Melatonin

[pinting 6]

During lockdown I've been trying melatonin to help me sleep. I can't say I'm convinced on helping me sleep, but as I'm trying to lose weight, an added bonus I've found is it's suppressing of appetite the following day.

Has anyone had any positive experiences? Looking for recommendations of the best brands, dosage to help you get to sleep, whether you need to occasionally come off etc.

I've read a few negative reviews which suggest melatonin supplementation impacts your endogenous supply, but most professionals say its safe.

Cheers

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[faipdeooiad 894]

I’m using Hi-Tech pharma’s phases release melatonin. 
 

it’s 3mg quick release and 7mg slow release. I’m liking it but don’t use it all too often, maybe 3-4 times a month max.

[pinting 6]

7 minutes ago, faipdeooiad said:

I’m using Hi-Tech pharma’s phases release melatonin. 
 

it’s 3mg quick release and 7mg slow release. I’m liking it but don’t use it all too often, maybe 3-4 times a month max.

thanks for the reply, how effective is it for getting to sleep?

[faipdeooiad 894]

Very - knocks me out every time

[pinting 6]

Cheers for info dude. Sadly not a knock out for me, I might give your brand a try! Anyone else have any experience with melatonin?

[sean m 736]

I have some and find it helps me drop off if I'm fairly relaxed. But if agitated even slightly it doesn't help at all.  Also find that hay fever tablet can help. 

But I miss at least one whole nights sleep each week.  And have Zoplicone for when I've not slept at all for 2 nights in a row. 

On "good " nights I only sleep about 4 or 5 hours. 

[pinting 6]

25 minutes ago, sean m said:

I have some and find it helps me drop off if I'm fairly relaxed. But if agitated even slightly it doesn't help at all.  Also find that hay fever tablet can help. 

But I miss at least one whole nights sleep each week.  And have Zoplicone for when I've not slept at all for 2 nights in a row. 

On "good " nights I only sleep about 4 or 5 hours. 

Oh I'm sorry to hear that mate! I was in the same boat, this book I read by Matthew Walker called "Why We Sleep" is why I'm now trying to get 8 hours a night. Not so much for bodybuilding, because my family has a history of Alzheimer's, and the dream phase of sleep is so beneficial for the brain. Yeah hay fever tablets, benzos and alcohol help me sleep as well, but unfortunately they negatively impact the dream phase of sleep. Only melatonin seems to avoid affecting the dream phase (according to clinical trials it actually increases REM).

Here's a talk by the guy, the first sentence probably most relevant for this forum 

 

[TRT 54]

I've been pretty reliant on it for about a year now, 10mg a night. Much healthier than many other forms of sleeping tablets that a lot of people pop most nights.

[Clubber Lang 1794]

my missus using melatonin sometimes before bed, and shes also used it in the afternoons if she feels a bit edgy from work or feels her anxiety is up.

she just has 1ml and its enough to chill her out.

i get her the Yamamoto Nutrition Melatonin, pharma grade;

https://www.yamamotonutrition.com/eng/melatovil_pr31280

Ive used the Flex Lewis Regexil pre-bed sleeping aid, that puts me into a very deep sleep. That product has both Melatonin and GABA in it;

https://www.yamamotonutrition.com/eng/regexil_eu_version_pr31405

 

[pinting 6]

Many thanks for your input everyone. I've been trying to find out the risks of general and long term use. There's a lot of intuitive speculation about it being a hormone and exogenous supplementation affecting our natural ability to create melatonin:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB6SD0nfsO8

What does everyone think about safety of general and long term use? This article helpfully cites a lot of clinical trials which suggest there isn't much to worry about: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/melatonin-side-effects

Really keen to stay on it as it works so well as an appetite suppressant.

Cheers

 

[TERBO 2827]

On 5/19/2020 at 10:02 PM, pinting said:

During lockdown I've been trying melatonin to help me sleep. I can't say I'm convinced on helping me sleep, but as I'm trying to lose weight, an added bonus I've found is it's suppressing of appetite the following day.

Has anyone had any positive experiences? Looking for recommendations of the best brands, dosage to help you get to sleep, whether you need to occasionally come off etc.

I've read a few negative reviews which suggest melatonin supplementation impacts your endogenous supply, but most professionals say its safe.

Cheers

Quite a few years ago I was prescribed 2mg a night and it worked pretty well, when doctors stopped them I had a break.

Later bought the 3mg version which again worked well for a while, and now I'm taking 5mg time release which are brilliant, but I do force myself to have a break every 4/6 months, even if it's just for a month or two.

Prefer Natrol brand myself and get them from iherb as cheapest I've seen, usually buy a few tubs at a time.

https://uk.iherb.com/c/Melatonin?sr=4

[pinting 6]

1 hour ago, TERBO said:

Quite a few years ago I was prescribed 2mg a night and it worked pretty well, when doctors stopped them I had a break.

Later bought the 3mg version which again worked well for a while, and now I'm taking 5mg time release which are brilliant, but I do force myself to have a break every 4/6 months, even if it's just for a month or two.

Prefer Natrol brand myself and get them from iherb as cheapest I've seen, usually buy a few tubs at a time.

https://uk.iherb.com/c/Melatonin?sr=4

Brilliant, thanks for your input dude. Do you ever have a single issue coming off them? The clinical trials I've found so far suggests staying on melatonin won't cause any issues, but I like your cautious approach. Plus, being that it's the appetite suppression I'm mainly gaining, coming off for a month or so shouldn't be an issue.

[TERBO 2827]

22 minutes ago, pinting said:

Do you ever have a single issue coming off them? 

