New Study Links Melatonin Use To Heart Failure, Here's What You Need To Know

New Study Links Melatonin Use to Heart Failure

A preliminary study reported by the American Heart Association suggests that melatonin might pose risks to heart health.

Study Findings

In a review of medical records, thousands of adults with chronic insomnia who took melatonin for a year or longer showed a 90% increased risk of heart failure over the following five years compared to those with chronic insomnia who did not use melatonin.

About Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by the pineal gland that regulates the body’s sleep-wake cycle. Synthetic melatonin is commonly used to treat insomnia.

Expert Opinions

“The findings are certainly provocative and warrant attention, especially given the widespread perception of melatonin as a benign, ‘natural’ sleep aid,” said Muhammad Rishi, associate professor of clinical medicine and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “However, the study is observational and based on electronic health record data, which limits its ability to establish causality.”

The American Heart Association advises caution before considering melatonin a threat, noting the study's limitations and that it does not establish cause and effect. This contrasts with earlier research suggesting possible heart health benefits of melatonin.

Dr. Ekenedilichukwu Nnadi, the lead researcher and chief resident at SUNY Downstate/Kings County Primary Care, shared his surprise about the study’s outcomes.

Study Limitations

The research was observational and based on electronic health records.
It cannot definitively prove that melatonin causes heart failure.
The findings differ from previous studies indicating beneficial effects of melatonin on heart health.

Author's summary: Recent research raises concerns about prolonged melatonin use and increased heart failure risk, but causality remains unproven and findings conflict with earlier studies.

Black Enterprise — 2025-11-07