Melatonin Banned At times of high anxiety, Marie Pember takes a pill to help her get to sleep. A few years ago, it was a pill prescribed by her doctor - an addictive drug that made the year-old sales consultant feel groggy and sluggish in the morning. Pember, who lives in the Vancouver suburb of Delta, stopped using it. She now takes melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone that is also available in pill form. Pember says that melatonin, which is non-addictive, gives her "a great night's sleep" and leaves her feeling "terrific" when she wakes up.
But because of a recent federal ban on the substance, Pember, like thousands of other Canadians, is forced to buy her supply in the United States, where melatonin is freely available over the counter in health-food stores and pharmacies. All it means is that I drive 20 minutes to buy it across the border in Washington.
An avalanche of recent publicity trumpeting such claims, which have split the medical community, has made the hormone a prized commodity on both sides of the border. In fact, a growing number of Canadians are violating the federal government's prohibition, seduced by melatonin's supposed rejuvenating powers. In humans, melatonin is produced by the pineal gland, an organ about the size of a kernel of corn that is formed three weeks after conception and located at the centre of the brain.
When the sun goes down at the end of each day, the gland boosts the body's melatonin levels, inducing a feeling of sleepiness - an effect which an increasing number of insomniacs are seeking to enhance by taking melatonin supplements. That same property, which researchers have demonstrated in several studies using human subjects, also makes melatonin a popular pill among airline workers and frequent flyers who experience jet lag.
Ingesting melatonin at bedtime at a traveller's destination can help to reset the body's internal clock. Take three to five milligrams 30 minutes to two hours before bedtime.
However, some studies show that using melatonin may worsen symptoms of depression. MacNeil advises that it should not be used by those with depression or a history of seizures. Herbal and mineral sleep remedies Examples: Both New Nordic and CanPrev contain a form of magnesium. As well as magnesium oxide, New Nordic Melissa contains a blend of B vitamins, lemon balm and camomile, which has a sedative-like effect.
CanPrev contains magnesium bis-glycinate, which is readily absorbed. Valerian in Swiss Natural Sources is a herbal extract that targets the same receptors in the brain as the prescription drugs benzodiazepines, but without the addictive properties or memory loss. How can I safely take melatonin? Read the directions on the label to learn how much melatonin to take and how often to take it.
If you have any questions about how much to take, call your family doctor or pharmacist. If you need to go to the doctor, take this list with you.
Follow these tips to make sure you are taking the right amount of melatonin: Take only the amount recommended on the label. Taking more than the recommended amount can be dangerous.
How do I safely store melatonin? Melatonin has been shown to be safe in healthy people when used for up to 3 months at the correct dosage. When taken several hours before sleep, Melatonin can shift the biological clock earlier, making a better environment for falling asleep and waking up on time.
When taken in the correct dose 0. However, most Melatonin sold over the counter is packaged in doses ranging from 1 mg to 10 mg, with most doses containing double or triple the amount that is needed to be effective for the population that will benefit from its use. In the elderly, it has shown some promise in managing a type of insomnia called early morning awakenings ; but this area needs more study and does not take into account medications that may interact with melatonin.
Caution should be taken when using Melatonin It should be used under the guidance of a doctor and sleep professional.
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