Most Melatonin Gummy Products Contain More Melatonin, CBD Than Labeled Quantity

The majority of melatonin gummy products tested in the United States were inaccurately labeled and contained higher amounts of melatonin, according to a research letter published in JAMA.

Between 2012 and 2021, calls to the US Poison Control Centers for pediatric melatonin ingestion increased by 530%. Given the danger of children accidentally ingesting medicated gummies, researchers designed this study to evaluate the accuracy of labeling on melatonin gummy products with or without cannabidiol (CBD).

In September 2022, the researchers from University of Mississippi obtained 25 unique brands of melatonin-containing gummies. The amount of melatonin and CBD in the gummies were quantified and compared with the amount of melatonin and CBD reported on the label.

Eight melatonin gummy products had no claim of any effect of the product; whereas, the others claimed the gummies would aid in circadian rhythm support, night calm, rest and rejuvenation, healthy sleep cycle support, sleep plus immune, rest and restore muscles, and/or heartburn relief plus sleep support.

The products claimed to contain 1.0-10 mg of melatonin. Overall, 88% of products were inaccurately labeled with only 12% containing melatonin within 10% of the labeled amount.

One melatonin gummy product did not contain any melatonin but did have 31.3 mg of CBD. Among the remaining products, the amount of melatonin ranged between 1.3 to 13.1 mg. Compared with the label, the gummies contained 74%-347% of the described dose.

Of the 5 melatonin gummy products with CBD, they were labeled as containing 10-30 mg CBD. The actual quantity of CBD ranged between 10.6-31.3 mg, or 104% to 118% of the described dose.

The limitations of this study included the small sample size and the fact that only 1 sample of each brand was analyzed. These findings may not be generalizable for melatonin products sold as tablets or capsules.

Overall, the vast majority of melatonin gummy products in the US were inaccurately labeled, with most products containing more melatonin and CBD than the listed amount on the label.

The researchers concluded, “Consuming melatonin gummies as directed could expose children to between 40- and 130-times higher quantities of melatonin. Unintentional ingestions could lead to consumption that greatly exceeds these dosages of melatonin.”

Disclosures: Some study authors declared affiliations with biotech, pharmaceutical, and/or device companies. Please see the original reference for a full list of disclosures.