When you take a walk across the vitamin aisle of any grocery store, you will see a ton of sleep-aid products that contain melatonin. $437 million was spent on supplements that contain melatonin in the United States in 2017 alone. This rate shows an increase compared to the report from 2010, which only showed $159 million spent on similar products. Over half a million children and 3 million adults have been recorded to take these products, and the number is expected to rise.
IS MELATONIN SUPPLEMENT SAFE FOR KIDS?
The alarming growth in the number of people who take these supplements shows that the potency of melatonin is oversimplified. However, it helps repair sleep schedule disorders if the right dose is taken at the right time. Research indicates that its effects are quite limited when it comes to insomnia.
The research questions the safety of melatonin for kids, as it shows an alarming increase in the number of children who take these supplements. It demonstrates that the effect of melatonin should not be oversimplified by simply taking supplements before bedtime.
IT DOESN’T WORK ON EVERYONE
Melatonin is a powerful hormone that was discovered in 1958. It helps regulate the body’s natural clock and circadian rhythm. The external factor that controls its secretion is light. We start to feel sleepy when daylight begins to fade. Our brain then gets the hint to stop secreting this hormone in the morning as daylight approaches. Research shows that the essence of melatonin is to regulate sleep—not to initiate it.
A review involving 284 participants showed that the people who took this hormone before bed slept longer for 13 minutes and fell asleep faster by 3.4 minutes as compared to those who didn’t. However, another review involving 1700 participants showed that people who took melatonin slept longer for 8 minutes and fell asleep faster by 7 minutes.
This research indicates that taking a large proportion of melatonin at night has little effect. It compares this effect to spitting in the sea. Musclesfax, on the other hand, affords you other healthy alternatives to relax your muscles.
Scientists agree that the melatonin intake has a remarkable result in regulating the disorder of our circadian rhythm. They also agree that it works perfectly to fix insomnia that has been caused by jet lag. 0.5mg of this hormone supplement within 9 hours before bedtime is recommended for people with jet lag.
CONCERNS REGARDING THE ALARMING INTAKE
A few months’ usage of melatonin is often referred to as short-term. This short-term usage is considered safe if the adult is healthy. People with diabetes are strongly advised to avoid taking melatonin because it increases the blood sugar of the body. A specialist also said that too much intake of the quantity of melatonin can lead to grogginess the following day, or to bad dreams.
Research also shows that too much melatonin makes drugs like birth control pills, medications for high blood pressure, and seizure medications ineffective. This research indicates that about 71% of the supplement of this hormone does not have the nutrients that the labels claim to have.
