Effectiveness of Melatonin Questioned
New research published in the British Medical Journal has cast doubt on the effectiveness of melatonin as a treatment for jetlag and disturbed sleep.
Researchers from the University of Alberta at Edmonton analysed a number of published studies into the effectiveness of melatonin.
According to this meta-analysis:
Although melatonin did help people with secondary sleep disorders to get more sleep, the effect was a tiny ten minutes extra for an eight hour sleep period.
The researchers stress that they are not making any treatment recommendations, simply presenting an analysis of the data.
Researchers from the University of Alberta at Edmonton analysed a number of published studies into the effectiveness of melatonin.
According to this meta-analysis:
"Our review shows that melatonin does not affect either sleep onset latency or sleep efficiency in people with jet lag or people with shiftwork disorder"
Although melatonin did help people with secondary sleep disorders to get more sleep, the effect was a tiny ten minutes extra for an eight hour sleep period.
The researchers stress that they are not making any treatment recommendations, simply presenting an analysis of the data.
