April 15, 2021
The brilliant, slightly crazy, fringe Dr. John Lieurance is back! You may have originally heard him in the highly popular episode “The Crazy Future Of Medical Biohacking: Skull Resets, Suppositories, Nasal Sprays, Nebulizers, Sound Therapy & More With Dr. John Lieurance.“, in which we delved into everything from Amazonian herbal rapé nasal spray to nebulizing glutathione to NAD suppositories and a whole lot more.
Today's episode promises to be just as riveting, but is focused around one molecule in particular that John has been intensively studying and is now releasing a groundbreaking book about: melatonin. We'll answer questions about and also take a deep dive into the science behind melatonin topics such as:
Should you consider melatonin supplementation?
How much is too much?
Does melatonin lower your own endogenous production?
What delivery mechanism of melatonin is best?
Is melatonin good for anything besides sleep?
Should anyone not take melatonin?
Can you “reset” your circadian rhythm with high-dose melatonin supplementation?
So who is John (just in case you didn't hear my first podcast with him)?
Dr. John Lieurance is a naturopathic physician, chiropractic neurologist, and all-around expert in medical biohacking who has been in private practice in Florida for 25 years.
He is the chief scientific advisor of MitoZen Scientific and heads up Advanced Rejuvenation, a multi-disciplinary clinic with a focus on treating chronic diseases, regenerative medicine, functional neurology, functional medicine, and stem cell research.
Dr. Lieurance has spent most of his career focused on finding solutions for hearing loss, balance disorders, tinnitus, degenerative neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer's, autoimmune disease, chronic Lyme, Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS), and mold illness and has suffered from chronic Lyme and mold illness himself for many years. From his treatments, he has seen the same success and ability to recover and regain a normal life—free from the chronic inflammation and pain associated with those disorders—for himself as well as his patients.
During this discussion, you'll discover:
-How the godfather of ozone research and medicine got John keen on melatonin…7:30
- Dr. Frank Shallenberger
- The Ozone Miracle by Dr. Frank Shallenberger
- John met Dr. Shallenberger at a brain rejuvenation conference
- Recommended John take melatonin during the day (won't get sleepy if you have sunlight exposure)
- Typical dose for melatonin supplementation is 0.3-3 mg
- Frank recommended a 200 mg dose
- Sandman melatonin suppository by John Lieurance's MitoZen (use code BEN to save 5%)
- Super physiological dosing: doses that are far higher than what the body produces naturally
-Melatonin: the “hormone of darkness”…12:45
- John's upcoming book Melatonin: The Miracle Molecule, coming out mid-to-late 2021 (ebook available now)
- Melatonin is a primary protector from stress
- Compared to the electromagnetic field around the Earth
- Original melatonin researchers reported no benefits for its use (on general health)
- Mice exposed to stress and took melatonin showed greater longevity and health than mice who did not take melatonin
- Melatonin regulates melanin pigmentation
- Melanotan peptide was used by bodybuilders to get tans; side effect was priapism
- Dr. Jack Kruse
- Podcasts with Dr. Jack Kruse:
- Ben and John avoid the use of sunglasses because of how they affect melatonin production (tan instead of burn if you don't wear them)
-How melatonin supplementation affects endogenous melatonin production…18:40
- Supplemental melatonin doesn't have negative feedback on endogenous production as do other hormone supplements
- John's 3-month self-experiment:
- 800 mg melatonin supplementation per night
- Suppository and liposomal
- Thought he got COVID after doing this the first few nights
- Ceased taking melatonin after a few weeks; didn't affect circadian rhythm or sleep patterns
- Oura ring scores were a little bit better with the higher dose
- Daytime blue light desk lamp
- Re-Timer glasses
- HumanCharger (use code BEN20 to save 20%)
- JOOVV
- Ben did a high-dose melatonin supplementation protocol for 30 days (300-400 mg per night)
- Reset the circadian rhythm, sleep patterns, etc.
