Endocrine News Podcast

Host Aaron Lohr talks with Rita Kalyani, MD, professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and president-elect of medicine and science at the American Diabetes Association. Earlier this year, Dr. Kalyani and colleagues published a position statement in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism titled, “Prioritizing Patient Experiences in the Management of Diabetes and Its Complications: An Endocrine Society Position Statement.” Show notes are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp93-patience-experience-in-managing-diabetes — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast

In this episode, we talk about pheochromocytomas. Host Aaron Lohr talks with Nikhitha Chandrashekar, MD, who recently finished her endocrinology fellowship at University Hospitals Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Dr. Chandrashekar presented a case study on pheochromocytomas at ENDO 2024. Show notes are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp92-pheochromocytomas — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast

Our bodies typically do a remarkable job of recovering from certain injuries, and thyroid hormone signaling has an essential role to play there. But what is that process like for someone with hypothyroidism, and is there a unique role in that process for muscle stem cells? Host Aaron Lohr talks with Paola Aguiari, PhD, a senior research specialist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. She presented an abstract at ENDO 2024 titled, “Hypothyroidism Impairs Skeletal Muscle Regeneration After Injury.” Show notes are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp91-hypothyroidism-and-muscle-regeneration — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast

We all know that stress leads to a number of negative outcomes. In this episode, we talk about how early life stress may influence youth substance use initiation and some endocrine factors that may be helping to drive that influence. Host Aaron Lohr talks with Alexandra M. Donovan, PhD, of the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. Dr. Donovan recently presented an abstract at ENDO 2024 titled, “Early Life Stress and Pubertal Predictors of Youth Substance Use Initiation: Does Sex Moderate the Relationship Between Early Life Stress, Puberty, and Substance Use Initiation?” Show notes are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp90-early-life-stress-and-substance-use — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast

In this episode, we talk about brown fat and some new discoveries in how it regulates metabolic function. Joining host Aaron Lohr is Marsel Lino, PhD, a research fellow at Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. Dr. Lino presented an abstract at ENDO 2024 titled, “A New Layer of Endocrine Regulation: Brown Fat Secretes Exosomal MicroRNAs, Which Regulate Metabolic Functions and Distal Organs.” Show notes are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp89-brown-fat-and-metabolic-function — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast

Many people take over-the-counter supplements for a variety of reasons, but it isn’t always clear what’s in those supplements. And while they may be intended to help, some may cause harm. In this episode, host Aaron Lohr talks with Kevin Wei, MD, from the University of Southern California/Los Angeles General Medical Center Internal Medicine Residency Program about the presence of glucocorticoids in some over-the counter supplements and why that may be a concern. Dr. Wei and colleagues presented an abstract at ENDO 2024 titled, “Characterizing the Physiological Side Effects of Over-the-Counter Arthritis Supplements.” Show notes are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp88-glucocorticoids-in-supplements — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast.

For those of us who try to lose weight at some point in time, we know the frustration of losing weight and feeling good about that, only to see that weight return. Why does that happen? Is the process the same for adults and adolescents? Is there any way to mitigate that weight regain? Joining host Aaron Lohr is Eric Bomberg, MD, assistant professor at the Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Bomberg recently presented an abstract at ENDO 2024 titled, “Hormonal and Physiological Changes Following Short-Term Weight Loss in Adolescents With Obesity and the Role of Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonist to Counteract Adaptations.” Show notes are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp87-short-term-weight-loss-in-adolescents-with-obesity — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast

This episode focuses on machine learning and how it may help diagnose metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Host Aaron Lohr talks with Christos S. Mantzoros, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the editor-in-chief of the journal Metabolism. Dr. Mantzoros and his team presented their work at ENDO 2024 in Boston, and their abstract was title, “Accurate machine-learning-based diagnosis of at-risk MASH and MASLD subtypes using categorical, radiant boosting, and select clinical, biochemical, and metabolomic measurements: Building highly robust models with few variables through a multi-national, multi-center, biopsy-proven cohort.” Show notes are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp86-machine-learning-and-steatotic-liver-disease — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast

In this episode, we focus on the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act legislation and the obesity epidemic. Host Aaron Lohr talks with U.S. Rep. Raul Ruiz, MD, a physician and currently the U.S. Representative for California’s 25th congressional district. Rep. Ruiz received his medical degree from Harvard University and completed his residency in emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and a fellowship in international emergency medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Massachusetts. He worked as an emergency room doctor at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., until he was elected to Congress in 2012. Rep. Ruiz talks about his background, his experience in treating obesity and its comorbidities, and the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2023. Support for this podcast was provided by Eli Lilly & Company. Show notes are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp85-treat-and-reduce-obesity-act — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast

To claim educational credit, please follow the link to the show notes. In a special episode, we discuss a complex, rare disease, fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, or FOP. Host Aaron Lohr talks with three guests: Eileen M. Shore, PhD, Cali and Weldon Research Professor in FOP and co-director of the Center for Research in FOP and Related Disorders at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Elisabeth Marelise W. Eekhoff, MD, PhD, endocrinologist, principal investigator, and medical specialist at Amsterdam University Medical Center in the Netherlands; and Michelle Davis, executive director of the International Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva Association. This episode is certified for 0.5 American Medical Association Physician’s Recognition Award (AMA PRA) Category 1™ credits and 0.5 American Board of Internal Medicine Maintenance of Certification (ABIM MOC) points. If you want those credits and points, you will have to browse to the Endocrine Society’s Center for Learning, take a pre-test, listen to this episode there, then take a post-test. This episode is supported by an educational grant from Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals Inc. Show notes, including link to the Center for Learning, are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp84-fibrodysplasia-ossificans-progressiva — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast

We all know that a sedentary lifestyle is not healthy for anyone, but just how strongly is physical activity connected to lipid levels in childhood? Host Aaron Lohr talks with Andrew Agbaje, MD, PhD, a physician and pediatric clinical epidemiologist at the University of Eastern Finland. He has authored a study recently published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism titled, “Associations of Sedentary Time and Physical Activity From Childhood With Lipids: A 13-Year Mediation and Temporal Study.” Show notes are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp83-sedentary-time-and-physical-activity-effects-on-childhood-lipid-levels — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast

In this episode, we learn about endocrine-disrupting chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which break down so slowly that they have been called “forever chemicals.” Where can PFAS be found? What exactly is their effect on human health? What are manufacturers doing to limit exposure, and is it enough? Host Aaron Lohr talks with Benson T. Akingbemi, PhD, professor of anatomy and developmental biology at Auburn University. Dr. Akingbemi and colleagues recently published an article on PFAS in the journal Endocrinology titled, “Legacy and Emerging Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Regulate Steroidogenesis in the Male Gonad.” Show notes are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp82-pfas — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast

According to the National Institutes of Health, more than two in five adults have obesity in the United States, and nearly one in three is overweight. To equip health care practitioners with the resources they need to treat patients with obesity, the Endocrine Society recently held its innaugual obesity fellows program, an exclusive, application-based, educational activity for current fellows. The program covered a wealth of information, and host Aaron Lohr talks with Amy Rothberg, MD, DABOM, program chair and a clinical professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health. If you weren’t able to attend the fellows program, we have a free series of on-demand lectures available online, and those are accredited. With thanks to Lilly USA LLC and Novo Nordisk for making both the obesity fellows program and this podcast episode possible through an unrestricted, educational grant. Show notes, including a link to the Endocrine Society Learning Center for earning ABIM points and AMA PRA Category 1 credits, are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp81-obesity-fellows-program — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast

We all know that sleep is important, but sometimes we just don’t get enough. We also know the normal side effects from lack of sleep, but are there other, metabolic, and neuronendocrine effects from short sleep that we don’t know about. Host Aaron Lohr talks about this with Iris CM Pelsma, an academic researcher at Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands. She and her colleagues presented a study earlier this year, at ENDO 2023, titled, “Metabolic and Neuroendocrine Adaptability Following One Night of Partial Sleep Restriction in Dutch Males.” Show notes are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp80-metabolic-and-neuroendocrine-effects-of-short-sleep — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast

Today’s topic is type 1 diabetes. What are some of the biggest challenges facing us today when it comes to diagnosing and treating type 1 diabetes, and how can we meet those challenges? Host Aaron Lohr talks with Irl Hirsch, MD, from the UW Diabetes Institute at the University of Washington. Dr. Hirsch and Davida Kruger, NP, from Henry Ford Health in Detroit co-chaired the Endocrine Society’s type 1 diabetes fellows series. That program and this podcast episode were both made possible by unrestricted, educational grants from Abbott Diabetes Care Inc., CeQur Corp., Dexcom, Insulet, JDRF, Lilly USA LLC, MannKind Corp., Novo Nordisk, Prevention Bio, Vertex, and Tandem Diabetes Care. Show notes are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp79-type-1-diabetes-update — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast

We know that illicit use of anabolic-androgenic steroids is dangerous, but cessation comes with its own challenges. Today we’re talking about a study presented at ENDO 2023 titled, “Self-Administration of Post-Cycle Therapy Is Associated With Increased Probability of Subsequent Normalisation of Reproductive Hormones Following Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Cessation in Men.” Joining host Aaron Lohr to talk about it is one of the study authors, Channa Jayasena, MD, PhD, a specialist in reproductive endocrinology and a research team lead at Imperial College London. Show notes are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp78-post-cycle-therapy-following-anabolic-androgenic-steroid-cessation — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast

We look at a study, presented at ENDO 2023, about the endocrine-disrupting chemicals known as phthalates, or plasticizers, and their effects on fetal and neonatal endocrine puberty. Host Aaron Lohr talks with Mary Bunnell from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, co-author of the study, titled, “Prenatal Phthalate Exposure Alters the Pattern of Fetal and Neonatal Endocrine Puberty in a Sex-specific Manner.” Show notes are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp77-phthalates-and-endocrine-puberty — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast

Today we look at a study from ENDO 2023 about COVID-19 exposure and weight gain in infants. Host Aaron Lohr talks with Mollie Ockene, a Clinical Research Coordinator at Massachusetts General Hospital and a co-author of the study, titled, “Accelerated Longitudinal Weight Gain Among Infants With In Utero COVID-19 Exposure.” Also, get a sneak peak at an episode of our members-only podcast Endocrine Feedback Loop which looks at a study in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism about the glycemic gap in hospitalized patients with COVID. Show notes are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp76-infants-and-in-utero-exposure-to-covid — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast

From ENDO 2023, host Aaron Lohr talks with Jayalakshmi Udayasankar, MD, from the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, about her team’s research presented at the meeting, titled, “Tingling Over Cheek: An Atypical Presentation of Invasive Fungal Sinusitis in an Ambulatory Patient With Type 2 Diabetes.” Show notes are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp75-a-case-study-on-fungal-sinusitis-in-t2d — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast

In another dispatch from ENDO 2023, host Aaron Lohr talks with Max Petersen, MD, PhD, from Washington University in St. Louis, about his team’s research presented at the meeting. Their presentation was titled, “Cellular Insights Into Metabolically Healthy and Unhealthy Obesity.” Show notes are available at https://www.endocrine.org/podcast/enp74-healthy-and-unhealthy-obesity — for helpful links or to hear more podcast episodes, visit https://www.endocrine.org/podcast