Melatonin supplementation improves rheumatological disease activity: A systematic review.
Study Goal
To review the use of melatonin supplementation in rheumatological diseases, assessing its efficacy and safety.
Results Summary
Melatonin showed positive results in fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis/osteopenia but not in rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. It was well tolerated with mild side effects.
Population
Patients with rheumatic diseases (fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, osteoporosis/osteopenia, osteoarthritis).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
melatonin supplementation | increase | fibromyalgia | - | - | positive results | #1 |
melatonin supplementation | increase | osteoarthritis | - | - | positive results | #2 |
melatonin supplementation | increase | osteoporosis/osteopenia | - | - | positive results | #3 |
melatonin supplementation | no change | rheumatoid arthritis | - | - | not positive results | #4 |
melatonin supplementation | no change | lupus | - | - | not positive results | #5 |
melatonin | decrease | side effects | - | mild | well tolerated | #6 |
melatonin | increase | some rheumatic diseases | - | - | shows efficacy | #7 |
BACKGROUND: Melatonin is a pineal hormone with a complex role. It is linked to sleep, inflammatory, oxidative, and immunological processes. AIM: To review the use of melatonin supplementation in rheumatological diseases. METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Scielo databases was performed, looking for articles on Melatonin and rheumatic diseases published between 1966 and August 2022. RESULTS: Thirteen articles were identified: in fibromyalgia (n = 5 articles), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 2), systemic sclerosis (n = 1), systemic lupus erythematosus (n = 1) and osteoporosis/osteopenia (n = 3) and osteoarthritis (n = 1). There were positive results of melatonin administration in fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis/osteopenia but not in rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. The drug was well tolerated with mild side effects. CONCLUSION: This review shows the efficacy of Melatonin in some rheumatic diseases. However, new studies are needed to elucidate the real role of this treatment in rheumatology.