- Quit cold turkey; body learned to sleep based on the protocol
- Heart rate variability (HRV) didn't change much based on melatonin intake (improved with better sleep in general)
- HRV is a response to stress
-Why melatonin supplementation may not be effective for regulating sleep unless taken in large doses…25:30
- Efficacy of high-dose therapy in John's Melatonin: The Miracle Molecule book
- Take melatonin 3-4 hours before bed for maximum efficacy
- Melatonin receptors throughout the body and cells
- Retraining sleep/wake cycle, as well as systems in the body that are connected to the circadian rhythm
- Microbiome takes its signal from melatonin release and deep sleep (microbiome swarming)
- Melatonin is 400x higher in the gut than the brain
- Mito Fast: A Brand New Advanced Anti-Aging Protocol To Nurture Your Mitochondria, Boost Autophagy, & Rejuvenate Your Stem Cells.
- Fasting is hormetic stress to the microbiome; your body is robbing the microbiome of nutrients
- Melatonin supplementation supports the repopulation of the microbiome after a fast
-Effects of melatonin on the mitochondria…34:00
- Stressors: chemical, physical, electromagnetic, infections, etc.
- Hormesis: Ability to respond to stressors
- Mitochondria is at the core of our ability to handle stress; overtraining a result of exceeding the mitochondria's ability to handle the stress; cancer is a core mitochondrial problem
- COVID, immune system shuts down; cytokine storm results in acute respiratory syndrome, is a mitochondrial problem
- Cytokines are inflammation at the cellular level
- Cells take in glucose, convert it into pyruvate
- Pyruvate is shuffled into the mitochondria, converted into Acetyl-CoA
- Cytokine shift causes us to produce 10% of the energy we normally make
- Warburg Effect
- Inflammation, the result of all the stresses, shuts down our ability to make energy by 9 out of 10; immune cells have no energy in someone with COVID
- Melatonin is produced by the mitochondria to quench enzymes, to make energy normally through the Krebs cycle
-The effects of melatonin on cardiovascular and/or heart disease…38:15
- Brain and heart are the two most metabolically demanding organs in the body
- Mitochondria efficiently making energy (stressors affect mitochondrial function)
- Melatonin supports the mitochondria, which is at the core of making the body's energy
- The autonomic nervous system, athletic performance declines with poor sleep
- Body repairs itself with deep, restful sleep; supporting the parasympathetic nervous system
-The impact of melatonin on the immune system, particularly killer cells…42:55
- Impact on killer cells discussed in detail in John's book
- Article: Melatonin, Immune Function and Aging
- Immunosenescence: Melatonin increases the secretion of progenitor cells, which turn into natural killer cells
- Enhances immune function in aging people, and people in an immunocompromised state
- Many functional medicine doctors use melatonin supplementation to amp up the immune system to fight off viruses
- Inhibition of cytokine storm was studied in depth in 2020 in light of Covid-19
- Recent study by the Cleveland Clinic on melatonin: 52% decrease in the likelihood of contracting COVID
- Article: take melatonin one month prior, and two weeks after vaccine (stronger antibody response)
- Melatonin is a chelating agent; prevents toxicity by heavy metals such as mercury, lead, and cadmium
-How to hack the circadian rhythm with high-dose melatonin supplementation…48:15
- Morning grogginess after a high-dose melatonin supplementation is offset almost immediately with sunlight exposure after waking up
- We live in a different world today than decades ago
- Negative effects of EMF may be related to the squashing of melatonin
- Pineal gland actually perceives EMF as light and decreases melatonin production
- There is evidence that melatonin suppresses cancer; what is not clear is that is it the carcinogenic effects of EMF because it's lowering melatonin that is causing cancer
-Anti-aging uses of melatonin…50:10
- Melatonin is the primary buffer against oxidation in the skin; skin is like the lining of the gut
- Studies have shown people with exogenous melatonin have improved skin, collagen, etc.
- Apply melatonin to skin via face cream (John is beta testing skin creams)
-Other compounds that stack well with melatonin…52:45
- Deep Sleep Decoded: Everything You Need To Know To Increase Your Deep Sleep Percentages.
- Why Your Brain Probably Doesn’t Make Enough Chemicals To Help You Sleep (And What You Can Do About It).
