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
Someone gave me some melatonin tonight. I haven’t taken it in years because it always caused me bloody violent nightmares-also when I would wake the next morning I would have the shakes.
Now, I took it for about 1 month and told dr FORGET IT!
Are you RUDE people going to tell me that was all in my head? I cannot believe how you are talking to people on here. And where do you insulters come up with saying “it’s a hormone” so it doesn’t cause weight gain. You ALL need to redo your research because there are several hormones that cause weight gain. Although we are not in these peoples’ daily lives, does not mean it did not happen to them. Furthermore, you are all forgetting one major thing: one disease can affect 50 people all differently-just the same as a medication!
I did not notice weight gain personally but get over your condescending/judgemental/sneering/jeering selves and say something constructive instead of being a bit of evil-doers!
And for your information I have one for you: I was Rx’d Neurontin and in 28 days of taking those pills I gained 31 pounds, BP shot thru the roof and my short term memory was SHOT! I had 2 neurologists stand right in front of me and blame my age, diet and so on. I brought 1 of 3 witnesses who DID see my daily life who backed me up 100%. To this day I do NOTHING differently than I did that month!!! Once I stopped the medication (about 50 pounds later), my BP started to come back down, short-term memory got a LOT better, but it took me 1.5 years to get rid of that weight!
Any self-righteous asshole who thinks they know better than this needs their head examined, because since then I met others both in person and online who stated the same exact problems and that their doctors also did not believe them-just because it’s not textbook does not mean it doesn’t happen!
That’s like saying you cannot be allergic to peanut butter cause 1.5 hundred million can eat it with no problems.
Man, I came to do a simple search-still have to go elsewhere for my answer and I run into this negative mosh pit of wasps and I just could not go on without saying MY peace.
On that note, have a great day!
If you research it out, you may find that once you reach a certain age, like 30?, your body loses melatonin. Like .3 mg daily. (3/10ths) You were most like taking 1 – or 3 – or 5 Mg of melatonin, seeing as thats how it is sold everywhere, when all along you probably needed less than 1/2Mg. I take 1/8Mg and it took me 13 years to figure it out. Your comments above seem to indicate everyone spoke negatively. Your comments contributed nothing to help – I just hope you feel better.
Aren’t you glad you got that off your chest?
just for the record,I lost 45lbs while taking 1mg of liquid melatonin no side effects ,works great if u feel groggy in the morning,cut back its called melatonin hangover…you took to much
Exactly. Not even melatonin manufacturers – (or even your own Dr.) know the best amount of melatonin FOR YOU … Its usually the tiniest dose you can find, and it’s up to you alone to figure out what’s best. Unfortunately you can not find doses of 1/8Mg 1/3Mg 1/4Mg 3/4 Mg. … Best way is find Melatonin (google it) in LIQUID form. Using a dropper to measure dose. 1Mg is most likely way too strong. I buy 500Mcg (1/2Mg) at Trader Joes & cut into 4 pieces = 1/8Mg. My perfect dose. Ever heard the saying … “LESS IS MORE?” …. This is particularly true of melatonin. Yet maybe 1in10 individuals may require 5Mg or more daily….
Lesson Here: start with TINIEST dose, and work your way up SLOWLY. It took me 13 years to figure out my perfect dose.
Do you have any recommendations for taking Relora? It’s a proprietary blend of Magnolia Officinalis bark extract & Phellodendron amurense bark extract. I decided to try it to lower my cortisol levels but found it really helps when I can’t fall asleep but causes no drowsiness or morning hangovers.
Thanks Rob, the schedule sounds like it’s worth a go. Have you any tips for where to purchase Melatonin?
I’ve been taking melatonin for awhile now and haven’t gained any weight….just sleeping a whole lot better!
I have been taking it for months. 3mg maybe 4 to 5 times a week. I haven’t gained weight. I have lost but only due to watching what I eat and taking vitamins. I think it could effect people differently.
I have been taking melatonin every night for over a year and have gained over 20 lbs. This was very abnormal weight gain with no apparent cause. I eat sensibly and exercise vigorously 4-6 times a week. Tonight, I took my nightly melatonin and it hit me: THIS IS THE REASON. I threw it all away and I’m hoping I can start to get back my normal size now.
Yeah coming off of 2mgs atiivan and 200 mgs sequel cold turkey.how much melatonin should I Take and or valerian root..
I tried taking melatonin a while back. It made my asthma worse and made me more depressed. I am surprised that medical practitioners and others are not aware that melatonin is not recommended for people with asthma or other immune disorders or depression. Maybe the fact that melatonin is produced more in childhood and less in adulthood explains why asthma tends to get better as one grows older.
does melatonin works in hypothyroid patients.
A good article on the benefits of melatonin from the reputable LEF org.
