There seems to be a conflict in the Immune System section.
"The body of research is overwhelmingly supportive of the claim that melatonin interacts with the immune system.[19] Melatonin may help fight disease,[20] but its true role in disease treatment is unknown. There have been very few trials designed to judge the effectiveness of melatonin in disease treatment. Most existing data are based on very small, incomplete, clinical trials."
Anyone want to rewrite that for NPOV? -- R'nway [ T C ]
"Because it does not have to be prescribed, and since it is in the public domain, few doctors care to publicize its advantages"
...sounds like someone has an axe to grind
It's North American bias also, melatonin is prescribed as an unlicensed medication to treat sleep disorders in the UK Waydee ( talk) 18:07, 8 October 2008 (UTC)
http://www.cris.com/~nubrain/melatonin.html is 404
I once read that oral intake of Melatonin doesn't work, as Melatonin doesn't go past the blood brain barrier. Isn't that true? Thanks, -- Abdull 02:10, 31 May 2005 (UTC)
Melatonin
Claims, Benefits: Promotes sleep, counters jet lag, improves sex life, slows aging, etc.
Bottom Line: This human hormone may help promote sleep, but the evidence is still not definite. The other claims are unproven. No serious side effects have been reported, but long-term effects are unknown. Hormones are powerful substances and can produce unexpected results, so we don't recommend melatonin.
Full Article, Wellness Letter, May 2000:
Melatonin: Questions, Facts, Mysteries
Look on any website selling supplements or in any health-food catalogue, and you'll find melatonin recommended for insomnia, jet lag, arthritis, stress, alcoholism, migraine, and the signs and symptoms of aging and menopause—along with assertions that it staves off heart disease and cancer. Some people recommend "melatonin replacement therapy" for all postmenopausal women. But now that scientific research is catching up with melatonin mania, you may want to proceed with caution.
Melatonin is a human hormone produced deep in the brain by the pineal gland, dubbed "the seat of the soul" by philosophers in ages past. Discovered about 40 years ago, melatonin has been called the "darkness" hormone. Production rises at night, falls by day, and affects our internal body clock and sleep cycles. Melatonin has been assumed, logically enough, to have some use as a sleeping pill. Here are some questions, facts, and mysteries.
Does melatonin production decline with age?
The answer, until recently, was thought to be yes. But a new study at the Harvard Medical School of healthy people taking no medications or drugs found no differences in melatonin levels between the young and old. In earlier studies medications such as aspirin taken by older people may have suppressed melatonin levels. Melatonin levels may vary naturally in different groups; age does not seem to be the factor. Different people have different levels, and levels vary according to time of day.
(Although the Harvard Medical School trial may have been accurate, in that melatonin doesn't change with age. That the medications older adults take decrease melatonin, and therfore effected the older studies. It should be noted that most people over a certain age in developed countries take those medications, and therefore have reduced melatonin as they get older, so the study was accurate for industrilized society on an average.) 68.210.132.212 02:45, 25 April 2006 (UTC)
Bottom line: If your body already produces enough melatonin, taking additional doses may not be advisable. No one knows what the long-term effect might be. And it's difficult to determine what "enough" is.
Is melatonin an effective sleeping pill?
Most scientists agree that melatonin helps people fall asleep faster, but it may not help them stay asleep. Like benzodiazepines (such as Valium or Halcion), often prescribed as sleeping pills, melatonin can produce a "hangover" and drowsiness the next day. Long-term safety is still a question. It's true, as one researcher puts it, that "no catastrophes have been related to its use" (such as the outbreak of severe illness caused by a similar "natural" substance, tryptophan, once sold as a sleeping pill). Melatonin is being heavily marketed as a sleeping pill, particularly for older people, but nobody knows if the dosages listed on labels are accurate or if the products are pure. Good clinical trials have never been done on melatonin treatment for insomnia.
Bottom line: If you need a sleeping pill, talk to your doctor. No known sleeping pill has proven safe and effective for more than short-term use.
Does melatonin alleviate jet lag?
Thousands take it for this purpose, but the benefits have never been clear. Various dosages of melatonin have been used in studies, making comparisons difficult. "Jet lag" itself is hard to measure. As reported recently in the American Journal of Psychiatry, a team of researchers devised a scale for measuring symptoms, and a group of Norwegian physicians flying between Oslo and New York were recruited as subjects. Melatonin showed no benefit against jet lag. If you're flying east, exposing yourself to sunlight the next morning is a pretty good treatment—most purveyors of melatonin suggest this, in addition to the pills. It's possible, though, that light is more effective than melatonin. You might be just as well off without the pills. Or maybe light works with the pills. Nobody knows.
Bottom line: The jury is still out on melatonin and jet lag.
Is melatonin replacement therapy justifiable for all postmenopausal women?
No. Some researchers think low melatonin levels cause menopausal symptoms, but they may be wrong. HRT (hormone replacement therapy) has been studied much more extensively than melatonin, but no one recommends it for all postmenopausal women.
Bottom line: Hormones are powerful substances that, even in small doses, can produce unexpected and unwanted results.
Is melatonin an antioxidant, and thus a protector against aging and chronic diseases?
A recent review of studies by researchers at Louisiana State University confirms that it is indeed a powerful antioxidant. But nobody knows what this means. Until we learn more, "the full potential benefits of melatonin must remain something of a mystery," these researchers concluded.
Last words: If you are taking, or thinking of taking, melatonin, talk to a physician—and one who's not selling melatonin. Having your levels measured won't tell you anything, since levels vary from person to person and from hour to hour. Chronic use of melatonin supplements may suppress the body's own production of the hormone. Nobody knows what might happen if you have high natural levels and take a supplement on top of that. Melatonin can interact with other hormones, which is why, in part, pregnant women and children should never take it. Such drugs as aspirin, beta blockers, and tranquilizers can affect melatonin levels. Finally, nobody knows what dosages to take. Products are not standardized. Thus, you really don't know what you're swallowing.
Actually in most Commonwealth countries Melatonin must be prescribed by a doctor. Article should be edited to reflect a global viewpoint.
Melatonin is OTC in Estonia too. One can choose between 2mg (30 pills for 5 euros) and 3mg (60 pills for 12 euros) pills. Kristjan.
