Melatonin discovered in grape skins

[yeahright]

Another Grape Excuse To Hit The Bottle
Posted by:
Society of Chemical Industry
on 06-17-2006.

"The discovery of melatonin in grape skin could explain why so many of us hit the bottle in the evening to wind down after a day's hard slog."

Red Wine and Melatonin

Scientists in Italy say they have discovered that the grapes used to make some of the most popular red wines contain high levels of the sleep hormone melatonin. (Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture DOI 10.1002/jsfa2537). Melatonin is naturally secreted by the pineal gland in the brain, especially at night. It tells the body when it is time to sleep.

The discovery of melatonin in grape skin could explain why so many of us hit the bottle in the evening to wind down after a day's hard slog. 'The melatonin content in wine could help regulate the circadian rhythm [sleep-wake patterns], just like the melatonin produced by the pineal gland in mammals,' says researcher Iriti Marcello at the University of Milan.

Until recently, melatonin was thought to be exclusively produced by mammals but has recently been discovered in plants. It is thought to have antioxidant properties. Iriti's study discovered high levels of melatonin in Nebbolo, Merlot, Cabernet Savignon, Sangiovesse and Croatina grape varieties.

Iriti's team have also shown that melatonin content can be enhanced in grapes by treating vines with a plant vaccine Benzothiadiazole.

Richard Wurtman of the brain and cognitive science department at MIT is unconvinced, however, and believes further research is needed to determine whether the compounds discovered are melatonin, or something very similar.

[dannyboy9]

That would explain why everytime I drank wine and had a few glasses I'd fall asleep and the sleep was oh so good

[jmh80]

I wonder if it's in Custom's grape seed extract???




I've cycled off caffeine for the first time in a year or so (too much Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper....).
I've been tired as SH*T! But, I had started taking a half a gram or so of Custom's grape seed extract in the AM and for pre-WO around the same time. (I'm getting about 300 mgs. in NOXidant before bed w/ my arginine.)

Anyway - I'm wondering if the GSE is why I've been so damn tired. (At least more tired than other times when I've come off caffeine.)

I'm going to go back to post-WO and before bed GSE to see if that helps.

[yeahright]

That would explain why everytime I drank wine and had a few glasses I'd fall asleep and the sleep was oh so good

LOL, alcohol is a pretty powerful sedative in of itself.