This 1998 study evaluated the effects of topical estradiol (0.01%) and estriol (0.3%) creams on skin aging in 59 perimenopausal women over six months. Both treatments significantly improved skin elasticity, firmness, and moisture, with reductions in wrinkle depth and pore size ranging from 61% to 100%. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed increased
This 1998 study evaluated the impact of vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG) on sex hormone levels in 57 morbidly obese patients (19 men and 38 premenopausal women) over a 12-month period. In men, significant hormonal changes included decreased estradiol and increased levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), total testosterone, and sex hormone-binding
This comparative study evaluated the impact of weight loss on bone metabolism in morbidly obese patients undergoing vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG) versus those receiving medical intervention. Over 12 months, 16 surgically treated (14 female, 2 male) and 65 medically treated (53 male, 12 female) patients were assessed. VBG led to
This 2001 randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study investigated the effects of combined hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with 17β-estradiol and norethisterone acetate on body composition in 16 healthy postmenopausal women. Over two 12-week periods separated by a 3-month washout, participants received either HRT or placebo. HRT led to significant increases in lean
This 2014 review article explores the mechanisms by which obesity leads to reduced testosterone levels in men, the associated health risks, and potential management strategies. Obesity, particularly moderate to severe, is linked to decreased total and free testosterone levels due to factors such as insulin resistance, increased aromatase activity converting
This 2014 study elucidates how estradiol (E2) centrally modulates energy expenditure by acting on the hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus (VMH). E2 inhibits AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) via estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) in the VMH, leading to activation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis through the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), independent of
This 2016 prospective clinical study evaluated the effect of untreated primary hypothyroidism on reproductive hormone levels in women and the hormonal changes after levothyroxine therapy. The study included 59 women with hypothyroidism and 39 healthy controls. Results showed that hypothyroid patients had significantly elevated TSH and prolactin levels and significantly
This 2015 article proposes the “dual action of estrogen hypothesis,” suggesting that estradiol (E₂) can act in the brain in both rapid (seconds to minutes) and slow (hours to days) manners. The rapid action is typically initiated at the cell membrane, while the slow action involves genomic signaling through estrogen
This 2019 randomized controlled trial investigated the relationship between plasma estradiol (E2) levels and subclinical atherosclerosis progression in 596 healthy postmenopausal women, stratified into early (
This 2008 collaborative meta-analysis by the Endogenous Hormones and Prostate Cancer Collaborative Group pooled data from 18 prospective studies, encompassing 3,886 men with incident prostate cancer and 6,438 controls, to assess the relationship between circulating endogenous sex hormones and prostate cancer risk. The analysis found no significant associations between prostate