I live in Australia and I work in two health food stores and I can pick it off of the shelves and sell it to someone, Its not agaisnt the law in Aus to buy it without a Doc's note
-Wolviechickie 2/2/08 —Preceding
unsigned comment added by
202.81.69.153 (
talk) 22:46, 1 February 2008 (UTC)
It would be interesting to know which state of Australia the above poster lives in. I'm from New Zealand and melatonin is prescription-only here. When I visited the state of Victoria (Australia) in January 2008 I was told by a health-food store that melatonin is also prescription-only there - in Victoria at any rate. I know what you may find on the shelves in New Zealand and Victoria is "homeopathic" melatonin rather than the "real" stuff.(
203.109.212.84 (
talk) 11:41, 21 February 2008 (UTC)) Citizen Kiwi, 22 February 2008
I work in Pharmacy at a hospital here in the UK, Melatonin is "unlicensed" so is legal to possess without a prescription but cannot be sold/given away OTC without one. I believe it is the unlicensed status that allows for its sale online, or perhaps it is sent from an EU country that allows its OTC sale - I am unsure. It's unlicensed status does not restrict us in any way from supplying or obtaining it and many doctors prescribe it. There is a single extended release formulation that is officially licensed but doesn't seem to be very popular, we do not stock it. Waydee ( talk) 18:11, 8 October 2008 (UTC)
Nobody's mentioned Asia, so I'll make a small piece of input here on the situation in South Korea. (I'm a Westerner who's currently living there.) My local doctor claimed it's not available in Korea at all, for whatever reason. It wasn't listed on his pharmaceutical database, and in fact he appeared completely unfamiliar with it.
Muzilon (
talk) 08:52, 13 October 2008 (UTC)
"Melatonin taken in combination with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) can lead to overdose because MAOIs inhibit the breakdown of melatonin by the body." Overdose of what? Too much sleepy-sleepy, or too much MAOI? Melatonin products bear consult physician counter-indications for those taking MAOIs, without explanation. -SM 13:48, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
Melatonin is not a key ingredient in the production of serotonin and melatonin is not contraindicated by SSRIs.
A reference has recently been added to an article "Harms from a pseudo-cure-all" by the late Dr. Victor Herbert. The sensational statements in his article set off alarm bells, and a search immediately uncovered material like this response by the author of a article relating to a study on Vitamin C from which Dr. Herbert was stated to have made to be a large number of false inferences. This alone makes me feel very uncomfortable relying on Dr. Herbert as a secondary source. It seems essential that Dr. Herbert's statements be replaced by ones referring to primary or balanced sources.
I am not sure how much can be inferred for humans from the effects of injecting large doses of melatonin into minah birds. As I understand it, the many studies relating to mammals whose genetic makeup is much closer to that of humans are generally considered to carry more weight as evidence for what might happen in humans. Also the current last sentence does not make sense: it is unquestionable that melatonin has several biochemical roles. Elroch 23:35, 17 February 2006 (UTC)
There seems little doubt that melatonin has an influence on different components of the endocrine system, but the literature provides viewpoints that are difficult to reconcile, and difficult to summarise in a short article. The edit replacing one long-standing unsourced statement that melatonin was the "master hormone" with another that it was not was an interesting anonymous viewpoint, but more information on the facts are needed, since melatonin is known to influence HGH, FSH, LH, the thymus gland etc. Elroch 01:30, 5 May 2006 (UTC)
This article reads like literature on melatonin I have been given by drugs companies. It biased and therefor unreliable as an objective description of the substance. It could do with being reverted to an earlier version, with less biased and extraneous information. (added by 84.64.155.79 on 7 August 2006
I was a little surprised the word 'dream' didn't show up in the article. Everyone I know that's tried Melatonin (myself included) loved it at first, but if you take it every night, you'll soon start having extremely intense and bizarre dreams, often nightmares. Everyone I know that tried Melatonin stopped taking it for this reason. Perhaps it's OK in moderation and in smaller doses (like half a pill perhaps).
I read that the average 20 year old produces 75 micrograms of melatonin per day. Because I am 50 and don't sleep well, I try to take only 100 micrograms -- or possibly 200 if I really want to sleep a long time. I don't get nightmares with this amount. I can't imagine why anyone would be taking 1 or 3 miligrams, which is the amount in many popular supplements. This is way, way too much. Obviously, that's going to cause nightmares. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.190.204.90 ( talk) 21:33, 31 December 2007 (UTC)
This page is for discussing the article, not personal experiences. (Nothing personal Arienh4! I've used melatonin daily for 5+ years, and it has little or no effect on my dreaming.) I'm archiving and am putting this section in the archive, even though the last comment is dated yesterday. - Hordaland ( talk) 14:58, 17 January 2010 (UTC)
I have a couple of CJD references that could be added:
I have not found any documented cases of this actually happening. Fri666 00:33, 3 April 2007 (UTC)
is it OTC in australia? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 202.161.6.175 ( talk) 08:42, 15 May 2007 (UTC).
I believe the three dimensional structural image on this page is innacurate. The 2 and 3 carbons are double bonded and thus should be sp2 hybridized. They are shown here as being sp3 hybridized, having extra hydrogen atoms. I'm confident in this and feel it should be corrected. Ccroberts 03:07, 23 May 2007 (UTC)
"Redox cycling may allow other antioxidants (such as vitamin C) to act as pro-oxidants, counterintuitively promoting free radical formation."
Vitamin C first acts as an anti-oxidant before acting as a pro-oxidant.
I suggest that ", counterintuitively promoting free radical formation" be deleted.
Michael H 34 01:05, 22 June 2007 (UTC) Michael H 34
Here's my suggested edit:
The oxidized form of other anti-oxidants (such as vitamin C) may act as pro-oxidants through redox cycling. For example, although free radicals are reduced when vitamin C is oxidized, free radicals may be formed again when the oxidized form of vitamin C is reduced through redox recycling.
(If there exists a mechanism for redox recycling of vitamin C by enzymes, this should be mentioned.)
Michael H 34 21:23, 22 June 2007 (UTC) Michael H 34
Melatonin, being two endogenous hallucinogenic indoles like N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), is likely to be research priorities in this reemerging field of psychiatry.
What's that meant to mean? — 63.249.110.32 06:47, 23 August 2007 (UTC)
would this bind to the melatonin receptor, and would it be long lasting? —Preceding unsigned comment added by The Right Honourable ( talk • contribs) 04:47, August 26, 2007 (UTC)
I currently made an edit, warning people about using melatonin too freely, and how it can cause hormonal fluctuations, i forgot to mention my source which was directly from melatonin.com.
