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    Ingredient guide · Ingredient reference

    Can melatonin cause premature ventricular contractions?

    A small published case report describes premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs, that disappeared after two patients stopped melatonin. This is a possible safety signal, not proof that melatonin commonly causes PVCs or a way to estimate the risk. Recurrent palpitations deserve assessment.

    Read the evidence ↓

    Supplement Science Insights Editorial Team

    Published September 23, 2026

    What the report actually observed

    The 2017 report described two men, aged 72 and 63, taking 1 mg daily. One used a sublingual product and one an oral product. Heart monitoring documented symptomatic ventricular ectopic beats; after melatonin was withdrawn, symptoms and recorded PVCs resolved. Both had normal structural cardiac assessments, but they had other medicines and relevant clinical histories. [1]

    Why two cases cannot establish a population risk

    There was no randomized comparison or control group, and selected cases cannot provide an incidence rate. Improvement after withdrawal supports a possible relationship but does not eliminate every alternative explanation. The authors reported no conflicts of interest. Their proposed mechanism remains a hypothesis, not a proven effect in all users. [1]

    Palpitations are a symptom, not a self-diagnosis

    Stress, poor sleep, stimulants, medicines and heart conditions can cause a noticeable heartbeat. An ECG or longer monitoring may be needed to identify the rhythm. Seek emergency care for ongoing palpitations with chest pain, shortness of breath, faintness or fainting. [2]

    Include supplements in the clinical history

    Imagine skipped beats begin after adding melatonin. Record the product, dose, timing and other exposures, and discuss whether to stop the supplement with the clinician. Do not repeatedly restart it to test the theory yourself or change prescribed heart medicines on the basis of this case report. [1][2]

    Hypothetical example — interpret a possible PVC trigger
    FindingLimit
    Two monitored casesNo incidence estimate
    Improvement after withdrawalSupports but does not prove causality
    Other medicines and historiesPotential alternative factors
    Chest pain or faintingEmergency assessment
    Can melatonin cause premature ventricular contractions? — original article outline diagram
    Original editorial diagram of this article’s sections; no product photograph or clinical finding is depicted.

    Sources for this article

    1. Sleep Medications Containing Melatonin can Potentially Induce Ventricular Arrhythmias in Structurally Normal Hearts: A 2-Patient Report - PMC
      Source consulted: 2026-09-21. This is a reference resource, not a claim that we conducted the studies or tested a product.
    2. Heart palpitations - NHS
      Source consulted: 2026-09-21. This is a reference resource, not a claim that we conducted the studies or tested a product.