melatonin

Reported Doses

Safety/efficacy may not be established; reported doses may be derived from limited or potentially inadequate studies with variable regimens, multi-ingredient products, or where concentration of active ingredients may vary widely

Effectiveness Ratings

[see Herb & Supplement Effectiveness Rating Definitions table]

acute kidney injury

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3-30 mg PO qd

ADHD, peds patients

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3-5 mg PO qhs

age-related macular degeneration

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3 mg PO qhs

atopic dermatitis, peds patients

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3-6 mg PO qhs

autism spectrum disorder, peds patients

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 2-5 mg PO qhs; Info: prolonged-release product

bipolar disorder

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3 mg PO qhs

BPH

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 2 mg PO qhs; Info: controlled-release product

bronchopulmonary dysplasia, peds patients

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 5 mg/kg/day PO qd; Info: used in preterm neonates 27-32 wk gestation

CABG

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3 mg PO x1 given night before surgery, then 3 mg PO x1 given morning before surgery, then 3 mg PO qhs x3 days after surgery

cancer, adjunct tx

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: 10-40 mg PO qpm; Alt: 20 mg IM qd x2mo, then 10 mg PO qpm; Info: used with chemo, XRT, or interleukin-2 for solid tumors

chronic fatigue syndrome

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 5 mg PO qpm; Alt: 1 mg PO qhs

cluster headache

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 10 mg PO qpm x14 days

cognitive impairment

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 10 mg PO qhs

COPD

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3 mg PO qd

COVID-19

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 2-24 mg/day PO divided qd-qid; Info: 3 mg PO tid in patients with mild-moderate COVID-19; 5 mg PO bid in patients with severe COVID-19

delayed sleep phase syndrome, adult patients

[Likely Effective]

Dose: 0.3-5 mg PO qhs

delayed sleep phase syndrome, peds patients

[Likely Effective]

Dose: 1-6 mg PO qhs

delirium

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 0.5-10 mg PO qd; Alt: 3 mg PO x2 before surgery, then 3 mg PO x2 after surgery; 50 mg/kg/dose PO x1

diabetes mellitus

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3-10 mg PO qd

diabetic neuropathy

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 6 mg PO qhs; Start: 3 mg PO qhs x1wk; Info: used with pregabalin

dysmenorrhea

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 10 mg PO qhs; Info: used during menstruation wk

dyspepsia

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 5 mg PO qhs

emergence delirium, adult patients

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: 3-6 mg PO qd started within 3 days of surgery; Alt: 5 mg PO x1 given night before surgery, then 5 mg PO x1 given 12h before surgery, then 5 mg PO x1 given 2h before surgery

emergence delirium, peds patients

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: 0.05-0.5 mg/kg/dose PO qd in patients 2-9 yo; Info: used with anxiolytic tx

endometriosis

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 10 mg PO qd

endotracheal intubation-related hemodynamic effects

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 6 mg PO x1 given 2h before anesthesia

epilepsy, adult patients

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3 mg PO qhs; Info: used with valproate

epilepsy, peds patients

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 1.5-3 mg PO qhs in patients 2-15 yo; 10 mg PO qhs in patients 9 yo and older

fibromyalgia

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3-5 mg PO qhs

GERD

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3 mg PO qhs

H. pylori infection

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 5 mg PO bid x21 days; Info used with standard tx

heart failure

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 10 mg PO qpm

HTN

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: 2-24 mg PO qhs; Info: controlled-release product

IBS

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3 mg PO qhs; Alt: 3 mg PO qam and 3-5 mg PO qhs

insomnia, adult patients

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: 1.9-5 mg PO qhs given 30-180min before desired bedtime; Info: 2.5-5 mg PO qhs in patients with beta-blocker-induced insomnia; 1.5-10 mg PO qhs in patients with dementia; 3 mg PO qhs in patients with epilepsy or dialysis patients; 2-12 mg PO qhs in patients with asthma, bipolar disorder, cystic fibrosis, depression, schizophrenia, hospitalized patients, or postop patients; doses >5 mg rarely more effective

insomnia, peds patients

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: 0.05-0.15 mg/kg/dose PO qhs given 30min before desired bedtime in patients 6-12 yo; Alt: 5 mg PO qhs given 30min before desired bedtime in patients 6-12 yo; Info: 3 mg PO qhs given 30-60min before desired bedtime in patients 3 mo-2 yo with epilepsy; 6-9 mg PO qhs given 30min before desired bedtime in patients 3-12 yo with epilepsy

