> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://drcraigcanapari.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Melatonin and Heart Failure? Why I’m Not Losing Sleep Over the Headlines" - URL: https://drcraigcanapari.com/melatonin-heart-failure-study/ - Published: 2025-11-08T20:07:21.000Z - Updated: 2025-11-08T20:07:21.000Z - Author: Craig Canapari MD - Tags: Sleep Supplements, #canapari-gmail-com, melatonin, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-02-27 17:07 *Originally published in my newsletter on November 5, 2025.* *[If you find this useful, you can sign up here.](https://pages.drcraigcanapari.com/?ref=drcraigcanapari.com)* A reporter from *The Washington Post* recently reached out to me about a new study that’s been making some dramatic headlines—[like this one from *People Magazine*:](https://people.com/melatonin-linked-to-90-higher-risk-of-heart-failure-11842581?ref=drcraigcanapari.com) ![Screenshot of a People Magazine article headline that reads: “Melatonin Linked to 90% Higher Risk of Heart Failure.” The subheading says: “New research says the popular sleep aid may negatively impact the heart — but experts caution that more research is needed.” The article is by Cara Lynn Shultz, published November 3, 2025.](https://drcraigcanapari.com/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/cursor_and_notification_center.jpg) You can read [the American Heart Association press release here](https://newsroom.heart.org/news/long-term-use-of-melatonin-supplements-to-support-sleep-may-have-negative-health-effects?ref=drcraigcanapari.com) and [the research abstract here.](https://eppro02.ativ.me/web/planner.php?id=AHA25&ref=drcraigcanapari.com) Here’s what the authors did: they looked at anonymous health records from about 130,000 adults across several countries. They compared patients *taking* melatonin (meaning it was listed in their medication list) with patients *not* taking it. Their conclusion sounded alarming: > “Long-term melatonin supplementation in insomnia was associated with an 89% higher risk of heart failure, a three-fold increase in heart failure–related hospitalizations, and a doubling of all-cause mortality over five years.” That sounds scary—but I’m not losing sleep over it. Here’s why. --- ## It’s not a published study This is a **conference abstract**, not a peer-reviewed paper. At scientific meetings, most abstracts are accepted. Only a fraction ever make it to full publication after deeper review. Think of it as work in progress, not the final form the research will take place. ## It only included adults The data have **no relevance to children or teens**, which are my focus as a pediatric sleep physician. ## Measuring melatonin use is messy In the U.S., melatonin is over-the-counter. In other countries, it’s prescription-only. So many people in the “non-melatonin” group may have actually been taking it—just not recorded. ## Correlation ≠ causation Insomnia itself has been linked to heart problems like **hypertension, coronary artery disease, and heart failure** ([see this study](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5577359/?ref=drcraigcanapari.com)). So it may not be the melatonin that’s risky—it may be *why* people were taking it. ## We’re missing key details We don’t know: - What doses were used - Why patients were taking melatonin - How severe their insomnia was ## Other evidence points the other way In fact, [some research suggests melatonin might *protect* the heart.](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9251346/?ref=drcraigcanapari.com) ## The numbers sound worse than they are - Heart failure: 2.7% → 4.6% (an 89% *relative* increase) - Deaths: 4.3% → 7.8% (a doubling) That’s not nothing—but it’s not a doomsday scenario either. --- Social scientist [Matthew Facciani](https://www.threads.com/@matthewfacciani/post/DQo-ncZETMC?xmt=AQF0ZowQjkgSb-1DSVfXQCiXElUB3hqZM3-GEdt0k9926Tv4jKIvCjHjqkZCKOB-dzQ7vtjR&slof=1&ref=drcraigcanapari.com) summed it up well on Threads: ![Screenshot of a Threads post by Matthew Facciani that reads: “When you see alarming health headlines, always ask: Has the study been peer-reviewed? Was it observational or experimental? How big was the actual risk difference? Science takes time, and context matters!”](https://drcraigcanapari.com/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/cursor_and_notification_center-1.jpg) --- ## My take I’ll keep an eye out for the full paper when it’s published—but for now, I’m not changing anything. I still take a small dose of melatonin (1 mg) for my own sleep, and I still recommend it cautiously for kids who truly benefit. Until there’s stronger evidence, this looks like a **headline more than a hazard.** If you want a deep dive on what we *actually* know about melatonin, check out my full article: [Melatonin for Kids: What Parents Should Know](https://drcraigcanapari.com/melatonin-for-kids/) I also covered the [most present risk for melatonin in children-- overdose.](https://drcraigcanapari.com/melatonin-overdoses-are-on-the-rise-why-parents-should-worry/) We’ve also covered melatonin use and safety on *The Sleep Edit* podcast—[you can listen here.](https://www.youtube.com/@thesleepeditpodcast?ref=drcraigcanapari.com) --- *Sleep well,* **Craig**