hand, its anti-cancer properties hopefully continue.  I've also found that if I wake up at 3:00 am and feel restless, popping a 3mg melatonin then seems to result in deep sleep right up until the alarm goes off.  This seems to improve the restorative effects of sleep for the hours I did get.  About the only way you can find out how it works for you is to try, and keep in mind the way it wears off (taking it only on occassions seems more effective normalizing your sleep cycle, than taking it daily).

Anonymous

Yes thanks Timothy for a great thread.

Thanks Sheila for that link. Im going to look into this as soon as I get a moment.  

Musical

pip57

I have just picked up my first bottle of melatonin.  I will try it when I have a couple of days off of work until I know how it affects me.  

golfergrandma

I'm new here, but think I'll take my 4000 mg. of D3/day with my evening meal which I haven't been doing.  Have been taking it in the morning.  Will try 3mg of melatonin before bedtime.  Did not know about the difference between synthetic and not.  So do I look for synthetic? 

Anonymous

Hi Weety. read your post above and was wondering how has it made you feel this time around ?  I tried it for a couple of nights, only 1 mg tabs, and had to nap up to 3 times the next day, rendered me useless 

pip57

I am going to try my first melatonin tonight.  I think I will break the 3mg in two and see how that goes.  Luckily I have nothing planned tomorrow.

corian68

I too take D3 & Melatonin I first began taking Melatonin when I was diagnosed. During the panic & lying awake all night spun out of my mind stage! Lol! Then my N.D informed me of the healing aspect of it. If you're groggy in the morning, pull your curtains open before you go to sleep so the Sunlight can come in the AM. Sunlight decreases Melatonin rapidly. It really does help me wake up easier.

wenweb

Hi! Just jumping in here, and although I have not read through this entire thread, I too had issues with melatonin and severe grogginess.  The problem was that it didn't necessarily keep me asleep all night.  It did help me fall asleep, but I still had the problem of tossing and turning mid sleep and then being exhausted the next day.  I take Ativan now :>)  Sounds like I need to read all of this interesting thread.  Thanks everyone.

Anonymous

Pip, let us know how it's working for you

I would really like for it to work for me, don't know how long one must try....

Sherryc

I take 3mg of melatonion and it works great for me.  Did not have problems with sleeping before Tamoxifen but with Tamoxifen I needed help.  I was taking my D3 in the morning so I have switched it to night time.  Anything to help fight cancer.

pip57

Corian....I would love to let the sunshine in...if it ever shows up again!! LOL

golfergrandma

Right now, I'm taking an OTC Sleep Aid 50 mg. Kroger brand.  It works well.  Might try melatonin, but think I'll half it.

Heidihill

Last year I decided to take a Femara break. My onc told me if I had access to melatonin I should take it then. Apparently it is anti-estrogenic.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15229223

I didn't follow his advice because I tend to get sleep paralysis when I take any sleep aid. (Can't move or breathe while waking.) I ate a lot of broccoli sprouts instead. Maybe if I take a quarter of a dose.

For two weeks now I've been using a product for hair loss with melatonin in it. It's a topical solution. I think it helps me sleep better but it could be just in my head. Lol.

wenweb

Thanks Heidi.  That was very interesting.

Husband11

That's a very interesting research finding Heidi.  Your oncologist is very progressive to recommend melatonin.  I wish there was more clinical research to determine its value to breast cancer patients.  There was work done by italian researchers. Lissoni or something like that a while back, but I can't find anyone who has taken up the torch so to speak, and continued to test it on actual patients.  They found so many benefits, but it needs independent verification before its going to be adopted by the mainstream.

DesignerMom

Here's another article linked from the first one.  I hope research continues on melatonin, it looks promising.

"Melatonin inhibits aromatase promoter expression by regulating cyclooxygenases expression and activity in breast cancer cells."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19773750 

golfergrandma

Took a half melatonin last week and it kept me awake and caused a very fitful sleep.  Wish it had worked out for me.  I asked for a D3 test yesterday during my blood work.  They apparently need to send it off somewhere.  I should probably have waited until the end of tx. 

lmk

I take 20mg of melatonin; it keeps me awake too/causes a fitful sleep so I adjusted and now take it at 7pm every night at the same time as the D3

DesignerMom

I am wondering if different types of melatonin might work differently?  I know some are made from plants and some from the pineal gland of beef ( I believe).  My bottle doesn't clarify which it is.  I will be looking for vegetarian Melatonin in the future.  Maybe I am paranoid, but mad cow disease keeps running around my mind.  I have never slept better. I take 3 mg. about an hour before bed.