Blc341 06:13, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
I've removed this section to the talk as it has some serious problems that are best discussed before such information is included in the article. Let me be clear that I'm no apologist for the drug/supplement industry. Here's the removed text:
{{
cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link){{
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link){{
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link)Looking at each in turn: The asthma paragraph cites a primary source. Wikipedia prefers secondary sources, for good reason. One needs an independent author to assess the clinical relevance of such findings, place the study in context (has it generated criticism), compare it to other studies, etc. This study measured the levels of chemicals in the blood of 23 subjects. This isn't a large-scale study and so one should not extrapolate the result to the population at large. It did not find that melatonin "worsen the symptoms" as the symptoms were not measured - only chemicals in the blood that are associated with an inflammatory response. The study concludes with:
The authors accept that "formal evaluation" is required before we can be sure of any clinical relevance. In other words, this study may have no "clinical relevance". If that is the only research to-date, then it is too early for an encyclopaedia (or indeed, a medical textbook) to claim melatonin may make asthma worse. The final sentence contains the study-author's tentative personal advice. Such a suggestion is written for the benefit of medically trained people who can weigh it against other factors and decide if they agree. This is why WP needs a secondary source. If, for example, some significant medical body (e.g. a national Asthma charity's medical board) now advises people with asthma to avoid melatonin supplements, then we can cite them.
The arthritis paragraph cites a study in "DBA/1 mice", a strain bred to be susceptible to collagen-induced arthritis and to low-grade spontaneous inflammatory arthritis. The study's aim was to investigate the role of pineal gland and its (natural) hormone melatonin. The mice were subjected to altered daylight/darkness as well as being injected with the hormone. I'm unable to read beyond the abstract, but can't imagine the article contains anything that might suggest an "association between melatonin and increased severity of arthritis in certain individuals". This is low-level basic research. Extrapolating the effects of a natural hormone on mutant mice kept in very artificial conditions to effects in normal humans, is not allowed.
The testis paragraph cites a study in golden hamsters. It is unclear from the abstract if testes size is reduced (only "influenced"). Another study ( PMID 1179207) indicates that small amounts of melatonin "prevented testicular regression" (during v. short days) but atrophy occurred with large amounts. Both studies are interested in the effects of melatonin during daylight-altered conditions. I'm guessing this is all to do with animals turning randy during appropriate breeding seasons. Not something that is relevant to humans.
All these studies show the danger of reading basic research and reporting on it in an encyclopaedia. I don't belive any of these studies have clinical relevance and as such don't merit inclusion. I'm sure that melatonin supplementation can have adverse effects. It may be a natural hormone but, so is insulin and that can kill people! We need to base any "Adverse effects" section on reliable secondary sources. Colin° Talk 08:52, 28 September 2007 (UTC)
(Moving out to the margin again - just because.) In my not-so-humble opinion a hormone should never have been released (by whom? by FDA? I've seen somewhere that it was released) as a dietary supplement. Myself, I'm diagnosed with delayed sleep phase syndrome which is one of a couple of conditions for which exogenous melatonin really is indicated. Started out 4 years ago at 3 mg, down to 1 mg, now 1/4 mg -- and they all work and work just as well. The timing is much, much more important than the dosage. My point? Just that the FDA should take responsibility! Hordaland 13:56, 2 November 2007 (UTC)
This articles needs to be extensively rewritten to be based on review articles. Doc James ( talk · contribs · email) 14:23, 19 March 2011 (UTC)
It is essential that this entire page be rewritten. It is possible that many people will decide to use the drug because it is OTC and because this website shows some support for the benefits of melatonin-when we do not really know what its effects can be. At least some disclaimer needs to be made over the safety of melatonin and that its use without physician discussion should be limited. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 173.80.245.161 ( talk) 07:18, 29 May 2013 (UTC)
DELETE flag. I propose the flag now be deleted. The article does not "rely" on primary sources. The arguments rehearsed above seem at best to be tangential to the issue. LookingGlass ( talk) 10:59, 28 November 2013 (UTC)
The link about not taking melatonin when trying to concieve is outdated. http://sleepdisorders.about.com/cs/melatonin/a/melatonin_4.htm PizzaMan ( talk) 18:02, 23 February 2012 (UTC)
Update: im deleting the remark as i found the reference, but its far from peer-reviewed. http://altmedicine.about.com/od/melatonin/a/melatonin_2.htm And as melatonin is a normal hormone everyone makes, id like to see a more convincing reference that its dangerous when conceiving. PizzaMan ( talk) 18:11, 23 February 2012 (UTC)
The article makes extensive use of primary studies to support claims. This violates the consensus in WP:MEDRS which requires recent, quality, secondary sources. A quick look on Google Scholar and PubMed for "melatonin review" seems to turn up plenty of possibilities, so I see no reason to use outdated primaries. It may be that this article needs re-writing from scratch if the recent secondaries don't match up with the current content. -- RexxS ( talk) 00:10, 3 March 2012 (UTC)
Sale of melatonin over the counter with other supplements probably predates the mid-1990s. The citation (7) supporting that statement makes no mention of over the counter availability. CopyCustodian ( talk) 00:54, 12 July 2012 (UTC)
It is proper that an article on such a substance should brief us on how it gets formed in the body and what cofactors are used, under an appropriate heading. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 78.144.153.166 ( talk) 21:52, 14 December 2012 (UTC)
The article says "Unwanted effects in some people especially at high doses (~3 mg/day or more)" and then proceeds to list some side effects and gives a reference. If you follow the reference it doesn't say that at all. It does give possible side effects, but no dosage specific to those side effects. In fact it explains that: "circadian rhythm sleep disorders are often treated with 0.5 milligrams of melatonin a day, while doses of 3 to 5 milligrams a day might be used to treat jet lag or reduce the time it takes to fall asleep." I don't see how a recommended dosage could be correlated specifically with the side effects given and also called a "high dose." Now, I think it's entirely possible that 5mg is on the high end of what a person should take, seeing as most pills and liquids appear to top out at 3-5mg. The given reference is pretty weak in support of that though. 184.167.224.119 ( talk) 01:10, 20 January 2013 (UTC)
I just did a search on this, and am presenting the results here in case anyone finds some of them useful for improving the article:
"CONCLUSION: In these doses and clinical conditions, melatonin did not contribute to sedation of children."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16782974?dopt=Abstract (2006)
"Melatonin [has] value in treating various circadian rhythm sleep disorders, such as jet lag or shift-work sleep disorder [and has] been found to be useful for treating insomnia symptoms in elderly and depressive patients."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16817850?dopt=Abstract (2006)
"Exogenous melatonin administration possesses circadian-phase-dependent hypnotic properties, allowing for improved consolidation of sleep..."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16774150?dopt=Abstract (2006)
"A new study by MIT scientists and colleagues confirms that melatonin is an effective sleep aid for older insomniacs and others. Misuse of the hormone had led some to question its efficacy [...] only a small dose of melatonin (about 0.3 milligrams) is necessary for a restful effect. Taken in that quantity, it not only helps people fall asleep, but also makes it easier for them to return to sleep after waking up during the night--a problem for many older adults. The researchers also found, however, that commercially available melatonin pills contain 10 times the effective amount. And at that dose, 'after a few days it stops working,' said Wurtman, director of MIT's Clinical Research Center and the Cecil H. Green Distinguished Professor. When the melatonin receptors in the brain are exposed to too much of the hormone, they become unresponsive. As a result of these inadvertent overdoses, 'many people don't think melatonin works at all,' said Wurtman, who is also affiliated with the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. This belief, coupled with potentially serious side effects related to high doses such as hypothermia, has earned the hormone a bad reputation in some quarters--'and something that could be very useful to a lot of people isn't,'"
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2005/melatonin.html
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2005/techtalk49-20.pdf
"In one large well-designed study, melatonin supplements did not relieve symptoms of jet lag, and only a few small studies suggest that these supplements can treat insomnia. [...] Adverse effects: Hangover drowsiness, headache, and transient depression may occur. Melatonin may worsen depression. Theoretically, prion infection caused by products derived from neurologic tissues of animals is a risk."
