Long-term use of melatonin supplements may be linked to an increased risk of heart failure hospitalization, the American Heart Association reported Monday.

Melatonin is commonly used to treat insomnia and promote sleep, often marketed as a safe, natural option. However, data on its long-term cardiovascular safety are limited, which prompted researchers to investigate its impact on heart health, specifically in adults with chronic insomnia.

The study analyzed five years of health records from more than 130,000 adults with insomnia. About 65,000 had documented long-term melatonin use (defined as one year or more), while the remainder had no melatonin recorded in their records. Patients with prior heart failure or on other sleep medications were excluded.

Results showed that over five year

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