Some children especially those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, and Chronic Sleep Disorder do not produce the correct amount of melatonin. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that regulates sleep and wake cycles. Many melatonin supplements for children have 1 to 5 mg of melatonin. This means that most melatonin supplements have more than 10 times the physiological dosage of melatonin. A child’s body creates a physiological dosage around 0.3 mg of melatonin.
One of the reasons that so many supplements have such high melatonin dosage levels is because doctor Richard Wurtman filed a patent on all melatonin usage less than 1 mg after discovering that 0.3 mg of melatonin was the most effective dosage with the least amount of side effects. To avoid having to pay royalties manufactures began producing supplements with higher doses of melatonin. These high doses cause side effects like irritability, drowsiness, headaches, nausea, dizziness, vivid dreams, depression, and etc. One of the last things a parent wants is to have an irritated depressed child.
Great news the patent recently expired which is why Teddy MD is able to offer the correct dosage of melatonin, 0.3 mg. Mixed with the calming herb blend this amount of melatonin can work wonders for the amount of sleep your child gets and in turn the amount of sleep that you get. Most children do not need a melatonin sleep aid daily. Nothing can replace a good bedtime routine and we recommend that you stick to one the best you can even when using Teddy MD products.
Dollins, et al. “Effect of Inducing Nocturnal Serum Melatonin Concentrations in Daytime on Sleep, Mood, Body Temperature, and Performance.” PNAS, National Academy of Sciences, 1 Mar. 1994, www.pnas.org/content/91/5/1824.short.
