Article: Hormone Seen as Cure For Insomnia, Jet Lag

WASHINGTON In research hinting at a new weapon against insomnia and jet lag, researchers find that pills of the natural hormone melatonin will bring on slumber quickly without the addictive effects of drugs.

Dr. Richard J. Wurtman, professor of neuroscience at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said Monday the studies show that melatonin, which is secreted by the pineal gland in the brain, functions naturally as a sleep-inducing hormone, even when given as pills in very small doses.

"Our volunteers fall asleep in five or six minutes on melatonin, while those on placebo take about 15 minutes or longer," Wurtman said.

A report on a study of melatonin is to be published today in the ...

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