Get Informed: Melatonin

48

Patient Comments about
Melatonin

Active Ingredient(s)

Melatonin

What does it do?

Melatonin

This product is primarily used as a sleep aid. It is a supplement of the naturally occurring hormone that promotes sleep.

Last Text Update:
 2010-Mar-20 1:59 AM
Last Data Update:
 2010-Mar-19 9:03 PM

Other Names

  • Melatonin
  • Circadin

How Safe Is It?

Your Risk Rating
Please log in
Average Risk Rating
0: On hold
Pregnancy Category:
N/A
Black Box Warning:
No

Facts & Figures

Date Approved
20 Mar 2010
Est US Patients*
1,327,000
Generic Available
Yes
OTC Available
Yes

User Age Distribution*

8

< 21

20

21-39

46

40-59

26

60+

Age (Years)

* Estimated number of US people currently taking Melatonin or its active ingredient based on population adjusted patient numbers registered with iGuard.org.

Other Resources

Recent alerts for Melatonin

There have been no iGuard.org alerts regarding Melatonin during the past year.

Melatonin Safety Report

0: On hold

The iGuard risk rating for Melatonin is on hold. It means that we're waiting for more patients taking this medication to join iGuard before we can provide a more accurate safety assessment of this product.

Learn more about iGuard's risk ratings

  • Please login or register (it's free) so iGuard can check how Melatonin interacts with other drugs and diseases in your profile.

What is Melatonin used for?

iGuard is currently tracking more than 8,800 patients that use Melatonin (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)). Use the table below to learn why iGuard users take this product; click on any underlined condition to get information on other medications used for treatment.

Disease / Condition % Average Severity
Insomnia 100% 5

How well does Melatonin work?

iGuard regularly polls our more than 8,800 users taking Melatonin (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medications (TSQM) . This feedback is continuously updated in tables below for the benefit of the iGuard community. To request scores for specific patient subgroups, please contact research@iguard.org.

Average Satisfaction Score

(out of 10)

Average Effectiveness Score

(out of 10)

69 69
80%
of patients are confident that the good things about Melatonin outweigh the bad things.
5%
of patients wish they were told more before they started taking Melatonin.

Common Side Effects of Melatonin

iGuard regularly polls our more than 8,800 users taking Melatonin (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) to monitor the development and frequency of side-effects. This feedback is continuously updated in tables and graphs below for the benefit of the iGuard community.

3%

3% of patients experience side-effects on Melatonin

0%

< 1% of patients experience signifcant side-effects on Melatonin


Most Common Side Effects...

  • 5% Grogginess/Confusion
  • = 10%

Global Patient Feedback for Melatonin ( Post a comment )

Comments, Questions, and Answers
Show Newest | Oldest first

Question/Comment:

I heard that you can safely take up to 7 melatonin tablets nightly. Is this correct.

65 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2009-11-12 13:20:06

iGuard Answer/Reply:

Melatonin is sold as a supplement product and has not been evaluated by the FDA for efficacy and safety of specific doses. Reported adverse effects include fatigue, dizziness, headache, irritability, sleepiness, disorientation, confusion, sleepwalking, vivid dreams and nightmares - the severity of these side effects may increase with higher doses. There are also concerns about melatonin increasing the risk of blood clotting abnormalities (particularly in patients taking warfarin) and increasing the risk of seizures when taken at very high doses. Additional controlled studies are needed to determine the optimal dose of Melatonin. If the condition you wish to treat with melatonin is still bothersome, you should contact your doctor to determine the best treatment option for you.

Posted: 2009-11-17 22:27:42

Question/Comment:

Will taking Melatonin have any side effect of increasing, or darkening brown spots on face?

58 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2009-09-10 13:19:42

iGuard Answer/Reply:

Melatonin does not have any reported effects on causing or darkening brown spots on the face. Because it is not approved by the FDA, it has not undergone controlled studies to examine side effects.

Posted: 2009-09-17 00:28:12

Answer/Reply:

no melatoin is a sleep aid, i believe you are thinking of melinomia

16 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2009-11-01 16:18:42

Question/Comment:

I have ms relaping remeting addvasing an i have benn talking Melatonin for 10 years before my husbeon rekmend it to me i could not sleep at night i was a all night could not sleep at all . I started talking it at 11:00 pm and i sleep for 8 hours so sound and deep and when in the aftoon i walke up so alert. it is so wonderful God as made such wonderful thing. 47 years female

47 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2009-09-06 07:12:12

Answer/Reply:

How many milligrams of Melatonin do u take? I find if I take 100mg then it helps but not any less. I've tried all kind of prescription medications for sleeping and nothing has worked. I find if I take an over the counter medication that actually works better - at putting me to sleep anyway..forget how I feel in the morning.
This question is to any and all who read it!!

28 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2010-01-14 07:36:18

Question/Comment:

I have taken melatonin for years. Recently Metoprolol caused serious dereases in my heart, insomnia and sleepiness during the day. My cardiologist took me off metoprolol, and advised me to take the melatonin earlier in the evening. I now take it about 6 PM and am sleeping much better. But I also am wearing a CPAP now and came off the metoprolol. So who knows what caused the improvement but something did.

56 year old – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2009-07-23 13:28:51

Question/Comment:

I have a 5 yr.old that is ADHD and even though her pediatrician says that she is to young to be placed on any medication for her ADHD I have been giving her 1mg of melatonin at night and it really helps her to settle down and get a good nights sleep. Thank You Melatonin :¬)

47 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2009-07-08 19:46:08

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