Warning: Misgivings about Children's Sleep Aid Gummies
Warning issued by Foundation Warentest: Potential dangers of melatonin gum for child use
Berlin (dpa/tmn) - Parents resigning themselves to nights of restlessness when their little ones stubbornly resist sleep might be tempted to reach for melatonin gummies. But tread carefully, as these sleep-inducing treats could do more harm than good.
Stiftung Warentest, a consumer protection organization, shed light on this issue in their magazine (Issue 7/2025), and they ain't mincing words. They urged against all melatonin gummies designed for children, without doling out individual product ratings. Here's the lowdown on why you might want to hesitate.
Issue 1: Melatonin might bring side effects
It's essential to remember that healthy children naturally produce sufficient melatonin at bedtime. extra intake might mess with their innate sleep-wake cycle, leading to potential disruptions.
The testers pointed out various possible side effects, such as nightmares, clumsiness, drowsiness, headaches, and heightened blood sugar levels. Not the sort of perks you'd want for your child, are they? And let's not forget that they might not even catch their Zs properly, according to the testers.
jerkin' the longhorns on the reins of scientific research, we don't know what the long-term effects of melatonin on children's hormonal development could be. There's even a possibility that it'd boost growth, which ain't exactly a desirable outcome.
Issue 2: Reckless dosage
We'd love to believe that one gummy drop equates to 0.5 milligrams of melatonin—according to the packaging anyway. Lab tests proved two out of the four melatonin products contained more melatonin than stated. One of these was almost double the declared amount (1.15 milligrams).
All four products also pack a punch of vitamin B6. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment suggests that dietary supplements should restrict vitamin B6 dosage to 0.9 milligrams per daily dose. Two melatonin preparations exceeded this limit. Prolonged consumption of high doses of vitamin B6 can trigger nasty nervous system disorders, so think twice before popping those gummies into your child's maw.
Issue 3: The allure of candy
These gummies certainly aren't just ordinary sweets. They mimic fruit candies, making them tantalizingly easy for children to snack on secretly. An overdose could be a real concern, especially since two out of the four containers lacked a safety closure.
So, what's a sleep-deprived parent to do?
If your kiddo hits the hay later than 20 minutes once a week or more, it might be wise to consult a professional, the testers suggest. A family counseling service, pediatrician, or social-pediatric center can help.
Small tweaks could be all it takes to ease your tot's slumber struggles. Psychologist Angelika Schlarb from the University of Bielefeld offers these tips:
- Develop an evening routine, like reading before bed.
- Save day discussions for dinnertime, as those chats can be stimulating. Instead, talk about matters of the day while you're still chowing down.
- Arrange the bed in the room so the headboard doesn't face the door. Only then can both children and adults feel secure, says Schlarb.
[1] https://www.stiftung-warentest.de/verbraucherinformation/schlafmittel[2] https://www.bfr.bund.de/cm/344/strahlungsschutz/melatonin.pdf
- While it may be tempting to use melatonin supplements, such as sleep-aid gummies, for children who have difficulty sleeping, it's crucial to consider the potential side effects, like nightmares, clumsiness, drowsiness, headaches, heightened blood sugar levels, and long-term effects on hormonal development.
- It's also important to be aware of the inconsistencies in the dosage of melatonin gummies; two out of the four tests revealed that the products contained more melatonin than stated on the packaging, with one containing almost double the declared amount.
- In addition, the appealing candy-like nature of these gummies presents a risk, as they might tempt children to consume them excessively, leading to an overdose, especially since two out of the four containers lacked a safety closure.