ischemic reperfusion injury

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 2-50 mg IV x1; Start: within 2.5-3.5h of ischemia onset

jet lag

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: 0.5-8 mg PO qhs; Start: day of arrival; Info: doses >5 mg rarely more effective

menopausal symptoms

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3 mg PO qhs

metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 6-18 mg PO qd

metabolic syndrome

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 5 mg PO qhs

MI

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 51.7 mcmol IV x1 immediately before PCI, then 8.6 mcmol IV x1 within 60sec after blood flow restoration

migraine prophylaxis, adult patients

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: 3-4 mg PO qhs; Info: given 1h before desired bedtime

migraine prophylaxis, peds patients

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: 0.3 mg/kg/dose PO qhs; Info: for patients 5-15 yo

neonatal encephalopathy

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 10 mg/kg/dose PO qd; Alt: 5 mg/kg/dose IV qd

non-24h sleep-wake disorder, adult patients

[Likely Effective]

Dose: 0.5-10 mg PO qhs in blind patients

non-24h sleep-wake disorder, peds patients

[Likely Effective]

Dose: 0.5-4 mg PO qhs in blind patients

obesity

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3-10 mg PO qd

oral mucositis, chemo-or XRT-related

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 20 mg PO qhs plus 10 mL of melatonin 0.2% oral gargle 15min before radiation; Alt: 10 mL of melatonin 3% gel mouthwash x2min before radiation

osteopenia

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3 mg PO qhs

pain, acute

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 6 mg PO x1 given 2h before anesthesia

pain, chronic

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3-12 mg PO qd

periodontitis

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3-10 mg PO qd

polycystic ovary syndrome

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 2 mg PO qhs; Alt: 6 mg PO qd

postop pain

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 1-10 mg PO qd x1-21 days; Start: usually night before surgery

postop recovery

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 5 mg PO x1 given 90min before surgery; Info: extended-release product

postural tachycardia syndrome

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3 mg PO x1

pre-eclampsia

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 10 mg PO tid; Info: sustained-release product

preop anxiety, adult patients

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: 3-10 mg PO x1 given 20-120min before surgery; Alt: 0.05-0.4 mg/kg/dose SL x1 given 20-120min before surgery

preop anxiety, peds patients

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: 0.05-0.5 mg/kg/dose PO x1 given 30-45min before anesthesia in patients 2-10 yo; Alt: 0.25-0.5 mg/kg/dose PO x1 given 60min before anesthesia in patients 2-5 yo

preop sedation, adult patients

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: 5 mg PO x1 given 90min before surgery; Alt: 10 mg PO x1 given night before surgery, then 10 mg PO x1 given 2h before surgery

preop sedation, peds patients

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: 0.5 mg/kg/dose PO x1 given 45min before surgery; Info: for patients 3-14 yo

prostate CA

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 20 mg PO qpm

pruritus

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 10 mg PO qhs

radiation dermatitis

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: apply emulsion cream topically bid; Alt: apply 25 mg cream topically bid; Info: use during radiation tx and 2-3wk after

REM sleep behavior disorder

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3 mg PO qhs

renal failure

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3 mg PO qd

sarcoidosis

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 20 mg PO qd x1y, then 10 mg PO qd x1y

schizophrenia

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3-5 mg PO qpm

seasonal affective disorder

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 0.25-2 mg PO qhs given 1-2h before desired bedtime

sepsis, adult patients

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 50 mg PO qd; Alt: 60 mg IV x5 days; Info: used with standard tx

sepsis, peds patients

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 20 mg PO x1; Info: used with standard tx for neonatal sepsis

smoking cessation

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 0.35 mg PO x1 prn; Info: given 3.5h after smoking cessation

stress

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3 mg PO x1; Start: 1h before stress exposure

sunburn

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: apply 0.05-2.5% gel topically before UV exposure; Alt: apply 12.5% cream topically before UV exposure

tardive dyskinesia

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 10 mg PO qd

temporomandibular disorder

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: 5 mg PO qhs

tension-type headache

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3 mg PO qhs

thrombocytopenia, chemo-related

[Possibly Effective]

Dose: 20-40 mg PO qpm; Start: 7 days before chemo, continue through full tx course

tinnitus

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 3 mg PO qhs

ulcerative colitis

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 5 mg PO qhs; Alt: 3 mg PO qd

xerostomia

[Insufficient Evidence]

Dose: 20 mg PO qhs plus 10 mL of melatonin 0.2% oral gargle 15min before radiation