Cure for jet lag on horizon

Posted on 2008-12-04 04:46:25 in Sleep | Travel |
Frequent flyers and shift workers could soon have a new lease of life after trial results have shown that the drug tasimelteon can reset the body's natural sleep rhythm, thus raising hope of a cure for jet lag and shift work-induced insomnia.

Frequent flyers and shift workers could soon have a new lease of life after trial results have shown that the drug tasimelteon can reset the body's natural sleep rhythm, thus raising hope of a cure for jet lag and shift work-induced insomnia.

For the study 411 healthy individuals went to bed five hours earlier than normal to replicate crossing into a different time zone. Participants were randomly assigned to the melatonin agonist tasimelteon (20, 50, or 100 mg) or placebo, which was administered 30 minutes before bedtime. Results showed that those assigned to the drug enjoyed between 30 minutes and nearly two hours more sleep than those given the placebo.

The authors note that more research is needed to ascertain whether tasimelteon improves daytime performance and alertness.

Rajaratnam SMW, Polymeropoulos MH, Fisher DM, et al. Melatonin agonist tasimelteon (VEC-162) for transient insomnia after sleep-time shift: two randomised controlled multicentre trials. The Lancet. Early Online Publication, 2 December 2008. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61812-7

 

Health Headlines MORE »

The Stress – Obesity Connection
Researchers from Norway suggest a mechanism by which stress may make a person fat, and being obese may create stress.
Lack of Sleep Triggers Hunger
Swedish researchers report that people who are short on sleep experience greater levels of hunger.
Knock Out Anxiety
Among women with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), regular physical activity helps to reduce anxiety, irritability, feelings of tension, low energy and pain.
Magnesium Helps to Reduce Stroke Risk
For every 100 mg per-day increase in magnesium in the diet, stroke risk may decline by up to 9%.
Senior Runners Continue to Excel
The best male marathon runners over age 65, and the best female marathon runners over age 45, continue to consistently improve their performance.
Stem Cell Therapy Restores Vision
UCLA-led team safely uses human embryonic stem cells to treat macular degeneration.
Beware the Office Air
First-of-its-kind study reports that indoor air in offices is an important source of worker exposure to potentially toxic substances.
One in Five US Adults Afflicted with Mental Illness
Twenty percent of Americans ages 18+ experienced a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder in 2010.
Vitamin D Helps to Combat Vision Loss
In a lab animal model, vitamin D reduced the effects of aging in the eyes and improved the vision of older animals.
Cord Stem Cells Converted into Other Cell Types
For the first time ever, stem cells from umbilical cords have been converted into other types of cells, paving the way for new treatment options for spinal cord
Anti-Aging Forum Anti-Aging Forum Anti-Aging Forum Anti-Aging Forum
Anti-Aging textbook Anti-Aging Forum MLDP Anti-aging jobs Join A4M
ANTI-AGING TIP OF THE DAY
Exercise Your Anti-Cancer Option
Among women, regular exercise in their 40s slashes breast cancer risk. Among men, routine physical activity exerts a protective effect against prostate cancer.
    US National Cancer Institute(Maryland, USA) researchers have found that regular moderate-to-vigorous exercise in the ten-year period preceding menopause may help reduce the risk of breast cancer later in life. Studying 118,899 postmenopausal women...
» MORE