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Ingredient guide

How much melatonin per day?

Written by the Full Measure editorial team, which sells supplements. Approved for publication by the Full Measure owners. Updated .

Drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed below. How we write these

Quick answer

Sleep trials in adults used 0.1 to 5 mg of melatonin, usually in the evening. For jet lag, 0.5 to 5 mg worked about equally well and more than 5 mg did no better. A 2024 analysis of 26 trials found the effect on falling asleep peaked at about 4 mg a day.1,2,3

Key facts

  • The EU ties its wording on falling asleep sooner to 1 mg taken close to bedtime.4
  • In one test of 31 supplements, contents ran from 83% below to 478% above the label.5
  • No official upper limit exists, and safety information is thinnest for doses above what the body makes.6
  • This page gives no amounts for children, and NCCIH advises asking a health care provider first.6

The amounts used in studies

Sleep trials in adults used 0.1 to 5 mg of melatonin a day, almost always taken in the evening. Several of the largest used 2 mg as a prolonged-release tablet in people aged 55 and over.1

The European Union lets a product say melatonin reduces the time taken to fall asleep if it provides 1 mg taken close to bedtime. For jet lag, the condition is at least 0.5 mg taken close to bedtime on the first day of travel and on the following few days.4

Melatonin amounts in the research1,2,3,4
What was studiedAmountWhen it was taken
Falling asleep, pooled trials0.1 to 5 mg a dayIn the evening
EU wording on falling asleep1 mgClose to bedtime
Jet lag, Cochrane review0.5 to 5 mg a dayClose to bedtime at the destination
EU wording on jet lagAt least 0.5 mgClose to bedtime on the travel day and a few days after
Peak effect, 2024 analysisAbout 4 mg a dayUp to about 3 hours before bed

Is more melatonin better?

A 2024 dose-response analysis of 26 trials found the effect on time to fall asleep and on total sleep time grew with the dose and peaked at about 4 mg a day.3

In the earlier pooled analysis of 19 trials, studies with higher doses and longer runs reported larger effects on falling asleep and on total sleep. Sleep quality ratings, though, did not rise with the dose.1

Jet lag tells a similar story. Going from 0.5 mg to 5 mg helped people fall asleep faster, but going past 5 mg added nothing the review could detect.2

Does body weight matter?

The adult trials gave fixed amounts, such as 2 mg or 5 mg, whatever a person weighed. None of the sources here sets an adult dose by body weight.1

Only about 15 percent of a swallowed dose of melatonin reaches the bloodstream on average, with a range of 9 to 33 percent across studies.7

That wide range in how much gets absorbed is one reason the same dose can feel strong to one person and weak to another.7

The label amount may not be what you get

A 2017 test of 31 supplements found contents from 83% below to 478% above the label, and up to 465% variation between lots of the same product. A 2023 test of 25 gummies found 74 to 347% of the labeled amount, and one product with none.5,8

So two bottles that both say 3 mg may deliver quite different amounts. Small differences between labels matter less than they look.5

What's in ours

What’s in ours

  • Sleep: Melatonin, 2 mg per serving, from the label

Two capsules of our Sleep formula list 2 mg. That sits inside the ranges in the table and below the 4 mg peak in the 2024 analysis.1,3

Who should ask before taking any amount

Older adults may feel a dose for longer. NCCIH says melatonin may stay active longer in older people than in younger people and cause drowsiness the next day.6

Children are not covered here. NCCIH says the right dose and timing for children are uncertain, and advises speaking with a health care provider before giving a child melatonin.6

  • Pregnant or breastfeeding: there has been little research, so ask first6,9
  • Taking a blood thinner, or living with epilepsy: NCCIH says medical supervision is needed6
  • Taking birth control pills: one study found 4 to 5 times higher blood levels after the same 6 mg dose10

Questions people ask

Is 10 mg of melatonin too much?

No official upper limit exists, but more has not been shown to work better. Jet lag trials found nothing gained above 5 mg, and a 2024 analysis found the effect on falling asleep peaked at about 4 mg a day. Ask a doctor before taking more than the trials used.2,3,6

How much melatonin should I take for jet lag?

The Cochrane review found 0.5 to 5 mg about equally effective when taken close to bedtime at your destination. The EU's condition is at least 0.5 mg on the day of travel and the next few days.2,4

Is there a different dose for women?

The trials did not set one. Women taking birth control pills may get much more from the same dose: in one study, blood levels were 4 to 5 times higher after 6 mg. The guide for women covers this in more detail.10

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Sources

  1. Ferracioli-Oda E, Qawasmi A, Bloch MH. Meta-analysis: melatonin for the treatment of primary sleep disorders. PLoS One. 2013;8(5):e63773. Opened 2026-10-01.
  2. Herxheimer A, Petrie KJ. Melatonin for the prevention and treatment of jet lag. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;(2):CD001520. Opened 2026-10-01.
  3. Cruz-Sanabria F, Bruno S, Crippa A, et al. Optimizing the Time and Dose of Melatonin as a Sleep-Promoting Drug: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis. J Pineal Res. 2024;76(5):e12985. Opened 2026-10-07.
  4. European Commission. Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 of 16 May 2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods. Official Journal of the European Union. 2012;L 136:1-40. Opened 2026-10-01.
  5. Erland LAE, Saxena PK. Melatonin natural health products and supplements: presence of serotonin and significant variability of melatonin content. J Clin Sleep Med. 2017;13(2):275-281. Opened 2026-10-01.
  6. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Melatonin: What You Need To Know. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health. Last updated May 2024. Opened 2026-10-07.
  7. Harpsøe NG, Andersen LP, Gögenur I, Rosenberg J. Clinical pharmacokinetics of melatonin: a systematic review. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2015;71(8):901-909. Opened 2026-10-07.
  8. Cohen PA, Avula B, Wang YH, Katragunta K, Khan I. Quantity of melatonin and CBD in melatonin gummies sold in the US. JAMA. 2023;329(16):1401-1402. PMCID: PMC10130950. Opened 2026-10-01.
  9. Andersen LP, Gögenur I, Rosenberg J, Reiter RJ. The Safety of Melatonin in Humans. Clin Drug Investig. 2016;36(3):169-175. Opened 2026-10-07.
  10. Hilli J, Korhonen T, Turpeinen M, et al. The effect of oral contraceptives on the pharmacokinetics of melatonin in healthy subjects with CYP1A2 g.-163C>A polymorphism. J Clin Pharmacol. 2008;48(8):986-994. Opened 2026-10-07.

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.