Improvement after a supplement is not the same as a comparative result
Start with the comparison. A before-and-after change alone cannot isolate the contribution of an ingredient.
Melatonin
Selected research topic
Sleep
Findings differ across measurements or study conditions. The results below keep them separate.
Some findings concern patients or people with a deficiency.
- Publications for this topic
- 20
- Human comparison publications
- 4
- Publications needing review
- 13
Findings in the studies
overall sleep quality
- A better result than the comparison group was reported.Patient group · Single ingredient · 2 months
Measurement and study conditions
- Study type
- Randomized controlled trial: subjects were randomly assigned to groups for comparison.
- Study population
- Human participants · Patient group
- Ingredients tested
- Single ingredient
- How results were compared
- Results were compared between groups. · Study comparison: melatonin versus placebo
- Additional measurement information
- Primary outcome
- Measurement time
- 2 months
Sleep duration
- No clear difference from the comparison group was found.
What the comparison group used was not confirmed.
Single ingredientMeasurement and study conditions
- Study type
- Randomized controlled trial: subjects were randomly assigned to groups for comparison.
- Study population
- Human participants · Participant characteristics were not confirmed.
- Ingredients tested
- Single ingredient
- How results were compared
- Results were compared between groups.
- Measurement time
- Not confirmed.
sleep onset time
- A better result than the comparison group was reported.Patient group · Single ingredient · 12 weeks
Measurement and study conditions
- Study type
- Randomized controlled trial: subjects were randomly assigned to groups for comparison.
- Study population
- Human participants · Patient group
- Ingredients tested
- Single ingredient
- How results were compared
- Results were compared between groups. · Study comparison: Oral melatonin 3–10 mg versus placebo
- Additional measurement information
- Primary outcome
- Measurement time
- 12 weeks
sleep quality scores
- A better result than the comparison group was reported.
What the comparison group used was not confirmed.
Patient group · Single ingredientMeasurement and study conditions
- Study type
- Randomized controlled trial: subjects were randomly assigned to groups for comparison.
- Study population
- Human participants · Patient group
- Ingredients tested
- Single ingredient
- How results were compared
- Results were compared between groups.
- Measurement time
- Not confirmed.
Other measured outcomes (3)
sleep outcomes
Research with unclear study subject or type
- A change was reported, but the comparison could not be confirmed.Single ingredient
Measurement and study conditions
- Study type
- Systematic review
- Study population
- Recorded population category: Patient group. Whether the research involved humans needs confirmation.
- Ingredients tested
- Single ingredient
- Measurement time
- Not confirmed.
Sleep-wake cycle
Research with unclear study subject or type
- A change was reported, but the comparison could not be confirmed.Single ingredient
Measurement and study conditions
- Study type
- Meta-analysis
- Study population
- Study subject not identified
- Ingredients tested
- Single ingredient
- Measurement time
- Not confirmed.
Subjective Sleep Quality
Research with unclear study subject or type
- A change was reported, but the comparison could not be confirmed.Single ingredient
Measurement and study conditions
- Study type
- Meta-analysis
- Study population
- Study subject not identified
- Ingredients tested
- Single ingredient
- Measurement time
- Not confirmed.
This result is held for interpretation. That does not mean research found no effect.
Outcome groups needing additional review (6)
- Sleep quality · Distinct papers needing additional review: 1Evidence criteria check: 1
- Sleep quality · Distinct papers needing additional review: 1Evidence criteria check: 1
- sleep efficiency · Distinct papers needing additional review: 1Evidence criteria check: 1
- sleep onset latency · Distinct papers needing additional review: 1Evidence criteria check: 1
- Sleep quality · Distinct papers needing additional review: 2Evidence criteria check: 2
- TST · Distinct papers needing additional review: 1Evidence criteria check: 1
One paper can appear under multiple measured outcomes or review reasons, so these counts should not be added together.
Representative outcome and study details
Partial research summary
Human studies reported no clear between-group difference in Sleep duration.
These conditions come from related studies and may not describe a single paper.
Single-ingredient studies · Human studies · Includes patient groups · Population not specified · between-group comparison
2 publications linked to this result (1 awaiting review included)
- Study conditions differ; results are shown descriptively and are not pooled.
- Some publications have not cleared source or interpretation review.
- Some papers could not be reviewed, so this summary covers only findings that could be confirmed.
Data coverage and detailed study classifications
Paper counts are separated by research topic below. One paper may contribute to multiple findings.
Analysis status: Public-ready
Ingredient analysis date:
How the grade was determined: B
The 51.0 evidence score includes 1 independent human studies and 1 clinical studies in the representative benefit area. The B tier remains conservative because of limited repetition across independent human clinical studies, too few clinical findings with an explicit effect direction.
