Hormones and dietary supplements

Hormones are signalling molecules released by endocrine glands into the bloodstream, where they change how distant tissues behave. Because they act at very low concentrations and influence one another, adding a hormone from outside the body is a different kind of decision from adding a vitamin or a mineral. That difference is why this section is deliberately narrow.

The one hormone we cover

Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland in response to darkness and helps set the timing of the sleep–wake cycle. In the United States and much of Europe it is sold over the counter as a dietary supplement, which is why it sits in this guide alongside vitamins and minerals. Its regulatory status is not the same everywhere — in the United Kingdom, Australia and several other countries it is a prescription medicine — so check what applies where you live.

What we removed, and why

This section used to carry articles on testosterone, oestrogens, progesterone, DHEA, human growth hormone, insulin, corticosteroids and anabolic steroids, along with several endogenous hormones such as dopamine, serotonin and cortisol. We removed all of them in August 2026.

The reasoning was the same in every case. Most of those substances are prescription medicines or controlled substances; anabolic steroids and testosterone are Schedule III controlled substances in the United States. Describing how to obtain or use them has no place in a nutrition reference, and the articles carried dosing figures and benefit claims that no one here is qualified to stand behind. The remaining pages described endocrine physiology rather than anything you can buy, take or eat — legitimate subject matter, but not ours.

We took the pages down rather than rewrite them, because the problem was the scope of the section and not the wording of individual sentences.

Where to read instead

For hormone therapy of any kind, the decision belongs with a doctor who can order the relevant tests and follow up on them. For background reading from public health sources, the MedlinePlus hormones topic page and the Endocrine Society patient resources are written and reviewed by clinicians.

If you are looking for supplements that affect sleep, mood or energy without being hormones themselves, the sections on amino acids, dietary minerals and herbal supplements cover most of what is sold for those purposes.