Drug & supplement interaction

Melatonin + Paliperidone

Paliperidone brand name: Invega.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Melatonin has a moderate interaction with Paliperidone. Theoretically, taking melatonin with drugs that lower the seizure threshold might increase the risk of seizure activity.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Melatonin and Paliperidone

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

SEIZURE THRESHOLD LOWERING DRUGS

Why this applies to Paliperidone

Paliperidone falls under SEIZURE THRESHOLD LOWERING DRUGS — the group Melatonin interacts with.

Theoretically, taking melatonin with drugs that lower the seizure threshold might increase the risk of seizure activity.
Some clinical evidence suggests that melatonin may increase the frequency of seizures in certain patients, particularly children with neurological disabilities.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the short version: paliperidone (Invega) is one of those medicines that can slightly lower your seizure threshold, meaning it can make a seizure a touch more likely in people who are already prone to them. Melatonin has, in some reports, been linked to more frequent seizures, mostly in children with neurological conditions. Put the two together and the concern is mainly theoretical, that the combination could nudge that seizure risk up a little.

For most adults taking paliperidone for schizophrenia, this is a low-level concern and melatonin is generally well tolerated. Still, if you or your child has a history of seizures, it's worth a quick chat with your pharmacist or doctor before adding melatonin. Don't stop either one on your own.

References
  1. Sheldon SH. Pro-convulsant effects of oral melatonin in neurologically disabled children. Lancet 1998;351:1254. PubMed
  2. Stewart LS. Endogenous melatonin and epileptogenesis: facts and hypothesis. Int J Neurosci 2001;107:77-85.. PubMed

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Melatonin Also Interacts With Other Medications

Melatonin has 1,115 moderate, 345 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Paliperidone one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Melatonin

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Melatonin. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Melatonin or Paliperidone

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Melatonin or Paliperidone, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Paliperidone

This page covers Melatonin only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Paliperidone page lists 64 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Cesium (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 9 major · 44 moderate · 11 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Paliperidone page

“Paliperidone (Invega) is an antipsychotic for schizophrenia and related conditions that can stretch the heart's QT interval on its own, so this list warrants real vigilance. Nine of the 64 ingredients on file carry a major rating, and most either prolong that QT interval further (grapefruit in large amounts is one of them) or intensify…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Paliperidone interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Melatonin as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 2,885 real supplement products containing Melatonin, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Melatonin. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Paliperidone too, on top of Melatonin — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Melatonin and Paliperidone Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Melatonin
Top 5%

#55 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Paliperidone
Top half

#1,033 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Melatonin

What is Melatonin?

Melatonin
  • Trouble falling asleep (insomnia)
  • Jet lag
  • Delayed sleep phase syndrome
  • Non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder
  • Shift-work sleep problems
  • Sleep problems in some children with conditions like autism or ADHD

Melatonin is a hormone your body makes naturally to help control your sleep-wake cycle, and the supplement form is widely used to help with sleep timing problems and jet lag. The evidence is strongest for certain circadian (body-clock) disorders and is more mixed for everyday insomnia. It is generally well tolerated for short-term use, but talk with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, especially for children or during pregnancy.

Read the full Melatonin monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Paliperidone

What Is Paliperidone Used For?

Brand name: Invega

Paliperidone treats schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. The extended-release tablets (Invega and generic paliperidone) are approved for schizophrenia in adults and adolescents ages 12–17, and for schizoaffective disorder in adults.

Several injectable formulations are also available, each with specific roles. Invega Sustenna and Erzofri extended-release are once-monthly injections approved for schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder in adults. Invega Trinza is a once-every-3-month injection for schizophrenia in adults who have already been stabilized on a once-monthly paliperidone palmitate injection for at least four months. Invega Hafyera is a once-every-6-month injection for schizophrenia in adults already stabilized on a once-monthly or every-3-month paliperidone palmitate injection.

See full Paliperidone drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Melatonin

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Melatonin — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
1,115Moderate
345Minor
1,369No known interaction
Moderate

1,115 interactions

Showing 60 of 1,115 moderate interactions — see all 1,115 on the Melatonin page.

Minor

345 interactions

Showing 60 of 345 minor interactions — see all 345 on the Melatonin page.

No interaction 1,369 drugs checked — show the list
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Melatonin and Paliperidone Together: Common Questions

Can you take Melatonin with Paliperidone?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Melatonin and Paliperidone interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Paliperidone and Melatonin?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.