Hormonal
Melatonin is necessary for proper insulin synthesis, secretion, and action; its absence or reduction leads to insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, and a diabetogenic syndrome.
If you work night shifts or are exposed to bright lights at night, your body's natural melatonin production may be suppressed, leading to insulin resistance and weight gain. Restoring a dark sleep environment or considering melatonin supplementation (under medical guidance) may help restore metabolic health by improving insulin sensitivity.
Experimental evidence demonstrates that melatonin is necessary for the proper synthesis, secretion and action of insulin. Melatonin acts by regulating GLUT4 expression and/or triggering, via its G-protein-coupled membrane receptors, the phosphorylation of the insulin receptor and its intracellular substrates mobilizing the insulin-signaling pathway.
Why this rating
Based on animal models and mechanistic reviews; human genetic data supports the link but clinical intervention data is less explicit in this review.
Source
Melatonin, energy metabolism, and obesity: a review
José Cipolla‐Neto et al. · Journal of Pineal Research · 2014
DOI 10.1111/jpi.12137
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