BootsnAll Travel Community

A while ago I saw these apparently homeopathic anti jet lag pills at a travel store (I think they originated in NZ). I am wondering if anyone has tried them and if they really work.

I've taken them on occasion. I guess they work, but I don't experience jet-lag so strongly usually. You're supposed to take one every two hours, which if you follow the directions to the letter kind of gets in the way of sleeping.

I say give it a go.

So I guess my question now is, how does one really judge that their jet lag is decreased unless you do the same trip twice (once using the pills and the once without)?

But more importantly..any ideas as to how/why they work?

Try to find out what is in them. Most of those anti jet-lag pills contain Melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that is naturally produced by your body. It is secreted in the evening, while serotonin is secreted in the morning. Together they are the main hormonal control for sleep patterns in humans.
Melatonin secretion is depressed by natural light, and stimulated by darkness, so if you give it a few days, it will return to normal. Until then, the pill form works well for some people, but not at all for others.