Manufactured in USA, but ingredients may be sourced internationally
"Though the most common reason that consumers utilize melatonin is to improve their sleep, there are many other important health benefits offered by melatonin besides treating insomnia. This is mainly due to the fact that melatonin is a potent antioxidant, which strengthens the immune system. As a result, it provides protection against cancer—and the toxicity of chemotherapy and radiation used to treat cancer. It improves cardiovascular health. It protects the brain and improves outcomes of neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia, tardive dyskinesia, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s disease. Research also indicates it helps relieve symptoms of depression and migraine headaches. (See references below.)
There are endless brands of melatonin available in the marketplace, and I have successfully used five or six different brands over the years. This brand seems to work about the same as any other brand of sublingual melatonin I have tried. Below I compare the pros and cons of this particular brand.
Pros
1. These are sublingual tablets created for dissolving under your tongue. You get more value for your money with sublingual because the melatonin goes instantly into your bloodstream. I personally prefer sublingual for that reason.
2. These tablets have a pleasant, strawberry flavor.
3. These tablets are sweetened by xylitol, which inhibits the formation of cavities by killing the bacteria that primarily causes them, Strep. mutans. (See below.)
4. The price is competitively affordable, especially since it is offered at a discount through Subscribe & Save.
5. Natrol seems to be a reputable company, and its factories are located in the USA. (See detailed information on this company below.)
Cons
1. Natrol states on its website that the ingredients for their supplements are sourced internationally, which means it is possible some or even all of them come from China. (See below.)
2. All their product testing is done in house, rather than by an outside lab.
3. The 5 mg. dose of these tablets may be too high for some people. Some other brands offer tablets in lower doses of 1 mg. or 3 mg. The most common reason people take melatonin is because of its scientifically verified ability to improve sleep. If you are new to melatonin, it might be a good idea to begin with half a tablet or even one-fourth if you choose to use this brand. It is important to take only enough melatonin to improve your sleep but not enough to make you groggy the next day. If a low dose is not enough to improve your sleep, you can gradually increase the dose.
4. There are a whole lot of ingredients in this product, which seems rather excessive. (See information on those ingredients below.)
5. It is not made clear by the manufacturer if this product is vegan and, given that this product contains stearic acid, that is not something to automatically count on. (See below.)
INFORMATION ON NATROL
Natrol is listed on Dun & Bradstreet as Natrol LLC with the same Chatsworth, California address that they provide on their website. Natrol is also listed with the Better Business Bureau with an A- rating. Originally founded as a cosmetics company in 1980, Natrol expanded into the supplement industry during the past several decades. Natrol markets its products in 79 different countries, including the USA. It has two manufacturing facilities, both located in Chatsworth, California. The company states that a majority of their products are manufactured at their own factories, and the rest of their products are produced by contract manufacturers which are also in the USA. Their website states that their “ingredient raw sources are not always obtained from US manufacturers, and often originate in different countries where these ingredients are made.” They neglect to mention where those foreign suppliers are located, including if one of those countries might be China. Natrol claims that their melatonin has been “successfully audited by United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Quality Systems.” In 2019, Natrol was awarded an “A” rating after a three-day inspection of its US facilities by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). NSF was founded in 1944 and is a highly respected, private, international, global-health organization.
OTHER INGREDIENTS IN THIS SUPPLEMENT BESIDES MELATONIN
Xylitol, cellulose gum, soy polysaccharides, maltodextrin, dextrose, crospovidone, modified food starch, silicon dioxide, malic acid, natural flavor, stearic acid, beet root extract, magnesium stearate, citric acid.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED
Beet Root Extract: Healthy, red, food coloring made from beets. There is some evidence it may promote cardiovascular health.
Cellulose Gum: This is a form of cellulose, which is the substance found in plant cell walls which helps the plant to remain stiff and stand upright. Cellulose is semi-indigestible in the human gut and is known as dietary fiber. Cellulose is used in manufacturing to make clothes, paper, and vegan capsules for supplements.
Citric acid: This is a natural acid found in many fruits which is a safe preservative. Many people confuse citric acid with ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is vitamin C, which is not the same thing as citric acid, though both occur naturally in many fruits. Like ascorbic acid, citric acid also has antioxidant properties, but it is not an essential nutrient like ascorbic acid. Though it has acid in its name, citric acid does not acidify the body, rather it acts to regulate the acidity of the body in a healthy way. It helps your body better absorb minerals, such as calcium and magnesium. It is useful in preventing kidney stones.
Crospovidone: This is an insoluble polymer that is used as a binder and/or disintegrant in pharmaceutical tablets. It passes through the body unabsorbed when taken orally.
Dextrose: This is a type of simple sugar, a monosaccharide. It occurs naturally in fruit and honey. Commercially produced dextrose is typically made from cornstarch.
Magnesium Stearate: This is a simple salt made of two common, safe substances, the mineral magnesium and the saturated fat, stearic acid. It is used as a flow agent in many packaged foods, pharmaceutical drugs, and nutritional supplements. Both magnesium and stearic acid naturally occur in many different foods. They are not merely safe to consume and easily digested, but both are actually beneficial to human health. The purpose of a flow agent in pharmaceutical drugs and nutritional supplements to ensure a consistently homogenous mix and also to prevent powdered therapeutic ingredients from clinging to encapsulating equipment in a manufacturing facility. Both of these things help to ensure quality control, such that the amount of the advertised active ingredients of the drug or nutraceutical is the same from capsule to capsule.
