By Khoo Bee Khim
Copyright channelnewsasia
But as you age, you produce less. “Some health conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and (blood pressure) medications like beta-blockers can also reduce melatonin production,” said Dr Eng.
HOW MUCH MELATONIN DO YOU NEED? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU EXCEED THE AMOUNT?
Melatonin is usually used for its effects on the circadian rhythm or body clock, explained Dr Eng. “We usually use doses of around 0.3mg to 0.5mg and it has been shown to cause shifts in the circadian rhythm”, such as bringing forward the body clock in people whose body clock is set to a much later sleep and wake time.
“In general, most commercial products range from 0.5mg to 10mg and thus, exceed natural physiological levels,” said Dr Eng.
Indeed, the typical dose for many melatonin supplements starts around 2mg per day, and can go up to as high as 10mg per day, noted PSS. Most supplements recommend doses that fall within the range of 2mg to 5mg per day.
“When high doses are taken, the higher levels may linger in the body for longer,” said Dr Eng. “At higher doses, you may experience more side effects such as drowsiness, headaches or dizziness.” He added: “A potential concern is whether chronic, high-dose melatonin could disrupt the body’s normal hormone feedback loops. While short-term data is reassuring, the evidence is limited for use beyond a few years”.
It’s all the more prudent to heed PSS’ advice to begin with the lowest effective dose – and increase only if necessary.
