The Real Risks of Melatonin Supplements
Imagine buying a bottle of "10 mg" melatonin – only to find out that it has nearly seven times the amount...
Even worse, that was meant for kids.
You might recall hearing about this shocking news in 2024. A study of 110 melatonin supplements for children found they contained anywhere between 0% to 667% of the hormone amount claimed on the label.
Use of melatonin supplements has skyrocketed in children and adults over the past couple of decades. And lots of folks might think that because it contains a hormone we already have in our bodies, it's probably safe to take a dose each night.
But since melatonin is sold as a supplement and not as a drug, Big Government doesn't keep tabs on its various iterations. After all, I've often compared the supplement industry with the "Wild West."
But this matter of messy labeling isn't just dangerous for kids...
It's also a warning sign for every adult trying to hack their sleep hygiene with a pill bottle... especially those who don't even need to take the stuff.
Now, if you've been a longtime Health & Wealth Bulletin reader, you're probably familiar with just how much I value sleep...
Researchers have linked high-quality sleep to a host of medical benefits, including lower risks of memory loss, heart disease, and obesity. Plus... you don't feel as tired.
But don't turn to pills to fix your sleep. While melatonin is a "natural" hormone, it's not just a vitamin or mineral – it's a powerful signaling hormone.
And getting it from supplements can be dangerous...
The Danger of Sloppy Supplement Labels
Take, for instance, a 2023 study where researchers from Cambridge Health Alliance and the University of Mississippi analyzed 25 brands of melatonin gummies purchased online. Specifically, the team examined the amount of melatonin, cannabidiol (or "CBD," an active ingredient in cannabis), and serotonin, which is one of your body's natural "happiness hormones."
(By the way, I recently wrote about serotonin and its buddies – dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins. Together, they make up the "fantastic four" chemical messengers responsible for uplifting your mood and motivating you.
I covered 12 simple science-backed ways to boost your levels of these happy hormones – all without a single, unregulated pill. If you're not subscribed to Retirement Millionaire, why not start your risk-free trial?
Turns out, 22 of the 25 supposed melatonin supplements were mislabeled.
- One of the supplements didn't have any melatonin in it at all, but instead contained 31.3 mg of CBD...
- In the 24 products that did contain melatonin, the labeled serving sizes ranged from 1.3 mg to 13.1 mg... and the actual quantities in the supplements ranged from 74% to 347% of the labeled amounts...
For reference, an article from the Sleep Foundation claims that a safe starting dose for melatonin in adults is between 1 mg and 5 mg, and that older adults may find less than 1 mg to be effective.
A Risk to Your Heart
Messy labels are a huge problem. But the possibilities of what can happen after swallowing that pill (or chewing that gummy) are even more alarming...
According to a new study from the American Heart Association, long-term use – specifically, use for at least a year – of melatonin just might have severe negative health effects for your ticker.
Researchers reviewed five years of health data for more than 130,000 adults with insomnia. They found that long-term users were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with heart failure. Specifically, they had almost a 90% higher chance of getting a diagnosis of heart failure versus non-users.
These heart-failure patients also had more than triple the risk of being hospitalized. And finally, chronic use was linked to nearly double the risk of dying prematurely from any cause.
It's important to keep in mind that this study isn't establishing a cause and effect. But these factors – the strong association, number of participants, and length of the study – raise a huge red flag and warrant the need for more research on cardiovascular safety.
Now, I want to be clear: Certain folks do genuinely benefit from melatonin under medical supervision...
For instance, people with non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder – a condition common in the totally blind – have seen the benefit of taking melatonin. Light receptors in the eye don't perceive or react to light in the environment, so the brain isn't primed to make melatonin when it gets dark... resulting in abnormal sleep-wake cycles. Or folks who need help with "resetting" their clocks after, say, flying across multiple time zones or shift workers trying to sleep during the day could benefit from occasional use.
If you have a perfectly functioning internal clock, there's no need to rely on this crutch. Instead, do what I do...
Welcome the morning sun. Open the curtains and allow the bright, natural light to hit your eyes as soon as you wake up. If it's still dark when you wake up, turn on the lights in your bedroom. And if you're indoors as the morning continues, gradually make the light around you brighter to mimic the rising sun.
Turn the lights down in the evening. Dim the lights in the evening and turn off your electronic devices at least one hour before getting ready for bed. Electronics emit blue light, a wavelength that suppresses the release of melatonin.
Eat earlier in the day. Don't eat anything within three hours of going to bed. This lets your body rest instead of having to digest food.
And unless you experience non-24 (or a similar condition), don't let a supplement company run your biology. You don't need melatonin supplements.
What We're Reading...
- Something different: Bananas contaminated with... lead?
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
February 19, 2026