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.

Researchers unlock mystery of a third olfactory system

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have found a "nose within the nose," a unique olfactory system within the noses of mice that is able to "smell" hormones involved in regulating water and salt balance in the body.

30 Aug 2007

Flaxseed for hot flashes

Data from a new Mayo Clinic study suggest that dietary therapy using flaxseed can decrease hot flashes in postmenopausal women who do not take estrogen.

30 Aug 2007

New understanding of endoplasmic reticulum

In obese individuals, fat cells are bloated and inflamed because they receive too many nutrients, including lipids.

29 Aug 2007

Pycnogenol reduces perimenopausal symptoms

A study to be published in an upcoming edition of the Scandinavian Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology reveals that Pycnogenol (pic-noj-en-all), pine bark extract from the French maritime pine tree, reduces "climacteric symptoms" such as hot flashes, depression, panic attacks, cholesterol and other common symptoms associated with women entering menopause transition.

29 Aug 2007

Circulating fats kill transplanted pancreas cells

Dietary restrictions or other strategies that limit fat formation might make pancreatic cell transplants more effective, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report.

29 Aug 2007

New form of estrogen shows potential as multiple sclerosis drug

UCLA scientists have found the first evidence that a specific form of estrogen can protect the brain from degeneration yet not increase the risk for estrogen-induced cancers of the breast and uterus.

28 Aug 2007

Early heart treatment can reverse damage

University of Minnesota researchers have discovered that treating people who have early cardiovascular abnormalities, but show no symptoms of cardiovascular disease, can slow progression and even reverse damage to the heart and blood vessels.

28 Aug 2007

Dietary restrictions that limit fat formation might make pancreatic cell transplants more effective

Dietary restrictions or other strategies that limit fat formation might make pancreatic cell transplants more effective, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report.

28 Aug 2007

Sildenafil increases release of key reproductive hormone oxytocin

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison report this month that sildenafil increases the amount of oxytocin released by stimulation of the posterior pituitary gland, a small structure directly underneath the brain that regulates hormone levels in response to neural signals.

24 Aug 2007

Night shift work and cancer - no link found

Working the night shift doesn't appear to increase the risk of developing cancer, suggest the findings of a new study of Swedish workers.

24 Aug 2007

Fat mice gain protection against diabetes

The world's fattest mice can overeat without developing insulin resistance or diabetes thanks to a glut of a key hormone, a dichotomy that helps explain why not all obese people are diabetic, a UT Southwestern Medical Center researcher has found.

24 Aug 2007

First finding of a metabolite in 1 sex only

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have discovered a chemical compound in male blue crabs that is not present in females -- the first time in any species that an entire enzyme system has been found to be activated in only one sex.

24 Aug 2007

People ages 57 to 85 think of sexuality as an important part of life

The first comprehensive national survey of sexual attitudes, behaviors and problems among older adults in the United States has found that most people ages 57 to 85 think of sexuality as an important part of life and that the frequency of sexual activity, for those who are active, declines only slightly from the 50s to the early 70s.

24 Aug 2007

Natural protection provides possible new treatments for stroke

Two substances that occur naturally in the brain act to protect the brain during a stroke. This is the conclusion of a dissertation published at the Sahlgrenska Academy, and the discovery may lead to new treatments for stroke patients.

21 Aug 2007

Being lonely as you age will wear you out!

Researchers have found that being lonely especially in later life can take a toll on a person's health.

21 Aug 2007

Hypertension in African Americans - forthcoming study will look at how genes can contribute to hypertension

Exercise cannot reduce a sodium-retaining hormone in African Americans known to potentially cause hypertension, found Michael D. Brown, Ph.D., the senior author of a study in the September issue of Experimental Physiology. Brown is an associate professor of kinesiology at Temple University's College of Health Professions.

17 Aug 2007