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ASSESSMENT OF MELATONIN USE PATTERNS, SAFETY, AND ATTITUDES TOWARD ITS USE IN ADULT POPULATION
1College of Pharmacy, University of Baghdad, Iraq.
Background:
Melatonin is an important neurohormones that regulate sleep. It is also considered as a dietary supplement that gained approval to be used without prescription to manage insomnia and other sleep disorders. However, melatonin inappropriate use is increasing which may lead to various negative consequences. This study aims to assess the patterns of melatonin use, its safety, and to determine the attitudes regarding its effectiveness and safety.
Materials And Methods:
A cross-sectional study included a convenient sample of adults who are using melatonin was conducted from September to December 2025 at community pharmacies in Baghdad, Iraq. The survey consisted of three parts to collect socio-demographic, to assess the patterns and attitudes of participants regarding melatonin use, and to investigate the possible adverse effects.
Results:
Participants' mean age was 28.54±10.4 years with females constituted 59% of the sample. The most common dose used was 5mg (33.6%), with 56.5% of users consumed melatonin as needed. Several side effects were reported, mainly drowsiness (28.8%) and headache (25.1%), with only 1.5% of the participants with no side effects. A significant proportion of participants, 83.8% agreed that melatonin improved their sleep quality, 78.2% of users considered melatonin to be safe to use, and 75.6% recommended melatonin to others. Age had a significant association with relying on melatonin for sleep, meanwhile sex was correlated to the belief that melatonin is safe to use. Working and educational status was correlated with the willingness to recommend melatonin to others and reliance on melatonin.
Conclusion:
Melatonin is widely used and generally perceived as a safe and effective sleep aid, though notable variations in dosing, reliance, and misuse exist across demographic groups. The results highlight that specified education and clearer guidance are required to warrant safe, informed, and appropriate melatonin use, particularly among older adults and students.
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