Melatonin: evidence, dose and safety
Melatonin is a hormone the body releases in the evening as light fades. It is a prescription medicine in Sweden, Australia, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon, so we sell it only where it is a food supplement.
At a glance
- Strongest evidence
- B Good
- Dose in our plans
- 1 mg a day for adults
- Adult upper limit
- 5 mg a day from food and supplements together
- Safety checks
- 1 situation and 3 medicine or supplement interactions, checked against your answers in every plan
- Reviewed
- Atrum Labs clinical team (MD, PhD), November 2026
What the research looked at
Each line is one body of research, graded A (strong) to D (weak). How we grade evidence. What each study measured is explained in your personal plan.
| Grade | Who was studied | References |
|---|---|---|
| B | Adults with sleep-onset difficulty |
|
How much
- Our plans usually use 1 mg a day for adults. The exact dose depends on your lab results, age and medicines.
- Adult upper limit: 5 mg a day from food and supplements together. Source: Clinical ceiling; licensed melatonin is 2 mg (Circadin SmPC) and the EU sleep-onset claim needs 1 mg.
- Children's doses are set by age, and some ingredients are for adults only.
Who should not take it, or should check first
- Not suitable. Insufficient safety data in pregnancy or lactation.
Medicines and other supplements
- A clinician checks first. Additive sedation with benzodiazepines and Z-drugs.
- Not suitable. Fluvoxamine blocks CYP1A2 and raises melatonin exposure about 17-fold.
- Not suitable. Already prescribed melatonin or a melatonin agonist; a supplement would double the dose.
Your plan is checked against every medicine you tell us about. If you take a medicine, ask your pharmacist or doctor before starting a new supplement.
Where we sell it
- A prescription medicine in Sweden, Australia, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, so not sold there as a supplement.
Written and reviewed by the Atrum Labs clinical team (physician-scientists, MD, PhD) from our clinical knowledge base, version 0.2.0-draft. This page is general information, not medical advice. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
See if it belongs in your plan