How Much Melatonin Can You Take and How To Avoid Melatonin Overdose.

How Much Melatonin Can You Take ?

I work in an online health consultancy. My worst days are those when I find myself having to keep answering the same question.

I don't know what happens but especially during weekends, I get bombarded with this same question "Doc, how much melatonin can you take?"

And I'm like "why can't you just read the dosage description on your package?" ... But then again I have some who even call and sounding very concerned they ask "doc, what are the side effects of melatonin?"

Anyway, to cut the long story short, I have realized quite a number of guys suffer from sleep.

Let me first tell you some hard facts about sleep:

It is an ABSOLUTE essential. You can afford to do without it. And if you dare to, it will eventually catch up with you. Sort of you can run away but you can't hide from sleep!

If you want to live for long, be productive in your work, avoid moods, remain sharp despite the years catching up with you, and just sleep as much as you can.

You will also have your body in a top physical condition. Rested bodies function just like a well-oiled German machine. Effectively and efficiently!

But sleep will sometimes do a disappearing act. You go to bed, twist and turn but in the end- no sleep, no dreams.

The next morning you wake up feeling very moody and ready to beat up everyone.

If this continues for two-three nights, you will need to get a solution. Obviously, seeing a doctor is the best option (don't call me I will tell you to visit a physician!)

But you can also- with caution- try a Melatonin supplement.

All in all, melatonin supplement is excellent for irregular sleeping cycles, insomnia, DSPS (Delayed sleep phase-syndrome), ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity-disorder), chronic fatigue, depression, sleep issues related to bipolar disorder/Alzheimer's disease, amongst other benefits.

Here is a summary of all the conditions that you can use melatonin for...

With that done, I can now answer all your questions about this wonderful sleep aid including "how much melatonin should I take?" and what happens if you take too much melatonin

Follow me;

What Is Melatonin?

This is a hormone that comes from the pineal gland and which acts as a sleep regulator in our bodies.

It controls your sleep-wake time patterns.

Melatonin occurs naturally in your body and it's known to be super sensitive to light and dark patterns.

If you have abnormal sleep patterns or behavior, you can use Melatonin as a sleep reconditioning supplement.

Why Do You Need Melatonin?

As I have said, you can use melatonin to regulate your sleeping clock. Any time you are having problems with uneven sleeping cycles/insomnia, you can try boosting this hormone's level to see if you will rediscover your sleep.

You can also use it for jet lag.

For blind people, use it to create a day and night routine so as to help them establish proper rest/sleep habits.

Melatonin has also other phenomenal features:

It is one of the most powerful antioxidant- aiding your body break down whatever food you digest.

In addition, recent studies have shown that it contains a number of anti-cancer properties- in fact, currently; it is being tested to see whether it can be used to fight breast cancer.

It has also been used to aid sleep in patients who have just stopped smoking and recovering drug-addicts.

Finally, it also contributes to overall better health on top of brightening your moods and pumping up your energy levels.

How Does Melatonin Work?

This is how it works:

When your body senses darkness, it automatically releases more melatonin. This tells the brain to get ready for sleep.

On the other hand, when light comes, melatonin production decreases. This alerts your body to prepare to wake up.

That is why adding melatonin from supplements could help you sleep better.

Types of Melatonin

Synthetic melatonin supplements come in multiple forms.

You are spoilt for choice- like it in liquid? Or as a tablet /capsules? What about in sublingual form? You got them all.

I for one prefer it in liquid form as i loath swallowing tablets. Again it flows quickly into my blood stream so I quickly zoom off to dreamland.

Quick dissolve (sublingual) melatonin tablets are those that are placed in your cheek or under your tongue.

They as well go directly into your blood system so they are also fast reactors.

For tablets, they are a bit slow as they have to be absorbed through your GI tract. On the same note, time release tablets are pills which are released steadily into your blood stream after set time intervals over a set duration (6-8 hours). This can be very effective for continued suppression of Insomnia symptoms

Still, if you take a quick tour of chemists around your neighbourhood, you may find some stocking it in form of gummies, creams, and even soft gels.

It's also good to know that professionally, you can have it as an injection.

Can You Overdose On Melatonin?

As a general rule, you should take between 0.3-5mg of the supplement (adults). Melatonin overdose is when you take over 20mg.

