Get Informed: Melatonin
Active Ingredient(s)
Melatonin
What does it do?
This product is primarily used as a sleep aid. It is a supplement of the naturally occurring hormone that promotes sleep.
- Last Text Update:
- 2009-Nov-20 8:27 PM
- Last Data Update:
- 2009-Nov-20 6:53 PM
Other Names
- Melatonin
How Safe Is It?
- Your Risk Rating
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- Average Risk Rating
-
- Pregnancy Category:
- N/A
- Black Box Warning:
- No
Facts & Figures
- Date Approved
- 21 Nov 2009
- Est US Patients*
- 1,310,000
- Generic Available
- Yes
- OTC Available
- Yes
User Age Distribution*
< 21
21-39
40-59
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.
Recent alerts for Melatonin
There have been no alerts regarding Melatonin during the past year.
Melatonin Safety Report
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.org is currently tracking more than 7,600 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 | 91% | 
|
| Seasonal Affective Disorder | 3% | 
|
| Other | 6% | 
|
How well does Melatonin work?
iGuard.org regularly polls our more than 7,600 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)
- 80%
- of patients are confident that the good things about Melatonin outweigh the bad things.
- 14%
- of patients wish they were told more before they started taking Melatonin.
Common Side Effects of Melatonin
iGuard.org regularly polls our more than 7,600 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.
18% of patients experience side-effects on Melatonin
2% of patients experience signifcant side-effects on Melatonin
Most Common Side Effects...
-
Grogginess/Confusion
-
Fatigue
-
Balance/Coordination Problems
-
= 10%
Global Patient Feedback for Melatonin ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
I heard that you can safely take up to 7 melatonin tablets nightly. Is this correct.
64 year old Female
Posted: 2009-11-12 13:20:06
Question/Comment:
Will taking Melatonin have any side effect of increasing, or darkening brown spots on face?
58 year old Female
Posted: 2009-09-10 13:19:42
Answer/Reply:
no melatoin is a sleep aid, i believe you are thinking of melinomia
16 year old Male
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
46 year old Female
Posted: 2009-09-06 07:12:12
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.
55 year old Female
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
Posted: 2009-07-08 19:46:08
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Comments may be either questions or answers to previously posted questions. Any iGuard.org user may post questions and reply.
40
Patient Comments about
Melatonin