Why Melatonin Is a Dangerous Supplement
Melatonin is a popular supplement for the sleep-deprived, namely because it carries rather innocent associations. Melatonin is “natural” and “safe” and “herbal”, right?
Wrong. I’ve been arguing with the melatonin prophets for years because I believe the image melatonin has, and what melatonin really is, are vastly different. Like so many things that we trust in, consume or think we understand, the truth may not be what we want to believe.
My caution with melatonin is simple: melatonin is a hormone.
That’s right – a hormone. Like estrogen. Like testosterone. And just like taking estrogen (whether it’s Hormone Replacement Therapy or the Pill) or testosterone therapy, melatonin comes with risks. Frequent melatonin use – especially in the typical dosage of 3-6 milligrams – can trigger a bit of a vicious cycle in the brain. Supplement with melatonin regularly to get to sleep, and your body is going to produce even less, creating even greater need for the hormone. It’s not that you can’t ever take melatonin; but I think it’s important that people understand the facts.
A caveat: While I am generally against using hormones (it’s not nice to fool Mother Nature), I am in favor of using the natural version of the hormone melatonin to “reset” the diurnal clock when traveling across time zones. Because, after all, you got there by fooling Mother Nature in the first place! Humans did not evolve a mechanism to adapt to changing time zones. Jet travel can be some of the most destructive stress you can encounter, especially the older you get.
In fact, a recent article in ScienceNow Daily News reported on the growing concern in the scientific community over the dangers of jet lag. Turns out it’s more serious than we previously realized. Jet lag increases risk of cancer, ulcers, and sleep disorders, as well as weakening the immune system. Now, this isn’t reason to stop traveling; simply be aware of the risks and take some smart precautions (drinking alcohol on the plane: not a good idea).
I travel frequently, and I don’t suffer from jet lag, because I use melatonin judiciously in these instances. I also have a few rules about travel (feel free to crib my notes):
- Once you’ve landed and checked in to your lodgings, immediately get an aerobic workout. This will help stimulate circulation, hormones and serotonin production – it’ll just be that much easier adjusting to the new time zone. Don’t tuck into a glass of wine or take a nap. Spend 30 minutes getting your heart racing instead.
- Eat a small, protein-rich meal that also includes some fiber. But keep it light so your body isn’t further stressed.
- Reset your watch and then… lie to yourself. Don’t think about it; just immediately adapt to the new time zone.
- Of course, the goal is to adjust as soon as possible to your new time zone. If you’re flying overnight or flying to a place where everyone else will have just finished sleeping, by all means, do what you can to nap on the plane or otherwise refresh yourself.
- Drink at least a quart of water your first day there (4 glasses).
- Go to bed when everyone else in your new time zone goes to bed, and take 3-6 milligrams of melatonin an hour before you plan to fall asleep to make that possible.
Technorati Tags: melatonin, supplements, sleep tips, insomnia, jet lag, Science Now Daily News, hormones
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Posted By: Mark Sisson
I think melatonin should be banned or at least have warnings on it.I used it every night for 3 months and I gained 20 pounds!
I’m someone who has always been in shape and never weighed more then 120 pounds,so that kind of weight gain was unheard of for me.
I really think the melatonin played a role in that weight gain.I was also crying and sleepy all the time.I thought it was safe to take because it is marketed as a natural supplement.But it in fact gave me symptoms of being bipolar or having a mental illness instead!
I just saw your post about melatonin and weight gain on marksdailyapple. com. Were you able to take off the weight you gained? I have been taking a heavy amount of melatonin for the last five weeks… and I have put on almost ten pounds. I never thought it could be the melatonin… but I am quitting it cold turkey.
Yes,I did lose all the weight
It took about a month for the melatonin to get out of my system and then the weight just started melting off quickly.
Melatonin was not the reason for your weight gain. You should look into what you ate and what you didn’t do during those times. Now, if your meals and portions stayed the same and you exercised regularly, and the ONLY change was the supplement, then you could come to the conclusion that is was melatonin.
It bothers me when uninformed people inform others.
This is true! I have increased my exercise, and not changed my eating habits and I too experienced dramatic weight gain, increased depression and anxiety after taking 3mg, 3-4 times a week for about 2 months! I thought I was losing my mind, then last night after I took my supplement I thought “It must be the melatonin”! It’s the only thing that changed ( other than my pant size …………I have had really intense dreams too!!!
I have to agree with mita, although I am 19 and I have had serious sleep issues and it is extremely hard to sleep at night. So I took a Melatonin and sleep great, in fact never sleep better i did have very strange dreams but i would have to say that could be because of my deep sleep. I am in fact very worried about gaining weight on this hormone but I guess I will have to wait and see because my main concern is sleep and if i cant sleep I will definitely take this every night until my body is back on the right sleeping clock. lol
Blaming melatonin for weight gain is just another way of abdicating personal responsibility for what you put in your mouth.
