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Something New in Melatonin?
You don't have to be a shift worker or jet setter to have awkward or non-existent sleeping habits, but both groups suffer quite a bit. Melatonin, one of the more popular over-the-counter supplements, may be headed toward a new delivery system, a patch placed on the body with small pulses of the hormone administered throughout the evening (or day), through your skin!
I've written about this sleep aid frequently because I get so many questions on it. Many supplement companies and health food stores will claim that melatonin is a natural sleeping aid or nightcap because it "naturally" helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. Given its wide spread availability today, you'd presume it's safe and effective.
Is it?
Well, that depends. Melatonin has been shown to help regulate sleep cycles in certain populations and really help out quite a few people, but like anything there are pros and cons:
For the record, melatonin is a hormone, and it's not a regulated drug under the FDA. No other hormone is available in the United States without a prescription. In some parts of Europe, melatonin is available by prescription only.
If this experimental patch version of melatonin reaches the market, it could have a much bigger effect on the body than just popping a pill. The half-life of a melatonin pill is short and it doesn't last long; a patch, on the other hand, can deliver small doses throughout its use to keep the levels in the body consistent for a longer, stronger effect. This might be great for shift workers who sleep during the day, when the body does not like to produce melatonin.
The patch has been tested on people who sleep during daylight hours and work at night.. For this reason, I can see why a melatonin patch could be helpful to those who maintain schedules opposite to the usual solar day (where the body prefers to be functional). And I have great respect for those who manage to live this life for the sake of their careers and my safety (e.g., emergency care, pilots, etc.). But, even though the patch would be sold as a prescription, it wouldn't surprise me to see people getting their hands on it without trying other sleep hygiene tactics first, which can be far more effective and healthier overall for the body, particularly for those of us that can really get our shut-eye at night.
Sweet Dreams,
Michael J. Breus, PhD, FAASM
The Sleep Doctor™
This article on sleep and melatonin is also available at Dr. Breus' official blog, The Insomnia Blog.
Related Topics:
I've written about this sleep aid frequently because I get so many questions on it. Many supplement companies and health food stores will claim that melatonin is a natural sleeping aid or nightcap because it "naturally" helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. Given its wide spread availability today, you'd presume it's safe and effective.
Is it?
Well, that depends. Melatonin has been shown to help regulate sleep cycles in certain populations and really help out quite a few people, but like anything there are pros and cons:
- The precise mechanism of melatonin secretion in the body is not well understood. We do know, however, that melatonin isn't just about sleep-wake cycles. It's been shown to help regulate the female reproductive cycle and may also affect the onset of puberty. Children who take melatonin can suffer a delay in sexual development. (So never ever give a child a melatonin supplement.)
- This new patch study showed that men and women had different levels of melatonin in their system with the same dosage patch! So a gender difference may apply.
- Studies have pointed to melatonin's role in regulating blood flow, specifically in constricting coronary arteries.
- And it's been suggested that melatonin can increase depression in people prone to the illness.
For the record, melatonin is a hormone, and it's not a regulated drug under the FDA. No other hormone is available in the United States without a prescription. In some parts of Europe, melatonin is available by prescription only.
If this experimental patch version of melatonin reaches the market, it could have a much bigger effect on the body than just popping a pill. The half-life of a melatonin pill is short and it doesn't last long; a patch, on the other hand, can deliver small doses throughout its use to keep the levels in the body consistent for a longer, stronger effect. This might be great for shift workers who sleep during the day, when the body does not like to produce melatonin.
The patch has been tested on people who sleep during daylight hours and work at night.. For this reason, I can see why a melatonin patch could be helpful to those who maintain schedules opposite to the usual solar day (where the body prefers to be functional). And I have great respect for those who manage to live this life for the sake of their careers and my safety (e.g., emergency care, pilots, etc.). But, even though the patch would be sold as a prescription, it wouldn't surprise me to see people getting their hands on it without trying other sleep hygiene tactics first, which can be far more effective and healthier overall for the body, particularly for those of us that can really get our shut-eye at night.
Sweet Dreams,
Michael J. Breus, PhD, FAASM
The Sleep Doctor™
This article on sleep and melatonin is also available at Dr. Breus' official blog, The Insomnia Blog.
Related Topics:
- WebMD Video: Melatonin - How It Affects Sleep
- Sleep Disorders: Member Discussion
- Get the Sleep Well newsletter in your inbox weekly
Labels: insomnia, medications, melatonin, sleep
34 Comments:
If you can't sleep, try a glass of warm milk. It's natural and works!
