MELATONIN and depression

[funkychunkymonkey]

Can anyone tell me why they dont reccomend taking melatonin if you suffer from depression? I swicthed shifts and my sleep pattern is bad so I have been taking it the past few nights to help me sleep. Anyone know the reason why?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Here are some articles for you to read.

http://garthkroeker.blogspot.com/2009/07/melatonin-benefits-and-risks.html

http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69298.cfm

http://www.websciences.org/SLTBR/jama.htm

 

[bumbershoot]

"Some studies show that melatonin supplements worsened symptoms of depression."

It's a hormone that your body produces in the pineal gland...lots of hormones being made up there. Possible that it changes other hormonal production which could then make depression worse?

But on the other hand, "There are experimental studies showing that melatonin increases serotonin levels which helps reduce the symptoms of depressive illness."


The first sites I found while googling mainly just said to use it with your nutritional (OK I added that part, mainly b/c the MDs I have dealt with know absolutely nothing about supplements, and since they've barely had Nutrition classes, that makes sense!) health care provider's advice and help.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

The first sites I found while googling mainly just said to use it with your nutritional (OK I added that part, mainly b/c the MDs I have dealt with know absolutely nothing about supplements, and since they've barely had Nutrition classes, that makes sense!) health care provider's advice and help.

Why the FDA Does Not Approve Supplements

 

[iwrbnd]

I'm interested in this too. I have a child on the autism spectrum (mild) and he can not fall asleep. For as long as I can remember he would lay in bed until 1 or 2 in the morning and be so tired the next morning. Finally the doctor told us to use Melatonin. I felt bad like I was drugging him but it puts him to sleep and he's much happier and alert during the day. He's been taking a very small dose for the past year. I'm always so worried I'll find out about a long term side effect, though! My husband is a doctor and feels it's safe but you know they don't study supplements in medical school much. I worry about giving my son melatonin but I also worry about what lack of sleep does to a growing boy. Right now he's absolutely thriving and excelling in school so I don't see a problem but long term I do wonder about!

Once I even tried to see if it had a placebo effect. I told him I put it in his drink but I didn't. We had a very long day and I was sure he would fall asleep. I woke up at 2 in the morning to this little boy standing by my bed saying he couldn't fall asleep. Poor thing!

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

my aunt gives melitonin to her kids all the time which is why I tried it. So far so good, I feel alot happier with more sleep (it was taking two hours to fall asleep)

 

[Stephanie218]

I use Melatonin most nights. I have trouble sleeping when my husband is deployed, and it helps quite a bit. I've never noticed a problem myself with depression related feelings, but I do get quite a bit of sun during the day living in Southern California (from reading the first article posted). Sometimes I do worry about extended use, but the sleep it provides is worth it to me.