NOW Foods Melatonin 1mg 100 Tablets

What it is

NOW Foods Melatonin 1 mg is a dietary supplement sold as a bottle of 100 coated tablets, with one tablet making up a serving. Its Supplement Facts panel declares five rows: melatonin at 1 mg, plus niacin, vitamin B-6, calcium and magnesium, each with its own amount and its own percentage of the Daily Value. The front of the bottle is marked Non-GMO and Vegetarian/Vegan, and the band across the shoulder of the label reads General Health.

Melatonin itself is a compound the body produces in the pineal gland. The panel assigns it no Daily Value, because none has been established for it — the label marks that row with a dagger and says so in a footnote. You can browse the rest of our supplements range for other formats and strengths.

What's inside

Four of the five declared rows are vitamins and minerals, and the panel prints a real percentage beside each of them. Those percentages vary widely — two of them run into the hundreds, two sit in single or low double figures — so it is worth reading the column rather than assuming the rows are equivalent.

• Niacin (as Niacinamide) — 100 mg, 625% Daily Value. Niacin is vitamin B-3. It occurs in two common supplemental forms, and the one used here is niacinamide, also written nicotinamide. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheet on niacin gives general background on the nutrient and the foods it is found in.
• Vitamin B-6 (from Pyridoxine HCl) — 5 mg, 294% Daily Value. Pyridoxine hydrochloride is one of the standard supplemental forms of vitamin B-6, a water-soluble B vitamin present in foods such as fish, potatoes and chickpeas. The NIH fact sheet on vitamin B6 covers it in general terms.
• Calcium (from Calcium Carbonate) — 40 mg, 3% Daily Value. Calcium carbonate is the mineral form found in limestone and chalk. At 40 mg this is a small fraction of the Daily Value, as the panel's own 3% figure shows. General background is in the NIH fact sheet on calcium.
• Magnesium (from Magnesium Citrate) — 40 mg, 10% Daily Value. Magnesium citrate is magnesium bound to citric acid. Dietary magnesium turns up in leafy greens, nuts, seeds and whole grains; the NIH fact sheet on magnesium gives a general overview.
• Melatonin — 1 mg. The panel gives no Daily Value for melatonin and footnotes the row accordingly.

The panel assigns no role to the remaining tablet materials, so neither do we. Listed under "Other ingredients", below the declared amounts, they are microcrystalline cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, stearic acid (vegetable source), a vegetarian coating made of hypromellose (cellulose), calcium carbonate and glycerin, plus maltodextrin, hypromellose (cellulose) and magnesium stearate (vegetable source).

Supplement Facts

† Daily Value not established.

Other ingredients: Microcrystalline Cellulose, Hydroxypropyl Cellulose, Stearic Acid (vegetable source), Vegetarian Coating [hypromellose (cellulose), calcium carbonate, glycerin], Maltodextrin, Hypromellose (cellulose) and Magnesium Stearate (vegetable source).

Allergen statement, as printed: Not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients. Produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.

How to use it

The label's suggested usage is: take 1 tablet about 1 hour before bedtime with juice or water. That is the whole of the printed direction — the label sets no other timing, gives no second serving and offers no alternative amount.

For storage, the panel says to store the bottle in a cool, dry place after opening. The label also carries the line "Natural color variation may occur in this product."

Who it's for

The label restricts this product to adults, and its caution block opens with the words "For adults only." It is a dietary supplement for adults 18 and over, not a food and not a medicine. A 100-tablet bottle at one tablet per serving is a format aimed at someone who already knows this is the product they want and would rather restock less often than buy a small pack repeatedly. Anyone comparing formats across our health and wellness range will find the same nutrient sold in several strengths and presentations.

Good to know

The caution printed on the bottle reads, in full: For adults only. May cause drowsiness. Do not operate a vehicle or heavy machinery following consumption of melatonin. Consult physician if pregnant/nursing, taking medication (especially sedatives, immunosuppressants or anticoagulants), or have a medical condition (including diabetes, auto-immune conditions, depressive disorders, cardiovascular conditions and epilepsy). Keep out of reach of children.

Two further details are printed on the pack and worth knowing. The bottle itself is made from 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) resin. And the label carries the line "Family owned since 1968." alongside a GMP Quality Assured seal; the seal on the bottle names no certifying body, so we quote it as it appears and leave it there.

The product is manufactured by NOW Foods, 395 S. Glen Ellyn Rd., Bloomingdale, IL 60108, USA, and the panel states that it is made and quality tested in the USA with globally sourced ingredients.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tablets are in this bottle, and what counts as a serving?

The bottle holds 100 tablets, and the Supplement Facts panel sets a serving at 1 tablet. The panel itself prints no servings row, so the figure of 100 servings follows from the count on the front of the bottle divided by the one-tablet serving size.

What is in the tablet besides melatonin?

Four further nutrients are declared on the panel: niacin (as niacinamide) 100 mg, vitamin B-6 (from pyridoxine HCl) 5 mg, calcium (from calcium carbonate) 40 mg and magnesium (from magnesium citrate) 40 mg. Each carries its own percentage of the Daily Value, while the melatonin row carries a dagger because no Daily Value has been established for it.

Are these tablets suitable for vegetarians and vegans?

Yes — the front of the bottle is marked Vegetarian/Vegan. The tablet's coating is a vegetarian coating of hypromellose, calcium carbonate and glycerin, and both the stearic acid and the magnesium stearate are identified on the panel as vegetable source.

Does the bottle need refrigerating once it is open?

No — the label directs you to store it in a cool, dry place after opening, with no mention of refrigeration. Keeping the cap closed and the bottle away from heat and damp is all the panel asks for.

How is this order packaged for delivery?

Your order ships in plain, unbranded outer packaging. It will not show the Gear Isle name.

Product information compiled and reviewed by the Gear Isle product team. We transcribe supplement facts directly from manufacturer packaging. Found an error? Tell us.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Dietary supplement for adults 18 and over. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before use, especially if you have a medical condition, heart concerns, or take prescription medication (including nitrates). Keep out of reach of children.