We're sunsetting PodQuest on 2025-07-28. Thank you for your support!
Export Podcast Subscriptions
cover of episode Should Kids Be Taking Melatonin?

Should Kids Be Taking Melatonin?

2025/4/29
logo of podcast Short Wave

Short Wave

AI Deep Dive Transcript
People
E
Emily Kwong
M
Michael Schulson
Topics
Emily Kwong: 我认为良好的睡眠对身心健康至关重要,特别是对于儿童的成长发育。睡眠不足会导致各种负面影响,包括降低生产力、情绪暴躁甚至影响心脏健康。许多家长为了解决孩子睡眠问题而转向褪黑素补充剂,希望找到一个简单的解决方案。但我们需要关注的是,长期服用褪黑素对儿童的健康影响尚不明确,这引发了专家的担忧。 Michael Schulson: 褪黑素是一种人体自然产生的激素,它参与调节睡眠周期。合成褪黑素可以帮助人们入睡,对于成人低剂量服用以及某些神经系统疾病儿童来说,它被认为是安全的。然而,褪黑素并非维生素,而是一种激素,长期服用对儿童的影响尚不明确。目前的研究表明,褪黑素可以帮助儿童提前入睡,但对第二天是否休息更好,证据有限。褪黑素的短期副作用通常较轻微,但长期服用对儿童的影响尚不清楚。一些科学家认为,虽然褪黑素对家庭有帮助,但由于长期影响不明,应谨慎使用。对于患有神经发育障碍的儿童,长期服用褪黑素可能是有益的;但对于神经发育正常的儿童,长期规律服用褪黑素的做法值得商榷。家长在决定是否给孩子服用褪黑素时,应该权衡利弊,并咨询专业人士的意见。 Michael Schulson: 褪黑素在20世纪90年代开始流行,这与褪黑素的市场营销、研究以及美国对补充剂的放松管制有关。儿童服用褪黑素的情况始于2000年代,最初建议年龄在10岁以上,之后逐渐降低。褪黑素的包装和营销方式对家长有很强的吸引力,这使得褪黑素更容易被家长接受和使用。然而,重要的是要认识到褪黑素是一种激素,而不是维生素,这区分很重要,因为它影响人们对褪黑素的认知和使用方式。目前关于儿童服用褪黑素的研究有限,尤其缺乏关于长期影响的研究。因此,在使用褪黑素时,家长需要谨慎,并咨询专业人士的意见,以确保孩子的安全和健康。 建立良好的睡前习惯,例如避免睡前使用电子产品,对改善睡眠有帮助。

Deep Dive

Shownotes Transcript

A good night's sleep makes a big difference to our mental and physical health. Without quality sleep, we're less productive. Grumpy. It can even affect our hearts. Meanwhile, more and more people are having problems falling and staying asleep, including kids. So some parents are turning to a supplement called melatonin as a potential solution. But some experts worry that there isn't enough research about how regularly taking melatonin affects kids in the long term. Today on the show, we explore the research with Michael Schulson, who recently wrote about the topic for* Undark.) Want to hear more stories about human health? Email us and let us know at [email protected]).Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at** plus.npr.org/shortwave*)*.*Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices)NPR Privacy Policy)