Melatonin Supplements Sold in the US May Be Much Stronger Than Listed
Shutterstock / Angel Alexis Luna Larios
Most melatonin gummies sold in the US contain far more melatonin (a hormone produced naturally in the body that helps regulate circadian rhythms) than is listed on the label. This increases the risk of overdose, especially for children who may mistake gummies for candy.
Melatonin supplements are generally considered safe, but high doses have been associated with serious side effects. of which nearly 4,100 were hospitalized.
Peter Cohen and his colleagues at the Cambridge Health Alliance in Massachusetts compared the contents of melatonin gummies to what was listed on the label. They used the National Institutes of Health’s Dietary Supplement Label Database, the most comprehensive database of dietary supplements sold in the United States, to estimate the number of his 30 melatonin supplements sold in the United States in 2021. Identified the product. When the survey was conducted in September 2022, he was only able to buy 25 and had melatonin on the label.
Researchers dissolved a single dose of each of these products in liquid to identify and quantify the compounds in the samples. They found that of the 25 products, 22 were incorrectly labeled and contained between 74 and 347% of the listed amount of melatonin.
Sanjeev Kothare of Northwell Health in New York City isn’t surprised by these results, given that melatonin is not a controlled substance in the United States. increase.
However, the findings are concerning because melatonin can cause seizures and respiratory failure at very high doses.
“nevertheless [melatonin is] “It’s marketed as a drug, a hormone, a supplement,” Cohen says.
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