Study Links 1-Year Melatonin Use to 89% Higher Heart Failure Risk
Updated
Updated · ScienceAlert · Jun 23
Study Links 1-Year Melatonin Use to 89% Higher Heart Failure Risk
2 articles · Updated · ScienceAlert · Jun 23
Summary
More than 130,000 adults with insomnia were analyzed, and those prescribed melatonin for over a year showed an 89% higher five-year risk of heart failure and roughly double the risk of death.
The study also found long-term users were nearly 3.5 times as likely to be hospitalized for heart failure, while all-cause mortality rose to 7.8% from 4.3% in non-users.
Researchers stressed the findings are preliminary, were presented at the American Heart Association meeting, and do not prove melatonin caused the worse outcomes.
A key limitation is that prescription records were used as a proxy for use, so the comparison group may have included US adults buying over-the-counter melatonin without prescriptions.
The results challenge melatonin's image as a harmless sleep aid and add to calls for controlled long-term safety trials as use remains widespread.