It is well-established, through extensive peer-reviewed published research, that physical activity and exercise training can impact the reproductive endocrine system of women. This ground-breaking, comprehensive title presents a range of unique insights into the opposite question: how the reproductive endocrine system of women affects their exercise ability. More precisely, the thematic question explored in this work is: if exercise affects reproductive hormones, conversely then could the reproductive hormones have physiological effects unrelated to reproduction that influence the capacity of women to exercise? In exploring this question, the goal is to better understand the unique physiology of women and whether female sex hormones might account for some of the variance in physiological performance between amenorrheic and eumenorrheic women, and within women across the age span as they experience menarche to menopause. Sex Hormones, Exercise and Women: Scientific and Clinical Aspects synthesizes the research by exploring the physiology and psychology behind these occurrences. This novel title will not only be of interest to researchers, exercise scientists, graduate students, and clinicians; it will also serve as a source of valuable information for female athletes and their trainers in the context of preparing for competitions.

It is now impossible to imagine a world without sex hormones. Women all over the world take hormonal pills to control their fertility and estrogen and proges­terone have become the most widely used drugs in the history of medicine. But why has the female rather than the male body become increasingly subjected to hormonal treatment? Nelly Oudshoorn challenges the idea that there exists such a thing as a natural body and shows how concepts such as the hormonal body assume the appear­ance of natural phenomena by virtue of the activities of scientists, rather than being rooted in nature. Beyond the Natural Body tells the fascinating story of scientists' search for the ovaries, testes and urine required to develop the hormonal concept; investigating how sex hormones have shaped our understanding of sex and the body, trans­forming science and medicine and ultimately redefining the relationship of women to reproduction. Nelly Oudshoorn concludes by evaluating the mixed blessings of the hormonal revolution.

Although sex hormones are generally thought to be involved mainly in reproductive functions, they are also involved in antioxidant mechanisms, in cardiovascular and brain functions, and in incidence of some diseases. In this book, the authors present current research in the study of the development, regulation and disorders relating to sex hormones. Topics discussed include sex hormones are their implication in metabolic disease, and neurological disorders such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, depression and migraine; the non-reproductive effects of sex hormones and the cardiovascular system; and, the sources and presence of steroid sex hormones in freshwater ecosystems and sex hormone receptors and epigenetics in breast cancer.

Research on health involves evaluating the disparities that are systematically associated with the experience of risk, including genetic and physiological variation, environmental exposure to poor nutrition and disease, and social marginalization. This volume provides a unique perspective - a comparative approach to the analysis of health disparities and human adaptability - and specifically focuses on the pathways that lead to unequal health outcomes. From an explicitly anthropological perspective situated in the practice and theory of biosocial studies, this book combines theoretical rigor with more applied and practice-oriented approaches and critically examines infectious and chronic diseases, reproduction, and nutrition.

Sex Differences in Physiology is an all-encompassing reference that details basic science research into sex differences in all physiological fields. It includes scientific discoveries concerning sex differences in cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal physiology. In addition, coverage of the development, endocrinology, neurophysiology, immunity, and metabolism is included, making this important reference a resource that will meet the needs of investigators interested in incorporating sex differences into their research programs, while also providing clinicians with the basis for providing the best sex-based medical treatment options available. Provides a sweeping, organ-by-organ review of currently observed sex differences in animal models and human disease Explains how sex differences influence physiology and disease Provides the critical knowledge on sex differences for better understanding of prevention and treatment of diseases

Now in a revised and expanded second edition including seven brand new chapters, this book compiles and synthesizes the latest research and clinical evidence regarding the intricate relationship between sex hormones and the physical activity level and overall health of the female endocrine system across the lifespan. Expert authors from around the world discuss in detail the impact of sex hormones on energy metabolism, cardiorespiratory system, nervous system, and musculoskeletal health, as well as environmental and psychological factors affecting exercise and sexual health. Considerations of the hormonal and physiological changes to the menstrual cycle and in menopause due to exercise receive chapters of their own. New to this edition are discussions of pregnancy, menopause, aerobic endurance training, the transgender athlete, sports performance, and the future of sports and exercise science relating to the active female. Covering a hot topic in sports medicine and science, Sex Hormones, Exercise and Women, Second Edition will be of interest to researchers, clinicians, exercise scientists, and residents and fellows in these areas.

Sex Hormones not only regulate reproductive function, but they also play a prominent role in the biology and physiology of several organs/tissues and in the pathophysiology of several diseases. During the last two decades, the information on the mechanisms of action of sex hormones, such as estrogens and androgens, has rapidly evolved from the conventional nuclear receptor dependent mechanisms to include additional non-nuclear, non-genomic and receptor-independent mechanisms. This highlights the need to update the current knowledge on sex hormones and their mode of action. Increasing evidence that exogenous/epigenetic factors can influence sex hormone production and action highlights the need to update our knowledge on the mechanisms involved. This book provides a systematic and updated overview of the male/female sex-hormones and their impact in the biology and physiology of various organs. Additionally, the book discusses their positive and negative association with the pathophysiology of various diseases (e.g. osteoporosis, cardiovascular-disease, hypogonadism, reproduction, cancer) and their therapeutic potential.