Has modern lifestyle changed how our bodies process hormones?
New research has identified specific gut bacteria and enzymes that regulate the circulation of estrogen throughout the body. When these microbial communities are disrupted, it can lead to excess hormone levels linked to breast and endometrial cancers. The study found that both people in industrial societies and formula-fed babies have a greater capacity to recycle discarded estrogen. These findings suggest that managing gut health through diet or targeted probiotics could become a primary strategy for hormonal regulation and disease prevention. The research is published in the Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences.
Do more pregnant women need to be in clinical trials?
While they’re regularly excluded from testing for safety reasons, researchers argue that it’s harder to know which drugs are safe and effective for them even after FDA approval. A study in the American Journal Of Obstetrics And Gynecology estimates that 75 percent of drug trials from the past 15 years excluded these women. Though adding pregnant women into clinical trials seems risky, scientists claim we’re doing more harm by not including this population.
Have your seasonal allergies gotten worse?
Climate change could be to blame. Scientists say that higher temperatures will produce longer, more intense allergy seasons. The current estimate is an additional 19 days of high pollen counts. the research, published in Nature Communications, uses a pollen emissions model to offer the public climate-sensitive forecasts for allergy season.
Does our DNA know our future?
Sociologist Dalton Conley reveals how genes shape our lives in his new book, the social genome. While we all know genetics determine our eye color and height, Conley argues they can also predict more details like our level of education and the income we’ll make.
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