Hormone News and Research

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A hormone is a chemical released by one or more cells that affects cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. It is essentially a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one cell to another.

Obesity drug mazdutide reduces weight and waist size in major trial

Once-weekly 9 mg mazdutide produced clinically meaningful weight loss in Chinese adults with obesity, reducing body weight by 16.65% after 60 weeks versus 1.50% with placebo. The phase 3 GLORY-2 trial also found improvements in waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, and lipid markers, but gastrointestinal adverse events were common.

9 Jun 2026

Fluctuating hormones during menopause reshape brain activity patterns

Research at the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont reveals how menopause, once a taboo topic, affects brain function, reinforcing the idea that the menopause transition is not only a reproductive milestone, but also a critical neurological phase.

9 Jun 2026

The best meal timing for blood sugar may be earlier dinners

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9 Jun 2026

Antidepressants trigger opposite reactions in different groups of serotonin-producing brain cells

A new study has uncovered how antidepressants affect different groups of serotonin-producing brain cells in opposite ways, offering new insights into why selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can cause unpleasant side effects at the start of treatment but lead to symptom relief over time.

8 Jun 2026

Can Pilates improve heart and metabolic health in a month?

Pilates enhances cardiovascular and metabolic health in previously sedentary women, with notable improvements in heart rate and blood pressure after 4 weeks.

5 Jun 2026

New technique protects pancreatic islet transplants without immunosuppressive drugs

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a lifelong autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks islets, certain areas of the pancreas, and destroys cells that would otherwise produce insulin, a hormone crucial for regulating blood sugar levels.

3 Jun 2026

Study uncovers genetic trade-off between youth and longevity

A new study identifies vgll3 as a key gene that promotes rapid growth and early reproduction while increasing the risk of aging and cancer later in life.

3 Jun 2026

New study links primary infertility to accelerated reproductive aging

The average woman spends more than one-third of her life in menopause. Some women, however, must deal with menopause-related symptoms longer and face added health problems because of premature menopause (before age 40) or early menopause (before age 45).

3 Jun 2026

GLP-1 medications linked to lower breast cancer risk in women

A retrospective analysis of more than 110,000 women between the ages of 45 and 80 found that those who took GLP-1 medications were about 30 percent less likely to develop breast cancer than those who did not take GLP-1 medications, according to research presented today at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting (Abstract 10506) by Elizabeth McDonald, MD, PhD, a professor of Radiology in the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and a practicing breast radiologist at Penn's Abramson Cancer Center.

2 Jun 2026

High-risk prostate cancer patients benefit from perioperative apalutamide therapy

High-risk localized and locally advanced prostate cancer patients treated with apalutamide - a next generation neoadjuvant androgen-receptor pathway inhibitor (ARPI) - plus hormone therapy before and after prostate cancer surgery resulted in more major pathologic responses and reduced the risk of metastasis or death, meeting both primary endpoints, in an international phase 3 clinical trial led by principal investigator Mary-Ellen Taplin, MD, medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Adam Kibel, MD, chair of the Department of Urology at Mass General Brigham.

31 May 2026

Gene test helps many breast cancer patients avoid chemotherapy

Many people with breast cancer can safely avoid chemotherapy with the use of a gene test, potentially sparing them unnecessary side effects without increasing the risk of the cancer returning, a large international clinical trial led by UCL has found.

29 May 2026

Thyroid function linked to chronotype or daytime sleepiness in women with Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), an autoimmune disease with a prevalence 2–7 times higher in women than in men, is associated with daytime sleepiness.

29 May 2026

Obesity alters tumor environment promoting invasive breast cancer growth

Obesity may change how early-stage breast cancer becomes invasive, according to a study by University of Oklahoma researchers published in The American Journal of Pathology.

28 May 2026

AI model tracks child maturity patterns through routine ECG data

A new study from Wake Forest University School of Medicine suggests a routine heart test – an electrocardiogram (ECG) – may offer researchers a new way to measure biological development in children and adolescents.

28 May 2026

Research challenges long standing beliefs about cannabis and male hormones

The effects of cannabis on the hormonal system and male fertility remain controversial within the scientific community. A study conducted by the University of Geneva (UNIGE), in collaboration with the Swiss Center for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT), provides a new answer by showing that cannabis use does not reduce testosterone levels in young men and may even increase its testicular synthesis.

28 May 2026

Miniature lab grown circuits unlock hidden recovery paths for paralysis

Cambridge scientists have grown miniature circuits in the lab that mimic how the brain and spinal cord connect up, which underlies our movements. They used this model to show how damage to these connections previously considered 'irreversible' could, in fact, be reversible.

28 May 2026

Vaginal bromocriptine may ease pain and heavy bleeding in adenomyosis

A pilot randomized controlled trial found that vaginal bromocriptine reduced menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, menstrual duration, and cycle irregularity in women with adenomyosis compared with routine treatment.

27 May 2026

Ghrelin rises in depression despite obesity’s usual appetite-hormone suppression

Researchers found that both acylated and deacylated ghrelin were elevated in unmedicated adults with major depressive disorder and obesity compared with non-depressed adults with obesity. The cross-sectional findings suggest ghrelin-system dysregulation may be linked to depression in obesity, but larger longitudinal studies are needed to test whether ghrelin is a reliable biomarker.

27 May 2026

Wearable devices may help detect menstrual health changes earlier

Digital health tools, including wearables, provide critical data on menstrual health, enhancing understanding of hormonal fluctuations and women's well-being.

27 May 2026

Why blood pressure rises faster in women after midlife

This review examines how sex-specific blood pressure trajectories are shaped by genetics, hormones, metabolic risk factors, lifestyle exposures, environmental stressors, and medical treatments. It highlights that women generally have lower blood pressure earlier in life but may experience steeper increases with aging, especially around and after menopause, with exogenous stressors appearing to have a greater impact in women than in men.

27 May 2026