An international research team led by the University of Granada (UGR) has discovered that melatonin provides significant muscle protection for people with “diabesity” – a condition combining obesity and type 2 diabetes. This groundbreaking study reveals that the sleep-regulating hormone can restore muscle fibre composition and shield skeletal muscle from damage caused by this prevalent metabolic disorder.
The research, published in prestigious journals Free Radical Biology and Medicine and Antioxidants, demonstrates that melatonin diabesity muscle protection occurs through improved mitochondrial function, reduced cellular stress, and prevention of programmed cell death. These findings offer promising new therapeutic strategies for addressing this widespread metabolic condition.
How Melatonin Provides Muscle Protection in Diabesity
Professor Ahmad Agil of the University of Granada’s pharmacology department led the study, which showed remarkable results when melatonin was administered to obese and diabetic rodents over a 12-week period. The treatment promoted a critical transformation in muscle fibres:
- Conversion of glycolytic (fast) muscle fibres to oxidative (slow) fibres
- Improved energy efficiency in muscle tissue
- Enhanced protection against muscle deterioration caused by diabesity
This melatonin diabesity muscle protection mechanism optimises energy production while simultaneously safeguarding muscles from the harmful effects of combined obesity and diabetes.
Melatonin Diabesity Muscle Protection: Understanding the Fibre Types
Skeletal muscle constitutes more than 50% of body weight and plays a crucial role in metabolic health. The research focused on how melatonin affects different muscle fibre types:
- Slow twitch (type I) – Red fibres rich in mitochondria, dominant during prolonged, low-intensity activities
- Fast twitch (type IIb) – White fibres that predominate during short, intense muscular activities
- Intermediate (type IIa) – Fibres with characteristics between slow and fast twitch types
In healthy individuals, muscles contain a specific proportion of these fibre types depending on the movement patterns typically performed. However, diabesity disrupts this balance.
The study found that melatonin diabesity muscle protection works by restoring the healthy proportion of these fibres—increasing oxidative fibres while reducing glycolytic fibres. This reversal of diabesity’s effects improves the muscle’s capacity to burn fat (reducing obesity) and produce energy more efficiently.
Exercise-Like Effects: Melatonin Diabesity Muscle Protection Mechanism
One of the most fascinating aspects of the research is that melatonin appears to produce effects similar to those achieved through prolonged aerobic exercise, particularly:
- Enhanced mitochondrial function
- Regulated calcium levels in cell compartments
- Reduced cellular stress
- Prevention of programmed cell death
“We discovered that melatonin restores calcium levels in the mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum, which helps to reduce cell damage,” explains Dr. Agil. This melatonin diabesity muscle protection mechanism could be particularly valuable for patients who have limited mobility or exercise capacity.
Research History: 15 Years of Melatonin Diabesity Muscle Protection Studies
These findings align with 15 years of previous research by this group, providing substantial evidence for melatonin’s therapeutic potential. The results open new avenues for developing treatment strategies based on melatonin administration to improve muscle health in diabetic patients.
“Our main challenge is the application of melatonin in the field of medicine,” note the study authors, highlighting the translational focus of their work. The melatonin diabesity muscle protection approach could become an important complement to existing treatments.
The Global Impact of Diabesity
The potential applications of this research are vast, considering the global prevalence of the conditions involved:
- Nearly 900 million people worldwide affected by obesity
- Approximately 800 million people living with type 2 diabetes
- These conditions frequently coexist as “diabesity”
This metabolic disorder significantly reduces patients’ quality of life and presents substantial challenges for healthcare systems globally. Melatonin diabesity muscle protection could offer relief to millions of affected individuals.
Clinical Applications: Translating Melatonin Diabesity Muscle Protection to Patients
The University of Granada findings open promising perspectives for the therapeutic use of melatonin, a substance with a well-established safety profile. According to Professor Agil, “Our results reinforce the idea that melatonin could have therapeutic applications in metabolic diseases, improving the muscle health of patients.”
The study, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), suggests that melatonin could become an accessible and effective therapy to combat diabesity and its complications.
However, the researchers emphasize the need for clinical studies in humans to confirm these results and determine optimal dosing regimens. “If we can demonstrate its effectiveness in humans, we could have an innovative treatment that would improve the lives of millions of people,” concludes Dr. Agil.
Lifestyle Factors and Melatonin Production
While the research focuses on pharmacological administration of melatonin, the researchers also highlight the importance of natural melatonin production. They remind us that maintaining a healthy, active and balanced lifestyle during the day, accompanied by proper nighttime rest, is key to preserving muscle health and preventing the negative effects of obesity.
These lifestyle factors support natural melatonin production, which may contribute to the melatonin diabesity muscle protection effects observed in the study.
The Science Behind the Study
This collaborative research involved scientists from multiple institutions:
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Granada
- Federico Olóriz Institute of Neurosciences
- Granada Biosanitary Institute
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Granada
- Department of Histology, University of Granada
- Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition in Madrid
- University of Qatar
- Yarmouk University in Jordan
Their combined expertise allowed for a comprehensive analysis of melatonin’s effects on muscle tissue in the context of diabesity.
The specific mechanism identified involves the NRF2/RCAN/MEF2 pathway in the vastus lateralis muscle of Zücker diabetic fatty rats of both sexes. This pathway plays a crucial role in the fibre-switching process that underpins melatonin diabesity muscle protection.
Future Research: Advancing Melatonin Diabesity Muscle Protection
While the current findings are promising, several areas require further investigation:
- Clinical trials in human subjects with diabesity
- Determination of optimal dosing regimens for different patient populations
- Potential interactions with other diabetes and obesity treatments
- Long-term effects of melatonin supplementation
- Specific benefits for different muscle groups and activity patterns
These research directions will help establish whether melatonin diabesity muscle protection can be effectively translated into clinical practice.
Study References
For those interested in exploring the research further, the key publication details are:
Salagre D, Bajit H, Fernández-Vázquez G, Dwairy M, Garzón I, Haro-López R, Agil A. Melatonin induces fiber switching by improvement of mitochondrial oxidative capacity and function via NRF2/RCAN/MEF2 in the vastus lateralis muscle from both sex Zücker diabetic fatty rats. Free Radical Biology and Medicine. Feb 1, 2025;227:322-335. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2024.12.019
Key Takeaways: Melatonin Diabesity Muscle Protection
- Melatonin protects skeletal muscle from damage caused by “diabesity” (combined obesity and type 2 diabetes)
- The hormone promotes conversion of fast muscle fibres to slow fibres, improving energy efficiency
- Melatonin improves mitochondrial function and regulates calcium levels, reducing cellular stress
- Effects similar to prolonged aerobic exercise were observed in muscle tissue
- Research conducted over 12 weeks in diabetic rodents showed restoration of healthy muscle fibre proportions
- Melatonin could become an accessible therapy for the nearly 800 million people with type 2 diabetes worldwide
- Human clinical trials are needed to confirm these promising results and determine optimal dosing
- Maintaining healthy sleep patterns supports natural melatonin production and may help protect muscle health