- Sandman main ingredients:
- Magnolia bark extract, works through GABA
- Full-spectrum hemp
- Linalool: terpene from lavender
- Probiotic (spore-based proprietary strain)
- Mito Fast fasting protocol has 3 phases:
- Phase 1 loads NAD+
- Phase 2 autophagy activation; adds plant polyphenols like fisetin, pterostilbene, resveratrol, curcumin
- Stem cell rejuvenation
- Allow people to fast for shorter periods and get the same effects of a longer fast
- The Official 5-Day Juice Fast Results From Ben & Jessa Greenfield: What Happens When You Consume Low-Carb, Keto Vegetable Juice For 5 Days.
- Kitchari cleanse
- Valter Longo's fasting mimicking diet
- StemTor – raises mTor (use code BEN to save 5%)
- Kion Aminos
- StemZen – high in CoQ10 (use code BEN to save 5%)
- Fasting protocol John recommends for his patients:
- 24 hours once a week
- 3 days once per month
-Ben's plant medicine cleanse protocol…1:00:30
- Microdosing With Psychedelics & Beyond: The Psychedelic Renaissance (Why Psychedelic Research Is Picking Up Where It Left Off Decades Ago & The Surprising Results).
- Neurodiol CBD suppository (use code BEN to save 5%)
- Melatonin: The Miracle Molecule book packed with comprehensive practical and research-based information on melatonin
And much more!
Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.
Resources from this episode:
– Dr. John Lieurance:
- Melatonin: The Miracle Molecule
- MitoZen (use code BEN to save 5%)
- Sandman Melatonin Suppository
- Mito Fast Fasting Protocol
- StemZen Suppository
- StemTor mTOR Activator Suppository
- Neurodiol Full Spectrum Hemp Suppository
- Advanced Rejuvenation
- The Crazy Future Of Medical Biohacking: Skull Resets, Suppositories, Nasal Sprays, Nebulizers, Sound Therapy & More With Dr. John Lieurance.
- Mito Fast: A Brand New Advanced Anti-Aging Protocol To Nurture Your Mitochondria, Boost Autophagy, & Rejuvenate Your Stem Cells By John Lieurance.
– Podcasts And Articles:
- Jack Kruse Tells You How To Live Like A Polar Bear And Eat Like A Great White Shark With Kack Kruse
- How You Can Use Cold Thermogenesis To Perform Like Lance Armstrong And Michael Phelps With Jack Kruse
- A Deep Dive Into HRV: How To Use Heart Rate Variability To Optimize Your Sleep, Stress, Recovery, Performance, Nervous System Balance & Much More!, With Dr. Jay T. Wiles
- Deep Sleep Decoded: Everything You Need To Know To Increase Your Deep Sleep Percentages.
- Why Your Brain Probably Doesn’t Make Enough Chemicals To Help You Sleep (And What You Can Do About It).
- The Official 5-Day Juice Fast Results From Ben & Jessa Greenfield: What Happens When You Consume Low-Carb, Keto Vegetable Juice For 5 Days.
- Microdosing With Psychedelics & Beyond: The Psychedelic Renaissance (Why Psychedelic Research Is Picking Up Where It Left Off Decades Ago & The Surprising Results).
– Gear And Supplements:
- Oura Ring
- Daytime Blue Light Desk Lamp
- Re-Timer Glasses
- HumanCharger (use code BEN20 to save 20%)
- JOOVV
- Kion Aminos
- Magnolia Bark Extract
– Other Resources:
- Dr. Frank Shallenberger
- The Ozone Miracle by Dr. Frank Shallenberger
- Dr. Jack Kruse
- Valter Longo's Fasting Mimicking Diet
- Kitchari Cleanse
- Warburg Effect
- Can Melatonin Help Treat COVID-19? – A Cleveland Clinic Study
- Melatonin, Immune Function And Aging
- An Urgent Proposal For The Immediate Use Of Melatonin As An Adjuvant To Anti- SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination
Episode sponsors:
–Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations, Kion blends ancestral wisdom with modern science. Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners, save 10% off your first order with code BEN10.
–Organifi Red Juice: Enjoy all the benefits of the 11 superfoods and their micronutrients that help increase resting metabolism, support cardiovascular health, and remove toxins to turn back the hands of time! Receive a 20% discount on your entire order when you use discount code BENG20.