http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/special_subjects/dietary_supplements/melatonin.html?qt=melatonin&sc=&alt=sh (Last full review/revision May 2009 - Content last modified August 2013)
"Authors' conclusions: Melatonin is remarkably effective in preventing or reducing jet lag, and occasional short-term use appears to be safe. It should be recommended to adult travellers flying across five or more time zones, particularly in an easterly direction, and especially if they have experienced jet lag on previous journeys. Travellers crossing 2-4 time zones can also use it if need be." http://summaries.cochrane.org/CD001520/melatonin-for-the-prevention-and-treatment-of-jet-lag (2009)
"Melatonin decreased sleep onset latency in normal sleepers [by] 3.9 minutes. [...] The magnitude of this effect appears to be clinically insignificant. There was evidence of possible publication bias in the selection of studies that were analyzed [...] Evidence suggests that melatonin is not effective in treating most primary sleep disorders with short-term use, although there is some evidence to suggest that melatonin is effective in treating delayed sleep phase syndrome with short-term use. Evidence suggests that melatonin is not effective in treating most secondary sleep disorders with short-term use. No evidence suggests that melatonin is effective in alleviating the sleep disturbance aspect of jet lag and shiftwork disorder. Evidence suggests that melatonin is safe with short-term use."
http://archive.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcsums/melatsum.htm (2004. Also available as PDF, approx. 150 pages,
http://archive.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/melatonin/melatonin.pdf )
"The problem with melatonin is absorption. Pills get destroyed in your gut and you never get the full effect. The best way to take melatonin is in spray form. And watch the dose. Many folks take too much, killing its effectiveness. Make sure you only take 500 mcg to 1 mg of melatonin."
http://www.alsearsmd.com/2009/06/26/natural-sleep-aids/
"Although more research is still needed, studies suggest that melatonin can help elderly people with insomnia fall asleep faster, and may also be beneficial for other people with insomnia; however, effects are generally small, with larger effects observed in patients whose sleep problems are caused by a circadian rhythm abnormality (disruption of the body's internal "clock"). Studies indicate that melatonin also appears to be safe at recommended doses for short-term use."
http://nccih.nih.gov/health/sleep/ataglance.htm (Date Created: July 2009. Last Updated: April 2014.)
"Evidence suggests that melatonin is not effective in treating most primary sleep disorders with short-term use, although there is some evidence to suggest that melatonin is effective in treating delayed sleep phase syndrome with short-term use. Evidence suggests that melatonin is not effective in treating most secondary sleep disorders with short-term use. No evidence suggests that melatonin is effective in alleviating the sleep disturbance aspect of jet lag and shift-work disorder. Evidence suggests that melatonin is safe with short-term use."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK37431/ (2004)
"The effectiveness ratings for MELATONIN are as follows: [too long to quote here]"
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/940.html (Last reviewed - 10/22/2014.)
"National Institutes of Health panel seeks to curb use. [...] A group of sleep research experts is warning against the growing use of the hormone melatonin as a sleep promoter..."
http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/43052903?q&versionId=55935433 (1996)
http://www.newsrx.com/newsletters/Cancer-Weekly/1996-08-26/0826961127695141CW.html
--
Guy Macon (
talk) 05:27, 28 April 2013 (UTC)
I addressed 3 things: misleading statements about regulatory status in the introduction, and inflated claims made (or implied) around this dietary supplement as an antioxidant and in respect of cancer. It is not just that large sections of this article are a biased selection of primary sources claiming benefit: they're often animal studies or pure conjecture, not even necessarily primary studies. A lot of this could really just be pruned, and the article would be immeasurably better as a source of information for it. Hildabast ( talk) 01:32, 6 June 2013 (UTC)
This ref was removed and replaced by one which looks similar, also 1993. But the replacement doesn't have a 'ref name'. I'm confused about whether the original one should still be there. Therefore I'm parking it here just in case. [1]
{{
cite journal}}
: Unknown parameter |month=
ignored (
help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link)
Hhrdlick ( talk) 02:41, 5 March 2014 (UTC)
Article quote
|
---|
It has been suggested that nonpolar ( lipid-soluble) indolic hallucinogenic drugs emulate melatonin activity in the awakened state and that both act on the same areas of the brain. [1] dubious |
Is there anything to this? I haven't heard of any melatonergic effect of psychedelics, and I don't think there is one. It just seems like an oversimplification by an author that assumed that psychedelic hallucinations are just waking dreams. Any objections before I remove it? Exercisephys ( talk) 15:09, 5 May 2014 (UTC)
References
Why is there a hydrogen bonded to the oxygen atom in the acetyl group of the 3D structure? The oxygen is double-bonded to the carbon, so it shouldn't be able to bond to another hydrogen. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.121.252.60 ( talk) 06:44, 7 July 2014 (UTC)
Grotesque. The article indicates as if humans are the sole owner. In fact melatonin system is basically similar in all vertebrates, slightly different in invertebrates, more so in plants and microorganisms—take that for evolution. Undue info also in given for the medical applications, while the actual biology is incomplete at best. I'll fix some. Chhandama ( talk) 03:33, 2 November 2014 (UTC)
No one would have seen this comment up there in between comments from 2013:
There seems to be a conflict in the Immune System section.
