New research links melatonin to heart risk, but doctors say sleep aid may not be the real problem

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Could melatonin affect your heart health?

Many experts have questioned the research, saying it's not likely the supplement itself causes a higher risk of heart problems, but rather melatonin might be masking other problems.

In America, about 70 million people suffer from insomnia.

"A woman of my age will do anything that they can to get some sleep," said Gayle Nye of Newport Beach. "Sleep seems to be elusive at my age."

Nye is one of the many people who have turned to the popular sleep supplement melatonin. Ryan Snyder of Fountain Valley said it turned into a bedtime ritual for him.

"Almost every night," he said.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says 6 in 10 people have taken melatonin at some point to help them sleep. It's a hormone secreted in the pineal gland.

This week, the American Heart Association released an abstract linking consistent melatonin use to heart failure, but sleep medicine expert Dr. Raj Dasgupta with Huntington Health said the study is simply an association.

"We want to re-emphasize that it's not causality," he said.

Dasgupta said there's no proof melatonin use causes a higher risk of heart problems, but he said if you're taking it for more than a year, it does raise a red flag.

"I would see a sleep specialist, so they could find out why you're taking this," he said. "Once we know why, we should address the root cause, which is going to be the most important."

Chronic sleep deprivation is linked to an increased risk of heart issues, and Dasgupta said melatonin may not be the fix your body needs.

"When you have chronic insomnia, hormones like cortisol could be elevated. Cortisol increases your blood pressure," Dasgupta said.

You may have underlying heart disease that needs to be treated or sleep apnea causing your sleep loss. The bottom line is if you're having trouble sleeping, get professional help.

"It's one of the most popular supplements that people take, so I think this is a great moment of awareness," Dasgupta said.

If you take melatonin once in a while due to something like jet leg, Dasgupta said that's perfectly fine, but always tell your doctor what supplements you take and why so that you can get the help you need.