Although it cannot directly cause weight gain, large doses of melatonin could conceivably affect the metabolism so the body doesn’t burn fuel as efficiently. Regardless of the reason, weight gain is STILL going to be a case of putting more food in your mouth than your body requires.
Shary, I’m a very health conscience person. I don’t eat meat or poultry, just a little fish. I take a slurry of supplements. I exercise regularly doing lite weights, cardio boxing, yoga and pilates! I’m an active mother of 4 kids and work and have always maintained a size 6 (other than 25-30 pounds of weight gain during pregnancy) Recently I used malatonin 3mg 3-4 times a week for 2 months and I have jumped to a size 8. I have increased my exercise and decreased my carbs and I still gained weight. Yes, I am responsible for putting that pill in my mouth at night! I assure you it’s not my diet or lack of movement!!!
You’re a judgmental, ignorant fool.
Every body is different and responds differently to every substance, and even to the route of administration, time, and a myriad other variables. Some people, amphetamines make sleepy. That’s the funny thing about evolution and homeostasis. Every individual responds differently every time to every stimulus.
Did an overweight person beat you up or something? Did your mother make you starve and call you fat while you were growing up? Where is the animosity towards people who gain weight and are looking earnestly for a correlation, using a combination of inductive and deductive reasoning plus communication?
Here’s one fact. Melatonin supplementation is correlated with hypothermia and somnolescence the following day in sensitive individuals. Seems that would imply that their metabolism is running slower than usual.
How do I know this? I read.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11600532
Another fact: melatonin is known to exacerbate autoimmune disorders. People don’t always know when they have one of those- I didn’t for the first 19 years of my life. It suppresses the action of cortisol.
I know, I know. You’ve seen infomercials talking about how cortisol makes you fat. If that’s your main source of medical information, keep your potentially dangerous and ill-researched opinions- because, lacking any kind of independent verification, that’s all they are- to yourself.
Another fact: anorexia is a great way to lose weight in the short term. But we spent far longer in evolutionary time dying of starvation than dying of McGriddle-clogged arteries. So our bodies see we’re not taking in enough calories and go into starvation mode. They store every bit of energy they can get as fat and crank down the metabolism.
I dropped from the middle of the “overweight” BMI group to the middle of the “normal” BMI group. Know what changed? I started getting up, doing some VERY short exercises- maybe 10-20 jumping jacks- eating a VERY large, greasy meal, and taking a good multivitamin and making sure to stay hydrated. I continued to eat throughout the day. I realized that my body weight had far more to do with the frequency and size of meals than the sheer amount of calories.
My body weight. I am an individual. Every person, as I’ve said, is different.
For years before that, I would sit and starve and only eat when my stomach hurt so bad I couldn’t take it any more. And I kept gaining weight. “This is ridiculous! It’s so unfair! Skinny people eat constantly, and they never gain weight.”
Then it dawned on me. You starve, your body tries to save itself.
Hell, melatonin even increases prolactin and estrogen levels. You know, the hormone that makes you GROW BREASTS? Sure that wouldn’t be a reason to gain weight.
And more recent studies have shown that melatonin supplementation damages retinal cells in rats and causes tumor formation. OOPS! Yeah, that’s not a reason to gain weight either, a nice, fatty tumor.
It also decreases blood flow to the brain and overall nerve activity. No reason to worry there. Actually, that might explain it. I’m guessing you’re a big proponent of melatonin…
What you are spreading is demoralizing and potentially harmful. Educate yourself and make an informed decision instead of spewing the same hateful, ignorant rubbish you’ve been fed your whole life that’s based more on emotion than logic and could potentially cause cancer, infertility, circulatory dysfunction, neurological impairment, daytime sleepiness and psychological disturbance (which could be particularly dangerous when combined with activities such as driving). You obviously aren’t educated in this matter. I don’t even purport to have all the answers. Maybe melatonin has done nothing but good things for you. That’s great. Keep it up. Every body responds differently, and we don’t exactly know the whole picture.
You probably just don’t realize that you could potentially kill someone with your “advice”.
Here’s a thought: start with light therapy. That’s the natural cue for melatonin and cortisol production. It doesn’t involve putting chemicals in your body. Dim the lights after sunset. Get a sun lamp. Get proper nutrition and regular exercise. See a PHYSICIAN. Do some RESEARCH. Eh? Nah. Too logical. Just watch some infomercials, starve, and pop a pill.
Unfortunately, I feel that Shary and Mita are in the wrong for jumping to the conclusion that it’s NOT melatonin, while simultaneously belittling those that think it could be. Sure, it may or may not be the melatonin, but be open to the idea that it could be. This sort of close-minded thinking is the entire reason CW is just that, CW.
I have been taking melatonin for quite a while, and I need to gain weight, and I have not been able to. It helps me to sleep,but I started taking it after reading Dr Pierpaoli and DR Regelson’s book.