I'll be honest, it's not fun coming off them when you have trouble sleeping, but that's probably more psychological than anything.

No real issue staying on them but I like to have a break with all my supps as don't want to get too dependant, or rather my body getting too used to particular meds. Just find everything works better after a break lol.

I don't get any change in appetite either on or off them.

[Iridium 61]

On 19/05/2020 at 10:02 PM, pinting said:

During lockdown I've been trying melatonin to help me sleep. I can't say I'm convinced on helping me sleep, but as I'm trying to lose weight, an added bonus I've found is it's suppressing of appetite the following day.

Has anyone had any positive experiences? Looking for recommendations of the best brands, dosage to help you get to sleep, whether you need to occasionally come off etc.

I've read a few negative reviews which suggest melatonin supplementation impacts your endogenous supply, but most professionals say its safe.

Cheers

My doctor prescribes me melatonin. She says it is a hormone so if you use it everyday over time your body stops making its own melatonin and you become reliant on the medication. She also said it is a little bad for your liver and I could only use it for up to 2 years.

[pinting 6]

On 5/27/2020 at 11:34 PM, Iridium said:

My doctor prescribes me melatonin. She says it is a hormone so if you use it everyday over time your body stops making its own melatonin and you become reliant on the medication. She also said it is a little bad for your liver and I could only use it for up to 2 years.

Thanks for info. After reading a lot of clinical trials it doesn't seem to suggest the risk is huge for exogenous melatonin causing your bodies natural ability to produce it being reduced, but just to be safe i'll probably jump off after roughly 2/3 months (or before if I hit a plateau with weight loss).

[Iridium 61]

5 hours ago, pinting said:

Thanks for info. After reading a lot of clinical trials it doesn't seem to suggest the risk is huge for exogenous melatonin causing your bodies natural ability to produce it being reduced, but just to be safe i'll probably jump off after roughly 2/3 months (or before if I hit a plateau with weight loss).

based on my experience it makes you groggy and gives you headaches also is really good at suppressing appetite.

[faipdeooiad 894]

Re the hormonal effects, my brother was diagnosed it as a kid and took it nightly for about 10 years and seems to be largely ok

[pinting 6]

16 hours ago, Iridium said:

based on my experience it makes you groggy and gives you headaches also is really good at suppressing appetite.

Yes! I find 10mg maximum doesn't have the groggy or headache side effects. I will try a smaller dose once I run out of 10mg tablets, they're too difficult to split. The appetite suppressing effect is so epic its insane, I can eat the minimum calories before it starts getting unhealthy for fat loss with practically 0 effort.

16 hours ago, faipdeooiad said:

Re the hormonal effects, my brother was diagnosed it as a kid and took it nightly for about 10 years and seems to be largely ok

That's really helpful to know, cheers mate. I cannot seem to find many legit horror stories, only theoretical speculation about the effect of exogenous hormone supplementation.

[Iridium 61]

2 hours ago, pinting said:

Yes! I find 10mg maximum doesn't have the groggy or headache side effects. I will try a smaller dose once I run out of 10mg tablets, they're too difficult to split. The appetite suppressing effect is so epic its insane, I can eat the minimum calories before it starts getting unhealthy for fat loss with practically 0 effort.

That's really helpful to know, cheers mate. I cannot seem to find many legit horror stories, only theoretical speculation about the effect of exogenous hormone supplementation.

Mate no offense your an idiot if you are taking 10mg. THAT IS WAY TOO MUCH. Less is actually more with melatonin and less will make you more sleepy. I use 2mg extended release. I remember reading a study where the doctor in charge said 0.4mg is the optimum dose.

[pinting 6]

8 hours ago, Iridium said:

Mate no offense your an idiot if you are taking 10mg. THAT IS WAY TOO MUCH. Less is actually more with melatonin and less will make you more sleepy. I use 2mg extended release. I remember reading a study where the doctor in charge said 0.4mg is the optimum dose.

Confirmed here:  http://news.mit.edu/2001/melatonin-1017

The thing is though it's possibly the higher dose which is achieving the excellent appetite suppressant effect I'm experiencing: "The study also showed that the higher dosage elevated plasma melatonin levels during the day".

[Iridium 61]

52 minutes ago, pinting said:

Confirmed here:  http://news.mit.edu/2001/melatonin-1017

The thing is though it's possibly the higher dose which is achieving the excellent appetite suppressant effect I'm experiencing: "The study also showed that the higher dosage elevated plasma melatonin levels during the day".

Mate Ive been on it 2 years and I wouldnt do 10mg every day take it easy. Its like starting on a gram of tren

[pinting 6]

12 hours ago, Iridium said:

Mate Ive been on it 2 years and I wouldnt do 10mg every day take it easy. Its like starting on a gram of tren

For sure don't worry, I've already halved my dose to 5mg last night, thanks for flagging 

Jump onto the US Amazon website and take a look at the dosage of melatonin supplements, your mind will boggle! 

[Iridium 61]

6 minutes ago, pinting said:

For sure don't worry, I've already halved my dose to 5mg last night, thanks for flagging 

Jump onto the US Amazon website and take a look at the dosage of melatonin supplements, your mind will boggle! 

mate it is crazy.

How did you find 5mg versus 10mg?

[pinting 6]

1 hour ago, Iridium said:

mate it is crazy.

How did you find 5mg versus 10mg?

Just split this one in half. Not going to be 100% accurate, but best I can work with for the time being. They're all dirt cheap anyways luckily!

[Iridium 61]

4 hours ago, pinting said:

Just split this one in half. Not going to be 100% accurate, but best I can work with for the time being. They're all dirt cheap anyways luckily!

No I mean how did it affect you compared to the 10mg?