New to me: Myeloperoxidase (MPO) as a Biomarker. I learnt this from watching a new YouTube video from Nick Norwitz, MD, Phd.
“Myeloperoxidase (MPO) as a Biomarker:
Elevated MPO levels in the blood are increasingly recognized as a biomarker of inflammation and oxidative stress, particularly in cardiovascular risk assessment.”
"In summary, MPO is a double-edged sword of the immune system, crucial for defense but capable of causing significant damage. Melatonin, through its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, appears to be a natural guardian against the harmful aspects of MPO activity, highlighting its broader protective roles in health and disease beyond just sleep"
Moreover, reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde formation were decreased in the testis compared to the depakine-treated rats, indicating improvement in the redox status in the testis. The improvement of redox balance caused a remarkable regression of apoptotic regulating proteins (Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3) in the testis and downregulated inflammatory cytokines and chemokines (NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-6, ICAM-1, and MCP-1), indicating protection of spermatogenic cell viability.
The combination treatment with MLT and depakine sustained male reproductive status, which can be attributable to the integrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties of MLT.
We found that 1 mM and 4 mM melatonin doses significantly increased Drosophila locomotor activity. Melatonin at a high concentration (4 mM) exhibited a protective effect to reduce mortality in Drosophila.
We discovered 20 biologically relevant metabolites altered by melatonin, including key perturbations in arginine biosynthesis, alanine/aspartate/glutamate metabolism, and pyrimidine pathways. Notably, melatonin upregulated glutamine, a potential indicator of enhanced neurotransmitter synthesis and broadly modulated amino acid and nucleotide metabolism, suggesting dual roles in neuroprotection and energy homeostasis.
One uncertain issue that I may aim to resolve is the pharmacodynamics of doses over 1g of melatonin in Homo Sapiens. There is a multicompartmental approach as melatonin can get everywhere quite quickly. Hence the usual half life does not necessarily apply.
To partially resolve this I would need to take a large dose of melatonin then measure serum every half hour or so.
I was looking to add products to my melatonin ‘wardrobe’ last night, and while finding a Solaray brand melatonin that also contains glycine, I noticed they have another option that contains ‘Somato’. It’s melatonin from tomatoes, sourced from Nutraland.
I’ve heard Solaray is a high quality brand, thus I’m intrigued. Google says it works as well and there is potential for it to be absorbed better (I doubt it but who knows).
Any thoughts on if this might have any advantages?
Perhaps it’s just a brilliant way to sell melatonin in markets where melatonin is not allowed, as this is a food
Their 10mg melatonin option with glycine (not the Somato) is extended release. That seems interesting, but then I got paralysis by analysis due to the fact I take taurine at night and many people say don’t take glycine within 4 hours of taurine. Anyone have thoughts on this one?
I’m not sure about the glycine and taurine issue but I have taken that formula before and really liked it. I may go back to it when I need to reorder.
Edit: the 10mg extended release version with glycine.
I know you can get natural melatonin from tart cherry. I experimented with tart cherry juice and honestly it made me quite sleepy. I’ve got a bottle of carbonated grape/cherry juice in the fridge I’m looking forward to cracking open.
Keep us updated with this tomato melatonin, I’ve never heard of it.
Zearalenone (ZEN) is a mycotoxin synthesized by fungi of the Fusarium genus, frequently identified in contaminated grains, foodstuffs, and animal-derived products. Its estrogenic activity perturbs endocrine homeostasis, resulting in reproductive dysfunction in female animals. Oxidative stress is implicated in DNA damage, notably double-strand breaks (DSBs). The Ataxia-Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM) protein serves as a pivotal regulator of the DNA damage response (DDR). Upon the occurrence of DSBs, the ATM-Chk2-p53 signaling cascade is activated, triggering mechanisms such as DNA repair, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, or senescence. Melatonin (MT), an endogenous antioxidant, facilitates the development of oocytes and granulosa cells by scavenging reactive oxygen species, regulating the secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), modulating estradiol (E2) levels, and mitigating oxidative stress. This study examined the deleterious effects of ZEN on mouse ovarian tissue and granulosa cells (GRM02) and investigated the potential ameliorative role of MT in counteracting ZEN-induced oxidative stress, thereby enhancing ovarian function and diminishing cellular damage. Furthermore, the study investigated the involvement of the ATM-Chk2-p53 pathway in the protective mechanism of melatonin (MT). The results elucidate the reproductive toxicity of zearalenone (ZEN) and offer a theoretical foundation for the application of MT as a protective feed additive.
I used to be good in math in my past life, and If that’s still the case (though I must admit, I did my calculation in the back of an envelope lol) I get that you need to consume about 1,300,000 grams or about 1,3 tons of tart cherries to get one gram of melatonin.
so much for getting melatonin the natural way LOL
It is probably because it is relatively high in tryptophan.
O3 says:
How much tryptophan is in tart cherry juice?
Laboratory analyses put Montmorency (sour) tart cherries at ~9 mg of tryptophan per 100 g of fruit/juice.(sleepfoundation.org) A cup (8 fl oz ≈ 240 g) of straight, unsweetened tart-cherry juice therefore delivers about 22 mg of tryptophan (9 mg × 2.4).
How does that stack up against other common 100 % juices?
Many others (pomegranate, cranberry, grapefruit, pear‐ & peach-nectar, etc.)
0 mg
0 mg
Listed as 0 g on comprehensive amino-acid surveys([fitaudit.com][5])
What the numbers mean
Tart cherry really does stand out—it supplies 3- to 10-times the tryptophan of most mainstream juices.
It’s still a modest amount in absolute terms. Adults typically need roughly 250-425 mg of tryptophan per day for normal protein turnover and serotonin/melatonin synthesis([dreemdistillery.co.uk][6]). One 8-oz glass of tart-cherry juice covers only about 5-9 % of that requirement.
The sleep benefits often credited to tart-cherry juice likely come from the combination of tryptophan plus its naturally occurring melatonin and polyphenols, which appear to slow tryptophan breakdown and improve its conversion to serotonin/melatonin. So even though the dose is small, the bio-availability is better than in other juices.([pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov][7], sleepfoundation.org)
Take-away
If you’re choosing juice specifically for tryptophan (or sleep support), tart cherry is the clear leader.
For everyday nutrition, though, remember that whole protein-rich foods (dairy, turkey, soy, nuts, eggs, etc.) contain hundreds of milligrams of tryptophan per serving—and far less sugar than any fruit juice.
Feel free to ask if you’d like serving-size conversions, ideas on using tart-cherry concentrate, or a deeper dive into the sleep research!
Preprint