The Surprising Health Benefits of Hibiscus (2024)

Previous Article Next Article

education

By Tori Hudson N.D.

Tori Hudson

Tori Hudson graduated from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM) in 1984 and served the college in several capacities including Medical Director, Associate Academic Dean and Academic Dean. Currently a clinical professor at NCNM, Bastyr University, and Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine.

Tori has over 30 years of experience and expertise in women’s health utilizing nutrition, nutraceuticals, botanical medicines, bioidentical hormones, and other therapies to treat all gynecological and primary care conditions in women. Tori is a nationally recognized lecturer, author, researcher, and clinician, and serves on several editorial boards and advisory panels. Her book, Women’s Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, 2008 edition is the leading resource on women’s health and natural medicine.

Traditional Use

Originally from Angola, Hibiscus is now cultivated throughout tropical and subtropical regions, especially in Sudan, Egypt, Thailand, Mexico, and China.

Phytochemistry

Approximately 15-30 percent of the hibiscus plant is made up of plant acids, including citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid and allo-hydroxycitric acid lactone — i.e. hibiscus acid, which is unique to hibiscus.

Other chemical constituents are many; however, some of the most important include alkaloids, anthocyanins, and quercetin.

Indications

Scientific interest in hibiscus has grown in the last several years, thanks to a small burst of published research studies — especially in regards to cholesterol and blood pressure maintenance.

Cholesterol Maintenance

In 2007, a one-month clinical trial tested the effects of hibiscus extract on cholesterol levels. A total of 42 subjects were randomized to three groups for the study. Group 1 received one 500-mg capsule 3x daily (1,500 mg/day), Group 2 received two capsules 3x daily (3,000 mg/day), and Group 3 received three capsules 3x daily (4,500 mg/day). Interestingly, by the fourth week, participants in both Groups 1 and 2, but not Group 3, experienced a cholesterol maintenance effect. The optimum dose was 1,000 mg taken 3x daily.

In 2009, another trial studied hibiscus’s ability to support cholesterol maintenance, this time in people concerned with healthy blood sugar levels. Sixty subjects, mostly women, were given either one cup of hibiscus tea or black tea twice per day. After one month, hibiscus was able to help maintain total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol levels — as well as triglycerides — already within a healthy range.* Black tea, on the other hand, only impacted HDL levels.

A larger trial, in 222 adults, was published on hibiscus in 2010. The subjects — about a third of whom had metabolic challenges — were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a healthy diet, hibiscus, or a healthy diet plus hibiscus. Those with metabolic challenges experienced several benefits from hibiscus, including cholesterol maintenance. Similar effects on supporting normal blood sugar were also noted.*

Blood Pressure Maintenance

In 2007, a randomized, controlled, double-blind study researched Hibiscus’s blood pressure maintenance capacity. Participants received either a dried powdered hibiscus extract, containing a total of 250 mg anthocyanins, or an alternate intervention. Hibiscus extract was able to maintain blood pressure levels already within a healthy range, but importantly, it did not alter blood potassium levels, nor did it affect salt-water balance.*

A trial comparing Hibiscus to black tea among people seeking to support healthy blood sugar levels was published in 2009. Subjects were randomly assigned to drink one cup of hibiscus tea or black tea two times per day for one month. Hibiscus tea demonstrated a maintenance effect on systolic (but not diastolic) blood pressure, while black tea did not.*

A Cochrane review of Hibiscus’s effects on blood pressure published in 2010 resulted in five articles. The reviewers included randomized controlled trials of three to 12 weeks in duration that compared hibiscus to either placebo or no intervention at all. All five of these studies found hibiscus had a blood pressure maintenance effect.

Safety and Dosage

The safety profile of Hibiscus is excellent, with no proven adverse reactions.
It is difficult to clarify dosing recommendations when different products are used in different studies. However, positive studies used the following dosages:

For cholesterol maintenance: 1,000 mg dried herb 3x daily, one cup of hibiscus tea 2x daily, or 100 mg of standardized extract 2x daily.
For blood pressure maintenance: One cup of hibiscus tea 2x daily or dried powdered hibiscus extract providing 250 mg anthocyanins per day.

Conclusion

It is exciting to see the use of this simple, safe plant evolve from home beverage to medicinal utilization for such common health support such as blood pressure and cholesterol maintenance.

Hibiscus helps maintain cholesterol levels that are already within a healthy range.*

Hibiscus helps maintain blood pressure levels that are already within a healthy range.*

References:

Leung A, Foster S, eds. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons; 1996. Neuwinger H. African Traditional Medicine. Stuttgart: Medpharm Scientific Publication; 2000.

Meyer-Buchtela E. Tee-Rezepturen: Ein Handbuch fur Apotheker und Arzte, 3. Erganzungslieferung 2004; Stuttgart: Duetscher Apotheker Verlag; 2004. Lin T, Lin H, Chen C, et al. Nutr Res 2007;27:140-145.

Mozaffari-Khosravi H, Jalali-Khanabadi B, Afkhami-Ardehani M, Fatehi F. . J Altern and Comp Med 2009;15(8):899-903.

Gurrola-Diaz C, Garcia-Lopez P, Sanchez-Enriquez S, et al. (MeSy). Phytomedicine 2010;17:500-505.

Kuriyan R, Kumar D, Rajendran R, Kurpad A. . BMC Compl and Alt Med 2010;10:27

Herrera-Arellano A, Miranda-Sanchez J, Avila-Castro P, et al. Lisinopril-controlled clinical trial. Planta Med 2007;73:6-12.

Mozaffari-Khosravi H, Jalali-Khanabadi B, Afkhami-Ardekani M, et al J Human Hypertension 2009;23:48-54.

Ngamjarus c, Pattanittum P, Somboonp*rn C. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010;Jan 20(1):CD007894.

REFERENCES:

1. Gustavo F. Gonzales, "Ethnobiology and Ethnopharmacology of Lepidium meyenii (Maca), a Plant from the Peruvian Highlands", Journal List Evid Based Complement Alternat Med v.2012; 2012 PMC3184420. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3184420/
2. Luis G Valerio Jr, Gustavo F Gonzales, "Toxicological aspects of the South American herbs cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa) and Maca (Lepidium meyenii) : a critical synopsis", Toxicol Rev. 2005;24(1):11-35. doi: 10.2165/00139709-200524010-00002. PMID: 16042502. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16042502/
3. H. O. Meissner,1 P. Mrozikiewicz,2 T. Bobkiewicz-Kozlowska,3 A. Mscisz,2 B. Kedzia,2 A. Lowicka,2 H. Reich-Bilinska,4 W. Kapczynski,5 and I. Barchia6, "Hormone-Balancing Effect of Pre-Gelatinized Organic Maca (Lepidium peruvianum Chacon): (I) Biochemical and Pharmacodynamic Study on Maca using Clinical Laboratory Model on Ovariectomized Rats", Journal List Int J Biomed Sci v.2(3); 2006 Sep PMC3614604. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3614604/
4. Eva Fries 1, Lucia Dettenborn, Clemens Kirschbaum, "The cortisol awakening response (CAR): facts and future directions", Int J Psychophysiol. 2009 Apr;72(1):67-73. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2008.03.014.Epub 2008 Sep 30.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18854200/
5. Nicolas C. Nicolaides 1, Alexandros N. Vgontzas 2, Ilia Kritikou 3, George Chrousos 4Kenneth R Feingold 1, Bradley Anawalt 2, Alison Boyce 3, George Chrousos 4, Wouter W de Herder 5, Ketan Dhatariya 6, Kathleen Dungan 7, Jerome M Hershman 8, Johannes Hofland 9, Sanjay Kalra 10, Gregory Kaltsas 11, Christian Koch 12, Peter Kopp 13, Márta Korbonits 14, Christopher S Kovacs 15, Wendy Kuohung 16, Blandine Laferrère 17, Miles Levy 18, Elizabeth A McGee 19, Robert McLachlan 20, John E Morley 21, Maria New 22, Jonathan Purnell 23, Rakesh Sahay 24, Frederick Singer 25, Mark A Sperling 26, Constantine A Stratakis 27, Dace L Trence 28, Don P Wilson 29 , editors., "HPA Axis and Sleep", PMID: 25905298 Bookshelf ID: NBK279071. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25905298/
6. José Manuel Lozano Sánchez', Zoraida Axtle Serranol*, Julio Avilés Durán, Héctor Salvador Godoy Morales, Paola Berenice Merchand Álvarez, Ricardo Mera Mejía? Luis Felipe Montaño Estrada and Erika Patricia Rendón Huerta, "Peruvian Maca and Possible Impact on Fertility", Journal of Nutritional Health & Food Engineering. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jose-Manuel-Lozano-Sanchez/publication/317569911_Peruvian_Maca_and_Possible_Impact_on_Fertility/links/59494b03aca272a30c6cae11/Peruvian-Maca-and-Possible-Impact-on-Fertility.pdf
7. A López-Fando 1, M P Gómez-Serranillos, I Iglesias, O Lock, U P Upamayta, M E Carretero, "Lepidium peruvianum chacon restores homeostasis impaired by restraint stress", Phytother Res. 2004 Jun;18(6):471-4. doi: 10.1002/ptr.1455.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15287072/
8. Gustavo F. Gonzales *, "Ethnobiology and Ethnopharmacology of Lepidium meyenii (Maca), a Plant from the Peruvian Highlands", Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012; 2012: 193496.Published online 2011 Oct 2. doi: 10.1155/2012/193496. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3184420/
9. José Manuel Lozano Sánchez', Zoraida Axtle Serranol*, Julio Avilés Durán, Héctor Salvador Godoy Morales, Paola Berenice Merchand Álvarez, Ricardo Mera Mejía? Luis Felipe Montaño Estrada and Erika Patricia Rendón Huerta, "Peruvian Maca and Possible Impact on Fertility", Journal of Nutritional Health & Food Engineering. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jose-Manuel-Lozano-Sanchez/publication/317569911_Peruvian_Maca_and_Possible_Impact_on_Fertility/links/59494b03aca272a30c6cae11/Peruvian-Maca-and-Possible-Impact-on-Fertility.pdf
10. Maria Rosales-Hartshorn*, "Maca: Botanical Medicine from the Andes", Volume 1 : Issue 2Article Ref. #: 1000AFTNSOJ1e001. https://www.openventio.org/Volume1-Issue2/Maca-Botanical-Medicine-from-the-Andes-AFTNSOJ-1-e001.pdf
11. Natália da Silva Leitão Peres 1, Letícia Cabrera Parra Bortoluzzi, Leila Larisa Medeiros Marques, Maysa Formigoni, Renata Hernandez Barros Fuchs, Adriana Aparecida Droval, Flávia Aparecida Reitz Cardoso, "Medicinal effects of Peruvian maca (Lepidium meyenii): a review", Food Funct. 2020 Jan 29;11(1):83-92. doi: 10.1039/c9fo02732g.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31951246/
12. Office of Communications, "How common is infertility?", Home- Health- A to Z List- Infertility and Fertility- About- How common is infertility?. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/infertility/conditioninfo/common#f1
13. ASRM, American Society for Reproductive Medicine., "In approximately 40 percent of infertile couples, the male partner is either the sole cause or a contributing cause of infertility", Home Infographic Gallery. https://www.reproductivefacts.org/resources/infographic-gallery/images/in-approximately-40-percent-of-infertile-couples-the-male-partner-is-either-the-sole-cause-or-a-contributing-cause-of-infertility/
14. G F Gonzales 1, A Cordova, C Gonzales, A Chung, K Vega, A Villena, "Lepidium meyenii (Maca) improved sem*n parameters in adult men", Asian J Androl. 2001 Dec;3(4):301-3.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11753476/
15. José Manuel Lozano Sánchez', Zoraida Axtle Serranol*, Julio Avilés Durán, Héctor Salvador Godoy Morales, Paola Berenice Merchand Álvarez, Ricardo Mera Mejía? Luis Felipe Montaño Estrada and Erika Patricia Rendón Huerta, "Peruvian Maca and Possible Impact on Fertility", DOI:10.15406/jnhfe.2017.06.00217. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317569911_Peruvian_Maca_and_Possible_Impact_on_Fertility
16. Daniel Nedresky; Gurdeep Singh., "Physiology, Luteinizing Hormone", Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-.. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539692/
17. G F Gonzales 1, A Cordova, C Gonzales, A Chung, K Vega, A Villena, "Lepidium meyenii (Maca) improved sem*n parameters in adult men", Asian J Androl. 2001 Dec;3(4):301-3.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11753476/
18. G F Gonzales, M Gasco, A Córdova, A Chung, J Rubio and L Villegas, "Effect of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on spermatogenesis in male rats acutely exposed to high altitude (4340 m)", Instituto de Investigaciones de la Altura, and Departamento de Ciencias Biolo´gicas y Fisiolo´gicas Facultad de Ciencas y Filosofı´a, Universidad PeruanaCayetano Heredia, PO Box 1843, Lima, Peru(Requests for offprints should be addressed to G F Gonzales, Instituto de Investigaciones de la Altura, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, PO Box 1843,Lima, Peru; Email: iiad@upch.edu.pe). http://eplant.njau.edu.cn/maca/publication/Effect%20of%20Lepidium%20meyenii%20(Maca)%20on%20spermatogenesis%20in%20male%20rats%20acutely%20exposed%20to%20high%20altitude%20(4340%20m).pdf
19. A López-Fando, M P Gómez-Serranillos, I Iglesias, O Lock, U P Upamayta, M E Carretero, "Lepidium peruvianum chacon restores homeostasis impaired by restraint stress", Phytother Res. 2004 Jun;18(6):471-4. doi: 10.1002/ptr.1455.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15287072/
20. G. F. Gonzales,A. Córdova,K. Vega,A. Chung,A. Villena,C. Góñez,S. Castillo, "Effect of Lepidium meyenii (MACA) on sexual desire and its absent relationship with serum testosterone levels in adult healthy men", Journal of Andrology. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1439-0272.2002.00519.x
21. Byung-Cheul Shin, Myeong Soo Lee, Eun Jin Yang, Hyun-Suk Lim, Edzard Ernst, "Maca (L. meyenii) for improving sexual function: a systematic review", BMC Complement Altern Med. 2010 Aug 6;10:44. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-10-44.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20691074/
22. José Manuel Lozano Sánchez, Zoraida Axtle, Julio Aviles, Héctor Salvador Godoy Morales, Paola Berenice Merchand Álvarez, Ricardo Mera Mejía, Luis Felipe Montaño Estrada, Erika Patricia Rendón Huerta, "Peruvian Maca and Possible Impact on Fertility", Journal of Nutritional Health & Food Engineering. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317569911_Peruvian_Maca_and_Possible_Impact_on_Fertility
23. Hongkang Zhu, Wenqian Xu, Ning Wang, Wenhao Jiang, Yuliang Cheng, Yahui Guo, Weirong Yao, Bin Hu, Peng Du and He Qian, "Anti-fatigue effect of Lepidium meyenii Walp. (Maca) on preventing mitochondria-mediated muscle damage and oxidative stress in vivo and vitro†", Journal of Food & Function. https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2021/fo/d1fo00383f/unauth
24. Mark Stone, Alvin Ibarra, Marc Roller, Andrea Zangara, Emma Stevenson, "A pilot investigation into the effect of maca supplementation on physical activity and sexual desire in sportsmen", J Ethnopharmacol. 2009 Dec 10;126(3):574-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2009.09.012. Epub 2009 Sep 23.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19781622/
25. Gustavo F Gonzales, Sara Miranda, Jessica Nieto, Gilma Fernández, Sandra Yucra, Julio Rubio, Pedro Yi & Manuel Gasco, "Red maca (Lepidium meyenii) reduced prostate size in rats", Reprod Biol Endocrinol 3, 5 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7827-3-5. https://rbej.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1477-7827-3-5
26. C Gonzales, J Leiva-Revilla, J Rubio, M Gasco, G F Gonzales, "Effect of red maca (Lepidium meyenii) on prostate zinc levels in rats with testosterone-induced prostatic hyperplasia", Andrologia. 2012 May;44 Suppl 1:362-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0272.2011.01190.x. Epub 2011 Jul 18.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21762188/
27. G. F. Gonzales,A. Córdova,K. Vega,A. Chung,A. Villena,C. Góñez,S. Castillo, "Effect of Lepidium meyenii (MACA) on sexual desire and its absent relationship with serum testosterone levels in adult healthy men", Journal of Andrology. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1046/j.1439-0272.2002.00519.x
28. Y Ohta, N Kawate, T Inaba, H Morii, K Takahashi, H Tamada, "Feeding hydroalcoholic extract powder of Lepidium meyenii (maca) enhances testicular gene expression of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in rats", Andrologia. 2017 Dec;49(10). doi: 10.1111/and.12792. Epub 2017 Mar 6.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28261840/