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2007/jun2007_nu_melatonin_01.htm
I never slept more than a couple hours a night before I took melatonin. I can’t complain. It’s nice being able to sleep like everyone else.
hello all, some of you raise some good points about melatonin, others i am not so sure. unless you have gone thru a child staying up until 4 am when he has to be at school by 755 am, um would you give your child the sleep aid prescribed by a doctor say maybe clonadine? i would rather try my child on melatonin then a prescription drug. my son might have vivid nightmares but he sleeps his 9 hours that he needs to function; he is groogy yes in the am but who isnt? i take ambien and seroquil to sleep i do not want my child having to take this medicine when my age, with the aide of melatonin after only using it for two weeks i plan on taking my son off from it, to see if he will be accustomed to falling asleep at the same time, this is my plan. I disagree with a lot of the posts here, but i agree with some, but unless you have a child who does not sleep due to environmental factors like a divorce youd probly try your child on it too if you thought it would help and did not want to use hard core prescriptions that can lead to dependancy like with seroquil and ambien.. just saying.. have a good day everyone. the arguing here is kind of childish i thought this was a forum about melatonin, dont lose track of the subject here people. try putting yourself in the childs shoes who does not sleep, is angry all the time because he is tired…and hungry…heres a heads up when your tired you get hungry and cold, this is your bodies normal reaction to being tired, your stomach is triggered for nurishment and your body gets cold because its fighting to stay awake, do any of you know how painful it is to watch your child at 9 go thru this type of behavior? yes there are underlying issues to his insomnia but the melatonin has been helping him get REM ssleep for a week now, he seems rested and more relaxed.
Well, It’s been 6 weeks since I stopped taking the melatonin and now the weight is falling off effortlessly! MY stress has lowered and I am sleeping better than when I took the supplement! I am only 31, so I would advise severe caution to any one to really research dosage based on weight and age before taking this stuff and if you notice an exaggerated emotional response, weight gain, nightmares or increased insomnia lower your dose or stop taking it at all, you be the judge!
When I was depressed, stressed, and having trouble sleeping, I decided to take melatonin to help me sleep better. As an astrophysics student, I was forced to spend long hours behind a computer screen late into the night to finish my assignments and my research job to help pay my tuition. I gained weight during this period.
No, I did not gain weight due to melatonin.
Being stressed, depressed, and having trouble sleeping ALL have sideaffects of weight gain, mainly because the issues put pressure on our psyche to find increased seratonin levels
This guy is full of sh*t.
Hi,
Melatonin dangers include: depression, anxiety and seizures.
The 500mcg tablet that is normally sold in stores is very high in comparison to what the body normally makes on it’s own.
Some people may be very sensitive.
I am one of those. I took the whole tablet a few times and found that thought it helped me sleep, I couldn’t handle it… so then I started just biting a bit from pill about 1/4…Vivid dreams does not accurately describe the effect…I feel that it can be neurologically damaging to some people. It’s effect is more “drug like”. Alot of herbal and “natural” remedies have strong properties.
Though it has benefits there are some dangers:
People with high blood pressure, seizure disorders, depression or liver problems should be especially careful for side effects of Melatonin, as Melatonin may increase their symptoms.
Melatonin side effects may include headaches, abdominal discomfort, nausea and dizziness.
Other side effects of Melatonin could be abdominal cramps, irritability, vivid dreams and nightmares, daytime sleepiness and depression.
Confusion, sleepwalking or nightmares also are possible side effects of Melatonin. There are studies claiming that Melatonin increases the risk of seizures.
Doesn’t anyone read other articles? Or check out wikipedia? Many of these issues are covered e.g. The nightmare side-effect. Not the dosage, though from reading this thread it seems like the less is better option wins here.
Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the pineal gland which tells your body when it should go to sleep by regulating several functions in the body and affecting other hormone systems. Relevant to the weight gain issue, it affects the levels of leptin, a hormone secreted by adipose (fat) tissue that helps to control appetite. The function has been studied in mammals extensively but I do not know if it has been studied much in humans or not. I do know that if melatonin has the same effect in humans as it does in mammals, then it can cause weight gain by suppressing leptin production since leptin signals your body to tell you when you’re hungry and how much you want to eat. That being said, it is completely safe and some weight fluctuations are natural in most people especially with age. The effects can be mitigated by portion control when eating and/or increased exercise levels. The hormone is not going to kill you though as long as you watch your weight and make an effort to maintain a healthy weight. The effects of melatonin can be compared to that of increased stress levels which also suppress leptin production.
Read up guys… I’ve read this from several different sources. Get your facts right and exercise and eat PROPERLY. Melatonin isn’t bad if you use it properly
I used melatonin heavily for 5 months (8 mg per night). I did not gain weight.
I see a lot of people saying things like “I exercise! I lift weights! I do yoga! …but I still gained weight on melatonin!”
Melatonin may slow down metabolism, so that your body uses less calories. That means keeping the same diet and exercise habits as you did before taking melatonin will cause weight gain.
But even then, it’s NOT THE MELATONIN that is causing weight gain. It’s you not adjusting your diet to match your lower metabolism.