But you thought wrong.
Melatonin does NOT make you gain whaight, not more than any other hormone anyway.
what is your problem? are you a doctor? no, you arent.
Right..so, EXACTLY like every other hormone. Like..insulin, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, hgh, cortisol, need I go on? They get out of whack, and you can eat “clean” all you like, and work your ass off, but you get nowhere.
You’re an idiot with obviously limited experience.
Yeah, you’re the type who dosen’t fully understand the way to use something, uses it improperly, blames the substance you used then decides sence it was the substance’s fault it should be ridden of. Iv you were sleepy all the time clearly you were taking to much which caused it to be effective untill the next day (The durration depending on your metabolism) causing a sort of synthetic sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation can give you a variety of mental instabilities which can make you have the symptoms of a wide variety of mental illnesses (bipolar and schytzophrenia are two rather common examples). Instead of banning everything that COULD, POSSIBLy harm someone why don’t we edjucate the general public so that they might have the sence to use something as it should be used. I understand your warning thing aswell but this would only lead further into the banning of this substance as this would not edjucate the general public very well. No, that would take decades and several generations of human life to complete.
Amen, sir. Melatonin isn’t poison anymore than diphenhydramine (the other most common sleep aid which is actually just Benadryl). Besides, even if a substance is harmful, it won’t get taken away or properly regulated so that the ignorant are completely safe. Ignorant people are ALWAYS at risk because they do what feels good or what they’re told feels good . . . that’s why we still have cigarettes and alcohol for sale. Ironic that there are so many people incensed about substances like melatonin, St. John’s Wort, and even Acai. People, your way of thinking and behaving is the issue, not the substance itself when it comes to initial effectiveness. If you don’t know how to use, whether or not to use, or for that matter how it even works, then you shouldn’t be doing ANYTHING without your physician’s presence (which is still a good idea even for people in the know . . . I always let my doctor know even if I start taking a new vitamin and he praises that). Good on you, just don’t get too frustrated with the masses. Remember, only 10% of humanity truly make it to being intelligent and it’s up to us to gently and kindly guide the rest, they’re not bad after all, just uneducated and happy to be so.
I’ve been taking Melatonin (started out with 3mg, now taking 5mg), for about 2yrs now. It works 90% of the time. Personally, I love it. BUT, the very reason that I’m on this site right now is that I was wondering if it has anything to do with the weight gain that I’m experiencing. I’ve gained about 12 lbs. I have considered other contributing factors, BUT I really must say that I believe it is the Melatonin. I really don’t know what I’ll do now, because I simply can not sleep with out taking something. I’ve tried Benadryl(I feel terrible the next morning and it stays with me throughout the day), I’ve also tried Advil PM and Tylenol PM. I really don’t want to take prescription strength medication. Perhaps I’m being foolish. I’ve had problems sleeping for more than 20years!.
the reason alcohol is still for sale is becaue of “ignorant” people. hahha what an idiot. Who’s the ignorant one? (yes…its you)
Someone that wants to educate people should BE educated enough to spell properly.If you cannot write in simple English then you should not be commenting on anything beyond your level of education. As for the pill, it can have negative side-effects, but that is no reason to get rid of the drug. The side-effects are generally small and not unfixable. If you have concerns then consult your doctor for instructions about the dosage you should take, or whether you should quit taking it altogether.
Marissa, your hypocrisy is astonishing! How about using proper punctuation? If you are going to critique the spelling of others, then you need to brush up on comma usage at the very least. You need a comma following each of your dependent clauses when they begin a sentence. Moreover, you should write “someone who” not “someone that.” The relative pronoun “that” is reserved for animals or things, not people.
I take exception(did I spell that right?)to you calling someone uneducated because they didn’t spell something right. I am a great speller but I know someone who is not, but she is very very smart and educated. Also,
A person knows their own body and they know when something is different, and what they may have been doing to cause that difference. People have different reactions to things.
Well out of date i know but come on, the you’re stupid if your grammar and spelling are incorrect retort. It’s a post on the internet, get over it. Did you understand what the person was communicating? Could they be dyslexic? It’s petty and detracts from any argument you are trying to make, which is ironic when you say the shouldnt be making an argument because they can’t spell.
Feel free to proof read my post.
Melatonin is actually linked to *weight loss* and a reduced risk of cancer and other health problems, but I think if you take too much, you are sleepy all the time and then the opposite can happen with sleep… if you are sleepy, you eat and don’t get enough exercise.
No,it is not linked to weight loss.Do more research.It is a hormone your body produces when it is dark.You produce more in the winter.This causes people to be sleepy,cold,and withdrawal,as well as pack on weight.Why do you think the average person gains 7 pounds in the winter? It isn’t all that holiday food.
Studies have been done and even hamsters given melatonin gained weight.
The sale of it has been banned in many countries except the U.S.
It is a hormone!
