New review calls for further research on the way endocrine function is impacted by global temperature changes

In the review, published in Nature Reviews Endocrinology, Professor Rajesh Thakker from the William Harvey Research Institute and an international group of colleagues identify the risks of both increasing seasonal temperatures and the frequency and severity of heat extremes on hormone systems.

The researchers highlighted that endocrine diseases may impair a person's response to high temperatures, potentially leading to heat injuries. While studies of heat on healthy volunteers are numerous, more research is needed on the impact of temperature on people who have already been diagnosed with endocrine diseases.

Professor Thakker said: “Climate change with increasing heat exposure are major global challenges confronting us, yet we  know little about their effects on health, and identifying these gaps in our knowledge is important for planning strategies and future research for the benefit of humankind”.

The review was conducted by researchers from the University of Oxford, the National University of Singapore, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and Queen Mary University of London.