Protein vs Sarcopenia
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Protein vs Sarcopenia
This is Dr. Gabrielle Lyon. A medical doctor, she’s board-certified in family medicine, and has also engaged in research and clinical practice in the fields of geriatrics and nutritional sciences.
A quick note…
We’re going to be talking a bit about protein metabolism today, and it’s worth noting that Dr. Lyon personally is vehemently against vegetarianism/veganism, and considers red meat to be healthy.
Scientific consensus on the other hand, holds that vegetarianism and veganism are fine for most people if pursued in an informed and mindful fashion, that white meat and fish are also fine for most people, and red meat is simply not.
If you’d like a recap on the science of any of that:
- Protein: How Much Do We Need, Really?
- Plant vs Animal Protein: Diversity is Key
- Do We Need Animal Products to be Healthy?
Nevertheless, if we look at the science that she provides, the advice is sound when applied to protein in general and without an undue focus on red meat.
How much protein is enough?
In our article linked above, we gave 1–2g/kg/day
Dr. Lyons gives the more specific 1.6g/kg/day for adults older than 40 (this is where sarcopenia often begins!) and laments that many sources offer 0.8g/kg.
To be clear, that “per kilogram” means per kilogram of your bodyweight. For Americans, this means dividing lbs by 2.2 to get the kg figure.
Why so much protein?
Protein is needed to rebuild not just our muscles, but also our bones, joint tissues, and various other parts of us:
We Are Such Stuff As Fish Are Made Of
Additionally, our muscles themselves are important for far more than just moving us (and other things) around.
As Dr. Lyon explains: sarcopenia, the (usually age-related) loss of muscle mass, does more than just make us frail; it also messes up our metabolism, which in turn messes up… Everything else, really. Because everything depends on that.
This is because our muscles themselves use a lot of our energy, and/but also store energy as glycogen, so having less of them means:
- getting a slower metabolism
- the energy that can’t be stored in muscle tissue gets stored somewhere else (like the liver, and/or visceral fat)
So, while for example the correlation between maintaining strong muscles and avoiding non-alcoholic fatty liver disease may not be immediately obvious, it is clear when one follows the metabolic trail to its inevitable conclusion.
Same goes for avoiding diabetes, heart disease, and suchlike, though those things are a little more intuitive.
How can we get so much protein?
It can seem daunting at first to get so much protein if you’re not used to it, especially as protein is an appetite suppressant, so you’ll feel full sooner.
It can especially seem daunting to get so much protein if you’re trying to avoid too many carbs, and here’s where Dr. Lyon’s anti-vegetarianism does have a point: it’s harder to get lean protein without meat/fish.
That said, “harder” does not mean “impossible” and even she acknowledges that lentils are great for this.
If you’re not vegetarian or vegan, collagen supplementation is a good way to make up any shortfall, by the way.
And for everyone, there are protein supplements available if we want them (usually based on whey protein or soy protein)
Anything else we need to do?
Yes! Eating protein means nothing if you don’t do any resistance work to build and maintain muscle. This can take various forms, and Dr. Lyon recommends lifting weights and/or doing bodyweight resistance training (calisthenics, Pilates, etc).
Here are some previous articles of ours, consistent with the above:
- Resistance Is Useful! (Especially As We Get Older)
- Overdone It? How To Speed Up Recovery After Exercise
- How To Do HIIT (Without Wrecking Your Body)
- Exercises To Do (And Ones To Avoid) If You Have Osteoporosis
Take care!
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The facts about ultra-processed foods
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- Ultra-processed foods contain at least one industrially produced ingredient, such as artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or other additives.
- Research suggests diets high in certain ultra-processed foods may be linked to health risks, but most studies are observational and cannot prove cause and effect. Researchers have not established that these foods directly cause health problems.
- Recent state restrictions on ultra-processed foods aim to improve health. But some experts warn they could limit major sources of nutrition for low-income families, disabled individuals, and older adults.
