NOW Foods Melatonin Maximum Strength 20mg 90 Veg Capsules

What it is

NOW Foods Maximum Strength Melatonin 20 mg is a dietary supplement supplied as 90 vegetarian capsules, with one capsule making up a single serving. Its Supplement Facts panel declares two active rows rather than one: 20 mg of melatonin, and 20 mg of elemental magnesium drawn from magnesium citrate. The bottle front is marked Non-GMO and Vegetarian/Vegan, and the manufacturer bands the label "General Health". Because one capsule is one serving, the 90 capsules printed on the front also work out to 90 servings — a figure derived from the count, since the panel itself prints no servings row.

What's inside

Two substances are declared as actives on this panel, and three more are listed beneath it as other ingredients. The two active rows are read differently from one another: one carries a percentage in the % Daily Value column, and the other carries a dagger.

Magnesium, from magnesium citrate

Magnesium is a dietary mineral, and on this panel it is the substance with an established Daily Value — the label puts 20 mg of elemental magnesium at 5% of it. The parenthetical "(from Magnesium Citrate)" is doing real work there. The compound actually held in the capsule is magnesium citrate, the magnesium salt of citric acid; the 20 mg figure describes the elemental magnesium that compound yields, not the weight of the salt. That is also why magnesium citrate does not appear a second time in the other-ingredients line further down — it is already accounted for in the panel above. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements publishes a consumer fact sheet on magnesium giving general background on the mineral and the forms it is sold in.

Melatonin

Melatonin is declared at 20 mg per capsule and is the substance the product is named for. Its cell in the % Daily Value column carries a dagger rather than a percentage, resolved at the foot of the panel as "Daily Value not established" — no reference intake has been set for melatonin, so there is no percentage available to print. The 20 mg is the full declared amount in a single capsule, and the front of the bottle carries the "Maximum Strength" mark.

The other ingredients

Three substances are listed after the panel: Microcrystalline Cellulose, Hypromellose (cellulose capsule) and Stearic Acid (vegetable source). Two of the three carry a parenthetical naming what they are made from, and microcrystalline cellulose carries none. The panel assigns no role to any of these three, so neither do we.

Supplement Facts

Transcribed from the Supplement Facts panel on the bottle. Where the panel prints no figure, none has been supplied from any other source.

How to use it

The label directs: take 1 capsule near bedtime with water. The same face of the bottle states that the product is not intended for long-term use, and that use beyond 4 consecutive weeks should be only under the supervision of a healthcare practitioner. Storage instructions are to keep the bottle in a cool, dry place after opening. The NIH ODS introduction to dietary supplements is a reasonable general primer if you are new to reading a Supplement Facts panel.

Who it's for

This is a product for adults 18 and over who already know they want melatonin at a 20 mg declared amount and prefer it in a vegetarian capsule. The 90-count bottle suits someone restocking a format they have used before rather than someone sampling one for the first time, and the Vegetarian/Vegan and Non-GMO marks on the front will matter to buyers who screen for them. Anyone who is pregnant or nursing, takes prescription medication, or has a medical condition is directed by the label to speak to a physician first. You can browse more of the range in Supplements and Health & Wellness.

Good to know

The bottle prints a full caution block, and this is what it says. For adults only at bedtime. The product is not intended for long-term use; use only as directed. Not for pregnant or nursing women. May cause drowsiness. Do not use in conjunction with alcoholic beverages, when driving a vehicle, or while operating machinery. Consult a physician if taking medication — the label names sedatives and anti-depressants in particular — or if you have a medical condition, including depression, high blood pressure and epilepsy. Keep out of reach of children.

The label also notes that natural color variation may occur in this product, so capsules from different bottles need not look identical. The allergen statement reads: 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. The panel face carries the line "Family owned since 1968." and gives the manufacturer as NOW Foods of Bloomingdale, Illinois, adding that the product is packaged and quality tested in the USA. The FDA's questions and answers on dietary supplements covers how this category is regulated.

Frequently asked questions

How many capsules are in the bottle, and how many servings is that?

There are 90 vegetarian capsules in the bottle, which works out to 90 servings. The panel sets the serving size at 1 Veg Capsule, so one capsule is one serving and the two numbers are the same; the panel prints no servings line of its own, so that figure is derived from the count on the front.

Why does the panel list magnesium as well as melatonin?

Because both are declared actives in this formula: each capsule carries 20 mg of melatonin and 20 mg of elemental magnesium from magnesium citrate. The magnesium row is the one on the panel with a percentage next to it, shown as 5% of the Daily Value, while the melatonin row carries a dagger because no Daily Value has been established for melatonin.

Are the capsules suitable for vegetarians and vegans?

The front of the bottle carries a Vegetarian/Vegan mark, and the panel names the capsule shell as hypromellose (cellulose capsule) and the stearic acid as vegetable source. Those two parentheticals are printed on the label itself rather than inferred. The bottle is also marked Non-GMO.

The capsules in my bottle are not all exactly the same shade — is that expected?

Yes — the label states that natural color variation may occur in this product. NOW prints that line on the caution face of the bottle, and the capsule size card supplied with the product range notes separately that size and color shown may vary from the actual product.

How is the order packaged for delivery?

Orders ship in plain outer packaging with no description of the contents on the outside. 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.