Unregulated melatonin products had as much as four times the amount on label, TGA testing shows

Melatonin from some online suppliers has been found to have as much as four times the amount advertised, or even no melatonin at all, according to testing by the national drug regulator.

In a new safety note, The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said patients should stop using unregistered imported melatonin products immediately, after testing in its laboratories indicated "significant discrepancies" between the actual melatonin amount and what was on the label.

Almost a dozen different products examined by the TGA were found to have significantly more or less melatonin than the labelled amount.

One was higher than 400 per cent.

"This variability in melatonin content raises serious safety concerns for consumers, including the risk of hospitalisation and accidental overdose, espec