U.S. Senator Wants FDA to Regulate Food with Melatonin

Generally each brownie and cookie almost doubles the upper limit of a typical dose.

Products are marketed as dietary supplements that claim to provide a harmless way to promote relaxation, alleviate stress, and ease sleep deprivation. These products appear to be promoting themselves as therapeutic alternatives to medications.

The relaxing effect promoted by these products is due to the ingredient melatonin. According to scientific research there is no recommended dose for melatonin supplements, but according to the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database the typical dose should be between 0.3 and 5 milligrams. Generally each brownie and cookie contains roughly 8 milligrams of melatonin -- almost double the upper limit of a typical dose.

The inclusion of melatonin in baked goods raises numerous health concerns. For instance, the sweet, chocolaty taste may encourage consumers to eat well over a recommended quantity of melatonin. Furthermore, consumers eating these baked goods may not recognize they are consuming a neurohormone, that they should consult a doctor before eating it, and that it may not be appropriate for children, people with auto-immune diseases, or women who are pregnant or breast-feeding.

According to the Office of Dietary Supplements in the National Institutes of Health, after taking melatonin people should not drive or use machinery for four to five hours, and melatonin may interact with contraceptive drugs, diabetes medications, and depressants.

These products are currently marketed as dietary supplements, therefore they do not need to establish evidence of their products' safety and effectiveness or require pre-market approval. The FDA has not approved melatonin as an additive in foods.

Source:

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/05/durbin-wants-fda-to-regulate-safety-of-food-with-melatonin/

Ari Wortzman M.