The recent outbreak of COVID-19 has become a pandemic with tens of thousands of infected patients. Some seem to get only mild symptoms while others progress to acute breathing difficulties.
Evidence suggests that excessive inflammation and an exaggerated immune response in some individuals leads to a cytokine storm (a flood of inflammatory signals) that damages the lungs and causes the more severe outcomes.
Melatonin, a well-known anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative neurotransmitter involved in sleep is protective against these effects. There is significant data showing that melatonin limits virus-related diseases and has beneficial effects in COVID-19. Since melatonin is produced by the body there are natural ways to support this pathway.
- Firstly melatonin is released in response to darkness. This means good sleep hygiene and avoiding looking at screens late into the evening can aid melatonin production.
- Melatonin production also requires healthy levels of vitamin D – the sunshine vitamin. Getting regular daily sun exposure and eating foods that contain vitamin D such as oily fish, organic eggs and brown mushrooms will help optimise vitamin D levels.
- Finally in order to manufacture melatonin the body requires a steady supply of the amino acid tryptophan along with B vitamins. These are found abundantly in pumpkin seeds, oats, eggs, salmon, beans and lentils, and green leafy vegetables.
The herbal complex virarestore contains melatonin and so can not only boost melatonin but can help following the virus to repair damage to tissues and promote an appropriate healing response.
