The Effect of Melatonin Supplementation on Men's Health

Updated September 1, 2023 by Scott Lindsay

Introduction

Melatonin is probably the most widely used sleep supplement around.  But I think you’d be better off snuggling a honey badger in heat.  Stick around and I’ll tell you why I hate Melatonin and show you a better solution that worked for me.

Brief Explanation of Melatonin and Its Role in Regulating Sleep

Melatonin isn’t actually a supplement or vitamin.  It’s a natural occurring hormone that produced in a specific region of your brain.  When everything is working correctly, your brain releases melatonin in the evening and this signals to your body that it’s time to wind down for sleep.

Here’s why I’m not a fan of taking exogenous (made in lab) melatonin ...

Melatonin as a Sleep Aid and Sleep Quality

Recall that you need about 1-2 hours of stage three sleep every night.  This is the deep phase of sleep that allows you to tackle the next day with focus, resilience, energy, strength, and health.

But your body doesn’t try to get all of that stage 3 sleep all at once.  You actually go through 90 minute cycles when you sleep.  So your body cycles through all 4 stages a number of times throughout the night.

And we know that your body actually front loads most your Stage 3 deep sleep to the earlier cycles.

So what that means is, as an example, you might get 45 minutes of stage 3 sleep in the first cycle … and then 20 minutes in the second … then 10 minutes in the third cycle … then 5 minutes in the fourth  … and so on.

So those first few hours, those first few cycles, are the most important for your Stage 3 deep sleep.

Well, here’s where melatonin can actually muck all that up for you …

When you take melatonin … your body artificially goes into a drowsy state … but the rest of the your sleep systems they weren’t in sync yet … so your adrenal alarm says ‘wait a minute’ … there’s something wonky going on.  I don’t know what caused this sudden flood of unexpected melatonin … so I’d better block deep sleep until I can process all of this chemical and make sure there isn’t some kind of danger attached.

Remember, your adrenal alarm will always keep you in the lighter stages of sleep if it even perceives a heightened stress or danger.

And really, that was my experience.  I found that when I used to use melatonin myself … sure, I found that could often fall asleep easier … but it didn’t help the way I woke up.  I still felt like crap the next morning. 

And, in hindsight, it makes sense.  I was unconscious sure … but I wasn’t experiencing any of the benefits of stage 3 deep sleep.  In fact, I was blocking stage 3 sleep just by taking melatonin.

So what does this mean for men’s health in general?

Testosterone Level in Men Who Use Melatonin

You likely know much about the role testosterone plays in your body already:

But a funny thing happens when you start to read some of the research connecting melatonin supplement with testosterone levels.  A couple of studies actually show that melatonin supplementation increases testosterone levels.

A few more study show that it lowers testosterone levels

And that rest show that it has no effect at all.  

So what gives?

Well, when you look at it through the lens of stage 3 deep sleep, it starts to make a lot more sense.  If it’s not the level of melatonin supplementation that is effecting testosterone levels in men, but rather the amount of stage 3 deep sleep that is resulting from the (likely) multiple strategies that individual is using to optimize their sleep, then you can start to make some clear connections to testosterone levels.

Melatonin and the Aging Process in Men

The same thing happens when we start to review the link between melatonin and aging.

We can links between lowering melatonin levels with age and subsequent decreases in sleep quality and testosterone levels … and increases in things like Alzheimer’s and cancer.

But could melatonin supplementation really cuase a reversal in these ailments?  Or is it more linkely that a decrease in natural melatonin is simply a symptom of a complex and holistic metabolic state?  One that could be better addressed by trying to optimize stage 3 deep sleep first?

Is It Safe To Take Melatonin?

Melatonin is generally considered safe for most men at low doses and when taken occasionally.  It’s when melatonin usage becomes long term, and men start to experiment with higher and higher does, that the trouble can start.

Here are some of the report side effect of melatonin supplementation in men:

Conclusion

So for all of those reasons, I wouldn’t recommend melatonin as part of your regular sleep stack.  There are simply much better ways to optimize your stage your deep sleep and start to reap the tremendous rewards that come with a might slumber.  You can find the breakthrough protocol here.

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