So, yes- you can overdose on melatonin but it's dangerous. Remember this is a hormonal product so any side effects may take a lifetime to disappear.

How Much Melatonin Can You Take

What's the Right Melatonin Dose?

While sometimes I handle this question even 20 times (on a bad day....Ha-ha), I understand it when people keep asking how much melatonin should an adult take...

Anyway, while the above melatonin dosage is the most common, sometimes the results differ just as our bodies are endowed differently.

What I mean is you may find somebody taking more than 20mg and not feel drowsy while his friend goes down with as little as 0.2mg.

So, a safe dose hugely depends on factors such as your body weight, sensitivity to supplements and even your age

This is what you should know:

Take between 0.3 to 10 mg for general sleep problems

If you are an older adult having insomnia, try anything between 0.1-5mg and see how it works.

When suffering from jet lag, I recommend 0.1 to 8mg at least for a few nights

A 3-mg dosage can help in case you have restless leg syndrome or issues to do with periodic limb movement.

Again you won't find any clear melatonin mg doses schedule with the majority of the melatonin supplements available today - so the best way to approach it is just start with a small dose and increase gradually till you get an optimum.

Remember you should take it like 30 minutes before bedtime (if you have problems falling asleep).

If you have delayed sleep phase syndrome, take it several hours before retiring to bed. You can start for example with 2 hours before sleeps then change gradually till you get the best time.

For jet lag, just take it as close as possible to bed time.

In all other case or when unsure, talk to your doctor.

Also, avoid taking it for longer as it may make your brain wholly dependent on this sleeping aid.

So, How Would You Know You Overdosed?

I have already indicated the expected dosage limits for a normal adult. So what happens if you exceed the recommended melatonin dose?

First, you won't like the results then it's absolutely dangerous- almost like playing with fire especially if you decide to overload time and again!

Expect the following melatonin overdose symptoms if indeed you are took too an overdose

• Heavy nausea
• Trembling
• Feeling confused
• Diarrhea
• Drowsiness
• Persistent migraine
• Joint pains
• Your body feeling weak
• Weariness
• Liver problems
• Feeling stressed and moody
• Eye problems
• Seizures
• Stumbling speech
• You start thinking like a psychotic

It's advisable to always ask even from a physician how much melatonin is too much before leaving his clinic/chemist.

I can assure you it will save you from a lot of trouble!

So, what happens if you take too much melatonin?

Obviously, there are guys who forget to ask how much melatonin to take...so they end up with an overdose.

Well, things can go terribly wrong.

Let me start with those who have blood pressure:

You normally take blood pressure-reducing medications like calcium-channel blockers. These may lower your body's automatic production of melatonin.

So you might consider taking the supplement to cover for the low production. Note that this is not advisable.

I recommend that you talk to your consultant about it and follow his advice.

In most of the cases, too much of the supplement usually have opposite results. It makes it harder to get sleep as you have disrupted your body's normal circadian rhythms.

You will also feel groggy and very sleepy throughout the day not forgetting that you will get nightmares or hallucinate at night.

Don't forget that the side effects will now be more pronounced. You will soon start feeling as if the whole world has turned against you.

Remember to seek immediate help anytime you think you are suffering from an overdose. Alert a friend or call 911.

Melatonin Side Effects

While tackling the question of how many milligrams of melatonin should you take, I like highlighting about the potential melatonin side effects.

To a large extent, professionals agree that melatonin won't cause any life-threatening problems. But you are definitely advised to beware of its side effects so that you don't find yourself in the mud.

So, what are the most pronounced Melatonin side effects?

Here they are:

Also, you may expect some less common side issues like:

• Mild tremor/anxiety
• Reduced attention
• Peculiarly low blood pressure

Besides, melatonin supplements may interfere with your other medications. It is known to affect the way the following drugs function:

Due to drowsiness, you should never drive or use machines for a few hours (4-5) after taking it.

Avoid Taking Melatonin If You:

• Are pregnant or trying to get pregnant
• Are diabetic
• Have high blood pressure
• Have bleeding problems
• Are breast-feeding
• Have seizure disorders
• Are a transplant beneficiary

If you are in these groups, talk to your doctor before anything else!

For caffeine, know that it decreases the overall effectiveness of any melatonin supplements so avoid it.

Then, it's not clear how melatonin affects children- though being a hormonal supplement it is bound to interfere with their development during adolescent age- so again, consult first.

