Medicine

Melatonin

Indications: This medicine is use to reduce or prevent the effect of jetlag. Sold in a few countries, but not approved by FDA in US.

Direction for use:

• When travelling eastward, take a 5mg melatonin tablet at 1800 to1900 hours local time (6 p.m. to 7 p.m.) on the day of departure (if necessary, take while on the flight). On arrival, take a tablet at local bed time, 2200 to 2300 hours (10 p.m. to 11 p.m.), for the next two to four to 4 days.

• When travelling westward, take 1 tablet daily at local bedtime, 2300 hours (11 p.m.) or later, for two to four days at the destination (or at each stopover). If the traveller awakes in the very early hours of the morning (before 4 a.m.), he can take another capsule. Do not take melatonin pre-flight when flying west.

Cautions: Melatonin can produce sleepiness and reduced alertness. Persons taking melatonin should not drive, operate heavy machinery, or perform tasks requiring alertness for 4 to 5 hours after taking melatonin. The timing of the dose of melatonin needs to be precise, since mistiming the dose can worsen rather than improve the jet lag symptoms.

Pregnancy: Experience is not available.

Side effects include:

• Sleepiness
  Reduced alertness.
• Headache, a "heavy-head" feeling
  Stomach discomfort
• Depression or feeling hangover.

Further study is needed to find out more about melatonin's side effects, especially delayed or long-term effects. For example, we don't know if melatonin causes problems when taken with other medicines. We also don't know how melatonin may affect diseases.    

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