208. The number of kids poisoned by melatonin has skyrocketed in the last decade
Dr. David Geier is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes and active people feel and perform their best, regardless of age, injuries and medical history. He has been featured in major media publications and shows over 2,500 times throughout his career.
Over the last decade, the number of kids poisoned by melatonin has skyrocketed over 500 percent. In a new study published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, researchers collected data on more than 260,000 children poisoned by melatonin from 2012 to 2021. Poisonings from the popular sleep supplement soared from about 8,300 in 2012 to 53,000 10 years later. The largest jump occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. For most children, taking too much melatonin only causes too much sleepiness, but it can also cause nausea, vomiting and stomach pain, and occasionally hospitalization and even death. While the study doesn’t offer reasons these overdoses occurred, the researchers speculate that rising stress levels are involved. Parents should know that melatonin is generally safe for kids, but it can be dangerous if they take too much.
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.
