Mislabeled Melatonin Gummies

New research published in JAMA Network found that melatonin gummies may contain far more of the dietary sleep aid supplement than what is indicated on the label. Researchers from Cambridge Health Alliance and the University of Mississippi analyzed 25 different melatonin gummies and found that 22 contained a greater amount of melatonin than stated on the label. One product contained only three-quarters of the amount advertised on the label, another contained 347 percent more than what was listed, and one product contained no detectable melatonin.

These concerns come on the heels of a 2022 report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which found a 530 percent increase in the number of accidental pediatric ingestions of melatonin reported to U.S. poison control centers over the last decade, resulting in 27,795 emergency department and clinic visits, 4,097 hospitalizations, 287 intensive care unit admissions and two deaths. Most ingestions were unintentional (94.3 percent). Among those children with reported symptoms from accidental melatonin ingestion, most involved the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular or central nervous systems.

willing to stop taking one or more drugs if their healthcare provider said it was possible, and 26 percent had already stopped taking at least one drug they had been taking for more than a year. When asked which meds they would be most interested in stopping, 43 percent named their heart disease pills for high blood pressure or high cholesterol, 13 percent mentioned diabetes medicines and 10 percent included pain management prescriptions.

In a new National Poll on Healthy Aging by the University of Michigan involving adults aged 50 to 80, the vast majority of respondents expressed an interest in cutting back on prescription medications. Eighty percent would be

These results reflect a growing trend dubbed “deprescribing”. According to Deprescribing.org, a researcher-led online resource, it is the planned process of reducing or stopping medications that may no longer be of benefit or could be causing harm. The goal is to reduce medication burden or harm while improving quality of life. Seniors interested in cutting down on the drugs they are taking should consult their healthcare provider to ensure it is safe and helpful to do so.