Melatonin Use Linked to Increased Heart Failure Risk
A recent study highlights that adults with insomnia who use melatonin supplements long-term face significantly higher risks related to heart health.
Key Findings of the Study
- Long-term melatonin use may increase the risk of heart failure by 90% in adults with insomnia.
- These users are nearly 3.5 times more likely to be hospitalized for heart failure compared to non-users.
- They also have a higher chance of dying from any cause within five years of starting melatonin.
Study Details
Researchers analyzed health records of over 130,000 adults with insomnia but no previous heart failure history. They compared those using melatonin for more than a year with those who never used it.
International Context
In the United Kingdom, melatonin is prescription-only. Even individuals filling at least two prescriptions spaced 90 days apart had an 82% increased risk of heart failure.
"Adults with insomnia who took melatonin for at least a year had a much higher chance of developing heart failure."
"Long-term users were nearly 3.5 times more likely to be hospitalized for heart failure compared with nonusers."
Summary
Once seen as a safe sleep aid, long-term melatonin use for insomnia may pose serious cardiovascular risks, particularly increasing heart failure chances and related hospitalizations.
Author's summary: Long-term melatonin use in adults with insomnia is associated with a significant rise in heart failure risk and mortality within five years.