Melatonin boosts DNA repair in night shift workers
Night shifts take a long-term toll on the body. But a new study suggests melatonin supplements may help offset some of that damage by improving how cells repair their DNA.
Working at night disrupts the circadian rhythm, the body’s internal 24-hour clock that governs almost every biological process. One consequence is that DNA repair becomes less efficient. Over years, that can contribute to accelerated ageing and higher risk of certain diseases.
The study investigated whether melatonin supplements could stimulate repair activity in night shift workers. Early results are encouraging: participants who took melatonin showed greater activity in DNA repair mechanisms compared with a control group.
Melatonin beyond sleep
Melatonin is a hormone the body normally produces when darkness falls. It signals to the brain that night has arrived. In night shift workers, that production is suppressed: light and wakefulness block the hormone precisely when the body would benefit from it.
What makes this research notable is its focus on DNA repair rather than sleep. Cells use specialised proteins to detect and fix errors in genetic material. This process is called nucleotide excision repair (the removal and replacement of damaged nucleotides, the building blocks of DNA). Researchers measured whether this process was more active in melatonin users. It was.
Promising but preliminary
The findings are early. The study was small and ran over a limited period. Whether improved repair activity actually prevents disease over the long term remains to be shown. Still, the research raises an intriguing question: can a cheap, widely available supplement offset some of the biological costs of irregular working hours?
For the roughly one in five workers in shift or night roles, that question is practically relevant. Larger, longer studies are needed before firm conclusions can be drawn.