Long‑term use of melatonin – one of the most popular over‑the‑counter sleep aids – may not be safe for the heart, according to preliminary findings from a study published in Circulation. Researchers reached this conclusion after analysing electronic medical records of more than 130,000 adults with insomnia from the United States, the United Kingdom and several other countries.
According to the study, patients who were prescribed melatonin for more than one year had an 89% higher risk of heart failure over the following five years compared with non‑users. The risk of death from any cause was roughly twice as high in this group. In a secondary analysis, the likelihood of hospitalisation for heart failure among long‑term users was nearly 3.5 times higher.
Melatonin is currently considered safe for short‑term use of up to one to two months. Long‑term safety data are extremely limited.
Earlier, US researchers concluded that melatonin and magnesium are ineffective for improving sleep. According to their data, one in eight adults takes sleep pills but still suffers from insomnia.
