Credit: iStock This year marked the 10th anniversary of the I Spy Physiology blog! In a year of great challenge to science funding, talking about the value of science has never been more important, and our contributors understood the assignment. They’ve shared their stories about becoming a science advocate and transitioning from mentee to a … Continue reading The Top 10 Most-read I Spy Physiology Posts of 2025
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From Cortisol to Calm: The Physiology of Calm Breathing
Credit: Amin Mohajeri “Take a deep breath.” You’ve probably heard that advice—before a big exam, a tough conversation or when you’re feeling overwhelmed. And if you’ve ever noticed that it actually helps, you’re not imagining it. Your body has a built-in system for finding calm, and breathing is the key that unlocks it. When stress … Continue reading From Cortisol to Calm: The Physiology of Calm Breathing
How Black Pepper Spices Up Your Muscle Power
Credit: iStock/ayala_studio The primary function of skeletal muscle is to move our limbs. These muscles are attached to our bones and pull on them during contraction. When contracting, muscles consume energy—like a Ford Mustang using fuel to generate propulsion. Like teeth, we only get one set of muscles, so we need to take care of … Continue reading How Black Pepper Spices Up Your Muscle Power
Understanding the Link Between Oral Health and Dementia
Credit: iStock/simarik Dementia is a brain disorder that affects memory, thinking and cognitive functioning. It is the seventh leading cause of death in older people and affects more than 57 million people worldwide. In recent years, research on this topic has expanded, meaning you may have seen more recommendations (such as healthy eating and exercising) … Continue reading Understanding the Link Between Oral Health and Dementia
The Epigenetic Code: What Controls Our Genes Without Changing Them?
Credit: iStock/selvanegra Epigenetic modifications are changes in our genetic material that do not change our DNA sequence. They are heritable—they can pass from parent to child—but are reversible. Therefore, epigenetics is also referred to as gene control without gene mutation. If we compare DNA to the hardware of a computer, then epigenetics can be compared … Continue reading The Epigenetic Code: What Controls Our Genes Without Changing Them?
Spotlight On: Statins
Credit: iStock/designer491 Heart disease remains the No. 1 killer in America, taking more lives per year than cancer and accidents combined. That’s frightening, but there is cause for optimism. For decades, statin drugs have been the gold standard in cholesterol management. Statins block the liver enzyme responsible for producing cholesterol, lower “bad” LDL levels by … Continue reading Spotlight On: Statins
Bile Acids and Gut Microbiota Work Together to Regulate Blood Pressure
Credit: iStock/libre de droit Did you know that liver, our second largest organ, also plays a role in regulating our blood pressure? It has to do with bile acids, a substance that the liver cells make to help with digestion. Let’s dive in a little more to understand how it all works. Bile acids Bile … Continue reading Bile Acids and Gut Microbiota Work Together to Regulate Blood Pressure
Overtraining: Pushing the Boundaries of Physical Activity
Credit: iStock/lzf In Greek mythology, the renowned athlete Milo carries a baby calf on his shoulder each day. As the calf grows, Milo gets stronger, and eventually he can walk long distances with a full-grown cow on his back. This is a bit of a facetious example of progressive overload, a basic tenet of … Continue reading Overtraining: Pushing the Boundaries of Physical Activity
What You Need to Know About the Gut Microbiota and High Blood Pressure
Credit: iStock The gut microbiome is an ecosystem of microbiota (microscopic organisms such as bacteria, viruses and fungi) in the intestine or gut. There are trillions of microbiota living in our guts. During disease or under unfavorable conditions, harmful bacteria in our digestive tract overgrow, and a balance between beneficial and harmful bacteria is lost. … Continue reading What You Need to Know About the Gut Microbiota and High Blood Pressure
Artificial Intelligence and Physiology: The Future is Now
Credit: iStock/Pongsak Sakapdee Can you imagine (or remember) a world without cell phones and the internet? In a few years it may be tough to imagine a world without artificial intelligence (AI). AI is the re-creation of human intelligence in machines, complete with the ability to learn, reason and solve problems. AI can be quite … Continue reading Artificial Intelligence and Physiology: The Future is Now