A preliminary study suggests melatonin may pose risks to heart health. The American Heart Association reported.
In a review of medical records, thousands of adults with chronic insomnia who took melatonin for a year or longer faced a 90% higher risk of heart failure over the next five years compared to those with chronic insomnia who did not take melatonin, the Nov. 3 press release noted. Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by the pineal gland and helps regulate the body’s sleep-wake cycle. Synthetic versions of the hormone are used to treat insomnia.
The American Heart Association advises caution before viewing melatonin as a threat. The study had notable limitations and wasn’t designed to establish cause and effect, which conflicts with earlier research indicating potential heart health benefits.
“The findings are certainly provocative and warrant attention, especially given the widespread perception of melatonin as a benign, ‘natural’ sleep aid,” Muhammad Rishi, an associate professor of clinical medicine and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, who was not involved in the study, told the Washington Post. “However, the study is observational and based on electronic health record data, which limits its ability to establish causality.”
Dr. Ekenedilichukwu Nnadi, the lead research author and chief resident in internal medicine at SUNY Downstate/Kings County Primary Care in Brooklyn, NY, expressed his surprise about the study’s findings.
“Melatonin supplements are widely thought of as a safe and ‘natural’ option to support better sleep, so it was striking to see such consistent and significant increases in serious health outcomes, even after balancing for many factors,” Dr. Nnadi said in a press release.
The study hasn’t undergone peer review or journal publication yet, but researchers will present it at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2025 in New Orleans from November 7–10.
The American Heart Association defines heart failure as a condition in which the heart cannot pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the body’s organs for them to function properly. According to the 2025 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, heart failure affects 6.7 million adults in the United States.
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