Melatonin poisoning spikes among children amid consumption rise, CDC warns

07 Jun 2022 --- Unintentional melatonin ingestions in children aged five years and younger have risen, leading to pediatric hospitalizations and more severe outcomes, according to a new report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The analysis indicates that consumption of the commonly available over-the-counter sleep supplement has grown in the last decade.

Melatonin is regulated in the US by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a dietary supplement. The CDC stresses that public health activities should raise awareness of the growing number of children who consume melatonin and develop preventive methods to reduce adverse effects.

The CDC findings unveil that between 2012 and 2021, the annual number of pediatric melatonin ingestions increased by 530%, to 260,435 ingestions, with the most considerable yearly growth (37.9%) occurring between 2019 and 2020.

Melatonin ingestion: hospitalization and death
The study findings revealed that during the period between 2012 and 2021, five children required mechanical ventilation, with two dying.

Increased melatonin ingestion in children should be made more widely recognized.Both deaths occurred in their homes and in children under two years – three months and 13 months. One of the melatonin ingestions was caused by intentional medicine usage, while the other’s cause is unknown.

The CDC report also states that poison control center data does not include patient medical records or medical examiner reports. Confirmation of whether a death was solely attributed to melatonin or because of comorbidities was not possible.

Analyzing melatonin ingestions in the pediatric population
During the study, pediatric hospitalizations and more severe outcomes due to melatonin ingestions rose, owing to an increase in unintentional ingestions among children aged five years.

The study revealed that 260,435 pediatric melatonin ingestions were reported to poison control centers between 2012 and 2021, accounting for 2.25% of all pediatric ingestions recorded during the same time.

The majority of unintentional ingestions (94.3%), included males under the age of five, happened in the household (99.0%). The majority of the children (82.8%) were asymptomatic.

Most of those who reported symptoms had issues with their gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, or nervous systems.

Addressing study limitations
In response to the CDC’s melatonin report, the Natural Products Association (NPA) has responded: “This is an important finding, but officials need to ensure that they have the most accurate data regarding melatonin.”

In its statement, the NPA highlights the CDC study’s limitations, bringing to attention the section of the CDC report that states that the American Association of Poison Control Centers cannot confirm the accuracy of each case reported to poison control centers, while noting that an individual chart review of all cases could not be performed.

“These deficiencies can lead to hazy and potentially misleading snapshots, which is why the serious adverse event reporting system at FDA via Medwatch was established,” NPA argues.

Melatonin exposure is more common in children due to the supplement’s widespread use and growing popularity as a sleep aid. “Medwatch is the ‘gold standard for detecting and alerting public health officials of potential concerns with products and so far, we have seen no action by the FDA related to melatonin.”

“Melatonin has been used safely and continues to be under the normal conditions of use as labeled on the product,” NPA continues. “In the meantime, we remind everyone – including parents with children – who use dietary supplements to always consult with their doctor or medical professional about best for their health and wellness.”

Poor sleep heightens diseases
To add to the significance of supplementing for better sleep, a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study recently found poor sleep is associated with a significantly increased risk of life-threatening flare-ups in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The release of the CDC melatonin information coincides with the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s “Sleep Is Good Medicine” campaign, which aims to help US citizens get more out of their sleep.

The national campaign will increase public education about the importance of sleep and its connection to health. According to the CDC, approximately one out of every three adults in the US reports sleeping less than seven hours per day.

“We know that chronic insufficient sleep can have a detrimental impact on personal health and increase the risk of many diseases,” says Jennifer Martin, a clinical psychologist and professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. 

“Healthy sleep is also important for mood regulation and mental health, helping to reduce the risk of problems such as anxiety and depression.”

The campaign will also provide health care professionals with suggestions and resources to assist them in helping their patients improve their sleep health.

NutritionInsight previously reported on consumers increasingly turning to sleep and relaxation pills to combat COVID-19 stress. Among recent product developments, Natrol introduced Natrol Sleep+, a melatonin-based sleep aid gummies for adults and children aged four and up.

By Nicole Kerr