Long-term use of melatonin supplements to support sleep may have negative health effects

[Utsikt]

But I still find it hard to understand under which conditions melatonin ends up in your medical record, especially in countries outside of the UK.

Melatonin can be bought over the counter in Norway, but the prescription ones are cheaper and probably considered safer due to stricter quality control for medications vs supplements.

 

[EndME]

Melatonin can be bought over the counter in Norway, but the prescription ones are cheaper and probably considered safer due to stricter quality control for medications vs supplements.

But even there the indication for insomnia as far as I can see is only for short term treatment, so not what was seen in this study.

 

[Yann04]

But even there the indication for insomnia as far as I can see is only for short term treatment, so not what was seen in this study.

I’ve been prescribed it long term. (I know the evidence on long term use is mixed).

But I think my GP kinda preferred giving me that then hard sleeping pills so they are happy to keep me on. The first time they prescribed they didn’t mention I would need to stop.

 

[Utsikt]

But even there the indication for insomnia as far as I can see is only for short term treatment, so not what was seen in this study.

The leading «sleep experts» here describe it as safe and without any known side effects, so I guess the GPs just prescribe it and hope the patients think it helps.

I’ve never had any long term followup on any of my medications, except for one time where interactions got flagged in the system and the GP wanted to check if I had any issues before renewing them.

 

[Creekside]

And of course UK is absolutely obsessed with putting off anyone whose issues fall into certain categories such as sleep through the years long hoop-jumping of IAPT, mindfulness apps etc and 'go away and try that for 6months' on cycle to have to prove all the obvious don't work.

Maybe the study shows that patients who have to suffer through those hoops are more likely to suffer serious consequences from that.

 

[bobbler]

Maybe the study shows that patients who have to suffer through those hoops are more likely to suffer serious consequences from that.

Precisely

It is interesting that the countries where it’s so freely available haven’t been compared

I assume yellow card systems exist whether prescribed or not and heart failure is so significant whether there is reporting just on that which might mean those country’s depts that get said patients would pick up on loads having taken melatonin

A main difference in it being freely available is perhaps fewer years of insomnia before taking it