A health alert has been issued to parents over a brand of children’s magnesium gummies after batches were found to contain a prescription-only drug used to aid sleep.
Melatonin, which may cause drowsiness, headaches, dizziness and nausea, was detected in Kids Magnesium Glycinate Gummies made by Nutrition Ignition.
The synthetic hormone is not listed on the packaging of the raspberry-flavoured gummies.
Health chiefs have ordered the gummies to be removed from sale, working with online retailers to withdraw all listings.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has warned parents to stop giving them to children and to safely dispose of any left.
According to top US research school John Hopkins Medicine, people should not use melatonin if they have and autoimmune disorder, a seizure disorder or depression. It also says melatonin supplements may raise blood sugar.
Experts at the agency, who tested two batches of the supplements, found between 1.5 and 1.7mg of melatonin in each gummy.
The usual adult dose of prescription melatonin, to help severe sleep problems or to recover from jet lag, is 2mg. If prescribed for children, the recommended starting dose is 1mg but may be increased to up to 5mg a day.
The product packaging advised one or two gummies per day, depending on the child’s age.
MHRA chiefs say advice should be sought from a healthcare professional if a child has any worrying side effects.
According to the NHS, melatonin takes up to two hours to work. It is usually recommended for up to 13 weeks, and anyone taking it for a long time might need help to come off it.
But the MHRA says lasting harm is not expected when ingesting melatonin at high levels, and the body typically clears it within 12 hours.
Anyone who has the gummies at home is advised to store them in a tamper-proof container until they take it to a pharmacy for disposal.
The gummies must now be regulated as a medicine.
Nutrition Ignition Kids Magnesium Glycinate Gummies were promoted as supporting “calm, focus and digestion”.
Alison Cave, chief safety officer at the MHRA, said: “Side-effects such as headache, hyperactivity, a feeling of dizziness and abdominal pain have been reported in children when melatonin is prescribed and used for its licensed indications. No serious side- effects were observed in studies in children.
“Anyone who suspects that their child or a child in their care is having a side-effect from this product is advised to stop taking it and speak to a healthcare professional and report it directly to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.”