29. Ángel Rodríguez-Huamán, Sandra Casimiro-Gonzales, Jorge Antonio Chávez-Pérez, Carla Gonzales-Arimborgo, Richard Cisneros-Fernández, Luis Ángel Aguilar-Mendoza, Gustavo F Gonzales, "Antioxidant and neuroprotector effect of Lepidium meyenii (maca) methanol leaf extract against 6-hydroxy dopamine (6-OHDA)-induced toxicity in PC12 cells", Toxicol Mech Methods. 2017 May;27(4):279-285. doi: 10.1080/15376516.2016.1275908. Epub 2017 Jan 8.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28007001/
30. Bárbara Teixeira, António Marques, Cristina Ramos, Maria Carmo Serrano, Olívia Matos, Nuno R Neng, José Nogueira, Jorge M. A. Saraiva, Maria Leonor Nunes, "Chemical composition and bioactivity of different oregano (Origanum vulgare) extracts and essential oil", Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 93(11)DOI:10.1002/jsfa.6089. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236104725_Chemical_composition_and_bioactivity_of_different_oregano_Origanum_vulgare_extracts_and_essential_oil
31. Wesam Kooti, Zahra Hasanzadeh-Noohi, Naim Sharafi-Ahvazi, Majid Asadi-Samani, Damoon Ashtary-Larky, "Phytochemistry, pharmacology, and therapeutic uses of black seed (Nigella sativa)", Chin J Nat Med. 2016 Oct;14(10):732-745. doi: 10.1016/S1875-5364(16)30088-7. Epub 2016 Oct 31.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28236403/
32. Łukasz Łuczaj & Wojciech M Szymański, "Wild vascular plants gathered for consumption in the Polish countryside: a review.", Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine volume 3, Article number: 17 (2007). https://ethnobiomed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1746-4269-3-17
33. IKHLAS A. KHAN, EHAB A. ABOURASHED, "Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics.", John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. https://naturalingredient.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/leungs-encyclopedia-of-common-natural-ingredients-3rd-edition.pdf
34. Adom MB, Taher M, Mutalabisin MF, Amri MS, Abdul Kudos MB, Wan Sulaiman MWA, Sengupta P, Susanti D, "Chemical constituents and medical benefits of Plantago major.", Biomedecine & Pharmacotherapie, 10 Oct 2017, 96:348-360DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.09.152 PMID: 29028587. https://europepmc.org/article/med/29028587#similar-articles
35. ZOT Organic, "What is Licorice?", General Info. https://zotorganic.com/information/licorice/#:~:text=The%20plant%20is%20prized%20for,shrub%2C%20is%20officially%20a%20weed.
36. Dalia Akramiene, Anatolijus Kondrotas, Janina Didziapetriene, Egidijus Kevelaitis, "Effects of beta-glucans on the immune system", Medicina (Kaunas). 2007;43(8):597-606.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17895634/
37. R C Rosen, "Prevalence and risk factors of sexual dysfunction in men and women", Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2000 Jun;2(3):189-95. doi: 10.1007/s11920-996-0006-2.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11122954/
38. Natália da Silva Leitão Peres, Letícia Cabrera Parra Bortoluzzi, Leila Larisa Medeiros Marques, Maysa Formigoni, Renata Hernandez Barros Fuchs, Adriana Aparecida Droval, Flávia Aparecida Reitz Cardoso, "Medicinal effects of Peruvian maca (Lepidium meyenii): a review", Food Funct. 2020 Jan 29;11(1):83-92. doi: 10.1039/c9fo02732g.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31951246/
39. Nicole A Brooks, Gisela Wilcox, Karen Z Walker, John F Ashton, Marc B Cox, Lily Stojanovska, "Beneficial effects of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on psychological symptoms and measures of sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women are not related to estrogen or androgen content", Menopause. 2008 Nov-Dec;15(6):1157-62. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e3181732953.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18784609/
40. Maria Rosales-Hartshorn*, "Maca: Botanical Medicine from the Andes", Adv FoodTechnol Nutr Sci Open J. 2015; 1(2):e1-e6. doi: 10.17140/AFTNSOJ-1-e001. https://www.openventio.org/Volume1-Issue2/Maca-Botanical-Medicine-from-the-Andes-AFTNSOJ-1-e001.pdf
41. Sánchez JML, Serrano ZA, Durán JA, Morales HSG, Álvarez PBM (2017), "Peruvian Maca and Possible Impact on Fertility", J Nutr Health Food Eng6(5): 00217. DOI: 10.15406/jnhfe.2017.06.00217. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jose-Manuel-Lozano-Sanchez/publication/317569911_Peruvian_Maca_and_Possible_Impact_on_Fertility/links/59494b03aca272a30c6cae11/Peruvian-Maca-and-Possible-Impact-on-Fertility.pdf
42. Leila Mazaheri Nia, Mina Iravani, Parvin Abedi, Bahman Cheraghian, "Effect of Zinc on Testosterone Levels and Sexual Function of Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial", J Sex Marital Ther. 2021;47(8):804-813. doi: 10.1080/0092623X.2021.1957732. Epub 2021 Jul 27.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34311679/
43. G. F. Gonzales,A. Córdova,K. Vega,A. Chung,A. Villena,C. Góñez,S. Castillo, "Effect of Lepidium meyenii (MACA) on sexual desire and its absent relationship with serum testosterone levels in adult healthy men", Journal of Andrology. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1439-0272.2002.00519.x
44. Byung-Cheul Shin 1, Myeong Soo Lee, Eun Jin Yang, Hyun-Suk Lim, Edzard Ernst, "Maca (L. meyenii) for improving sexual function: a systematic review", BMC Complement Altern Med. 2010 Aug 6;10:44. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-10-44.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20691074/
45. Ghanbarali Raeis Jalali, Jamshid Roozbeh, Azam Mohammadzadeh, Maryam Sharifian, Mohammad Mahdi Sagheb, Alireza Hamidian Jahromi, Sanaz Shabani, Fariborz Ghaffarpasand, Raha Afshariani, "Impact of oral zinc therapy on the level of sex hormones in male patients on hemodialysis", Ren Fail. 2010 May;32(4):417-9. doi: 10.3109/08860221003706958.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20446777/
46. Tahoora Shomali, Mahnaz Taherianfard, Maryam Dalvand, Fatemeh Namazi, "Effect of pharmacological doses of niacin on testicular structure and function in normal and diabetic rats", Andrologia. 2018 Dec;50(10):e13142. doi: 10.1111/and.13142. Epub 2018 Sep 6.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30191583/
47. Gonzales G. F., Cordova A., Gonzales C., Chung A., Vega K., Villena A., "Lepidium meyenii (Maca) improved sem*n parameters in adult men.", Asian Journal of Andrology. 2001;3(4):301–303.. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4411442/#B19
48. Bogani P., Simonini F., Iriti M., et al., "Lepidium meyenii (Maca) does not exert direct androgenic activities.", Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2006;104(3):415–417. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2005.09.028.. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4411442/#B27
49. Gonzalez G. F., Córdova A., Vega K., Chung A., Villena A., Góñez C., "Effect of Lepidium meyenii (Maca), a root with aphrodisiac and fertility-enhancing propeties, on serum reproductive hormone levels in adult healthy men.", Journal of Endocrinology. 2003;176(1):163–168. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.1760163.. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4411442/#B28
50. Christina M. Dording , * Pamela J. Schettler, Elizabeth D. Dalton, Susannah R. Parkin, Rosemary S. W. Walker, Kara B. Fehling, Maurizio Fava, and David Mischoulon, "A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial of Maca Root as Treatment for Antidepressant-Induced Sexual Dysfunction in Women", Journal List Evid Based Complement Alternat Med v.2015; 2015 PMC4411442. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4411442/
51. Srikugan L., Sankaralingam A., McGowan B., "First case report of testosterone assay-interference in a female taking maca (Lepidium meyenii) BMJ Case Reports.", 2011 doi: 10.1136/bcr.01.2011.3781.. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4411442/#B26
52. Olivia Remes,Carol Brayne,Rianne van der Linde,Louise Lafortune, "A systematic review of reviews on the prevalence of anxiety disorders in adult populations", Journal of Brain and Behavior, 05 June 2016. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/brb3.497
53. Rohit Verma, Yatan Pal Singh Balhara, and Chandra Shekhar Gupta, "Gender differences in stress response: Role of developmental and biological determinants", Journal List Ind Psychiatry J v.20(1); Jan-Jun 2011 PMC3425245. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3425245/
54. Mohammad Hossein Mirjalili, Elisabeth Moyano, Mercedes Bonfill, Rosa M Cusido, Javier Palazón, "Steroidal lactones from Withania somnifera, an ancient plant for novel medicine", Molecules. 2009 Jul 3;14(7):2373-93.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19633611/
55. R C Rosen, "Prevalence and risk factors of sexual dysfunction in men and women", Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2000 Jun;2(3):189-95. DOI: 10.1007/s11920-996-0006-2.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11122954/
56. Swati Dongre, Deepak Langade, Sauvik Bhattacharyya, "Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Root Extract in Improving Sexual Function in Women: A Pilot Study", Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:284154. doi: 10.1155/2015/284154.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26504795/
57. UT NEWS, "Stress Hormone Blocks Testosterone’s Effects, Study Shows", Journal of Science and Technology. https://news.utexas.edu/2010/09/27/stress-hormone-blocks-testosterones-effects-study-shows/
58. Rashad, N.M., Samir, G.M., "Prevalence, risks, and comorbidity of thyroid dysfunction: a cross-sectional epidemiological study", Egypt J Intern Med 31, 635–641 (2019). https://ejim.springeropen.com/articles/10.4103/ejim.ejim_22_19
59. Cleveland Clinic, "Thyroid: What It Is, Function and Problems", Journal of Body Systems & Organs. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23188-thyroid
60. Sharma AK, Basu I, Singh S., "Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Subclinical Hypothyroid Patients: A Double-Blind, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial", J Altern Complement Med. 2018 Mar;24(3):243-248. doi: 10.1089/acm.2017.0183. Epub 2017 Aug 22. PMID: 28829155.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28829155/
