Nytol

Nytol promises to “help you fall asleep fast.”  Unlike traditional sleep aids, Nytol is an antihistamine produced by Glaxo-Smith-Kline. Antihistamines are typically used to fight allergies but can also help calm the body.

Does Nytol work? The active ingredient in Nytol (diphenhydramine) can help you fall asleep. However,  Nytol cannot be used for more than 2 weeks and comes with some negative side effects so there are better sleep aid solutions out there. Let’s take a closer look at Nytol.

What’s in Nytol?

It appears that the only ingredient in Nytol is diphenhydramine. What is diphenhydramine?  Diphendydramine is an over-the-counter antihistamine that is traditionally used to fight allergies as well as allergic reactions, bug bites, and motion sickness. It was invented in 1943 in Ohio by Dr. George Rieveschl. It is a natural sedative and helps promote smoother muscle contractions. It is found in other pills such as Tylenol PM, Nytol, and Sominex. The US Food Drug Administration prohibits companies from including more than 50 milligrams of diphenhyrdamine.

The amount of diphenhydramine in Nytol is not disclosed. This is a huge flag because it completely leaves consumers in the dark. Too much diphenhydramine can lead to terrible side effects (see below). It also makes judging the effectiveness of Nytol nearly impossible.

Is Nytol a permanent sleep solution?

Nytol is only for “occasional sleepless nights.” The manufacturer warns that Nytol should not be used for longer than 2 weeks straight.

Side Effects of Nytol

Common side effects associated with diphenhydramine include:

  • drowsiness
  • ataxia
  • dry mouth and throat
  • increased heart rate
  • blurred vision
  • sensitivity to bright light
  • pupil dilation
  • urinary retention
  • constipation
  • difficulty concentrating
  • short term memory losses
  • visual disturbances
  • hallucinations
  • irregular breathing
  • dizziness
  • irritability
  • itchy skin
  • decreased body temperature
  • confusion

Yikes! The most common side effects among these were drowsiness, dizziness, irritability, and dry mouth.

How much is Nytol?

Nytol can be purchased on the internet for around $10. This is relatively inexpensive but unfortunately you pay for what you get.

Is there a money back guarantee?

There is no money back guarantee with Nytol. This is bad for two reasons:

  1. It shows a lack of confidence of the manufacturer in its product. It is hard to buy a product when the manufacturer is unwilling to back it up.
  2. It transfers all of the risk of the purchase to you.

Is Nytol worth purchasing?

On the positive side, Nytol is cheap and diphenhydramine can help you fall asleep. But…it isn’t a long term solution and there are plenty of side effects. There are much better all-natural sleep solutions on the market that are backed by money back guarantees.

Date: Tuesday 15, 2010

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