Healthy Aging Melatonin Supplements for Slowing Down Aging Can Melatonin Supplements Slow Down Aging? By Mark Stibich, PhD Mark Stibich, PhD LinkedIn Twitter Mark Stibich, PhD, FIDSA, is a behavior change expert with experience helping individuals make lasting lifestyle improvements. Learn about our editorial process Updated on April 08, 2022 Medically reviewed by Isaac O. Opole, MD, PhD Medically reviewed by Isaac O. Opole, MD, PhD LinkedIn Isaac O. Opole, MD, PhD, is a board-certified internist specializing in geriatric medicine. For over 15 years, he's practiced at the Kansas University Medical Center, where he is also a professor. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Fact checked by Angela Underwood Fact checked by Angela Underwood LinkedIn Angela Underwood's extensive local, state, and federal healthcare and environmental news coverage includes 911 first-responder compensation policy to the Ciba-Geigy water contamination case in Toms River, NJ. Her additional health-related coverage includes death and dying, skin care, and autism spectrum disorder. Learn about our editorial process Print Melatonin is a hormone produced in the body that some have claimed to have anti-aging properties. It helps regulate your sleep cycle. When you are exposed to light in the morning, melatonin levels decrease. At night, when it is dark, these levels increase, making you sleepy and drowsy. While some people are claiming that melatonin is an anti-aging hormone, studies show melatonin levels decrease as we age. These claims are based on the observation that older people need less sleep. That observation is a common sleep myth. In fact, older people need just as much sleep as younger adults. CaseyHillPhoto / Getty Images Considerations Before Use Before even thinking about using a supplement to fall asleep, spend about a week re-training your body’s sleep habits. Bad habits like drinking too much caffeine, and not getting enough light exposure can result in sleep difficulty. Re-learn how to fall asleep. If those tips don’t work, then you may have a medical condition or may be taking a medication that interferes with sleep. You may also have a sleep disorder. Talk to your healthcare provider about the possibility of changing your medication or treating your sleep problem. Dosage Warning Small amounts of melatonin (0.1 to 0.5 milligrams) have been shown to improve sleep in some individuals. Over the counter, melatonin comes in low and high-dose milligrams. However, there is no research on the long-term effects of high melatonin levels. Side Effects Side effects of melatonin can include dizzinness, headache, other sleep-related adverse events, hypothermia, agitation, mood swings, nightmares, skin irritation, and palpitations. People who have a history of depression, in particular, should discuss the use of melatonin with their healthcare providers before taking it. Uses Jet lag: Studies have shown that melatonin can help reset your body’s clock after jet lag. Delayed sleep phase syndrome: This is a condition in which a person sleeps a normal amount, but their sleep is delayed until late in the night (not because of TV or other reasons). Research shows melatonin is promising for treating this syndrome. Insomnia in older adults: Research is also promising (but not proven) that melatonin supplementation can help treat insomnia in older adults. Studies show trends that look good, but the studies were not well-designed and left many questions unanswered. Most studies only looked at short-term effects (a few days). Sleep problems in children with neuro-psychiatric disorders: There is also some promising research that melatonin could help children with conditions such as autism, psychiatric disorders, or epilepsy improve their sleep. This use of melatonin is currently being investigated. Some evidence shows melatonin can be used for: Improving sleep in people with Alzheimer’s disease Use as an antioxidant The treatment of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and ADHD-related sleep problems Tapering (stop using) benzodiazepines Bipolar disorder-related sleep problems Treating cancer (not enough research to know about interference with other treatments and overall effect) Treatment of chemotherapy side effects Regulating circadian rhythms in blind persons Depression-related sleep disturbances Treating glaucoma Headache prevention The Bottom Line There is an increasing interest in using melatonin in many conditions. However, little is known about how high melatonin levels might interact with other therapies. For now, caution should be used. Be sure to talk with your healthcare provider before using melatonin (or any supplement), especially if you have an existing health condition. 23 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Anghel L, Baroiu L, Popazu CR, et al. Benefits and adverse events of melatonin use in the elderly (Review). Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine. 2022;23(3):1-8. doi: 10.3892/etm.2022.11142 Zisapel N. New perspectives on the role of melatonin in human sleep, circadian rhythms and their regulation: Melatonin in human sleep and circadian rhythms. 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The effect of melatonin on benzodiazepine discontinuation and sleep quality in adults attempting to discontinue benzodiazepines: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Drugs Aging. 2015;32(12):1009-1018. doi: 10.1007/s40266-015-0322-5 Baandrup L, Glenthøj BY, Jennum PJ. Objective and subjective sleep quality: Melatonin versus placebo add-on treatment in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder withdrawing from long-term benzodiazepine use. Psychiatry Research. 2016;240:163-169. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.04.031 Talib WH, Alsayed AR, Abuawad A, Daoud S, Mahmod AI. Melatonin in cancer treatment: current knowledge and future opportunities. Molecules. 2021;26(9):2506. doi: 10.3390/molecules26092506 Ma Z, Xu L, Liu D, et al. Utilizing melatonin to alleviate side effects of chemotherapy: a potentially good partner for treating cancer with ageing. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. 2020;2020:e6841581. 10.1155/2020/6841581 Quera Salva MA, Hartley S, Léger D, Dauvilliers YA. Non-24-hour sleep–wake rhythm disorder in the totally blind: diagnosis and management. Front Neurol. 2017;8:686. doi: doi:10.3389/fneur.2017.00686 Bouwmans MEJ, Beltz AM, Bos EH, Oldehinkel AJ, de Jonge P, Molenaar PCM. The person-specific interplay of melatonin, affect, and fatigue in the context of sleep and depression. Personality and Individual Differences. 2018;123:163-170. Yu H, Wang Q, Wu W, Zeng W, Feng Y. Therapeutic effects of melatonin on ocular diseases: knowledge map and perspective. Front Pharmacol. 2021;12:721869. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2021.721869 Danilov AB, Danilov AB, Kurushina OV, Shestel EA, Zhivolupov SA, Latysheva NV. Safety and efficacy of melatonin in chronic tension-type headache: a post-marketing real-world surveillance program. Pain Ther. 2020;9(2):741-750. doi: 10.1007/s40122-020-00207-y Additional Reading National Institute on Aging. National Institutes of Health. Pills, Patches and Shots: Can Hormones Prevent Aging? Medline Plus. 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