Melatonin has become a popular dietary supplement, most known as a chronobiotic, and for establishing healthy sleep. Research over the last decade into cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, fertility, PCOS, and many other conditions, combined with the COVID-19 pandemic, has led to greater awareness of melatonin because of its ability to act as a potent antioxidant, immune-active agent, and mitochondrial regulator. There are distinct similarities between melatonin and vitamin D in the depth and breadth of their impact on health. Both act as hormones, affect multiple systems through their immune-modulating, anti-inflammatory functions, are found in the skin, and are responsive to sunlight and darkness. In fact, there may be similarities between the widespread concern about vitamin D deficiency as a “sunlight deficiency” and reduced melatonin secretion as a result of “darkness deficiency” from overexposure to artificial blue light. The trend toward greater use of melatonin supplements has resulted in concern about its safety, especially higher doses, long-term use, and application in certain populations (e.g., children). This review aims to evaluate the recent data on melatonin’s mechanisms, its clinical uses beyond sleep, safety concerns, and a thorough summary of therapeutic considerations concerning dietary supplementation, including the different formats available (animal, synthetic, and phytomelatonin), dosing, timing, contraindications, and nutrient combinations.

Maca (Lepidium meyenii, Lepidium peruvianum) is part of the Brassicaceae family and grows at high altitudes in the Peruvian Andes mountain range (3500–5000 m). Historically, it has been used as a nutrient-dense food and for its medicinal properties, primarily in enhancing energy and fertility. Scientific research has validated these traditional uses and other clinical applications by elucidating maca’s mechanisms of action, nutrition, and phytochemical content. However, research over the last twenty years has identified up to seventeen different colors (phenotypes) of maca. The color, hypocotyl size, growing location, cultivation, and post-harvest processing methods can have a significant effect on the nutrition content, phytochemical profile, and clinical application. Yet, research differentiating the colors of maca and clinical applications remains limited. In this review, research on the nutrition, phytochemicals, and various colors of maca, including black, red, yellow (predominant colors), purple, gray (lesser-known colors), and any combination of colors, including proprietary formulations, will be discussed based on available preclinical and clinical trials. The gaps, deficiencies, and conflicts in the studies will be detailed, along with quality, safety, and efficacy criteria, highlighting the need for future research to specify all these factors of the maca used in publications.

Maca (Lepidium meyenii, synonym L. peruvianum) was analyzed using a systematic approach employing principal component analysis of flow injection mass spectrometry fingerprints (no chromatographic separation) to guide the selection of samples for metabolite profiling and DNA next generation sequencing. Samples consisted of 39 commercial maca supplements from 11 manufacturers, 31 unprocessed maca tubers grown in Peru and China, and a historic non-tuber maca sample from Peru. Principal component analysis of flow injection mass spectrometry fingerprints initially placed all the maca samples in three classes with similar chemical composition: commercial maca samples, tubers grown in Peru, and tubers grown in China. Metabolite profiling identified 67 compounds in the negative mode and 51 compounds in the positive mode. Compounds identified by metabolite profiling (macamides, glucosinolates, amino acids, fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, saccharides, imidazoles) were then used to identify ions in the flow injection mass spectrometry fingerprints. The tuber fingerprints were analyzed by factorial multivariate analysis of variance revealing that black, red, and yellow maca from Peru and black and yellow maca from China were compositionally different with respect to color and country. Critical ions were identified that allowed for the differentiation of maca between colors from the same country or between two countries with the same color. Genetically, all samples were confirmed to be L. meyenii based on next generation sequencing at three gene regions (ITS2, psbA, and trnL) and comparison to recorded sequences of vouchered standards.

We would like to thank Dr. Pluta for his thoughtful comments

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) has long been recognized as a reproductive hormone in women and men. Based on research findings over the past decades, this classification may be incomplete and is increasingly being challenged. With this review, it is proposed that the name may be somewhat misleading. In addition to its presence in men without ovarian follicles, accumulating preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that FSH may serve as a marker of upstream endocrine changes across the stages of menopause. It may also participate in systemic processes that go beyond the classical hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis. A less well-known finding is that FSH often rises before estrogen declines and is, to some extent, independent of estradiol. Moreover, changes in FSH levels through menopause coincide with considerable shifts in bone density, body composition, vascular function, neurobiology, and immune regulation. Based on what is known about FSH receptors, it is plausible that the systemic effects observed during menopause could result from extragonadal tissues’ receptivity to FSH. In this review, we present the traditional framework for FSH alongside recent findings that warrant re-evaluation of its function as a hormone, particularly in women as a modifiable marker of endocrine aging. We review clinical interventions for FSH, including laboratory biomarkers, hormone therapy, nutrition, botanicals, and lifestyle factors such as exercise and environmental exposures.