Melatonin has been a part of natural medicine for the treatment of insomnia, jet lag, immune system boosting, cellular protection from the damage of free radicals, cancer prevention, and overall longevity.
The body naturally produces melatonin as a part of its natural cyclical response to daylight and, more recently in history, artificial light. That said, it can also be supplemented in order to encourage the body to mimic its natural effects.
The melatonin used in supplements is sometimes derived from the pineal tissue of animals. It is important to make sure that if you purchase these supplements, you are buying a product from a highly reputable source, or you could risk consuming contaminated materials or could even expose yourself to viral material. There is a synthetic form that allows you to avoid the risk of contamination from animal cells or of virus transmission.
Though it may be considered a natural remedy, it is still important that you speak with your doctor before you start to take melatonin supplements. The reason is that there are many things to consider when taking this substance, including the time of day at which it is taken and the length of time that it is used. Furthermore, it could cause problems with allergies, other medical conditions, prescription drugs that are being taken or that have recently been used, or even other forms of health or nutritional supplements. For this reason, it your doctor may not recommend it to you in some situations.
It is also important to note that melatonin supplements shouldn’t be taken if you are pregnant, if you think that you could become pregnant during or shortly after its use, or if you are breastfeeding. The reason is that the use of these supplements has not yet been studied in terms of the impact on a nursing infant or an unborn baby and therefore, it isn’t yet known whether or not it could be harmful. Similarly, without the specific instruction from a doctor, this should not be given to a child in any dosage.
If you do take melatonin supplements, make sure that you are using it specifically as the package directions indicate, or as instructed by your doctor, health care provider, or pharmacist. It comes in many different forms, including tablets and dissolving strips.
Possible side effects can include nausea, drowsiness and headache. If you experience unwanted side effects, speak with your pharmacist or doctor.
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