Melatonin supplements are widely regarded as a safe and natural remedy for improving sleep, easing insomnia, and reducing jet lag. But are they truly harmless?
According to a US study presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions, taking melatonin supplements for a year or longer may significantly increase the risk of developing heart failure, being hospitalised for heart failure, and even dying from any cause.
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To see how long-term melatonin use might impact cardiovascular health, researchers analysed five years of electronic health records from 1,30,828 adults (average age 55.7 years; 61.4 per cent women) diagnosed with insomnia. Of these, 65,414 individuals had taken melatonin for at least one year. Their health outcomes were compared with those who had no record of melatonin use.
Results showed that long-term melatonin users had about a 90 per cent higher risk of developing heart failure over five years compared with matched non-users (4.6 per cent vs 2.7 per cent).
Among those with at least two melatonin prescriptions filled 90 days apart, the risk of heart failure was 82 per cent higher.
In addition, melatonin users were 3.5 times more likely to be hospitalised for heart failure and twice as likely to die from any cause during the study period compared to non-melatonin users.
“Melatonin supplements may not be as harmless as commonly assumed,” cautioned the study’s lead author.