61. Chandrasekhar K, Kapoor J, Anishetty S., "A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults", Indian J Psychol Med. 2012 Jul;34(3):255-62. doi: 10.4103/0253-7176.106022. PMID: 23439798; PMCID: PMC3573577.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23439798/
62. Stephens MA, Wand G., "Stress and the HPA axis: role of glucocorticoids in alcohol dependence", Alcohol Res. 2012;34(4):468-83. PMID: 23584113; PMCID: PMC3860380.. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3860380/
63. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "1 in 3 adults don’t get enough sleep", CDC.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0215-enough-sleep.html
64. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Sleep and Sleep Disorders", CDC.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data_statistics.html
65. Krishnan V, Collop NA., "Gender differences in sleep disorders", Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2006 Nov;12(6):383-9. doi: 10.1097/01.mcp.0000245705.69440.6a. PMID: 17053485.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17053485/
66. Danielle Pacheco, Ealena Callender, "Women and Sleep", Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/women-sleep
67. Langade D, Thakare V, Kanchi S, Kelgane S., "Clinical evaluation of the pharmacological impact of ashwagandha root extract on sleep in healthy volunteers and insomnia patients: A double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study", J Ethnopharmacol. 2021 Jan 10;264:113276. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.113276. Epub 2020 Aug 17. PMID: 32818573.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32818573/
68. Abhijit Deshpande, Nushafreen Irani, Ratna Balkrishnan, Irin Rosanna Benny, "A randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study to evaluate the effects of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on sleep quality in healthy adults", Sleep Medicine,Volume 72,2020,Pages 28-36,ISSN 1389-9457,. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1389945720301246
69. Mahesh K. Kaushik, Sunil C. Kaul, Renu Wadhwa, Masashi Yanagisawa, Yoshihiro Urade, "Triethylene glycol, an active component of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) leaves, is responsible for sleep induction", plos.org DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0172508. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0172508#abstract0
70. Auddy B, Hazra J, Mitra A, et al., "A standardized Withania Somnifera extract significantly reduces stress-related parameters in chronically stressed humans: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study", J Am Neutraceut Assoc 2008;11:50–6.. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6750292/#R20
71. Andrade C, Aswath A, Chaturvedi SK, et al., "A double-blind, placebo-controlled evaluation of the anxiolytic efficacy ff an ethanolic extract of withania somnifera", Indian J Psychiatry 2000;42:295–301.. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6750292/#R18
72. Fries E, Dettenborn L, Kirschbaum C., "The cortisol awakening response (CAR): facts and future directions", Int J Psychophysiol. 2009 Apr;72(1):67-73. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2008.03.014. Epub 2008 Sep 30. PMID: 18854200.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18854200/
73. Nicolas C. Nicolaides, Alexandros N. Vgontzas, Ilia Kritikou, George ChrousosKenneth R Feingold, Bradley Anawalt, Alison Boyce, George Chrousos, Wouter W de Herder, Ketan Dhatariya, Kathleen Dungan, Jerome M Hershman, Johannes Hofland, Sanjay Kalra, Gregory Kaltsas, Christian Koch, Peter Kopp, Márta Korbonits, Christopher S Kovacs, Wendy Kuohung, Blandine Laferrère, Miles Levy, Elizabeth A McGee, Robert McLachlan, John E Morley, Maria New, Jonathan Purnell, Rakesh Sahay, Frederick Singer, Mark A Sperling, Constantine A Stratakis, Dace L Trence, Don P Wilson, "HPA Axis and Sleep", In: Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000.2020 Nov 24. PMID: 25905298 Bookshelf ID: NBK279071. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25905298/
74. Bhattacharya SK, Bhattacharya A, Sairam K, Ghosal S., "Anxiolytic-antidepressant activity of Withania somnifera glycowithanolides: an experimental study", Phytomedicine. 2000 Dec;7(6):463-9. doi: 10.1016/S0944-7113(00)80030-6. PMID: 11194174.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11194174/
75. Gopal S, Ajgaonkar A, Kanchi P, Kaundinya A, Thakare V, Chauhan S, Langade D., "Effect of an ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) root extract on climacteric symptoms in women during perimenopause: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study", J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2021 Dec;47(12):4414-4425. doi: 10.1111/jog.15030. Epub 2021 Sep 22. PMID: 34553463.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34553463/
76. Chandrasekhar K, Kapoor J, Anishetty S., "A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults.", Indian J Psychol Med. 2012 Jul;34(3):255-62. doi: 10.4103/0253-7176.106022. PMID: 23439798; PMCID: PMC3573577.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23439798/
77. Khedgikar V, Kushwaha P, Gautam J, Verma A, Changkija B, Kumar A, Sharma S, Nagar GK, Singh D, Trivedi PK, Sangwan NS, Mishra PR, Trivedi R., "Withaferin A: a proteasomal inhibitor promotes healing after injury and exerts anabolic effect on osteoporotic bone", Cell Death Dis. 2013 Aug 22;4(8):e778. doi: 10.1038/cddis.2013.294. PMID: 23969857; PMCID: PMC3763455.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23969857/
78. Sandi C., "Stress and cognition", Wiley Interdiscip Rev Cogn Sci. 2013 May;4(3):245-261. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1222. Epub 2013 Jan 22. PMID: 26304203.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26304203/
79. Killgore WD., "Effects of sleep deprivation on cognition", Prog Brain Res. 2010;185:105-29. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-53702-7.00007-5. PMID: 21075236.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21075236/
80. Ali SA, Begum T, Reza F., "Hormonal Influences on Cognitive Function", Malays J Med Sci. 2018 Jul;25(4):31-41. doi: 10.21315/mjms2018.25.4.3. Epub 2018 Aug 30. PMID: 30914845; PMCID: PMC6422548.. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6422548/
81. Choudhary D, Bhattacharyya S, Bose S., "Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) Root Extract in Improving Memory and Cognitive Functions", J Diet Suppl. 2017 Nov 2;14(6):599-612. doi: 10.1080/19390211.2017.1284970. Epub 2017 Feb 21. PMID: 28471731.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28471731/
82. Dar NJ, MuzamilAhmad., "Neurodegenerative diseases and Withania somnifera (L.): An update.", J Ethnopharmacol. 2020 Jun 28;256:112769. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.112769. Epub 2020 Mar 30. PMID: 32240781.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32240781/
83. Bonilla DA, Moreno Y, Gho C, Petro JL, Odriozola-Martínez A, Kreider RB., "Effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) on Physical Performance: Systematic Review and Bayesian Meta-Analysis", J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2021 Feb 11;6(1):20. doi: 10.3390/jfmk6010020. PMID: 33670194; PMCID: PMC8006238.. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8006238/
84. GRAHAM BINDER, "Researchers with the College of AGNR study nutrient-packed microgreens", College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, September 6, 2012. https://agnr.umd.edu/news/mighty-microgreens
85. GAO, "While Levels in Clothing Generally Appear to Be Low,Allergic Contact Dermatitis Is a Health Issue for SomePeople", United States Government Accountability Office, Report to Congressional Committees, August 2010. https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-10-875.pdf
86. Dongre S, Langade D, Bhattacharyya S., "Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Root Extract in Improving Sexual Function in Women: A Pilot Study.", Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:284154. doi: 10.1155/2015/284154. Epub 2015 Oct 4. PMID: 26504795; PMCID: PMC4609357.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26504795/
87. Chauhan, S, Srivastava, MK, Pathak, AK., "Effect of standardized root extract of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) on well-being and sexual performance in adult males: a randomized controlled trial", Health Sci Rep. 2022; 5:e741. doi:10.1002/hsr2.741. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hsr2.741
88. Langade D, Thakare V, Kanchi S, Kelgane S., "Clinical evaluation of the pharmacological impact of ashwagandha root extract on sleep in healthy volunteers and insomnia patients: A double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study", J Ethnopharmacol. 2021 Jan 10;264:113276. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.113276. Epub 2020 Aug 17. PMID: 32818573.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32818573/
89. Abhijit Deshpande, Nushafreen Irani, Ratna Balkrishnan, Irin Rosanna Benny,, "A randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study to evaluate the effects of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on sleep quality in healthy adults,", Sleep Medicine,Volume 72,2020,Pages 28-36,ISSN 1389-9457,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2020.03.012.. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1389945720301246
90. Bhattacharya SK, Bhattacharya A, Sairam K, Ghosal S, "Anxiolytic-antidepressant activity of Withania somnifera glycowithanolides: an experimental study", Phytomedicine. 2000 Dec;7(6):463-9. doi: 10.1016/S0944-7113(00)80030-6. PMID: 11194174.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11194174/
91. Rashad, N.M., Samir, G.M., "Prevalence, risks, and comorbidity of thyroid dysfunction: a cross-sectional epidemiological study", Egypt J Intern Med 31, 635–641 (2019). https://doi.org/10.4103/ejim.ejim_22_19. https://ejim.springeropen.com/articles/10.4103/ejim.ejim_22_19
92. Durg S, Bavage S, Shivaram SB, "Withania somnifera (Indian ginseng) in diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis of scientific evidence from experimental research to clinical application", Phytother Res. 2020 May;34(5):1041-1059. doi: 10.1002/ptr.6589. Epub 2020 Jan 23. PMID: 31975514.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31975514/