I use a scale that measures my body fat (sometimes called a “body composition scale”). I check my fat levels every week – if it’s increasing, I eat a little less the next week. I recommend this approach for anyone watching their weight (regardless of melatonin use).
In any case, I agree with the author about the danger of long-term melatonin use. I became very dependent on it, and it took a long time for my body to be able to sleep well after quitting the supplement. Unfortunately, all the “natural” (non-hormonal) supplements I’ve tried do not seem to work for me. L-theanine, chamomile, hops, etc. What helps me is exercise in the morning, low carbs in the evening, and sex at night.
Since melatonin is a peptide hormone, it doesn’t have the (same) propensity for negative feedback inhibition as a steroid hormone such as testosterone. Now, that doesn’t mean it isn’t problematic. It is. Various research papers have shown that melatonin (and serotonin/tryptophan) are closely involved in inflammation, high blood pressure, brain degeneration, muscle pain, accelerated aging, cancer, and so on (review http://www.supplements-and-health.com/tryptophan-side-effects.html ). It appears it shouldn’t be used on a continuous basis.
I love this site, especially the humor, most of which was not intended. Now I understand my new weight gain. I have been sleep deprived for probably a decade. I’ve tried a lot. I’m stopping Melatonin today. I was taking 9 mg. I doesn’t work for me and my head. My sleep deprivation is in my head. I can’t turn it off, but my ass gets really tired.
For anybody who is concerned about their melatonin intake… This is purely anecdotal information, but it may help.
Skimming through the comments it seems people who take higher doses are gaining weight. You may want to check for yourself, I could be mistaken.
I take 1 mg at night and fall asleep within an hour. If I didn’t have two kittens I’d probably sleep all the way through the night. I do dream a lot, but they’re not nightmares which is typically what I had when I dreamed. And I don’t feel exhausted when I wake up.
I have not gained any weight that I can tell – I don’t weigh myself, but my clothes still fit the same.
I came across this article while trying to read if SAMe and melatonin are safe to take together, and while this article does not address that, I have learned that the two go hand in hand. It makes me wonder if the people who are suffering poor side effects of melatonin are related to lack of SAMe production. If there’s a problem with one, couldn’t there be a problem with the other?
However, after reading this I may reduce my dose to .5mg since that seems to work for many people. I prefer to take the lowest dose possible to avoid tolerance build up or any side effects.
Well I cant sleep and im desperate to gain weight which is almost impossible for me so after what everyone says Melatonin seems the answer. If I gain weight it will be a miracle and have to be the result of taking the Melatonin – will let you know.
Can melatoinon cause you to stay up most of the night because I took melatonion and I am still awake
I’m with Desiree, what the hell is with people’s attitude about another persons sleep habits and patterns, (Or lack thereof). Lol
Goodness…While I found some of the comments here to be informative, and others to be not really worth reading, I am discouraged at how many mean-spirited people took the time to use this forum as an opportunity to be so ugly. Of course everyone is entitled to their opinions, but is it necessary to attack others here because of theirs? My take on this supplement is simple: If you feel you may benefit from using it, try it and see for yourself, without letting other people tell you what you should or should not do. The concern over weight gain should be a common sense issue, because anytime you take something that may make you feel tired, you are likely to be as active and probably not burn calories as you normally would. I want to believe common sense still exists…some just need to practice using it.
I can’t stand ignorant people who make such outrageous claims such as melatonin should he banned cuz it caused weight gain without any kind of proof or other info such as diet and excersize change or any other changes. It’s a natural chemical ur brAin makes already in ur body only some ppl have chemical imbalances such as myself and this is a much better alternative then Rx pills safer surely sure hormone risk but WTF do u think the drugs do? Cause these chems to be released so just as if not more dangerous. Nobody has died from it. So making such a statement that it should be banned just cuz one person gained 20lbs wow who cares I’d love to gain weight everyones so damn worried about loosing it when I’m only 99lbs used to bs 125 but now lost so much lbs cuz of chemical induced anorexia treating arthritis with chemo therapy something seems wrong with the medical community practice or malpractice I should say and mostly due to some arrogant comment by someone like this making unproven statements that a substance should be banned based on gaining weight is just retarded and it’s retards like u that get harmless or at least more safe then Rx that’s also more expensive as well so please don’t cause the situation to be worse and give big pharma more of a reason to ban this and sell more expensive n dangerous drug x to fill the space this used to cover so kindly stfu and never make the statement this should be banned just cuz u didn’t like the way it worked for u! To take our freedoms even more
I have had insomnia for many years now, about 30. I FINALLY have found something that works like a charm. At least, for me. However I have to do the same thing every single night. It’s become a ritual. Before going to bed, I turn out all the lights, making sure the blinds/curtains are closed. Then I roll over to one side or the other. That part doesn’t really matter. Either side will do. Then I close my eyes and BAM!!! Before I know it, it’s morning. I have found that I don’t gain any weight from doing this either. I don’t get up in the middle of the night to eat, so thumbs up to that!