Navigating Menopause: Estrogen and Beyond

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Mary Claire Haver, M.D., a board-certified OB/GYN and an expert on women’s health and menopause. We discuss the biology and symptoms of perimenopause and menopause and their effects on body composition, cardiometabolic health, mental health, and longevity. She explains the lifestyle factors, including nutrition, resistance training, sleep, and supplements, that can better prepare women for and improve symptoms of both perimenopause and menopause. We also discuss hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and whether HRT impacts the incidence of breast cancer or can affect cardiovascular health.

We also discuss contraception, cellulite, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and how to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. This episode is rich in actionable information related to what is known about menopause and perimenopause and the stages before, allowing women of all ages to best navigate these life stages.

For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com.

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Timestamps

00:00:00 Dr. Mary Claire Haver

00:02:04 Sponsors: AeroPress, Eight Sleep & BetterHelp

00:06:26 Menopause, Age of Onset

00:09:50 Perimenopause, Hormones & “Zone of Chaos”

00:14:42 Perimenopause, Estrogen & Mental Health

00:20:04 Perimenopause Symptoms; Tool: Lifestyle Factors & Ovarian Health

00:25:26 Early Menopause, Premature Ovarian Failure; Estrogen Therapy

00:29:42 Sponsor: AG1

00:31:31 Contraception, Transdermal, IUDs; Menopause Onset, Freezing Eggs

00:38:18 Women’s Health: Misconceptions & Research

00:45:01 Tool: Diet, Preparing for Peri-/Menopause; Visceral Fat

00:48:31 Tools: Body Composition, Muscle & Menopause, Protein Intake

00:51:42 Menopause: Genetics, Symptoms; Tools: Waist-to-Hip Ratio; Gut Microbiome

00:58:22 Galveston vs. Mediterranean Diet, Fasting, Tool: Building Muscle

01:05:18 Sponsor: InsideTracker

01:06:29 Hot Flashes; Estrogen Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), Breast Cancer Risk & Cognition

01:15:36 Estrogen HRT, Cardiovascular Disease, Blood Clotting; “Meno-posse”

01:24:00 Estrogen & Testosterone: Starting HRT & Ranges

01:30:36 Other Hormones, Thyroid & DHEA; Local Treatment, Urinary Symptoms

01:37:57 OB/GYN Medical Education & Menopause

01:41:30 Supplements, Fiber, Tools: Osteoporosis “Prevention Pack”

01:46:53 Collagen, Cellulite, Bone Density

01:51:42 HRT, Vertigo, Tinnitus, Dry Eye; Conditions Precluding HRT 

01:55:27 Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) & Treatment; GLP-1, Addictive Behaviors

02:01:55 Post-menopause & HRT, Sustained HRT Usage

02:04:58 Mental Health, Perimenopause vs. Menopause; Sleep Disruptions, Alcohol

02:09:09 Male Support; Rekindle Libido

02:12:46 HRT Rash Side-Effect; Acupuncture; Visceral Fat

02:16:24 Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, YouTube Feedback, Sponsors, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

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