Research reported in JAMA April 25, 2023 showed that the amount of melatonin listed on the label of some samples of melatonin gummies was different than the actual amount.
Researchers studied various brands and tested 25 gummy products for the actual amount of melatonin in each one. Of the 25 tested, 22 had different amounts than listed on the label.
At the extremes, one had 347% more, another had 26% less, and yet another one had no melatonin.
The researchers noted that melatonin use in children is not unusual but is controversial. Parents who give melatonin to their kids do so mainly for sleep, stress, and relaxation.
However, the article pointed out that there is a “lack of high-quality evidence to support melatonin’s efficacy for these indications in healthy children …”
Also, melatonin is not without risks. As reported in The New York Times, from 2012 to 2021 calls about melatonin to the U.S. Poison Control Center increased by 530%. There were 27,795 visits to an ED or clinic, 4,097 hospital admissions, 287 ICU admissions, and 2 deaths.
It seems reasonable to be cautious in the use of melatonin in gummies for children. Speak to your child’s doctor or a pharmacist.
Peter M. Hartmann, MD
Family Medicine & Psychiatry