Last summer, U.S. health officials announced plans to address concerns about ultra-processed foods. Although the announcement linked the foods to an “epidemic” of chronic disease, the science on their health effects is still evolving. There is no single scientific consensus on exactly how to define an ultra-processed food.
Here’s what we know so far.
What are ultra-processed foods?
Ultra-processed foods are extremely common, accounting for up to 70 percent of the American diet.
The term “processing” refers to anything that changes ingredients from their natural state. Meat, produce, and grains that have been washed, chopped, ground, juiced, cooked, fermented, pasteurized, or refrigerated are all considered processed.
The distinction between processed and ultra-processed foods isn’t always clear or consistent.
Unprocessed or minimally processed foods
Unprocessed or minimally processed foods are in their natural state or slightly altered from it. Minimal processing typically makes foods safer and more convenient to eat and has little effect on their nutritional value. An apple picked from a tree is unprocessed; fresh apple slices are minimally processed. Raw milk is unprocessed (and unsafe to consume), while pasteurized milk is minimally processed.
Processed ingredients
Processed culinary ingredients are used in food preparation. They are made from unprocessed foods through pressing, churning, grinding, refining, or milling.
These include cooking fats, salt and pepper, ground herbs, natural and refined sweeteners, and milled grains like flour, rice, and oats.
Processed foods
When processed ingredients are used to prepare unprocessed foods, the result is processed foods. Fresh-baked bread, canned fruit, pickles, cheese, and many homemade meals fall into this category.
Ultra-processed foods
Ultra-processed foods are made using one or more industrially produced ingredients. These may include:
- Artificial sweeteners, colors, and flavors
- Hydrogenated fats
- Emulsifiers and thickening agents
- Preservatives that extend shelf life
- Other additives, including fortified nutrients like iron and vitamin B
What does science tell us about ultra-processed foods?
Ultra-processed foods have come under increased scrutiny in recent years, with some researchers and policymakers calling for regulation. However, policies are complicated by the lack of a universally accepted definition of “ultra-processed food.”
“Health authorities across the globe have rejected using the ‘ultra-processed food’ concept as a basis for public health policy, citing its lack of scientific consensus,” wrote the International Food & Beverage Alliance in a November 2025 statement.
Eating ultra-processed foods is associated with health risks.
Many studies have identified links between diets high in ultra-processed foods and health risks. A large 2024 BMJ analysis of previous research included data from nearly 10 million people.
The analysis found that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was potentially associated with 32 negative health outcomes. The strongest associations were for obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and “common mental disorders.”
Research consistently shows that people who consume more ultra-processed foods are at higher risk of weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions. This is particularly true for ultra-processed foods high in sugar, sodium, and saturated fats but low in nutrients.
“Consuming [ultra-processed foods] has two main problems,” said Angela Zivkovic, a nutrition researcher at the University of California, Davis.
“We can more easily overconsume calories and thus gain weight, but also that we may be missing the nutrients that we would be getting if we were instead consuming nutrient-dense whole foods.”
Many health organizations advise reducing intake of ultra-processed foods, particularly those high in salt, sugar, and saturated fats, and replacing them with more nutrient-dense options.
Research on the direct health impacts of ultra-processed food is extremely limited.
Despite consistent associations, there is limited evidence that ultra-processed foods directly cause disease.
In the BMJ analysis, none of the included research studies were rated “high quality,” and much of the evidence was categorized as “weak” or merely “suggestive.” For example, evidence linking ultra-processed foods to overall cancer risk was rated “very low” quality. Evidence for a link with Crohn’s disease (chronic inflammation of the digestive tract) was considered “weak.”
Most research relies on people self-reporting what they remember eating, which can introduce errors.
“We have no way of telling whether the association between the reported intake of [ultra-processed foods] and the disease outcome is due to the intake of [ultra-processed foods] or whether it is a reflection of an overall diet and lifestyle,” added Zivkovic.
“Very few studies that can actually evaluate the direct impacts of [ultra-processed foods] have been performed.”
