Taking melatonin for a long time may be a sign of serious heart problems.
Long-term use of popular over-the-counter sleeping pill linked to higher risk heart failure and early death in adults with insomniaaccording to a study published Monday.
According to the researchers, there is no evidence that melatonin supplements themselves cause heart problems. But the need to take them regularly to help you fall asleep and stay asleep may be a sign that your body is have heart problems.
“Insomnia can increase blood pressure, stress hormones and inflammation,” said Dr. Ekenedilichukwu Nnadi, lead author of the new study and an internal medicine resident at SUNY Downstate/Kings County Primary Care in New York.
Nnadi and colleagues studied the electronic health records of 130,828 adults with an average age of 56 over five years and found that people who took melatonin regularly for at least a year were almost twice as likely to develop heart failure as those who did not take the supplement, although the actual rates were relatively low: 4.6% of people in the melatonin group developed heart failure compared with 2.7%. among those who did not take melatonin.
They were more than three times more likely to be hospitalized for the disease (19% vs. 6.6%) and nearly twice as likely to die during the study period compared with people who did not take melatonin regularly.
However, it is unclear whether the findings reflect all people in the US who take melatonin long-term. The researchers identified people as chronic melatonin users only based on medical records, that is, if they were prescribed the supplement. In the US, the supplement is sold over-the-counter and is not often reflected in medical records.
“I caution people against making specific conclusions based on this study alone,” said Dr. Nishant Shah, a preventive cardiologist at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, who was not involved in the study. “But now that we have this observation, it's time to find out whether there really is a direct link of harm with sleeping pills. It would change practice.”
Nnadi's research is scheduled to be presented in New Orleans at an upcoming meeting of the American Heart Association. It has not been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the body's organs for them to function properly. Nearly 7 million Americans have the disease, according to the agency. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Although the study found that long-term use of melatonin is an indicator of potential heart problems rather than a cause of the problems themselves, experts agreed that more research is needed into the possible side effects of supplements.
“We have patients who are taking all kinds of supplements without understanding the risks,” said Dr. Martha Gulati, a preventative cardiologist and the new director of the Davis Women's Heart Center at Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Institute in Texas. “If there is harm from a supplement, that means the cost could be much more than just expensive urine.” Gulati was not involved in the new study.
Melatonin is a hormone produced naturally by the body that helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. Synthetic versions, widely sold over-the-counter as dietary supplements, are marketed to help people. fall asleep faster or overcome jet lag. Because supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, dosages and purity can vary widely between brands.
The use of the additive has increased in recent years. 2022 Sleep Foundation Survey found that up to 27% of adults in the US take melatonin, as do 4% of children. New research did not include children.
People taking melatonin for sleep for more than a year should consult their doctor, experts say.
“People should be aware that it should not be taken routinely unless indicated,” Marie-Pierre St. Onge, director of the Center of Excellence in Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Research at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York, said in a press release. St. Onge was not involved in the new study.
