Melatonin

What it is

Melatonin is the hormone the pineal gland releases as light falls, signalling the body toward sleep. It is one of the most requested sleep actives in briefs arriving from markets like the United States, and it appears in our quote data because international brands ask for it. The critical fact for UK brands is regulatory, not scientific: melatonin is classed as a medicine in the UK.

Forms and sourcing

Where lawful, supplement-grade melatonin is a synthetic crystalline powder used at milligram and sub-milligram doses, demanding tight blend-homogeneity controls. Formats in permitting markets span tablets, gummies, sprays and liquids.

Benefits and evidence

Melatonin’s evidence base is strong for what it actually does: shortening time to fall asleep and easing jet lag, reflected in EFSA-authorised claims for reduction of sleep onset time at 1 mg and alleviation of subjective jet lag at 0.5 mg. It is not a sedative and does not extend sleep duration in the way consumers often assume, which matters for honest product positioning in markets where it can be sold.

Typical dosage and formats

Authorised-claim doses are 0.5–1 mg; retail products in permitting markets commonly range up to 5 mg. For UK-market sleep briefs we formulate around compliant actives instead; see the regulatory tab.

UK and EU regulatory position

In the UK, melatonin is a prescription-only medicine (POM). A food supplement containing melatonin cannot lawfully be sold in the UK, regardless of dose, and we do not manufacture melatonin products for the UK market. Several EU member states permit melatonin in supplements at defined doses, and export projects into those markets are assessed country by country. For UK sleep briefs, the compliant toolkit includes magnesium, which carries authorised claims for normal psychological function and reduction of tiredness, plus botanicals with on-hold claims and actives like glycine and L-theanine; our technical team builds UK-legal sleep formulations on request.