The Impact of Gluten-Free Diet on Hormonal Balance

This study investigated how a gluten-free diet affects hormones, with particular emphasis on cortisol, thyroid, insulin, and sex hormones. Background: For medical diseases such as non-celiac gluten sensitivity, wheat allergy, and celiac disease, a gluten-free diet is important. The main area of concern for research is how a gluten-free diet can affect hormone levels and related health consequences. A review of the body of research on this topic, including studies on hormone regulation and the impact of dietary modifications, is a part of the methodology. These findings imply that a gluten-free diet may have an impact on hormone levels, which may affect metabolism, weight, and general health. These implications include the need for additional studies, particularly in those with autoimmune illnesses, to completely comprehend the relationship between a gluten-free diet and hormone regulation.

Influence of growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor Ⅰ axis on normal pregnancy

Objective To investigate the role of growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor Ⅰ (IGF-Ⅰ) axis in normal pregnancy.Methods Totally, 116 normal pregnant women were recruited from January 1997 to June 1998, with 20 normal nonpregnant women as controls. Maternal growth hormone (GH) and IGF-Ⅰ concentrations were assayed by RIA and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively.Results Maternal serum levels of GH increased throughout gestation, reached a peak at 25 weeks of pregnancy and remained fairly high (χ2=40.458, P<0.0001). There was a significant difference between samples at 5-9 week gestational age and the controls (3.45?μg/L vs 1.61?μg/L, P<0.05). The maternal serum levels of IGF-Ⅰ increased rapidly throughout gestation from 29-week gestation and reached a peak of 188.86?μg/L at term delivery (χ2=50.224, P<0.0001).Conclusions Maternal GH levels increased progressively throughout gestation, which correlated with fetal growth. Maternal GH may regulate nutrition supply among mother, placenta and the fetus and play an important role in transporting nutritional substrates by the placenta. The maternal IGF-Ⅰ in the third trimester may promote fetal growth and placental functions.

Bariatric surgery in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease-from pathophysiology to clinical effects

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) is increasingly recognized as a significant liver disease,and it covers the disease spectrum from simple steatosis with a risk of development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH) to fibrosis,subsequent cirrhosis,end-stage liver failure,and liver cancer with a potential need for liver transplantation.NAFLD and NASH are closely related to obesity,metabolic syndrome,and type 2 diabetes(T2 D).The role of gut hormones,especially glucagon-like peptide 1(GLP-1),is important in NAFLD.Bariatric surgery has the potential for inducing great weight loss and may improve the symptoms of metabolic syndrome and T2 D.Recent data demonstrated significant effects of bariatric surgery on GLP-1 and other gut hormones and important lipid metabolic and inflammatory abnormalities in the pathophysiology of NAFLD.Therefore,bariatric surgery may reverse the pathological liver changes in NAFLD and NASH patients.In the present review,we describe NAFLD and NASH pathophysiology and the primary effects of bariatric surgery on metabolic pathways.We performed a systematic review of the beneficial and harmful effects and focused on changes in liver disease severity in NAFLD and NASH patients.The specific focus was liver histopathology as assessed by the invasive liver biopsy.Additionally,we reviewed several non-invasive methods used for the assessment of liver disease severity following bariatric surgery.