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kalium comments on Open Thread, October 7 - October 12, 2013 - Less Wrong Discussion

5 Post author: Thomas 07 October 2013 02:52PM

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Comment author: kalium 08 October 2013 08:14:17PM *  2 points [-]

A clearer phrasing of the question: Melatonin is important in my existing sleep processes. Does taking exogenous melatonin reduce my body's own production of the stuff to compensate, and if so how severe is this effect?

Comment author: ephion 08 October 2013 08:24:29PM *  2 points [-]

It doesn't appear to do that.:

In regards to supplementation, oral melatonin supplements at 500mcg over a period of a week in shift workers did not influence basal secretion, as cessation for one day prior to measurements did not show differences when compared to secretion status prior to supplementation.[24] 24-hour melatonin levels in this study, when graphed, essentially overlapped suggesting next to no variance.[24] These results indicating a lack of negative feedback have been replicated with 2mg[25] and 5mg.[26]

Good question! This is definitely an important thing to consider.

Comment author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 08 October 2013 10:31:47PM 6 points [-]

One week is a trivial amount of time. I've been taking it for years and have had to slowly, steadily increase the dosage.

Comment author: lavalamp 08 October 2013 11:56:09PM 3 points [-]

Do you have any evidence that the cause is not ordinary aging?

Comment author: ephion 08 October 2013 10:39:03PM 1 point [-]

Interesting! If you don't mind sharing, how much were you taking initially, and how much are you taking now?

Comment author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 08 October 2013 10:41:23PM 6 points [-]

300mcg initially. Currently at 200mcg to trigger sleep onset 6 hours before, 1.2mg timed-release, and a supplementary 300mcg timed-release or 200mcg if I wake up in the middle of the night.

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