Malic Acid: This is a chemical found in wine and some fruits, particularly apples. It has been prescribed by holistic doctors for dry mouth, fatigue, fibromyalgia, and skin conditions, and it can be effective in softening and dissolving gallstones. In food production, it is used as a flavoring agent to impart a tart taste and as a safe preservative. In cosmetics, it is used to adjust the level of acidity and also as a preservative.
Maltodextrin: This is a food additive that is either without taste or slightly sweet. It is commonly used in the processed-food industry as a thickener or filler, to improve the texture and appearance in processed food.
Modified Food Starch: This substance is typically used as a texturizer, stabilizer, thickener or anti-caking agent in food and nutraceuticals. It may be produced from a variety of plants, including maize, corn, potato, tapioca or wheat. In the USA, if wheat is the source, it must be listed on the label as "modified wheat starch" or "modified food starch (wheat)" for the sake of people who allergic to gluten.
Natural Flavor: The definition of “natural flavor” under the Code of Federal Regulations is: "The essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional" (21CFR101.22). That essentially means that natural flavor is derived from a real food, but the process by which it is derived is unexplained and, because of that, there is no way to know how safe or healthy a natural flavoring is.
Silicone Dioxide AKA Silica Dioxide AKA Silicon Dioxide AKA Silica: This is a common food additive used primarily in powdered foods to make them flow better without caking. It is also an important nutrient in the diet and can be taken as a supplement, typically listed as “silica.” It improves the health of bones, nails, skin and hair, and it may also help prevent arthritis and osteoporosis and Alzheimer's. It is also beneficial to the arteries and helps the body maintain a healthy level of blood pressure. Silica is found naturally in grains such as oats and barley, in nuts, legumes, fruits, root vegetables and green leafy vegetables.
Soy Polysaccharides: This is a simple sugar derived from soy. Other examples of simple sugars are monosaccharides and oligosaccharides.
Stearic Acid: This is a fatty acid which occurs naturally in many animal and vegetable fats. It is most abundant in cocoa butter and shea butter. It is commercially removed from these animal or vegetable oils by using water heated above 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit) in order to produce hydrolysis (breaking apart) of the triglycerides that make up the fat. Afterwards this mixture is distilled. If the manufacturer does not specify that it is from a vegan source, it may not be.
Xylitol: This is a sugar alcohol which is used as a no-calorie sweetener. Xylitol has an excellent side benefit in that it inhibits the formation of cavities by killing the bacteria primarily responsible, Strep. mutans. However, some people are sensitive to it when taken internally, because it can cause bloating from intestinal gas.
REFERENCES
Borin, T., et al. Melatonin decreases breast cancer metastasis by modulating Rho-associated kinase protein-1 expression. J Pineal Res. 2016 Jan;60(1):3-15.
Cos, S., et al. Direct antiproliferative effects of melatonin on two metastatic cell sublines of mouse melanoma (B18BL6 and PG19). Melanoma Res. 2001;11:197-201.
Hansen, M., et al. The therapeutic or prophylactic effect of exogenous melatonin against depression and depressive symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2014 Nov;24(11):1719-1728.
Hardeland, R. Antioxidative protection by melatonin: multiplicity of mechanisms from radical detoxification to radical avoidance. Endocrine. 2005;27:119-130.
Lusordi, P., et al. Cardiovascular effects of melatonin in hypertensive patients well controlled by nifedipine: a 24-hour study. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2000;49:423.
Pandi-Perumal, S., et al. Melatonin and sleep in aging population. Exp Gerontol. 2005;40:911-925.
Peres M., et al. Melatonin, 3 mg, is effective for migraine prevention. Neurology. 2004 Aug 24;63(4):757.
Shamir E, et al. Melatonin treatment for tardive dyskinesia: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2001;58:1049-52.
Srinivasan, V., et al. Role of melatonin in neurodegenerative diseases. Neurotox Res. 2005;7:293-318.
Tan, D., et al. Chemical and physical properties and potential mechanisms: melatonin as a broad spectrum antioxidant and free radical scavenger. Curr Top Med Chem. 2002;2:181-197.
Trahan, L. Xylitol: a review of its action on mutans streptococci and dental plaque--its clinical significance. Int Dent J. 1995;45(1 Suppl 1):77-92.
Vijayalaxmi , C., et al. Melatonin: From Basic Research to Cancer Treatment Clinics. J Clin Oncol. 2002;20(10):2575-2601.
Wang, Y., et al. Therapeutic strategies of melatonin in cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Onco Targets Ther. 2018;11:7895-7908.
Wirtz PH, Spillmann M, Bartschi C, et al. Oral melatonin reduces blood coagulation activity: a placebo-controlled study in healthy young men. J Pineal Res. 2008 Mar;44(2):127-133.
Xi, S., et al. Inhibition of androgen-sensitive LNCaP prostate cancer growth in vivo by melatonin: association of antiproliferative action of the pineal hormone with mt1 receptor protein expression. Prostate. 2001;46:52-61."
