Melatonin Supplement - authenticity

[guru]

They only seem to sell 2mg melatonin in Bangkok pharmacies so I bought some 5mg Natrol melatonin (extra strength fast dissolve strawberry flavor) from a vendor via shopee. Before buying, I always check there’s been a lot of sales and good reviews which their were. 
 

The 90 tablets have run out so I went to order again but this vendor no longer sells it so I bought from another vendor which arrived today. 

I compared the two containers and they were identical including the bar codes. However, the first one I bought does not have anything written in the Lot/Exp: space which is not normal and I didn’t notice before. Today’s new arrival has a lot number and an expiry date of Dec 31 24 which is more pleasing.

 

So with a missing expiry date, I’m now concerned about the authenticity and what I’ve actually been ingesting. I do seem to fall asleep quicker but have I just been taking strawberry candy which has had a placebo effect or some melatonin that expired years ago. 

[circa02]

Are you sure it hasn't just faded away? I would be surprised if there was a fake melatonin market,  best buy one from Watsons and Boots and compare for your sanity if worried. That said I've just looked at the Ginkgo Biloba I ordered off Shopee and the triangle with PP on the base is barely stamped vs another one from the same brand I got from boots is clear and embossed correctly. you might be onto something... 

[guru]

That’s the problem circa02, I had to turn to Shopee because Boots, Watson’s and other pharmacies don’t sell any Natrol melatonin 5mg and only sell a different brand which has far less quantity for a similar price and only in 2mg. 
 

My eyesight is very good close up and there’s no evidence of any fading with the lot number/expiry date space being completely blank. I’ve only had the container 89 days. 
 

 

[guru]

Having taken my first tablet from the new supply last night  (this new vendor I’m using has one of those preferred Shopee badges which the old vendor didn’t), it seemed to feel harder in my mouth and took longer to dissolve than the initial softer tablets with a missing expiry date. Slept longer without waking up too. I did go to the gym yesterday so not really a fair test though. 

Both tablets look and taste identical and both gave off a cloud of strawberry volcanic ash when opening the container and removing the cotton wool.

Instead of being fake, had the initial container had an old expired sample containing melatonin that had degraded over time with the expiry date somehow removed from the container? 
 

[Sheryl]

13 hours ago, guru said:

Instead of being fake, had the initial container had an old expired sample containing melatonin that had degraded over time with the expiry date somehow removed from the container? 
 

Possible

[AAArdvark]

I had herd that anything above 3 mg was counter productive 

[rwill]

You can try iherb 3 bottles of 100 pills with shipping is 1,132.68 baht 

Natrol, Melatonin, Time Release, Extra Strength, 5 mg, 100 Tablets (iherb.com)

 

Edited July 29, 2023 by rwill

[fvw53]

To Guru : does Melatonin help you to sleep ?

My neurologist now prescribed me Circadin 2 mg  (which is melatonin prolonged released) 

Again it has no effect on me.

[guru]

Maybe I should have started on a 2mg dose to see if that worked rather than leaping straight to 5mg. Anyway, the 5mg definitely does help me fall asleep quicker. I take it about 10pm and I’m usually out within 30 minutes. 

 

 

[sirineou]

Now that you reminded me ,we are  meeting my sister and her husband from the US in Greece in a couple of weeks, and she is bringing me a bunch of small things, I need to have her bring me some melatonin  5mg 120 count $6.59 per bottle on Amazon. 3 bottles should be enough for the year.

  In the morning I take B1 complex , it helps to reduce urination frequency and it has for me. It takes about a month before it becomes affective.

In the evening at 8pm I take Magnesium, and 30 before I want to fall asleep  ,

5mg of Melatonin and five minutes later 50 mg of Benadryl (generic Diphenhydramine) . I sleep 8-9 hrs, and only get up once to urinate. 

[Wobblybob]

1 hour ago, rwill said:

You can try iherb 3 bottles of 100 pills with shipping is 1,132.68 baht 

Natrol, Melatonin, Time Release, Extra Strength, 5 mg, 100 Tablets (iherb.com)

 

That is about a third of the price on Lazada, but having just checked iherbs website is paypal the only option to pay? Thanks

[owl sees all]

What about other natural stuff for a good night's sleep?

 

Garlic under the pillow and lavender close by on the dresser..

Edited July 29, 2023 by owl sees all

[JackGats]

Don't pharmacies in Thailand only sell delayed-onset Melatonin? 

 

I switched to Theanine as my soft, non-addictive sleeping aid. I noticed it worked much like Melatonin only much longer. While Melatonin only helped me to fall asleep, Theanine kept me sleeping for hours.

 

P.S. Theanine is often not recommended for people who take blood pressure medication, but I don't know how stringent this contraindication is.

Edited July 29, 2023 by JackGats
Added P.S.

[swm59nj]

You take a chance with buying any supplement.  There is no specific regulation on them. 
Even here in the USA.  Supplements are not regulated.  So the doses are hit and miss
 

[Sheryl]

12 hours ago, AAArdvark said:

I had herd that anything above 3 mg was counter productive 

The dosage range is quite wide (anywhere from 1 to 10 mg) and people vary greatly  in response. Response can also change as you age. 

 

Further confusing matters is that (Circadin excepted) these are classed as nutritional supplements not pharmaceuticals so there is no real 3rd party oversight on contents and actual mg may vary from what is listed (true for all supplements). So it boils down to trial and error. 

 

I don't see many reports of people saying dose less than 5 mg works for them though....

[rwill]

6 hours ago, Wobblybob said:

That is about a third of the price on Lazada, but having just checked iherbs website is paypal the only option to pay? Thanks

I use a debit card.