If you’ve ever felt like your melatonin gummies hit harder than you expected, it’s possible that you didn’t actually take the dose you thought you did. In a recent study, melatonin gummies labeled as containing 3 milligrams actually had anywhere between 3.6 milligrams and a whopping 10.4, depending on brand.
The investigators measured the melatonin content of a variety of doses and brands. They also looked at CBD concentration in gummies that were labeled as containing both melatonin and CBD.
Only three of the 25 samples had less melatonin than labeled. Many had more, and the researchers report that only three of the products had a dosage that was within 10% of what was listed on the label. (For example, a 5 milligram gummy would meet this criterion if it had between 4.5 and 5.5 milligrams.)
This study doesn’t come with advice on which melatonin supplements to buy. The researchers didn’t name the brands they tested, and since they only analyzed gummies, we don’t know whether other products, like chewable tablets, might be more accurately dosed. An earlier study found similar results in other product types, though, with only 29% actually providing a dose within 10% of what was labeled.
What happens if you take too much melatonin?
Melatonin can trigger its sleep-related effects in very small doses—1 milligram or less for many of us. The Sleep Foundation recommends 1 to 5 milligrams as an adult dose, and less for children.
Too much melatonin can make you sleepier than you bargained for, or potentially leave you feeling groggy the next day. If you take it regularly, you can also end up desensitizing yourself so that it grows less effective over time. University Hospitals lists worsening insomnia, headaches, and nausea as potential downsides of a too-high dose of melatonin for adults.
In children, too much melatonin can also lead to increased nightmares, bedwetting, and dizziness, according to Boston Children’s Hospital. They recommend that if a child has insomnia or sleep disorders, melatonin be used as part of a treatment plan that includes behavioral interventions. For kids who are healthy but just need to sleep better, they don’t recommend it at all. Better, they say, to make use of “a regular, age-appropriate and consistent bedtime and bedtime routine, no caffeine, and no electronics or screens before bedtime.”
