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Glands and hormones

They keep the eyes moist, supply water to the mouth and keep the bowel fed with fluids for processing energy. Glands supply special fluids non-stop for almost every function where the body needs it. One realises how important glands are if they do not function normally. Some glands produce hormones. Hormones are like messengers in the body. Hormones let organs know what other organs are doing.

Feature: Menopause

The menopause has been in the headlines a lot in the last few years. And for good reason. Researchers found that commonly prescribed hormone therapy did not have the longterm benefits many experts previously thought it had. For women who struggle with severe menopausal symptoms, this disappointing news did not make life any easier. That is why we set out to find what is known for sure about the benefits and harms of hormones and other options.

Research summaries

Contraception: Do the pill and other combined hormonal contraceptives cause weight gain?

Weight gain has not been conclusively proven to be an adverse effect of using the contraceptive pill, patch or ring. Many women have a problem with weight gain as time goes by, whether or not they use hormonal contraception. more...

Heart disease and diabetes: Is there a difference between the statins?

All of the five different statins that are licensed for use in Germany can lower the cholesterol level in the blood. But the deciding factor for patients is how well the medicine can prevent heart attacks and other coronary artery problems. From this point of view, simvastatin (marketed under various brand names) is the best tested. It has been shown to lengthen life expectancy of people with diabetes and particular heart diseases. more...

Contraception: How do the contraceptive patch and ring compare to the pill?

The contraceptive skin patch, vaginal ring and pill are similarly effective forms of contraception. However, the skin patch is associated with more adverse effects than the other two hormonal contraceptives. more...

Graves’ hyperthyroidism: Is it better to start with lower-dose therapy?

If lower doses of drugs for Graves' disease are used at the start of treatment, adverse effects are less common too. more...

Type 2 diabetes: Are long-acting insulin analogues better than regular long-acting human insulin?

Long-acting insulin analogues have not been shown to have advantages over human insulin in the treatment of people with type 2 diabetes. More research is needed on the long-term benefits and harms of long-acting insulin analogues. more...

Hyperthyroidism: What are the advantages and disadvantages of combined treatment with anti-thyroid drugs and radioiodine?

Using anti-thyroid drugs before, during or after radioiodine therapy reduces the adverse effects of the treatment, but the trade-off is a similar reduction in treatment effectiveness. more...

Type 2 diabetes: How do glinides compare to other medications?

There are no good-quality trials of whether glinides can prevent diabetes complications such as damage to the eyes or kidneys. It is not clear whether these blood-sugar-lowering medications have advantages for people with type 2 diabetes compared to other medications. more...

Inhaled insulin: How safe is it?

There is currently not enough evidence to reliably evaluate the long-term benefits and harms of inhaled insulin. In most people with diabetes, inhaled insulin cannot completely replace insulin injections. The manufacturer of the inhaled insulin Exubera has taken it off the market. more...

Short-acting insulin analogues: Are they better than regular insulin for people with type 2 diabetes?

There are not enough adequate long-term clinical trials on whether short-acting insulin analogues have health benefits compared to regular human insulin for people with type 2 diabetes. It is also currently not possible to reliably evaluate the long-term safety of insulin analogues. more...