09/07/2025
By Sherryl Chandley-Brown
Melatonin is a popular over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aid. You can find it in capsules, teas, and gummies – all guaranteeing a better night sleep. But does it really? Maybe.
Before we get into that discussion, let’s talk about what melatonin is. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland, a small gland in the center of your brain. Its job is to regulate your circadian rhythm. It is produced in response to darkness. For this reason, it is important to follow good sleep hygiene to ensure adequate melatonin production. Good sleep hygiene includes stopping caffeine consumption six to eight hours before bed, having your last meal/snack 3 hours before bedtime, dimming lights in the evening, turning off electronics an hour before bedtime, having a bedtime ritual that signals to your body that you’re intending to sleep, and ensuring that your bedroom is dark and cool.
The gut is also essential for melatonin production, with studies indicating that melatonin concentrations in the gut can be as much as 400 times greater than those in the pineal gland. The gut microbiome has the ability to synthesize tryptophan, an important amino acid that acts as a precursor to melatonin. Additionally, certain beneficial bacteria can enhance the activity of enzymes involved in melatonin synthesis, leading to increased melatonin levels. Conversely, an imbalance in the gut microbiome can disrupt the body's ability to produce melatonin, potentially resulting in sleep disturbances.
As we age, melatonin production can decrease, and some people may benefit from a melatonin supplement. But here’s where it gets tricky.
First of all, in the US, supplements are not regulated like prescription drugs. They are regulated as food – the only requirement being that they are safe to consume. There is no guarantee of strength or purity. An analysis of 31 different brands of melatonin found that the actual melatonin concentration varied up to 500% compared to what was listed on the bottle. Even in a single brand, different lots of the same product showed similar variability. Many countries have banned OTC melatonin, making it prescription only so authenticity could be ensured.
But let’s assume you have a trusted brand of melatonin. Many people think that “if a little is good, a lot must be better!” Unfortunately, that’s not the case with melatonin. Experts recommend that you take the smallest effective dose, usually 0.3 mg, an hour before bed.
Sometimes, slightly higher doses of melatonin in a sustained released form may be helpful for people who have trouble staying asleep as opposed to the lower doses used for initiating sleep with disturbed circadian rhythm. There are also studies that show much higher doses of melatonin can act as an antioxidant and show potential as supportive care in patients with sepsis or even certain cancers. Higher doses of melatonin seem to be safe in the short-term, but the jury is still out for long-term, high doses. Either way, higher doses of melatonin should be administered under the guidance of your physician.
As stated earlier, melatonin regulates your circadian rhythm. Therefore, the best use for melatonin is for people whose circadian rhythm has been disturbed, such as those with jet lag, or shift workers, or those with delayed-sleep-phase disorder.
The effectiveness of melatonin for people with insomnia is uncertain. There are certainly plenty of anecdotal stories of melatonin helping people sleep. However, a meta-analysis of melatonin research shows that, at best, melatonin helps individuals get to sleep 4 minutes faster.
According to the Sleep Foundation, a better solution may be to take a magnesium (Mg) supplement. In a recent study, taking Mg supplements (500mg /day for 8 weeks) was able to improve sleep significantly, presumably because it also led to a rise of melatonin levels in the body. Eating foods rich in magnesium such as whole grains, avocados, bananas, nuts, seeds, beans, and milk can also be helpful.
They also suggest that L-Theanine may be a good choice for people who wake up often in the night or have sleep-maintenance insomnia.
Melatonin is one piece of the puzzle. While it has its place among sleep tools, there are other factors related to sleep. Consider the rest of the puzzle to successfully support that slumber.
https://www.mountainsagenaturals.com/s/stories/melatonin-less-is-more
