Are Melatonin Vapes Safe? Plus Answers to 4 More FAQs About Inhaling Melatonin
Key takeaways:
Melatonin vapes and diffusers offer a new way to take melatonin to help you sleep. But there’s no clinical information showing that they’re safe or effective.
The liquids in inhaled melatonin products often contain flavors and other ingredients that can be harmful when heated and inhaled. And they can make it easier to take too much melatonin, since it’s hard to know exactly how much you’re taking.
Oral forms of melatonin are science-backed as safe and effective for short-term use. But it’s still best to get an OK from your healthcare provider or pharmacist before taking melatonin.
Table of contents
Melatonin is a hormone that’s naturally produced by the pineal gland in your brain. This hormone helps you feel sleepy when its levels peak as it gets dark outside. And its levels fall off in the early morning, making it easier to wake up.
Melatonin is also available as an over-the-counter (OTC) supplement that’s commonly taken as a sleep aid. Melatonin supplements in the form of oral pills or liquid are considered safe for most people. They can be a helpful option to help you fall asleep faster or overcome jet lag.
In recent years, diffusers and vape pens that contain melatonin have grown in popularity. But are melatonin vapes safe? And do they work as well as other forms of melatonin? Let’s review the answers to these and other common questions about inhaling melatonin.
1. What’s inside a melatonin vape or diffuser?
The exact ingredients in a melatonin vape or diffuser vary from brand to brand. In most cases, the liquid will contain other ingredients besides melatonin. This may include:
Other active ingredients, which are often sleep supplements such as CBD or valerian root
Essential oils, such as lavender or chamomile extract
Solvents, such as glycerol (vegetable glycerin) and propylene glycol (PG). These are the ingredients the melatonin is dissolved in, and they turn into a vapor when heated.
Flavors, such as mint, grape, or bubblegum to enhance the taste of the vapor
Carrier oils, such as grapeseed oil or coconut oil
2. How do melatonin vape pens and diffusers work?
Melatonin vape pens and diffusers are devices that heat up a liquid until it becomes a vapor you can inhale. The vapor carries the active ingredient (in this case melatonin) into the nose and/or the lungs.
Vape pens
Most vape pens, also called electronic cigarettes, contain four main parts:
A chamber that holds the liquid solution
A heating element
A power source
A mouthpiece you inhale from
When you use a vape pen, you’re inhaling the vapor into your lungs, similar to smoking a cigarette. It then enters the bloodstream directly, where it can reach the brain and body tissues.
Diffusers
Diffusers, on the other hand, release vapor into the air. Larger diffusers can release a vapor into the air of the room they’re placed in. Smaller diffusers, also called “aroma sticks,” can be held close to your face to release vapor. Rather than being inhaled into the lungs, diffusers rely on aromatherapy for their effects.
With aromatherapy, the essential oils in the diffuser stimulate nerves in your nose. These nerves send a signal to your brain, which processes and forms an emotional response. The vapor is also inhaled into the lungs (although much less than with vaping), where it enters the bloodstream.
3. Is it safe to inhale melatonin from a vape or diffuser?
We don’t know for sure. There aren’t any studies on the safety of inhaling melatonin directly into your lungs. Many websites selling these products will refer to studies on oral melatonin, but those can’t be applied to inhaled melatonin because they don’t enter the body in the same way.
But we do know that the other ingredients in melatonin vape and diffuser liquids may be harmful to your health. Studies show that vape liquids may increase inflammation in the lungs. PG can damage the cells in your airways when inhaled. And the PG and glycerin in vape pens can also form formaldehyde, a toxic chemical, when they’re turned into a vapor.
The flavors used in these inhaled products carry their own risks. Many flavors have a “generally recognized as safe” provision from the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States. But they issued a statement that this only applies to flavors when they’re ingested — not when they’re inhaled. Sweet flavors can produce chemicals called aldehydes when they’re heated. Aldehydes can irritate the lungs, damage airways, and make it harder to breathe. Mint and menthol flavors can contain pulegone, an ingredient that’s known to cause cancer.
Finally, the devices used to vape melatonin can also be harmful. The heating coil and wires can release toxic metals when they’re heated, such as lead, nickel, and chromium. And in rare cases, the devices may even catch on fire or explode.