I am with you on this one. (although a year too late.) I have been taking high doses of melatonin for two years following treatment for breast cancer. It is meant to be preventative. I put on 12kgs (25pounds??) since treatment which I put down to the after effects of chemo and cortisone. I exercised like a demon and couldn’t lose weight. I recently went on a two week holiday. I ran out of melatonin before and couldn’t find my favourite brand. I therefore had two weeks without melatonin and no exercise and despite all the holiday food, I have lost weight!!! Therefore I suspect it is the melatonin that has caused my weight gain. Time will tell. I am still a big fan of melatonin for jet lag. I have been an advocate for the last 15 years. You have to experiment to get the right brand and dose for yourself – otherwise side effects like weird dreams, morning moods etc can occur.
That’s right Julia, you’re a hamster! Don’t ever forget it too. “even hamsters gain weight” Are hamsters somehow known to be unable to gain weight? This holds bearing on ANYTHING you do in life how?
Every time someone gains weight they want an excuse. It MUST be the melatonin if you gained weight, I mean after all; even hamsters gain weight on melatonin! Surely you will? There could not possibly be any other reason than the melatonin itself! Seriously? Nope, no stress, no cheating, didn’t miss a workout and I didn’t plateau either, I took melatonin and gained weight! Yes sir, that’s what I did.
The simple statement you made about it taking a month to get out of your system shows your inadequate knowledge and experience. I’m sorry, but you’re foolish and should never speak on something unless you’re actually educated on the topic. There are people who actually read what you write and think it has merit. You’re not a doctor, not educated in the field at all, yet give advice that would and could effect someones health in any number of ways, people should be able to sue you for malpractice just as much as a doctor. Really think about this before you spout nonsense. Same goes for everyone else who want to “inform” the people with there silliness.
How about this. Melatonin, like Ambien, can cause sleepwalking. Users of Ambien have also reported sleepeating. Could melatonin also cause sleepeating? Could the weight gain be caused while in a sleepwalking state? Just wondering….
Er, it’s actually the healthy sleep, not the melatonin, that those things are linked to. Look up the science of sleep itself and it’s effect on metabolism and our immune system.
You do bring up something interesting, though.
Melatonin is being used to treat autoimmune and degenerative disorders. My autoimmune deficiency is treated by it, ALS (Lou Gherig’s) is treated with it, Multiple Sclerosis, and even some types of Fibromyalgia are showing great improvement when being treated with melatonin.
As for weight loss and cancer fighting, that is where sleep comes in. Sleep deprivation leads to weight gain and an increased chance of cancers or other illnesses.
I think human’s should stop saying everything is bad and use their brains, If you are used to having a cup of coffee every morning you are teaching you body to rely on caffine, just like with melatonin or anything else, If you abuse it everyday your body will expect, Just be smart, Dont down 2-3 pills a night becuase you can’t sleep, Plenty of ways to help you get to sleep, Most ways are simply mental exercisers. Stfu you nay sayers and simply accept the fact that people bitch about things that stupid people don’t realize every chemical you intake can affect your body negatively or positively, And their are far more common abused addictions than this to bitch about, Caffine being the number one case.( May be why ppl turn to a supplement like this anyway.)
I have been taking melatonin for sleep for sleep for the last 3 yrs and haven’t gained weight I have lost it. That being said everyone reacts different to medications.
I am now CURED OF MY INSOMNIA after fighting it for 15years. To make a loooong story short I went from the pill form of melatonin 1/2mg…to Liquid Form 100% Vegetarian by Natrol. I started using same amount as pill form- 1/2mg. Slept SO MUCH MORE soundly on liquid form I tried taking 1/4mg after a week. Same result. Then 1/8mg after a week. Great!!! 1/8Mg = 16Drops…. I kept reducing – 16drops -> 12 -> 8 -> 4 -> etc…. cuz I’d start to feel over medicated and a little groggy after a few days on lower dose. Well I kept seeing improvement in my sleep quality on less and less melatonin. FINALLY Over the past 2Wks I’m down to one single drop!!!!! I started again to feel over medicated even on one drop!!!!! Last night I put 1Drop in water and drank 1/2…. I slept fine…. I consider myself cured. I posted this 03/05/13… Look below for posts of mine showing some of my older post. You’ll see my fight. Look for Frank B. I been saying all along… with Melatonin LESS IS MORE. Your best sleep is achieved on the smallest possible dose. You may have to start high, & on liquid melatonin you’ll be able to ween yourself OFF IT TOO. For me it took 15Yrs to figure it out. Hopefully my experience will help others with dreadful insomnia find their own CURE. Doctors only offer strong narcotics. You are no longer on your own. Hopefully this information helps someone.
its not for long term use. not for 3 months. anything is bad if you do toooo muuuccchhh oooofff iiiittt
Melatonin actually assists in weight loss.
http://endo.endojournals.org/content/141/2/487
ought ohhh. So i just switched to a primal way of living and am somewhat worried about my melatonin use now. i have been taking it regularly for 4 years at about .5 mg’s a night. any recommendations for how to wean myself from it? I’m pretty sure i will have trouble sleeping without it. I started taking it for sleeping problems, but was also told that it would help boost my seratonin production, does anyone know if this is true?