93. ASRM, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, "In approximately 40 percent of infertile couples, the male partner is either the sole cause or a contributing cause of infertility", Reproductivefacts.org/resources/infographic-gallery. https://www.reproductivefacts.org/resources/infographic-gallery/images/in-approximately-40-percent-of-infertile-couples-the-male-partner-is-either-the-sole-cause-or-a-contributing-cause-of-infertility/
94. Tiwari S, Gupta SK, Pathak AK, "A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial on the effect of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera dunal.) root extract in improving cardiorespiratory endurance and recovery in healthy athletic adults", J Ethnopharmacol. 2021 May 23;272:113929. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.113929. Epub 2021 Feb 15. PMID: 33600918.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33600918/
95. Chandrasekhar K, Kapoor J, Anishetty S, "A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults", Indian J Psychol Med. 2012 Jul;34(3):255-62. doi: 10.4103/0253-7176.106022. PMID: 23439798; PMCID: PMC3573577. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23439798/
96. Mirjalili MH, Moyano E, Bonfill M, Cusido RM, Palazón J, "Steroidal lactones from Withania somnifera, an ancient plant for novel medicine", Molecules. 2009 Jul 3;14(7):2373-93. doi: 10.3390/molecules14072373. PMID: 19633611; PMCID: PMC6255378. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19633611/
97. Carnegie Mellon University, "Stress Contributes To Range Of Chronic Diseases, Review Shows", ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 10 October 2007. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071009164122.htm
98. Bremner JD, "Does stress damage the brain?", Biol Psychiatry. 1999 Apr 1;45(7):797-805. doi: 10.1016/s0006-3223(99)00009-8. PMID: 10202566. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10202566/
99. Kalmbach DA, Anderson JR, Drake CL, "The impact of stress on sleep: Pathogenic sleep reactivity as a vulnerability to insomnia and circadian disorders", J Sleep Res. 2018 Dec;27(6):e12710. doi: 10.1111/jsr.12710. Epub 2018 May 24. PMID: 29797753; PMCID: PMC7045300. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7045300/
100. National Institutes of Health, "Poor Sleep Linked With Higher Blood Sugar", newsinhealth.nih.gov/Health Capsule/ July 2022. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2020/07/poor-sleep-linked-higher-blood-sugar
101. Winston D, Maimes S, "Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief", Rochester: Inner Traditions/Bear & Co. Vol. 48. Rochester: Inner Traditions/Bear & Co; 2007; p. 53. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6979308/#REF8
102. Bhatnagar M, Sharma D, Salvi M, "Neuroprotective effects of Withania somnifera dunal.: A possible mechanism", Neurochem Res. 2009 Nov;34(11):1975-83. doi: 10.1007/s11064-009-9987-7. Epub 2009 May 15. PMID: 19444606. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19444606/
103. Salve J, Pate S, Debnath K, Langade D, "Adaptogenic and Anxiolytic Effects of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Healthy Adults: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Clinical Study", Cureus. 2019 Dec 25;11(12):e6466. doi: 10.7759/cureus.6466. PMID: 32021735; PMCID: PMC6979308. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6979308/
104. Gopukumar, K.Thanawala, S. Somepalli, V. Rao Sathyanaryana, T. S. Thamatam, V.B. Chauhan, S., "Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha Root Extract on Cognitive Functions in Healthy, Stressed Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study", Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine/Volume 2021/Article ID 8254344. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2021/8254344/
105. Choudhary D, Bhattacharyya S, Bose S., "Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) Root Extract in Improving Memory and Cognitive Functions", J Diet Suppl. 2017 Nov 2;14(6):599-612. doi: 10.1080/19390211.2017.1284970. Epub 2017 Feb 21. PMID: 28471731. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28471731/
106. Dar NJ, MuzamilAhmad, "Neurodegenerative diseases and Withania somnifera (L.): An update", J Ethnopharmacol. 2020 Jun 28;256:112769. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.112769. Epub 2020 Mar 30. PMID: 32240781. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32240781/
107. LULU XIE, HONGYI KANG, QIWU XU, MICHAEL J. CHEN, YONGHONG LIAO, MEENAKSHISUNDARAM THIYAGARAJAN, JOHN O’DONNELL, DANIEL J. CHRISTENSEN, CHARLES NICHOLSON, JEFFREY J. ILIFF, TAKAHIRO TAKANO, RASHID DEANE, AND MAIKEN NEDERGAARD, "Sleep Drives Metabolite Clearance from the Adult Brain", SCIENCE18 Oct 2013Vol 342, Issue 6156pp. 373-377DOI: 10.1126/science.1241224. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1241224
108. Bhatnagar M, Sharma D, Salvi M, "Neuroprotective effects of Withania somnifera dunal.: A possible mechanism", Neurochem Res. 2009 Nov;34(11):1975-83. doi: 10.1007/s11064-009-9987-7. Epub 2009 May 15. PMID: 19444606. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19444606/
109. Baker C, Kirby JB, O'Connor J, Lindsay KG, Hutchins A, Harris M, "The Perceived Impact of Ashwagandha on Stress, Sleep Quality, Energy, and Mental Clarity for College Students: Qualitative Analysis of a Double-Blind Randomized Control Trial", J Med Food. 2022 Aug 18. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2022.0042. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35984870. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35984870/
110. Nayely Leyva-López, et al, "Essential Oils of Oregano: Biological Activity beyond Their Antimicrobial Properties", https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6152729/
111. S. Santoya et al, "Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of compounds with antimicrobial activity from Origanum vulgare L.: determination of optimal extraction parameters", https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16496578/
112. Snigdha Sacena et al, "Evaluation of Systemic Oxidative Stress in Patients with Premature Canities and Correlation of Severity of Hair Graying with the Degree of Redox Imbalance", https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32549695/
113. Yunes Panahi et al, "Rosemary oil vs minoxidil 2% for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a randomized comparative trial", https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25842469/
114. Stephen C Barker & Phillip M Altman, "An ex vivo, assessor blind, randomised, parallel group, comparative efficacy trial of the ovicidal activity of three pediculicides after a single application - melaleuca oil and lavender oil, eucalyptus oil and lemon tea tree oil, and a "suffocation" pediculicide", https://bmcdermatol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-5945-11-14
115. C Hay et al, "Randomized trial of aromatherapy. Successful treatment for alopecia areata", https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9828867/
116. "Synaptic Pruning", https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/veterinary-science-and-veterinary-medicine/synaptic-pruning
117. CeJpeK, K, "“Antioxidant Activity in Variously Prepared Elderberry Foods and Supplements.”", Czech J. Food Sci. Vol. 27, 2009, Special Issue. https://www.agriculturejournals.cz/publicFiles/07578.pdf
118. Porter RS, Bode RF, "A Review of the Antiviral Properties of Black Elder (Sambucus nigra L.) Products", Phytother Res. 2017 Apr;31(4):533-554. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5782. Epub 2017 Feb 15. PMID: 28198157..
119. Deepak Langade, Subodh Kanchi, Jaising Salve, Khokan Debnath, and Dhruv Ambegaokar, "Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Root Extract in Insomnia and Anxiety: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Study", Cureus. 2019 Sep; 11(9): e5797. Published online 2019 Sep 28. doi: 10.7759/cureus.5797PMCID: PMC6827862PMID: 31728244. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6827862/
120. Mohammad Hossein Mirjalili, Elisabeth Moyano, Mercedes Bonfill, Rosa M Cusido, Javier Palazón, "Steroidal lactones from Withania somnifera, an ancient plant for novel medicine", Molecules. 2009 Jul 3;14(7):2373-93. doi: 10.3390/molecules14072373.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19633611/
121. Deepak Langade, Subodh Kanchi, Jaising Salve, Khokan Debnath, Dhruv Ambegaokar, "Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Root Extract in Insomnia and Anxiety: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Study", Cureus. 2019 Sep 28;11(9):e5797. doi: 10.7759/cureus.5797.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31728244/
122. Biswajit Auddy, PhD1; Jayaram Hazra, PhD2; Achintya Mitra, MD2;Bruce Abedon, PhD3; Shibnath Ghosal, PhD1, "A Standardized Withania Somnifera Extract Significantly Reduces Stress-Related Parameters in Chronically Stressed Humans: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study", JANA Vol 11, No.1 2008. https://blog.priceplow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/withania_review.pdf
123. K Chandrasekhar, Jyoti Kapoor, Sridhar Anishetty, "A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults", Indian J Psychol Med. 2012 Jul;34(3):255-62. doi: 10.4103/0253-7176.106022.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23439798/
124. Deepak Langade, Vaishali Thakare, Subodh Kanchi, Sunil Kelgane, "Clinical evaluation of the pharmacological impact of ashwagandha root extract on sleep in healthy volunteers and insomnia patients: A double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study", Randomized Controlled Trial J Ethnopharmacol. 2021 Jan 10;264:113276.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32818573/
125. Abhijit Deshpandea, Nushafreen Irania, Ratna BalkrishnanaIrin, Rosanna Bennyb, "A randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study to evaluate the effects of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on sleep quality in healthy adults", Sleep Medicine Volume 72, August 2020, Pages 28-36. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1389945720301246
