If you are taking drugs for a medical condition, then be aware that the side effects of taking melatonin can extend well beyond common headaches, upset digestion and extra drowsiness. Melatonin isn’t a simple herbal supplement you take without any side effects; it’s a hormone that serves several functions in your body. Due to this range in its own function, it can result in drug interactions that are not always pleasant. Some of them, in fact, can worsen the condition for which you’re taking the drugs in the first place.
You wouldn’t necessarily connect melatonin with blood problems, yet if you are on blood thinners, then you need to watch for other possible side effects of taking melatonin. This is because it has been known to interact with the blood-thinning drug, warfarin. There hasn’t yet been enough study to affirm that the same thing would occur with all blood thinners, yet you wouldn’t be advised to take the risk unsupervised. You might experience interactions with blood pressure or heart medications as well. Or you may even, at this point, decide that the melatonin solution is really not for you.
One place where you’ll really want to keep an eye on things, however, is if you are diabetic. In this case, things are much less equivocal. If you have type 1 diabetes, then one of the side effects of taking melatonin is often an elevated blood sugar level. Melatonin has also been known to reduce insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. So if you’re using melatonin dietary supplements and you are also taking insulin, it will be essential that a doctor is regularly monitoring your serum glucose levels. If you continue to take the melatonin rather than switch to some other sleep treatment, your medications may have to be adjusted.
The side effects of taking melatonin that could result if this hormone interacts with other medications you are taking might make you think twice about taking this supplement at all. Even if you really need help getting your sleeping patterns back into shape, there are surely other ways that will put you in less jeopardy. At the very least, you should only take the supplement for a short time, and always in consultation with your doctor. You should not have to sacrifice the solution to one physical problem for the solution to another.