Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36235587›Full record

ReviewNutrients2022

Is Melatonin the "Next Vitamin D"?: A Review of Emerging Science, Clinical Uses, Safety, and Dietary Supplements.

Deanna M Minich, Melanie Henning, Catherine Darley, Mona Fahoum, Corey B Schuler, James Frame

Open access · goldAbstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Nutrients, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 82 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
82citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
20.4field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

82 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 151 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Non-Invasive Imaging for the Evaluation of a New Oral Supplement in Skin Aging: A Case-Controlled Study.Skin research and technology : official journal of International Society for Bioengineering and the Skin (ISBS) [and] International Society for Digital Imaging of Skin (ISDIS) [and] International Society for Skin Imaging (ISSI)
    Trial
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. The interplay of circadian rhythms and cancer pain: a narrative review.Journal of anesthesia, analgesia and critical care · 2026
    Review
  16. Review
  17. Article
  18. DietaryAnimal nutrition (Zhongguo xu mu shou yi xue hui) · 2026
    Article
  19. Review
  20. Review

22 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Deanna M MinichDepartment of Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine, University of Western States, Portland, OR 97213, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-1103-8982
Melanie HenningDepartment of Sports and Performance Psychology, University of the Rockies, Denver, CO 80202, USA.
Catherine DarleyCollege of Naturopathic Medicine, National University of Natural Medicine, Portland, OR 97201, USA.
Mona FahoumSchool of Naturopathic Medicine, Bastyr University, Kenmore, WA 98028, USA.
Corey B SchulerSchool of Nutrition, Sonoran University of Health Sciences, Tempe, AZ 85282, USA.
James FrameNatural Health International Pty., Ltd., Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia.
Bastyr University · USNational University of Natural Medicine · USUniversity of Western States · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

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.

Indexed as

COVID-19MelatoninAnimalsAntioxidantsCircadian RhythmDietary SupplementsHumansPandemicsVitamin DVitaminsAntioxidantsMelatoninVitamin DVitaminsantioxidantblue lightchronobioticchrononutritioncircadian rhythmdarkness deficiencymelatoninphytomelatoninsleepvitamin D

Identifiers

PMID36235587
PMCPMC9571539
OpenAlexW4296829676

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.