July 12, 2019
People on prescription medications — and their doctors — are aware of how different pills can interact within the body and the combinations to avoid, but the same holds true for supplements.
One such possible contraindication is the use of the natural sleep aid melatonin and birth control pills.
Dr. Savita Ginde, a family practice physician in Colorado, told Popsugar that melatonin is a natural product of our body's pineal gland, which also happens to regulate women’s hormones.
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Ginde tells Popsugar that, while there are no definitive studies to confirm it, adding melatonin supplements may impact the body’s natural cycles from sleep to hormonal, including fertility.
Additionally, it is thought that birth control pills can increase the amount of melatonin naturally produced by the body, and taking the supplement and birth control may result in a melatonin overload, RX List reports.
It is also thought, according to Healthline, that the combination of birth control and melatonin supplements may impact the effectiveness of birth control pills.
Popsugar adds that melatonin may impact certain types of birth control pills — like progestin-only pills or combination pills — more than others.
To avoid any issues, it’s best to talk to your doctor if you’re on birth control and are having trouble sleeping — they’ll likely offer alternatives that won’t impact your birth control, or at least ensure you’re taking the proper dose.
