Melatonin Test

Melatonin is a hormone. Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland and sends a signal to regulate the sleep-wake cycle in the brain. Amusingly, melatonin is also produced in the retina, the skin, and the GI tract, but this is not the melatonin what affects your biological sleep clock. Lack of Melatonin leads to sleeplessness during the night. Melatonin is called the “Vampire Hormone” as it is produced in darkness and inhibited by light. The levels of your melatonin increase in the middle of the night and fall by morning. Light exposure before bed pushes biological clock in the wrong direction. Drugs for Melatonin are not considered as medicines and are sold in food stores. An ideal time to take Melatonin drug is thirty minutes before bed-time.

No special preparation is needed for patients to go through Melatonin test. Inform your doctor if you are on any medications or have any underlying medical conditions or allergies before undergoing Melatonin. Your doctor depending on your condition will give specific instructions.

This test helps to determine melatonin levels which are important for accurate diagnosis of endocrine dysfunctions Effectively treating mood and sleep disorders, revealing contributing factors in the pathology of various diseases. This test plays an important function to regulate body temperature. This test helps to manage the sleep-wake cycle This test diagnosis the effectiveness female reproductive hormones. This test helps to detect malfunction of cardio vascular system.

Melatonin levels can be tested with a blood test, urine test or saliva test.
Saliva Sample:
The Melatonin Test requires a saliva sample test requires an evening saliva sample which collected in a vial and sent to pathology Laboratory for testing.
Urine Sample:
Melatonin is measured as MT6s, which is extremely stable urine collected in the bladder overnight, collected and sent in the morning.
The second urine sample is collected 2 hours later, reveals the cortisol increase and rapid fall of the melatonin from night level.
The Third urine sample is collected in the evening when melatonin and cortisol are low.
Fourth, before bed, when the melatonin level is rising and cortisol is lowest.
Blood Sample:
Method: High-Performance Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)
Sample: Blood
Sample container: Gray top tube
Stability of sample: Room Temperature: 14 days
Refrigerated: 30 day
Frozen: -20 °C: 30 day