An alarming new study has unearthed a possible correlation between long-term use of the sleep supplement melatonin and a potentially life-threatening health condition.
For those unfamiliar with the hormone and its benefits, melatonin is produced naturally within the body, with levels rising at night and reducing by the morning, helping control both how and when a person falls asleep.
As such, individuals suffering from insomnia - a sleep disorder characterised by an inability to fall or stay asleep - are often prescribed, or purchase over the counter, a synthetic version of melatonin in a bid to tackle the issue.
These supplements serve to add to the body's natural melatonin supply, helping patients to fall asleep more easily and remain asleep for longer.
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However, a recent large-scale study has determined that a prolonged reliance upon melatonin supplements could be linked to major issues surrounding the heart - more specifically, the risk of heart failure.
Health records belonging to over 130,000 insomnia-sufferers over a five-year period were analysed by researchers at SUNY Downstate/Kings County Primary Care in New York City.
These were then compared with those belonging to melatonin-takers who'd used the supplement for at least a year.
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The preliminary study, which has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, found that patients who'd relied upon the hormone vitamins for a minimum of 12 months had around a 90 percent higher chance of being diagnosed with heart failure at some point within five years.
Arguably, even more alarming, was that scientists also discovered that these supplement-takers were over three-times more likely to find themselves hospitalised over heart-related issues, compared to those sleeping cold-turkey.
With these results in mind, medical experts are advising both that any non-prescription melatonin supplements be regulated and that patients shouldn't begin taking them without first discussing the issue with their GP.
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In spite of this, however, lead author of the study, Dr Ekenedilichukwu Nnadi, hopes to emphasise that this evidence doesn't prove that melatonin causes heart issues - but that the need to take them in order to fall asleep could indicate heart issues.
"Insomnia can increase blood pressure, stress hormones and inflammation," Dr Nnadi explained.
Preventive cardiologist Dr Nishant Shah also chimed in: "I caution people against drawing concrete conclusions based on this study alone. But now that we have this observation, this is prime time to figure out whether there’s actually a direct association of harm with sleep agents.
"That would be practice-changing."
Rhianna Benson