Melatonin Increases Heart Failure by 90%
Did you see these headlines?
Hopefully, you recognized it was click bate. If not let me help you save that bottle of melatonin.
Consider:
1) It was an association made at a conference not an actual peer reviewed study.
2) The risk difference was actually 1.9% between the taking and not taking melatonin groups….long term melatonin users developed heart failure at a rate of 4.6% over 5 years and the non melatonin group developed heart failure at a rate of 2.7%.
3) People taking melatonin are more likely to have sleep apnea, diabetes, psychiatric issues, coronary artery disease, hypertension…not because of taking melatonin but as a way to help themselves…authors of study state this.
4) People taking over the counter melatonin on their own were counted as non melatonin users 🙃…authors state this. Meaning many people put into the not taking melatonin group were actually taking melatonin.
What melatonin has actually been shown to do for the heart:
Reduce cardiac muscle damage when blood flow is restored after a blockage (ischemia-reperfusion injury).
Increase injection fraction
Improves endothelial (inner lining of blood vessels) function, reduce oxidative stress in blood vessels, improve nitric oxide (vasodilator) signaling.
Decreases pathological remodeling (ventricular hypertrophy, fibrosis) and mitigate oxidative/apoptotic damage in failing hearts.
Perhaps it’s not your melatonin but your “heart healthy” Honey Nut Cheerios!
I am so glad you addressed this issue! I saw that headline and was a little concerned after reading it because I take melatonin at night. Glad to hear there are more benefits than harm in taking it.