#Melatonin...Uses and Side Effects

Melatonin is a hormone found naturally in the human body. It regulates the sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin is also produced synthetically and is available as pills or in other forms. People who suffer from insomnia use it to help them fall asleep. But Melatonin has many other uses like preventing ringing in the ears, headaches, depression etc. It is even used as birth control.

I suffer from acid reflux. Mostly when I go to bed and lie down. A burning sensation in my throat and it prevents me from going to sleep. I’ve tried different means to combat this, like eating an apple before going to bed, which actually does help. Not all the time, though. I don’t want to take the medicines doctors prescribe, because they have too many side effects and can damage your liver. So I use ‘Tums’ and they do work, (I carry a few pills with me where ever I go), but even Tums or other over the counter medicines can have damaging effects if taken too long. Dr. Oz suggested using Melatonin when you suffer from acid reflux. Apparently, it contracts the Esophagus and prevents acid to rise up from your stomach.

So I’ve tried Melatonin. I bought a bottle of 180 tablets in the Health Store. At home I discovered you’re not supposed to take them longer than one month (30 tablets!) because of possible side effects. I checked out Melatonin on the internet and found out there can be tons of side effects. And I can attest to that.

I took the pills for a couple of weeks. During that time I suffered from an upset stomach, light headaches, and finally disturbing dreams. That’s when I stopped using Melatonin. I can deal with an upset stomach, but having my dreams disturbed, that’s where I draw the line. Pleasant dreams are one of the few pleasures I still enjoy ☺. I have to admit, taking Melatonin helped with the acid reflux or heartburn; it also helped me sleep through the night. In fact, even during the day I fell asleep when I sat down to relax, but some of the side effects are not pleasant.  So, conclusion: Not everything Dr. Oz says is safe and should only be done and taken with caution.

So...back to the Tums until something else comes along.