A pharmacist has warned people with colds and flu against taking a popular remedy before going to bed due to the risk of insomnia.
In a clip shared with his 300,000 TikTok followers, Dr. Ethan Melillo, a Rhode Island pharmacist, said the decongestant pseudoephedrine can cause sleep problems.
This is because the ingredient can affect cells in the brain responsible for the nervous feeling associated with the ‘fight or flight’ phenomenon that keeps us safe when we are threatened.
Dr. Melillo warned as he held up a packet of Sudafed – as pseudoephedrine is the main ingredient.
“Pseudoephedrine can cause insomnia,” he said. ‘The best way to prevent insomnia is to take it at least two hours before bedtime.
“And in the evening, I also recommend supplementing with a saline nasal spray.”
Saline nasal sprays are a proven decongestant that are known to cause few side effects because they contain no medications.
Another popular decongestant came under fire last year after health chiefs at the FDA ruled it ineffective when it comes to treating nasal congestion.
Phenylephrine is found in medications including Sudafed PE, Vicks Nyquil Sinex Nighttime Sinus Relief, and Benadryl Allergy Plus Congestion.
Sudafed is known to cause insomnia due to the decongestant pseudoephedrine, which causes jitters
The drug is believed to relieve congestion by reducing the swelling of the blood vessels in the nasal passages.
However, the expert panel reviewed a wealth of evidence and concluded that when taken orally, a very small amount of the drug actually reaches the nose to relieve congestion.
After the ruling last September, the nation’s largest pharmacies began pulling products from their shelves, including CVS and Walgreens.
The ingredient is still considered safe by the FDA and has yet to be removed from the agency’s list of ingredients for OTC use.