Melatonin Boosts DNA Repair in Night‑Shift Workers
SkimNews Take
Melatonin's newly discovered DNA repair benefits suggest a surprising overlap between sleep regulation and cellular maintenance pathways, offering a potential accessible intervention for specific occupational health challenges.
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- Melatonin supplementation (3 mg daily for 4 weeks) was administered to half of 40 night‑shift workers in a randomized, placebo‑controlled trial.
- Researchers measured urinary 8‑OHdG, a DNA‑damage repair marker, before and after the intervention, observing a rise during daytime sleep in the melatonin group.
- Participants had worked at least two consecutive night shifts per week for ≥6 months, each shift ≥7 hours, and reported no sleep disorders or chronic illnesses.
- Study authors caution that larger trials are needed before recommending melatonin as a long‑term strategy to lower cancer risk in night‑shift workers.
Why it matters: Night‑shift employees gain a simple, low‑cost supplement that boosts DNA repair, potentially lowering future cancer treatment costs for health insurers and employers and improving workforce productivity, as shown in a 40‑person trial.