"The body of research is overwhelmingly supportive of the claim that melatonin interacts with the immune system.[19] Melatonin may help fight disease,[20] but its true role in disease treatment is unknown. There have been very few trials designed to judge the effectiveness of melatonin in disease treatment. Most existing data are based on very small, incomplete, clinical trials."
Anyone want to rewrite that for NPOV? -- R'nway [ T C ]
"Because it does not have to be prescribed, and since it is in the public domain, few doctors care to publicize its advantages"
...sounds like someone has an axe to grind
It's North American bias also, melatonin is prescribed as an unlicensed medication to treat sleep disorders in the UK Waydee ( talk) 18:07, 8 October 2008 (UTC)
http://www.cris.com/~nubrain/melatonin.html is 404
I once read that oral intake of Melatonin doesn't work, as Melatonin doesn't go past the blood brain barrier. Isn't that true? Thanks, -- Abdull 02:10, 31 May 2005 (UTC)
Melatonin
Claims, Benefits: Promotes sleep, counters jet lag, improves sex life, slows aging, etc.
Bottom Line: This human hormone may help promote sleep, but the evidence is still not definite. The other claims are unproven. No serious side effects have been reported, but long-term effects are unknown. Hormones are powerful substances and can produce unexpected results, so we don't recommend melatonin.
Full Article, Wellness Letter, May 2000:
Melatonin: Questions, Facts, Mysteries
Look on any website selling supplements or in any health-food catalogue, and you'll find melatonin recommended for insomnia, jet lag, arthritis, stress, alcoholism, migraine, and the signs and symptoms of aging and menopause—along with assertions that it staves off heart disease and cancer. Some people recommend "melatonin replacement therapy" for all postmenopausal women. But now that scientific research is catching up with melatonin mania, you may want to proceed with caution.
Melatonin is a human hormone produced deep in the brain by the pineal gland, dubbed "the seat of the soul" by philosophers in ages past. Discovered about 40 years ago, melatonin has been called the "darkness" hormone. Production rises at night, falls by day, and affects our internal body clock and sleep cycles. Melatonin has been assumed, logically enough, to have some use as a sleeping pill. Here are some questions, facts, and mysteries.
Does melatonin production decline with age?
The answer, until recently, was thought to be yes. But a new study at the Harvard Medical School of healthy people taking no medications or drugs found no differences in melatonin levels between the young and old. In earlier studies medications such as aspirin taken by older people may have suppressed melatonin levels. Melatonin levels may vary naturally in different groups; age does not seem to be the factor. Different people have different levels, and levels vary according to time of day.
(Although the Harvard Medical School trial may have been accurate, in that melatonin doesn't change with age. That the medications older adults take decrease melatonin, and therfore effected the older studies. It should be noted that most people over a certain age in developed countries take those medications, and therefore have reduced melatonin as they get older, so the study was accurate for industrilized society on an average.) 68.210.132.212 02:45, 25 April 2006 (UTC)
Bottom line: If your body already produces enough melatonin, taking additional doses may not be advisable. No one knows what the long-term effect might be. And it's difficult to determine what "enough" is.
Is melatonin an effective sleeping pill?
Most scientists agree that melatonin helps people fall asleep faster, but it may not help them stay asleep. Like benzodiazepines (such as Valium or Halcion), often prescribed as sleeping pills, melatonin can produce a "hangover" and drowsiness the next day. Long-term safety is still a question. It's true, as one researcher puts it, that "no catastrophes have been related to its use" (such as the outbreak of severe illness caused by a similar "natural" substance, tryptophan, once sold as a sleeping pill). Melatonin is being heavily marketed as a sleeping pill, particularly for older people, but nobody knows if the dosages listed on labels are accurate or if the products are pure. Good clinical trials have never been done on melatonin treatment for insomnia.
Bottom line: If you need a sleeping pill, talk to your doctor. No known sleeping pill has proven safe and effective for more than short-term use.
Does melatonin alleviate jet lag?
Thousands take it for this purpose, but the benefits have never been clear. Various dosages of melatonin have been used in studies, making comparisons difficult. "Jet lag" itself is hard to measure. As reported recently in the American Journal of Psychiatry, a team of researchers devised a scale for measuring symptoms, and a group of Norwegian physicians flying between Oslo and New York were recruited as subjects. Melatonin showed no benefit against jet lag. If you're flying east, exposing yourself to sunlight the next morning is a pretty good treatment—most purveyors of melatonin suggest this, in addition to the pills. It's possible, though, that light is more effective than melatonin. You might be just as well off without the pills. Or maybe light works with the pills. Nobody knows.
Bottom line: The jury is still out on melatonin and jet lag.
Is melatonin replacement therapy justifiable for all postmenopausal women?
No. Some researchers think low melatonin levels cause menopausal symptoms, but they may be wrong. HRT (hormone replacement therapy) has been studied much more extensively than melatonin, but no one recommends it for all postmenopausal women.
Bottom line: Hormones are powerful substances that, even in small doses, can produce unexpected and unwanted results.
Is melatonin an antioxidant, and thus a protector against aging and chronic diseases?
A recent review of studies by researchers at Louisiana State University confirms that it is indeed a powerful antioxidant. But nobody knows what this means. Until we learn more, "the full potential benefits of melatonin must remain something of a mystery," these researchers concluded.
Last words: If you are taking, or thinking of taking, melatonin, talk to a physician—and one who's not selling melatonin. Having your levels measured won't tell you anything, since levels vary from person to person and from hour to hour. Chronic use of melatonin supplements may suppress the body's own production of the hormone. Nobody knows what might happen if you have high natural levels and take a supplement on top of that. Melatonin can interact with other hormones, which is why, in part, pregnant women and children should never take it. Such drugs as aspirin, beta blockers, and tranquilizers can affect melatonin levels. Finally, nobody knows what dosages to take. Products are not standardized. Thus, you really don't know what you're swallowing.
Actually in most Commonwealth countries Melatonin must be prescribed by a doctor. Article should be edited to reflect a global viewpoint.
Melatonin is OTC in Estonia too. One can choose between 2mg (30 pills for 5 euros) and 3mg (60 pills for 12 euros) pills. Kristjan.
