https://medicalxpress.com/endocrinology-metabolism-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Endocrinology FGF21 is primarily known as a metabolic hormone. A new study by researchers at Helmholtz Munich and Ludwig Maximilians University has described a previously unknown mechanism through which FGF21 supports cells under protein-folding stress: The hormone enhances key cellular stress response programs via increased sulfide signaling and thus appears to help cells cope more effectively with disturbances in protein folding. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-fgf21-cells-cope-protein-stress.html Thu, 18 Jun 2026 16:20:04 EDT news701011801 People with obesity and type 2 diabetes are at high risk of blood vessel damage. This risk depends not only on the genes a person carries, but also on how they are "read." By changing the epigenetic reading signals in the thin fat layer surrounding arteries and veins, researchers led by the University of Zurich were able to reduce inflammation and improve blood vessel health in both mice and human tissue. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-epigenetic-drugs-blood-vessels-obesity.html Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:50:01 EDT news701015342 People who carry genetic variations linked to obesity are more likely to be heavier now than individuals with the same variants who were born before the recent obesity epidemic. Liam Wright of University College London and colleagues report these findings in the journal PLOS Genetics. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-link-genetics-bmi-stronger-obesity.html Thu, 18 Jun 2026 14:00:07 EDT news700990922 Weight-loss jabs are the latest craze for shedding a few pounds. Their effect has been dramatic, with drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy (semaglutide) causing users to lose up to 15% of their body fat on average. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-weightloss-drugs-dont-people.html Wed, 17 Jun 2026 16:20:06 EDT news700920542 A new article published in Globalization and Health warns that the rapid rise of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs in high-income countries could have unintended consequences for food environments in low- and middle-income countries. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-weight-loss-drugs-reshape-food.html Tue, 16 Jun 2026 18:00:05 EDT news700847582 University of Queensland researchers have examined taste and smell genes to help determine whether specific foods cause or are linked to disease. People who like the taste and smell of onions are more likely to have lower blood pressure and risk of type 2 diabetes, they have found. The findings are published in the journal BMC Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-genes-diet-disease.html Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:20:08 EDT news700846921 Orforglipron is beneficial for blood glucose control in individuals with type 2 diabetes using metformin or taking insulin glargine, according to two studies published online June 8 in The Lancet and the JAMA to coincide with the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association, held from June 5 to 8 in New Orleans. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-ada-orforglipron-beneficial-hba1c-diabetes.html Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:00:07 EDT news700835015 Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) have become popular for weight loss, but results vary from person to person and from drug to drug. Venky Soundararajan and colleagues explored the full range of responses to tirzepatide (e.g., Mounjaro or Zepbound) and semaglutide (e.g., Ozempic, Wegovy or Rybelsus) by analyzing de-identified electronic health records for matched cohorts of 10,339 tirzepatide-treated and 10,339 semaglutide-treated patients. In the real world, outcomes ranged from minimal weight loss to more than a 25% reduction in body weight. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-tirzepatide-outperformed-semaglutide-weight-loss.html Tue, 16 Jun 2026 16:00:05 EDT news700835336 A major Australian clinical trial has found that timing when you eat can be just as effective as traditional dietitian-led advice in trying to lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-simple-window-rival-dietitian-advice.html Tue, 16 Jun 2026 09:20:05 EDT news700818493 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the first over-the-counter wearable device to track blood sugar in young children. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-fda-counter-glucose-children.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:40:01 EDT news700747178 Among patients with preexisting hypertension taking antihypertensive medications, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) use is associated with an increase in hypotensive-related events, according to a study presented at ENDO 2026, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, held from June 13 to 16 in Chicago. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-endo-glp-receptor-agonists-higher.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 17:20:03 EDT news700747199 A clinical trial supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that adults with prediabetes assigned to a lifestyle intervention had a significantly lower risk of developing multiple chronic health conditions (known as multimorbidity) over time than those assigned to a placebo. This study, which followed participants for more than two decades, also found that participants assigned to receive metformin did not experience a statistically significant reduction in multimorbidity risk. The findings, published in JAMA, highlight the lasting benefits of lifestyle programs that may lower the risk of developing chronic conditions. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-adults-prediabetes-lifestyle-intervention-multiple.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 17:10:01 EDT news700760942 A research team from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) has shown that a one-time administration of a gene therapy expressing the metabolic factor FGF21 can prolong health span in old mice. The 27-month pharmacology study, published in Molecular Therapy, shows sustained beneficial effects across multiple endpoints associated with aging and health span. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-gene-therapy-prolongs-health-span.