Given the limited information we have and the large amount of risk that comes with inhaled products, the best way to protect your safety is to avoid inhaling melatonin and to take it orally instead.
Keep in mind: Melatonin has drug interactions and side effects you should be aware of. It’s best to review your medication list with your pharmacist or healthcare provider to make sure it’s a safe option for you before trying it.
4. Are melatonin vape pens and diffusers better than capsules?
Probably not. There aren’t any studies comparing inhaled melatonin to oral melatonin products. It’s possible that melatonin vapes may work faster than oral products, which can take an hour or two to kick in. But without clinical studies, it’s hard to know for sure.
What we do have is decades of clinical information about the safety and efficacy of oral melatonin capsules, tablets, and liquids. Studies show that oral melatonin is likely safe for short-term use and can help you fall asleep faster. So based on the available information, capsules are a better treatment option than vape pens or diffusers.
Good to know: Some studies suggest that melatonin forms designed to be sprayed or dissolved in the mouth are also effective. They absorb into the bloodstream through the mouth, so they may work faster than oral melatonin without the risks of inhaled melatonin.
5. Can you inhale too much melatonin?
Yes, it’s possible to inhale too much melatonin. It may even be easier to overdose when you’re inhaling melatonin, because it’s very hard to know exactly how much melatonin you’re getting. How long and how deeply you inhale the vapor changes how much melatonin you’re taking in. So you may not know you’ve overdone it until symptoms appear.
The good news is that a melatonin overdose isn’t likely to be life-threatening. You’ll likely just experience side effects such as a headache, nausea, or drowsiness. According to the Poison Control Center, if you or someone you know has taken too much melatonin, these are the steps you should follow:
Make sure someone stays with them until they’re fully awake.
If they’re sleeping, wake them up every 30 minutes.
If you’re unable to wake them up or their breathing isn’t normal, call 911 or get emergency medical care.
Good to know: Although taking too much melatonin isn’t likely to be life-threatening, that may not be the case for other ingredients in the vape pen or diffuser. If you notice any severe symptoms after inhaling melatonin, such as trouble breathing, severe burning in your throat, or chest pain, seek emergency care right away.
The bottom line
Melatonin vapes and diffusers are a relatively new way to use melatonin. But there’s no clinical information about how safe or effective they are. And the liquid in melatonin vapes and diffusers may contain ingredients that cause lung inflammation or other negative effects when heated and inhaled. It may also be easier to inhale too much melatonin with these products, since it’s hard to know how much melatonin you’re actually taking.
Oral forms of melatonin, such as capsules, tablets, and liquids, have studies showing their safety and effectiveness when taken short-term. So they’re a better option than vapes or diffusers if you’re having trouble sleeping. But melatonin still has drug interactions and side effects to be aware of, so it’s best to talk to your pharmacist or healthcare provider before you take it.
Why trust our experts?
References
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Bartoli, A. N., et al. (2012). Bioavailability of a new oral spray melatonin emulsion compared with a standard oral formulation in healthy volunteers. Journal of Bioequivalence and Bioavailability.
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Farrar, A. J., et al. (2020). Clinical aromatherapy. Nursing Clinics of North America.
Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2015). The safety assessment and regulatory authority to use flavors – focus on e-cigarettes.
Jabba, S. V., et al. (2019). Risk analysis for the carcinogen pulegone in mint- and menthol-flavored e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products. Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine.
Komura, M., et al. (2022). Propylene glycol, a component of electronic cigarette liquid, damages epithelial cells in human small airways. Respiratory Research.
Kosmider, L., et al. (2014). Carbonyl compounds in electronic cigarette vapors: Effects of nicotine solvent and battery output voltage. Nicotine and Tobacco Research.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2022). Melatonin: What you need to know.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2019). Mind matters: How do vaping devices work?
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020). Vaping devices (electronic cigarettes) DrugFacts.
Scott, A., et al. (2018). Pro-inflammatory effects of e-cigarette vapour condensate on human alveolar macrophages. Thorax.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2023). Inhalation of aldehydes and effects on breathing.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2022). Tips to help avoid vape battery or fire explosions.
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