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.

Male contraception has barely changed in a century. What comes next?

A review traces more than 5,000 years of male contraception, from early penile sheaths and the development of modern condoms and vasectomy to today's search for reversible alternatives. Researchers are now testing hormonal gels, non-hormonal compounds and vas-occlusive technologies, although these approaches remain at different stages of preclinical and clinical development.

15 Sep 2026

Cannabis-derived nanovesicles showed early antitumor potential in mice

Researchers developed a Cannabis sativa hairy root culture system that produced stable plant-derived nanovesicles capable of promoting dendritic cell maturation and activating T-cell responses through TLR2- and TLR4-associated signaling. Oral administration also restored selected immune responses in immunosuppressed mice and suppressed tumor growth in an E.G7 lymphoma model, providing preliminary evidence for their immunomodulatory and antitumor potential.

15 Sep 2026

Advanced AI cell models redefine modern cell biology research

Researchers at Stanford Medicine have developed two new artificial intelligence models of the biological cell.

15 Sep 2026

Study links heritability and polygenicity across complex human traits

Researchers at the University of Oslo have mapped which parts of our DNA carry the inherited differences behind complex traits and disorders.

11 Sep 2026

Popular AMH blood test fails to predict natural fertility

Increasing numbers of Australian women are using a blood test to assess their fertility, but new research suggests it may not provide the answers many are looking for.

10 Sep 2026

Study reveals processes driving DNA damage in prostate cancer

Cancer begins with errors in the DNA inside our cells, and those errors are often more complicated than a handful of mutated genes.

9 Sep 2026

New genetic map helps track aggressive prostate cancer development

Prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer among men globally. Yet, we still know relatively little about why the disease develops or why some men live with it for years while in others it progresses aggressively.

9 Sep 2026

Workplace stress may impair erectile function in young men

New research in the International Journal of Clinical Practice suggests that workplace psychological stress may impair erectile function in young men by affecting certain stress management pathways in the brain and reducing testosterone levels.

9 Sep 2026

Stevia tastes sweet, but does your body react as if sugar is coming?

In a randomized, double-blind crossover study, researchers tested stevia alone and with glucose in adults with normal weight, overweight, or type 2 diabetes to assess acute effects on blood glucose, insulin, gut hormones, appetite, and subsequent food intake. Stevia produced no significant changes in the measured glycemic or hormonal responses compared with water and did not significantly modify responses to glucose, while appetite and subsequent energy intake were also generally unchanged.

8 Sep 2026

Prenatal paracetamol exposure linked to smaller ovaries in daughters

Researchers in Denmark have found that girls whose mothers took paracetamol during pregnancy had smaller ovaries, fewer ovarian follicles (the structures that contain immature eggs), smaller uteruses and lower levels of reproductive hormones at three months old.

8 Sep 2026

Hormone therapy during menopause transition associated with lower heart disease risk

A study led by Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Pittsburgh provides pivotal insights into one of the most debated questions in women's health: how does hormone therapy for menopause symptoms affect cardiovascular disease risk when used in peri- or early postmenopause?

8 Sep 2026

Could one amino acid help explain why men tend to live shorter lives?

A UK Biobank cohort and Mendelian randomization study involving 272,475 participants linked higher circulating tyrosine with greater all-cause mortality and genetically predicted higher tyrosine with shorter lifespan. After accounting for phenylalanine, the relationship with shorter lifespan was clearest in men, while findings in women were less consistent, suggesting a potential sex-specific role for tyrosine in longevity.

7 Sep 2026

Bariatric surgery restores menstrual cycles and reduces polycystic ovaries in obese women

Metabolic bariatric surgery improves menstrual cycle frequency and symptoms of polycystic ovaries in women living with obesity, a new study from the University of Surrey reports.

7 Sep 2026

New study uncovers bacterial route to testosterone production

Many prostate cancers depend on androgen hormones, including testosterone, to grow. That is why treatments for advanced disease often try to reduce testosterone production or block its effects.

4 Sep 2026

Ovulation drives women to use conspicuous luxury to attract men

Hormonal fluctuations associated with fertility are associated with a greater tendency for women to use conspicuous luxury symbols, potentially to be noticed by men, according to a study published September 2, 2026, in the open access journal PLOS One by Aekyoung Kim of Jeonbuk National University of the Republic of Korea, and colleagues.

4 Sep 2026

Semaglutide extended lifespan in older female mice, but that was not the only finding

Late-life semaglutide treatment slowed age-related physiological decline, attenuated multiple molecular hallmarks of aging, and extended median lifespan from 742 to 834 days in aged female mice. The drug reproduced many effects of calorie restriction while providing additional benefits in exploratory behavior, spatial memory, and glucose control, suggesting that some effects extend beyond reduced calorie intake alone.

3 Sep 2026

Too little or too much testosterone may matter for heart rhythm

A review of clinical trials, observational studies, genetic analyses, and mechanistic research suggests that atrial fibrillation risk may follow a U-shaped relationship with testosterone, increasing at both low and high levels. Evidence on testosterone replacement therapy remains mixed, with researchers calling for prospective studies to determine whether mid-physiological testosterone targets and treatment formulation influence AF risk.

2 Sep 2026

Bright light therapy boosts activity and sleep in older adults

Bright light therapy lamps can improve sleep, activity levels and circadian rhythms of older adults in urban areas who have diminished exposure to natural light, a new study from the University of Surrey reports.

2 Sep 2026

Progesterone levels linked to brain patterns underlying mood changes

The influence of the hormone progesterone on mood is well known. Now researchers from the University of Barcelona have shown how higher levels of progesterone during the menstrual cycle are linked to less distinct patterns of activity in areas of the brain involved in controlling emotions.

2 Sep 2026

Shared biological pathways may explain chronic fatigue across diseases

A shared biological secret that helps explain chronic exhaustion in conditions including long Covid and PTSD has been discovered by researchers at the University of East Anglia and Oxford BioDynamics.

2 Sep 2026