New Study Raises Questions About Long-Term Melatonin Use and Heart Health

A new study from the American Heart Association has suggested that people who use melatonin for a long time may have a higher risk of heart failure. Melatonin is a common sleep supplement used around the world to help people fall asleep. However, the study has raised questions about whether long-term use is safe.

Dr Dmitry Yaranov, a heart transplant surgeon, explained the study in a social media video. He said that the study does not prove that melatonin causes heart failure. Instead, the study shows a link between melatonin use and heart problems. This means the two things are connected, but one does not necessarily cause the other.

The study followed more than 130,000 people with insomnia for five years. Those who regularly used melatonin had a 90% higher chance of developing heart failure, needing hospital treatment, or dying from heart failure. These numbers surprised many people.

Dr Yaranov said that the key point is that people who depend on melatonin every night often have deeper health issues. Many may have severe sleep disorders, high stress levels, or sleep apnea, which is a condition that makes breathing difficult during sleep and increases heart risk. These health problems could be the real reason for the higher heart failure risk, not the melatonin itself.

He explained that melatonin is generally safe, especially for short-term use. The concern is mainly about taking it every night for a long time without checking what is causing the sleep problem.

Dr Yaranov advised that if someone needs melatonin every night to sleep, they should talk to a doctor. Finding and treating the real cause of sleep trouble is very important. Good sleep is strongly linked to heart health. Treating only the symptom, like trouble sleeping, may hide a bigger health issue.

Experts say that more detailed studies are needed to understand whether melatonin itself affects the heart. Until then, people should not panic but should use melatonin carefully and with awareness.

In simple words, melatonin is not proven to be harmful. But if a person cannot sleep without it every night, it may be a signal that the body needs medical attention. Good sleep is a key part of long-term health and should not be ignored.