Melatonin and Autism Ranking:

Current Research

We have identified 15* studies of melatonin as a treatment for autistic people published in English-language, peer-reviewed journals. Two of the studies (Appleton et al, 2011 and Gringras et al, 2011) reported on the same trial.

These studies included more than 450 autistic individuals aged from two years old to 18 years old. Some of these studies looked at children with a range of neurodevelopmental disabilities including autism. Only one of these studies (Galli-Carminati et al, 2009) looked at autistic adults.

Most of the group studies compared melatonin with a placebo treatment, although one study (Cortesi et al, 2012) compared melatonin with cognitive behavioural therapy, with a placebo, and with a combination of melatonin and cognitive behavioural therapy. 

The dosage of melatonin varied from 2m to 12 mg per day and the length of treatment varied from two weeks to six years, although only one study (De Leersnyder et al, 2011) lasted longer than a year.

All of the studies reported improvements in sleep problems in the majority of the participants. For example

• Some of the studies (such as Garstang and Wallis 2006; Wasdell et al 2008; Wright et al 2011) reported reduced sleep problems (such as sleep latency, sleep duration, number of awakenings etc.) in the participants.
• Some of the studies (such as Cortesi et al, 2012) reported other benefits such as improvements in behaviours and decreased stress (in parents of the participants).
• The study by Gringras et al, 2011 reported positive but limited results, that is, melatonin increased total sleep time by an average of only 22.4 minutes per night. However they acknowledge that, for some people, “smaller increase in total sleep time might be worthwhile over cumulative nights.” 

*Please note: there are a number of research studies which looked at participants with Rett syndrome but we have not included these as Rett syndrome is no longer considered to be a form of autism.

Updated

16 Jun 2022

Last Review

01 Nov 2017

Next Review

01 Apr 2024