126. Mahesh K. Kaushik ,Sunil C. Kaul, Renu Wadhwa,Masashi Yanagisawa, Yoshihiro Urade, "Triethylene glycol, an active component of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) leaves, is responsible for sleep induction", Published: February 16, 2017https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0172508. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0172508
127. Mahesh K. Kaushik ,Sunil C. Kaul, Renu Wadhwa,Masashi Yanagisawa, Yoshihiro Urade, "Triethylene glycol, an active component of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) leaves, is responsible for sleep induction", Published: February 16, 2017https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0172508. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0172508
128. Adrian L. Lopresti, PhD,a,b,∗ Stephen J. Smith, MA,a,b Hakeemudin Malvi, MBBS, MD,c and Rahul Kodgule, MBBSd, "An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract", Medicine (Baltimore). 2019 Sep; 98(37): e17186. Published online 2019 Sep 13. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000017186. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6750292/#R20
129. Adrian L. Lopresti, PhD,a,b,∗ Stephen J. Smith, MA,a,b Hakeemudin Malvi, MBBS, MD,c and Rahul Kodgule, MBBSd, "An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract", Medicine (Baltimore). 2019 Sep; 98(37): e17186. Published online 2019 Sep 13. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000017186. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6750292/#R18
130. Nicolas C. Nicolaides, Alexandros N. Vgontzas, Ilia Kritikou, George ChrousosKenneth R Feingold, Bradley Anawalt, Alison Boyce, George Chrousos, Wouter W de Herder, Ketan Dhatariya, Kathleen Dungan, Jerome M Hershman, Johannes Hofland, Sanjay Kalra, Gregory Kaltsas, Christian Koch, Peter Kopp, Márta Korbonits, Christopher S Kovacs, Wendy Kuohung, Blandine Laferrère, Miles Levy, Elizabeth A McGee, Robert McLachlan, John E Morley, Maria New, Jonathan Purnell, Rakesh Sahay, Frederick Singer, Mark A Sperling, Constantine A Stratakis, Dace L Tren, Don P Wilson, editors., "HPA Axis and Sleep", In: Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000. 2020 Nov 24.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25905298/
131. Eva Fries, Lucia Dettenborn, Clemens Kirschbaum, "The cortisol awakening response (CAR): facts and future directions", Int J Psychophysiol. 2009 Apr;72(1):67-73. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2008.03.014. Epub 2008 Sep 30.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18854200/
132. Nicolas C. Nicolaides, Alexandros N. Vgontzas, Ilia Kritikou, George ChrousosKenneth R Feingold, Bradley Anawalt, Alison Boyce, George Chrousos, Wouter W de Herder, Ketan Dhatariya, Kathleen Dungan, Jerome M Hershman, Johannes Hofland, Sanjay Kalra, Gregory Kaltsas, Christian Koch, Peter Kopp, Márta Korbonits, Christopher S Kovacs, Wendy Kuohung, Blandine Laferrère, Miles Levy, Elizabeth A McGee, Robert McLachlan, John E Morley, Maria New, Jonathan Purnell, Rakesh Sahay, Frederick Singer, Mark A Sperling, Constantine A Stratakis, Dace L Tren, Don P Wilson, editors., "HPA Axis and Sleep", In: Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000.2020 Nov 24.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25905298/
133. Al Sunni A, Latif R., "Effects of chocolate intake on Perceived Stress; a Controlled Clinical Study", Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2014 Oct;8(4):393-401. PMID: 25780358; PMCID: PMC4350893.. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4350893/
134. Steptoe A, Gibson EL, Vuononvirta R, Williams ED, Hamer M, Rycroft JA, Erusalimsky JD, Wardle J., "The effects of tea on psychophysiological stress responsivity and post-stress recovery: a randomised double-blind trial", Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2007 Jan;190(1):81-9. doi: 10.1007/s00213-006-0573-2. Epub 2006 Sep 30. PMID: 17013636. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17013636/
135. "Calm Kit", https://www.gaiaherbs.com/products/calm-kit
136. Hussain J, Cohen M., "Clinical Effects of Regular Dry Sauna Bathing: A Systematic Review", Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2018 Apr 24;2018:1857413. doi: 10.1155/2018/1857413. PMID: 29849692; PMCID: PMC5941775.. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5941775/
137. Statista Research Department, "Digital device addiction among users in the United States as of September 2022, by stress level", https://www.statista.com. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1343810/us-users-addiction-digital-devices-by-stress-level/
138. Singh KV, Gautam R, Meena R, Nirala JP, Jha SK, Rajamani P., "Effect of mobile phone radiation on oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and contextual fear memory in Wistar rat", Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2020 Jun;27(16):19340-19351. doi: 10.1007/s11356-020-07916-z. Epub 2020 Mar 24. PMID: 32212071.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32212071/
139. Eric Suni, "Technology in the Bedroom", https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/technology-in-the-bedroom
140. Barton J, Rogerson M, "The importance of greenspace for mental health", BJPsych Int. 2017 Nov 1;14(4):79-81. doi: 10.1192/s2056474000002051. PMID: 29093955; PMCID: PMC5663018.. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5663018/
141. Lee MS, Lee J, Park BJ, Miyazaki Y., "Interaction with indoor plants may reduce psychological and physiological stress by suppressing autonomic nervous system activity in young adults: a randomized crossover study", J Physiol Anthropol. 2015 Apr 28;34(1):21. doi: 10.1186/s40101-015-0060-8. PMID: 25928639; PMCID: PMC4419447.. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4419447/
142. Alexander Panossian, Georg Wikman, "Effects of Adaptogens on the Central Nervous System and the Molecular Mechanisms Associated with Their Stress—Protective Activity", Pharmaceuticals 2010, 3(1), 188-224; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph3010188. https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/3/1/188
143. Mirjalili MH, Moyano E, Bonfill M, Cusido RM, Palazón J., "Steroidal lactones from Withania somnifera, an ancient plant for novel medicine.", Molecules. 2009 Jul 3;14(7):2373-93. doi: 10.3390/molecules14072373. PMID: 19633611; PMCID: PMC6255378.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19633611/
144. Sanjaya Chauhan,Manoj K. Srivastava,Anklesh K. Pathak, "Effect of standardized root extract of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) on well-being and sexual performance in adult males: A randomized controlled trial", 20 July 2022 https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.741. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hsr2.741
145. UT News, "Stress Hormone Blocks Testosterone’s Effects, Study Shows", The University of Texas at Austin. https://news.utexas.edu/2010/09/27/stress-hormone-blocks-testosterones-effects-study-shows/
146. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Data and Statistics", cdc.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data_statistics.html
147. Krishnan V, Collop NA, "Gender differences in sleep disorders", Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2006 Nov;12(6):383-9. doi: 10.1097/01.mcp.0000245705.69440.6a. PMID: 17053485.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17053485/
148. Office of Communications, "How does inadequate sleep affect health?", National Institutes of Health. nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/sleep/conditioninfo/inadequate-sleep#
149. Gorelick J, Rosenberg R, Smotrich A, Hanuš L, Bernstein N., "Hypoglycemic activity of withanolides and elicitated Withania somnifera", Phytochemistry. 2015 Aug;116:283-289. doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2015.02.029. Epub 2015 Mar 18. PMID: 25796090.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25796090/
150. Ambiye VR, Langade D, Dongre S, Aptikar P, Kulkarni M, Dongre A, "Clinical Evaluation of the Spermatogenic Activity of the Root Extract of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in Oligospermic Males: A Pilot Study.", Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:571420. doi: 10.1155/2013/571420. Epub 2013 Nov 28. PMID: 24371462; PMCID: PMC3863556.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24371462/
151. Lopresti AL, Drummond PD, Smith SJ., "A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study Examining the Hormonal and Vitality Effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in Aging, Overweight Males", American Journal of Men’s Health. 2019;13(2). doi:10.1177/1557988319835985. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1557988319835985
152. American Psychological Association, "Stress in America", APA.org. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2022/march-2022-survival-mode
153. Aviva USA, "Aviva survey finds financial situation is top stressor for men and links stress levels to weight gain", https://www.aviva.com/newsroom/news-releases/2012/06/usa-aviva-survey-finds-financial-situation-is-top-stressor-for-men-and-links-stress-levels-to-weight-gain-16940/
154. Maes MF, van Baar HM, van Ginkel CJ., "Occupational allergic contact dermatitis from the mushroom White Pom Pom (Hericium erinaceum)", Contact Dermatitis. 1999 May;40(5):289-90. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0536.1999.tb06073.x. PMID: 10344494.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10344494/
155. Nakatsugawa M, Takahashi H, Takezawa C, Nakajima K, Harada K, Sugawara Y, Kobayashi S, Kondo T, Abe S, "Hericium erinaceum (yamabush*take) extract-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome monitored by serum surfactant proteins", Intern Med. 2003 Dec;42(12):1219-22. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.42.1219. PMID: 14714963.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14714963/
156. Lo HC, Hsu TH, Lee CH., "Polysaccharopeptides from Fermented Turkey Tail Medicinal Mushroom, Trametes versicolor (Agaricomycetes), Mitigate Oxidative Stress, Hyperglycemia, and Hyperlipidemia in Rats with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus", Int J Med Mushrooms. 2020;22(5):417-429. doi: 10.1615/IntJMedMushrooms.2020034560. PMID: 32749097. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32749097/
