A commonly used over-the-counter sleep aid may pose an unforeseen risk to heart health, according to preliminary research. A recent study of adults with insomnia found that long-term melatonin use was associated with a higher incidence of heart failure and mortality.
The investigation, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, analyzed the medical records of 130,828 adults diagnosed with insomnia, dividing them into two groups: those who used melatonin for at least one year and those who did not. The researchers discovered that users of melatonin had a staggering 89% higher chance of developing heart failure compared to their non-melatonin counterparts.
Additionally, the study revealed that individuals taking melatonin were nearly three-and-a-half times more likely to be hospitalized for heart failure and almost twice as likely to die from any cause. These findings have significant implications for current approaches to sleep medicine, potentially altering how doctors counsel patients on the use of sleep aids.
While some may view melatonin as a harmless supplement, researchers caution that these preliminary results could challenge this assumption. Dr. Ekenedilichukwu Nnadi, lead author of the study, emphasized that further research is necessary to determine melatonin's safety for heart health. "While our study raises concerns about the widely used supplement, we cannot prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship," she said.
The investigation, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, analyzed the medical records of 130,828 adults diagnosed with insomnia, dividing them into two groups: those who used melatonin for at least one year and those who did not. The researchers discovered that users of melatonin had a staggering 89% higher chance of developing heart failure compared to their non-melatonin counterparts.
Additionally, the study revealed that individuals taking melatonin were nearly three-and-a-half times more likely to be hospitalized for heart failure and almost twice as likely to die from any cause. These findings have significant implications for current approaches to sleep medicine, potentially altering how doctors counsel patients on the use of sleep aids.
While some may view melatonin as a harmless supplement, researchers caution that these preliminary results could challenge this assumption. Dr. Ekenedilichukwu Nnadi, lead author of the study, emphasized that further research is necessary to determine melatonin's safety for heart health. "While our study raises concerns about the widely used supplement, we cannot prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship," she said.
. I mean, I get that insomnia is no joke and you want to find something to help, but 89% higher chance of heart failure? That's not cool at all 
. And the fact that they're saying we can't prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship yet... it's like, what if we don't see the bigger picture here? What else could be contributing to this increased risk?