During the COVID-19 pandemic, melatonin received heightened attention for its capacity to both help fight infections and reduce inflammation. A paper published in Clinical Nutrition ESPEN in 2021 listed it among the key preventive and therapeutic nutraceuticals for COVID, along with zinc, selenium, and vitamins C and D.

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Melatonin can stimulate cytokine production to help the body fight off invading viruses, bacteria, or other pathogens, notes John ­Lieurance, ND, DC, in his book Melatonin: Miracle ­Molecule. It can also help slow down cyto­kine production when the body needs to reverse or prevent potential inflammatory damage.

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“Being chronically underslept will increase the likelihood of illness and chronic inflammation.”

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“It is this dual action of melatonin on the immune system that has been of particularly great interest to scientists,” Lieurance writes. It makes melatonin especially valuable in treating conditions like COVID, where the potential overreaction of the ­immune system — known as a cytokine storm — can be as damaging as the infection itself.

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Because inflammation is managed in part by optimal sleep, melatonin’s role in promoting sleep is key, says Samantha McKinney, RD, who helps lead nutrition education at Life Time. “Being chronically underslept will increase the likelihood of illness and chronic inflammation.”

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Emerging research suggests that symptoms associated with inflammatory autoimmune conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, may be eased with melatonin supplementation. This is most likely due to the hormone’s anti-­inflammatory properties and its ability to reduce oxidative stress and regulate the gut microbiome.

Discover More of Melatonin’s Many Wonders

Melatonin is much more than just a sleep compound. It helps to regulate hormone regulator, boost immunity, and support mitochondira. Learn about the many roles this important and versatile molecule plays at “The Powerful — and Surprising — Health Benefits of Melatonin,” from which this article was excerpted.