An eye-opening analysis of common, over-the-counter sleep aids finds they contain wildly variable amounts of melatonin, with some packing up to 347 percent of the amount on the label.

对常见的非处方助眠药进行的一项令人大开眼界的分析发现，它们所含的褪黑激素数量差异很大，有些产品的含量高达标签上的347%。

The study, published Tuesday in JAMA, found that 22 of 25 melatonin gummy products analyzed—88 percent—were inaccurately labeled. That is, they contained over 10 percent more or less melatonin than what was listed on the packaging. Together, the dietary supplement products contained a range of melatonin that spanned 1.3 mg to 13.1 mg per serving. And those actual quantities represented a range of 74 percent to 347 percent of what they were supposed to contain based on their labeling.

周二发表在《美国医学会杂志》上的这项研究发现，在分析的25种褪黑素软糖产品中，有22种(88%)的标签不准确。也就是说，它们所含的褪黑素比包装上标明的多或少10%。理论上说，这些膳食补充剂产品含有一系列褪黑激素，每份褪黑激素的含量从1.3毫克到13.1毫克不等。而实际含量是标签含量的74%到347%。

While the consequences of a melatonin overdose are unlikely to be acutely dangerous or life-threatening, the finding is concerning because melatonin can have unpleasant side effects, and it's commonly used for children. Gummy versions of the supplement, the focus of the current study, are particularly likely to be given to children.

虽然过量服用褪黑激素的后果不太可能严重危险或危及生命，但这一发现令人担忧，因为褪黑激素会产生令人不快的副作用，而且它通常用于儿童。目前研究的重点是软糖版的补充剂，专门针对儿童使用。

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the brain in response to darkness and supplement makers have sold it as a potential sleep aid and a relaxant. Although there are some studies indicating that melatonin supplements are better than a placebo at helping children sleep, the data is scant, and there is a lot of uncertainty about its use. Unknowns include the ideal dose and its timing, as well as long-term effects and whether it could alter hormonal development in children and young adults.

褪黑素是大脑对黑暗做出反应时产生的一种激素，补充剂制造商将其作为一种潜在的助眠剂和放松剂出售。虽然有一些研究表明，褪黑激素补充剂在帮助儿童睡眠方面比安慰剂更好，但数据很少，而且它的使用存在很多不确定性。未知因素包括理想剂量、服用时间、长期影响，以及它是否会改变儿童和年轻人的荷尔蒙发育。