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KingdomOfRats
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15 Oct 2007, 7:03 pm

wondering whether to risk buying it off ebay or not,have seen quite a lot of different ones,and wouldn't know which ones to go for,what is this brand like:
melatonin

have had many gp appointments with parents and staff and even college tutors over the past few years- with information about it printed off,and they still ask,what is melatonin.
would think they at least knew it was the sleep hormone.
so they are useless for trying to get a prescription any time soon,staff here keep assuming it's a sedative and say don't need anymore meds,so can't get a referral to the house pysch. either unless can get sister involved so she can ask for am.
have had melatonin before,off a forum user,so know what it's like already,worked great,but that's as far as it went,it's like hardly anyone knows what melatonin is in this country.


for now,are ones on ebay okay,or are they bad?
it's about time they licenced the stuff in this country.



Stockton
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15 Oct 2007, 7:07 pm

I'm lucky and can buy melatonin at my local pharmacy.

In your case, it may be possible to buy it off ebay, but the biggest risk would be not getting what you want because there are con artists out there. You'd also have to check whether it's legal to bring it into the UK.



PawsAlmighty
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15 Oct 2007, 7:08 pm

As long as it's sealed and not expired it should be fine. I have tried melatonin in the past, it didn't do much for me but I passed it on to a friend and it helped a little bit. I'm sure ebay is ok to buy from, I have bought supplements on there once.


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Tim_Tex
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15 Oct 2007, 7:15 pm

I wouldn't buy things like that on eBay due to the ethical dilemma it presents.

Tim


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2ukenkerl
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15 Oct 2007, 7:17 pm

From what I understand, they are a good company. Why not go DIRECT!?

http://www.puritan.com/pages/iq.asp?xs= ... =melatonin

Twinlabs is good also

http://www99.shopping.com/xPC-Twin-Twin ... -Melatonin

Kal also

http://www.nextag.com/Kal-Vitamins-Nutr ... 0z5---html

BTW A LOT of people in the US are idiots TOO! 8( I've been AMAZED how little even PHARMACISTS know, and the average pharmacy has like maybe one pharmacist.



KingdomOfRats
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15 Oct 2007, 7:20 pm

Stockton wrote:
I'm lucky and can buy melatonin at my local pharmacy.

In your case, it may be possible to buy it off ebay, but the biggest risk would be not getting what you want because there are con artists out there. You'd also have to check whether it's legal to bring it into the UK.

thanks stockton,
didn't think about that.......thought ebay didn't allow illegal things?
have ever heard of the brand puritans pride? thats' the one that seems most common on ebay.

thanks PawsAlmighty,
does the seller info bit look okay on the one linked to? am useless with this stuff-not an ebay buyer or even visa owner[but would be able to get it with sisters' account].
which one was it that tried in past? slow release or normal?



KingdomOfRats
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15 Oct 2007, 7:23 pm

Tim_Tex wrote:
I wouldn't buy things like that on eBay due to the ethical dilemma it presents.

Tim

Tim,not sure what mean? does that mean bad or good?


thanks 2ukenkerl,didn't think of doing that either.
would there be any customs tax added on for importing?
although isn't the same,thought about importing jerseys for a long time,but didn't want to risk customs tax as heard they do it randomly.



2ukenkerl
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15 Oct 2007, 9:05 pm

KingdomOfRats wrote:
Tim_Tex wrote:
I wouldn't buy things like that on eBay due to the ethical dilemma it presents.

Tim

Tim,not sure what mean? does that mean bad or good?


thanks 2ukenkerl,didn't think of doing that either.
would there be any customs tax added on for importing?
although isn't the same,thought about importing jerseys for a long time,but didn't want to risk customs tax as heard they do it randomly.


KOR,

The companies I listed ARE some of the better known brands, relatively inexpensive, and trustworthy. There ARE perhaps a dozen companies I might trust that are fairly direct though.

I would NOT go to ebay! It will cost more, and there may be some ripoff artists or the stuff may be tainted.

As for customs, things like this are often required to be marked in various countries. IF marked, and the country trusts it, or does a random search, and they don't tax supplements, there should be no customs tax, but there MAY be other taxes, etc... There are too many things to consider when importing. If you are not aware of the laws in your place, you might be smart budgeting about another 30% to cover various fees and taxes.

Melatonin is rather harmless and shouldn't be contraband in any country.

I hope you have tried it before though. It DIDN'T help ME. It didn't HURT, but it didn't help. Some people SWEAR that it makes them less nervous, less stressed, and better rested, and even encourages sleep. it is ALSO a major metabolite of 5HTP, and I DO swear by THAT!



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15 Oct 2007, 9:23 pm

In the United States almost every drugstore and grocery store carries melatonin. It costs less than the typical shipping charge for anything you might purchase on Ebay.



psych
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15 Oct 2007, 9:29 pm

I read something a long time ago about how animal-derived brands might be contaminated with something or other, and that it was safer to get vegetarian ones.



