Melatonin -- Side Effects and Benefits

Because melatonin is a natural hormone produced by the body, chances for side effects are very minimal.  Melatonin has been called the sleep hormone and is secreted by a gland in the brain which very quickly causes a natural feeling of sleepiness.  I can usually start feeling it working within 5-10 minutes of eating a pill.  Healthy adults and young people generally secrete between 5 and 25 micrograms of melatonin each night, according to their own body's cycle.  That's almost 100 times more than the small 2 milligram tablets sold in stores.  But because these capsules are ingested and must first pass through the stomach, not all of the melatonin makes its way to the bloodstream.

So if melatonin is natural and secreted by the body each night, are there any side effects to taking melatonin in capsule form.  There haven't been any major controlled studies to determine if there are any side effects to long term melatonin use, or to see just how effective melatonin is as a sleep aid.  Some of the most common side effects of melatonin use were headaches, nausea, giddiness, and drowsiness.  These melatonin side effects occurred in less than 2 out of 100 patients tested.  One study recommended that persons not take more than 5mg of melatonin a day, and that pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, or persons under the age of 18 should not take melatonin.

One thing that should be mentioned about taking melatonin supplements for an extended period of time is the risk of forming a dependency.  Since melatonin is produced naturally by the body, if a person is supplementing the body by taking melatonin tablets long term, the body may begin to develop a dependency and will gravitate towards producing less of its own melatonin in lieu of the outside source continuing.  This potential melatonin side effect isn't official, but is generally how the body functions when supplied with an ample supply of a natural bodily compound from an outside source.  So people should be cautioned before relying continuously on melatonin as a sleep aid.

Melatonin is a great sleep aid with lot's of benefits. I use it without hesitation whenever I feel the need and am worried about getting a full night's sleep. I've never experienced any of the reported side effects, and always feel very refreshed the next morning after having taken a melatonin tablet. One of the great benefits of melatonin is that it isn't overly powerful. A melatonin tablet will induce a moderately strong feeling of sleepiness very quickly, but won't overpower a person or leave them feeling groggy or drowsy the next day. Another benefit of melatonin is that it's a natural body compound and therefore doesn't come with a long list of side effects like many of the leading sleep aids being promoted and sold in stores. And the dosage for melatonin is very small, only 2-5mg. Melatonin tablets are tiny and very effective.

The one situation that melatonin doesn't seem as effective in is for anxiety. During periods of anxiety, I haven't found melatonin to be strong enough to induce sleep right away. That being said however, I also haven't ever taken any other kind of sleep aid. Melatonin is the only supplement I've ever taken as a sleep aid. So I can't say whether or not any other kind of sleep aid is effective against anxiety while trying to fall asleep. It's very nice having a bottle of melatonin around just in case you're having trouble sleeping. Knowing that I have a relative mild sleep aid handy is a big relief, because it takes away the anxiety that sometimes comes when you're worried about not getting enough sleep and it causes you to stay awake.  The melatonin supplement that I take is on a great sale right now, so I've left you a link below.