Sat Aug 24, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- Chinese scientists published a review in International Journal Molecular Sciences suggesting that taking melatonin supplements may help prevent or treat Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease is believed to affect more than 5 millions of men and women in the United States.   People at 65 or older are at a higher risk for the disease.   Doctors say there is no cure for the disease.

L. Lin from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China and colleagues say in their review "clinical trials indicate that melatonin supplementation improves sleep, ameliorates sundowning and slows down the progression of cognitive impairment in AD (Alzheimer's disease) patients."

Melatonin has been found to be able to efficiently protect neuronal cells from Aβ-mediated toxicity and it not only inhibits Aβ generation, but also suppress the formation of amyloid fibrils by interacting with Aβ, according to the authors.

Research led by the authors has demonstrated that melatonin attenuates Alzheimer-like tau hyperphosphorylation and it may regulates the activities of protein kinases and protein phosphatases even though the exact mechanism remains to be understood.

The review provides evidence to suggest that melatonin may be used as a potentially useful agent to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease.

Melatonin, which is a hormone found in animals, plants and microbes and sold as a dietary supplement, decreases during aging and in patients with Alzheimer's disease. (jimmy downs)