SPANISH experts are sending out warnings to long-term users of melatonin over heart failure risks.
Melatonin is a neurohormone that the pineal gland naturally creates to regulate sleep cycles.
The synthetic version imitates this natural effect and is available in numerous forms including gummies.
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Unlike in the UK, consumption of melatonin is unregulated in Spain – something which is concerning experts after a new study has revealed a correlation between long term use of Melatonin and heart failure.
The investigation, carried out by the American Heart Association, saw experts analyse five years of clinical records for over 130,000 adults diagnosed with insomnia – it compared the 65,414 participants who have taken melatonin with those who have never ingested the supplement.
Findings revealed that users of melatonin (for at least 12 months) were 90% more likely to suffer cardiac arrest within a five year period than the non users.
The melatonin takers are also three and a half times more likely to be hospitalised with heart failure and twice as likely to die of heart related causes than the group that have not taken melatonin for as long.
‘Melatonin supplements are increasingly considered a safe and natural option for better sleep, therefore it was surprising to observe increases as consistent and significant in serious health problems’, says Ekenedilichukwu Nnadi, the principal author of the AHA investigation.
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Nnadi, and the study’s other authors, have been honest about the methodological limitations of their investigation – it has not yet undergone peer review and a lack of precision means precise conclusions cannot be made.
However, they did exclude any participants that had been diagnosed with cardiac illnesses prior to taking melatonin and those who take a different form of sleeping pill.
Ultimately, despite its limitations, the study still shows a correlation between melatonin and cardiac failure, a finding which is leading Spanish experts to warn of a ‘wakeup call’ for all melatonin users.
The investigation highlights the contradicting nature of being able to consume a non-neutral neurohormone without any type of control, says Manuel de Entrambasaguas, the coordinator of the Grupo de trabajo de Insomnio de la Sociedad Espanola del Sueno (SES).
The specialist alludes to the fact that the supplement is being given to children without a prescription and emphasises that more attention must be paid to the use of hormone supplements across Spain.
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