Otherwise, some users have reported it being effective for kids with cerebral palsy and autism on top of A.D.H.D (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder)

Best Melatonin Supplement Sleep Aid Reviewed.

Now that I have filled you with the basics, I know you want to know if there are reliable melatonin supplements out there...

True- we have great options and they are available in all forms. Tablets, liquids, sublingual...name them.

Here I briefly highlight the Best Melatonin Supplement Sleep Aid (s)

Nature Made Melatonin Tablets

Do you know that of all the millions of mammals living on Earth today, it is only humans that willingly delays sleeping?

Well, in case you are not intentionally delaying sleep, then your physician may recommend that you take the nature made melatonin tablets.

They are a natural supplement that goes to work on balancing your hormonal system so that you can regain your usual sleep pattern soon after.

Features Pros

• It is a natural supplement hence safe to use with everyone in the family
• Can be used to induce sleep in dogs and your other pets
• Acts almost instantly
• It doesn't make you drowsy or cranky

Cons

It is not designed for people with serious insomnia

Verdict

many melatonin reviews have a favourable opinion of this sleep aid. It is quite an amazing natural supplement and that regulates your hormonal balance to perfection so that in the long run, you can be able to sleep even without it.

Just Potent Pharmaceutical Grade Melatonin.

Have you ever wondered what the phrase "sleep like a child" actually means?

Newborns sleep between 14 to 17 hours every single day. Imagine? And this is when they are on an irregular pattern! Otherwise, when things are okay and everything is gliding on smoothly, they only spend one to three hours awake!

Now, imagine sleeping like that? You would wake up feeling very rested and ready to take on the whole world.

I have some good news:

The Just Potent Melatonin (10mg) has been formulated with the purest ingredients to help tackle all your sleep problems effectively.

It is so pure they have christened it the only "Pharmaceutical Grade" melatonin for insomnia

Features

• Groggy-free morning
• Unadulterated
• 10mg melatonin
• Affordable

Pros Cons

Just like many other melatonin solutions, it is not guaranteed to work with everyone

Verdict

When trying to get back to your sleep, trying a pure melatonin like this "Pharmaceutical Grade" melatonin can help.

The Just Potent Melatonin is one of the most potent sleep aids, effectively formulated to tackle all sleep problems once and for all.

And the best thing is that it's not that expensive.

Zarbee's Naturals Children's Sleep with Melatonin Supplement.

If you have stayed with a baby, you know how you suffer when he decides to throw tantrums and refuse to sleep even though its bed time.

Woe unto you if he decides to stand his ground- he annoys you with his cries next morning you will wake up tired and confused you start hating the day you bore him.

That is the time you take matters into your own hands and look for the best melatonin on the market

The zarbee's children's melatonin supplement is a natural tasty melatonin solution that is purposed to soothe stubborn babies to sleep.

It works well for kids 3+ years.

Features Pros Cons

• Not good for young toddlers
• Some kids may not like its taste

Verdict

Don't let your baby keep you awake.

The zarbee's children's melatonin supplement is made with a sweet tasking natural fruit and is a wholesome solution that helps induce sleep in stubborn, sick or tired children.

Provided you administer the correct dosage, it should soon send them to slumberland.

Puritan's Pride Super Strength Rapid Release Capsules Melatonin 10 mg.

Despite great advancements in science over the last 2 centuries, some things still remain a mystery.

Imagine that even to this day; scientists still do not know whether animals dream in their sleep- as humans do.

Well, if you want to dream big and sweet- and you have tried everything with little success- then you can now go for a super strong melatonin aid like the puritan's pride super strength capsules.

You fall asleep pretty quickly and then you get to sleep for longer.

Features Pros Cons

Some have reported difficulties in swallowing them

Verdict

This is one of the more powerful melatonin sleeping aids. Try it when you are almost losing hope.

Even if you are just suffering from the occasional insomnia relapse, you will sleep so well you think you are dreaming!

Nature's Bounty Super Strength Melatonin, 5mg.

It is generally accepted that people who don't usually get enough sleep have a bigger appetite.

Do you know why?

Their leptin (leptin is the hormone that regulates appetite) levels fall thus promoting a surge in appetite.

Such guys can do with melatonin formula that is boosted with sleep supporting ingredients. The nature's bounty super melatonin falls in this group.