“Ultra-processed” does not equal “unhealthy.”
The term “ultra-processed food” may bring to mind soda, candy, and chips. But many ultra-processed foods are common parts of healthy diets.
Milk alternatives, packaged bread, breakfast cereal, store-bought pasta sauce, and flavored yogurt are all ultra-processed foods.
Foods fortified with vitamins and minerals are also classified as ultra-processed, often with significant health benefits.
In 1998, the U.S. required enriched grains to be fortified with folic acid, a nutrient essential for early nervous system development. Fortification has been credited with dramatically reducing certain serious birth defects.
What is the health impact of restricting ultra-processed foods?
In August, federal health officials commended six states that banned the purchase of certain highly processed foods with federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
As of January, at least 18 states have SNAP restrictions, and five others have proposed similar policies. The restrictions include many snack foods, frozen meals, sweetened drinks, packaged desserts, gums, and dried fruits.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture, January 28, 2026. While these policies are intended to promote health, some nutrition experts warn they may limit access to affordable and readily available foods for people with low incomes or disabilities.
Ultra-processed foods are often inexpensive, widely available, and shelf-stable. For many households, they provide a significant share of daily calories and nutrients. For others, they are what families can afford and have the time, equipment, or ability to prepare.
About one in 10 Americans live in food deserts, without easy access to a full-service grocery store. In some of these areas, shelf-stable and packaged foods are among the most consistently available options.
Some experts argue that restricting access to ultra-processed foods does not address the underlying barriers to healthy eating, such as cost, transportation, and neighborhood food access.
“For many households, processed foods provide convenience, affordability and stability,” wrote Beverley O’Hara, a nutrition researcher at Leeds Beckett University, in a 2025 The Conversation article.
“Shaming people for eating the foods they can afford or grew up with ignores the realities of everyday life.”
It’s also unclear whether restrictions meaningfully change overall diets.
“Randomized controlled trials that have tested the effects of different limitations or incentives on SNAP purchases demonstrate that…there are no meaningful differences on individuals’ overall dietary intake,” said Kate W. Bauer, a nutrition scientist at the University of Michigan, in a 2025 interview.
Bauer cited a 2016 clinical trial that found SNAP restrictions were effective only when paired with incentives that made fresh foods more affordable.
“Before considering restrictions, we need to address structural barriers like food deserts, transportation limitations, and the higher cost of nutritious foods,” Bauer continued.
“The focus should be on improving food environments rather than restricting choices within inadequate environments.”
For more information, talk to your health care provider.
This article first appeared on Public Good News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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What is a ‘dopamine detox’? And do I need one?
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Advice about cutting down on dopamine is everywhere right now. From “dopamine fasting” to “anti-dopamine parenting” and even “raw-dogging” flights (going without any screens, books or music), TikTok influencers claim these practices have rewired their brains.
Modern life constantly bombards our brains with stimulation, through scrolling feeds, video games, email pings and sugary snacks. This keeps dopamine – the neurotransmitter linked to reward and motivation – in steady circulation.
Over time, this constant activation can leave us desensitised, chasing even more stimulation just to feel “normal”. Everyday life begins to seem bland by comparison.
So it’s no surprise people have tried to come up with ways to reset their dopamine and change their behaviour. But do these strategies actually work?
d3sign/Getty Images Can you actually detox from dopamine?
No, you can never actually “detox” from dopamine itself. A detox involves eliminating a chemical from your body. If you go through an alcohol detox, for example, you stop drinking and allow your body to rid itself of alcohol-related toxins.
In the context of dopamine, a detox is impossible. Dopamine is naturally occurring and plays a significant role in various aspects of human physiology. It’s involved in the pleasure and reward centre of the brain, as well as in motivation, movement, arousal and sleep.
If we were to completely detox from dopamine, we wouldn’t be able to function, let alone stay alive.
“Dopamine detoxes” have involved people intentionally avoiding behaviours or substances that trigger quick bursts of dopamine, such as gaming, social media, sugary foods or online shopping. These “pleasure detoxes” usually occur over a short, set period of time: around 24 hours.