–Butcher Box: Delivers healthy 100% grass-fed and finished beef, free-range organic chicken, and heritage breed pork directly to your door on a monthly basis. All their products are humanely raised and NEVER given antibiotics or hormones.
–Thrive Market: Organic brands you love, for less. Your favorite organic food and products. Fast and free shipping to your doorstep. Receive a gift card worth up to $20 when you begin a new membership.
How should we reach that 200mg of melatonine dose?
That is crazy. Pills in our country has like 1mg and drops have 0,5mg in 6 drops.
Which means i should take 200 pills or 2400 drops? Holy Molly!!!
I can’t imagine swollowing 200 hundred pills each day not to mention the cost…this means that even one kidney is not enough to supply this melatonin protocol…any tips or help?
Thanks
MitoZen sells the suppositories in the doses he recommends.
I hope this message finds you well. High dose melatonin is something I figured out here My vaccine injured kid, at age 6, went into kidney failure, Nephrotic syndrome after herneedle ra\/pes. coincidence, of course. The jabs she got should have been her 18 months toddler shots. I delayed but I didn’t research.
At diagnosis, she had 13lbs edema on top of hertiny 43lbs frame. Her total cholesterol was 900 mgdl. Thankfully, prednisone stopped it, briefly.
Anyways, 1.5 years prednisone roller coaster, edema, proteinuria, near adult doses prednisone, weeks of it, wean, edema, proteinuria, pred, wean, repeat. 2 hospitalization. Nonstop calcium oxalates, micro thankfully.
Dr Jenna Henderson led me to melatonin and Dr Suzanne Humphries. Led me to Dr Paul Marik and Riordan clinic and Doris Loh.
2 weeks of high dose sodium ascorbate, she had near perfect urine and blood markers dramatically improved. BUN was normalizing. Her creatinine chilled. And, zero calcium oxalates. less blood in urine.
Finally, the scurvy of guinea pigs, as shown in studies, to cause Nephrotic Syndrome, was being treated. Prednisone … couldn’t stop.
Doris Loh, covid, melatonin. hmmm…
Pred free for 1 year 4 months. 4 obvious Nephrotic Syndrome eyes, 30mg melatonin morn, noon, evening, and night. Literally, overnight, all edema flows away. I follow with a few days of 20 to 50mg at bedtime for her. and, she is good. Her solid 6 pack, or hint of a fluid ascotes belly, are solid indicator.
Also, her eyes… whenever whatever is happening, the stereotypical bright, glossy, shiny eyes of children, dulls. And, the 100mg plus melatonin restores her eyes to their glow overnight. Very distinct and obvious sign.
Her skin, her legs, scurvy bruises.. that 2 weeks of first bit of high dose sodium ascorbate
week 1, bruises retreated.
week 2, her hunched over, beat up, old lady hunch straightened up. Her quadricpes, her thigh pain, her supposed prednisone or growing pains, disappeared. Talking 5 to 30 grams sodium ascorbate a day, divided doses. The Vit C therapy was started about 7 months into our vax injury journey.
The high dose melatonin was started a year? 15 months? in to the vax injury journey. Both were so obvious.
At some other point, lugols iodine and selenium was added as massive proteinuria cause thyroid hormones loss. The change was MASSIVE. Her obvious mental decline post needle ra\/pes was clear Falling down steps. difficult speaking. one task at a time that takes hours. In 2 days, iodine, she turned on like a light. Day and night. She was there. just normal. Now, she is part of the Guild piano competition. she still hasn’t caught up on reading but since she gives some seriously advanced piano skills and surprising mental math, I know it will happen.
High dose melatonin is kicka$$ to prednisone in another way. Kid 2 is severely allergic to poison ivy. 40mg as needed Stops it completely. Add sodium ascorbate, 2 grams every 15mins or so, initially, for the short acting antihistamine until Melatonin kicks in.
Vit c restore zonulin connection that gluten disrupts
while we are on a meat and butter, low carb diet
dr sarah huen
dr jason fung
dr Richard Bernstein
gluten exposure may happen.
Based on what I see in my NS kkds, carbohydrates alone promote eye edema and something happens to serum albumin way before kidney podocyte. Liver production? catabolism?
