It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t struggle to get enough sleep.But a new study raises new questions about the popular sleep supplement melatonin. showed a 150% surge between 2016 and 2020. According to the National Institutes of Health, most research on how supplements help is inconclusive. But that hasn’t stopped increasing use and increasing dosage: “5, 10 milligrams, 15 milligrams, 20 milligrams. That’s too much melatonin,” says Mass, a sleep medicine expert at his General Brigham. said Dr. Kenneth Sassower, Work with the melatonin your brain is already producing. Sassower added that most people are actually using melatonin for the wrong reasons. “In other words, our typical night owls probably don’t go to bed until 2 or 3 in the morning. This helps the clock move forward.” ”Long term for dealing with chronic sleep problems. “If it starts to linger and you find it really difficult to sleep over the course of a few weeks or months, talk to your doctor. Researchers recently tested 25 samples of melatonin gummies and found that all but three of them were mislabeled. It contained between 74% and 347% more melatonin than 100%, which can be dangerous if you are taking other medications, especially for those taking blood thinners or those with epilepsy. “There are many medications that cannot be taken with melatonin. Some have also reported reactions to high doses of melatonin, including mood swings and other emotional reactions in people. If you are taking melatonin and have children in your home, remember that it is not harmless to them either. shown to have been hospitalized.
It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t struggle to get enough sleep. But new research raises new questions about the popular sleep supplement melatonin.
A study last year showed melatonin sales surged 150% between 2016 and 2020. According to the National Institutes of Health, most research on how supplements help is inconclusive. But that hasn’t stopped increased use and increased dosage.
“5, 10 milligrams, 15 milligrams, 20 milligrams. Too much melatonin,” says Kenneth Sassower, Ph.D., sleep medicine expert at Mass General Brigham.
He says one milligram does the trick for most people, allowing the supplement to work with the melatonin your brain is already producing. He added that he uses melatonin in
“The conditions where it works best are what we call the circadian sleep clock problem,” he said. I don’t go to bed until 2 or 3 a.m., which helps the clock go faster.”
Sassower said melatonin isn’t meant to be taken long-term to relieve anxiety or address chronic sleep problems.
“If it starts to linger and you’re really having trouble sleeping over the course of a few weeks or months, see your doctor.
Because melatonin is considered a dietary supplement, it is not strictly regulated by the FDA. I have discovered that it does not. They contained 74% to 347% more melatonin than described.
It can be dangerous if you are taking other medications, especially for those taking blood thinners or those with epilepsy.
“There are many medications that cannot be taken with melatonin.
Some people also report reactions to high doses of melatonin, such as very vivid dreams and emotional reactions such as depression and sudden mood swings.
Sassower said the key is to treat melatonin like any other drug or supplement and discuss it with your doctor.
If you are taking melatonin and have children at home, remember that it is not harmless to them either. was shown.