A 24-hour dopamine detox might feel hard and like something significant is happening. People report uncomfortable urges, cravings and sometimes even feelings of fatigue, anxiety or irritability during the process. The discomfort can lead some to believe that they are successfully “resetting” their brains.
While a dopamine detox may feel intense, most people won’t experience any meaningful, lasting improvements by abstaining for a day or two. Dopamine regulation is a complex process influenced by many factors, and it doesn’t undergo a sudden reset in a short 24-hour period.
Research suggests that after the period of abstinence, old habits and urges often return, unless people actively build new routines and coping strategies that engage healthier reward pathways.
So what can you do instead?
If you want to change your relationship with dopamine-driven behaviours or substances, be prepared for this to take longer that 24 hours.
Substituting “fast dopamine” rewards with “slow dopamine” activities can gradually restore the brain’s sensitivity to pleasure and help life feel rich again.
This might involve returning to activities that naturally require more patience and effort, such as creative projects, exercising or learning something new.
But it can also include other pleasurable experiences, such as connecting with someone face-to-face, or listening to music you love.
These activities can activate dopamine pathways, as well as the release of other neurotransmitters, such as oxytocin and serotonin, which contribute to a positive mood.
The popularity of dopamine detoxes reflects a desire to feel better, regain motivation and reconnect with pleasures in a world overloaded by stimulation. But there’s no reset button for the brain’s dopamine system. Luckily, we can switch to longer-term rewards from movement, music, connection and stretching ourselves in other ways.
Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, Lecturer and Research Supervisor, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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From banning junk food ads to a sugar tax: with diabetes on the rise, we can’t afford to ignore the evidence any longer
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There are renewed calls this week for the Australian government to implement a range of measures aimed at improving our diets. These include restrictions on junk food advertising, improvements to food labelling, and a levy on sugary drinks.
This time the recommendations come from a parliamentary inquiry into diabetes in Australia. Its final report, tabled in parliament on Wednesday, was prepared by a parliamentary committee comprising members from across the political spectrum.
The release of this report could be an indication that Australia is finally going to implement the evidence-based healthy eating policies public health experts have been recommending for years.
But we know Australian governments have historically been unwilling to introduce policies the powerful food industry opposes. The question is whether the current government will put the health of Australians above the profits of companies selling unhealthy food.
benjamas11/Shutterstock Diabetes in Australia
Diabetes is one of the fastest growing chronic health conditions in the nation, with more than 1.3 million people affected. Projections show the number of Australians diagnosed with the condition is set to rise rapidly in coming decades.
Type 2 diabetes accounts for the vast majority of cases of diabetes. It’s largely preventable, with obesity among the strongest risk factors.
This latest report makes it clear we need an urgent focus on obesity prevention to reduce the burden of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes and obesity cost the Australian economy billions of dollars each year and preventive solutions are highly cost-effective.
This means the money spent on preventing obesity and diabetes would save the government huge amounts in health care costs. Prevention is also essential to avoid our health systems being overwhelmed in the future.
What does the report recommend?
The report puts forward 23 recommendations for addressing diabetes and obesity. These include:
- restrictions on the marketing of unhealthy foods to children, including on TV and online
- improvements to food labelling that would make it easier for people to understand products’ added sugar content
- a levy on sugary drinks, where products with higher sugar content would be taxed at a higher rate (commonly called a sugar tax).
These key recommendations echo those prioritised in a range of reports on obesity prevention over the past decade. There’s compelling evidence they’re likely to work.
Restrictions on unhealthy food marketing
There was universal support from the committee for the government to consider regulating marketing of unhealthy food to children.
Public health groups have consistently called for comprehensive mandatory legislation to protect children from exposure to marketing of unhealthy foods and related brands.
An increasing number of countries, including Chile and the United Kingdom, have legislated unhealthy food marketing restrictions across a range of settings including on TV, online and in supermarkets. There’s evidence comprehensive policies like these are having positive results.
