Popular sleep aid reduces pain in people suffering from arthritis and back pain, study finds

A common sleep supplement taken by more than five million Americans may offer something other than help drifting off at night.

A new study found that melatonin may also bring relief to people suffering from chronic back pain or arthritis. 

Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate the body’s internal circadian rhythm – signaling to the body when it’s time to sleep. It it commonly taken as a pill supplement and sold over-the-counter to help with sleep. 

But it may also be helpful for the 58.5 million Americans suffering from arthritis – a broad term for conditions that affect the joints, causing pain, swelling and stiffness that can interfere with daily activities. 

Researchers studied whether melatonin could help manage pain in these conditions while also improving sleep, as the two are closely linked. Someone with chronic pain may sleep poorly, while poor sleep can make pain feel worse, creating a vicious cycle.

The research team analyzed 23 clinical trials involving 2,028 participants from several countries with chronic pain and those recovering from surgeries such as joint replacements.

In these studies, subjects were randomly assigned melatonin, a placebo pill, or another generic type of pain treatment, such as analgesics including Ibuprofen.

After measuring participants’ pain using a numerical scale and combining the results, researchers found that the melatonin supplement helped ease pain – but only in those with arthritis-like conditions. 

An estimated 58.5 million Americans have been diagnosed with arthritis 

‘We find that melatonin can relieve people’s pain intensity with the effect comparable to some conventional analgesic medications,’  Kangchao Wu, the study’s lead author, told The Epoch Times.

The study, published in The Journal of the International Association for the Study of Pain, pooled together data from two groups of people.

Participants either suffered from lower back pain, osteoarthritis, or fibromyalgia or were recovering from surgeries including joint replacements and spinal procedures. 

The subjects were randomly assigned melatonin, placebo pill, or another pain treatment. Different numerical scales were used to determine their pain severity level.

Researchers consolidated the data into a common zero to 100 scale to simplify the results – if a participant rated their pain 70 before treatment and 50 afterward, the team evaluated the 20 point improvement and compared it to the placebo group.

In addition to pain scores, researchers also looked at participants’ sleep quality and any adverse effects, combining the results to see whether melatonin consistently improved sleep and eased pain.

On average, results showed that melatonin reduced pain by around nine points on a zero to 100 scale, a similar reduction in pain associated with common painkillers. 

Unsurprisingly, the supplement also improved sleep quality – reaffirming the well-known link between pain and sleep. 

The researchers concluded that while the evidence doesn’t point to a one dose fits all model, patients suffering from chronic pain should discuss melatonin with their doctor 

‘For many patients, pain doesn’t exist in isolation and is closely tied to poor sleep,’ Wu explained. 

Wu added: ‘Melatonin appears to target both, which makes it particularly useful for people managing chronic pain.’  

Across the trials, the dose and timing of melatonin varied depending on the condition participants were aiming to treat. 

Those suffering from chronic musculoskeletal pain typically took around 3mg per day, while those recovering from an operation took double.

The melatonin was consistently taken at night, around an hour before sleep. 

The researchers concluded that while the evidence doesn’t point to a one dose fits all model, patients suffering from chronic pain should discuss melatonin with their doctor.

Traditionally, management of chronic pain includes over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen – which have been shown to have limited benefit – and opioids.

However, when taken for an extended period of time, these powerful drugs can cause reduced fertility, affect the body’s ability to fight infection and increase the risk of fracture. 

Adults should have around seven hours of sleep a night, allowing for optimal recovery and improved health, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

While we are sleeping, cells repair themselves at a higher rate – specifically myelin cells which protect our nerves and can help regulate pain responses.