Eh, well. As there is no real “withdrawal” from it just stop taking it. You may have a slightly harder time falling to sleep but it will return to normal before long. No real weaning needed just a small amount of time. Your body was ment to adjust acordingly to diet and .5mg’s isn’t a whole lot (I know melatonin is potent) and would be possible to get out of your daily diet so your body should adjust fine. Melatonin really isn’t THAT dangerouse if used right and in low amounts from my experiance and study.
.5 is an extremely low dose…I doubt if you had to ween off anything. I take 1.2mg, well now I do 1.5mg. But not every night. Only when I need to get to bed earlier than usual.
you really need to ask your Dr or naturalpath,it is a low dose but its best to ask, that goes for ALL taking it or stoping it, you should never take a dose of anything that is not recomended and read up on things check out medical websites also.
It worked for me.Everyone is different.It helped with my sleep and I lost weight.
How relieving this comment was to me. I just pray that it does the same for me as well.
Melatonin, Effexor, Lithium, Zoloft, Prozac and weed… they’re all the same — they make me fat, depressed, stupid and see stuff that isn’t there.
It is highly unlikely that the reason you’re fat, depressed, and stupid is due to melatonin use.
Studies show that weed can be linked to weight loss actually. (Notice how stoners are usually thin?)
However, all of your problems are closely linked. Problems sleeping can make you depressed, and fat (over time, if untreated.) You’re most likely not “stupid,” but if you’re truly depressed you may think you are.
You don’t need all these drugs! Faith in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and healthy dose of daily laughter are the best meds out there!
Faith in God the Father, Son and Holy spirit along with marijuana and melatonin is the best med I’ve ever have.
I have an extremely delayed circadian rhythm, my “comfortable” bedtime is some where after 5 am to about 8 am. I can’t lock it closer because I’ve never had enough time to free sleep. In any event nelson didn’t do it for me, it couldn’t. So I deified to ambien. Them my doc added rozerem (synthetic melatonin agonist) and that did help done, and I was FINALLY able to lose weight. I’ve also been experimenting with blue light from ten to noon, and blue blocking glasses at evening. The blue blocking is supposed to simulate melatonin production. Alrighty it is something that is finally letting me rest, which it does have a side effect of easier weight loss and weight maintenance for me.
I have an extremely delayed circadian rhythm, my “comfortable” bedtime is some where after 5 am to about 8 am. I can’t lock it closer because I’ve never had enough time to free sleep. In any event nelson didn’t do it for me, it couldn’t. So I switched to ambien. Then my doc added rozerem (synthetic melatonin agonist) and that did help some, and I was FINALLY able to lose weight. I’ve also been experimenting with blue light from ten to noon (that late and long power docs orders due to significant sleep delay), and blue blocking glasses at evening. The blue blocking is supposed to simulate melatonin production. Alrighty it is something that is finally letting me rest, which it does have a side effect of easier weight loss and weight maintenance for me.
I have been taking melatonin for a while now. I only weighed 120. Since I have been taking melatonin, I have gained 10 lbs. I have never weighed 130 lbs. Should I discontinue taking melatonin? It does help me sleep, because before I was having sleeplessness nights. I’m working out at home a lot. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!!
It’s just 10 pounds.. It happeneds don’t just up and blame the melatonin. Look at lifestyle and diet first. Plus after I reached a sertain age I started to gain and lose 5-10 lbs all the time.
Im in the same boat but I would not blame Melatonin. I just look at weight gain with age you will gain weight its normal I think that is the hardest part for people to deal with especially women. I am now 130 and 19 years old i was always 115 but I would like to think will happy sleep there comes hapy healthy weight gain no worries its NORMAL PEOPLE!
i bought some melatonin for my sleep disorder and it didnt work at all. it makes me feel tired and sleepy but i still couldnt get a good nights sleep and i still wake up the next day feeling likke crap..
anyone know why?
take a little bit higher dose than you did before. and while you take it you should be in bed at least trying to fall asleep. it will wear off if you’re really into a tv show or playing on the computer.
if you say you woke up feeling like crap, it probably meant you slept too long or as i say it, slept too hard.
you need to read some atricles on sleep and dont recomend a higher dose, do you know how much this person was taking in the first place ?
sorry about the typo.
Liz is right, melatonin is sensitive to light, so you have to shut your house down to actually drift off. I like complete darkness and silence anyway, so it knocks me right on out.
Melatonin isn’t for everyone.
If you don’t move around enough each day, you’re likely to have too much energy to fall asleep at night. That is why people with tedious office jobs, students in high school, etc have sleeping issues. You need to exercise more, go out more, and use up more energy during your day. Not only will it help you sleep, but it will give you more fulfillment and purpose in life.
