Commonly used as a sleep aid, melatonin is naturally produced by the body in response to the perception of light. In addition to helping those with insomnia, melatonin has been prescribed to those who are looking to fight jet lag, protect their cells from damage occurring due to free radicals, to help with the prevention of cancer and to increase the immune system.

The downside is that melatonin has not been approved by the FDA for safety and effectiveness so all the risk factors may not be known. So far however, very few negative cases have been reported with its use and most do just fine so long as dosage levels are not extremely high. It should be noted however that pregnant women are advised not to take this antioxidant for the reason that not enough evidence is out there to ensure it won't harm the baby. Furthermore, individuals who are using warafarin or other blood-thinning medications should also be avoiding use as it could cause an interaction.

The dosage that is typically recommended for adults aged 18 and older is 0.5 to 50 mg per day, usually always taken at night (since it will likely make you drowsy). Some research also suggests that the quick releasing form will be slightly better for use with those having sleep conditions so this is a factor to take into consideration.