Hormones / Endocrine
In my last post, I provided information regarding the structure and function of the thyroid, in addition to the differences and utility of each thyroid hormone. In the following sections, I would like to briefly explore the impact of environmental exposures (EEs), toxins, and their affects upon thyroid health. Patrick (2009) indicated that EE of…
Metabolic processes, in addition to normal growth and development, are heavily influenced by the endocrine system; a group of organs, which release hormones directly into the bloodstream (Reisner & Reisner, 2017). Such endocrine glands include the pituitary, adrenal cortex, medulla, pancreas, kidneys, parathyroid, and thyroid. Aberrations in the performance and function of said glands can…
Research has indicated that genetics and poor lifestyle choices can drive individuals towards insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (Lee & Nieman, 2013). Thus far, we have been exploring methods to monitor and track individuals suspected to be at risk for said conditions. However, I would like to suggest another relevant measure that would help…
Modern Western diets, including macronutrient ratios and macronutrient quality, are substantially different than the hominin diets 10,000 years ago (Ilich, Kelly, Kim, & Spicer, 2014). Modern diets tend to include over 70% of total energy from refined sugars, refined vegetable oils, processed foods, and alcohol (Ilich et al., 2014). Of particular interest is the shift…
Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a condition defined by a constellation of associated risk factors that increase a person’s chances of contracting stroke, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and diabetes (Chen, Yen, Huang, Lee, Hsia, & Lin, 2012). MS affects 35.1% men and 32.6% women in the United States, and associated risk factors include high levels of blood…
Helicobacter pylori (HP) is a gram-negative bacteria that has a global reach, infecting more than half of the world’s population (Franceschi et al., 2014). It is etiologically associated with atrophic gastritis (loss of gastric cells from inflammation), non-atrophic gastritis (inflammation with no loss of gastric cells), peptic ulcers, and shows a strong association with primary…
Aging has been associated with many signs and symptoms observed in elderly men. Some of these symptoms include: decreases in work capacity, energy, strength, muscle mass, libido, sexual activity, nocturnal penile tumescence, virility, decreased bone density, increases in abdominal body fat, insulin resistance and atherosclerosis (Vermeulen, 2000). It is possible that some or all of…
Flat screen televisions, smartphones, laptops, and Ipads are commonplace technologies in homes. However, the aforementioned devices emit a wavelength (< 550 nm) known as blue light. Such light, even with brief exposure, has been shown to hinder melatonin production; a key hormone responsible for causing and regulating sleep (Burkhart & Phelps, 2009). If blue light…