Health and Me had previously reported about the findings from an unpublished study that linked the long use of melatonin, a sleep inducing hormone, and often used as a supplement for the same with heart failures. However, experts are now asking the public to not panic. Their message is simple: this early research is not a reason to toss out your melatonin just yet. The study, based on health records from more than 130,000 adults with chronic insomnia, found that people who took prescription melatonin for over a year had a higher likelihood of heart failure, hospitalization and death over a five year period compared with those who didn’t take the supplement.However, the experts who are now reviewing the findings say that the research has major gaps and should be seen as an initial sign and not as a definitive warning. This Is Not A Melatonin CrisisAs reported by the Washington Post, the spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Dr Muhammad Rishi, who reviewed the research, called the findings "provocative". However, Dr Rishi stressed that electronic health records can’t establish cause and effect. Other cardiologists echoed the sentiment, noting that melatonin has long been considered safe and even potentially beneficial for heart health because of its antioxidant properties.This study, they say, is the first to suggest the opposite. One study alone is not enough to overturn years of research, especially when it hasn’t yet undergone peer review.Joyce Oen-Hsiao, a Yale cardiologist, pointed out that people with chronic insomnia often have elevated risks for heart problems even without medication. Poor sleep itself raises heart rate, disrupts blood pressure and increases cardiovascular risk. So it’s entirely possible that insomnia, not melatonin, is the real culprit behind the outcomes seen.What Did The Study Do In Its Analysis?Researchers analyzed an international electronic-health-records database, looking at adults diagnosed with insomnia. About half had a record of being prescribed melatonin and reported taking it for at least a year.Across five years, roughly 3,000 long-term melatonin users developed heart failure for the first time, compared with nearly 1,800 people listed as nonusers. The team matched melatonin users with nonusers to account for age, sex and other health conditions.But here’s the catch that experts keep flagging: the “nonuser” group probably included plenty of people who did take over-the-counter melatonin but didn’t mention it to their doctors. In the United States, melatonin is sold as a supplement, not a regulated drug, so people often take it without any record in their medical file.That alone, experts say, could skew the results.The dose information was also missing, and researchers couldn’t tell whether the prescription melatonin actually improved users’ sleep. If someone continues to struggle with severe insomnia even while taking melatonin, the underlying sleep disorder could be driving heart risks, not the supplement.Melatonin: To Continue Or Not To ContinueAs per experts, you should not discontinue taking your medicines by just basing it off the study. The key is of course to speak to your doctor. However, no one is recommending widespread discontinuation. Experts, instead, are asking people to stay calm, informed, and talk to a doctor if they’ve been using melatonin for a long time, especially at high doses or if they already have heart disease risk factors.
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