I’ve been taking melatonin for the last two years, over the counter grade, been using 200 mg throughout the day, I Get the best 5 to 6 hours sleep in my life, I’ve been taken throughout the day, no headaches, no sleepiness , Less stress nobody, looking forward to taking John’s Lieurance Melatonin, I know in Europe they treat prevented cancer with it, just like to say The podcast that’s great, like the thing Ben , With all these podcasts he’s providing a great service to all of us, and the ones are trying to catch up with them. Thank you Barry Wates
would you tell me which product you’re using? I’m having a hard time finding anything that is high dose…
MitoZen sells suppositories in the doses he recommends.
Hey there great podcast. Would love to know if 200mg orally in a capsule would be safe. Or if it needs to be slow release only?
One of my favorite podcasts this year.
I tried high dose melatonin with regular Amazon products, taking several time release tablets to get to the 100 – 150 mg range. And it’s the only thing that consistently bumps readiness and hrv scores on the oura ring for me. Better so than sleep itself. For me at least.
Never mind! Just found Ben’s link to the meta analysis :B Cheers Ben
Can anyone find a link to a rigorous study (have scoured pubmed) supporting Dr John’s hypothesis that high doses do not downregulate secretion post treatment? Also wondering if melatonin receptor expression might be downregulated in response. I’m genuinely keen to see something supporting as I would like to try this but am hesitant..
MASSIVE WASTE OF MONEY FOR SLEEP, IT MAY HAVE OTHER HEALTH BENNIFETS THAT YOU CAN GET FOR LESS MONEY. I NORMALLY TAKE 60 MG OF MELATONIN EVERNIGHT AND GET GREAT RESULTS, TRIED BOTH THE LIPOSOMAL AND THE SUPPOSITOTY’S, I HAVE BOTH THE WHOOP AND THE ORUA RING AND MY SLEEP DATA IS VERY POOR WHEN I USED THIS PRODUCT, I GUESS THAT IS WHY YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO LEAVE A REVIEW ON THE MITOZEN SITE HANDPICKED TESTIMONIALS ARE NOT PROFF THAT IT WORKS.
Is there any more information about the pre and vaccine protocol? Dosages, how long for etc? Desperate to know.
What dosage should we start at? There are a lot of different suggestions. What is high dose? 100 mg? 300 mg?
The highest dose per pill i see is 10mg. So would you take 10 pills a few hours before bed to get your 100 mg?
Thanks for the information.
Does high-dose melatonin have any impact on testosterone?
I ask because another melatonin book I recently read – Extreme Dose Melatonin The Miracle Anti-Aging Hormone by Jeff T. Bowles – states that high doses of melatonin, such as those being promoted in the book and also by Dr. John Lieurance in this podcast, dramatically reduces LH, FSH, and testosterone while increasing DHEA, GH and Cortisol.
Can either you or Dr. John comment on this ?
I’d like to know this too. I’m doing everything to raise my Testosterone.
Hey Dr John,
You’re a hard man to contact .. I bought your ebook but I’ve recieved nothing … except a debit to my credit card. Email contact details on your website bounce, I even booked an appointment on your website with a message but no reply. I haven’t phoned because of the 14hr time zone difference .. which I shouldn’t have to do anyway.
Kinda weird I have to resort to trying to contact you from Ben’s show notes pages. Can you provide an email address that is active, won’t bounce and someone actually monitors?
Thanks
PS: Ben, sorry for using this page for my rant.
ditto on the Melatonin Miracle Ebook. I took a screenshot to save the order number and transaction details. rather curious but super excited to read it. In the meanwhile I wanted to plug Doris Loh and all her incredible information on melatonin and ascorbic acid.
Hi Maurice,
I am sorry for the trouble you are experiencing trying to reach Dr. John. My email address is [email protected] & I would happy to help you. The Melatonin book will be released May 1st, at which time you will receive a copy.
I would love to hear Dr. Johns take on how high dose melatonin plays with autoimmunity? I have seen reports that seem to indicate melatonin’s immune stimulating vs immune modulating properties are dependent on the current status of the person’s immune system in question. It’s one of the supplements on the no-no list for autoimmune conditions but seems to me it could theoretically be helpful if that is the case.
Does your book give protocols how to work up to it if you want to 80% that can’t handle just doing 200 off the start because I heard about this before and I tried to work my way up but around 12 mg I was feeling really weird and I felt like it wasn’t working for me. Thanks
Hey Brent, I too struggled at low dose. At 2, 4, 8, 16, 30mg
After diving deeper and deeper I just went for high dose and BOOM. life changer. just do it brother. Cheers.
Will orally administered, OTC melatonin at high doses 3-4 hours before bed help reset CR effectively, or does it have to be through the use of suppositories or liposomal administration?
I’ve read that too much melatonin can increase the amount of receptors, thus constantly raising the required dosage to be effective as time goes on. Is there any evidence to support this?
I’m def getting the melatonin product but in meantime for night supplementation I’ve done 10mg and times released. What would be a maintenance protocol if I use your product for 2 weeks etc for immune bump travel…I’d like to take 25 mg or more at night…also ordered the book:)
Get migraine type headaches when I take more than 4mg of melatonin
Me too – I get mild headaches with sub 3mg – I am wondering is it because it is a chelator as described in the podcast and we need to do a heavy metal detox
A lot of ppl struggle at that dose. Pump those numbers up
I’ve gone through a few bottles of Dr. Johns liposomal melatonin and I think it’s great. I cycle use of it and when I’m not on it it does not affect my sleep at all. I started using it more for health reasons than sleep. From what I’ve read it’s very good for the immune system. Helps with white blood cell health, bone marrow health etc. I’ve used several of his products and have loved all of them. Dr. John makes great products. Just ordered the Mito fast and it’s suppose to be here tomorrow very excited to give it a try. Thanks for the great products Dr. John you’re the man!!
I have no issue falling asleep. My issue is staying asleep. I have been taking melatonin for a couple of years, but I first take it when I wake up in the middle of the night in spray form. I try to spray it under the tongue. It seems to help me fall asleep, but then I am sometimes up an hour later and repeat the process one to three more times per night.
I do about 10 sprays at a time. I have no idea how many milligrams that is since the liquid melatonin originally came in a dropper bottle and not a spray container. Perhaps I will try 20 sprays as an experiment.
I would def try that! :)
I have this same issue. I have tried taking melatonin when I woke up in the middle of the night. It worked once or twice, but other times I got intense brain fog the next day that wouldn’t go away.
Maybe I didn’t take enough or the brand I bought stuck some other chemicals in there.
Won’t play? Tried different browsers.
It won’t play for me either. I am looking forward to listening to it when I can get it to work.
I get high dose melatonin doesn’t shut down production, but isn’t there evidence that it down regulates the receptor cites, so you have all this melatonin floating around in your system, but you can’t use it?
It has various effects throughout the body through MT-1, Mt-2, MT 3 receptors and taking high doses works to activate many of these that will be dormant and with the stresses of todays world it makes sense to take very high doses!
I’m unclear as to whether the high dose melatonin use can be used long term. For instance, if I was to dose 200 mg + per day, would this be for a few weeks only (a few weeks on, a few weeks off?), or can you do this 365 days/yr?
I suppose it would depend on the goal. Ben uses it to reset is CR. He calls it the ” melatonin sledge hammer”.
I am wondering about high dose melatonin for teenagers. There is some research on the benefits of Melatonin in kids/teens with ADHD. Would this dose differ than the standard 3mg. How high of a dose might be used in kids 12 and older?
You’ll have to get my book because we have a whole chapter on ADHD autism etc. many of these conditions have a relationship to poor pineal function and melatonin is very low when it should be very high with children. Click in the show notes and pick up the book that will be released may 1 and you will enjoy the chapter there.
I did not see in the show notes where you addressed the question “Does melatonin supplementation shut down your own production?” Just a spot where you mentioned you stopped after dosing on it really high and were able to sleep. I assume that means it does not? Could you clarify the science behind it?
It does NOT DO that. Good recent paper here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33417003/
It’s one of the few hormones that does not have a negative feedback loop. You can Google this and it’s very well documented in the research. This means that you can take it in high doses and stop abruptly and still have the same amount of melatonin produced the next day that you would’ve had if you never supplemented with melatonin.