{"id":5739,"date":"2023-04-25T17:35:39","date_gmt":"2023-04-25T17:35:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ronniestanglermd.com\/?p=5739"},"modified":"2023-06-20T20:43:09","modified_gmt":"2023-06-20T20:43:09","slug":"22-of-25-melatonin-products-mislabeled-new-study-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ronniestanglermd.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/25\/22-of-25-melatonin-products-mislabeled-new-study-finds\/","title":{"rendered":"Mislabeling Melatonin Supplements"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

n.b.<\/em> Sadly, insufficient regulation of the supplement industry exposes consumers to improperly labeled and potentially harmful products. While this latest study addresses melatonin in gummies, as the article reports, melatonin more generally, a highly popular supplement, has been studied previously, with similarly disturbing findings. Buyer, truly beware!<\/em> rss<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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New research found that melatonin gummies contained different amounts of the commonly used sleep aid than advertised.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A tiny, berry-flavored gummy of melatonin<\/a> carries a big promise: better sleep. But a new research paper,<\/a> published in the medical journal JAMA in 2023, highlights a critical issue: when it comes to melatonin, as with other supplements, what you see on the label isn\u2019t always what you get.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A team of researchers analyzed 25 melatonin gummy products from different brands and found that 22 contained different amounts of melatonin than what was listed on their labels; one contained only 74 percent of the advertised amount of melatonin, while another had 347 percent more. Yet another product contained no detectable melatonin at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Researchers tested gummies from only a single bottle of each product, so it\u2019s possible that the amount of melatonin varied from batch to batch. But the findings point to a staggering discrepancy between the amount of melatonin consumers think they\u2019re ingesting and how much they might actually take, said Dr. Pieter Cohen<\/strong>, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and the lead author of the paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou are at the mercy of the dietary supplement industry,\u201d Dr. Cohen said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Food and Drug Administration does not evaluate dietary supplements for their safety and effectiveness. \u201cProtecting the health and safety of Americans is the F.D.A.\u2019s highest priority, and we will remain vigilant in warning consumers when public health concerns arise related to dietary supplement products,\u201d a representative for the agency said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Previous research has highlighted just how varied the quality of melatonin products can be; a 2017 study<\/a> in Canada found that one melatonin supplement contained more than 400 percent of the amount listed on the label. Dr. Cohen\u2019s study examined only gummies and focused on products sold in the United States. The number of Americans using melatonin supplements more than quintupled between 1999 and 2018, according to the National Institutes of Health<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What happens when you consume too much melatonin?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our brains are wired to naturally produce melatonin after the sun sets. The hormone helps to regulate our circadian rhythms, signaling to our bodies that it\u2019s time to sleep. Melatonin supplements purport to complement, or enhance, that process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Facts Behind 5 Supplements<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Collagen. <\/strong>Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins<\/a> in the body and helps form our skin, bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments. As we age, we naturally start reducing its production. Some studies show that taking collagen supplements can reduce signs of aging, increase bone density and improve joint, back and knee pain. But many of these studies are small and funded by the companies behind such products, increasing the opportunity for bias. Certain products also have flaws that reduce the likelihood of their efficacy: Topical creams, for example, are unlikely to make it into the deeper level of the skin where collagen is produced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Magnesium. <\/strong>Though low levels of magnesium have been associated with various sleep disorders<\/a>, the evidence for the benefits of taking it for better sleep<\/a> in supplemental form<\/a> <\/a>i<\/a>n<\/a> <\/a>a<\/a>l<\/a>l<\/a> <\/a>v<\/a>a<\/a>r<\/a>i<\/a>a<\/a>n<\/a>t<\/a>s<\/a> is thin<\/a>. In fact, most people already have sufficient levels of the mineral, which helps support immune health, blood sugar regulation, and nerve and muscle function. Magnesium is easy to get in foods including nuts, greens, seeds, beans, yogurt and fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vitamin B6. <\/strong>This essential nutrient is involved in a number of chemical reactions that are important for the <\/a>proper functioning of the immune and nervous systems<\/a>. As with the other essential vitamins, the body cannot produce B6 on its own, so you can only get it from foods (such as tuna, salmon, chickpeas, poultry, dark leafy greens, bananas, oranges, cantaloupe and nuts) or supplements. Most healthy adults get more than enough vitamin B6 from their diets alone, so B6 supplements are generally not needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Melatonin. <\/strong>The hormone is released by our brains<\/a> as it starts to get dark outside, making us sleepy. Taking it in supplement form tricks your bod<\/a>y int<\/a>o feeling like it\u2019s nighttime<\/a>. Experts urge people to consult their doctor before taking melatonin, as the supplement does not address underlying health problems, like anxiety and sleep apnea, that may disrupt sleep and require treatment. Lifestyle <\/a>changes<\/a> that