MidLife
Dosing and side effects of melatonin
Side effects of melatonin may include confusion, drowsiness, and “morning after” headache. Animal studies suggest that another side effect may be blood vessel constriction – theoretically this could aggravate conditions like high blood pressure and heart disease.
The melatonin supplements sold in stores usually have 3-milligram doses. This may result in blood levels of melatonin that are more than 40 times the normal level. These products remain unregulated and untested in terms of efficacy (proof that it does what it claims), as well as safety of long-term use.
