What is melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone that is naturally produced in the human body – brain to be precise. It is released by the pineal gland, that is located near the centre of the brain. Synthetically produced melatonin is often used as a medicine or as a supplement for treating sleep problems, such as troubles falling asleep, insomnia and jet lag.
When is it recommended to take melatonin?
Melatonin should be taken only prior to sleep. Some research show that melatonin reaches its peak plasma concentration only up to 60 minutes after consumption.
Is melatonin safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women?
No, taking melatonin during pregnancy and when trying to become pregnant might not be safe – not much is known about side effects during pregnancy and additional research is needed to confirm safety/unsafety of taking melatonin supplement during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.