It works in perfect harmony with your brain's sleep cycle to ensure you can rediscover your natural sleep pattern before long.

Features

• In form of gel coated pills
• Natural
• Strengthened
• gluten free

Pros Cons

You may not like their smell

Verdict

Whenever you need more sleep support, this works perfectly. It is designed to work to rediscover you natural sleep cycles before it is too late.

This is another melatonin sleep aid that support you to tranquil sleep and also ensures you always awake refreshed

Melatonin 5mg Time Release.

On average, man spends about a third of his lifetime sleeping - that's a whopping 25 years on average.

In fact, scientists believe that humans could live without food for more days than they would afford to do without sleep.

Then, people who sleep for very few hour(less than 4) or oversleep (exceed 9 or 10 hours) have a bigger risk of dying early.

You can get a good night and sleep easily with this vegetarian melatonin sleep aid. Thanks to its unique time Release formula, this promotes more relaxation at night on top of improve your overall health.

Features Pros Cons

Some users have complained that it's very string and the feel groggy next morning

Verdict

This 100% vegetarian Melatonin is another superb option for you when experiencing chronic insomnia or when your sleep patterns start playing mind games with you.

It provides excellent relief for your sleeplessness and also helps support your rest and relaxation.

Liquid Melatonin

I hate swallowing tablets because of the way I keep feeling as if some form of bitter stone has been forced onto my throat.

In fact, most of the time I have to swallow a snack immediately after taking a tablet otherwise my day will feel very heavy.

If you are like me, you know that feeling.

The good news is that liquid melatonin is there to save the situation. Not only will you find it easier to swallow, it is generally absorbed into the blood stream much faster than tablets so you doze off faster than usual.

Here, I have compiled a list of my favourite liquid melatonin supplements;

NOW Melatonin 3 mg Liquid.

Animals have very interesting sleep patterns...

Consider this:

The sleepiest animal on earth- the Koala- can do around 22 hours of sleep (out of 24) while the animal that rarely sleeps -the giraffe- does only 1.9 hours. That's an absolutely huge difference by any standard.

What about man?

Human (infants) are ranked number 6 in the list of the top 10 sleepiest animals

While you need to sleep for more hours, you may find that it doesn't just come. Especially if you had a long day or you have some jet lag.

Melatonin liquid works as well as any other natural melatonin with an added advantage of being easy to swallow and also absorb.

The melatonin 3 mg liquid has a vegetarian formula that works to regulate your sleep cycle without interfering with the any other body function

Features Pros Cons

It is not guaranteed to work with everyone

Verdict

This is a nice tasting liquid melatonin that works to restore your sleep cycles pretty quickly. The vegetarian formula is enhanced to also offer additional support and relaxation- it's definitely a worthwhile option.

Source Naturals Melatonin Liquid

One of the reasons why you may start losing sleep is that as your body grow older, the amount of melatonin produced by your body decreases.

So, using melatonin supplements may become a necessity as you age gracefully.

The source naturals melatonin liquid is an effective dietary supplement recommended for vegetarians with insomnia and other sleeping issues.

It's unique in that it also detoxes your body and is quite popular with travellers due to its convenient packaging.

Features Pros Con

You can't use it with kids

Verdict

Not only is it effective as melatonin booster, it also detoxes your body so that you wake up feeling fresh and ready to counter daily challenges.

This is another superb liquid melatonin supplement.

Pure Melatonin Liquid 100% Natural Sleep Aid Reduce Anxiety.

Did you know that Snoring is the principal cause of sleep loss for around 90 million American adults?

And that 37 million have to deal with this problem as a matter of routine?

If you have such a problem, you can easily go back to sleep if you take a melatonin aid.

One of the modern melatonin sleep aid is the pure melatonin liquid natural aid. It is full of antioxidants and non-habit forming.

In addition, its sedative properties will help reduce stress in your dogs and let them enjoy a good night's sleep.

Features

• Liquid formula
• 100% Safe
• High in Antioxidants
• Anti- migraines /headaches.
• Alcohol-free!
• Sleep-wake reset
• Created under good manufacturing practices (GMP).

