Sir, - Kathryn Holmquist's uncritical look at Melatonin (March 27th) is both unhelpful and unwise.
There is little medical evidence to support the (sometimes) outrageous claims being made for its powers in humans and the article makes no mention of possible side effects including reduced fertility among women.
Melatonin does seem to be of help with certain types of sleep disturbance but supplementation of this hormone might well suppress the body's natural production of it long term. Its use for sleeplessness, therefore, should be confined to the older age group who, in any case, experience a natural decrease in their body's own production of the hormone.
Too often people look for a miracle cure for the ageing process or a quick fix for their health problems. Miracle cures and quick fixes involve a cost the cost of undesirable side effects. Life style and diet on the whole provide more permanent solutions to those problems now being treated by Melatonin supplementation.
The public should, be warned against the indiscriminate use of Melatonin and should be encouraged to ask more questions and to reject false reassurances.
Yours, etc.,
Swan Centre,
Rathmines,
Dublin 6.