Nina S. Stachenfeld, Ph.D.
Associate Professor,
John B. Pierce Laboratory
The regulation of body fluid and sodium content involves the integration
of several physiological systems. One important system controls
water and sodium output and/or reabsorption by the kidneys. A number
of investigations have found that hormones involved primarily in
reproductive function, specifically estrogen and progesterone, have
important effects on the systems that regulate body fluid balance.
Estrogen, for example, can alter the "set point" around
which the thirst mechanism and kidney water reabsorptive functions
regulate body fluid content. Progesterone appears to affect body
fluid content through its impact on the hormones that regulate body
sodium content. The study of these hormones is challenging in young
women because estrogen and progesterone fluctuate during the menstrual
cycle. Consequently, we have examined these systems in older post-menopausal,
women before and during treatment with estrogen. We have also used
the birth control pill to control the levels of estrogen and progesterone
in young women. Most recently we have used medications to temporarily
suppress the menstrual cycle in young women while adding back estrogen
and/or progesterone to study the effects of these hormones on body
fluid regulation under more controlled conditions.
Selected Publications
Calzone, W.L., Silva, C., Keefe, D.L., and Stachenfeld, N.S. Progesterone
does not alter osmotic regulation of AVP. Am. J. Physiol., in press, 2001.
Stachenfeld, N.S., Palter, S. and Keefe, D.L. Estrogen and
progesterone effects on transcapillary fluid dynamics. Am.
J. Physiol.,
in press, 2001.
Stachenfeld, N.S, Splenser, A. Calzone, W.L., Silva, M.P., Taylor,
C., and Keefe, D.L. Sex differences in osmotic regulation of AVP. J.
Appl. Physiol., in press, 2001.
Stachenfeld, N.S., Silva, C., and Keefe, D.L. Temperature effects
of progesterone are blocked by estrogen. J. Appl. Physiol. 88:
1643-1649, 2000.
Stachenfeld, N.S., Silva, C., Keefe, D., and Nadel, E.R. Effects
of oral contraceptives on body fluid regulation. J. Appl. Physiol.
87: 1016-1025, 1999.
Stachenfeld, N.S., DiPietro, L., Palter, S., and Nadel, E.R.
Estrogen influences osmotic regulation of AVP and body water balance
in postmenopausal women. Am. J. Physiol. 274(43): R187-R195,
1998.
Stachenfeld, N.S., Mack, G.W., DiPietro, L., Jozsi, A.C., Morocco,
T.S., and Nadel, E.R. Regulation of blood volume during training
in post-menopausal women. Med. Sci. Sports Exer. 30: 92-98,
1998.
Stachenfeld, N.S. , Mack, G.W., DiPietro, L., Nadel, E.R. Mechanism
for thirst attenuation in older adults: influence of central volume
receptors. Am. J. Physiol. 272 (41): R148-R147, 1997. |
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