Is melatonin useful for jet lag?
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of oral melatonin in reducing symptoms of jet lag syndrome.
Results Summary
The study concluded that oral melatonin probably reduces symptoms associated with jet lag syndrome, though it is unclear whether it produces adverse effects, which would likely be mild if present.
Population
Travelers crossing multiple time zones in a short period.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oral melatonin | decrease | symptoms associated with jet lag syndrome | travelers who cross multiple time zones in a short period of time | - | probably reduces | #1 |
Oral melatonin | no change | adverse effects | - | - | not clear whether its use produces | #2 |
Jet lag syndrome is an exogenous circadian rhythm sleep disorder, frequently reported in travelers who cross multiple time zones in a short period of time. Oral melatonin -a pineal neurohormone normally produced during darkness and responsible for regulating the body's circadian rhythms- has been used as treatment for this condition. Searching in Epistemonikos database, which is maintained by screening 30 databases, we identified four systematic reviews including 11 randomized trials. We combined the evidence using meta-analysis and generated a summary of findings table following the GRADE approach. We concluded the use of oral melatonin probably reduces symptoms associated with jet lag syndrome. It is not clear whether its use produces adverse effects; however, these would be probably mild. El jet lag es un trastorno exógeno del sueño y el ritmo circadiano que ocurre frecuentemente en viajeros que cruzan múltiples zonas horarias en un tiempo reducido. La administración de melatonina oral, neurohormona epifisiaria relacionada con la regulación de ritmos circadianos, se ha utilizado con el fin de disminuir los síntomas que caracterizan esta condición. Utilizando la base de datos Epistemonikos, la cual es mantenida mediante búsquedas en 30 bases de datos, encontramos cuatro revisiones sistemáticas que en conjunto incluyen 11 estudios aleatorizados. Realizamos un metanálisis y tablas de resumen de los resultados utilizando el método GRADE. Concluimos que la administración de melatonina oral probablemente disminuye los síntomas asociados al jet lag, y que no está claro si se asocia a efectos adversos, aunque estos serían leves.