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Melatonin in food supplements: not a “gentle sleeping aid”

34/2024, 20.11.2024

Podcast on effects and backgrounds

Anyone who has trouble falling asleep can now find dozens of food supplements containing melatonin in drugstores, supermarkets and online shops: capsules, drops, sprays and even colourful gumdrops. But even if the packaging of some products suggests otherwise, melatonin is not a “gentle sleeping aid”, explains nutritionist Dr. Britta Nagl in the latest episode of “Risiko” – the science podcast from the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). Clinical drug studies on the effects of melatonin have regularly shown adverse effects – especially on the following day: “Tiredness, headaches and a decrease in alertness and responsiveness. You need to be aware of this, for example, when operating machinery or driving a car.”

As a hormone, melatonin has a substantial effect on the body's sleep-wake cycle. It is therefore used in prescription medicines to treat certain sleep disorders. “Melatonin as an active ingredient shortens the time it takes to fall asleep and prolongs the duration of sleep,” explains Nagl. However, this does not always work as precisely as users would hope. Among others, interactions with drugs have been observed, for example with certain antibiotics, antidepressants and oestrogen. The amount of melatonin contained in some over-the-counter food supplements is even significantly higher than in prescription drugs.

Overall, taking melatonin interferes with the body's own hormone balance and can disrupt the body's own sleep-wake cycle. People suffering from sleep disorders should therefore seek medical advice first. In particular, children and adolescents, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and people with various pre-existing medical conditions should not use melatonin-containing food supplements in an uncontrolled manner.

Link to the full podcast episode: (only available in German)

https://podcast.bfr.bund.de/4-melatonin-als-nahrungserganzungsmittel-keine-sanfte-einschlafhilfe-004

Quotes and sound bites from the podcast episode may be used freely provided the source is acknowledged.

About "Risko – Der BfR-Podcast":

Daily newspapers, online news and social media posts are constantly warning of new health hazards: Plasticisers in sun creams, microplastics in the body or alleged harmful substances in food. What is actually true about these alleged hazards? How great is the risk for me personally? In our podcast "Risiko", we get to the bottom of such topics. In a relaxed, scientifically sound and easy-to-understand way. "Risiko" is released about once a month. In casual discussions with experts, we talk about real and perceived health risks posed by food, chemicals or consumer products. The podcast is only available in German.

Further information on melatonin on the BfR website

Melatonin-containing food supplements should not be taken uncritically (FAQ)
https://www.bfr.bund.de/de/melatoninhaltige_nahrungsergaenzungsmittel_sollten_nicht_unkritisch_eingenommen_werden-316772.html

BfR opinion 42/2024:
https://www.bfr.bund.de/cm/343/melatoninhaltige-nahrungsergaenzungsmittel-bfr-weist-auf-moegliche-gesundheitsrisiken-hin-2024.pdf

This text version is a translation of the original German text which is the only legally binding version.

About the BfR

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is a scientifically independent institution within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) in Germany. The BfR advises the Federal Government and the States (‘Laender’) on questions of food, chemicals and product safety. The BfR conducts independent research on topics that are closely linked to its assessment tasks.

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