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One out of every five children in America under the age of 14 uses melatonin as a sleep aid, according to new research.
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the brain that regulates the sleep cycle.
In many countries, the hormone is classified as a drug and available by prescription only.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has issued an advisory asking parents to consult a pediatrician before allowing long-term use in children.
Side effects of taking too much melatonin range from headaches to itchy skin and in extreme cases, irritability and depression.
“We hope this paper raises awareness for parents and clinicians, and sounds the alarm for the scientific community,” said lead author Lauren Hartstein, a postdoctoral fellow in the Sleep and Development Lab at CU Boulder. “We are not saying that melatonin is necessarily harmful to children. But much more research needs to be done before we can state with confidence that it is safe for kids to be taking long-term.”