Two decades (1998–2018) of research Progress on Hormesis: advancing biological understanding and enabling novel applications

Abstract

This commentary briefly summarizes the extraordinary resurgence of hormesis within the biological, biomedical, toxicological and risk assessment domains over the past two decades. It places this resurgence within the context of challenging the scientific validity of the threshold and linear dose responses. It argues that conducting research on mechanisms that actuate and regulate the stimulatory response features of hormesis will provide the knowledge needed to develop potentially transformational applications aimed at protecting and enhancing biological resiliency as well as treating/curing a multitude of diverse medical conditions.