[justinclift]

Make sure to check if it's legal in your jurisdiction before attempting to go and buy it.

Saying that from personal experience after I returned to Australia from the UK, and popped into a local pharmacist to grab some to try it out. The lady behind the counter and the customer next to her acted like I'd literally asked to buy heroin. (!)

It turns out Melatonin wasn't legal to buy at that time (a few years ago now), though the law has apparently been changed since.

[Jedd]

I assume it's national not state based policy - I asked my pharmacist (in NSW) about this a few months back, evidently it's available to people over the age of 55 only.

[stephen_g]

You can get a prescription from a doctor if you have trouble sleeping. My sleep doctor prescribed me a sublingual suspension instead of the tablets (you measure it with an oral syringe and squirt it under your tongue), and to take it earlier than what is recommended. I do just 1mg, 2 hours before sleep and since starting my sleep has been far, far better than it ever has been in my life.

The sustained release tablets (like ‘Circadan’ or similar branding) I found were not good - I’d wake up groggy and generally didn’t get good sleep. They were just prescribed by a regular GP, and the sleep specialist I saw later on thinks it’s counter productive because they keep releasing longer than you want it to.

[Jedd]

Yup, though for a cheaper option you can just buy it online (iherb stocks 3mg and 10mg tablets, f.e.). I have the 'Natrol' brand.

The liquid form sounds like an interesting option. I haven't experimented much with timing - instructions suggest 20-30 minutes prior to bed, which I've been following for my very occasional usage.

[sundvor]

My teenage son's paediatrician has no issues with my buying melatonin from iHerb vs the liquid on prescription, as the latter is obscenely expensive and wasn't covered by the PBS last time I checked.

Their 3mg tablets work great for the both of us.

[MrDrMcCoy]

It's so weird to think that a naturally occurring hormone which is safely available in one first world country would be so restricted in another.

[Eavolution]

It's not so weird to me, I don't know much about melatonin but testosterone (probably the most popular steroid) is also just a natural hormone

[supple-mints]

I think testosterone should be legalized. There are hundreds of black market websites that sell it to US customers and its usage is actually very common. Better to take the cryptocurrency, scams, counterfeits off the market.

[christophilus]

Thyroid hormone is prescription only, and for good reason. Hormone overdose can be dangerous.