Spending your days fighting exhaustion makes everything harder. Fatigue zaps your motivation and makes it difficult to concentrate, which can make doing anything that requires any brain power whatsoever take three times as long.
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.
Fatigue is such a common feeling that perhaps it isn’t surprising that 18% of people take a dietary supplement specifically to gain more energy, according to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, published in Nutrients.
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.
Related: Always Tired? Doctors Say This Common Nutrient Deficiency Could Be To Blame
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.
There are a few reasons why melatonin gummies can actually make you feel even more fatigued. Dr. Alexander Acosta, MD,a primary care doctor with SonderCare, says that one reason is that many melatonin gummies are high in sugar.
“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.
Related: Constantly Tired? It Could Be a Hidden Sign of This Health Problem, Experts Warn
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."
Dr. Alexa Mieses Malchuk, MD, MPH, FAAFP, a family practice physician at Geisinger, adds that the sugar in melatonin gummies can disrupt sleep, which can then lead to feeling tired the next day.
“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.
Both doctors say that another reason why taking melatonin gummies can destroy energy levels is that they can negatively impact the body when taken long-term.
“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.
Dr. Acosta emphasizes that taking melatonin disrupts the body’s natural circadian rhythm. “Every night, sleep is now tied to taking something else to feel ‘sleepy’ and the habit takes the place of the actual sleep hygiene task that addresses the underlying issue,” he says.
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.
Related: Doctors Say This Is the Most Common Overlooked Cause of Afternoon Fatigue
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.
In situations when it can be beneficial to take melatonin, it’s important that you get it from a reputable source. “Melatonin is a supplement, not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration," she explains. "There have been reports of low-quality supplements containing ingredients not listed on the label, which can be risky. Additionally, doses available over the counter are much higher than is actually recommended by physicians."
For this reason, it’s best to ask your doctor for a melatonin prescription rather than buying an over-the-counter melatonin supplement.
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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?
“The one thing that works for patients with chronic sleeping problems that I have seen the most of is correcting sleep hygiene first. This includes a fixed bedtime and wake-up routine, avoiding screens before bed and waking up to natural light,” Dr. Acosta says.
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.
Dr. Acosta adds that getting sunlight in the morning is one great way to support circadian rhythm, which no supplement can replace. Similarly, dimming the lights in the evening and avoiding screens can also help.
“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.
What’s most important is to know that no one should go through life feeling exhausted all the time. It’s worth it to get to the root cause of your sleep issues, which may or may not include working with your healthcare provider. That way, you’ll be able to fully be present for all the moments you don’t want to miss.
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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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