It is said that sleep disorders affect some 45 million Americans each night, and there has been no shortage of products that have been introduced to the market to address this problem. Many of these products, such as Lunesta, are made by pharmaceutical companies, and provide some much needed relief for many patients. However, the side effects associated with many of these products are sometimes worse than the ailment itself! Alteril all natural sleep aid looks to change all of that, and produce a high quality sleep that helps you wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day. We actually got a chance to try this product out firsthand, and wanted to give you an insight as to how well it works, as well as our personal results.

What is Alteril?

Alteril, which is manufactured by a company called Biotab Nutraceuticals, is an all natural sleep aid which promises to help you sleep when you need it, so you wake up refreshed.

Containing a number of herbal remedies such as L-Tryptophan, Glycine, Melatonin, and Valerian Root Extract, it is fairly similar to many other sleep aids on the market. The one key difference that I noticed was that I didn’t wake up feeling groggy the next morning, which was a BIG PLUS for me.

More on this in my review below.

Alteril is actually a three part system which includes the actual pills, Serene Herbal Tea made by Tea Temptations, and a Lucid Dreaming Binaural Relaxation CD. At least if you buy it on their official website.

My Results With Alteril

I’ve never really had any problems falling asleep, but some nights I have a hard time staying asleep. Typically I will just take a small melatonin dose of about 3 mg, but sometimes that leaves me feeling very tired the next day.

The directions on the Alteril label state that you should take 2 capsules right before bedtime, but as usual I decided to stick with only one capsule.

I could start feeling it kick in after about 10 min., and within 20 minutes I was out like a light.

I have to admit, that was probably one of the best nights sleep I’ve had in a long time!

I slept a full 8 hours or so, and I could tell that I got a VERY good nights rest.

I know this because I had some VERY intense and vivid dreams, which is something that happens during the REM stage of sleep.

They were so intense that I actually still remember parts of them pretty vividly today, and this was about a week ago!

One thing that was kind of weird was the fact that during one of those dreams I actually knew I was dreaming. This is called a lucid dream, which is thought to represent a brain state between REM sleep and being awake.

I’ve continued taking Alteril for probably about the last 4 months, and I’m defintely starting to notice the effects wearing off.

Sure, it helps me FALL asleep fast.

However, it’s not KEEPING me asleep for more than about 6 hours.

This is a pretty serious issue, so I’ve decided to stop taking it for a few weeks in the hopes of “resetting” my tolerance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the ingredients in Alteril?

The full ingredients list contains the following:

• L-Tryptophan (665 mg)
• Glycine (50 mg)
• Melatonin (2 mg per capsule)
• GABA
• Skullcap Root Extract
• Valerian Root
• Chamomile Extract
• Hops Extract
• Passionflower extract

Here’s a snapshot of the label:

The label states that you should take 2 tablets with an 8 oz glass of water 1 hour before bedtime, but in my experience I would start off with 1 tablet and take it with as little water as possible.

You don’t want to have to make a trip to the bathroom right as you’re about to fall asleep, plus 1 capsule may be more than enough for some people.

Is Alteril addictive?

As with any sleep aid, I think it’s possible to build a tolerance and become dependent on Alteril. I would limit use to just a few nights a week to avoid this.

To prove this theory I took Alteril for a week straight, and noticed that when I stopped taking it I had a hard time falling asleep (but not staying asleep) for a few nights.

Can I take Alteril with alcohol?

Not recommended. Alteril already has a strong sedative effect, and taking it with Alcohol will just amplify things 5 fold.

Are there any side effects?

I didn’t notice any when I was taking it, but side effects are always possible with ANY supplement, including alteril.

The most common side effects seem to be nausea, upset stomach, diarrhea (likely caused by the Melatonin), migraine headaches, tinnitus, and nightmares.

It should be noted that these side effects are very rare, and occurred in only 10% of the people who left reviews.

Can I take Alteril if I have high blood pressure or diabetes?

As with any supplement, it’s always crucial that you check with your doctor to be sure it’s safe for you to take.

There may be some interactions between the ingredients in Alteril and common medications, and only your doctor or pharmacist will know for sure whether it’s safe for you to take.

Why does it smell like Poop? Is that normal?

Yes, it is completely normal. 🙂 That smell is coming from the Valerian root, which some describe as either smelling like poop or feet.

Alteril Original Vs. Alteril Softgels

I just picked up a box of the Alteril fast-acting softgels, which according to them is supposed to kick in much faster.

It does this because instead of using a tablet, they use liquid softgels.

Softgels break down in the stomach much quicker than tablets, primarily because tablets use fillers that are implemented to allow compression and hardening of the tablet.

I tried the Alteril Softgels for the first time last night, and I have to say, I’m not very impressed.

My original plan was to just not take anything, but after tossing and turning for about 30 min., I figured what the hell and popped 1 softgel.

For me, it didn’t seem to kick in as quickly, despite being a “fast-acting” formula.

Usually when I take the original Alteril tablets, I’ll literally start feeling drowsy within 5 minutes.

Is this a placebo effect?

Maybe.

But whatever, it helps to keep any anxiety at bay, and usually helps me to drift off to sleep very quickly.

