A Birth Control Pill for Men Is One Step Closer

Comment: What could possibly go wrong?

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Singularity Hub

Women have long borne the brunt of contraception responsibilities, but this may be shifting in coming years. A new trial published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism details strides made by researchers in developing a male version of the birth control pill, bringing it within reach of the long-sought-after FDA approval.

Like the female equivalent, a male oral contraceptive works by tweaking the body’s hormones to temporarily suppress fertility. In women, this involves introducing synthetic estrogen and/or progestin, which mimics progesterone, a hormone released in large amounts during pregnancy. When introduced into the female body, the pill stops ovulation, prevents sperm from entering the cervix, and thins the uterine lining, making implantation of a fertilized egg far less likely.

In men, the idea is to stop the production of sperm, which relies on both progesterone and androgens like testosterone.

The researchers developed 11-beta-MNTDC, a chemical cocktail that can mimic specific androgens and progesterone. These synthetic versions are agonists, meaning they can bind to the same receptors as natural chemicals, but they produce a different response from the body.

When introduced into men, 11-beta-MNTDC fills cells’ androgen and progesterone receptors, blocking the natural versions from being used and suppressing production of hormones necessary for sperm production, while allowing for the rest of the body to function normally.

In March the researchers presented the results of a 28-day trial during which they tested 11-beta-MNTDC on 40 healthy men. 10 of these men were given a placebo, while the other 30 were given varying doses of the drug. They found that the participants’ androgen levels fell more the higher the dose, with the average non-placebo participant levels falling below the limits of fertility.

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How the human brain differs according to sex – male and female brains compared

Comment: Interesting piece from 2010. I thought I'd re-post since we all prone to forget how different men and women are at the physiological level and end up screaming at each other because "no one understands me".  It also suggests that male and female skills and thus careers may be more suitable than others. That doesn't have to mean chauvinism or feminism - just reality. Some feminists and authoritarian males forget this salient point on purpose of course...

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zmescience.com

I recently came across a very interesting piece in the NY Post [no longer available] which cites a study that shows that while it was well known that a difference in size between male and female brains exists, there is now evidence that there are significant differences in the size of certain structural parts of the brain, according to gender.

 (click on image)

Surprisingly, for me at least, it seems in male brains, men have six and a half times more gray matter than women do. Gray matter is partly responsible for information processing, so may explain in general men tend to be better in math.

As for women, it seems human females have 10 times as much white matter — the part of the brain that’s I partially responsible for connecting information processing centers. This could contribute to the stereotype that why women are good multi-taskers.

 

Read more at h

  (click on image)

Of course, this doesn’t prove anything. This doesn’t mean men are smarter than women, just because their brains are bigger, or that women will always be more detail orientated than men and so on. Quality is not proven by size, like in most aspects of life. Hormones, genetic different and more add to the puzzle that compose the human brain, be it man or woman, but this particular research remains very interesting, still. 

You can read the hypothesis in greater detail here. I’d love to hear some thoughts on this very controversial piece.

ead more at http://www.zmescience.com/research/male-female-brain-differences-432653163/#vAY65pByPRXDYSiA.99

As for women, it seems human females have 10 times as much white matter — the part of the brain that’s I partially responsible for connecting information processing centers. This could contribute to the stereotype that why women are good multi-taskers.

Read more at http://www.zmescience.com/research/male-female-brain-differences-432653163/#8vSu9J87tom5Klbb.99

As such, researchers have found, for instance, that  a female’s frontal lobe, responsible for problem-solving, is larger than in a man. Meanwhile, a male’s amygdala, which regulates sexual behavior and “fight or flight” reaction, is bigger.

Read more at http://www.zmescience.com/research/male-female-brain-differences-432653163/#Qty7ogRfoP5d26Sb.99

As such, researchers have found, for instance, that  a female’s frontal lobe, responsible for problem-solving, is larger than in a man. Meanwhile, a male’s amygdala, which regulates sexual behavior and “fight or flight” reaction, is bigger.

Read more at http://www.zmescience.com/research/male-female-brain-differences-432653163/#Qty7ogRfoP5d26Sb.99

Bottled Water Leeches 24,000 Chemicals into Your Body, Study Finds

 

Natural Society

Several companies have stopped using BPA in plastic production due to consumer outrage, but just because a plastic container says it is “BPA Free” doesn’t mean it’s free of potentially harmful chemicals. As a matter of fact, recent research out of Germany indicates there are more than 24,000 of such chemicals in any given bottle of water—with some of them causing serious hormone-disrupting effects.

According to the story from Goethe University Frankfort, the researchers tested 18 different bottled water products in an effort to look for endocrine disrupting chemicals, or EDCs. They found far more than expected, identifying 24,520 different chemicals in their testing. After isolating the chemicals and determining their impact on the body, the researchers narrowed down those with anti-estrogenic properties to one: DEHF or di(2-ethylhexyl) fumarate. This finding was of major concern.

Out of the 18 different bottled water products, 13 had “significant” anti-estrogenic activity, and 16 out of 18 inhibited the body’s androgen receptors by 90%. In other words, the bottled water was largely wrecking havoc on the human body.

Video: Dangers of Tap Water and How to Protect Yourself

In addition to DEHF, however, the researchers determined there is some yet-unidentified EDCs at work. Something else is causing anti-androgenic effects.

“We confirmed the identity and biological activity of DEHF and additional isomers of dioctyl fumarate and maleate using authentic standards,” the researchers reported in the online journal PLOS One. “Since DEHF is anti-estrogenic but not anti-androgenic we conclude that additional, yet unidentified EDCs must contribute to the antagonistic effect of bottled water.”

Hormone disruption has the potential to cause serious effects on human life, from early maturation in children, to increased risks of certain types of cancers. You can see one of Mike Barrett’s earlier posts outlining some of the nasty effects of BPA. The findings of this recent study, therefore, are nothing to take lightly. We’ve discussed here before how the bottled water industry may encourage you to hydrate while offering a less-than-pure, expensive product.

Read: The Bottled Water Industry Scam

The researchers concluded:

“Moreover, the antagonist activity was very potent. An equivalent of 3.75 ml bottled water inhibited estrogen and androgen receptor by up to 60 and 90 percent. Bottled water from six different countries has been found to contain estrogenic, antiestrogenic, as well as androgenic, progestagenic, and glucocorticoid-like chemicals. This demonstrates that a popular beverage is contaminated with diverse-acting EDCs.”