Can You Overdose on Melatonin?

Melatonin dietary supplements could assist deal with sleep circumstances like insomnia, in addition to post-traumatic mind accidents and migraines. They’re usually secure and unhazardous.

Nevertheless, taking greater than you want could increase the chance of negative effects. Whereas it’s technically potential to overdose on melatonin, life-threatening reactions are uncommon.

Melatonin dietary supplements are secure when utilized in average doses—lower than 5 milligrams—for brief intervals. Taking an excessive amount of or utilizing it longer than really helpful can enhance the chance of negative effects from melatonin, corresponding to:

• Headache
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Upset abdomen
• Vivid goals or nightmares
• Bedwetting (in youngsters)
• Rash
• Fractures (in older adults)

In uncommon circumstances, some folks could expertise allergic reactions or different results on bodily processes when taking melatonin, corresponding to adjustments in blood strain, blood sugar, and seizure threshold (how simply an individual could have a seizure). For this reason you must think about chatting with a healthcare supplier earlier than utilizing this complement.

Melatonin also can intrude with some medicines, corresponding to:

• Blood thinners like Coumadin (warfarin)
• Antidepressants like Luvox (fluvoxamine)
• Antibiotics like Cipro (ciprofloxacin)
• Caffeine
• Oral contraception
• Immunosuppressants (medication that decrease your immune system exercise)
• Alcohol
• Different sleep assist dietary supplements, corresponding to kava, valerian, or L-tryptophan

Extra analysis is required to higher perceive how melatonin can have an effect on you in the long run. Some analysis means that long-term melatonin use could scale back semen high quality. It is best to make use of melatonin just for a brief interval, besides when in any other case really helpful by your healthcare supplier.

There isn’t any well-defined customary dose for melatonin. Nevertheless, totally different research have used melatonin doses between 0.1 and 10 milligrams.

Consultants think about low to average doses of melatonin, between 5 and 6 milligrams, to be a secure and efficient each day quantity. Doses as little as 1 milligram can truly be simply as efficient as larger quantities and will scale back the chance of overdosing. For greatest outcomes, melatonin needs to be taken 30-60 minutes earlier than bedtime. 

The really helpful doses for various ages embody:

• Infants (below 2): 1 milligram (mg)
• Youngsters (2-9): 2.5-3 mg
• Adolescents (10–17 years): 5 mg
• Adults (18+): 5-6 mg
• Youngsters with particular wants: 0.5-10 mg

Some research discovered that taking melatonin at doses larger than 10 milligrams will increase the chance of negative effects. The quantity of melatonin in every complement can fluctuate broadly, making it simpler to take an excessive amount of. Some dietary supplements could even include as a lot as 478% extra melatonin than the quantity listed on the label.

For this reason it is best to stay to the dose and model really helpful by your healthcare supplier or pharmacist (a well being skilled skilled in getting ready and giving out pharmaceuticals). It is also vital to ensure your melatonin has secure components and is simply bought from producers which were third-party examined.

Taking an excessive amount of melatonin can result in elevated negative effects, corresponding to:

• Extreme sleepiness
• Upset abdomen
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Confusion
• Elevated coronary heart fee
• Pores and skin irritation
• Hypothermia (low physique temperature, sometimes under 95 levels Fahrenheit)

For those who discover any of those negative effects, you could wish to discontinue melatonin and get skilled recommendation on the optimum dose for you. Most negative effects resolve after discontinuing melatonin.

Melatonin overdose also can trigger critical signs that require pressing medical consideration:

• Issue respiration
• Seizures
• Chest ache
• Tremors
• Rise in blood strain

Melatonin impacts folks in another way, relying on their age, dose, and underlying circumstances. For instance, utilizing doses as little as 3 milligrams has been related to an elevated threat of fractures in older adults.

If you wish to take greater than 10 milligrams of melatonin or use it for longer than six months, don’t achieve this with out first speaking to your healthcare supplier.

A melatonin overdose is not normally life-threatening. For those who suspect signs of melatonin overdose, you must cease taking melatonin and search medical care. Healthcare professionals will decide the severity of your signs and advise you on the subsequent step.

In case your youngster or cherished one has irregular respiration or loses consciousness after taking melatonin, search speedy emergency care.

Melatonin has low toxicity and is mostly secure. Nevertheless, taking greater than really helpful or utilizing it for a very long time can enhance your threat of negative effects. Widespread signs of melatonin overdose embody extreme sleepiness, abdomen upset, dizziness, confusion, and elevated coronary heart fee.

You may additionally expertise critical signs of melatonin overdose, like seizures, problem respiration, chest ache, or elevated blood strain. For those who discover any of those signs, name Poison Management instantly.