褪黑素和便秘之間有什么聯(lián)系?

Melatonin has emerged as a safe, natural remedy for insomnia and bad sleep. Unlike prescription drugs, it's not addictive and has minimal side effects, notes the Mayo Clinic. Some people may experience mild anxiety, confusion, stomach pain, or tremors after taking melatonin supplements, but these reactions are rare. What you may not know is that melatonin has a direct impact on digestive function.

褪黑素已成為治療失眠和睡眠不良的一種安全、天然的藥物。梅奧診所指出，與處方藥不同，它不會上癮，副作用也很小。有些人在服用褪黑素補充劑后可能會經(jīng)歷輕微的焦慮、困惑、胃痛或顫抖，但這些反應很少見。但你可能不知道，褪黑素對消化功能有直接影響。

Besides its role in the sleep-wake cycle, this hormone regulates several functions in your body. Its levels in the gut are about 400 times higher than those in the pineal gland, notes a 2011 review published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology. Therefore, it's not surprising that melatonin regulates digestion and gastrointestinal (GI) motility. Researchers say that it exerts both excitatory and inhibitory effects on the gut, meaning that it can speed up or slow down the passage of food. High doses of melatonin may slow the intestinal transit, while small doses increase peristalsis, or intestinal muscle contractions.

除了它在睡眠-覺醒周期中發(fā)揮作用外，這種激素還能調(diào)節(jié)身體的幾種功能。2011年發(fā)表在《世界胃腸病學雜志》上的一篇評論指出，它在腸道中的含量大約是松果體的400倍。因此，褪黑素具有調(diào)節(jié)消化和胃腸(GI)運動的功能也就不足為奇了。研究人員說，它對腸道既有興奮作用又有抑制作用，這意味著它可以加速或減緩食物的通過。大劑量的褪黑素可能會減緩腸道傳輸，而小劑量的褪黑素則會增加腸蠕動或腸肌收縮。

This dietary supplement may benefit those with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), suggests the above review. The question is, does melatonin cause constipation? After all, it can slow down GI motility when used in large doses.

上述綜述表明，這種膳食補充劑可能有益于克羅恩病、潰瘍性結腸炎或腸易激綜合征(IBS)患者。問題是，褪黑激素會導致便秘嗎?畢竟，當大劑量使用時，它可以減緩胃腸運動。

What's the link between melatonin and constipation?

褪黑素和便秘之間有什么聯(lián)系?

The human body produces melatonin on its own. Its levels go up in the late evening and begin to gradually decline after 4:00 p.m., explains a 2012 review published in Food and Nutrition Research. This hormone regulates your internal clock, making it easier to fall asleep. Certain factors, such as your age and diet, can affect melatonin synthesis and lead to sleep problems. One way to counteract this issue is to take melatonin supplements, which contain a synthetic version of the hormone.

人體自身會產(chǎn)生褪黑素。2012年發(fā)表在《食品和營養(yǎng)研究》上的一篇評論解釋說，褪黑素的水平在深夜升高，下午4點后開始逐漸下降。這種激素調(diào)節(jié)著人的生物鐘，使人更容易入睡。某些因素，如你的年齡和飲食，會影響褪黑素的合成，并導致睡眠問題。解決這個問題的一種方法是服用褪黑素補充劑，這類補充劑含有一種合成的褪黑素。

Like other health products, melatonin may cause mild adverse reactions ranging from drowsiness to headaches, according to the Mayo Clinic. But constipation is rarely one of them. "As a gastroenterologist specializing in functional gut disorders for 15 years, I have never known melatonin to be a source of constipation," said Dr. Robin Rose in an interview with POPSUGAR. This product can actually improve IBS symptoms, she added.

梅奧診所稱，與其他保健品一樣，褪黑激素可能會引起輕微的不良反應，例如嗜睡或頭痛。但很少引起便秘。羅賓·羅斯博士在接受POPSUGAR采訪時說：“作為一名15年來專門研究功能性腸道疾病的胃腸病學家，我從未發(fā)現(xiàn)褪黑素是便秘的病因。”。她補充說，這種褪黑素產(chǎn)品實際上可以改善腸易激綜合征的癥狀。

The problem is that not all melatonin supplements are created equal. Their quality, efficacy, and composition vary among brands. Therefore, it's possible to experience constipation after using this product. "The ingredients in a drug or supplement can change — even what's holding the tablet or the capsule together — and that could cause irritation in your GI system," neurologist Rachel Salas told Women's Health. Some of these ingredients may cause digestive issues.

問題是并非所有的褪黑激素補充劑都是一樣的。它們的質(zhì)量、功效和成分因品牌而異。因此，使用本產(chǎn)品后還是會有便秘的可能。神經(jīng)學家Rachel Salas告訴《婦女健康》雜志，“藥物或補充劑中的成分可能會發(fā)生變化，甚至是藥片或膠囊的成分也會發(fā)生變化，這可能會對你的胃腸系統(tǒng)造成刺激。”。其中一些成分可能會引起消化問題。