I live in Australia and I work in two health food stores and I can pick it off of the shelves and sell it to someone, Its not agaisnt the law in Aus to buy it without a Doc's note
-Wolviechickie 2/2/08 —Preceding
unsigned comment added by
202.81.69.153 (
talk) 22:46, 1 February 2008 (UTC)
It would be interesting to know which state of Australia the above poster lives in. I'm from New Zealand and melatonin is prescription-only here. When I visited the state of Victoria (Australia) in January 2008 I was told by a health-food store that melatonin is also prescription-only there - in Victoria at any rate. I know what you may find on the shelves in New Zealand and Victoria is "homeopathic" melatonin rather than the "real" stuff.(
203.109.212.84 (
talk) 11:41, 21 February 2008 (UTC)) Citizen Kiwi, 22 February 2008
I work in Pharmacy at a hospital here in the UK, Melatonin is "unlicensed" so is legal to possess without a prescription but cannot be sold/given away OTC without one. I believe it is the unlicensed status that allows for its sale online, or perhaps it is sent from an EU country that allows its OTC sale - I am unsure. It's unlicensed status does not restrict us in any way from supplying or obtaining it and many doctors prescribe it. There is a single extended release formulation that is officially licensed but doesn't seem to be very popular, we do not stock it. Waydee ( talk) 18:11, 8 October 2008 (UTC)
Nobody's mentioned Asia, so I'll make a small piece of input here on the situation in South Korea. (I'm a Westerner who's currently living there.) My local doctor claimed it's not available in Korea at all, for whatever reason. It wasn't listed on his pharmaceutical database, and in fact he appeared completely unfamiliar with it.
Muzilon (
talk) 08:52, 13 October 2008 (UTC)
"Melatonin taken in combination with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) can lead to overdose because MAOIs inhibit the breakdown of melatonin by the body." Overdose of what? Too much sleepy-sleepy, or too much MAOI? Melatonin products bear consult physician counter-indications for those taking MAOIs, without explanation. -SM 13:48, 7 December 2005 (UTC)
Melatonin is not a key ingredient in the production of serotonin and melatonin is not contraindicated by SSRIs.
A reference has recently been added to an article "Harms from a pseudo-cure-all" by the late Dr. Victor Herbert. The sensational statements in his article set off alarm bells, and a search immediately uncovered material like this response by the author of a article relating to a study on Vitamin C from which Dr. Herbert was stated to have made to be a large number of false inferences. This alone makes me feel very uncomfortable relying on Dr. Herbert as a secondary source. It seems essential that Dr. Herbert's statements be replaced by ones referring to primary or balanced sources.
I am not sure how much can be inferred for humans from the effects of injecting large doses of melatonin into minah birds. As I understand it, the many studies relating to mammals whose genetic makeup is much closer to that of humans are generally considered to carry more weight as evidence for what might happen in humans. Also the current last sentence does not make sense: it is unquestionable that melatonin has several biochemical roles. Elroch 23:35, 17 February 2006 (UTC)
There seems little doubt that melatonin has an influence on different components of the endocrine system, but the literature provides viewpoints that are difficult to reconcile, and difficult to summarise in a short article. The edit replacing one long-standing unsourced statement that melatonin was the "master hormone" with another that it was not was an interesting anonymous viewpoint, but more information on the facts are needed, since melatonin is known to influence HGH, FSH, LH, the thymus gland etc. Elroch 01:30, 5 May 2006 (UTC)
This article reads like literature on melatonin I have been given by drugs companies. It biased and therefor unreliable as an objective description of the substance. It could do with being reverted to an earlier version, with less biased and extraneous information. (added by 84.64.155.79 on 7 August 2006
I was a little surprised the word 'dream' didn't show up in the article. Everyone I know that's tried Melatonin (myself included) loved it at first, but if you take it every night, you'll soon start having extremely intense and bizarre dreams, often nightmares. Everyone I know that tried Melatonin stopped taking it for this reason. Perhaps it's OK in moderation and in smaller doses (like half a pill perhaps).
I read that the average 20 year old produces 75 micrograms of melatonin per day. Because I am 50 and don't sleep well, I try to take only 100 micrograms -- or possibly 200 if I really want to sleep a long time. I don't get nightmares with this amount. I can't imagine why anyone would be taking 1 or 3 miligrams, which is the amount in many popular supplements. This is way, way too much. Obviously, that's going to cause nightmares. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.190.204.90 ( talk) 21:33, 31 December 2007 (UTC)
This page is for discussing the article, not personal experiences. (Nothing personal Arienh4! I've used melatonin daily for 5+ years, and it has little or no effect on my dreaming.) I'm archiving and am putting this section in the archive, even though the last comment is dated yesterday. - Hordaland ( talk) 14:58, 17 January 2010 (UTC)
I have a couple of CJD references that could be added:
I have not found any documented cases of this actually happening. Fri666 00:33, 3 April 2007 (UTC)
is it OTC in australia? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 202.161.6.175 ( talk) 08:42, 15 May 2007 (UTC).
I believe the three dimensional structural image on this page is innacurate. The 2 and 3 carbons are double bonded and thus should be sp2 hybridized. They are shown here as being sp3 hybridized, having extra hydrogen atoms. I'm confident in this and feel it should be corrected. Ccroberts 03:07, 23 May 2007 (UTC)
"Redox cycling may allow other antioxidants (such as vitamin C) to act as pro-oxidants, counterintuitively promoting free radical formation."
Vitamin C first acts as an anti-oxidant before acting as a pro-oxidant.
I suggest that ", counterintuitively promoting free radical formation" be deleted.
Michael H 34 01:05, 22 June 2007 (UTC) Michael H 34
Here's my suggested edit:
The oxidized form of other anti-oxidants (such as vitamin C) may act as pro-oxidants through redox cycling. For example, although free radicals are reduced when vitamin C is oxidized, free radicals may be formed again when the oxidized form of vitamin C is reduced through redox recycling.
(If there exists a mechanism for redox recycling of vitamin C by enzymes, this should be mentioned.)
Michael H 34 21:23, 22 June 2007 (UTC) Michael H 34
Melatonin, being two endogenous hallucinogenic indoles like N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), is likely to be research priorities in this reemerging field of psychiatry.
What's that meant to mean? — 63.249.110.32 06:47, 23 August 2007 (UTC)
would this bind to the melatonin receptor, and would it be long lasting? —Preceding unsigned comment added by The Right Honourable ( talk • contribs) 04:47, August 26, 2007 (UTC)
I currently made an edit, warning people about using melatonin too freely, and how it can cause hormonal fluctuations, i forgot to mention my source which was directly from melatonin.com.
