Melatonin reduces chronic musculoskeletal pain
Analysis based on 22 articles · First reported Jun 30, 2026 · Last updated Jul 18, 2026
The findings could reduce reliance on opioids and NSAIDs, potentially lowering healthcare costs and shifting demand toward melatonin supplements. However, regulatory differences (e.g., prescription-only in the UK and Australia) may limit immediate market impact.
A systematic review and meta-analysis led by Kangchao Wu and Paulo Ferreira at the University of Sydney, published in the journal PAIN on June 30, 2026, found that melatonin, a common sleep supplement, can reduce chronic musculoskeletal pain by approximately 9 points on a 100-point scale, comparable to NSAIDs. The analysis included 23 randomized controlled trials involving 2,028 adults from the United States, Russia, Brazil, Egypt, China, Iran, and other countries. Melatonin also improved sleep quality in chronic pain patients but showed no benefit for acute postoperative pain. The supplement was safe with mild side effects. Researchers emphasize melatonin should be an adjunct, not a replacement, for existing pain treatments.
Set up alerts, explore entity relationships, search across thousands of events, and build custom intelligence feeds.
Open Dashboard