Melatonin for Acid Reflux And Heartburn

Research suggests that melatonin may help reduce symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease such as heartburn and epigastric pain, with three randomized controlled trials reporting positive findings — including evidence that melatonin added to standard acid-suppressing therapy outperformed that therapy alone, and one older trial reporting notably high symptom relief rates with a melatonin-containing multi-ingredient supplement. A 2019 review took a more cautious stance, noting that while the biological hypotheses behind melatonin's potential role in esophageal function are scientifically interesting, the broader evidence base for non-pharmaceutical GERD remedies remains limited and insufficiently rigorous. Important limitations across the supportive trials include small sample sizes, short follow-up periods, and in at least one case a single-blind design that may have introduced bias. Overall, the existing evidence is preliminary and directionally encouraging, but researchers across multiple studies have called for larger and more methodologically robust trials before firm conclusions can be drawn.