I've taken Melatonin for years, I was hoping this article would provide some useful information. It didn't. You said absolutly nothing new about this hormone except not to give it to children ad why. That should hve been the name of the article. "Why you shouldn't give children Melatonin"
Try deep breathing for 5 mins. (a.k.a Pranayama). Easy and simple remedy fro sleep disorders.
Try darkening the bedroom and using a black blindfold such as those used for overseas flights, etc.
My sons' geneticist recommended melatonin for them (they're 11 & 7 now) & they've taken it for years. This is a very well respected man at a top notch children's hospital. My one son has multiple doctors and many of them have patients that take melatonin. For some kids (esp. special needs), it's the only thing that enables them to sleep (and yes, they've had sleep studies too).
What does it do when it causes coronary constriction? Have heart attacks occurred when melatonin is taken
Ive taken melatonin with naproxin and Norco. I cant sleep because of my pain. Is this safe?
A recent article about young children who have to undergo surgery suggested that giving them melatonin seems to help them avoid anxiety disorders that last long after the surgery is over... so I think your statment to never EVER give melatonin to children is overstated. There may be some specialized cases where its careful use is appropriate.
I thought the article said it was helpful in regulating blood flow especially in coronary arteries.
Did I misread the info? I've taken it for years and I sleep like a baby and I'm older than 60.
I have been taking 9 mg every night for a couple of years and when I went off it my hair fell out big time. I went back on and I stopped shedding. I sleep better and have a lot of hair...and I'm 64 years old.
smiles,c
Oh my gosh, the very same thing happened to me. I wasn't sure that's what did it. Now I am, it's all it could have been. Now i've resumed my melatonin, faithfully take (9mg) every evening and my hairloss stopped and is now my hair is growing back thicker than ever. Maybe were on to something!!!
I take melatonin occasionally(perhaps once a week to help me sleep. I use 0.5 mg sublingually and it works quite well. The dosage was from some reference which I cannot recall at this time.
Rayray
My children's pediatrician recommended that my husband and I give our children(10 & 14) with ADHD, melatonin. Their ADHD meds keep them from falling asleep easily, and we give the 3mg everynight before bed. I have taken it also, due to sleeping problems caused by medication that is necessary to take. The kids' pediatrician told us it was very safe to give melatonin to our kids, because our bodies alrady make it.
What is the maximum limit for Melatonin which you can take safely ? Could any one comment?
MELATONEN HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HAIR LOSS OR BRINGING IT BACK..IT WAS ANOTHER MEDICATION THAT YOU TOOK AND STOPPED OR A NEW ONE THAT IS CAUSING THE HAIR LOSS, IT WILL NOT BRING IT BACK EITHER!
WARM MILK CAN HELP SOME REST, AS LONG AS IT'S WARM GRADE "A" MILK. MOST SUFFER WITH SOME DEGREE OF SLEEP APENA AND HAVE ANXIETY / DEPRESSION WHICH WOULD HELP BETTER TO GET TREATMENT FOR THAT. SLEEP APENA IS ALSO A TREATMENT BUT THERE ARE NO STUDIES THAT PROVE THAT FOLLOWING THE TEST RESULTS, AND THE USE OF THE BREATHING DEVISES REALLY WORKS. MOST OF THE TREATMENTS ARE $$ MAKIING SCEAMS.JUST ASK THOSE THAT HAVE USED.
Melatonin can be very helpful when you can't sleep. I found the best ones are sublingual (under the tongue) because pills have to go through the digestive tract first. One important thing to remember is that everyone is different, and might need different dosages. I found that if I take too much, I can end up with wild nightmares! And that is no fun. So just use some common sense.
I thought this article was very insightful. I take Melatonin, and I wasn't aware it has an effect w/Depression. Me and some others in a therapy group take it, so I'll tell them too. Thanks. There are many effects from taking plain old vitamins, etc. It's too bad the info comes after the fact. Anything ingested has an effect. I'll let my sister know about this too. I would say it is up to the child's doctor to make the prescription for melatonin or not. Too much of any vitamin for adults can be hazardous.
Thanks for the info!
At the risk of sounding repetitive Melatonin was recommended to my children by three top notch child specialists two of whom work at the regions best children s hospital and we are very particular on what we give our children. The risk factors for this sleep aid are far lower then many others which may contain even more powerful medicines.