157. Kathy Abascal, B.S., J.D., RH. And Eric Yarnell, N.D. R.H, "A Turkey Tails Polysaccharide as an Immunochemotherapy Agent in Cancer", August 2007. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/244889954_A_Turkey_Tails_Polysaccharide_as_an_Immunochemotherapy_Agent_in_Cancer
158. Dickson, J.M.; Moberly, N.J.; Preece, D.; Dodd, A.; Huntley, C.D, "Self-Regulatory Goal Motivational Processes in Sustained New Year Resolution Pursuit and Mental Wellbeing", Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 3084. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/6/3084
159. Aguiar S, Borowski T, "Neuropharmacological review of the nootropic herb Bacopa monnieri", Rejuvenation Res. 2013 Aug;16(4):313-26. doi: 10.1089/rej.2013.1431. PMID: 23772955; PMCID: PMC3746283.. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746283/
160. Singh SK, Srivastav S, Castellani RJ, Plascencia-Villa G, Perry G., "Neuroprotective and Antioxidant Effect of Ginkgo biloba Extract Against AD and Other Neurological Disorders", Neurotherapeutics. 2019 Jul;16(3):666-674. doi: 10.1007/s13311-019-00767-8. PMID: 31376068; PMCID: PMC6694352. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6694352/
161. Avgerinos KI, Vrysis C, Chaitidis N, Kolotsiou K, Myserlis PG, Kapogiannis D, "Effects of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) on cognitive function. A systematic review of RCTs", Neurol Sci. 2020 Oct;41(10):2747-2754. doi: 10.1007/s10072-020-04427-0. Epub 2020 May 23. PMID: 32445136; PMCID: PMC7484083.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32445136/
162. Scholey A, Gibbs A, Neale C, Perry N, Ossoukhova A, Bilog V, Kras M, Scholz C, Sass M, Buchwald-Werner S, "Anti-stress effects of lemon balm-containing foods", Nutrients. 2014 Oct 30;6(11):4805-21. doi: 10.3390/nu6114805. PMID: 25360512; PMCID: PMC4245564.. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4245564/
163. Tiralongo E, Wee SS, Lea RA, "Elderberry Supplementation Reduces Cold Duration and Symptoms in Air-Travellers: A Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial", Nutrients. 2016 Mar 24;8(4):182. doi: 10.3390/nu8040182. PMID: 27023596; PMCID: PMC4848651.. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4848651/
164. Zakay-Rones Z, Thom E, Wollan T, Wadstein J, "Randomized study of the efficacy and safety of oral elderberry extract in the treatment of influenza A and B virus infections", J Int Med Res. 2004 Mar-Apr;32(2):132-40. doi: 10.1177/147323000403200205. PMID: 15080016.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15080016/
165. Kennedy DO, Little W, Scholey AB, "Attenuation of laboratory-induced stress in humans after acute administration of Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm)", Psychosom Med. 2004 Jul-Aug;66(4):607-13. doi: 10.1097/01.psy.0000132877.72833.71. PMID: 15272110.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15272110/
166. Islam MA, Haque MA, Rahman MA, Hossen F, Reza M, Barua A, Marzan AA, Das T, Kumar Baral S, He C, Ahmed F, Bhattacharya P, Jakariya M, "A Review on Measures to Rejuvenate Immune System: Natural Mode of Protection Against Coronavirus Infection", Front Immunol. 2022 Mar 15;13:837290. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.837290. PMID: 35371007; PMCID: PMC8965011. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8965011/
167. Aubert P, Guinobert I, Blondeau C, Bardot V, Ripoche I, Chalard P, Neunlist M, "Basal and Spasmolytic Effects of a Hydroethanolic Leaf Extract of Melissa officinalis L. on Intestinal Motility: An Ex Vivo Study", J Med Food. 2019 Jul;22(7):653-662. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2018.0154. Epub 2019 Apr 16. PMID: 30990736; PMCID: PMC6653806. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6653806/
168. Soomi Lee, Ph.D, "Naturally Occurring Consecutive Sleep Loss and Day-to-Day Trajectories of Affective and Physical Well-Being", Annals of Behavioral Medicine, Volume 56, Issue 4, April 2022, Pages 393–404. https://academic.oup.com/abm/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/abm/kaab055/6314765?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false
169. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "10 Surprising Things That Can Spike Your Blood Sugar", July 28, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/spotlights/blood-sugar.html
170. Toda K, Hitoe S, Takeda S, Shimizu N, Shimoda H, "Passionflower Extract Induces High-amplitude Rhythms without Phase Shifts in the Expression of Several Circadian Clock Genes in Vitro and in Vivo", Int J Biomed Sci. 2017 Jun;13(2):84-92. PMID: 28824345; PMCID: PMC5542920. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5542920/
171. Hamidpour R, Hamidpour M, Hamidpour S, Shahlari M, "Cinnamon from the selection of traditional applications to its novel effects on the inhibition of angiogenesis in cancer cells and prevention of Alzheimer's disease, and a series of functions such as antioxidant, anticholesterol, antidiabetes, antibacterial, antifungal, nematicidal, acaracidal, and repellent activities", J Tradit Complement Med. 2015 Jan 16;5(2):66-70. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2014.11.008. PMID: 26151013; PMCID: PMC4488098. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4488098/
172. Kirkham S, Akilen R, Sharma S, Tsiami A, "The potential of cinnamon to reduce blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance", Diabetes Obes Metab. 2009 Dec;11(12):1100-13. doi: 10.1111/j.1463-1326.2009.01094.x. PMID: 19930003. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19930003/
173. Warnke PH, Becker ST, Podschun R, Sivananthan S, Springer IN, Russo PA, Wiltfang J, Fickenscher H, Sherry E, "The battle against multi-resistant strains: Renaissance of antimicrobial essential oils as a promising force to fight hospital-acquired infections", J Craniomaxillofac Surg. 2009 Oct;37(7):392-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jcms.2009.03.017. Epub 2009 May 26. PMID: 19473851. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19473851/
174. Whiskey E, Werneke U, Taylor D, "A systematic review and meta-analysis of Hypericum perforatum in depression: a comprehensive clinical review", Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 2001 Sep;16(5):239-52. doi: 10.1097/00004850-200109000-00001. PMID: 11552767. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11552767/
175. Ng QX, Venkatanarayanan N, Ho CY, "Clinical use of Hypericum perforatum (St John's wort) in depression: A meta-analysis", J Affect Disord. 2017 Mar 1;210:211-221. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.12.048. Epub 2017 Jan 3. PMID: 28064110. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28064110/
176. Boersma P, Black LI, Ward BW, "Prevalence of Multiple Chronic Conditions Among US Adults, 2018", Prev Chronic Dis 2020;17:200130. https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2020/20_0130.htm
177. Uchiyama F, Jikyo T, Takeda R, Ogata M, "Lepidium meyenii (Maca) enhances the serum levels of luteinising hormone in female rats", J Ethnopharmacol. 2014 Feb 3;151(2):897-902. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.11.058. Epub 2013 Dec 11. PMID: 24333960.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24333960/
178. Louis GM, Lum KJ, Sundaram R, Chen Z, Kim S, Lynch CD, Schisterman EF, Pyper C., "Stress reduces conception probabilities across the fertile window: evidence in support of relaxation", Fertil Steril. 2011 Jun;95(7):2184-9. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2010.06.078. Epub 2010 Aug 5. PMID: 20688324; PMCID: PMC2975045.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20688324/
179. Rosales-Hartshorn M, "Maca: Botanicalmedicine from the andes", Adv FoodTechnol Nutr Sci Open J. 2015; 1(2):e1-e6. doi: 10.17140/AFTNSOJ-1-e001. https://www.openventio.org/Volume1-Issue2/Maca-Botanical-Medicine-from-the-Andes-AFTNSOJ-1-e001.pdf
180. Cleveland Clinic medical professional, "Thyroid Hormone", 02/15/2022.. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22391-thyroid-hormone
181. Laumann EO, Paik A, Rosen RC., "Sexual dysfunction in the United States: prevalence and predictors", JAMA. 1999 Feb 10;281(6):537-44. doi: 10.1001/jama.281.6.537. Erratum in: JAMA 1999 Apr 7;281(13):1174. PMID: 10022110.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10022110/
182. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Who Often Felt Very Tired or Exhausted in the Past 3 Months,* by Sex and Age Group - National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2010-2011", https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6214a5.htm?s_cid=mm6214a5_w
183. Fernandez-Jimenez MC, Moreno G, Wright I, Shih PC, Vaquero MP, Remacha AF, "Iron Deficiency in Menstruating Adult Women: Much More than Anemia", Womens Health Rep (New Rochelle). 2020 Jan 29;1(1):26-35. doi: 10.1089/whr.2019.0011. PMID: 33786470; PMCID: PMC7784796.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33786470/
184. Zhong Ai, Ai-Fang Cheng, Yuan-Tao Yu, Long-Jiang Yu, and Wenwen Jin., "Antidepressant-Like Behavioral, Anatomical, and Biochemical Effects of Petroleum Ether Extract from Maca (Lepidium meyenii) in Mice Exposed to Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress", Journal of Medicinal Food.May 2014.535-542.. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/jmf.2013.2950
185. Office on Women’s Health, "Stress and your health", February 17, 2021. https://www.womenshealth.gov/mental-health/good-mental-health/stress-and-your-health
186. Facchinetti F, Borella P, Sances G, Fioroni L, Nappi RE, Genazzani AR., "Oral magnesium successfully relieves premenstrual mood changes", Obstet Gynecol. 1991 Aug;78(2):177-81. PMID: 2067759.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2067759/
187. Rocha Filho EA, Lima JC, Pinho Neto JS, Montarroyos U, "Essential fatty acids for premenstrual syndrome and their effect on prolactin and total cholesterol levels: a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study", Reprod Health. 2011 Jan 17;8:2. doi: 10.1186/1742-4755-8-2. PMID: 21241460; PMCID: PMC3033240.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21241460/
188. Lee MS, Shin BC, Yang EJ, Lim HJ, Ernst E, "Maca (Lepidium meyenii) for treatment of menopausal symptoms: A systematic review", Maturitas. 2011 Nov;70(3):227-33. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2011.07.017. Epub 2011 Aug 15. PMID: 21840656. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21840656/