In Australia, the food industry has made voluntary commitments to reduce some unhealthy food ads directly targeting children. But these promises are widely viewed as ineffective.
The government is currently conducting a feasibility study on additional options to limit unhealthy food marketing to children.
But the effectiveness of any new policies will depend on how comprehensive they are. Food companies are likely to rapidly shift their marketing techniques to maximise their impact. If any new government restrictions do not include all marketing channels (such as TV, online and on packaging) and techniques (including both product and brand marketing), they’re likely to fail to adequately protect children.
Food labelling
Food regulatory authorities are currently considering a range of improvements to food labelling in Australia.
For example, food ministers in Australia and New Zealand are soon set to consider mandating the health star rating front-of-pack labelling scheme.
Public health groups have consistently recommended mandatory implementation of health star ratings as a priority for improving Australian diets. Such changes are likely to result in meaningful improvements to the healthiness of what we eat.
Regulators are also reviewing potential changes to how added sugar is labelled on product packages. The recommendation from the committee to include added sugar labelling on the front of product packaging is likely to support this ongoing work.
But changes to food labelling laws are notoriously slow in Australia. And food companies are known to oppose and delay any policy changes that might hurt their profits.
Health star ratings are not compulsory in Australia. BLACKDAY/Shutterstock A sugary drinks tax
Of the report’s 23 recommendations, the sugary drinks levy was the only one that wasn’t universally supported by the committee. The four Liberal and National party members of the committee opposed implementation of this policy.
As part of their rationale, the dissenting members cited submissions from food industry groups that argued against the measure. This follows a long history of the Liberal party siding with the sugary drinks industry to oppose a levy on their products.
The dissenting members didn’t acknowledge the strong evidence that a sugary drinks levy has worked as intended in a wide range of countries.
In the UK, for example, a levy on sugary drinks implemented in 2018 has successfully lowered the sugar content in UK soft drinks and reduced sugar consumption.
The dissenting committee members argued a sugary drinks levy would hurt families on lower incomes. But previous Australian modelling has shown the two most disadvantaged quintiles would reap the greatest health benefits from such a levy, and accrue the highest savings in health-care costs.
What happens now?
Improvements to population diets and prevention of obesity will require a comprehensive and coordinated package of policy reforms.
Globally, a range of countries facing rising epidemics of obesity and diabetes are starting to take such strong preventive action.
In Australia, after years of inaction, this week’s report is the latest sign that long-awaited policy change may be near.
But meaningful and effective policy change will require politicians to listen to the public health evidence rather than the protestations of food companies concerned about their bottom line.
Gary Sacks, Professor of Public Health Policy, Deakin University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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6 Ways To Look After Your Back
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Back To Back
When people think about looking after their back, often thought does not go much further than sitting with good posture, and perhaps even standing with good posture. And those things are important, but:
1) People’s efforts to have good posture often result in overcorrecting creating an anterior pelvic tilt that causes lower back problems.
Quick tip: if you’re sticking your butt out, you’re doing it wrong (no matter how great your butt is). Instead, to find the correct posture, go up on your tip-toes for a moment, then imagine a plumb-line down the center of your body, thus perpendicular to the floor, going all the way down to the ground. Now, slowly return your heels to the ground, but as you do so, keep your spine aligned to the plumb-line, so you’re not moving backwards as you drop, just directly down. This will land you in perfect posture.
Unless you have scoliosis. In which case, it’ll get you as close to good posture as is likely attainable from any quick tip.
2) There’s a lot more to looking after our back than just good posture!
Here are 5 other important things to do:
Be strong
Do strength-training for your back. How to do that is beyond the scope of today’s feature, but there are many good guides and also personal trainers that can be found.
Start off easy and work up, but do start. The stronger your back is, the less likely a momentary lapse in concentration is to throw out your back because you picked something up with imperfect form.
