This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Calabrese, E J Articles by Baldwin, L A Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Calabrese, E J Articles by Baldwin, L A Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Defining hormesis

Environmental Health Sciences, Morrill I, N344, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA; edwardc{at}schoolph.umass.edu

L A Baldwin

Environmental Health Sciences, Morrill I, N344, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA

Much confusion surrounds the concept of hormesis and what its biological meaning represents. This paper provides a definition of hormesis that addresses its historical foundations, quantitative features, and under-lying evolutionary and toxicologically based mechanistic strategies. Hormesis should be considered an adaptive response characterized by biphasic dose responses of generally similar quantitative features with respect to amplitude and range of the stimulatory response that are either directly induced or the result of compensatory biological processes following an initial disruption in homeostasis. Given the limited magnitude of the stimulatory response (i.e., usually 30–60% greater than controls at maximum), heightened study design and replication requirements are often necessary to ensure reliable judgments on causality. Even though hormesis is considered an adaptive response, the issue of beneficial/harmful effects should not be part of the definition of hormesis, but reserved to a subsequent evaluation of the biological and ecological context of the response.

Key Words: adaptive response • biphasic • hormesis • overcompensation • risk assessment • U-shaped

Human & Experimental Toxicology, Vol. 21, No. 2, 91-97 (2002)
DOI: 10.1191/0960327102ht217oa


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. Raubenheimer and S. J. Simpson Nutritional PharmEcology: Doses, nutrients, toxins, and medicines Integr. Comp. Biol., September 1, 2009; 49(3): 329 - 337. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K Shrader-Frechette Ideological toxicology: invalid logic, science, ethics about low-dose pollution Human and Experimental Toxicology, August 1, 2008; 27(8): 647 - 657. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. Elliott A case for deliberation in response to hormesis research Human and Experimental Toxicology, July 1, 2008; 27(7): 529 - 538. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. Wu, J. R. Cypser, A. I. Yashin, and T. E. Johnson The U-Shaped Response of Initial Mortality in Caenorhabditis elegans to Mild Heat Shock: Does It Explain Recent Trends in Human Mortality? J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., July 1, 2008; 63(7): 660 - 668. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Hamel, E. Abed, L. Brissette, and R. Moreau Characterization of oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced hormesis-like effects in osteoblastic cells Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, April 1, 2008; 294(4): C1021 - C1033. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. J. Calabrese Another California Milestone: The First Application of Hormesis in Litigation and Regulation International Journal of Toxicology, January 1, 2008; 27(1): 31 - 33. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D Henschler The origin of hormesis: historical background and driving forces Human and Experimental Toxicology, July 1, 2006; 25(7): 347 - 351. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J Doull Comments on the Environmental Protection Agency's definition of risk assessment Human and Experimental Toxicology, January 1, 2006; 25(1): 44 - 45. [Abstract] [PDF]

				L. Weltje, F. S vom Saal, and J. Oehlmann Reproductive stimulation by low doses of xenoestrogens contrasts with the view of hormesis as an adaptive response Human and Experimental Toxicology, September 1, 2005; 24(9): 431 - 437. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P M Chapman Defining hormesis: comments on Calabrese and Baldwin (2002) Human and Experimental Toxicology, February 1, 2002; 21(2): 99 - 101. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J A Pickrell and F W Oehme Invited response to definition of hormesis (EJ Calabrese and LA Baldwin) Human and Experimental Toxicology, February 1, 2002; 21(2): 107 - 109. [Abstract] [PDF]