Menopause and Hormone Replacement Therapy

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The menopause is the last menstrual period a woman experiences as a result of her ovaries no longer producing eggs. A hysterectomy or IUD and endometrial lining removed, that's not going to apply to you. Some more, perhaps modern, definition is the ovaries run out of eggs,. can't produce an egg to release into the uterus to be ovulated. That's the menopause. And the woman is considered to have completed menopause if she has not had a menstrual blade for 12 months.

In Episode #245, I'm joined by endocrinologist and clinical researcher Professor Susan Davis, AO. In this detailed exchange – taking place over more than two hours – Professor Davis shares the best practice guidelines for managing menopause. You will learn from a world-leading expert about sex hormones, the physiological changes underpinning menopause, signs and symptoms of peri-menopause/menopause, the struggles of menopause, medical and lifestyle interventions for managing menopause (including hormone therapy), testosterone and sexual desire, the beautiful side of menopause, and plenty more.

"One of the – dare I say – more sinister symptoms that women often do not relate to menopause is anxiety."

Professor Susan R Davis AO*,* is Director, Monash University Women’s Health Research Program and an NHMRC Senior Research Fellow; Consultant Endocrinologist and Head, Women’s Endocrine Clinic, Alfred Hospital Melbourne; and consultant at Cabrini Medical Centre.

Her research spans from basic science to clinical trials, and has been pivotal in the understanding of sex hormones in women across the lifespan in multiple non-reproductive target tissues, including the brain (cognition, mood, sexual function), cardiovascular system (lipids, vascular function, and coagulation), and other tissues (fat, muscle, joint cartilage, and bone).

Specifically, we cover:

Intro (00:00)
Understanding Menopause: Communication and Misconceptions (06:00)
Hysterectomy and its Impact on Menopause (10:48)
Medical Consultation during Menopause: Is it necessary? (15:48)
In-Depth Discussion on Menopause Symptoms and Phases (18:03)
Menopause as a Part of the Aging Process (28:28)
Hormones and Reproduction during Menopause (30:47)
Women's Experiences and Body Changes during Menopause (33:10)
Estrogen and Sex Hormones during Menopause (48:20)
A Proactive Approach to Menopause: Starting Early for Symptom Management (49:10)
Guidelines for Managing Menopause (1:04:31)
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) (1:13:28)
HRT and Breast Cancer Risk (1:24:30)
HRT Medications: Guidelines and Recommendations (1:26:50)
The Trustworthiness of Big Pharmaceutical Corporations (1:45:35)
Breast Cancer and Menopause Medications (1:55:12)
The Funding of Menopause Research (1:58:00)
Testosterone Therapy in Menopausal Hormone Treatment (2:00:10)
Empowering Menopausal Women: Their Continued Contributions to Society (2:18:55)
Outro (2:19:40)

To connect with Professor Davis, you can find her on Twitter @SRDwomenshealth. Read her published work here, and make sure to check out the resources below for more useful information on this topic.

Discover more insights and supporting studies in the full show notes.

Enjoy, friends.

Simon

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Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons)

Creator of theproof.com and host of The Proof with Simon Hill

Author of The Proof is in the Plants

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