If you try that and it doesn’t work (unlikely, but possible I guess- since nothing is 100% true), I suggest trying an OTC sleep medication, or even getting a prescription to ambien. Ambien can have negative side effects, but if used properly and sparingly it may help.
still the best thing anyone can do to get more sleep is EXERCISE and use up energy throughout their days!!
I have had sleep disorder for 11yrs now. As time goes on my intake of melatonin has gone from 5mg to 3mg down to 1mg. As I reduced my intake I continued to feel droggy and tired the next day – i felt as though i needed more sleep. It was only after I reduced to 1mg that now I feel great. —- NOTE: while the melatonin helps me sleep all night, the “trigger” I need to actually put me to sleep is another supplement called Doxylamine Succinate. Same as found in Nyquil. Costco sells it as Kirkland SleepAid. Also CVS Walgreens WalMart. I take either 1/4-1/2 a pill. I take both about 1Hr before bed. Never fails. The warnings mentioned above talk about taking 3-6mg. I believe 1mg may be safe for now.
I take .3 mg a night and have for a year and it works great. I fall asleep quickly, stay asleep (or go back easily if I wake up to use the bathroom). No grogginess in the morning, no weird dreams. I started out at 1 mg and felt horrible the next day til at least noon. I was also having unsettling dreams all night. So I have reduced and reduced and found the perfect amount for me. I have read to stay away from the time release, even at 1 mg.
Of course when people are taking high doses they will have problems. Same with anything, right? When I read of people increasing their dose rather than decreasing, I realize they have not done proper research. Once you have excessive levels in your bloodstream, it stops working. Keep it at a low dose that the body naturally produced at one time (or should have).
Just to clarify that amount I take is .3.
NOT 3 mg!
I actually cut a 1 mg tablet in 3 parts, so it is a bit give or take.
Frank B back, from -2- comments above. This is updated information. My recipe for amazing sleep after being an insomniac for 11 horrible years. A Nutritionist recommended 100Mg 5-HTP All Natural Plant Extract – I take TWO — ONE @noon & ONE 1Hr before bed. ONE may be enough for some people. Learn more at __ http://5htp.com/ and decide for yourself … PLUS I still take Melatonin – Again I have continued to reduce from original 5Mg down to only 1/4.Mg – I buy 1Mg and cut in 1/2 and cut again into 1/4′s and take chew it, just before bed. I too have tried & I agree – Stay Away from Time-Release. It stays in your system toooo long leaving you droggy…. No more Doxylamine Succinate after being hooked for 11yrs …. 5-HTP plus a little Melatonin worked that well.
I take it for:
1/insomnia, 2/weight loss, 3 cold feet.
I think the increased metabolism is the key.
My cold feet was warm in the middle of the night and by morning I had kicked off all beddings down there. Have read that core body drops about 0.5 degree while peripheral temp can increase up to 5 degree. At least I note the latter.
The dose confusion is probably due to how it is taken: If chewed I think 10% is same as swallowed, depending on how long time it is chewed. Chewing is similar to sublingual. I guess the 1/4 mg is right for this, for me! A great one, in moderation of course. I am 65 and my cold feet just got worse and a blood relative got her feet amputated for similar reason when she was over 80 and died then shortly after.
I would like to talk to you about what you did. I have read that seratonoin is made in the morning so it would make sense for you to take it during the day.
Would you call me? Rene 720-329- 1171
Hello,
Your tips for jet lag are very helpful. However, I do believe that the title of this article is misleading.
Melatonin has not been proven to be dangerous, even in excessive doses. Also, the argument about the brain making less melatonin simply because one is supplementing it does not have a source, and appears to be an assumption.
My own experience with melatonin has left me pretty satisfied. I have been taking 10 mg, every 4 days to help me get great rest, and I have not gained weight, I have had great dreams, and I wake up feeling refreshed. As with anything, everyone reacts differently, but it seems unreasonable to call it “Dangerous” when it’s far from it; also since searching “taking melatonin daily” on google will bring up the article, and potentially mislead many people searching for accurate information. Sources would really add credibility to the claim. Other than that, great article.
I’ve been taking melatonin 5mg on and off the past week and I have noticed that I alway feel more awake in the morning when I dont take melatonin. I’m done taking melatonin, it does help me fall asleep but I feel much shittier the next day than I usually do.. Not worth it.
Have you asked yourself why they make lower doses? Maybe you should start somewhere in the 0.x range and work yourway up untill you find the right dose for you. Could take a while but would be worth it if you aren’t getting good sleep currently.
I have been taking melatonin almost every night for about 6 months or so. I was 105lbs, now I am 130lbs. I suspect it is the melatonin as nothing else has changed other than that. I don’t think the melatonin is supposed to be taken as much as I did take it but it does work well. I am going off of it now to see if the weight will drop.
