A recent American Heart Association study has raised alarms by suggesting a possible link between long-term melatonin use and an increased risk of heart failure. However, a leading cardiologist, Dr. Dmitry Yaranov, specializing in advanced heart failure, has stepped in to clarify the true meaning of the findings.
Dr. Yaranov addressed the study in a recent Instagram video, emphasizing that the research found an association, not a direct cause-and-effect link, between taking melatonin and developing heart failure.
What the Study Actually Found
The study examined over 130,000 adults who suffered from insomnia and followed them for five years. The key finding presented was:
- “Those who used melatonin had a 90% higher chance of developing heart failure, more hospitalisation, and the risk of dying from heart failure.”
Does Melatonin Cause Heart Failure?
Dr. Yaranov argues that melatonin itself may not be the direct culprit. Instead, he suggests that the need for daily melatonin points to deeper, underlying health issues that are independently driving the cardiovascular risk.
He explains:
“The people who rely on melatonin every night have severe sleep disturbance, more stress, and underlying medical disease or sometimes underdiagnosed sleep apnea. And all of this can be independently increasing your cardiovascular risk factor.”
The cardiac surgeon stresses that melatonin is not inherently dangerous. To definitively determine if melatonin plays a role or is simply a marker of pre-existing health issues, further research—specifically randomized controlled trials—is necessary.
⚠️ A Cardiologist’s Warning
Dr. Yaranov concludes with a strong recommendation for those who rely on the supplement nightly:
“If you depend on melatonin every night just to sleep, your body is signaling something. It deserves evaluation. Sleep is the core part of heart health. Treat the cause, do not treat the symptom.“