Pros

• Helps even kids with autism and ADHD sleep
• It is safe for the entire family- including babies
• You wake up feeling refreshed and cognitive.
• Helps reduce cravings/anxieties during stressful situations
• It reduces migraines and bad headaches.
• Helps balance sleep cycles safely
• It is non-habit forming.
• You will notice it absorbs faster so your sleep almost immediately
• It is also high in Antioxidants
• Reduce jet lag effects

Cons

The taste may not be pleasant

Verdict

This liquid formula delivers sleep naturally and lets you dream feeling relaxed and safe.

Being natural free, it is safe to use with your young ones and pets. When you add the anti-oxidants and then know its non-habitual forming, you are assured of sweet dreams day in day out.

Sundown Melatonin Liquid Cherry Flavor.

It always pays to keep a regular schedule when talking of time to go to bed and waking up. Preferably, you should sleep and awake at the same time each day, even if it's a weekend.

This helps your body run the normal circadian rhythm.

But, this is easier said than done- life's demands won't allow you. You will sometimes sleep early and others times late.

At such times, you can call upon the Sundown melatonin cherry flavour. This is a great-tasting cherry flavored natural liquid formula that fast acting, and best for you especially if you have challenges swallowing capsules and tablets.

Features

• Vegetarian formula
• Completely natural
• Cherry-taste liquid

Pros Cons Verdict

The Sundown natural's melatonin liquid is a cool sleep aid supplement designed for you when you start experiencing occasional sleeplessness, when you have jet lag, or whenever you feel you need to better your rest.

Remember sundown is one of the best melatonin brands so at least you will be confident that you are dealing with a quality brand.

What To Check Out For When Buying Melatonin Supplement.

Here, we are talking about a supplement capable of interfering with your overall health- especially if you misuse it- so you need to be careful.

Needless to say, any time you get sleep disorders like apnea, insomnia, parasomnias, narcolepsy, RBD (REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder) and others, I recommend that you consult a physician. That is the best way of approaching it.

But if you decide to get self-medication like when you have temporary sleeping issues, you can go for our supplements.

REMEMBER to consult a professional if your sleep disorders persist.

Here is what you may look for when buying:

As you have seen, melatonin supplements come in different forms. You can opt for liquid, creams, sub-lingual, tablets, capsules, creams, and lozenges.

If you have problems with swallowing, liquids will be good. They also act rapidly.

With some of the supplements, you will really struggle to kick the blankets when the A.M comes. This also happens if you overdose.

In other cases, you wake up yes but you will be moody the whole day due to the long lasting effect. It is wise to avoid such supplements unless you want to mess up your other activities.

By the way, I have dug up some 10 great tips on how to fight morning blues. Read them here

Some melatonin supplements are wonderful for extreme insomnia cases. Others are recommended for temporary problems like tiredness and jet lag.

You will find all these in our list above.

Sleep aids which have been added with alcohol and other artificial flavours are considered unsafe to use.

This is because such ingredients could also act to worsen other conditions like hypertension instead of helping you recover your natural sleep patterns.

Remember you may a solution that you can use even with babies and your pet.

You want a product that is breeze to swallow and ingest. Check the taste of your chosen supplement- it should be at least pleasant; also check the packaging so that it opens easily. Something else you can consider is the dropper- again easy for you.

I once used a certain sleep aid, jumped into bed faster and closed my eyes waiting for some mighty sleep to engulf me.

I was pretty surprised to find myself still gazing at the roof 4 hours later!

Aside from morning grogginess, melatonin use may cause some other side effects like mood swings, seizures, nausea, hallucinations, hormonal balance interference, and stomach pain among the others I talked about earlier on.

Try to assess possible side issues before buying

Some supplements may enslave you. This means you have to get a dose daily before bedtime. Not only is this dangerous for your health, it's also not sustainable.

Final Thoughts

Melatonin is quite a powerful hormone and work well for most people- whenever challenged by sleeping disorders and related problems.

However, whenever you decide to use it, tread carefully. Even though you are not likely to get a serious medical problem, you may still get prolonged side effects such as depression.

Again, this supplement isn't controlled by the authorities like the FDA (Food & Drug Administration) in the U.S. meaning you don't get any official dosage guidelines.

So, just try as much as possible to avoid an overdose and be sure to check out the factors I have highlighted above whenever buying.

Well, for me I have used whenever I can't get sleep and it works (But I am always on my guard to avoid long term problems) and I have always talked to our in-house doctor before using it.

So, there you have it- our educational write up on melatonin supplements. Do let me know what you think from the comments section.