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 15:40:07 EDT news700747636 One of the largest real-world studies of people taking GLP-1 medications found women, those without pre-existing conditions such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, and behavioral factors such as previously setting a weight goal were the best predictors of total weight loss, according to a study presented at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-behavioral-modifications-goal-greater-weight.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:50:03 EDT news700733521 Tirzepatide doesn't just help people lose weight; it also activates brown adipose tissue, representing a major milestone in obesity research, according to a study presented at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-tirzepatide-body-energy-trial.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:50:01 EDT news700722335 Researchers are warning that obesity is reshaping the global cardiovascular disease crisis, as trend data covering 204 countries reveal that heart disease now peaks in people ages 50–54 rather than the elderly and increasingly in South Asia, where rates have grown more than three times faster than global averages, according to a study being presented Monday at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-obesity-rewrites-global-heart-disease.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 11:20:08 EDT news700737076 GLP-1 medications are marketed to help you lose weight, but one may be better at it than the rest, according to a new meta-analysis from the University of Georgia. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-tirzepatide-glp-medication-effective-weight.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:40:01 EDT news700737071 People with type 2 diabetes who nap longer than 30 minutes every day, regardless of their sleep patterns at night, increase their risk of developing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), according to a study being presented Monday at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-naps-chronic-liver-disease-people.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:00:04 EDT news700482422 GLP-1s do not harm male hormones or fertility after long-term use, according to a study being presented Monday at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago. In fact, the research team found GLP-1s may improve testosterone levels and sperm quality in men with obesity-related low testosterone, while also addressing the underlying effects of obesity. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-clinical-trials-glp-1s-fertility.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:00:02 EDT news700482361 Women on menopausal hormone therapy face a decreased risk of low bone mineral density compared with those not using it, according to a study presented at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-menopausal-hormone-therapy-bone-mineral.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 00:20:04 EDT news700464388 In people with type 2 diabetes, semaglutide was associated with a 15% reduction in bone fractures and greater weight loss compared with other anti-obesity medications, according to a study presented at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-semaglutide-linked-bone-fracture.html Sun, 14 Jun 2026 14:50:01 EDT news700464395 Origami masters turn simple sheets of paper into ornate sculptures. In the origami of life, our cells must fold proteins into specific three-dimensional shapes before they can carry out their biological jobs. This folding process goes awry as prediabetes progresses into diabetes. Misfolded and dysfunctional proteins then build up in cells like discarded wads of paper in an origami student's recycling bin. This abnormal accumulation stresses the cells responsible for producing insulin. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-boosting-protein-insulin-cells-diabetes.html Sun, 14 Jun 2026 14:00:04 EDT news700464559 People prescribed GLP-1 medications are more likely to start and stop than most people assume, according to a study presented at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-glp-1s-restart-year.html Sun, 14 Jun 2026 10:00:05 EDT news700464289 The first real-world study of the FDA-approved nonhormone treatment fezolinetant found the menopausal medication improved hot flashes, depression and anxiety in women, according to industry-sponsored research presented at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-hormone-medication-menopausal-symptoms-women.html Sun, 14 Jun 2026 10:00:04 EDT news700464384 Eliminating sugar from your diet may be more detrimental than previously thought, according to an animal study presented at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-sugar-free-diets-disrupt-gut.html Sat, 13 Jun 2026 21:10:01 EDT news700464327 Adults with obesity who lost weight with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist medications significantly decreased their physical activity, which is essential to protect muscle, according to a study presented at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-decreases-people-glp-medication.html Sat, 13 Jun 2026 18:40:01 EDT news700464344 Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that interfere with hormones were found in breast milk and in the urine of children from birth up to 6 months, according to a study presented at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-endocrine-disrupting-chemicals-breast-infant.html Sat, 13 Jun 2026 16:30:03 EDT news700464306 Male rats exposed to the widely used plasticizer di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) during early development exhibited increased anxiety behavior as adults, according to a study presented at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-phthalate-exposure-early-life-anxiety.html Sat, 13 Jun 2026 16:30:01 EDT news700464302 Testosterone treatment may improve body composition, glucose metabolism and sexual desire in some older men at high risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), but the benefits require engagement in a lifestyle program, according to a study presented at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-testosterone-lifestyle-older-men-diabetes.html Sat, 13 Jun 2026 16:20:01 EDT news700464318 Longer lifetime exposure to female hormones may increase the risk of thyroid cancer in women, according to a study presented at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago. The research suggests reproductive and hormonal factors may be involved in thyroid carcinogenesis. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-women-thyroid-cancer-linked-reproductive.html Sat, 13 Jun 2026 14:50:05 EDT news700464313