Why is Melatonin Banned in The UK?
There is a medication for every ailment. Medications are easily accessible in your local drugstore. Human life expectancy has grown as a result of medical advances.
Unfortunately, certain medications are difficult to obtain, while others are outright prohibited!
When we hear the term ban, we immediately think of anything unlawful. After all, why would anything that is legal be prohibited from being used in public?
And we all know that the prohibition on a certain drug was doing more damage than good.
Melatonin is one such medication.
Is melatonin illegal in the United Kingdom? We’d say yes, but also no.
So, what is the cause for our unclear response?
You’ll find out shortly.
In this blog, we will talk about melatonin and will tell you what melatonin is and is melatonin banned in the UK.
Melatonin: What is it?
Our body operates on a natural clock known as the circadian rhythm; it is our body’s clock, and all processes are synchronized to it.
You’re hungry about lunchtime. You begin to feel drowsy as you approach your bedtime. All of this is due to the circadian rhythm.
And your body naturally creates melatonin to manage your circadian rhythm.
But, our circadian rhythm might be disrupted when we travel to a different time zone.
Your circadian rhythm is designed to help you sleep at night, but when you move time zones, everything changes and you suffer from severe jet lag. Nights are spent wide awake, and days are spent drowsy.
Melatonin: How does it Work?
Melatonin is a hormone that governs your circadian cycle.
The pineal gland, located in the center of the brain, produces melatonin. This hormone’s primary function is to control the day and night cycles.
As a result, any dysfunction with your pineal gland may impair melatonin secretion and produce a sleeping condition.
Your retina tells your brain whether it is going dark or not.
When your retina sends a signal to your brain that it is dark, your pineal gland secretes melatonin and instructs you to sleep.
What Can Melatonin do for You?
So, what makes individuals take melatonin?
Is it a required supplement?
While traveling to a foreign time zone, many take melatonin to reset their biological clock. Jet lag is a typical condition for those who travel to another nation, and melatonin is used to treat jet lag.
Melatonin has been demonstrated in studies to reduce insomnia when given 90 minutes before bedtime.
Nevertheless, alternative therapies for insomnia are more effective than melatonin, thus its major purpose is to treat jet lag.
Is Melatonin Banned in the UK?
If you are heading to the UK and want to obtain melatonin to help with jet lag, you are out of luck since melatonin cannot be purchased in the UK without a documented prescription.
So, is melatonin prohibited in the United Kingdom?
Is melatonin prohibited in the United Kingdom?
No, melatonin is completely legal in the UK; nevertheless, the medical and healthcare goods regulating body has prohibited the sale of melatonin on the main street.
Melatonin was previously offered as a health supplement at health food stores, but it is now classed as a drug and may only be obtained with a prescription from a doctor or a qualified prescriber.
The essential thing is that melatonin is entirely legal and safe to use in the UK; the only difference is that you now need a prescription to get melatonin in the UK.
You will also not be administered melatonin to treat jet lag. Melatonin is now exclusively prescribed to those over the age of 55 who suffer from insomnia.
What is Melatonin Called in the UK?
Melatonin is only available in the UK in one licensed medicine, allied Circadian Tablets, which contains 2mg of melatonin in modified-release tablets.
This medication is exclusively indicated for the short-term treatment of insomnia in persons over the age of 55.
Melatonin: Is it Harmful over Time?
Melatonin is a completely safe supplement. Yet, the long-term consequences remain uncertain.
Melatonin is administered at the least feasible dose for short-term therapy. If you suffer from sleeplessness, get medical attention first and then work accordingly.
Why is Melatonin Restricted in the UK?
Melatonin is illegal in the United Kingdom since it is primarily used to treat jet lag. This supplement is now only available by prescription for the treatment of insomnia.
Has Melatonin been Banned in The UK?
No, the selling of melatonin is exclusively banned in the United Kingdom.
It is not prohibited.
Melatonin may only be purchased in the UK with a doctor’s prescription.
What is the Controversy With Melatonin?
There is no such controversy regarding melatonin. It is just that the drug was misused as a cure for jet lag, and people with insomnia (who need this drug) were deprived of its use.
Due to this, the drug melatonin was restricted (not banned) in the UK.
Conclusion
That’s all you need to know about why melatonin is illegal in the UK.
The prohibition is onerous. This vitamin is only available with a prescription.
Additionally, if you use this supplement, try to drink as little of it as possible. The supplement is fantastic for treating jet lag, but because it is not available in the UK, you might consider purchasing your own before visiting.
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