Melatonin and Nifedipine: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Aug 8, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Nifedipine
Melatonin
No brand names on record
How we grade severity & evidence
Severity levels
- Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
- Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
- Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
- Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.
Evidence grades
- Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
- Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
- Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
- Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
- Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.
What happens
Increased blood pressure
Interaction Deep Dive
Patients with well-controlled hypertension managed by NIFEdipine monotherapy experienced an increase in blood pressure and heart rate when melatonin was administered concomitantly2.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Competition with NIFEdipine for calcium channels
Literature reports
1 report — tap to read
a) Melatonin 5 milligrams (mg) significantly increased blood pressure and heart rate in 47 patients with hypertension controlled by NIFEdipine in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial. After a 4-week washout period with placebo, subjects were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or immediate release melatonin 5 mg at 2230 hours for 4 weeks, followed by a 4 week washout period, then patients were crossed over for another 4 weeks of treatment with melatonin or placebo. NIFEdipine GITS (Gastrointestinal Therapeutic System) 30 mg or 60 mg was taken daily at 0830 as monotherapy by all patients for at least 3 months prior to the study, and their clinic blood pressure was less than 140/90 mmHg. At the end of each 4 week treatment period, patients underwent 24 hour noninvasive ambulatory blood pressure monitoring on usual working days, beginning at 0800 and taking measurements every 15 minutes throughout the 24 hours. Systolic blood pressure increased an average of 6.5 mmHg (p less than 0.001); diastolic blood pressure increased an average of 4.9 mmHg (p less than 0.01); heart rate increased an average of 3.9 beats/minute (p less than 0.05). Morning drowsiness was reported in 15 subjects taking melatonin compared with 2 placebo subjects (p less than 0.01). Weakness was reported by 10 subjects taking melatonin compared with 3 placebo subjects (p less than 0.05) 1.
Common questions
Can I take Melatonin and Nifedipine together?
Increased blood pressure Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Melatonin and Nifedipine interaction?
It is rated minor. Usually limited clinical impact.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "rapid". Effects can appear quickly, often within about 24 hours of combining the drugs.
How strong is the evidence for this interaction?
The evidence is graded "established". Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
From our Q&A
Real reader questions about these medications, each personally answered by our pharmacist:
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Melatonin or Nifedipine need adjusting while I take them together?
- What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
- Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
- Is there anything you'd monitor while I'm on both?
References (2)
- Lusardi P, Piazza E, & Fogari R: Cardiovascular effects of melatonin in hypertensive patients well controlled by nifedipine: a 24-hour study. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2000; 49:423-427. PubMed
- Lusardi P, Piazza E, & Fogari R: Cardiovascular effects of melatonin in hypertensive patients well controlled by nifedipine: a 24 hour study. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2000; 49:423-427. DOI
Keep reading about Nifedipine
Keep reading about Melatonin
These medications also interact with supplements
Prescription drugs aren't the whole picture — herbal and dietary supplements can interact with them too. From the evidence-graded Natural Medicines database:
major · moderate · minor — check everything you take with our drug–supplement interaction checker.
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