Taking Melatonin Every Night May Nearly Double Heart Failure Risk
A recent study linking long-term melatonin supplement use to increased heart failure risk and early death focused on adults with chronic insomnia. Melatonin, a widely used sleep aid in the United States, helps roughly six million Americans fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Researchers examined health records from an international database of over 130,000 adults with insomnia, none of whom had prior heart failure. They compared those who used melatonin for more than a year with similar individuals who never took the supplement.
Results showed that adults with insomnia using melatonin long-term were significantly more likely to develop heart failure, require hospitalization for it, or die from any cause within five years compared to those who did not use melatonin.
“Melatonin supplements may not be as harmless as commonly assumed,” says lead author Ekenedilichukwu Nnadi, MD, chief resident in internal medicine at Kings County Hospital and Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, New York.
Dr. Nnadi adds that if further research confirms these findings, it could change how doctors discuss the risks and benefits of melatonin with their patients.
Study Highlights
- Focus on adults with chronic insomnia and no previous heart failure diagnosis.
- Long-term melatonin use defined as longer than one year.
- Higher risk of heart failure and all-cause mortality with melatonin use over five years.
This study raises important concerns about the widespread assumption that melatonin supplements are completely safe for long-term use in managing insomnia.
Author’s summary: Long-term melatonin use in adults with insomnia may significantly increase risks of heart failure and death, urging caution and further investigation.