Can Melatonin Expire?

Melatonin powder is a popular sleep supplement used by millions of people worldwide. As a hormone naturally produced in the body, melatonin helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. Synthetic melatonin available as oral supplements aims to mimic the effects of the hormone for people having trouble falling or staying asleep.

The human body naturally makes melatonin. However, normal levels of melatonin decline with age Trusted SourceNational Library of Medicine, Biotech InformationThe National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information.View Source . Melatonin can be made synthetically for supplements and is often used to treat jet lag, anxiety, and other sleeping issues.

Melatonin supplements are widely available over the counter in a variety of forms such as pills, patches, liquids, and chewable tablets. Like all medications and supplements, melatonin supplements have an expiration date. Expiration dates are provided by the manufacturer to indicate when full potency and safety of the medication can no longer be guaranteed. Medications should not be used past the provided expiration date.

 

Chemical Stability of Melatonin

Results showed melatonin exhibits relative stability in cool, dark environments, degrading only around 5% when stored at 4°C in darkness for 15 days. However, stability decreased with rising temperatures and light exposure. At 22°C with light exposure, degradation reached nearly 30% over the 15-day tracking period. At 40°C with UV light exposure, melatonin fully decomposed within 3 days.

Another report published in 2010 in the journal Cell Biochemistry and Function monitored melatonin stability under more normal shelf storage conditions - room temperature around 22°C and protected from light. Under these typical conditions, the hormone showed impressive stability, degrading less than 20% over a full year.

These analyses demonstrate that while Melatonin Powder does slowly break down over months and years, it can remain chemically stable when stored properly - in cool, dark spaces - for a lengthy period. However, stability declines more rapidly with higher temperatures and light exposure that could occur if products are poorly stored or kept past expiration dates.

 

What Happens If You Take Expired Melatonin?

Considering the long shelf life of many supplements and the relative safety of melatonin, using expired melatonin may not be harmful. Medication and supplement manufacturers choose expiration dates to ensure that you are getting full potency by the printed date. These dates often err on the side of caution. It is possible that your melatonin supplement Trusted SourceNational Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NICCH)NCCIH funds and conducts research to help answer important scientific and public health questions about complementary health approaches.View Source will maintain its potency past the date printed on the label, though taking expired melatonin is not recommended.

The melatonin supplements you purchase should have an expiration date printed on the label, along with storage instructions. You might notice that melatonin supplements nearing their expiration date do not make you as tired or drowsy. If this is the case, then your melatonin may be losing its potency. It is important to discard and replace melatonin supplements once they have expired.

Potency Changes with Expired Melatonin

Beyond chemical analysis exploring stability, several studies specifically analyzed potency changes in expired melatonin supplements compared to fresh products within listed expiration dates. Though limited data is available, results suggest expired melatonin likely maintains reasonable efficacy despite some loss of potency.

A 2008 study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine obtained samples of a commonly used 3mg timed-release melatonin supplement at periods of 5 months before expiration, at expiration, and 2, 4, and 6 months past listed expiration dates. Samples were chemically analyzed to determine the actual melatonin content compared to the labeled 3mg amount.

At 6 months expired, melatonin content measured 2.35mg showing around a 22% potency loss compared to fresh samples containing 2.85mg. The expired product still contained ample melatonin at over 75% of the original labeled dosage indicating retained efficacy.

Another report in 2016 performed a similar expiration analysis on the same widely used 3mg melatonin supplement. Fresh samples showed 101.8% of the listed melatonin content – verifying the accuracy of the 3mg labeling. At expiration, the measured content remained high at 3.27mg, now exceeding the label. Even a year past expiration, analyzed content measured 2.57mg indicating only minor further breakdown after the expiration month.

These studies cannot confirm with certainty that taking expired melatonin provides identical effects as fresh products. Minor potency losses occurring with expired samples could perhaps alter sleep impacts to some degree. However, chemical stability analysis combined with evidence of strong retention of labeled dosages, even when expired, indicates continued efficacy is likely.

Can I throw away expired melatonin?

Pure Melatonin Powder is a popular over-the-counter sleep aid used by many people to help fall asleep faster. Like most medications and supplements, melatonin has an expiration date printed on the packaging. You may wonder if you need to toss your melatonin once this date has passed, or if it is still safe and effective to use.

How Long Does Melatonin Last in Your Body?

Melatonin is fast-acting, with a half-life of 20 to 40 minutes. The half-life of a medication or supplement measures how long it takes for half the dose to be processed and eliminated by the body.

Researchers found that after taking a normal dose of 1 to 5 milligrams, people’s melatonin levels were at their peak within an hour Trusted SourceNational Library of Medicine, Biotech InformationThe National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information.View Source . In that same study, melatonin levels were back to normal after four to eight hours.

Is melatonin good for anxiety?

In addition to being used as a sleep aid, melatonin powder bulk is also sometimes taken to help calm anxiety. This is because melatonin regulates circadian rhythms and has a relaxing effect on the body. Some research studies have found that taking melatonin before bed leads to significantly less anxiety the following day. It is especially helpful for anxiety brought on by disruptions in normal sleep patterns. Many people anecdotally report lower stress levels when taking melatonin regularly.

 

Conclusion

Melatonin exhibits reasonable chemical stability for lengthy periods in cool, dark storage conditions. Stability declines over time with higher temperatures or light exposure. Though some loss of potency occurs and effects could be subtly altered, expired melatonin likely retains the majority of its dosage and efficacy. Multiple studies found over 75% of original melatonin content remains even 6-12 months past listed expiration dates. Very few safety issues are associated with melatonin due to its inherent origin as an endogenously produced hormone. Typical doses carry little risk of impairment, next day effects, or other common medication side effects. Expired melatonin and its breakdown byproducts do not likely raise additional safety concerns.

In conclusion, while melatonin does slowly decompose over time leading to some potency loss, expired products seem to retain adequate stability and effectiveness. Melatonin expiration offers low reasons for safety concerns as well. However, optimal efficacy is still presumably achieved by adhering to expiration dates whenever reasonably possible.

YANGGE BIOTECH is an innovation-driven manufacturer of high-quality herbal extracts since 2011, certified by ISO9001:2015, ISO22000, HALAL, KOSHER, HACCP, and Organic standards. If you are looking for Melatonin Powder, please contact us at E-mail: info@yanggebiotech.com. We provide customized products and services tailored to your specific requirements.

 

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