Melatonin Overdoses in Children Prompt New Industry Guidelines

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In a bid to curb the alarming spike of young children accidentally overdosing on melatonin supplements, the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) has adopted new voluntary guidelines for manufacturers.

This move comes just one month after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that melatonin accounted for 7 percent of all emergency room visits for infants and toddlers related to unsupervised medication ingestion between 2019 and 2022.

Alarming Spike Toddler Melatonin ER Visits

Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone produced by the body’s pineal gland. Its primary role is to help regulate the body’s sleep-wake cycle.