I take melatonin from time to time – about 2-4 times a month. I take 1/2 of a 3mg slow release tablet – that’s sufficient to bring me to sleep.
I don’t think that melatonin is good for promoting long, deep sleeps – all it seems to do is bringing me to sleep, not keeping me asleep. But the good thing is that I don’t have any noticeable side effects from this use.
In order to stay asleep I use magnesium – which is known to be muscle relaxing.
Sorry everyone for all of the comments but I feel the need to do it once again… You can not split something “slow” or “time” released and it still be time released. It breaks what makes it time released. The pill itsself. Maybe you do need the time released to keep you asleep. Try a 1.5mg time release if you want. Depending on metabolism depends on how fast its excreted. Normaly the larger dose the long time and larger effect. So maybe try a larger dose or as you were a time release. I would prefer the first rather the last option untill you find what I’ve seen many call the “right dose” for you.
Do not agree. Have a look at a picture of swanson’s time release meatonin and you’ll understand why. The tablet consists of two parts, one “slow” and one “fast”. Not your average, hardened “time release” tablet. That’s why you can split _this one_ (but for the most reagarding your average time-release, I agree).
I have been taking melatonin nightly for almost 20 years. How’s that for long-term ! Before melatonin it took me 2-4 hours to fall asleep no matter what but I’ve mostly slept like a babie ( 8 good hours) ever since taking melatonin. I always use liquid version and do 1mg upto 3mg nightly.
Still not any noticeable side effects after these past twenty years of almost nightly use.
Every few months I do go a week without taking melatonin and by the end of the week I have to start the melatonin again as it starts getting hard to fall asleep like it was so long ago for me.
Melatonin kept me sane and i swear by it. If you have a terrible time falling asleep then you owe it to yourself to try it.
i have taken 8 of the 3 mg melatonin per night for the past 15 years. i have had no side effects at all…i even take it with a lil nyquil….i think however i might try quitting..i would like to be able to go to sleep on my own.i’m just worried that i will not be able to because to be honest…without melatonin i have no sleepy or drowsy feeling at all.
I have suffered from insomnia my whole life. I have tried everything. I have taken different prescription meds, like Ambien, Sonata, and several others. I tried the over the counter meds. I hated them all. They messed with my brain, made me hyper, or made me feel foggy the next day. I now take .3 mg of vegetarian melatonin. The smallest dose I could find. I feel like I sleep like a normal person for the first time in my life. It doesn’t knock me out or make me tired the next day. I have read you should be careful of the other added ingredients. Sometimes they mix it with things that cause side effects. I am sticking with this. I feel better than ever now that I get a decent night sleep.
What type of insomnia do you have? I suffer from waking up during the night for over 15 years. I have no problem falling a sleep. Is melatonin good for this type? What brand do you buy?
I’ve taken the 1mg slow release melatonin tablets for about a week now and feel like crap the next day. I thought I was getting sick I was that tired and groggy! This is the worst I have felt out of all the different sleeping tablets I have tried over my 7 insomnia years
I take 5 maximum strength (10mg) a night, I still don’t sleep.I really need something else but I know I can’t excersise before bed, what do you suggest?
Binaural works for me every now and again. I have issues with hormonal imbalances and melatonin will work every now and then, but rather than take a pill, I’d prefer to go as holistic as possible which is why I started using Binaural methods (I’m a massage and relaxation therapist, ironic I know, and also recommend it to clients) which worked for me and for my clients.
Binaural sleep aids are music or sound effect tracks with tones in the background that help regulate and ease brainwaves through sound. Sound plays a significant role in brainwaves (the reason ravers use dance and house music is the sound actually makes them high to a degree and the reason classical music makes many people sleepy is the binaural tones of the larger instruments tell us to relax . . . except for Beethoven of course!).
This is the BEST way to try and get some shut eye without any pills or teas or things.
Be sure you also practice good sleep hygeiene as well:
1. Only sleep in your bed, not read or use your computer, or watch tv.
2. Exercise in the morning or afternoon.
3. Limit caffeine and consume no caffiene after 6 pm.
4. Keep hydrated.
5. Keep your room dark (I use black-out curtains to help).
6. Keep your room quiet (except of course for binaural tones if used).
7. Keep your thermostat between 68 and 65 (cool temperatures help you reach fuller, better sleep cycles).
8. Talk to your doctor about any other issues like delayed phase disorder, apnea, or anxiety (trying meditation for the first and last of those three is often beneficial).
Talk to your doctor about this . . . I am a therapist NOT A DOCTOR, nor do I play one on tv! Still, I hope that helps.
You can get FREE Binaural MP3 tracks at Sleepphones.com. Try the Newport Waves one, that’s the one that works best for me and for the majority of my clients.