A 9 mg. dose of Melatonin sounds like way too much. I've heard that you shouldn't take more than 3 mg. at one time. I take an herbal formula that has both melatonin and Valerian Root, and it works great.
yes melatonin would work a little but its not completely sleep-giver-proof. i personally would like a warm glass of milk at bed times, and if for 3-4 days i do not sleep well, i have sex. It must be the post-coital sleep that is induced. i have come to be familiar with it coz its a win-win situation.
pedro, gangtok, india
yes melatonin would work a little but its not completely sleep-giver-proof. i personally would like a warm glass of milk at bed times, and if for 3-4 days i do not sleep well, i have sex. It must be the post-coital sleep that is induced. i have come to be familiar with it coz its a win-win situation.
pedro, gangtok, india
My 13 year old son has been taking melatonin for 2 years now due to insomnia. I feel that it is safe & effective and is the only sleep aid I would consider giving my son. He has not had any growth issues and has in fact grown faster than any other kid in his school. Puberty started earlier for him. He is 5'10" tall now, which is right on track for our family.
How do you know Melatonin had nothing to do with hair loss and growth? Melatonin was the only supplement or med I ever took. So, yes it could very well be linked. And i'm a nurse in a geriatric setting. I've seen the Doctor prescribe as much as 15mg Qhs. So, 9mg is not to much.
i suffer from depression and of course sleep issues. I asked my MD about taking this med and he agreed. Like one of you said everyone is different. I suggest asing ur MD b4 starting any OTC med.
Sorry, warm milk doesn't work if you have insomnia! You DO NOT have insomnia problems if warm milk helps you fall asleep! And if you suffer from depression, beware of Melatonin:0 I took it for a while and it helped me fall asleep alright but I had vivid nightmares and my depression worsened.
Sorry, warm milk doesn't work if you have insomnia! You DO NOT have insomnia problems if warm milk helps you fall asleep! And if you suffer from depression, beware of Melatonin:0 I took it for a while and it helped me fall asleep alright but I had vivid nightmares and my depression worsened.
Just to let you know if someone is lactose intolerant, melatonin is the next natural safe way to fall asleep. I don't know about you but I would rather have a good night's rest instead of spending the night in the bathroom.
Wow, most of you people are so uninformed it terrifies me. Why would a doctor ever prescribe 15mg of Melatonin for everyday use? That is way too much. It will start negatively affecting your endogenous production of Melatonin. I take 3mg-6mg of Melatonin every other night but I just have extremely vivid dreams and then wake up feeling groggy as hell.
Perhaps your the one who is uninformed. Are you a doctor??? More than one MD in the nursing home prescribes melatonin at higher rates due to the fact our bodies don't produce as much the older we get, hence sleep disorders.I myself have taken melatonin for over ten years now and the one thing I tell my friends is that on the plus side melatonin does not leave you feeling 'hung-over.'
2 bananas before bedtime. worked wonders for my hypertensive father, not to mention that it lessened his frequent hypertension attacks.
What about liver problems I thought I had read it caused problems.
I find it utterly astonishing that people find it so difficult to step outside themselves. It can truly be disheartening. The old adage......"Walk a mile in my shoes." It's true! Please, try it some time. My 11 year old son is Asperger Autistic, my 8 year old daughter is ADHD with an anxiety disorder, and I have chronic Fibromyalgia. All three of these syndromes cause us to suffer from chronic insomnia or fitful sleep. My son's doctor is one of the top Autism Psychiatrist in the USA and my daughter's ADHD Psychiatrist is very well respected on the East Coast. BOTH have approved Melatonin to allow these poor children to sleep! They are on enough meds as it is just to be able to function. Their I.Q.s are simply amazing and they are honor students but they need meds and SLEEP to be the best they can be. As for me.....I fight chronic pain day in and day out. I sometimes dread laying down at night because I know how much it is going to hurt. So, PLEASE dear people BEFORE you start telling others how much Melatonin they should take or that their children should NOT be on this life saving OTC......think again. We don't ALL fit in the same square peg and there is ALWAYS and exception to the rule!
Right on the mark. Believe me people that have rough insomnia have tried all that classic shit before.
To keep it short doesn't work, currently on Ambien but I may switch over to Melatonin after my trial ends.
i am using Melatonin to all my patients in all age group no one complains about it ( few saying increase their insomnia) what was written in your article.
at least it is not habit forming medication.
i need to know what is your level of education ( sleep doctor) !!!
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