Taking Melatonin Every Night May Nearly Double Heart Failure Risk
A recent study involving adults with chronic insomnia has found a link between long-term melatonin supplement use and an increased risk of heart failure and early death. Melatonin is widely used in the United States, with an estimated six million Americans relying on it to fall asleep faster or maintain sleep.
Study Findings
Researchers observed that adults with insomnia who took melatonin for at least a year had a significantly higher chance of developing or being hospitalized for heart failure, or dying from any cause, within five years compared to those 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.
If these results are confirmed by further research, they could influence the risk-benefit conversations doctors have with patients about using melatonin as a sleep aid.
Study Methodology
The researchers analyzed health records from an extensive international database containing over 130,000 adults diagnosed with insomnia who had no prior heart failure. They compared individuals who used melatonin for more than one year with matched subjects who never used melatonin.
These findings suggest caution in the long-term use of melatonin supplements among individuals with insomnia.
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