Melatonin Dosage Guide

## Can You Overdose on Melatonin? A melatonin "overdose" in the traditional sense -- meaning a life-threatening toxic dose -- is essentially not possible with commercially available supplements. There are no documented cases of fatal melatonin overdose in the medical literature. Even in research settings where volunteers have been given doses of 100mg or more, no serious toxicity has occurred. ## What Happens at Very High Doses Taking too much melatonin (for example, accidentally taking 20-30mg+ instead of 1-3mg, or a child getting into a bottle of gummy melatonin) can cause: - **Excessive drowsiness** that may persist well into the next day - **Headache**, sometimes significant - **Nausea** and possible vomiting - **Dizziness and disorientation** - **Irritability**, particularly in children - **Diarrhea** (uncommon) - **Blood pressure fluctuations** (melatonin can affect blood pressure in both directions depending on the individual) - **Vivid nightmares or very disturbing dreams** ## What to Do For an adult who has taken a large but non-extreme dose of melatonin (e.g., 10-50mg by mistake): there is generally no need for emergency medical treatment. They should be allowed to sleep in a safe position and monitored for comfort. Symptoms will resolve on their own as melatonin is rapidly metabolized (half-life ~60 minutes). For children who have ingested a large amount of melatonin: contact Poison Control (1-800-222-1222 in the US) or your local emergency number. While serious toxicity is unlikely, children are more sensitive, doses relative to body weight are higher, and some melatonin supplements contain other active ingredients (such as serotonin contaminants, herbal blends, or vitamins) that may pose additional risks. Seek medical attention if the person experiences: - Severe persistent vomiting - Significant blood pressure changes (feeling faint, racing heart) - Confusion or disorientation lasting more than a few hours - Difficulty breathing (extremely unlikely from melatonin alone but warrants evaluation) - Seizure (very rare; more likely if melatonin is combined with other substances)