Melatonin has a precise European health claim: melatonin contributes to the reduction of time taken to fall asleep, the beneficial effect being obtained with 1 mg taken close to bedtime. A second claim concerns travel: melatonin contributes to the alleviation of subjective feelings of jet lag, from 0.5 mg.

Nutripure chose 1.9 mg, just under the 2 mg threshold above which a product falls under medicine regulations in France. A higher dose does not do better: melatonin works as a time signal, not as a sedative whose effect grows with the quantity. What counts is a moderate dose taken at the right moment.

The formula adds four dry extracts from organic farming: valerian, hawthorn, poppy and lemon balm. These are classic plants of the European herbal tradition, long found in evening infusions. Four properly dosed plants make a more readable formula than a dozen ingredients present only in traces.

Choosing organic matters with plants: an extract concentrates the plant material, and with it whatever the crop may have accumulated. For a product taken daily over several weeks, it is a criterion we check before stocking a brand. Nutripure is a French brand founded in 2017 by Christophe and Florent Carrio near Toulouse, and the product is made in France.

Two capsules in the evening, about thirty minutes before bedtime, with a glass of water. That delay matters: melatonin needs this time to reach the bloodstream. Then dim the lights, as the blue light of screens suppresses the body’s own melatonin production.

For jet lag, take it on the evening of arrival, at local bedtime, and continue for three or four days while your rhythm adjusts. If you wake during the night, do not take another capsule at 3 am: the effect could spill over into the morning. Regular timing over about three weeks beats occasional, scattered use.

Vegetable capsules, a vegan formula, gluten-free and GMO-free, made in France, with no colourings, coating agents or bulking fillers. Sixty capsules at two per evening last one month.

For adults only. Not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, or for people taking medication, without prior medical advice. Melatonin can increase drowsiness: avoid driving in the hours after taking it. If you plan to take it for a long period, ask your doctor first. We go over these precautions with every customer in our Paris 12th shop.

A sleeping pill acts on the central nervous system. Melatonin is a hormone the body naturally produces at nightfall: it signals that night is approaching. This is why it is best suited to a shifted rhythm, such as travel, shift work or a bedtime pushed back for weeks. If sleep has been disturbed for a long time for no apparent reason, a supplement does not replace a doctor’s opinion.

Regular hours, a cool bedroom (around 18 °C) and dimmed lighting an hour before bed matter as much as the capsule. See also our sleep section, our magnesium range and our anti-stress selection. Herba Barona has been a food supplement shop since 2006 at 10 rue Théophile Roussel, Paris 12th, open Tuesday to Saturday, 9.30 am to 6.30 pm, near Ledru-Rollin and Bastille metro stations.