Review of Melatonin and Results of Students Survey.
Melatonin, an endogenous hormone produced by the body, is mainly responsible for regulating sleep cycles.
Most exogenous melatonin is synthetically produced. It may also be produced
from animal pineal gland. Darkness is thought to stimulate melatonin release, whereas light suppresses it.
Melatonin is used to treat
insomnia, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and to prevent jet lag.
Its adverse effects range from nausea, vomiting, headache,
tachycardia, irritability, dysthymia, worsening of depressive symptoms
to morning grogginess.
Unlike most other sleep medications such as benzodiazepines,
melatonin does not cause withdrawal or
dependence symptoms. Evidence is conflicting on its use for occasional insomnia.
Associations such as the American Academy
of Sleep Medicine and the American College of Pharmacy state that
sufficient evidence is lacking to support the use of
melatonin in the general population for chronic insomnia.
A large Cochrane review of 9 trials reported night shift workers who took
3 to 6 mg of melatonin slept 24-minutes longer during daytime. Side effects did not differ from placebo. There is
no direct association between melatonin use and weight gain, although low-level of melatonin in the body may contribute to weight gain.
Palliat Med Hosp Care Open J. 2022; 8(1): 20-24. doi: 10.17140/PMHCOJ-8-147
