Does Long-Term Melatonin Use Increase Heart Failure Risk?
Abstract 4371606: Effect of Long-term Melatonin Supplementation on Incidence of Heart Failure in Patients with Insomnia
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Long-term melatonin use was associated with a 3.44x higher risk of heart failure hospitalization.
Melatonin is widely marketed and perceived as a 'cardiometabolic-friendly' and benign over-the-counter sleep aid, making this severe cardiovascular association highly counterintuitive.
Practical Takeaways
If you’ve been taking melatonin daily for over a year, discuss your sleep routine and cardiovascular health with your doctor rather than stopping abruptly without guidance.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Long-term melatonin use was associated with a 3.44x higher risk of heart failure hospitalization.
Melatonin is widely marketed and perceived as a 'cardiometabolic-friendly' and benign over-the-counter sleep aid, making this severe cardiovascular association highly counterintuitive.
Practical Takeaways
If you’ve been taking melatonin daily for over a year, discuss your sleep routine and cardiovascular health with your doctor rather than stopping abruptly without guidance.
Publication
Journal
Circulation
Year
2025
Authors
E. Nnadi, Maureen Masara, R. Offor, Selin Unal, Rebhi Rebah, Muhammed Atere, Bisrat Nigussie, Suzette B. Graham-Hill
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Claims (5)
Taking melatonin for sleep over a long period might slightly increase your chance of developing heart failure compared to not taking it. This small but noticeable increase in risk means doctors should keep an eye on heart health when prescribing it for insomnia.
Taking melatonin long-term to help with sleep might actually raise the risk of being hospitalized for heart failure. Research suggests people who use it over a long period face about three times the risk of serious heart problems compared to those who don't take it.
Adults with insomnia who take melatonin long-term appear to have a higher risk of dying from any cause over five years compared to those who don't take it. This suggests that chronic melatonin use might carry hidden health risks for people with sleep problems.
Using melatonin long-term to treat insomnia might actually increase the risk of serious heart problems and death, according to recent real-world patient data.
When researchers study the safety of melatonin, mixing people who get it from a doctor with those who buy it over the counter can mess up the data. This mistake makes it look like the prescription version is more dangerous than it really is.