Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Elevated activity and expression of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) are associated with the development of obesity and metabolic syndrome. This enzyme is responsible for majority of the extra-adrenal production of glucocorticoids. It regenerates active cortisol from biologically inactive cortisone. Human 11β-HSD1 also reversibly catalyzes the inter-conversion of 7α-hydroxy- and 7β-hydroxy-DHEA into 7-oxo-DHEA. In order to...

Vitamin D is a large group of structurally similar substances (calciferols) with diverse biological functions. Although approximately 40 different vitamin D metabolites have been determined so far, only 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D was considered to be biologically active and the determination of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH D) served a tool to assess vitamin D supply. Recently it was found that also C3-epimers of vitamin D have their biological effect, however these effects differ f...

Old people will have to take care of themselves as long as possible. The challenge for the future is therefore not to extend human age at all costs, but to extend human self-sufficiency. Two years ago, we showed that patients with anxiety and affective disorders (‘depression’) felt great after a month’s stay at the spa, improved in a number of endocrinologic parameters. In this work we try to explain the physiological changes of stay in a spa without pharmace...