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Why I Don’t Recommend Melatonin Supplements – Michael Greger M.D. FACLM

Posted 03 October 2022

“Over-the-counter melatonin (“anti-gonad hormone”) supplements tend not to contain what they say they do, and the contaminants could be dangerous.”

“It’s important to note that “melatonin differs from most or all other drugs in that the timing of the dose is critical and determines the effect; given at the wrong time it will delay circadian adaptation to local time,” making jet lag even worse. For example, if you were to take “melatonin at bedtime when traveling west,” it “actually could result in a phase advance” when a “phase delay is desired.”

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Evidence for using Melatonin for jet lag remains poor

Posted 21 January 2020

The Guardian Nicola Davis Tue 14 Jan 2020 07.00 GMT

Melatonin should not be offered by NHS to treat jet lag – review Independent review says evidence for using hormone for jet lag remains poor

The hormone melatonin should not be available on the NHS to help treat jet lag, a review of the evidence has concluded.

Melatonin is a hormone produced in the body during darkness that plays a role in the body clock and helps to regulate sleep cycles.

It is available on the NHS as a treatment for some sleep problems, including in older people and children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Whether it helps with jet lag is less clear . However in 2019 two melatonin products were licensed as a prescription medication for managing short-term jet lag by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

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Side effects prompt French authorities to issue melatonin supplement warning

Posted 10 May 2018

French authorities are urging certain populations to avoid consuming food supplements containing melatonin after incidences of adverse effects were reported to the country’s nutrivigilance scheme.

The National Agency for Sanitary, Food, Environmental and Occupational Safety (ANSES) in France said pregnant and breastfeeding women should not consume melatonin in the form of a food supplement.

“Given the variability in the status of melatonin and the regulatory limits governing its use within the European Union, the Agency has questions about the place of melatonin on the market in food supplement form at doses comparable to those of the medicinal product,” ANSES stated.

“In the absence of sufficient data on the safety of daily consumption of 2 milligrams (mg) of melatonin it believes it necessary for a harmonised regulatory framework to be defined at European level on the basis of safety studies conducted for doses below 2 mg.”

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Is it safe to take melatonin for jet lag?

Posted 02 February 2017

The number of Americans taking the supplement has doubled in five years – but it is controversial and not available over the counter in the UK. So does it work?

Nic Fleming

Monday 30 January 2017 07.30 GMT

The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/jan/30/is-it-safe-to-use-melatonin-for-jet-lag-insomnia

Jet lag can be more than just an inconvenience for long-distance travellers. Arriving in a far-off destination where the time no longer matches your internal body clock can trigger insomnia, lethargy and reduced alertness. Which is hardly ideal if you are delivering an important presentation or trying to seal a big deal.

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Solal’s Melatonin Slow Release

Posted 13 September 2012

Does Solal’s Melatonin Slow release, Herbal Sleep and Magnesium Glycinate work?

A consumer did not think so – laying a complaint with the Advertising Standards Authority arguing that the claims for these products are exaggerated or unproven.

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