Conference attendees listen to a scientific session at the 2025 American Physiology Summit. Originally developed to treat diabetes, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists have recently dominated media coverage due to their potent effects on weight loss. Preliminary research has also suggested that these drugs may also have a protective role in other body systems and improve … Continue reading GLP-1 Agonists: More Than Just Weight Loss
Endocrine System
GLP-1 Drugs for Weight Loss: From Science Fiction to Reality
Credit: iStock/zimmytws Obesity affects more than one billion people around the world. Historically, the genetic ability to store body fat is an evolutionary conserved adaptation to stave off starvation. The combination of the superb ability to store body fat, a high rate of sedentary lifestyle and an abundance of ultra-processed foods—a food landscape our great-grandparents … Continue reading GLP-1 Drugs for Weight Loss: From Science Fiction to Reality
The Physiology of Transgender Health Care
Credit: iStock/angelp Transgender people have a gender identity that is different from the gender associated with their assigned sex at birth. A transgender man may have been raised as a girl but later identifies as a man. A transgender woman may have been raised as a boy and now identifies as a woman. There are … Continue reading The Physiology of Transgender Health Care
Sweating to Keep Cool
Credit: iStock While our air conditioners are working hard to cool our homes in the record high heat waves sweeping the U.S. this summer, our bodies are working just as hard to keep cool. Our bodies work to maintain internal organ and tissue temperature at a relatively constant value between 96.8 and 100.4 degrees F. … Continue reading Sweating to Keep Cool
Spotlight On: Obesity
Credit: iStock Obesity, broadly defined as “a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body,” has long been recognized as increasing the risk of human disease and death. Hippocrates, often called the “father of medicine,” noted in the fifth century B.C. that “sudden death is more common in those who … Continue reading Spotlight On: Obesity
Spotlight On: Diabetes
Credit: iStock We hear a lot about diabetes, but you may wonder what exactly it is. Diabetes mellitus (its full name) is a chronic disease caused by dysregulation of the endocrine system. Diabetes affects how our bodies turn food into energy. There are three main types of the condition: type 1, type 2 and gestational. … Continue reading Spotlight On: Diabetes
May The Best Immune System Breathe!
Credit: iStock Our immune system’s job is to protect our body and work as a self-defense tool against viruses and other harmful substances. Our immune system works as a cohesive unit spread across our body in different organs, cells and even the blood. Without it, our bodies would be more prone to infection and we … Continue reading May The Best Immune System Breathe!
Spotlight On: Insulin
Credit: iStock Sugar is one of the most important fuels our bodies use to produce energy and survive. However, too much sugar can cause damage to our organs. Our bodies naturally produce a hormone called insulin that helps regulate how much sugar is circulating in our blood at any given time, even when we eat … Continue reading Spotlight On: Insulin
COVID-19: What’s Sex Got to Do with It?
Credit: iStock The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to challenge the scientific community. Scientists across the globe are still trying to figure out the risk factors for severe COVID-19. Being male seems to be a higher risk, and many researchers are looking into why males experience COVID-19 symptoms more severely than females. My lab studied the … Continue reading COVID-19: What’s Sex Got to Do with It?
Try Fidgeting to Control Blood Sugar
Credit: iStock We usually associate autumn with several sensations that delight the senses, including crisp air, warm colors and the smell of woodsmoke. Many of us will spend time surrounded by loved ones, which may include benevolent grandmothers and aunts indulging us with food and sweets. Pecan pie, pumpkin pie and cobblers may be delicious, … Continue reading Try Fidgeting to Control Blood Sugar