> Melatonin
supplements may not help sleep
There is no evidence that melatonin supplements fix sleep
disorders, a government study shows. But melatonin may have some
benefit in certain situations.
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the brain’s pineal gland to
regulate the sleep cycle. Melatonin levels rise in the evening,
setting the stage for sleep.
Levels subside in the morning, inducing wakefulness.
Sleep disorders affect 50 million to 70 million people. Insomina,
the most common sleep disorder, plaques up to 12% of adults, say
researchers. Children can also be affected, up to 25% of kids have
sleep problems.
Possible causes include stress, too much caffeine, and other
health problems.
Shift work and jet lag can also disrupt the body’s natural sleep
cycle.
Poor sleep can wear anyone down. It’s also dangerous. Drowsy
driving causes 100,000 motor vehicles accidents annually, killing
1,550 people and injuring 40,000, in the U.S.
Seeking better sleep many people have tried melatonin supplements.
But that strategy may not work.
In the new report melatonin may be safe for short term use (for
days or weeks), it’s not particularly effective.
They found no evidence that melatonin supplements help insomia.
They also found little to no effect for insomia due to stress,
caffeine or due to other health conditions, such as depression.
One exception may be delayed sleep phase syndrome. People with
that condition have a hard time falling asleep before the wee
hours of the night and also have trouble waking in the morning.
Short-term melatonin use could help with that particular sleep
disorder, say the researchers. This is a long-term problem and
different from jet lag, a similar short-term problem.
The experts also saw no signs that melatonin correct sleeps
problems from shift work or jet lag. But earlier this year, a
different study found that melatonin helps offset jet lag.
In that study, a small group of U.S. Airforce Reservists took
slow-release caffeine, 5 milligrams of melatonin, or a placebo the
evening before an overseas flight and for the next four evening.
They flew across seven time zones between Texas and France without
napping en route. When they landed, melatonin improved sleep
quality, but participants still felt sleepy during the day.
The agency’s 3000-page report doesn’t dismiss melatonin. Instead,
the researchers call for more studies on topics including
melatonin’s long-term effects and various supplement formulations.
