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Melatonin supplements are widely used around the world as natural sleep aids, but this ingredient cannot legally be included in dietary supplements sold in Australia.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has categorized melatonin as a restricted item, which means that it is not available over the counter in Australia. In order to purchase it legally, it must be prescribed by a doctor.
Australian residents are allowed to import therapeutic goods – like melatonin – for personal use. For this reason, many Australians buy this supplement online and ship it to their homes.
Melatonin is a hormone believed to regulate our circadian rhythms. Research shows that it is effective for alleviating jet lag, shift work sleep disorder and some types of insomnia. It is also considered safe to use, with a low reported incidence of side effects.
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Melatonin Legal Status in Australia
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In Australia, many natural supplements that are considered medications are regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Melatonin has not been approved by the TGA, which is why it cannot be sold as a dietary supplement.
This makes Australia different from many other countries around the world where melatonin is widely used by consumers as a sleep supplement. In the USA, melatonin is regulated as a dietary ingredient because it is found naturally in some common foods.
In Australia, Melatonin is regulated as a medicinally active hormone and requires a prescription to purchase. A medication called “Circadin”, which contains an extended-release form of this ingredient – is available.
However the TGA does not regulate items sold over the internet on international sites. Furthermore, under Australian law, “Individuals can legally import most therapeutic goods for personal use under the Personal Importation Scheme.”
So, while it is not possible to buy melatonin over the counter in Australia, you can purchase it online on sites like eBay, Evitamins.com or Chemist Warehouse. Melatonin is not sold on the Australian portal for Amazon.
How is Melatonin Used?
Natural melatonin release in the brain is triggered by dark environments, and quantities drop off when it gets light out. A number of different factors can interfere with melatonin release, which could cause sleep dysfunction
Melatonin supplements can help with primary and secondary sleep disorders. It is taken for the treatment of:
- insomnia
- jet lag
- shift worker disorder
- circadian rhythm disorders in the blind
- sleep-wake cycle disturbances
- sleeplessness in hospital settings or other settings with bright light and noise disturbances
Melatonin is taken in pill, tablet, capsule or sublingual drop form. When applied topically before sun exposure, melatonin can also prevent sunburn.
Top Melatonin Supplements
How to Take Melatonin
Typically, you can buy melatonin in doses that range from .5 milligrams to 6 mg. Studies have suggested that it can be used safely from several weeks to several months. There are no studies about the use of melatonin over a period of years.
The dosage depends on the desired effects. In studies, the following have been tested:
- When traveling east five time zones or more, 2 to 3 mg are taken at the local bedtime. This is done on the first day after arrival and for two to five more days. There is no evidence that melatonin is helpful when traveling west through multiple time zones.
- To increase REM sleep, participants in one study took 3 mg daily for a period of four weeks.
- To fall asleep more quickly, individuals took 6 mg nightly.
Evidence suggests that fast release melatonin is more effective than slow-release melatonin for people who wish to fall asleep more quickly.
User reviews of melatonin supplements online are overwhelmingly positive. While few reviews can be found on Australian sites, the best-selling melatonin supplement on Amazon, Now Foods Melatonin, 5 mg, has over 750 reviews. Sixty-six percent of reviews are 5-star reviews.
Users say that taking melatonin 45 minutes before bedtime helps them fall asleep more quickly and enjoy deeper and more satisfying sleep.
Some users take melatonin singly, while others use it in conjunction with other over the counter or prescription sleep aids. A number of users also report that melatonin helps prevent early waking insomnia and other sleep disturbances.
- Time-released formula for more restful sleep
- Reduces insomnia, jet lag and daytime fatigue
- Delay signs of aging and improve metabolism
Side Effect and Adverse Effects
One of the reasons why many Australians find the ban on melatonin supplements by the TGA frustrating is due to the apparent high safety rating given to these products.
Melatonin is rated as Likely Safe by the Natural Medicines Database when used orally and appropriately. Most people who take melatonin in recommended doses do not report any adverse effects.
The most common side effects include nausea, dizziness, headache and daytime drowsiness. Some people who take melatonin report intense or unpleasant dreams.
Melatonin may interact with other medications. There are reports of minor bleeding when melatonin is taken with the blood thinner warfarin. It may also increase the frequency of seizures in people who have seizure disorders.
Melatonin use may be dangerous during pregnancy. There is also evidence that, in large doses, it may interfere with ovulation.
Single doses of melatonin are considered safe in children. Prolonged use, however may not be safe and is not recommended.
When it is taken in larger than recommended quantities, melatonin intoxication can occur. In one 66-year-old man in the U.S., a dose of 24 mg melatonin led to lethargy and disorientation.
He recovered and continued to take melatonin nightly in a 6 mg doses in conjunction with another sleep aid.
When taken in high recreation doses, melatonin can have serious adverse effects. Anecdotal reports on sites that include Reddit and Erowid indicate that doses in quantities of 15 to 50 mg are associated with slurred speech, disorientation, memory loss, brain fog and grogginess.
Additionally, people who took excessive quantities for several days reported severe insomnia when they stopped taking melatonin.
Where to Purchase Melatonin in Australia
You cannot purchase melatonin pills in local shops in Australia, but you can find it online on international websites. A few of the melatonin supplements that are popular online include:
- Bioglan Melatonin, a homeopathic remedy, contains melatonin 6X and is available from Chemist Warehouse.
- Now Foods offers melatonin supplements in 10 mg and 3 mg dose pills, as well as 2 mg drops. These are available in Australia on Evitamins.com.
- Natrol Melatonin is available on Evitamins in a 5 mg time release pill.
- Source Naturals 1mg is available on Evitamins in a sublingual drop.
Under the Australian Personal Importation Scheme, individuals may purchase up to a three-month supply of any therapeutic goods for personal use. Before buying melatonin to import to Australia, check with a doctor to make sure this supplement is appropriate for you.
- Melatonin for Treatment of Sleep Disorders: Summary – National Center for Biotechnology Information
- http://au.evitamins.com/melatonin
- https://www.amazon.com.au/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=melatonin+pills&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Amelatonin+pills
- https://www.tga.gov.au/overview-regulation-complementary-medicines-australia#online
- https://www.reddit.com/r/Drugs/comments/197mfc/you_can_get_high_off_melatonin_but_dont/
- https://www.erowid.org/experiences/subs/exp_Melatonin.shtml
