Effect of melatonin on oxidative stress and inflammation in obese women: A randomized double-blind clinical trail

Introduction: Obesity and its associated disorders pose a significant global public health challenge affecting overall human well-being. Supplementation with melatonin has been proposed as a potential strategy to mitigate the negative health impacts of obesity. This study aimed to investigate the influence of melatonin intake on markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in obese female participants. Methods: The research was conducted as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. In total, 46 obese women were randomly allocated to receive either melatonin at a dosage of 6 mg per day or a matching placebo, alongside calorie-restricted diets, for a duration of 40 days. Key serum biomarkers including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), soluble receptor for advanced glycation end-products (s-RAGE), catalase, and 8-iso-prostaglandin F2 alpha (8-iso-PGF2α) were measured at baseline and post-intervention. Findings: After adjusting for baseline measurements and confounding variables, participants in the melatonin group showed significant increases in SOD (217.08 U/mg Hb, P=0.010) and catalase levels (15.89 U/mg Hb, P=0.001) compared to placebo. No notable changes were observed in GPx concentrations. Additionally, s-RAGE levels were significantly reduced (-9.07 pg/mL, P=0.021) between the groups, while 8-iso-PGF2α levels remained unchanged. Conclusion: The findings suggest that melatonin supplementation may exert beneficial effects on inflammatory and oxidative stress factors in obese women, potentially aiding in the management of obesity-related complications. Further research is warranted to confirm these preliminary results. Trial Registration: http://www.irct.ir, Identifier: IRCT2012122411867N1.