Is your nightly melatonin habit putting your heart at risk? Breaking headlines claim an 89% higher risk of heart failure for melatonin users. With millions grabbing melatonin to sleep soundly, this study has sent shockwaves through the health world. But before you ditch your nighttime routine in panic, let’s break down the facts, separate science from headlines, and find out what you really need to know.
Melatonin supplements have soared in popularity, especially as more of us struggle with insomnia. The idea that something as common as melatonin could harm your heart feels alarming, especially with media outlets blasting scary statistics everywhere. Let’s take a closer look at this new research, the actual risks (if any), how melatonin truly works in your body, and what a smart, healthy approach to sleep and supplements should be. (Based on the insights of Dr. Brad Stanfield)
Key Takeaways
- A recent study found an association between long-term melatonin use and increased heart failure risk — but major flaws may skew the results.
- Media headlines exaggerate risk without considering study limitations.
- Melatonin is likely much safer in lower, physiologic doses close to what your body naturally makes.
- Randomized controlled trials show melatonin may actually benefit heart health.
- Don’t let headlines dictate your supplement regimen — stay informed and talk to your doctor.
1. Alarming Headlines: Where Did the Melatonin Heart Risk Story Start?
A huge new study followed over 130,000 adults with chronic insomnia for five years. It claimed melatonin users had an 89% higher risk of heart failure, more hospitalizations, and were twice as likely to die during the study. Understandably, this made the news everywhere.
But when news breaks like this, the details always matter. It’s easy to get scared by big numbers — but that’s only the beginning of the story.
2. What Did the Study Really Look At?
Researchers sifted through a massive database of electronic health records. They found people with insomnia who were prescribed melatonin (for at least a year), and compared their outcomes to people with insomnia who didn’t have a melatonin prescription.
Heart failure, hospitalizations, and even deaths were tracked and compared. The numbers looked terrible for melatonin: much higher rates in those users compared to non-users. But, as with all health research, context is everything.
3. Flaw #1: Who Was in the “Non-Melatonin” Group?
Here’s a big issue: the database covered several countries. In some (like the UK), melatonin requires a prescription. In others (like the US), it’s available over-the-counter. So, many people who bought melatonin at a pharmacy wouldn’t show up in the database at all. This means lots of actual melatonin users were misclassified as non-users!
This is a huge problem. If you compare two groups but one has a mix of users and non-users, you can’t trust the results. This alone makes the scary headlines much less compelling.
4. Flaw #2: This Was Not a Randomized Controlled Study
The gold standard for research is a randomized controlled trial (RCT). That’s when people are randomly assigned to take a supplement or a placebo, so you know differences aren’t due to something else.
This study was observational. That means it could only find associations, not actual cause and effect. For all we know, something else (like the severity of insomnia itself) could be driving the increased risks — not the melatonin.
5. The “Ice Cream vs. Shark Attacks” Problem
It’s easy to find associations in huge data sets. But just because two things happen at the same time doesn’t mean one causes the other. For example, ice cream sales and shark attacks both rise in summer, but no one thinks ice cream brings more sharks!
Similarly, people with severe insomnia (who might need prescribed melatonin) are already at increased heart risk just from poor sleep. So, it may be the insomnia — not melatonin — creating the problem.
6. What Does Other Research Say About Melatonin and Heart Health?
Look beyond the headlines, and data from randomized controlled trials paints a vastly different picture. In fact, a 2025 meta-analysis looked at melatonin in patients with pre-existing heart failure. It combined four high-quality RCTs and found that melatonin improved measures of heart health, quality of life, and blood vessel function. Earlier studies from 2022 showed melatonin had protective effects on the heart in both people and animals.
The takeaway: not only is melatonin unlikely to hurt your heart, it may — in the right cases and doses — actually support heart health.
7. So, Is It Safe to Take Melatonin?
Most evidence suggests that melatonin, especially at low doses similar to what your body naturally makes, is safe and even beneficial for occasional sleep trouble. But high doses (over 5 mg per day) are common in supplements, and we just don’t have long-term safety data on these higher amounts.
Here’s some perspective: your body naturally makes between 10 and 80 micrograms of melatonin at night. A common supplement dose can be 5,000 micrograms (5 mg) — and you absorb about 15%, a much higher amount than your body produces!
8. How Much Melatonin Should You Take?
Many experts suggest sticking with very low doses: around 0.3 mg (300 micrograms) is close to the natural range. So skip those extra-strong pills! Smaller doses can help you fall asleep without bombarding your body with more than it’s used to. And always talk to your doctor before starting, especially if you have other health conditions.
9. Timing Is Everything: When Should You Take Melatonin?
Melatonin works best as a chronobiotic — that’s a fancy word for something that helps adjust your body’s internal clock. For best results, take it about two hours before your desired bedtime. This gives your body time to start shifting into “sleep mode.”
Make sure to limit bright light in the evening so your body’s own melatonin can do its job, too.
10. Don’t Panic — Stay Informed!
Media can make supplements seem either like wonder drugs or deadly threats — sometimes in the same week! The truth is almost always more nuanced. Right now, there’s no convincing evidence melatonin will harm your heart if used wisely. But you shouldn’t take high doses without a good reason, and you should always check in with your healthcare team.
Bonus: A Little-Known Supplement That Also Supports Sleep
Did you know there’s another supplement, less famous than melatonin, that’s been shown to help with sleep, too? If you’re curious about smart, science-backed sleep supplements, keep exploring and check out the latest research — knowledge is the best medicine of all!
Conclusion
If you rely on melatonin to smooth your way into sleep, don’t let frightening headlines send you into a spiral of worry. Yes, some studies raise questions, but they’re loaded with big limitations. Most current research suggests melatonin is safe in lower, physiologic doses, and may even help some aspects of heart health.
Bottom line? Don’t take mega-doses, use melatonin as needed, and talk to your doctor if you have concerns. Sleep well, and stay smart!
Source: Dr. Brad Stanfield