The effects of melatonin supplementation on mental health, metabolic and genetic profiles in patients under methadone maintenance treatment
Authors: Zatollah Asemi
Mohammad-Amin Karimi
Mohammad Ali Mansournia
Maryam Motmaen
Hamid Reza Banafshe
Esmat Aghadavod
Fatemeh Mehrzad
Naghmeh Mirhosseini
Russel J Reiter
Amir Ghaderi
Fereshteh Bahmani
Journal: Addiction Biology (2019)
Discipline: NEUROSCIENCE & BEHAVIOR
Keywords: melatonin supplementation; mental health; metabolic profiles; methadone maintenance treatment.
Affiliations: Department of Addiction Studies, School of MedicineKashan University of Medical Sciences Kashan Iran, Department of Pharmacology, School of MedicineKashan University of Medical Sciences Kashan Iran, Pure North S'Energy Foundation Calgary AB Canada, Department of Psychiatry, School of MedicineKashan University of Medical Science Kashan Iran, Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic DiseasesKashan University of Medical Sciences Kashan Iran, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public HealthTehran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran, Department of Cellular and Structural BiologyUniversity of Texas Health Science, Center San Antonio TX USA, Department of Educational Sciences, Science and Research BranchIslamic Azad University Tehran Iran

Abstract:  This investigation was designed to determine the effect of melatonin supplementation on mental health parameters, metabolic and genetic profiles in patients under methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial was conducted among 54 patients under MMT. Participants were randomly allocated to receive either 10 mg melatonin (2 melatonin capsules, 5 mg each) (n = 26) or placebo (n = 28) once a day, 1 hour before bedtime for 12 weeks. Melatonin supplementation significantly decreased Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (β -4.08; 95 percent CI, -5.51, -2.65; P &lt; 0.001), Beck Depression Inventory index (β -5.46; 95% CI, -8.92, -2.00; P = 0.003) and Beck Anxiety Inventory index (β -3.87; 95% CI, -5.96, -1.77; P = 0.001) and significantly increased International Index of Erectile Functions (β 5.59; 95% CI, 1.76, 9.42; P = 0.005) compared with the placebo. Subjects who received melatonin supplements had significantly lower serum insulin levels (β -2.53; 95% CI, -4.48, -0.59; P = 0.01), homeostasis model of assessment-insulin resistance (β -0.56; 95% CI, -1.03, -0.09; P = 0.01) and higher quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (β 0.01; 95% CI, 0.004, 0.02; P = 0.009) and HDL-cholesterol levels (β 3.71; 95% CI, 1.77, 5.64; P = 0.002) compared to placebo. Additionally, melatonin intake resulted in a significant reduction in serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein (β -0.15; 95% CI, -0.27, -0.02; P = 0.02), malondialdehyde (β -0.31; 95% CI, -0.57, -0.05; P = 0.02) and protein carbonyl (β -0.06; 95% CI, -0.09, -0.04; P &lt; 0.001). This trial indicated that taking melatonin supplements for 12 weeks by patients under MMT had beneficial effects on their mental health metabolic profiles. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 There are many concerns about the integrity of 172 publications by this research group, including this one. Some of the concerns are published 1. Anaesthesia 2020;75:1683u201392, see Supplementary data. This paper is A132 2. Account Res 2020;28:149-61. 3. J Clin Epidemiol 2021;131:22-29. Journals and publishers were notified of these concerns in July 2019. 18 publications have an expression of concern, and 6 have been retracted. To our knowledge there has been no public response about any of the concerns. We think these publications are unreliable ,