Small moleculeBrain & cognition
- Primary research area
- Sleep · insomnia
- Regulatory status
- See formulation-specific sources
- Evidence level
- Human randomized trials
- Primary mechanism
- Melatonin hormone
Reference profile available · Coverage varies by sectionWhat has been observed?
Selected source-linked reading notes, not the complete literature or a pooled conclusion.
Human · Abstract reviewedMelatonin: what did the insomnia trial show?
354 adults aged 55–80 with insomnia were randomized to prolonged-release melatonin 2 mg or placebo, one tablet daily two hours before bedtime for three weeks.
Combined improvement in sleep quality and morning alertness occurred in 26% versus 15%. Reported time to fall asleep fell by 24.3 minutes versus 12.9 minutes with placebo.
Limits & adverse findings: This is a selected trial summary, not a full literature review or formal quality appraisal. Short trial in older adults using one formulation. Findings do not establish the effects of immediate-release products, higher doses or treatment in younger people. The abstract does not provide detailed adverse-event rates.
Open primary source · Read interpretation separatelyExplore outcomes for this compound- Uses & research
354 adults aged 55–80 with insomnia were randomized to prolonged-release melatonin 2 mg or placebo, one tablet daily two hours before bedtime for three weeks. [1]
- Known half-life
No source-verified value in this profile yet. A treatment schedule or duration of an effect is not a drug half-life.
Half-life describes how quickly the measured drug concentration falls by half. It does not set a dosing interval.- Evidence & important limits
Short trial in older adults using one formulation. Findings do not establish the effects of immediate-release products, higher doses or treatment in younger people. The abstract does not provide detailed adverse-event rates. [1]
Safety & evidence boundaries
Source-specific information, not a personal safety clearance or monitoring plan.
Short trial in older adults using one formulation. Findings do not establish the effects of immediate-release products, higher doses or treatment in younger people. The abstract does not provide detailed adverse-event rates.
Human study: Short trial in older adults using one formulation. Findings do not establish the effects of immediate-release products, higher doses or treatment in younger people. The abstract does not provide detailed adverse-event rates. Source
Explore safety questions by system
These are literature filters, not claims that this compound causes each effect. A keyword match is not a confirmed adverse reaction.
Interactions, rare harms, long-term effects and reversibility require separate evidence. Do not infer they are absent when the sources here do not address them.
Identity, names & formulations
Canonical compound: Melatonin · melatonin
No additional aliases recorded.
Names share a parent research page. Different esters, salts, routes and brands are not assumed to have the same half-life, indication or exposure.
Combination evidence stays attached to the studied combination. It is not automatically assigned to each ingredient.
Understand the evidence types
Read the model and design first, then the population, outcome and limitations. These categories describe evidence, not a best-compound ranking.
- Randomized human trials
- Compare assigned interventions. Randomization does not by itself establish low bias or relevance to every population.
- Controlled human studies
- Use a comparison group; allocation and confounding still matter.
- Prospective human research
- Follows participants forward. It may be observational or interventional, so this is not a separate quality grade.
- Observational human research
- Describes associations. Confounding can explain differences.
- Case reports and series
- Useful for unusual events and safety signals, not reliable rates or effect sizes.
- Animal research
- Can test biology and function in a living model. Human exposure, benefit and safety remain separate questions.
- Cell and tissue research
- Tests responses in a preparation, including human-derived cells. It is not a human participant trial.
- Mechanistic and computational evidence
- Helps explain or predict a pathway; predictions need experimental and clinical testing.
- Anecdotal reports
- Self-reported experiences can generate questions. Product identity, selection bias and other interventions may be uncontrolled.
Systematic reviews synthesize studies and depend on their quality. Preprint status and abstract versus full-paper reading are separate labels. Citation popularity measures attention, not reliability. A study summary is not a formal quality appraisal.