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15 Oct 2007, 9:41 pm

psych wrote:
I read something a long time ago about how animal-derived brands might be contaminated with something or other, and that it was safer to get vegetarian ones.

It's true. Animal-derived brands are made from parts of animals' brains, the ones that produce the natural hormone melatonin. There are no vegetarian brands; instead, there are synthetic ones. They're made from chemicals that imitate the hormone melatonin, and bind to the same receptors in the brain.



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15 Oct 2007, 9:49 pm

So we accept designer molecules that are not properly tested to use as "nutritional supplements." We put them in our mouths and swallow them and let those molecules attach themselves to receptors in our brains. We don't know what they will actually do, how long they will be there, we just accept them because they are designed to be ersatz melatonin but we don't actually know what either melatonin or the ersatz molecules are.



monty
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16 Oct 2007, 7:37 am

Remnant wrote:
So we accept designer molecules that are not properly tested to use as "nutritional supplements." We put them in our mouths and swallow them and let those molecules attach themselves to receptors in our brains. We don't know what they will actually do, how long they will be there, we just accept them because they are designed to be ersatz melatonin but we don't actually know what either melatonin or the ersatz molecules are.


Melatonin is a relatively simple molecule, and it is possible to make pure melatonin that is identical to what the body produces.

The biggest issue I see is that the dose is not always time released (like naturally produced), or the dose is larger than needed. But melatonin is non-toxic by most accounts.

As to whether it helps you or not for any condition, I don't know. I have found that melatonin can help me get my circadian rhythms back in synch. It is not something that makes me feel good, but when my sleep is messed up and I need it, it can help me from feeling really bad.

Hops (the herb used in beer) contains something that hits the melatonin receptors - it has traditionally been used as a relaxant and sleep aid.



KingdomOfRats
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16 Oct 2007, 10:02 am

2ukenkerl wrote:
KingdomOfRats wrote:
Tim_Tex wrote:
I wouldn't buy things like that on eBay due to the ethical dilemma it presents.

Tim

Tim,not sure what mean? does that mean bad or good?


thanks 2ukenkerl,didn't think of doing that either.
would there be any customs tax added on for importing?
although isn't the same,thought about importing jerseys for a long time,but didn't want to risk customs tax as heard they do it randomly.


KOR,

The companies I listed ARE some of the better known brands, relatively inexpensive, and trustworthy. There ARE perhaps a dozen companies I might trust that are fairly direct though.

I would NOT go to ebay! It will cost more, and there may be some ripoff artists or the stuff may be tainted.

As for customs, things like this are often required to be marked in various countries. IF marked, and the country trusts it, or does a random search, and they don't tax supplements, there should be no customs tax, but there MAY be other taxes, etc... There are too many things to consider when importing. If you are not aware of the laws in your place, you might be smart budgeting about another 30% to cover various fees and taxes.

Melatonin is rather harmless and shouldn't be contraband in any country.

I hope you have tried it before though. It DIDN'T help ME. It didn't HURT, but it didn't help. Some people SWEAR that it makes them less nervous, less stressed, and better rested, and even encourages sleep. it is ALSO a major metabolite of 5HTP, and I DO swear by THAT!

thanks 2ukenkerl!

will not be buying off ebay then.
going to import.

5htp........they sell that one in health shops here,do find it works good for sleep especially?

it is silly how melatonin is still not licenced here yet,yet they are considering legalising illegal drugs.


Quote:
In the United States almost every drugstore and grocery store carries melatonin. It costs less than the typical shipping charge for anything you might purchase on Ebay.

think need to hurry up and save for [long planned] holiday to over there,would have to be an extra large bag [dont use suitcases] for stashing a few nfl jerseys,some games,lucky charms cereal and melatonin.


Quote:
BTW A LOT of people in the US are idiots TOO! 8( I've been AMAZED how little even PHARMACISTS know, and the average pharmacy has like maybe one pharmacist.

are they ignorant about melatonin as well or most things?
how can they recommend things with melatonin in like milk but have no idea what melatonin is?

Quote:
Hops (the herb used in beer) contains something that hits the melatonin receptors - it has traditionally been used as a relaxant and sleep aid.

can that be bought from a health store?



monty
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16 Oct 2007, 10:34 am

KingdomOfRats wrote:
Quote:
Hops (the herb used in beer) contains something that hits the melatonin receptors - it has traditionally been used as a relaxant and sleep aid.

can that be bought from a health store?


Yes, many health food stores have hops extracts or hops capsules. It is also possible to make your own using stuff from a brewing supply company. And there are soft-drinks (Malta) that have hops, as well as non-alcoholic beer.

For insomnia, a hops/valerian combination has been widely studied.



ev8
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16 Oct 2007, 11:12 am

It helps me out. Take 1 a half hour before sleep and you won't wake up in the middle of the night, guaranteed (given you have my brain. :roll:) It also enhances my dreams somewhat - richer colors, more intense interweaving narratives.