What is Melatonin?

Melatonin (N-acetyl – 5 – methoxytryptamine), synthesized from the amino acid tryptophan, is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain. The good news is that there are certain foods which actually contain melatonin, with the highest food content of melatonin discovered in food such as oats containing on average between 1000 to 1800 picogram of melatonin per gram (1,000,000 picogram = 1 mg), Ginger, tomatoes, banana and barley were similarly analysed and found to have on average about 500 picogram per gram. The minute amount of melatonin in such foods indicate that a very large amount of food containing melatonin or its precursors is needed to be consumed in order to obtain the required levels of melatonin daily. As an example, in order to yield just one mg of melatonin would require the consumption of more than 20 bowls of oats! The typical level of recommended melatonin for daily supplement is 3 mg.

Melatonin is available in dietary supplement form (not in Malaysia) such as pills and tablets. Most of these are synthetically manufactured and only a handful is derived from natural sources, i.e animal glands. The problem with this pills and tablets are clea; synthetic melatonin is classified and regulated as drug in certain countries and its sale is not permitted in many countries. It is available in Thailand and Singapore as dietary supplement, but regulated as drug in the European Union. Naturally derived melatonin such as those extracted from animal glands carry the concern for potential infection with the prion that causes Mad Cow Disease and remain an issue over its suitability for Muslims to consume.

As a result of this, there has been a need for making available products that promote the natural synthesis of melatonin in the body, with having to consume melatonin supplements as aforesaid. In this light, the advanced formulation and successful development of the highly popular and unique functional food beverage – B’Young Advance Functional Beverage by Zhulian provides a timely and acceptable natural food source that is among others, high in tryptophan, vitamin B6, noni joice extract, enzymes, calcium and also natural plant extracts that are rich in melatonin.

B’Young is designed to supply the body with vital melatonin precursors in the daytime that are converted to melatonin during typical bedtime hours and reaches its maximum around 4 a.m in the morning.

The B’Young “Night” sachet is design to overcome the blood-brain barrier to enable tryptophan, a relatively large amino acid, to easily enter the brain for natural melatonin synthesis. This is the main reason for recommending the B’Young “Night” sachets to be taken 1 hour before bedtime.

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