Melatonin

    Written by:
    Morgan Pfiffner

    Fact-checked

    by:

    Natalka Roshak, Peter Woznik
    Last Updated: November 2, 2023

    Melatonin is a hormone secreted in the brain that regulates sleep. It appears to be highly sensitive to light therapy and dark therapy. Oral ingestion of melatonin may be used as a sleep aid. It is non-addictive.

    90 references on this page
    8,020 participants in 30 trials and 7 meta-analyses

    Overview

    Dosage information

    For regulating the sleep cycle and improving sleep disorders, doses of melatonin between 300 micrograms (μg) and 5 mg have been shown to work.[1][2] Start with 300 μg, and work up to 5 mg as needed. The benefits of melatonin are not dose-dependent — taking more will not help you fall asleep faster. That said, the most effective dose is an area of ongoing research.

    To help with sleep, take roughly 30 minutes before going to bed, although some people may benefit from taking melatonin as much as 3 hours earlier.

    Frequently asked questions

    Update History

    One new meta analysis added

    minor

    Reviewed by

    Nick Milazzo

    Examine Database References

    1. Ghrelin - Gonciarz M, Bielański W, Partyka R, Brzozowski T, Konturek PC, Eszyk J, Celiński K, Reiter RJ, Konturek SJPlasma insulin, leptin, adiponectin, resistin, ghrelin, and melatonin in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis patients treated with melatoninJ Pineal Res.(2012 Jun 13)
    2. Blood Pressure - Vajdi M, Moeinolsadat S, Noshadi N, Pourteymour Fard Tabrizi F, Khajeh M, Abbasalizad-Farhangi M, Alipour BEffect of melatonin supplementation on body composition and blood pressure in adults: A systematic review and Dose-Response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trial.Heliyon.(2024 Jul 30)
    3. Blood Pressure - Arangino S, Cagnacci A, Angiolucci M, Vacca AM, Longu G, Volpe A, Melis GBEffects of melatonin on vascular reactivity, catecholamine levels, and blood pressure in healthy menAm J Cardiol.(1999 May 1)
    4. Blood Pressure - Nishiyama K, Yasue H, Moriyama Y, Tsunoda R, Ogawa H, Yoshimura M, Kugiyama KAcute effects of melatonin administration on cardiovascular autonomic regulation in healthy menAm Heart J.(2001 May)
    5. Blood Pressure - Koziróg M, Poliwczak AR, Duchnowicz P, Koter-Michalak M, Sikora J, Broncel MMelatonin treatment improves blood pressure, lipid profile, and parameters of oxidative stress in patients with metabolic syndromeJ Pineal Res.(2011 Apr)
    6. Growth Hormone - Kostoglou-Athanassiou I, Treacher DF, Wheeler MJ, Forsling MLMelatonin administration and pituitary hormone secretionClin Endocrinol (Oxf).(1998 Jan)
    7. Growth Hormone - Forsling ML, Wheeler MJ, Williams AJThe effect of melatonin administration on pituitary hormone secretion in manClin Endocrinol (Oxf).(1999 Nov)
    8. Exercise-Induced Oxidation - Ochoa JJ, Díaz-Castro J, Kajarabille N, García C, Guisado IM, De Teresa C, Guisado RMelatonin supplementation ameliorates oxidative stress and inflammatory signaling induced by strenuous exercise in adult human malesJ Pineal Res.(2011 Nov)
    9. Lower Esophageal Pressure - Kandil TS, Mousa AA, El-Gendy AA, Abbas AMThe potential therapeutic effect of melatonin in Gastro-Esophageal Reflux DiseaseBMC Gastroenterol.(2010 Jan 18)
    10. Insomnia Signs and Symptoms - Luthringer R, Muzet M, Zisapel N, Staner LThe effect of prolonged-release melatonin on sleep measures and psychomotor performance in elderly patients with insomniaInt Clin Psychopharmacol.(2009 Sep)
    11. Insomnia Signs and Symptoms - van Geijlswijk IM, Mol RH, Egberts TC, Smits MGEvaluation of sleep, puberty and mental health in children with long-term melatonin treatment for chronic idiopathic childhood sleep onset insomniaPsychopharmacology (Berl).(2011 Jul)
    12. Insomnia Signs and Symptoms - Lemoine P, Nir T, Laudon M, Zisapel NProlonged-release melatonin improves sleep quality and morning alertness in insomnia patients aged 55 years and older and has no withdrawal effectsJ Sleep Res.(2007 Dec)
    13. Insomnia Signs and Symptoms - Motlaq TM, Rahimi B, Amini SEffect of melatonin on insomnia and daytime sleepiness, in patients with obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia (COMISA): A randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial.J Pharm Health Care Sci.(2024 May 30)
    14. Leptin - Celinski K, Konturek PC, Konturek SJ, Slomka M, Cichoz-Lach H, Brzozowski T, Bielanski WEffects of melatonin and tryptophan on healing of gastric and duodenal ulcers with Helicobacter pylori infection in humansJ Physiol Pharmacol.(2011 Oct)
    15. Cerebral Blood Flow - Cook JS, Sauder CL, Ray CAMelatonin differentially affects vascular blood flow in humansAm J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol.(2011 Feb)
    16. Blood Pressure - Cagnacci A, Arangino S, Angiolucci M, Maschio E, Melis GBInfluences of melatonin administration on the circulation of womenAm J Physiol.(1998 Feb)
    17. Blood Pressure - Hadi A, Ghaedi E, Moradi S, Pourmasoumi M, Ghavami A, Kafeshani MEffects of Melatonin Supplementation On Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Horm Metab Res.(2019 Mar)
