New Study Reveals Alarming Trend: Nearly 20 Percent of Children Take Hormonal Sleep Aid
A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder has found that nearly one-fifth of children are taking powerful sleep supplements, raising concerns among experts. The study analyzed data from 993 children aged one to 13 years old and showed an increase in hormonal sleep aid consumption with age.
The researchers reported that the use of melatonin – a hormone produced naturally in the body – was highest among 10- to 13-year-olds, with 19.4 percent of parents reporting their children had taken melatonin in the previous 30 days. Consumption was also significant among kids aged five to nine, with 18.5 percent using the sleep aid in the same time frame.
Dr. Lauren Hartstein, lead author and fellow in the Sleep and Development Lab at CU Boulder, emphasized the need for more research into the long-term effects of melatonin use in children. While she didn’t outright say that melatonin is harmful to kids, she called for caution and a thorough examination of its safety for long-term use.
The study also highlighted that approximately 12.8 percent of children aged five to 13 had consumed melatonin in the past 30 days. On the other hand, only 5.6 percent of parents of kids aged one to four years old reported the same. The increasing consumption of melatonin is alarming, considering the spike in sales of the supplement in the US from 2017 to 2020.
Melatonin, which helps regulate the body’s internal clock, is available over the counter in the US as a dietary supplement. However, caution must be exercised as the hormone’s unregulated nature allows products to contain higher-than-labeled doses, causing various side effects, including sleepiness, stomach problems, headaches, and high blood pressure.
Though generally considered safe for short-term use, the long-term safety of melatonin in children has yet to be determined, prompting experts to recommend behavioral changes over supplement reliance.umptechAfter all, the number of days per week of melatonin consumption was lowest in kids aged five to nine – two.
