Melatonin While Fasting: Is It Safe?

Supplements like melatonin and serotonin come as a saving grace for those who struggle with sleep deprivation, but have you ever wondered if consuming sleeping supplements during an Intermittent Fast is safe or not?

Intermittent fasting has come into vogue for its effective way of efficiently facilitating weight loss after being celebrated by renowned celebrities like Venessa Hudgens, Heidi Klum, Halle Berry, Jennifer Anniston, and even Jennifer Lopez. 

This simple dietary practice involves distributing both eating and fasting patterns at equal intervals.

While “fasting” on its own is paramount to the intermittent fasting practice, what you eat and what you avoid during the eating periods is what helps you achieve your desired goals. 

Supplements like melatonin and serotonin come in the form of harmless gummy bears that help slumber peacefully, however, they often fall under scrutiny when practicing a restrictive eating plan like intermittent fasting. 

When ingesting supplements like melatonin frequently and regularly, one must indulge in a nutritionally balanced diet to allow easy absorption of the hormone. 

Whether you are perplexed if Melatonin will break your fast or you are concerned about the effects of melatonin on health during intermittent fasting, do not worry. 

Here is all you need to know about Melatonin and its effects on health during intermittent fasting to help you determine whether or not melatonin while fasting is safe or not.

What is Melatonin Exactly?

Your body is a self-regulating mechanism encompassing a myriad of mechanisms that help facilitate its functions effectively and effectively. 

Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that is present in both plants and animals. Generally, Melatonin in animals is resealed by the pineal gland during the night and has been associated to contribute significantly to the sleep-wake cycle. 

In simpler terms, this naturally occurring hormone allows you to feel sleepy during the night. 

This release of melatonin hormones is often a result of the brain’s response to darkness during the night. Ideally, melatonin helps regulate the circadian rhythm or the 24-hour internal clock. The production of melatonin often stops when you are exposed to light during the night.

What are Melatonin Supplements used for?

Melatonin Supplements are great for inducing sleep for people who struggle with sleep disorders. 

In fact, this supplement is also used for regulating and establishing healthy sleeping patterns in people who are unable to have a proper sleep-wake cycle. 

Commonly referred to as a “sleep hormone”, Melatonin Supplements allow the human body to relax and sleep, as it induces the brain’s natural response to darkness. 

Another use for Melatonin supplements is for regulating a healthy 24-hour circadian rhythm, a physical process that integrates physical, mental, and behavioral changes throughout the day. 

Melatonin is great for establishing a healthy 24-hour fundamental biological clock and is also used for boosting metabolism.

What are the benefits of Melatonin supplements?

Melatonin supplements are often used by people who are suffering from sleeping disorders or circadian rhythm disorders.  

If ingested for short-term purposes, melatonin supplements provide a myriad of benefits to one’s health. Here is a list of some benefits of ingesting melatonin supplements:

• Helps with sleeping disorders like Insomnia
• Helps with jet lags
• Helps regulate circadian rhythm disorders in blind individuals

Are there different types of Melatonin Supplements?

As a matter of fact yes, based on its production and methods of extraction, there are two types of Melatonin Supplements:

1. Synthetic Melatonin Supplements:

Synthetically sourced melatonin supplements are also marketed as Melapure which is derived by chemical means of synthesis.

Synthetic melatonin is derived from 5-Methoxytryptamine through the chemical pathway that also produces other chemicals like serotonin. 

Synthetic Melatonin supplements are considered to be a safer alternative to naturally sourced supplements as it is free from any naturally-occurring contaminants.

2. Naturally occurring Melatonin Supplements:

Naturally-sourced melatonin supplements are often produced from the pineal glands of animals such as cows. 

There are also vegan-friendly plant-based alternatives to naturally occurring melatonin supplements as well. 

Does Ingestion of Melatonin break a fast?

If you are someone who cannot fall into deep sweet slumber without the help of a melatonin supplement, chances are you might be reluctant and apprehensive to start intermittent fasting. 

For the ones who enjoy melatonin supplements for a good night’s sleep, do not panic, as melatonin does not have any direct effect on your fast. 

Your fast during intermittent fasting only breaks when your body releases insulin as a response to calorie consumption. 

Melatonin supplements incorporate zero calories, zero carbohydrates, and zero proteins that won’t generate insulin production. 

Based on the type of melatonin supplement, ingesting melatonin during an intermittent fast does not trigger your insulin response and in turn, does not break your fast. 

Hence, you can enjoy your melatonin supplements during intermittent fasting without jeopardizing your results.

Do Melatonin Gummies Break a Fast?

Who doesn’t enjoy a dose of melatonin gummy before going to bed? If you love consuming melatonin gummies, the sad news is, these sweet candies may break you fast. 

While Melatonin gummies are a tastier and sweet alternative to basic Melatonin pill supplements, they are laden with sweeteners, artificial flavors, sugars, and calories that would definitely break your fast during intermittent fasting. 

While there are different brands that produce sugar-free melatonin gummies it is best to read the table of content diligently to avoid any melatonin supplements that contain excess sugars, calories, and carbohydrates. 

If you are looking for melatonin supplements that help you stay on the path to achieving your desired weight, it is best to say goodbye to your beloved melatonin gummies and invest in melatonin pills.