Study Shockingly Finds That Long Term Melatonin Use Dramatically Raises Heart Failure Risk
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Nov 08, 2025 5 hours, 49 minutes ago
Medical News: Widespread Use of Sleep Hormone Sparks Concern
Millions of people across the world struggle with insomnia, and many turn to melatonin supplements as a quick fix for better sleep. Melatonin, a hormone naturally produced by the pineal gland, helps regulate the body’s internal clock. However, researchers from SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University and Kings County Primary Care in New York, in collaboration with data scientists using the TriNetX Global Research Network, have now uncovered a disturbing link between prolonged melatonin use and increased risk of heart failure.
New findings suggest that long-term melatonin use may pose unexpected cardiovascular dangers.
According to the study presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2025, people who took melatonin supplements for a year or longer were up to 90 percent more likely to develop heart failure compared to those who did not. This
Medical News report highlights why this finding is shaking the belief that melatonin is a harmless sleep aid.
Study Overview and Key Findings
The team analyzed electronic health records from over 130,000 adults with chronic insomnia, averaging around 56 years of age. Among them, approximately 65,000 individuals had taken melatonin for more than a year. Over a five-year observation period, those with long-term melatonin use showed dramatically higher risks of developing heart failure, being hospitalized for it, or dying from any cause.
Patients who had filled two or more melatonin prescriptions at least 90 days apart faced an 82 percent greater chance of heart failure. Even more alarming, melatonin users were 3.5 times more likely to be hospitalized for heart failure and twice as likely to die from any cause during the study period.
Expert Reactions to the Findings
Dr. Ekenedilichukwu Nnadi, the study’s lead author and chief resident in internal medicine at SUNY Downstate, stated that while melatonin is perceived as “natural” and safe, the consistency of increased risks suggests a potential underlying danger. Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, who was not involved in the research, commented that these findings should prompt physicians to reconsider recommending long-term melatonin use, especially since the supplement is not officially indicated for chronic insomnia in the U.S.
Why the Results Are Alarming
Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump enough oxygen-rich blood to sustain the body’s needs. It affects over 6.7 million adults in the United States alone, according to the American Heart Association. The possibility that a commonly used supplement could elevate this risk has raised serious public health questions.
Adding to the concern, melatonin supplements vary widely in dosage and purity since they are not regulated in many countries, including the U.S. This lack of consistency may further complicate the safety profil
e for long-term users.
Call for Further Research
While the study clearly shows an association between melatonin and heart failure, it does not yet prove causation. Researchers emphasize that randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm whether melatonin directly contributes to heart failure and to uncover the biological mechanisms behind the observed risks. If future studies confirm this link, it could mark a major shift in how doctors approach sleep disorders and caution patients about the chronic use of melatonin supplements.
The study findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2025 and are expected to be published soon in a peer-reviewed journal.
Reference:
https://newsroom.heart.org/news/long-term-use-of-melatonin-supplements-to-support-sleep-may-have-negative-health-effects
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