Health and nutrition supplements: what are melatonin side effects and risks?

Natural melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain. The pineal gland is not active during the day, but kicks in after dark and begins releasing melatonin into the blood system. Because of this, it is believed that melatonin helps the body know when to go to sleep and when to wake up. When the pineal gland is not producing melatonin, the body is more alert and awake, once the melatonin is being produced and released into the blood, you become tired, less focused and less alert.

Not only does the actual time of day effect the production of melatonin, light itself triggers the pineal gland to shut off, while darkness triggers the gland to turn on. This explains why many people feel tired on overcast days and during the winter when sunlight is more scarce than during the summer months.

People with a low level of melatonin may suffer from insomnia. A melatonin deficiency may also play a role in jetlag. Some people claim that melatonin may slow down the aging process therefore allowing you to live a longer life, however these claims have not been proven, nor is there any scientific proof to back up such claims.

Taking a melatonin supplement may help people fall asleep easier, and it may also prevent jetlag.

Although natural melatonin from animals may be used as a supplement, it is not generally recommended. The best form of melatonin supplements are synthetic, and therefore guaranteed to be free from any disease or sickness that could be carried by an animal.

Melatonin is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, so it is not regulated in any way. Before taking melatonin or any other supplement you should first contact your doctor for his/her recommendation.

Melatonin can cause side effects in those people taking it in a supplement form. The side effects most often reported include: sleepiness, drowsiness, headache, stomach irritation, nausea, or a feeling of a heavy head or cloudy mind. Most of these side effects should be considered expected however. If you are taking something to help you sleep, it’s natural to feel tired! People taking melatonin will experience delayed reaction times and some grogginess. You should not drive or operate equipment while taking this supplement.

Because of these side effects, melatonin should not be taken if you are not planning on going to sleep. Taking it at the wrong time of the day can also mess up your body’s natural rhythm, making it even more difficult to sleep. Melatonin should only be taken at bedtime.

Melatonin has also been showed to increase blood pressure in lab animals. This means people with heart problems, hypertension, kidney problems, sleep apnea, or people who have preciously suffered from a stroke should not take melatonin. Since melatonin can raise blood pressure, women who are pregnant, also should not take it.

Although no overdoses or toxicity cases have been reported from melatonin supplements, there has not been enough studies done to show the long term effects of using it. Since long term usage studies have not been done, it is best to use melatonin sparingly, with a doctor’s approval and for a short period of time. Generally, if you suffer from insomnia, a couple of weeks of taking melatonin will help your body settle into a normal sleep cycle, giving you a better night’s rest and cutting down the need for the supplement.