189. Ross K., "Nutritional management of surgically induced menopause: A case report", Womens Health (Lond). 2021 Jan-Dec;17:17455065211031492. doi: 10.1177/17455065211031492. PMID: 34253105; PMCID: PMC8280844.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34253105/
190. Stojanovska L, Law C, Lai B, Chung T, Nelson K, Day S, Apostolopoulos V, Haines C, "Maca reduces blood pressure and depression, in a pilot study in postmenopausal women", Climacteric. 2015 Feb;18(1):69-78. doi: 10.3109/13697137.2014.929649. Epub 2014 Aug 7. PMID: 24931003.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24931003/
191. Endocrine Society, "Menopause and Bone Loss", January 24, 2022. https://www.endocrine.org/patient-engagement/endocrine-library/menopause-and-bone-loss
192. Zhang Y, Yu L, Ao M, Jin W, "Effect of ethanol extract of Lepidium meyenii Walp. on osteoporosis in ovariectomized rat.", J Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Apr 21;105(1-2):274-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2005.12.013. Epub 2006 Feb 8. PMID: 16466876.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16466876/
193. JOUR, Gonzales, C., Cárdenas-Valencia, I.,Leiva-Revilla, J.,Anza-Ramirez, C., Rubio, J.,Gonzales, G.,, "Effects of Different Varieties of Maca (Lepidium meyenii) on Bone Structure in Ovariectomized Rats", VL;17, DO;10.1159/000315214, Forschende Komplementärmedizin (2006). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/45114055_Effects_of_Different_Varieties_of_Maca_Lepidium_meyenii_on_Bone_Structure_in_Ovariectomized_Rats
194. Parker G, Gibson NA, Brotchie H, Heruc G, Rees AM, Hadzi-Pavlovic D, "Omega-3 fatty acids and mood disorders", Am J Psychiatry. 2006 Jun;163(6):969-78. doi: 10.1176/ajp.2006.163.6.969. Erratum in: Am J Psychiatry. 2006 Oct;163(10):1842. PMID: 16741195.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16741195/
195. Perera G, Hay R., "A guide to antibiotic resistance in bacterial skin infections.", J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2005 Sep;19(5):531-45. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-3083.2005.01296.x. PMID: 16164705.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16164705/
196. Lombrea A, Antal D, Ardelean F, Avram S, Pavel IZ, Vlaia L, Mut AM, Diaconeasa Z, Dehelean CA, Soica C, Danciu C, "A Recent Insight Regarding the Phytochemistry and Bioactivity of Origanum vulgare L. Essential Oil.", Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Dec 17;21(24):9653. doi: 10.3390/ijms21249653. PMID: 33348921; PMCID: PMC7765853.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33348921/
197. Ragi J, Pappert A, Rao B, Havkin-Frenkel D, Milgraum S, "Oregano extract ointment for wound healing: a randomized, double-blind, petrolatum-controlled study evaluating efficacy", J Drugs Dermatol. 2011 Oct;10(10):1168-72. PMID: 21968667.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21968667/
198. Taleb MH, Abdeltawab NF, Shamma RN, Abdelgayed SS, Mohamed SS, Farag MA, Ramadan MA, "Origanum vulgare L. Essential Oil as a Potential Anti-Acne Topical Nanoemulsion-In Vitro and In Vivo Study", Molecules. 2018 Aug 28;23(9):2164. doi: 10.3390/molecules23092164. PMID: 30154336; PMCID: PMC6225355. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30154336/
199. Shinjyo N, Waddell G, Green J., "Valerian Root in Treating Sleep Problems and Associated Disorders-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis", J Evid Based Integr Med. 2020 Jan-Dec;25:2515690X20967323. doi: 10.1177/2515690X20967323. PMID: 33086877; PMCID: PMC7585905.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33086877/
200. National Institute of Mental Health, "Anxiety Disorders", April 2022. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders
201. Joseph DN, Whirledge S, "Stress and the HPA Axis: Balancing Homeostasis and Fertility", Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Oct 24;18(10):2224. doi: 10.3390/ijms18102224. PMID: 29064426; PMCID: PMC5666903. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5666903/
202. Bhatnagar M, Sharma D, Salvi M, "Neuroprotective effects of Withania somnifera dunal.: A possible mechanism", Neurochem Res. 2009 Nov;34(11):1975-83. doi: 10.1007/s11064-009-9987-7. Epub 2009 May 15. PMID: 19444606. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19444606/
203. Ittermann T, Völzke H, Baumeister SE, Appel K, Grabe HJ, "Diagnosed thyroid disorders are associated with depression and anxiety", Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2015 Sep;50(9):1417-25. doi: 10.1007/s00127-015-1043-0. Epub 2015 Mar 17. PMID: 25777685. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25777685/
204. Sait Gönen M, Kisakol G, Savas Cilli A, Dikbas O, Gungor K, Inal A, Kaya A, "Assessment of anxiety in subclinical thyroid disorders", Endocr J. 2004 Jun;51(3):311-5. doi: 10.1507/endocrj.51.311. PMID: 15256776.. Endocr J. 2004 Jun;51(3):311-5. doi: 10.1507/endocrj.51.311. PMID: 15256776.
205. Rashad, N.M., Samir, G.M., "Prevalence, risks, and comorbidity of thyroid dysfunction: a cross-sectional epidemiological study.", Egypt J Intern Med 31, 635–641 (2019). https://ejim.springeropen.com/articles/10.4103/ejim.ejim_22_19
206. Hanson JA, Huecker MR., "Sleep Deprivation", [Updated 2022 Sep 9]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from:. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547676/
207. Cohen PA, Benner C, McCormick D, "Use of a pharmaceutically adulterated dietary supplement, Pai You Guo, among Brazilian-born women in the United States", J Gen Intern Med. 2012 Jan;27(1):51-6. doi: 10.1007/s11606-011-1828-0. Epub 2011 Aug 16. PMID: 21845487; PMCID: PMC3250540. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3250540/
208. Jesse Hirsch, "Arsenic, Lead Found in Popular Protein Supplements", March 12, 2018. https://www.consumerreports.org/dietary-supplements/heavy-metals-in-protein-supplements/
209. Gérard P, "Gut microbiota and obesity", Cell Mol Life Sci. 2016 Jan;73(1):147-62. doi: 10.1007/s00018-015-2061-5. Epub 2015 Oct 12. PMID: 26459447.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26459447/
210. Kalra A, Yetiskul E, Wehrle CJ, Tuma F, "Physiology, Liver", 2022 May 8. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan–. PMID: 30571059. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30571059/
211. National Library of Medicine, "How does the liver work?", August 22, 2016, Bookshelf ID: NBK279393. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279393/
212. Cleveland Clinic, "Metabolism", 800.223.2273, 08/30/2021. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21893-metabolism
213. David O. Norris, "Endocrine system", Health & Medicine, Anatomy & Physiology, Nov 16, 202. https://www.britannica.com/science/endocrine-system/Other-vertebrate-endocrine-glands
214. Tomiyama AJ, "Stress and Obesity", Annu Rev Psychol. 2019 Jan 4;70:703-718. doi: 10.1146/annurev-psych-010418-102936. Epub 2018 Jun 21. PMID: 29927688.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29927688/
215. Joseph DN, Whirledge S., "Stress and the HPA Axis: Balancing Homeostasis and Fertility", Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Oct 24;18(10):2224. doi: 10.3390/ijms18102224. PMID: 29064426; PMCID: PMC5666903.. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5666903/
216. Zhu, H.,Xu, W.,Wang, N.,Jiang, W.,Cheng, Y.,Guo, Y.,Yao, W.,Hu, B.,Du, P.,Qian, H, "Anti-fatigue effect of Lepidium meyenii Walp. (Maca) on preventing mitochondria-mediated muscle damage and oxidative stress in vivo and vitro", Food Funct., 2021,12, 3132-3141. https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2021/fo/d1fo00383f/unauth
217. Lee MS, Shin BC, Yang EJ, Lim HJ, Ernst E., "Maca (Lepidium meyenii) for treatment of menopausal symptoms: A systematic review", Maturitas. 2011 Nov;70(3):227-33. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2011.07.017. Epub 2011 Aug 15. PMID: 21840656.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21840656/
218. Stojanovska L, Law C, Lai B, Chung T, Nelson K, Day S, Apostolopoulos V, Haines C, "Maca reduces blood pressure and depression, in a pilot study in postmenopausal women", Climacteric. 2015 Feb;18(1):69-78. doi: 10.3109/13697137.2014.929649. Epub 2014 Aug 7. PMID: 24931003. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24931003/
219. Brooks NA, Wilcox G, Walker KZ, Ashton JF, Cox MB, Stojanovska L., "Beneficial effects of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on psychological symptoms and measures of sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women are not related to estrogen or androgen content", Menopause. 2008 Nov-Dec;15(6):1157-62. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e3181732953. PMID: 18784609.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18784609/
220. Canbay A, Bechmann L, Gerken G, "Lipid metabolism in the liver", Z Gastroenterol. 2007 Jan;45(1):35-41. doi: 10.1055/s-2006-927368. PMID: 17236119.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17236119/
221. "Metabolic Functions of the Liver", http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/digestion/liver/metabolic.html
222. Monteiro MP, Batterham RL, "The Importance of the Gastrointestinal Tract in Controlling Food Intake and Regulating Energy Balance", Gastroenterology. 2017 May;152(7):1707-1717.e2. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2017.01.053. Epub 2017 Feb 11. PMID: 28193513. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28193513/
223. Gérard P, "Gut microbiota and obesity", Cell Mol Life Sci. 2016 Jan;73(1):147-62. doi: 10.1007/s00018-015-2061-5. Epub 2015 Oct 12. PMID: 26459447.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26459447/
224. John GK, Mullin GE, "The Gut Microbiome and Obesity", Curr Oncol Rep. 2016 Jul;18(7):45. doi: 10.1007/s11912-016-0528-7. PMID: 27255389. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27255389/
225. FoodSafety, "The Threat of Dietary Supplements Containing Dangerously High Levels of Extremely Concentrated or Pure Caffeine", https://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/threat-dietary-supplements-containing-dangerously-high-levels-extremely-concentrated-or-pure
226. Leigh Ann Anderson, PharmD, "Side Effects of Weight Loss Drugs (Diet Pills)", Articles, Weight Loss, June 22, 2021. https://www.drugs.com/article/side-effects-weight-loss-drugs.html