The sleep-regulating hormone Melatonin is regarded as a potential prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
After almost a year and with an increasing number of cases, scientists and health experts worldwide are trying to find ways to battle covid-19 that has infected millions and claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. With each new research, we are trying to see a glimmer of hope in finally finding a possible cure.
According to WebMD, the good news is a study led by Cleveland Clinic claiming to have discovered a new compound that can potentially fight covid-19. The results of the research were published in the journal of PLOS Biology.
Melatonin: Potential COVID-19 Treatment
The newly discovered compound is a sleep-regulating hormone called Melatonin. To be specific, this is the hormone that controls a person's circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycle. However, the focus on melatonin as a potential treatment to COVID-19 comes with its ability to interact with the body's immune system. Some studies suggest melatonin can help fight inflammation in our bodies when our immune systems detect a problem.
The research showed that a 30% reduced likelihood of testing positive for COVID-19 is associated with melatonin's adequate presence in a person's body. This is the result of patient data from the COVID-19 registry were analyzed by researchers.
Specifically, the research team looked for common symptoms and causes of death for those who had severe cases of COVID-19. They have also looked into other diseases like sepsis and respiratory distress syndrome. This led them to determine that lung, autoimmune, and neurological diseases showed similarities to illnesses caused by the coronavirus.
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Although there have been a handful of claims regarding melatonin treatments on COVID-19 patients, clinical trials are still being done to determine its potentiality.
University of South Florida Neurologist Dr. Cesar Borlongan says that more rigorous research is needed to see if melatonin can go beyond regulating the sleep-wake cycles.
The researchers also found 34 potential treatments that might help in fighting coronavirus, and among those is melatonin.
However, the Lead Author of the study and Researcher, Feixiong Cheng, cautioned people on taking melatonin supplements without consulting a doctor. Fortunately, the human body produces melatonin, and there are also plenty of food choices that naturally contain it.
Eggs
Highly rich in proteins, eggs can be consumed in abundance, especially during breakfast. There are also various ways you can cook your eggs, including boiled eggs, poached eggs, omelet, scrambled eggs, and other egg-based recipes.
Fish
You can also find a fair amount of melatonin present in fish. Additionally, it also contains other nutrients that your body needs as well.
Nuts
The highest melatonin content in plants is found in nuts. This is a viable go-to snack, plus it is also rich in other beneficial nutrients.
Mushrooms
It is always a good thing to incorporate vegetables into your daily diet. Mushrooms could be the ingredient you need, and it also contains tons of melatonin.
Cereals
Another good breakfast option that is full of melatonin is cereals.
Legumes
A whole range of legumes like beans, lentils, chickpeas, and peanuts can be easily added to your diet, which will get you a sufficient supply of melatonin.
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