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good review of endocannabinoid system. More importantly, this article reveals the Bias present in the pharmaceutical arena, as it relates to their drug research.

Fructose is a major player in the obesity epidemic. This article lays out how fructose disrupts physiology

good look of how the the gut health, or lack there of, can influence energy homeostasis and contribute to obesity.  This article points to the presence of LPS playing a role in metabolic endotoxemia.  It does discuss the importance of the microbiota and their possible role in the low-grade systemic inflammation condition that is obesity.

Many studies have been published on Selenium deficiency and decreased reproduction and pregnancy complications.  This study provides a nice review of Selenium and reproduction.  This is a just the abstract and will post the full article when it become available

another article discussing the advantages of salivary testing.

Understanding the neuroendocrine effects of TBI. This article discusses all hormonal effects as a result of TBI.

nice article on the epidemiology of type II DM.  Included in the discussion is the point that HgbA1C is now used as the choice for diagnosis: >6.5.

fascinating article on how the environment and genetics play a role in the development of celiac disease.  In this study, the PROFICEL study, the intestinal microbiota was influenced by breast milk.  Those children breast fed had a favorable microbiota that decreased the incidence of celiac disease.

Great review on the literature of LC-MS/MS and now the new ESI-MS/MS method in saliva hormone testing. This technique is highly sensitive and specific. This article goes through the literature support for each hormone. It also discusses how/why saliva testing is valid. Conclusion: "the author believes that the saliva-based hormone test will be integrated into clinical practice in the near future".

Great article on ER beta and the prostate.  ER alpha expression is very important in the development of the prostate.  IN that instance, ER beta is down regulated.  In prostate cancer generation, ER beta expression in the epithelium is lost.

Nice review of the mixed data on Testosterone and Prostate disease. It is clear that Testosterone does not precipitate prostate cancer.  The intraprostatic hormone milieu likely is different than that present in the serum.  No surprise there.  5alpha reductase decreases prostate volume, PSA, and low-grade prostate cancer, but actually increases aggressive prostate cancer. Supraphysiologic doping in young men associated with no increase in prostate disease. PSA no longer to be followed in men < 55.  Mortality rate not changed.  PSA change of 1.4 ng/ml is appropriate for additional prostate evaluation.  Testosterone therapy on average increased 0.5 ng/ml. Still, no mention of aromatase activity in this article.  Why is it that hormone sensitive disease in men is only with regards to androgens and women estrogen.

Progesterone metabolites play key role in breast cancer carcinogenesis or inhibition of carcinogenesis.  The key active progesterone metabolites discussed in this article are 5 alpha pregnene and 3 alpha hydroxyprogesterone.

New cohort study finds increased risk of Testosterone in men > 65 and those : these are based in marketing-based medicine not evidence based medicine.

This article points to the impact of T:E2 on ED in men.  A declining T:E2 increases ED in older men.  

low T is found in 20-70% of men with HIV.  What is interesting about this article is that Total Testosterone was found to be a poor assessment of biological active Testosterone.  Free Testosterone assessed in the am was shown to be a better functional assessment in these men.  Serum is a poor choice though.  The process of equilibrium dialysis to calculate free Testosterone is filled with variables that will effect reliability.  Increases SHBG was found associated.

This article proposes that increased antioxidant enzymatic activity is an adaption to the increased ROS found in MS.  This increased ROS disrupts the blood-brain barrier.

Great article chronicles the biochemistry of "over nutrition" and inflammation through NF-kappaB activation and its impact on the brain.

Hormones and autoimmune disease.  This article specifically touches on SLE.  Good discussion on the biochemical signaling of hormones and their contribution to the increased autoimmunity found in women.

Good article on the immunomodulation effect of vitamin D.  The importance of vitamin D goes back to pregnancy.   Vitamin D deficiencies during pregnancy inhibit appropriate invariant Natrual killer cells, which play important regulatory effect in autoimmune disease.  Even with restoration of vitamin D levels with replacement, the full positive effects of vitamin D are not seen due to limited iNKT potential.

Early estrogen therapy in perimenopause and early menopause, with Estradiol, provides more health benefits than later therapy.  This article looked at Estrogen's effects on a woman's brain.  This likely has its origins in the change in estrogen receptors. The signal is not changing, but the reception of that signal is.  How else can one explain a different response to the same hormone dosage?