The benefits of taking melatonin in tablet form to combat the effects of jet lag have been widely publicised in the USA. Here in the UK we recognise the benefits of taking the drug to combat insomnia, however, there is no general consensus on the use of this treatment specifically for jet lag relief. Some UK doctors may prescribe melatonin in the form of Circadin per il sollievo del jet lag , but they do so “off-label”. This means a doctor prescribes on the basis that they believe you will benefit from treatment even though the primary function of the medication provided is different to the use you will make of it.
If prescribed Circadin for jet lag, you will receive special dosing instructions which are to be followed correctly in order to gain maximum benefit from treatment. As these dosing instructions will not be printed on the product information leaflet you may wish to write them down or get your doctor to write them down. Studies have found that timing your dose correctly is crucial to successful treatment, and that incorrect dosing can worsen the symptoms of jet lag rather than relieve them.
A recent trial involving a group of soldiers revealed that whilst the group who began taking melatonin after returning home from overseas duty faired much better than those who took the placebo, another group who took melatonin prior to returning faired much worse and reporting tiredness and fatigue over a number of days.
Other reports indicate that not completing the correct dose can also result in symptoms returning the next day putting you right back at square one. The length of treatment required depends on the number of time zones crossed. For example if you intend on crossing six time zones you will need to take treatment for 4 days , if you cross 8 time zones you would take treatment for 5 days. Take one 2mg tablet of Circadin just before you chosen bed time as prescribed by your doctor beginning on the day of your arrival. Taking the tablet at the wrong time of day can cause drowsiness and trouble concentrating.
Before taking this treatment it is strongly advised you talk through your travel plans with a medical practitioner to decide whether Circadin is the right jet lag relief option for you.