See also: Resistance Is Useful! (Especially As We Get Older)
Stretch intentionally
Many back injuries occur as a result of stretching and/or twisting awkwardly, so if you ensure your basic mobility and range of motion is good, the less likely it is that unthinkingly twisting around 270° to see where that wasp was going will slip a disk.
The more you stretch intentionally (carefully, please), the more you will be able to stretch unintentionally without injury.
See also: Building & Maintaining Mobility
Stand when you can, walk when you can
We humans have outrun our evolution in a lot of ways, and/but one thing our bodies are definitely not well-adapted for is sitting. Unless we are sitting in a low squat the way you might often see an orang-utan sitting, sitting is not a good way of being for us. Even sitting seiza-style or cross-legged is passable for a short while, not for too long.
So, while there sure are times we need to sit (especially if you’re driving!) minimizing those times is ideal. There are a lot of activities that are traditionally done sitting, where there’s no need for it to be so. For example, your writer here sits for the day’s main meal, but takes any smaller meal standing (and when guests visit for a coffee or such, I’ll offer them the couch while I myself prop up the fireplace). Standing desks are also great if you spend a lot of time at the computer for any reason.
See also: The Doctor Who Wants Us To Exercise Less & Move More
Rest when you need to
You can’t stand all the time! But know this: if you want to rest your legs, lying down is a lot better for your back (and internal organs) than sitting.
Taking a 5 minute break lying on your couch, or bed, or floor, is a perfectly good option and only social convention says otherwise.
If you want a compromise option, though? A recliner chair, in the reclined position, is a better for your back than being scrunched up in the Economy Class Flight position.
PS: About that bed situation…
What Mattress Is Best, By Science?
Kill pain before it kills you
Painkillers aren’t great for the health per se, but pain (or rather, our bodily responses to such) can be worse. Half the time, when it comes to musculoskeletal problems, things get a lot worse a lot more quickly because of how we overcompensate due to the pain. So, take your pain seriously, and remember, the right amount of pain is zero.
If you’re thinking “but pain relief option xyz isn’t good for me”, we strongly recommend checking out:
The 7 Approaches To Pain Management
Take care!
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25 Healthy Habits That Will Change Your Life
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Cori Lefkowith, of “Redefining Strength” and “Strong At Every Age” fame, has compiled a list of the simple habits that make a big difference, and here they are!
The Tips
Her recommendations include…
- The healthy activities you’re most prone to skipping? Do those first
- Create staple meals… Consciously! This means: instead of getting into a rut of cooking the same few things in rotation because it’s what you have the ingredients in for, consciously and deliberately make a list of at least 7 meals that, between them, constitute a healthy balanced diet, and choose to make them your staples. That doesn’t mean don’t eat anything else (indeed, variety is good!) but having a robust collection of healthy staples to fall back on will help you avoid falling into unhealthy eating traps.
- Schedule time for healthy activities that you love. Instead of thinking “it would be nice to…”, actually figure out a timeslot, plan in advance, making it recurring, and do it!
- Have (healthy!) no-spoil food options always available. No-spoil doesn’t have to mean “won’t spoil ever”, but does mean at least that it has a long shelf-life. Nuts are a good example, assuming you’re not allergic. Sundried fruits are good too; not nearly as good as fresh fruit, but a lot better than some random processed snack because it’s what in. If you eat fish, then see if you can get dried fish in; it’s high in protein and keeps for a very long time indeed.
- Stock up on spices! Not only do they all have great health-giving properties (at least, we can’t think of a refutation by counterexample, Arrakis be damned), but also, they literally spice up our culinary repertoire, and bring joy to cooking and eating healthy food.
If you like these, check out the rest:
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Further reading
For more about actually making habits stick quickly and reliably,enjoy:
How To Really Pick Up (And Keep!) Those Habits
Take care!
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Can kids overdose on melatonin gummies? Yes, and an online store has suspended sales
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US-based online store iHerb has suspended sales of melatonin gummies to Australia. This comes after a rise in reports of non-fatal overdoses in Western Australia in children who took these popular supplements.
