Extra dog days. (Letters).In your article "Dog Dieting: Low-cal canines enjoy longer life" (SN: 5/11/02, p. 291), it was speculated that calorie restriction reduces the production of free radicals. We have found that food deprivation almost doubles concentrations of melatonin melatonin: see pineal gland. melatonin Hormone secreted by the pineal gland of most vertebrates. It appears to be important in regulating sleeping cycles; more is produced at night, and test subjects injected with it become sleepy. in various parts of the gastrointestinal system gastrointestinal system: see digestive system. . Melatonin, a very potent scavenger of free radicals, has increased the lifespan of mice in several studies. It could be that the increase in longevity of mice, rats, and dogs kept on a calorie-restricted diet is due to increased melatonin in the digestive tract digestive tract n. See alimentary canal. Digestive tract The organs that perform digestion, or changing of food into a form that can be absorbed by the body. . GEORGE A. BUBENIK, UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH The University of Guelph is a medium-sized university located in Guelph, Ontario, established in 1964. While the U of G offers degrees in many different disciplines, the university is best known for its focus on life sciences, based in part on a long-standing history of , ONTARIO |
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