Taking Melatonin Every Night May Nearly Double Heart Failure Risk
A new study examining adults with long-term insomnia found that prolonged use of melatonin may considerably increase the likelihood of heart failure and premature death. Melatonin is one of the most widely used over-the-counter sleep supplements in the United States, with about six million Americans relying on it to fall asleep faster or remain asleep longer.
Researchers discovered that adults who took melatonin for more than a year were notably more likely to develop heart failure, require hospitalization, or die from any cause over a five-year period compared to similar individuals who did not use melatonin.
“Melatonin supplements may not be as harmless as commonly assumed,” said Ekenedilichukwu Nnadi, MD, chief resident in internal medicine at Kings County Hospital and Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, New York.
Dr. Nnadi emphasized that if future studies support these results, physicians may need to reconsider how they discuss the potential risks and benefits of melatonin with their patients.
To explore the long-term effects of melatonin, researchers analyzed medical records from an international database containing information from more than 130,000 adults diagnosed with insomnia but without a previous history of heart failure. They compared those who used melatonin for over a year with individuals sharing similar health characteristics who had never used it.
Author’s Summary
Long-term melatonin use for insomnia might raise the risk of heart failure and death, prompting caution for those relying on this common sleep aid.