This latest move raises fresh concerns about the safety of these non-prescription sleep aids.
I have been a sleep researcher and a psychologist treating children with behavioural sleep problems for more than 20 years.
Here’s what’s great and not so great about using melatonin to help children sleep.
Vitaliia Hryshchenko/Getty What is melatonin? Who uses it?
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone secreted in our brains. Its main function is to make us feel sleepy. A synthetic version is used in prescription and non-prescription products, for adults and for children who have trouble sleeping.
Melatonin prescriptions for children and adolescents with sleep difficulties have increased substantially around the world in recent years.
Melatonin available on prescription is an effective and relatively safe drug in children, particularly those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder. It is now the most commonly prescribed drug to treat insomnia in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders.
These children commonly have considerable difficulties getting to sleep, or getting back to sleep when they wake in the night. This can be distressing for the child and the whole family.
Guidelines for melatonin for these children suggest a low dose and only using it for a maximum two years. Melatonin does not appear to be addictive. So it seems like a good option for these families.
A rise in wider use
Up to one in four children have behavioural sleep problems, including children who are not neurodivergent, or who are developing typically.
So parents have turned to sourcing non-prescription melatonin, including melatonin gummies.
However, unlike for neurodivergent children, there are no scientific studies and therefore no evidence to demonstrate whether melatonin would work or pose a risk in typically developing children. There’s certainly no indication of how much children should take and for how long.
So melatonin is not usually recommended for children who are not neurodivergent.
Yet, it is widely available
In many countries including Australia, melatonin is classified as a pharmaceutical product. In Australia, the Therapeutic Goods Administration approves paediatric use for children with ADHD, autism and Smith-Magenis syndrome, and only on prescription.
In other countries, notably the United States, melatonin is categorised as a dietary supplement and is thought to be natural and safe. As such it is less tightly regulated than a pharmaceutical product.
As it’s available online, parents in countries with tighter restrictions, including Australia, can buy child-friendly melatonin gummies from the US, for example, and have it shipped. They can do this without a prescription or medical guidance.
Are melatonin gummies safe?
Accessing these gummies online for children without a prescription is at best concerning and at worst dangerous.
We don’t know how much melatonin is in these gummies. Studies show levels vary between brands of melatonin supplements and within the same brand. Melatonin levels range from practically zero to four times more than the amount stated on the label.
Some products also contained serotonin, which is concerning as this can interact with melatonin, and also affect a child’s mood.
There are also few studies on the long-term effects of taking melatonin, or what is a safe dose. So the risk of overdose is a real concern. Symptoms depend on many factors, including the age of the child. Symptoms include significant nausea, excessive sleepiness and migraine. The potential effects on other body systems and hormones have not been studied.
There have been deaths and hospital visits associated with the use of melatonin gummies in the US. There have been seven deaths in young children where the link to gummies has been suspected but not substantiated.
In Australia, there has been reports of a rise in queries about gummie overdoses to a poisons hotline.
There’s also the risk of toxicity with melatonin use. But there’s much we don’t know about how this happens, over what time frame, or its effects. Labels don’t always reflect what’s in the product so we don’t know if toxicity in children relates to those who have taken what’s recommended on the packet, or who have taken too many gummies by accident.
Melatonin gummies look like lollies. What child would not love to eat as many lollies as they can?
If you think your child has eaten too many gummies, they need emergency care.
So what are parents to do?
Sleep difficulties can be extremely distressing for the child and the whole family. But we need to treat melatonin with care. Buying melatonin gummies online is not the answer, despite many parents thinking they are safe and natural.
A medical professional can assess if a melatonin prescription is right for your child. They will also support you by recommending behavioural sleep strategies we know work, are sustainable and safe.
If you’d like support for your child’s sleep problems you can visit your GP and/or search for a trained sleep psychologist via the Australasian Sleep Association.
Sarah Blunden, Professor and Head of Paediatric Sleep Research, CQUniversity Australia
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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