Clinical efficacy and safety of melatonin supplementation in multiple sclerosis: a systematic review.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the tolerability and beneficial effects of exogenous melatonin supplementation in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Results Summary
The study found no substantial safety issues with melatonin supplementation. While melatonin was associated with improved oxidative stress and inflammation, clinical benefits such as sleep conditions, cognitive outcomes, and fatigue showed limited evidence of improvement.
Population
Patients with multiple sclerosis, predominantly relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), with some studies including secondary progressive MS (SPMS) or mixed phenotypes.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Between 2 weeks and 12 months
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
melatonin supplementation | increase | oxidative stress and inflammation status | patients with MS | - | was associated with enhanced | #1 |
melatonin supplementation | increase | sleep conditions | patients with MS | - | suggested improvements in | #2 |
melatonin supplementation | increase | cognitive outcomes | patients with MS | - | suggested improvements in | #3 |
melatonin supplementation | increase | fatigue | patients with MS | - | suggested improvements in | #4 |
BACKGROUND: Melatonin is a neurohormone secreted predominantly by the pineal gland that is demonstrated to be associated with the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). This research desires to evaluate the tolerability and beneficial effects of exogenous melatonin supplementations in patients with MS. METHODS: This study was executed following the PRISMA 2020 statement. Both observational and interventional studies which reported the clinical effectiveness and/or safety of melatonin supplementation in patients with MS were included in this systematic review. Ovid, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched and the risk of bias in included studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools based on study design. RESULTS: Out of 1304 results of database searches, finally, 14 articles, including 7 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 6 case-control studies, and one quasi-experimental study, were included based on the full-text review. Included phenotypes of MS were mostly relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) (in 11 studies); it was secondary progressive MS (SPMS) in only one study, and two other studies had a mixture of the different phenotypes. The course of treatment with melatonin supplementation was between 2 weeks and 12 months. There were no substantial safety issues. Although melatonin was associated with enhanced oxidative stress and inflammation status, concerning the clinical benefits, limited studies suggested improvements in sleep conditions, cognitive outcomes, and fatigue in MS. DISCUSSION: There are insufficient data to support the regular melatonin prescription in MS. Limitations such as the small number of included studies, the diversity of the dosage, route, and duration of melatonin administration, and the diversity of assessment tests lead to unconvincing findings in this study. There is a need for future studies to achieve a comprehensive judgment on this subject.