    18. Tinnitus Symptoms - Neri G, De Stefano A, Baffa C, Kulamarva G, Di Giovanni P, Petrucci G, Poliandri A, Dispenza F, Citraro L, Croce ATreatment of central and sensorineural tinnitus with orally administered Melatonin and Sulodexide: personal experience from a randomized controlled studyActa Otorhinolaryngol Ital.(2009 Apr)
    19. Tinnitus Symptoms - Hurtuk A, Dome C, Holloman CH, Wolfe K, Welling DB, Dodson EE, Jacob AMelatonin: can it stop the ringing?Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol.(2011-Jul)
    20. Tinnitus Symptoms - Uchechukwu C Megwalu, Joshua E Finnell, Jay F PiccirilloThe effects of melatonin on tinnitus and sleepOtolaryngol Head Neck Surg.(2006 Feb)
    21. Tinnitus Symptoms - Rosenberg SI, Silverstein H, Rowan PT, Olds MJEffect of melatonin on tinnitusLaryngoscope.(1998 Mar)
    22. Insomnia Signs and Symptoms - Alstadhaug KB, Odeh F, Salvesen R, Bekkelund SIProphylaxis of migraine with melatonin: a randomized controlled trialNeurology.(2010 Oct 26)
    23. Migraine Frequency - Gonçalves AL, Martini Ferreira A, Ribeiro RT, Zukerman E, Cipolla-Neto J, Peres MFRandomised clinical trial comparing melatonin 3 mg, amitriptyline 25 mg and placebo for migraine prevention.J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry.(2016 Oct)
    24. Anxiety Symptoms - Rimmele U, Spillmann M, Bärtschi C, Wolf OT, Weber CS, Ehlert U, Wirtz PHMelatonin improves memory acquisition under stress independent of stress hormone releasePsychopharmacology (Berl).(2009 Mar)
    25. Dysmenorrhea Symptoms - André Schwertner, Claudia C Conceição Dos Santos, Gislene Dalferth Costa, Alícia Deitos, Andressa de Souza, Izabel Cristina Custodio de Souza, Iraci L S Torres, João Sabino L da Cunha Filho, Wolnei CaumoEfficacy of melatonin in the treatment of endometriosis: a phase II, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trialPain.(2013 Jun)
    26. IGF-1 - Schernhammer ES, Giobbie-Hurder A, Gantman K, Savoie J, Scheib R, Parker LM, Chen WYA randomized controlled trial of oral melatonin supplementation and breast cancer biomarkersCancer Causes Control.(2012 Apr)
    27. Breast Cancer Risk - Schernhammer ES, Berrino F, Krogh V, Secreto G, Micheli A, Venturelli E, Grioni S, Sempos CT, Cavalleri A, Schünemann HJ, Strano S, Muti PUrinary 6-Sulphatoxymelatonin levels and risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women: the ORDET cohortCancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev.(2010 Mar)
    28. Exercise-Induced Oxidation - Maldonado MD, Manfredi M, Ribas-Serna J, Garcia-Moreno H, Calvo JRMelatonin administrated immediately before an intense exercise reverses oxidative stress, improves immunological defenses and lipid metabolism in football playersPhysiol Behav.(2012 Mar 20)
    29. Jet Lag Symptoms - Herxheimer A, Petrie KJMelatonin for the prevention and treatment of jet lagCochrane Database Syst Rev.(2002 Apr 22)
    30. Plasma Melatonin - Konturek PC, Konturek SJ, Celinski K, Slomka M, Cichoz-Lach H, Bielanski W, Reiter RJRole of melatonin in mucosal gastroprotection against aspirin-induced gastric lesions in humansJ Pineal Res.(2010 May)
    31. Intraocular Pressure - Samples JR, Krause G, Lewy AJEffect of melatonin on intraocular pressureCurr Eye Res.(1988 Jul)
    32. Cancer Mortality - Mills E, Wu P, Seely D, Guyatt GMelatonin in the treatment of cancer: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials and meta-analysisJ Pineal Res.(2005 Jul 18)
    33. Irritable Bowel Syndrome Symptoms - Chen KH, Zeng BY, Zeng BS, Sun CK, Cheng YS, Su KP, Wu YC, Chen TY, Lin PY, Liang CS, Hsu CW, Chu CS, Chen YW, Yeh PY, Wu MK, Tseng PT, Hsu CYThe efficacy of exogenous melatonin supplement in ameliorating irritable bowel syndrome severity: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.J Formos Med Assoc.(2022-Oct-15)
    34. Alzheimer's Disease Symptoms - Dewan Md Sumsuzzman, Jeonghyun Choi, Yunho Jin, Yonggeun HongNeurocognitive effects of melatonin treatment in healthy adults and individuals with Alzheimer's disease and insomnia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsNeurosci Biobehav Rev.(2021 May 3)
    35. Serum BDNF - Shokri-Mashhadi N, Darand M, Rouhani MH, Yahay M, Feltham BA, Saraf-Bank SEffects of melatonin supplementation on BDNF concentrations and depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Behav Brain Res.(2023-Jan-05)
    36. Walking Ability - Jallouli S, Ghroubi S, Damak M, Sakka S, Elleuch MH, Mhiri C, Yahia A, Driss T, de Marco G, Hammouda O12-week melatonin supplementation improved dynamic postural stability and walking performance in persons living with multiple sclerosis: A randomized controlled trial.Behav Brain Res.(2024 Aug 8)
    37. Heart Rate Variability - Jallouli S, Jallouli D, Damak M, Sakka S, Ghroubi S, Mhiri C, Driss T, de Marco G, Ayadi F, Hammouda O12-week melatonin intake attenuates cardiac autonomic dysfunction and oxidative stress in multiple sclerosis patients: a randomized controlled trial.Metab Brain Dis.(2024 Dec 4)