Posted by larryhoover on May 31, 2011, at 22:17:18
In reply to Re: just discovered vitamin E)))nocturnal, posted by nocturnal1 on May 31, 2011, at 21:56:21
> however, the melatonin has the opposite effect on me, it keeps me awake all night!
I think the most likely explanation for that is that you took too much. The effective dose is different for everyone, because we differ on how efficiently we absorb it from the gut, and also how effectively it crosses the blood/brain barrier. I've talked to a lot of people, and the effective doses I've heard range from 0.15 mg to 10 mg, over 60 times as much!
Unlike what you'd expect, melatonin has an inverted U dose/response curve. The effect ramps up quickly, plateaus, and then falls off to zero, as you increase the dose. If you take too much, it actually disables the melatonin receptor, and your natural melatonin doesn't work at all, either. The trick is finding out where your own plateau is, and that is your effective dose. I use a liquid melatonin preparation, as it makes fractional dosing a breeze.
It soulds like you're very sensitive to oral melatonin, so I'd suggest you start at 0.15 mg, 20 minutes before bedtime. If that didn't do the trick, try 0.30 the next night, and so on, increasing by the same amount each night, until you find the dose that works for you. Walmart sells 0.30 mg tablets, and they're a cinch to split.
Lar
poster:larryhoover
thread:985713
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20110512/msgs/986765.html