Natural
honey may improve sleep quality. It can be described by the Honey-
Insulin-Melatonin
Cycle or “HYMN
Cycle
Each step of the cycle is well established and may be found in text books
of biochemistry. These steps describe a cycle that culminates in optimized
recovery physiology during restorative sleep and the reduction in the
release of stress hormones during the night.
The cycle begins with the ingestion of 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey in
the hour prior to bedtime and proceeds as follows:
1) The glucose portion of honey passes from the gut, through the liver
and into the general circulation producing a mild or controlled glucose
spike.
2) The mild elevation prompts a mild controlled release of insulin from
the pancreas
3) This in turn drives tryptophan into the brain
4) Tryptophan is converted to serotonin, a key hormone that promotes
relasation
5) In darkness, serotonin is converted to melatonin in the pineal gland
6) Melatonin activates sleep
7) Melatonin also inhibits the release of insulin from the pancreas thus
preventing a rapid drop in blood sugar level
8) Meletonin promotes the release of growth hormone. Growth hormone is
the hormone governing all of recovery physiology. This is the key first
step in recovery or restorative physiology that occurs overnight.
9) Next, an array of recovery hormones initiate the repair, maintenance
and rebuilding of bone, muscle, and other body tissues.
10) Melatonin also impacts memory consolidation by its requirement for
the formation of NCAMS- neural cell adhesion molecules- during REM sleep-
and these are necessary for the processing of short term memory from
the hippocampus into long term memory in the brain cortex.
11) Concurrent with the above, the fructose portion of honey carries
out its critical role. Fructose is taken up by the liver where some is
converted to glucose and then to liver glycogen, thus providing the brain
with a sustained supply of glucose for the night. Without liver glycogen
for fuel, the brain only has sufficient glycogen to survive about 30
seconds.
12) In addition, fructose regulates glucose uptake into the liver. Thus,
fructose insures good liver glycogen supply overnight and prevents a
major glucose/insulin spike.
13) An adequate liver glycogen supply meansthat stress hormones need
not be released. This beneficial effect on an individual’s hormone
profile over time will have a profound impact on the public health
concerns regarding obesity, diabetes and other metabolic conditions.
Muray
Rk, Granner DK, Mayes PA, Rodwell, VW, Harper’s Biochemistry,
22nd Edition, Appleton & Lange, 1990
Rang HP, Dale MM, Pharmacology, Dhurchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, 1991
Gibney MJ, Macdonald IA, Roche HM, Nutrition & Metabolism, Blackwell
Publishing, Oxford 2003 |
cont.