Melatonin

Dipa Kamdar/Kingston University/The Conversation

A supplement best known for helping some people get a better night's sleep may also have a surprising painkilling effect in those with a range of chronic conditions. This could help reduce the use of pain medications that come with more risks.

Melatonin – a go-to sleep aid for kids and adults alike in many households in the US – continues to create media buzz, with conflicting messages that leave people uncertain about its safety. A pediatrician and sleep medicine doctor weighs in.

From St John’s wort to vitamin D, the range of over-the-counter supplements for mental health wellbeing continues to grow. Now, scientists have looked at 64 products reviewed in hundreds of studies to shed light on how useful they are for depression.

Researchers have found a genetic link between the nighttime production of the sleep hormone melatonin and ADHD severity in children. The study enhances our understanding of the complexities associated with this prevalent neurodevelopmental condition.