Melatonin Dosage: What the Guidance Says
Melatonin is sold from under 1 mg to 10 mg and above in the United States, where it is a dietary supplement. In the UK, Ireland and much of the EU it is a prescription-only medicine, and the doses used in prescribing sit at the lower end of that range.
Melatonin is sold across a wider dose range than almost any other supplement — from under 1 mg to 10 mg and above — and the doses commonly sold in the United States are substantially higher than those typically used where melatonin is a prescription medicine.
Regulatory status differs by country
In the US, melatonin is a dietary supplement and is sold freely. In the UK, Ireland and much of the EU it is a prescription-only medicine, prescribed at specified doses for specified circumstances. If you are reading this from Europe, the products in our catalogue are US listings and the position where you live is different.
That difference is itself informative: the doses used in prescribing tend to sit at the lower end of what is sold over the counter elsewhere.
More is not better
Higher doses are not established as more effective, and the NCCIH summary of the evidence is the appropriate place to read what has and has not been shown. The wide range on the shelf reflects a market rather than a dose-response finding.
Timing is part of dosing
For melatonin, when it is taken is discussed in the literature as being as consequential as how much. This is not a supplement where taking it at an arbitrary hour is equivalent, and it is one of the reasons the question is better answered by a clinician who knows what you are trying to address.
Add up every source
Melatonin appears in standalone products, in blended sleep formulas, and in gummies where a serving may be two units. Read each panel and total them — see comparing melatonin formats.
Children
Melatonin should be given to a child only on medical advice. Paediatric ingestions of melatonin products have risen sharply enough for public health bodies to comment, and gummy formats are a recognised factor in accidental ingestion. Store these products out of reach of children, as you would any medicine.
Speak to a doctor if
Sleep problems persist beyond a short period; you take regular medication; you are pregnant or breastfeeding; you have an autoimmune condition, epilepsy, or a bleeding disorder; or you are buying for a child. Persistent sleep difficulty has causes worth identifying, and a supplement can delay that.
See how much melatonin is too much and our medical disclaimer.