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==Assertions and Studies==

==Assertions and Studies==

In order to back the claims made regarding this product, the manufacturer points to a small sized study of the Bavarian "Innovationsförderung Weihenstefan". In this study, the authors indicate a melatonin concentration of 110 pg/g for this product. In comparison, ordinary milk powder contains 15 pg/g. Over a period of ten days, test subjects (humans) ingested 10 grams of the product on each day (thus 1.1 ng melatonin per day) which was mixed into an unknown quantity of ordinary milk.

In order to back the claims made regarding this product, the manufacturer points to a small sized study of the Bavarian "Innovationsförderung Weihenstefan"<ref>Heiko Dustmann, Horst Weißsieker, Ralf Wetendorf: ''Wirksamkeit eines Milchprodukts mit nativ erhöhtem Melatoningehalt'', article in "Der Lebensmittelbrief" - Innovationsberatung Weihenstephan.[http://www.wirksamkeitsstudie.de.tf]</ref> . In this study, the authors indicate a melatonin concentration of 110 pg/g for this product. In comparison, ordinary milk powder contains 15 pg/g. Over a period of ten days, test subjects (humans) ingested 10 grams of the product on each day (thus 1.1 ng melatonin per day) which was mixed into an unknown quantity of ordinary milk.

The content of melatonin contained in ''night milk crystals'' is extremely low. In order to obtain the same effect of an approved medication containing 2 milligrams (mg) of melatonin, the consumer has to ingest around 2 million portions of the crystal powder at a total cost of approx. 3.1 million Euros while melatonin itself is not considered a sleep inducing medication and cannot be obtained as a such in a German pharmacy.

The content of melatonin contained in ''night milk crystals'' is extremely low. In order to obtain the same effect of an approved medication containing 2 milligrams (mg) of melatonin, the consumer has to ingest around 2 million portions of the crystal powder at a total cost of approx. 3.1 million Euros while melatonin itself is not considered a sleep inducing medication and cannot be obtained as a such in a German pharmacy.<ref>http://gutepillen-schlechtepillen.de/pages/archiv/jahrgang-2010/nr.-3-maijuni-2010/aufgespiesst-ndash-aus-internet-und-werbung-melatonin-haltige-nachtmilchkristalle.php</ref>

In 2004, the veterinary institute of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich examined "night milk" in another study. The munich researcher detected that milk drawn from cows at night contained 18.7 pg/ml melatonin. During daytime milking only 1.9 pg/ml melatonin were detected. High variation within the population was noticed. In a feeding experiment with night milk and ordinary milk given to calves, no effect on their circadian rhythm nor on the plasma concentration became evident. Therefore, the authors concluded, night milk has no effect as a pacemaker (melatonin acts as s pacemaker and has a so called Zeitgeber function). The melatonin signal forms part of the system that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. It is the central nervous system (more specifically, the SCN, supra chiasmatic nuclei) that controls the daily cycle in most components of the paracrine and endocrine systems rather than the melatonin signal (as was once postulated).

In 2004, the veterinary institute of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich examined "night milk" in another study<ref>Wöhr, A.C., Birkle J., Unshelm J., Erhard M.H. ''MELATONIN IN `NIGHT MILK´ AND THE USE AS FUNCTIONAL FOOD'', 23rd World Buiatrics Congress, Quebec City, Canada, Juli 2004</ref>. The munich researcher detected that milk drawn from cows at night contained 18.7 pg/ml melatonin. During daytime milking only 1.9 pg/ml melatonin were detected. High variation within the population was noticed. In a feeding experiment with night milk and ordinary milk given to calves, no effect on their circadian rhythm nor on the plasma concentration became evident. Therefore, the authors concluded, night milk has no effect as a pacemaker (melatonin acts as s pacemaker and has a so called Zeitgeber function). The melatonin signal forms part of the system that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. It is the central nervous system (more specifically, the SCN, supra chiasmatic nuclei) that controls the daily cycle in most components of the paracrine and endocrine systems rather than the melatonin signal (as was once postulated).

No food has been found so far to elevate plasma melatonin levels in humans.

No food has been found so far to elevate plasma melatonin levels in humans.