Feeling exhausted gets in the way of enjoying life too. Maybe you were looking forward to a dinner out with your friends, but when it finally happens, you’re too tired to follow the conversation and wish you were just at home in bed.
There’s one very common supplement many people take for energy, but according to doctors, it can completely backfire. Keep reading to find out what it is and what to do instead.
On paper, taking a melatonin gummy each night before you go to bed sounds like it can do wonders for your energy levels. After all, consistently getting good sleep is the most effective way to feel more energized. But it’s something that doctors we talked to warn against.
“Many of my patients who were complaining about feeling tired in the morning were taking melatonin gummies at night and never read the label. The sugar in those gummies can trigger insulin levels to rise before bedtime, only for the levels to plummet shortly afterward, especially for those who are sensitive to blood sugar,” he tells Parade.
Dr. Acosta explains that this crash can happen at the moment that the body is in its deepest recovery sleep, sharing, “Some individuals wake up feeling exhausted, not only due to a night of bad sleep, but because of a drop in blood sugar, which the body was forced to deal with during the night."
“Sugar at bedtime can interrupt sleep. Too much sugar in one’s diet overall can lead to energy ‘highs and lows’ that correlate with blood sugar fluctuations,” she explains.
“Long-term melatonin supplementation can have unwanted effects on hormones and metabolism,” Dr. Malchuk says. Scientific research shows that taking melatonin every night long-term can increase the risk of heart failure, another risk to be aware of.
Instead of using melatonin as a Band-Aid, it’s important to get to the root cause of what’s causing your energy levels to be low.
When Can Taking Melatonin Be Helpful?
Melatonin isn’t meant to be taken every night. So when can it be helpful to take? Dr. Malchuk says that melatonin can be helpful to support sleep short-term in specific situations. One example of this is when you are traveling across time zones.
For this reason, it’s best to ask your doctor for a melatonin prescription rather than buying an over-the-counter melatonin supplement.
As both Dr. Malchuk and Dr. Acosta have made clear, taking a melatonin gummy every night isn’t an effective way to feel more energized. So, what works better?
This means that instead of turning to supplements to solve your sleep problems, it's better to focus on having good sleep hygiene habits in place. Also, understand that it may take some time for your body to naturally adapt to these beneficial changes; don’t give up too early.
“If, despite your best efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle, you still feel tired, talk with your family medicine physician. It’s important to look for other causes of fatigue like nutritional deficiencies, sleep apnea, hormonal issues and more,” Dr. Malchuk says.
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Related: 5 Sneaky Daytime Signs of Sleep Apnea, According to Doctors
Sources:
Liu, L., Tao, H., Xu, J., et al. (2024). Quantity, Duration, Adherence, and the Reasons for Dietary Supplement Use among Adults: Results from the NHANES 2011-2018. Nutrients. 16(12):1830.Dr. Alexander Acosta, MD, primary care doctor with SonderCare.Dr. Alexa Mieses Malchuk, MD, MPH, FAAFP, family practice physician at Geisinger.Long-term use of melatonin supplements to support health may have negative health effects. American Heart Association.Hence then, the article about the healthy supplement that s secretly destroying your energy was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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