Blue light blocking glasses and cancer, epilepsy

These are the best blue light blocking glasses I have had and they don't look dorky. If you understand about the negative effects of artificial light at night you will understand how useful these can be to normalise natural melatonin secretion in the evenings. Endogenous melatonin produced by the pineal gland is one the most potent anti-cancer molecules known to man, as I have mentioned previously in this blog. The most noticeable benefit for me is improved seizure control after sunset. The effect of melatonin and sleep aids has been investigated for years as potential anti convulsive agents for good reason and the mechanisms of action go beyond improved sleep quality (although this is still HUGELY important for seizure control).

Blue light blocking glasses from BLUblox- https://www.blublox.com

Melatonin is a very powerful antioxidant with numerous physiological functions. The interplay between clock genes and light entering the retina is an intricate, delicate process that regulates normal cell division and associated regulatory processes. Clock genes can even influence the pharmacokinetics of chemotherapeutic agents so this is worth investigating and asking your oncologist if you are a patient reading this. You can then determine what time of day might be most effective for the type of chemotherapy you are taking. If you would like to learn more, the official name for this form of study is Chronopharmacology.

Known mechanisms of melatonin

The mechanisms underlying melatonin's ability to interfere with tumour metastases are numerous and involves several mechanisms involved with modulation of cell-cell and cell-matrix interaction (3).

General functions include:

a) Direct free radical scavenging, 

b) Ttimulation of antioxidative enzymes, 

c) Increasing the efficiency of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and reducing electron leakage (thereby lowering free radical generation), and augmenting the efficiency of other antioxidants. 

Fig. 1- several mechanisms for the known effects of melatonin. (1)

'There may be other functions of melatonin, yet undiscovered, which enhance its ability to protect against molecular damage by oxygen and nitrogen-based toxic reactants. 

Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have documented the ability of both physiological and pharmacological concentrations to melatonin to protect against free radical destruction.' (2) 

References:

1. Jung, B. and Ahmad, N., 2006. Melatonin in cancer management: progress and promise. Cancer Research, 66(20), pp.9789-9793.

2. Reiter, R.J., Tan, D.X., Mayo, J.C., Sainz, R.M., Leon, J. and Czarnocki, Z., 2003. Melatonin as an antioxidant: biochemical mechanisms and pathophysiological implications in humans. ACTA BIOCHIMICA POLONICA-ENGLISH EDITION-, 50(4), pp.1129-1146.

3. Su, S.C., Hsieh, M.J., Yang, W.E., Chung, W.H., Reiter, R.J. and Yang, S.F., 2017. Cancer metastasis: Mechanisms of inhibition by melatonin. Journal of pineal research, 62(1).