Category: Endocrine

What is leptin, and should it be tested for weight loss? Leptin is a hormone made mainly by fat cells. It carries information about stored energy to the brain, especially the hypothalamus, and helps coordinate […]

Direct Answer Cortisol helps the body make fuel available during physical or psychological demands. Sustained pathologic cortisol excess, as occurs in Cushing syndrome, can raise glucose, impair insulin action, increase blood pressure, and alter body-fat […]

A blood-pressure cuff detects elevated pressure inside your arteries. Hypertension lab tests answer different questions: they can help show whether high blood pressure is affecting the kidneys, whether glucose or lipid abnormalities are adding cardiovascular […]

Adults who develop high blood sugar are often assumed to have type 2 diabetes. That is the correct classification for many people—but not for everyone. Adult-onset autoimmune diabetes is type 1 diabetes that begins in […]

Originally published October 8, 2024. Updated August 26, 2026. Healthy sleep, regular physical activity, balanced meals, relaxation skills, and appropriate mental health support can reduce perceived stress and support normal hormone rhythms. However, cortisol is […]

Last evidence review: August 25, 2026 Medical note: This article is for education and does not diagnose Cushing syndrome. Cortisol testing is sensitive to timing, collection, sleep, medications, kidney function, pregnancy, illness, and assay method. […]

High blood pressure is not always “essential” hypertension. In primary aldosteronism (PA), one or both adrenal glands produce aldosterone partly independently of the body’s normal renin control system. The result can be sodium retention, suppressed […]

Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones lose strength and become more likely to fracture. A central DXA scan measures bone mineral density and helps diagnose or classify osteoporosis, but it does not explain why […]

Primary hyperparathyroidism is a hormone disorder in which one or more parathyroid glands release too much parathyroid hormone, or PTH. The parathyroid glands sit near the thyroid but perform a different job: they help regulate […]

Endocrine disorders are conditions that interfere with the production, release, transport, or action of hormones. Because hormones help regulate metabolism, blood sugar, growth, reproduction, stress responses, calcium balance, energy, and mood, an endocrine problem can […]

What This Guide Will Help You Do with Optimal Blood Test Ranges Think your lab results are “normal,” so everything must be fine? Not necessarily. The reference ranges printed on most blood and urine reports simply […]

Navigating the complex world of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can be daunting, but understanding their effects is crucial for our well-being. This blog post will explore what EDCs are, where they're found, and how we […]