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Melatonin Linked to 90% Higher Heart Failure Risk, Study Finds
7 Nov
Summary
- Melatonin users had 4.6% heart failure risk vs. 2.7% for non-users
- Melatonin users 3.5x more likely to be hospitalized for heart failure
- Melatonin users twice as likely to die from any cause
According to a new study set to be presented at the American Heart Association's scientific conference next week, taking the sleep supplement melatonin may significantly increase the risk of heart failure. Researchers analyzed health records of over 130,000 adults with insomnia, dividing them into two groups: those who took melatonin for at least a year, and those who did not.
Over the course of five years, the researchers found that the risk of heart failure was 4.6% for the melatonin group, compared to just 2.7% for those who did not take the supplement. In other words, melatonin users had a 90% higher risk of developing heart failure. They were also more than 3.5 times as likely to be hospitalized for heart failure and twice as likely to die from any cause.
While the findings have grabbed attention given melatonin's widespread use as a sleep aid, the study's lead author cautioned that the results only show an association, not proof of causation. Experts argue that insomnia itself, or underlying conditions that can cause it, may be the real culprit behind the increased heart failure risk, with melatonin merely an "innocent bystander." The study has several limitations and has not yet been peer-reviewed, so more research is needed to determine if melatonin directly affects the heart.
