TLDR Ancient hair can preserve hormones, revealing health and fertility insights.
This study applied a modified ELISA technique to analyze cortisol, estradiol, and testosterone in hair samples from 10 individuals from the Kellis 2 cemetery in Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt. The results showed that all three hormones were preserved and detectable, with incremental patterns reflecting endogenous secretion during life. Cortisol and estradiol levels in pre-menopausal females, as well as testosterone levels, fell within expected reference values, while estradiol levels in males and postmenopausal females were higher than projected. The findings demonstrated that steroid reproductive hormones can be preserved in archaeological hair, providing new insights into ancient health and fertility.
72 citations,
February 2011 in “American Journal of Biological Anthropology” The conclusion is that recognizing hair growth cycles can improve the precision of dietary and health assessments from hair analysis.
501 citations,
October 2008 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Hair cortisol levels can show increased stress during late pregnancy but only for up to six months.
44 citations,
November 2018 in “Journal of applied ecology” Hair analysis for stress and reproductive hormones in wildlife needs more research for accuracy across species.
12 citations,
December 2020 in “Comprehensive psychoneuroendocrinology” Hormone levels in hair change during pregnancy, with progesterone increasing significantly compared to non-pregnant women.
33 citations,
January 2017 in “Conservation physiology” Measuring reproductive hormones in brown bear hair could help identify their sex and reproductive state, but better collection methods or lab techniques are needed.
12 citations,
December 2017 in “Scientific reports” The new test can measure very small amounts of testosterone in hair, and grinding the hair up first gives more accurate results.
June 2022 in “Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences” Higher testosterone harms sperm motility, while higher estradiol improves sperm survival.