The softgels DID help me fall asleep, but I ended up waking up after about 5 or 6 hours and could NOT for the life of me fall back asleep.

I plan on trying out the softgels over the next few days, and will update this review accordingly.

So What’s The Big Difference Between The Original Alteril and Alteril Softgels?

By all accounts, they contain virtually the same ingredients, with a few minor exceptions.

The common ingredients shared between the 2 are:

• L-Tryptophan: Although the softgels only contain 200 mg per serving vs. 665 mg per serving in the original Alteril tablets, doses of as little as 250 mg have been shown to increase the quality of sleep.
• Melatonin: Each contains 4 mg, although the National Sleep foundation lists a common dose of 1 – 3 mg for Melatonin, so this may be a bit overkill.
• Valerian root extract: The original Alteril lists 40 mg of Valerian, however, the Alteril softgels don’t list the exact amount (more on this later).
• Chamomile extract: 20 mg
• GABA: 90 mg

Here’s a snapshot of the Alteril Softgels label:

The unfortunate aspect of the Alteril softgels is that they disguise a good percentage of their formula as a “Proprietary blend” which is a fancy way of saying “we’re not telling you how much of each ingredient we’re putting in this stuff”.

The reality is, while the FDA does require manufacturers to list all of the ingredients in a product on it’s label, they DO allow omitting this info is it’s part of a proprietary blend.

Just as long as they present the total proprietary blend content, they’re A- OK.

Many companies do this to protect their formula, but in many cases it’s because they don’t WANT you knowing how much of an ingredient is actually in their formula.

If I had to take, the ingredients amounts for the GABA, Chamomile extract, and Valerian Root extract are basically the same in the softgels as it is in the tablets.

That would be 90 mg, 20 mg, and 40 mg, respectively.

Apart from the ingredients, the pricing between the 2 is virtually the same.

A 60 ct. box of the original Alteril tablets will run you $16.94 at Walmart, while a 60 ct box of the softgels will cost you approximately $18.98.

Why it costs $2 more for the softgels is unknown, but if I had to guess it’s probably a marketing gimmick.

Alteril Compared To Somnapure

Up until this point, Somnapure was my favorite sleep aid, and I actually got pretty good results with it. The main issue I had was the following day after taking Somnapure I would feel very tired, and get close to nothing done the next day. The manufacturer claims otherwise, and maybe that’s the case with some other people, but not with me. It helped me get to sleep great, like literally 20 minutes after taking just one pill I started to feel the effects. The side effects completely turned me off though!

The key difference between Alteril and Somnapure is Alteril contains L-Tryptophan, which we all know causes us to get very tired (thanksgiving day comes to mind). The basic idea behind tryptophan is that it releases serotonin (a chemical in the brain), which causes you to become relaxed and tired. This has been proven in numerous clinical studies, and the best part about it is their are no unpleasant side effects the next day.

Where To Buy Alteril

Alteril is sold in a wide variety of online retail outlets, including GNC, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, and others.

However, you can also order it directly from the official Alteril site, www.OrderAlteril.com.

They have a number of options available for purchase, but the best price is a 6 month supply, which will run you about $225. It comes with 6 boxes of Alteril, bottle of tea, and the dreaming CD, and you save $75.

Recommendation

Out of the dozen or so all natural sleep aids that we have tried out, we believe that Alteril produced the best results overall. When compared to some of the leading sleep aids on the market, it is priced relatively cheap, but does not produce any side effects. The best part is it is backed by a 60 day money-back guarantee, so if you feel it’s not right for you, you can always send it back.

Have You Used Alteril? Leave Your Review Below!

Ask A Question

User Questions and Answers

I am having surgery soon and I cannot take products that contain aspirn or have the side effects of bleeding. Is alteril safe for me to take even though I am scheduled for surgery within a week? -Lorraine Wagner

Here's a list of ingredients. L-Tryptophan Glycine Melatonin GABA Skullcap Root Extract Valerian Root Chamomile Extract Hops Extract Passionflower extract Run it by your physician and ask if there's anything in the list you should be avoiding.- Rob

After taking Alteril Softgels after a few days I have this horrible sewage like taste in my throat that will not go away. Is this typical of this product? -Le Ann

Yeah, that's from the Valerian Root, which is often described as smelling of poop, or feet.- Rob

Is it safe to take with .05 mg lorazepam at the same time , do you know -Ron

That's definitely a question for the doctor who prescribes your medication.- Rob

As i'm googling the internet doing research on natural sleep aids I've read the top recommended natural sleep aid may be 'Somulin'. Bob, would appreciate your input before I invest in purchasing Alteril which is listed third or fourth on that list... TIA -Edith

I've had nothing but great results with Alteril, with no side effects. Read the review above for our full report.- Rob

Author: Rob Miller

Rob Miller founded SupplementCritique.com over 7 years ago, and has been the chief editor ever since. He has a diploma in Advanced Dietary Supplements Advisor, and worked at GNC for 3 years. He KNOWS supplements, both inside and out. Rob currently resides in Jupiter, FL, with his wife of 4 years.  Learn more about him in his Bio here. Follow him on Twitter , Facebook, LinkedIn, or find him on Google +. View all posts by Rob Miller