Low-Dose Melatonin 3mg

Description

Low-Dose Melatonin 3mg is engineered to help find the best individual dosages with simple, easy to follow instructions. One drop contains 0.1 mg of melatonin, ten drops contain 1 mg, and thirty drops contain 3 mg of melatonin.

To find the best dosage, start with 0.3 mg (3 drops) for 1-5 nights and then assess how you feel based on your quality of sleep and your energy levels in the morning. Take less if you are groggy the next day.

Once you establish the right dosage for you, stay on that dose for 3 months to complete a circadian rhythm reset. If you are over the age of 50, consider testing your melatonin and cortisol levels to determine if there is an age-related imbalance. If there is an imbalance, talk to your health care professional about the potential benefits and risks of long-term supplementation.

Suggested Use: Take 3-30 drops 30 minutes before bedtime. Repeat serving as needed in the night, or as directed by your health care professional.

Shake well before using.

Bottle Contains: 59 servings, 30 drops each

Ingredients: 100% Melatonin

Other Ingredients: Vegetable Glycerin, Deionized Water, Raspberry and Vanilla Natural Flavors.

Does Not Contain: Milk or dairy products, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, gluten, soy, or ingredients derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

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The Science

For life forms to exist on this planet, a mechanism was required to deal with day and night, as well as summer and winter. Our connection to the light/dark cycles has evolved around our ability to produce one of the oldest molecules on the planet, melatonin.

Melatonin is produced in the pineal gland of mammals, is found in all different parts of plants, and dates back some 3 billion years. (5) In humans, through our skin and receptors in our retinas, the pineal gland recognizes when the sun sets and starts producing melatonin in response. Melatonin, a sleep hormone, eases us into sweet slumber. What many people don’t know, is that its role doesn’t end there…

Melatonin’s Benefits are Nothing Short of Impressive

Numerous studies have declared melatonin as the body’s most powerful antioxidant. It scavenges for free radicals, stimulates genes to turn on other antioxidant systems, has unprecedented access to any and every cell in the body and easily crosses the blood-brain barrier – all while you sleep! (1) Melatonin acts somewhat like a nightly custodian, cleaning the floors, emptying the trash and washing the windows while we are closed down for the evening. In addition to boosting the production of the body’s army of protective, antioxidant enzymes, glutathione, superoxide dismutase and others, it regulates and maintains the health and balance of the mitochondria, which are the energy generators found in every cell. (1)

Healthy melatonin levels have been linked to healthy bones, breast health, brain health, heart health, joint health, better quality sleep, blood sugar support, weight loss, balanced hormone production, cognitive health and a healthier microbiome by supporting the proliferation of immune-supporting gut microbes. (1-9,13)

Melatonin Production Decreases with Age and Artificial Light

To our misfortune, melatonin production from the pineal gland decreases with age, and age-related deficiencies are thought to play a role in cognitive decline. The health of neuronal brain and central nervous system cells seem to be protected by melatonin production when we are young, and from melatonin supplementation when we are older. (1) Oxidative damage to brain cells has been linked to the degenerative aging process. A century of unsurpassed exposure to artificial light has generated a population in which melatonin levels are chronically delayed or depleted.

In a study at Colorado University in Boulder, Colorado, researchers found an overwhelming amount of melatonin deficiencies when sampling average healthy residents of Boulder, considered one of the healthiest towns in America. In the study, a one-week camping trip without any artificial light was able to completely restore melatonin levels and reset circadian rhythms. (10)

Supplementing with Melatonin

There have been decades of research on supplementing with melatonin. My concern for years was whether taking any hormone supplement would cause a depletion or a lack of production of that hormone by the body. However, the studies are unique in this area when it comes to melatonin. They have found that supplementing with melatonin does not cause the body to produce less of its own. (12,13) Everyone responds to melatonin differently, so the dosage is often based on the individual. If you take too much, you may feel sleepy or drowsy during the day or have excessive dreams during the night.

Start With the Smallest Dosage of Low-Dose Melatonin

It has been determined that an effective melatonin dosage ranges from .3 milligrams to 5 milligrams, taken about 20 minutes before bed. LifeSpa’s Low-Dose Melatonin 3mg drops contain .1 milligrams per drop. That means 30 drops equal 3 milligrams. I suggest starting with the smallest dosage, which is .3 milligrams (3 drops) for a few nights and then assessing how you feel. Increase by increments of .1 milligrams until you find the correct dosage for you. For example:

• Days 1-5: Take up to 3 drops about 30 minutes before bed
• Days 6-10: Take up to 10 drops about 30 minutes before bed
• Days 11-15: Take up to 15 drops about 30 minutes before bed
• Days 16-20: Take up to 20 drops about 30 minutes before bed
• Days 21-25: Take up to 25 drops about 30 minutes before bed
• Days 26-30: Take up to 30 drops about 30 minutes before bed

Adjusting Your Low-Dose Melatonin Dosage

To evaluate your low-dose melatonin dosage, during each 5-day period, assess how well you slept, and your energy levels in the morning and throughout the day. Take less if you are groggy in the morning. You may need less during the winter months when natural melatonin production is higher. Once you establish the right dosage for you, stay on that dose for 3 months as a circadian rhythm reset.

If you are over the age of 50 and your melatonin and cortisol test results are showing a circadian imbalance, consider long-term supplementation – as melatonin production from the pineal gland decreases with age. The Mayo Clinic publishes a list of melatonin dosages alongside various health concerns. You can use this to find your concern and the appropriate dosing schedule. (11)

Get Your Melatonin Tested

Still not sure if you need a melatonin supplement? Consider getting your levels tested. I don’t have any health concerns that I am aware of, and have always slept great… but I am in my early sixties. When I had my melatonin tested, to my surprise, I was low and have since started supplementing. I was so grateful to find this out early, as research suggests it works best when it is started early in life. Getting the dose right is a process, which is why I like using Low-Dose Melatonin 3mg drops, where I can adjust the dose as needed, without having to buy a new product for each new dose.

General Disclaimer:

Warning: Keep out of reach of children. Not intended for use by pregnant women. Store in a cool, dry place.

 

References:

1. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12640-012-9337-4
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3402070/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2957228/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4709092/
5. Reiter, R. Melatonin, Bantam Books.1996
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4352910/
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3001215/
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3742260/
9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3158876/
10. http://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(16)31522-6
11. http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/melatonin/dosing/hrb-20059770
12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23044640
13. https://lifespa.com/episode-45-groundbreaking-research-on-melatonin-with-dr-paula-witt-enderby/