Dr. Goodyear

Abstract only available.  Cortisol-cortisone shuttle play a role in hypertension.  Those with 11betaHSD type II defects will have elevated blood pressure due to increase in mineralcorticoids.

good review of rhodiola rosea--the historical and the physiologic effects discussed.

Great editorial on the complex metabolism of the cortisol:cortisone shunt.

Study reveals negatively altered brain activity, as visualized by functional MRI, after chemotherapy.  This is a small study, but it appears to be the first to prove that "chemo brain" is not just in a patients head--in fact, it is in their brain.

Interesting study looked PCOS and the sympathetic vagal system and cardiovascular disease risk. They found that those with PCOS were found to have sympathovagal imbalance and decreased HRV.  Low HRV has been clearly associated with increased cardiovascular disease.  They also found insulin resistance and dyslipidemia to be associated with sympthovagal imbalance and cardiovascular risk as well.

Interesting study looked at Total Testosterone (TT) and free Testosterone (FT) in older men in BMD assessment.  The authors found no change in TT, but a significant decline in free Testosterone.  This fits with other research pointing to free Testosterone as a better functional assessment tool.

high caffeine intake found to be associated with increased Testosterone and cortisol pre and post resistance work out times.  An elevated Testosterone would be good at both points.  However, an elevated cortisol would be catabolic during the recovery phase.  The study also found a decrease in insulin sensitivity with high caffeine intake.  This was improved with moderate and low intake.

Elevated Cortisol, life events as this study refers to, is associated with low Testosterone.  The authors found a positive association of cortisol with LH.  The result is elevated cortisol, low Testosterone, increased LH.

Study finds Mediterranean diet is associated with lower risk of Breast Cancer.  It all starts with nutrition.

11 beta HSD type 1 increases in menopause in normal weight women.  This may explain some of the metabolism changes seen in women post-menopause.

High fructose intake has negative metabolic effects in the mother and the child.  This leads the child down the path of metabolic dysfunction that will result in disease.

Startiling statistic: 11% of males 10-19 in Iran have metabolic syndrome and 7% of females of the same age have metabolic syndrome.

Saliva is a growing testing medium for metabolic dysfunction and disease.

Metabolic syndrome associated with increased risk of prostate enlargement in elderly Chinese men.  The study highlighted insulin resistance as a key risk.  Insulin resistance is known to increase aromatase activity and thus estrogen production which will increase prostate growth.

another press article on the recent publication out of the low T clinics.  The conclusion statement says it all: "I don't think this study adds much to the studies that have already been done".   I would so, it does''t add anything.

This is a short interview of the author on a recent retrospective review that revealed no increase in cardiovascular events in men.  The author rightly points out his data, which is quite different than the previous JAMA and PLOSone publications which showed an increase in cardiovascular events.   However, the lead author points out the main problem with comparisons:  his study group was younger and healthier.  So, the comparison is apples to oranges.  Studies still point to increased risk of Testosterone therapy in men with pre-existing CVD.  This new study does not refute this point at all.   Another serious flaw here, is that only Testosterone was followed.  This logic is seriously flawed as I have previously documented.  The author points out the flaw in the levels in the JAMA study post treatment.  But he fails to account for the the lack of adequate pathway assessment i.e.aromatazation.  Also, no inflammatory cytokine evaluation was performed in that study.  Both of these should have been highlighted.    In contrast, a positive was the length of follow.

discussion of the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of Testosterone topical therapy.  Hard to draw conclusions from this study as the dosing was 100 mg + daily.

Study reviews the studies of IV vitamin C and cancer.  The authors discuss the mechanism of action of the high dose vitamin C.  The authors are correct in their conclusion that a large body of evidence is lacking and that the majority are case study.  However, to even discount these in the face of the safety and the reduction in side effects associated with chemotherapy by IV vitamin C would be unacceptable. To delay recommendation due to a full lack of understanding would be unacceptable as well.   No deaths have been reported due to IV vitamin C.  Contrast this with chemotherapy.  However, case studies have pointed to IV vitamin C as a positive tool to attach cancer.  

Just the abstract available here.  Cancer is proving to be very complex--no surprise here.  Antioxidant therapy can actually promote cancer progression as can tumor suppressor genes.  The issue is context of the environment and the tumor in that environment.   Vitamin C is antioxidant in serum, but pro oxidant in the cancer cell.  The result is a production of H2O2 and lysis of the cell.

Mouse study finds that estrogen signaling slows insulin resistance in animals fed High fat diet.  This mechanism of signaling occurs through the ER alpha pathway.