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.

AI-powered virtual reality could help women manage menopause symptoms

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has proven effective in managing a number of menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, insomnia, depression, and sexual dysfunction.

20 Oct 2026

Physical activity linked to fewer perimenopause symptoms, global study finds

Regular physical activity results in numerous health benefits. It has been shown to improve sleep, lower blood pressure, and reduce anxiety, while also building muscle, strengthening bones, and helping to control weight.

20 Oct 2026

Hormone therapy linked to more frequent and longer-lasting migraines

Migraines are estimated to affect 10% to 29% of women during the menopause transition, when migraines often worsen and become more frequent, especially during perimenopause.

20 Oct 2026

Transdermal nitroglycerin patches show potential for managing menopausal hot flashes

Hot flashes are the most frequent symptom of perimenopause and menopause, affecting 75% to 85% of women. In recent years, there has been a spike in the number of nonhormone options for managing hot flashes.

20 Oct 2026

Presurgical sleep medications linked to less pain and anxiety after surgery

Improving sleep before surgery through the use of melatonin or Ambien (zolpidem) may ease presurgical anxiety, reduce pain after surgery, decrease opioid requirements and help patients recover better, according to an analysis of 25 years of research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2026 annual meeting.

19 Oct 2026

Could this flowering plant help people lose body fat?

Lythrum salicaria extract supplementation led to body fat reduction in a clinical trial, suggesting a promising plant-based approach to weight management.

19 Oct 2026

Menopause isn't the end of the story for the ovaries

Research reveals that postmenopausal ovaries remain active, showing molecular remodeling linked to inflammation and potential implications for women's health.

19 Oct 2026

Bisphenol mixtures alter breast tissue development in lab-grown human models

Exposure to common chemicals may alter how normal human breast tissue develops, according to a new study from researchers at Tufts University School of Medicine and Boston University

15 Oct 2026

Women with low bone density reported less pain after taking pine bark extract

A randomized clinical trial involving 67 women with osteopenia or stable osteoporosis found that three months of Pycnogenol® supplementation improved self-reported bodily pain and vitality scores compared with placebo. However, overall disease-specific quality of life did not significantly improve, and the six-month findings were insufficient to establish long-term benefits or safety.

15 Oct 2026

Lactation drug cabergoline may reduce breast cancer risk in mothers

An international team of scientists has found that a lactation drug could reduce the risk of breast cancer in mothers after childbirth.

15 Oct 2026

Sex hormones dictate how skin stem cells renew themselves

For a long time, differences between females and males were mainly associated with the reproductive organs. Yet organs that have nothing to do with reproduction, such as the skin, can also be shaped by sex.

14 Oct 2026

Early vasopressin use does not improve septic shock survival

A new study from researchers at Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City found that starting an advanced medication earlier for critically ill patients with life-threatening septic shock does not improve their survival, shorten hospital stays, or improve their recovery compared with waiting until their condition potentially worsens.

14 Oct 2026

Coffee, citrus and genetics: What scientists found inside human breast milk

In a bioRxiv preprint, researchers analyzed 458 metabolites in breast milk samples from 349 mothers to investigate how maternal diet, genetics, clinical characteristics, and milk-cell gene expression relate to milk composition. Maternal diet explained the greatest share of metabolite variation among the measured maternal factors, while specific genetic variants and gene-expression patterns were associated with individual metabolites, although the study did not establish effects on infant health.

14 Oct 2026

FDA approves new Parkinson’s drug pioneered by UVA scientists

The federal Food and Drug Administration has approved a new Parkinson's disease drug that was based on research by UVA Health scientists.

13 Oct 2026

Women with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome more likely to have Alzheimer's and dementia

Alzheimer's disease and dementia may be more common in women with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), according to a review of existing evidence published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

13 Oct 2026

Exercise boosts psychological wellbeing for menopausal women

Engaging in physical activity during menopause can improve depression, mood and overall quality of life, a new study led by UCL researchers has found.

13 Oct 2026

LSD microdosing linked to improved attention in women but not men

A pilot study suggests that low doses of LSD may have different effects on sustained attention in women and men. The findings, presented at the ECNP annual congress in Munich, are preliminary, but they add to growing evidence that people may not all respond to psychedelic microdosing in the same way.

11 Oct 2026

Molecular regulator CA8 may offer new therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes

Maintaining healthy blood glucose levels involves striking a balance between the glucose produced by the liver during fasting, and the insulin released from pancreatic beta cells after meals.

9 Oct 2026

Body fat distribution may influence hunger hormones more than daily diet

Body fat distribution may reveal more about hunger hormones than recent diet.

9 Oct 2026

Consuming fat before carbohydrates reduces post-meal blood glucose

In treating diabetes, post-meal elevation of glucose levels is an important therapeutic target. Existing clinical studies indicate that eating vegetables, protein, or fat before carbohydrates can moderate a post-meal rise in blood glucose, pointing to the potential of meal-sequencing as a simple and sustainable dietary strategy.

8 Oct 2026