Melatonin-rich diets linked to lower obesity and depression rates overall.
A large nutrition study from Brazil has found that people who consume melatonin in food tend to have lower rates of obesity and depression. The findings suggest that melatonin in everyday foods may reflect healthier eating patterns rather than acting as a direct treatment for disease.
Melatonin is a hormone best known for helping control sleep cycles, but it is also found in small amounts in many common foods. These include grains, beans, coffee, fruits, vegetables, and some animal products. While the amount of melatonin in food is much lower than what is found in supplements, earlier research shows that regular intake through meals can still raise melatonin levels in the body within a normal range.
Researchers examined data from more than 8,000 Brazilian adults who were part of a long-running health study involving university graduates. The average participant was in their mid-thirties, and most did not smoke. About one out of three reported sleeping fewer than seven hours per night. Many also reported health conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, or depression.
Participants completed detailed questionnaires covering lifestyle habits, health history, and diet. From these surveys, researchers estimated how much melatonin people consumed each day based on known melatonin levels in 119 common foods. The average daily intake was just over 25,000 nanograms, with men generally consuming more than women.
Foods that contributed most to melatonin intake included coffee, rice, beans, and lentils. Diets higher in melatonin were also linked to higher fiber intake and lower intake of saturated fat and cholesterol. This suggests that melatonin intake may go hand in hand with diets that are already considered balanced or plant-forward.
When researchers compared melatonin intake with health outcomes, clear patterns emerged for two conditions. People with moderate levels of dietary melatonin were less likely to be obese and less likely to report depression. The strongest links were not seen at the highest intake levels, but rather in the middle range. This finding suggests that extremely high intake is not needed to see a difference.
No meaningful links were found between dietary melatonin and other conditions such as type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, sleep apnea, or high blood pressure. While early results showed possible connections with sleep duration and cholesterol levels, these links faded after accounting for age and sex.
Obesity was defined using standard body mass index measures, while depression was based on self-reported medical diagnosis. Other health markers, such as cholesterol and blood sugar, were classified using commonly accepted clinical cutoffs. The study relied on self-reported information for several conditions, which can introduce some error.
The researchers stressed that this type of study cannot prove cause and effect. Because diet and health were measured at the same time, it is not possible to say whether melatonin-rich foods directly lower obesity or depression risk. It is also possible that people who feel better mentally or maintain a healthier weight are more likely to eat these foods.
Still, the results add to growing interest in how naturally occurring compounds in food relate to long-term health. Rather than acting like a drug, melatonin from food may simply be part of broader eating habits that support physical and mental well-being. These habits may influence inflammation, metabolism, and mood regulation in subtle ways over time.
The findings point toward the value of studying whole diets instead of single nutrients in isolation. Regular consumption of everyday foods that contain melatonin may be one small part of a lifestyle linked to better mental health and healthier body weight. Further long-term studies will be needed to better understand how dietary melatonin fits into the larger picture of nutrition and disease prevention.
Sources:
Eating melatonin-rich foods is linked to lower obesity and depression rates
Join the conversation!