Melatonin for Alzheimer’s Disease

Hi Everybody,

As many of you know, Dr. Robin’s mother has Alzheimer’s disease. After her recent hip surgery, her condition became much worse.

One of the things that became almost intolerable, for her and for everyone trying to care for her, was sleep. She got where she just couldn’t seem to sleep – at all. This is evidently common in Alzheimer’s disease.

NEW STUDIES- A few new studies have come out suggesting that parts of the brain calcify (harden) in Alzheimer’s patients. One area of the brain that tends to calcify is the Pineal Gland. This is the gland that makes Melatonin, the chemical that regulates sleep.

Her doctor had prescribed some pretty harsh medications to help her sleep, but nothing had really worked. She literally sat up the entire night. So we tried the Melatonin, and (knock on wood) she is sleeping now!!

DISCOURAGED- If you or a loved one has a serious disorder, you may hear a lot on how this supplement or that supplement cured their loved one. Then you try it and it often doesn’t work. It can be outright discouraging. So we are not telling you that this will work for everyone, but we believe it is something that may ease at least the insomnia portion of Alzheimer’s disease in many people, hopefully.

The standard dose for Melatonin is 1/2 milligram about 30 minutes before bed. You can slowly go up from there, all the way to maybe 4 milligrams. However, some studies have shown melatonin to be most effective at the lower doses. Others have shown the dose may not matter, so start on a low dose and go up from there only if you don’t notice a difference within a few nights.

Hope this helps,

Dr Matt and Dr Robin

mattandrobin@yahoo.com (email)

This week’s bit of Useless Information:  One teaspoon of water contains about 3 times as many atoms as the Atlantic Ocean contains teaspoons of water. 

This email is courtesy of Matthew Barnes, D.C. and Robin Barnes, D.C.  Neither this nor any of our emails are intended to be medical advice and should not be taken as such.  They are opinion and are for informational purposes only.  None of the nutrients discussed here are meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.

Call Us Text Us