Taking Melatonin Every Night May Nearly Double Heart Failure Risk
A recent study involving adults with chronic insomnia has revealed that long-term melatonin use is linked to an increased risk of heart failure and early death. Melatonin is widely used in the United States, with around six million people taking it to fall asleep faster or maintain sleep.
Researchers observed that adults with insomnia who used melatonin supplements for at least one year were significantly more likely to develop heart failure, require hospitalization for it, or die from any cause within five years than those who did not use melatonin.
“Melatonin supplements may not be as harmless as commonly assumed,” says lead study author Ekenedilichukwu Nnadi, MD, chief resident in internal medicine at Kings County Hospital and Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, New York.
If these findings are supported by further studies, it could influence how doctors weigh the risks and benefits of melatonin when advising patients on sleep aids.
The study analyzed health records from an international database of over 130,000 adults diagnosed with insomnia but without previous heart failure. The comparison was made between long-term melatonin users—defined as those using it for more than one year—and a matched group who had never used melatonin.
Summary
Long-term melatonin use in adults with insomnia may nearly double the risk of heart failure and death, challenging its perceived safety and suggesting the need for caution in clinical use.