experts say help us sleep better<\/a>, from limiting alcohol consumption to exercising regularly, should also be considered first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vitamin D. <\/strong>Our bodies need this vitamin for the gut to absorb calcium, which bones need to grow and stay healthy. But a large study<\/a> <\/a>in the United States<\/a> reported that vitamin D pills taken with or without calcium have no effect on bone fracture rates and a host of other ailments like cancer and cardiovascular disease. Even so, some people, including those with conditions like celiac and those who are deprived of sunshine, however, may find the supplements useful<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An accurately labeled three-milligram gummy contains roughly a thousand times as much melatonin as the amount our brains naturally produce, said Philip Gehrman, an associate psychiatry professor at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. The excess melatonin found in a large dose is likely to just break down in the body and be excreted, he said; it probably won\u2019t help you fall asleep any faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The higher the dose of melatonin, the more likely you are to experience side effects, said Dr. Sabra Abbott, a sleep medicine specialist at the Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine. Large amounts of melatonin<\/a> aren\u2019t likely to be dangerous for most adults, experts say, but some people report feeling groggy or hung-over<\/a> the morning after taking the supplement, or having vivid, unnerving dreams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Melatonin gummies can pose serious risks to children<\/a> if they consume too many. Calls to the American Association of Poison Control Centers related to pediatric melatonin consumption jumped 530 percent from 2012 to 2021, according to recent research<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey are not candy,\u201d Dr. Brian Chen, a sleep specialist at Cleveland Clinic, said. \u201cThey aren\u2019t just to be taken willy-nilly.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you pick a reliable melatonin supplement?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s no guarantee that any given bottle of melatonin gummies will actually contain the amount listed on the label. Still, experts recommended a few precautions for those who decide to take melatonin:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ask the pharmacist.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of ordering melatonin online or wandering through the aisles of a pharmacy and picking a supplement at random, Dr. Gehrman said, ask a pharmacist to suggest a trusted brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make sure it\u2019s certified.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experts say you should opt for a product that has been certified by a third-party organization like the U.S. Pharmacopeia<\/a>, which vets different supplements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pick a low-dose supplement.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opt for one milligram of melatonin or less, Dr. Abbott said. A larger dose isn\u2019t likely to be more effective at helping you sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talk to your doctor.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even with a supplement as seemingly innocuous as melatonin, you should talk with a physician before trying it, experts say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also important to think about why you\u2019re taking melatonin in the first place, Dr. Chen said. Many people who turn to melatonin are taking it incorrectly<\/a> by trying to induce sleep right before bed, looking for a quick fix when an intervention like cognitive behavioral therapy<\/a> might be more beneficial for treating insomnia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt takes work and effort to learn this lost art of sleep,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

excerpted from an article by Dani Blum, “22 Out of 25 Melatonin Products Were Mislabeled, Study Finds<\/a>“, published in the New York Times, 25 April, 2023.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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n.b. Sadly, insufficient regulation of the supplement industry exposes consumers to improperly labeled and potentially harmful products. While this latest study addresses melatonin in gummies, as the article reports, melatonin more generally, a highly popular supplement, has been studied previously, with similarly disturbing findings. Buyer, truly beware! rss New research found that melatonin gummies contained…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5741,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[231],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5739","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-good-reads"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ronniestanglermd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5739","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ronniestanglermd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ronniestanglermd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ronniestanglermd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ronniestanglermd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5739"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.ronniestanglermd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5739\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6716,"href":"https:\/\/www.ronniestanglermd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5739\/revisions\/6716"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ronniestanglermd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5741"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ronniestanglermd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5739"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ronniestanglermd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5739"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ronniestanglermd.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5739"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}