Effect of melatonin on inflammatory response to prolonged exercise

We aimed to evaluate the effect of single 6-mg melatonin (MEL) supplementation on inflammatory response to prolonged exercise at a moderate temperature (23°C) and a relative humidity of 60%. Eight athletes aged between 20 and 23 years participated in the present study. They ran at 60% of their maximal aerobic speed for 45 min after either MEL (6 mg) or placebo ingestion, in a randomized order. A blood samples were taken before and after exercise to measure inflammatory biomarkers. All inflammatory biomarkers were higher at the end of exercise in both conditions. Acute MEL supplementation did not prevent the exercise-induced inflammation and tissue damage.