Effects of Taking 50mg of Melatonin
Taking 50mg of melatonin is not recommended and significantly exceeds standard therapeutic doses, which could lead to excessive sedation and other adverse effects without providing additional benefits over lower doses. 1
Recommended Dosages vs. 50mg
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends much lower doses of melatonin:
- For adults: 1-5mg approximately 1-2 hours before bedtime 1
- For specific sleep disorders like REM Sleep Behavior Disorder: starting with 3mg at bedtime, potentially titrating up to 15mg if needed 1
- For elderly patients: starting with even lower doses (1-2mg) 1
50mg represents approximately 10-50 times the recommended therapeutic dose, with no evidence supporting additional benefits at this excessive level.
Potential Effects of 50mg Melatonin
Likely Effects
- Excessive daytime sleepiness (the most common adverse effect at 1.66% even at normal doses) 2
- Headache (0.74% at normal doses) 2
- Dizziness (0.74% at normal doses) 2
- Hypothermia (0.62% at normal doses) 2
Possible Serious Effects
- Agitation
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
- Nightmares
- Palpitations 2
Research indicates that doses above 5mg appear to be no more effective than 5mg for sleep improvement 3. A 2022 study found that even 5mg significantly increased sleep efficiency compared to lower doses, primarily by increasing Stage 2 non-REM sleep 4. This suggests that 50mg would not provide additional benefits beyond what can be achieved with 5mg.
Special Concerns with High Doses
Pharmacodynamic Considerations
- Inappropriate timing or excessive doses could lead to desensitization of melatonin receptors 5
- High concentrations of melatonin and its metabolites could potentially have deleterious effects 5
- Supraphysiological concentrations may disrupt normal circadian rhythms 5
Specific Risk Populations
- People with epilepsy may be at increased risk of adverse effects 3
- Patients taking warfarin may experience interactions 3
- Those with hepatic impairment may have reduced clearance of such high doses 1
Clinical Recommendation
For sleep management, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine does not strongly recommend melatonin for treating either sleep onset or sleep maintenance insomnia, noting that even standard doses (2mg) show only modest benefits with a mean reduction in sleep latency of 9 minutes compared to placebo 6, 1.
If considering melatonin for sleep:
- Start with much lower doses (1-2mg)
- Take 1-2 hours before bedtime
- Administer on an empty stomach for maximum effectiveness
- Consider non-pharmacological approaches first (consistent sleep schedule, dark/quiet bedroom, reduced blue light exposure) 1
For those currently taking or considering 50mg doses, immediate dose reduction is advised to avoid unnecessary adverse effects while maintaining any potential therapeutic benefit.