Blc341 06:13, 27 August 2007 (UTC)
I've removed this section to the talk as it has some serious problems that are best discussed before such information is included in the article. Let me be clear that I'm no apologist for the drug/supplement industry. Here's the removed text:
{{
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link)Looking at each in turn: The asthma paragraph cites a primary source. Wikipedia prefers secondary sources, for good reason. One needs an independent author to assess the clinical relevance of such findings, place the study in context (has it generated criticism), compare it to other studies, etc. This study measured the levels of chemicals in the blood of 23 subjects. This isn't a large-scale study and so one should not extrapolate the result to the population at large. It did not find that melatonin "worsen the symptoms" as the symptoms were not measured - only chemicals in the blood that are associated with an inflammatory response. The study concludes with:
The authors accept that "formal evaluation" is required before we can be sure of any clinical relevance. In other words, this study may have no "clinical relevance". If that is the only research to-date, then it is too early for an encyclopaedia (or indeed, a medical textbook) to claim melatonin may make asthma worse. The final sentence contains the study-author's tentative personal advice. Such a suggestion is written for the benefit of medically trained people who can weigh it against other factors and decide if they agree. This is why WP needs a secondary source. If, for example, some significant medical body (e.g. a national Asthma charity's medical board) now advises people with asthma to avoid melatonin supplements, then we can cite them.
The arthritis paragraph cites a study in "DBA/1 mice", a strain bred to be susceptible to collagen-induced arthritis and to low-grade spontaneous inflammatory arthritis. The study's aim was to investigate the role of pineal gland and its (natural) hormone melatonin. The mice were subjected to altered daylight/darkness as well as being injected with the hormone. I'm unable to read beyond the abstract, but can't imagine the article contains anything that might suggest an "association between melatonin and increased severity of arthritis in certain individuals". This is low-level basic research. Extrapolating the effects of a natural hormone on mutant mice kept in very artificial conditions to effects in normal humans, is not allowed.
The testis paragraph cites a study in golden hamsters. It is unclear from the abstract if testes size is reduced (only "influenced"). Another study ( PMID 1179207) indicates that small amounts of melatonin "prevented testicular regression" (during v. short days) but atrophy occurred with large amounts. Both studies are interested in the effects of melatonin during daylight-altered conditions. I'm guessing this is all to do with animals turning randy during appropriate breeding seasons. Not something that is relevant to humans.
All these studies show the danger of reading basic research and reporting on it in an encyclopaedia. I don't belive any of these studies have clinical relevance and as such don't merit inclusion. I'm sure that melatonin supplementation can have adverse effects. It may be a natural hormone but, so is insulin and that can kill people! We need to base any "Adverse effects" section on reliable secondary sources. Colin° Talk 08:52, 28 September 2007 (UTC)
(Moving out to the margin again - just because.) In my not-so-humble opinion a hormone should never have been released (by whom? by FDA? I've seen somewhere that it was released) as a dietary supplement. Myself, I'm diagnosed with delayed sleep phase syndrome which is one of a couple of conditions for which exogenous melatonin really is indicated. Started out 4 years ago at 3 mg, down to 1 mg, now 1/4 mg -- and they all work and work just as well. The timing is much, much more important than the dosage. My point? Just that the FDA should take responsibility! Hordaland 13:56, 2 November 2007 (UTC)
This articles needs to be extensively rewritten to be based on review articles. Doc James ( talk · contribs · email) 14:23, 19 March 2011 (UTC)
It is essential that this entire page be rewritten. It is possible that many people will decide to use the drug because it is OTC and because this website shows some support for the benefits of melatonin-when we do not really know what its effects can be. At least some disclaimer needs to be made over the safety of melatonin and that its use without physician discussion should be limited. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 173.80.245.161 ( talk) 07:18, 29 May 2013 (UTC)
DELETE flag. I propose the flag now be deleted. The article does not "rely" on primary sources. The arguments rehearsed above seem at best to be tangential to the issue. LookingGlass ( talk) 10:59, 28 November 2013 (UTC)
The link about not taking melatonin when trying to concieve is outdated. http://sleepdisorders.about.com/cs/melatonin/a/melatonin_4.htm PizzaMan ( talk) 18:02, 23 February 2012 (UTC)
Update: im deleting the remark as i found the reference, but its far from peer-reviewed. http://altmedicine.about.com/od/melatonin/a/melatonin_2.htm And as melatonin is a normal hormone everyone makes, id like to see a more convincing reference that its dangerous when conceiving. PizzaMan ( talk) 18:11, 23 February 2012 (UTC)
The article makes extensive use of primary studies to support claims. This violates the consensus in WP:MEDRS which requires recent, quality, secondary sources. A quick look on Google Scholar and PubMed for "melatonin review" seems to turn up plenty of possibilities, so I see no reason to use outdated primaries. It may be that this article needs re-writing from scratch if the recent secondaries don't match up with the current content. -- RexxS ( talk) 00:10, 3 March 2012 (UTC)
Sale of melatonin over the counter with other supplements probably predates the mid-1990s. The citation (7) supporting that statement makes no mention of over the counter availability. CopyCustodian ( talk) 00:54, 12 July 2012 (UTC)
It is proper that an article on such a substance should brief us on how it gets formed in the body and what cofactors are used, under an appropriate heading. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 78.144.153.166 ( talk) 21:52, 14 December 2012 (UTC)
The article says "Unwanted effects in some people especially at high doses (~3 mg/day or more)" and then proceeds to list some side effects and gives a reference. If you follow the reference it doesn't say that at all. It does give possible side effects, but no dosage specific to those side effects. In fact it explains that: "circadian rhythm sleep disorders are often treated with 0.5 milligrams of melatonin a day, while doses of 3 to 5 milligrams a day might be used to treat jet lag or reduce the time it takes to fall asleep." I don't see how a recommended dosage could be correlated specifically with the side effects given and also called a "high dose." Now, I think it's entirely possible that 5mg is on the high end of what a person should take, seeing as most pills and liquids appear to top out at 3-5mg. The given reference is pretty weak in support of that though. 184.167.224.119 ( talk) 01:10, 20 January 2013 (UTC)
I just did a search on this, and am presenting the results here in case anyone finds some of them useful for improving the article:
"CONCLUSION: In these doses and clinical conditions, melatonin did not contribute to sedation of children."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16782974?dopt=Abstract (2006)
"Melatonin [has] value in treating various circadian rhythm sleep disorders, such as jet lag or shift-work sleep disorder [and has] been found to be useful for treating insomnia symptoms in elderly and depressive patients."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16817850?dopt=Abstract (2006)
"Exogenous melatonin administration possesses circadian-phase-dependent hypnotic properties, allowing for improved consolidation of sleep..."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16774150?dopt=Abstract (2006)
"A new study by MIT scientists and colleagues confirms that melatonin is an effective sleep aid for older insomniacs and others. Misuse of the hormone had led some to question its efficacy [...] only a small dose of melatonin (about 0.3 milligrams) is necessary for a restful effect. Taken in that quantity, it not only helps people fall asleep, but also makes it easier for them to return to sleep after waking up during the night--a problem for many older adults. The researchers also found, however, that commercially available melatonin pills contain 10 times the effective amount. And at that dose, 'after a few days it stops working,' said Wurtman, director of MIT's Clinical Research Center and the Cecil H. Green Distinguished Professor. When the melatonin receptors in the brain are exposed to too much of the hormone, they become unresponsive. As a result of these inadvertent overdoses, 'many people don't think melatonin works at all,' said Wurtman, who is also affiliated with the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. This belief, coupled with potentially serious side effects related to high doses such as hypothermia, has earned the hormone a bad reputation in some quarters--'and something that could be very useful to a lot of people isn't,'"
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2005/melatonin.html
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2005/techtalk49-20.pdf
"In one large well-designed study, melatonin supplements did not relieve symptoms of jet lag, and only a few small studies suggest that these supplements can treat insomnia. [...] Adverse effects: Hangover drowsiness, headache, and transient depression may occur. Melatonin may worsen depression. Theoretically, prion infection caused by products derived from neurologic tissues of animals is a risk."