Namaste’
Elizabeth
I like to whack my snake until it screams for more
THIS IS MY -3rd- TIME WRITING. __ ALL YOU GUYS WHO COMPLAIN MELATONIN DON’T WORK. __. SEVERAL REASONS ARE POSSIBLE. __ 11yrs INSOMNIA, I KNOW MELATONIN WORKS. _ FOR ME ANYWAYS. __ ((1)) STAY AWAY FROM TIME RELEASE __ ((2)) STAY AWAY FROM 2MG OR MORE. __. NONE OF THOSE WORK GOOD ENOUGH __. ALL TOOOO STRONG!!!!!!!! LESS IS MORE!!!!!!! ___. I buy 500mcg ((=1/2mg)) at Trader Joes. I take it at 5 pm. Or 6, 7, 8, 9,… The earlier the better. PLUS _ ODORLESS GARLIC PILLS!!!!!!!!!!! __ caution:: may cause nightmares in most!!! I take -2- upon rising. and -2- around 2-3pm. GARLIC GREAT for blood pressure, bowels, skin…. +SLEEP!!!!!!! With ORDORLESS GARLIC I sleep fantastic. I had nightmares about a week. No more nightmares. ONLY GLEEP GREAT!!!!! MY 89 year old mother had same success. Nightmares too. She no longer needs her blood pressure pills!!!
There’s no need to shout. Yes, it is possible that if others are still having problems, it could be possible that it is not the melatonin. It is equally possible that what works for you, might simply not work for someone else. What does not cause side effects for you, might cause them for someone else.
The person who runs this site is pretty much wrong about melatonin and is doing a profound disservice to people who could be helped by it. Yes, it’s a hormone, very astute. And….? The stuff is safe for daily use and wonderfully effective. You need to find the dose that works for you. Anyone who has concerns or wants deep background should read the relevant chapter in “Renewal” by Timothy Smith M.D.
Does anyone else have extremely intense and disturbing dreams when you take melatonin? I would almost describe them as hallucinations how intense they are. And I would always wake up the next morning feeling very groggy and confused and it’s much harder for me to get going in the morning.
This only happens to me when I take melatonin.
Your dosage is probably too high. Even 0.3 mg is enough for some people.
THIS IS MY FORTH TIME WRITING. I TRIED 5Mg, 3Mg, 1Mg….I AM NOW WAY DOWN TO ONLY 1/8Mg. TAKEN 1/2Hr BEFORE BEDTIME. I BUY 1/2Mg//500Mcg MELATONIN AT TRADER JOES AND BREAK INTO 4 PIECES. MELATONIN IS VERY VERY POWERFUL. LESS IS MORE. START WITH EXTREMELY SMALL DOSE…1/8 Mg AND WORK YOUR WAY UP TO 1Mg. DO NOT START ON HIGHER DOSE, YOU MAY REGRET. I also combine with odorless garlic pills, 3 a day, and B-Complex.
I am a witness of the weight gain . Oh boy it does help we sleep wonders though !!! I started taking it a little over 3 months ago and started dieting and exercising frequently around the same time . I really started getting worried after I jumped on the scale and was 12 # heavier ……… I will have to find a new alternative
works for sleep but I can’t deal with the weight gain . My doctor agrees this was the route cause of my weight gain . Hope this helps
I was with you up til you mentioned the evolution thing…………. But anyways, I think that any supplement should be used with caution.
Our bodies on average when we are in adolescents and early twenties produce anywhere from 5-25 micrograms of melatonin.
I have found that many people take way too much melatonin and that is the reason they have either groggines the next morning or it doesnt work for them. The key is to start low around 150 micrograms and work up to no more than 1-2 milligram. Take 1 hour before bed and when you go to bed, put all the lights out and no T.V.
It will hit you and the key is when it peaks just ride the wave and just relax and this will help reset our circarian rythym which gets really messed up with the lifestyle that many of us have.
Melatonin decreases with age and the way I take it is 1.2 milligrams the first night and then 900 micrograms the second night, 600 micrograms the third night and then 300 micrograms the fourth night and I take two days off. I have done this since the age of 35 and I am 45 now and sleep incredibly well and have no weight gain and have had increase in muscle mass. The key is to shock the pineal gland once and then taper and take two days off. This is the method I was taught by a man who lived to 105 years old and looked like he was in his 50s. He swore by this and I can tell you I feel like I am in my twenties and its because of the great sleep I have and I am on just two other supplements.
I forgot to add that I found my dose that worked for me when I titrated to 1.2 milligrams and woke up the next morning and didnt have groggines and felt like I have a good nights rest. Then I tiratred down. The key is the shock dose that works best which is the dose that gets the sleep and then titrated down. Even if your dose that works is 300 micrograms, you still titrate it down for four days and then two days off. It is ashamed that they do no make lower doses like 100 microgram pills. I havent found any, if anyone has please let me know.
Frank. B you do know what you are talking about. People definately listen to him. That is also the other supplement that I take, the garlic along with vitamin C.