Melatonin is the hormone that signals night to your body clock. It is sold as a supplement in some countries and as a medicine in others.
Calculator Official intake Study doses Best form Safety Sources
Melatonin is a hormone, not a nutrient, so there is no official daily intake.
These are doses tested in research, not personal advice. Some exceed the upper limit because they were short courses or given under medical care.
1 mg a day
The EU allows two melatonin health claims (falling asleep faster, jet lag), only for low-dose products of up to 1 mg a day.
No single dose
Meta-analysis of 19 trials (1,683 people): melatonin helped people fall asleep about 7 minutes faster and sleep about 8 minutes longer. Higher doses and longer trials showed somewhat larger effects. Modest, but with few side effects.
0.50-5 mg a day, for a few days only
Cochrane review: 0.5 to 5 mg taken close to the target bedtime at the destination, for 2 to 5 days, reduced jet lag, most clearly on eastward flights. Doses above 5 mg added nothing, and taking it earlier in the day can make things worse.
Herxheimer A, Petrie KJ (Cochrane), summary in Am Fam Physician 2002
Best form
Immediate release
Why: Low-dose immediate-release melatonin, taken 30 to 60 minutes before bed, matches how the trials for falling asleep and jet lag were run.
Alternatives: Prolonged-release melatonin is a prescription medicine in the EU for insomnia in people over 55.
Herxheimer A, Petrie KJ (Cochrane), summary in Am Fam Physician 2002
Tiny amounts in cherries, nuts and some grains.
Adds to drowsiness with alcohol, sleeping pills and sedating medicines. May interact with blood thinners, fluvoxamine and diabetes medicines.
Rules differ in Europe: as of November 2026, Denmark and Sweden do not allow it in supplements, Hungary banned it in August 2026, Italy caps supplements at 1 mg a day and higher doses are prescription-only in several countries.
Pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication, or managing a health condition? Check with a doctor or pharmacist before starting a supplement.
Values checked: November 12, 2026.
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