The grade is based mainly on the research area with the most evidence. It does not mean the same result was found in other areas.
Papers linked to this ingredient overall: 120
Papers linked to this topic 20 · distinct papers 20 · papers with a confirmed human comparison 4 · papers needing additional review 13
A publication may appear in more than one count. These numbers should not be added. Ingredient-wide papers, topic-linked papers, and sources in outcome groups use different scopes. Adding source counts may count the same paper more than once.
- Sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) · global score): Sources represented in this measurement group: 1 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 0
- Sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) · global score): Sources represented in this measurement group: 1 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 0
- overall sleep quality: Sources represented in this measurement group: 1 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 1
- Sleep duration: Sources represented in this measurement group: 2 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 1
- sleep efficiency: Sources represented in this measurement group: 1 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 0
- sleep onset latency: Sources represented in this measurement group: 1 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 0
- sleep onset time: Sources represented in this measurement group: 1 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 1
- sleep outcomes: Sources represented in this measurement group: 1 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 0
- Sleep quality: Sources represented in this measurement group: 2 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 0
- sleep quality scores: Sources represented in this measurement group: 1 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 1
- Sleep-wake cycle: Sources represented in this measurement group: 1 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 0
- Subjective Sleep Quality: Sources represented in this measurement group: 1 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 0
- TST: Sources represented in this measurement group: 1 · Distinct papers with human comparisons for this outcome: 0
What the research found
Sleep duration
No clear difference in this measurement was found between the compared groups.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Unspecified population
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
overall sleep quality
The study reported improvement in this measurement.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
sleep onset time
The study reported improvement in this measurement.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
sleep quality scores
The study reported improvement in this measurement.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
sleep outcomes
A change was reported, but the comparison could not be confirmed.
Review · Single ingredient · Patient group
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Review overlap with primary papers is unknown; counts stay separate.
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
Sleep-wake cycle
A change was reported, but the comparison could not be confirmed.
Meta-analysis · Single ingredient · Unspecified population
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Review overlap with primary papers is unknown; counts stay separate.
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
Subjective Sleep Quality
A change was reported, but the comparison could not be confirmed.
Meta-analysis · Single ingredient · Unspecified population
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
Review overlap with primary papers is unknown; counts stay separate.
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
global PSQI score
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
global PSQI scores
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
sleep duration
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
sleep efficiency
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
sleep onset latency
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
sleep quality
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
Sleep quality
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
TST
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Controlled study in people · Single ingredient · Patient group
Between-group comparison
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
Unspecified measured outcome
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Animal study · indirect · Single ingredient · Unspecified population
This finding comes from animal or cell research. It does not establish the same effect in people.
The comparison could not be confirmed.
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
Unspecified measured outcome
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Meta-analysis · Single ingredient · Unspecified population
The comparison could not be confirmed.
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Review overlap with primary papers is unknown; counts stay separate.
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
Unspecified measured outcome
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Review · Single ingredient · Patient group
The comparison could not be confirmed.
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Review overlap with primary papers is unknown; counts stay separate.
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
Unspecified measured outcome
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Review · Unknown intervention · Patient group
The comparison could not be confirmed.
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Review overlap with primary papers is unknown; counts stay separate.
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
Unspecified measured outcome
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Review · Unknown intervention · Unspecified population
The comparison could not be confirmed.
Analysis coverage and paper counts
2 papers · 2 measured outcomes
2 papers held from direction counts
Review overlap with primary papers is unknown; counts stay separate.
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
Unspecified measured outcome
The study needs further checking before its result can be interpreted.
Review · Unknown intervention · Patient group
The comparison could not be confirmed.
Analysis coverage and paper counts
1 paper · 1 measured outcome
1 papers held from direction counts
Review overlap with primary papers is unknown; counts stay separate.
Direction counts are distinct papers within each row. Outcome contributions count endpoint results, so one paper may contribute more than once.
How to read research findings
How should I read research findings?
Research guidesNo clear difference and an uninterpretable result are different
A reported null comparison contains a result. An abstract without an interpretable comparison leaves a question unresolved.
Paper counts and study counts are different
Count original research separately from research that reanalyzes it. Publication volume is neither replication nor a quality rating.
Side effects and combination findings
Findings from this ingredient alone are shown separately from those involving another supplement or medication.
No combination cautions are available to show in the current data. This does not guarantee safety.
Review 1 combination findings and 0 findings that outperformed an ingredient alone.
Reported improvements with combinations
Combination findings are grouped by how the study compared them. This is not a recommendation to combine ingredients.
Combinations with reported improvement
The combination showed improvement, but each ingredient's contribution is unclear.
마그네슘Combined melatonin and magnesium supplementation was more effective in improving serum levels of insulin compared to baseline.