Sleep aid drink raising concerns - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS - A new sleep aid aimed at college students is causing some concern.

The product, called "iChill," promises to help you "unwind from the grind," but the main ingredient has been around for decades and is not without risk.

The company that produces iChill says it is available at several grocery stores around Indianapolis, but none of them are stocking it. It is, however, available online for about four dollars a bottle, with little or no warning what it will do.

All the rage has been energy drinks, caffeine-loaded coffee and going full-steam all of the time, but you have to stop at some point. iChill's commercials claim to slow you down, beat the stress and get you to sleep.

The main ingredient in the drink is melatonin, the same ingredient in a product called Lazy Cakes, recently profiled by Eyewitness News.

Melatonin has been around in some form since the mid-1990s. It was first marketed and sold almost exclusively in health food stores.

"We certainly had a lot more demand for the melatonin and also, what other products are there, everywhere from college students all the way up to the baby boomers generation," said Rudy Nehrling at Good Earth Natural Foods in Broad Ripple.

Good Earth doesn't sell melatonin in drinks or in cakes and they ask customers to start with lower doses.

"With melatonin, it never hurts to check, especially if you are on prescription drugs, to check with your pharmacist or your doctor. You want to make sure there's no contraindications," said Nehrling.

iChill's website warns the product will make you drowsy and pregnant women should avoid taking it, but for moderate relaxation, take half the bottle. For full relaxation, drink the entire bottle.

"Melatonin by itself is naturally produced in the body. So it's a safe, natural supplement when taken by itself. But when it has other things in it that maybe aren't natural, that's when you've got to wonder," said Nehrling.

iChill's pitch to college students is a good night's sleep will lead to better grades, but you better do your homework first.