http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/special_subjects/dietary_supplements/melatonin.html?qt=melatonin&sc=&alt=sh (Last full review/revision May 2009 - Content last modified August 2013)
"Authors' conclusions: Melatonin is remarkably effective in preventing or reducing jet lag, and occasional short-term use appears to be safe. It should be recommended to adult travellers flying across five or more time zones, particularly in an easterly direction, and especially if they have experienced jet lag on previous journeys. Travellers crossing 2-4 time zones can also use it if need be." http://summaries.cochrane.org/CD001520/melatonin-for-the-prevention-and-treatment-of-jet-lag (2009)
"Melatonin decreased sleep onset latency in normal sleepers [by] 3.9 minutes. [...] The magnitude of this effect appears to be clinically insignificant. There was evidence of possible publication bias in the selection of studies that were analyzed [...] Evidence suggests that melatonin is not effective in treating most primary sleep disorders with short-term use, although there is some evidence to suggest that melatonin is effective in treating delayed sleep phase syndrome with short-term use. Evidence suggests that melatonin is not effective in treating most secondary sleep disorders with short-term use. No evidence suggests that melatonin is effective in alleviating the sleep disturbance aspect of jet lag and shiftwork disorder. Evidence suggests that melatonin is safe with short-term use."
http://archive.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcsums/melatsum.htm (2004. Also available as PDF, approx. 150 pages,
http://archive.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/melatonin/melatonin.pdf )
"The problem with melatonin is absorption. Pills get destroyed in your gut and you never get the full effect. The best way to take melatonin is in spray form. And watch the dose. Many folks take too much, killing its effectiveness. Make sure you only take 500 mcg to 1 mg of melatonin."
http://www.alsearsmd.com/2009/06/26/natural-sleep-aids/
"Although more research is still needed, studies suggest that melatonin can help elderly people with insomnia fall asleep faster, and may also be beneficial for other people with insomnia; however, effects are generally small, with larger effects observed in patients whose sleep problems are caused by a circadian rhythm abnormality (disruption of the body's internal "clock"). Studies indicate that melatonin also appears to be safe at recommended doses for short-term use."
http://nccih.nih.gov/health/sleep/ataglance.htm (Date Created: July 2009. Last Updated: April 2014.)
"Evidence suggests that melatonin is not effective in treating most primary sleep disorders with short-term use, although there is some evidence to suggest that melatonin is effective in treating delayed sleep phase syndrome with short-term use. Evidence suggests that melatonin is not effective in treating most secondary sleep disorders with short-term use. No evidence suggests that melatonin is effective in alleviating the sleep disturbance aspect of jet lag and shift-work disorder. Evidence suggests that melatonin is safe with short-term use."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK37431/ (2004)
"The effectiveness ratings for MELATONIN are as follows: [too long to quote here]"
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/940.html (Last reviewed - 10/22/2014.)
"National Institutes of Health panel seeks to curb use. [...] A group of sleep research experts is warning against the growing use of the hormone melatonin as a sleep promoter..."
http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/43052903?q&versionId=55935433 (1996)
http://www.newsrx.com/newsletters/Cancer-Weekly/1996-08-26/0826961127695141CW.html
--
Guy Macon (
talk) 05:27, 28 April 2013 (UTC)
I addressed 3 things: misleading statements about regulatory status in the introduction, and inflated claims made (or implied) around this dietary supplement as an antioxidant and in respect of cancer. It is not just that large sections of this article are a biased selection of primary sources claiming benefit: they're often animal studies or pure conjecture, not even necessarily primary studies. A lot of this could really just be pruned, and the article would be immeasurably better as a source of information for it. Hildabast ( talk) 01:32, 6 June 2013 (UTC)
This ref was removed and replaced by one which looks similar, also 1993. But the replacement doesn't have a 'ref name'. I'm confused about whether the original one should still be there. Therefore I'm parking it here just in case. [1]
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Hhrdlick ( talk) 02:41, 5 March 2014 (UTC)
Article quote
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It has been suggested that nonpolar ( lipid-soluble) indolic hallucinogenic drugs emulate melatonin activity in the awakened state and that both act on the same areas of the brain. [1] dubious |
Is there anything to this? I haven't heard of any melatonergic effect of psychedelics, and I don't think there is one. It just seems like an oversimplification by an author that assumed that psychedelic hallucinations are just waking dreams. Any objections before I remove it? Exercisephys ( talk) 15:09, 5 May 2014 (UTC)
References
Why is there a hydrogen bonded to the oxygen atom in the acetyl group of the 3D structure? The oxygen is double-bonded to the carbon, so it shouldn't be able to bond to another hydrogen. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.121.252.60 ( talk) 06:44, 7 July 2014 (UTC)
Grotesque. The article indicates as if humans are the sole owner. In fact melatonin system is basically similar in all vertebrates, slightly different in invertebrates, more so in plants and microorganisms—take that for evolution. Undue info also in given for the medical applications, while the actual biology is incomplete at best. I'll fix some. Chhandama ( talk) 03:33, 2 November 2014 (UTC)
No one would have seen this comment up there in between comments from 2013: