President Donald Trump was given melatonin during his hospital stay for COVID-19. The Seattle Times investigates what role melatonin could play in the fight against the pandemic.
Although we could find no clinical trials of melatonin against COVID-19, there is evidence that this hormone has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating properties (Nutrients, Aug. 24, 2020). There are also data suggesting that melatonin helps regulate the sleeping cycle and may even have some indirect antiviral activity (Sleep and Vigilance, Sept. 26, 2020). Some doctors advocate the use of melatonin to help older people sleep better, thus strengthening their inherent immune response.
