Huberman Lab

Dr. Sara Gottfried: How to Optimize Female Hormone Health for Vitality & Longevity

Jan 30, 2023

Dr. Sara Gottfried, a Harvard-trained gynecologist specializing in hormone health, shares valuable insights on female vitality and longevity. The discussion covers key topics like hormone testing, the microbiome's impact, and solutions for managing hormonal challenges through nutrition and exercise. Sara also addresses issues such as PCOS, the importance of personalized health strategies, and the role of stress management techniques, making the content beneficial for both women and men aiming for better overall health.

02:30:36

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Episode guests

Sara Gottfried

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Understanding genetics and family history is crucial for managing hormone health.

Comprehensive testing, including genetic, nutritional, and microbial testing, is essential for assessing hormone status and overall health.

Nutritional deficiencies, particularly magnesium, can significantly impact hormone health.

Stress reduction techniques, such as meditation and yoga, can improve bowel function and support overall health.

Female hormone health is influenced by factors such as oral contraceptives, exercise, and hormone therapy during perimenopause.

Deep dives

Understanding Hormone Health and Longevity in Women

Dr. Sarah Gottfried shares insights on managing hormone health and longevity in women. She discusses the importance of understanding one's genetics and family history in relation to hormones, as well as the impact of trauma and intergenerational trauma on the endocrine system. Dr. Gottfried emphasizes the need for benchmarking hormones in the 20s and 30s, particularly estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels. She also discusses the role of the gut microbiome in hormone regulation and the importance of nutrition and exercise in supporting hormone health. Additionally, Dr. Gottfried highlights the value of comprehensive testing, including genetic, nutritional, and microbial testing, to gain a clearer understanding of hormone status and overall health.

“Being female is a health hazard.”

01:43

Gratitude and Appreciation for Shared Knowledge on Health and Biology

00:49

The Dosage of Rodeola Rosacea that I Found to be Helpful

02:01

The Power of Smoothies to Get Your Veggies and Transform Microbiome

02:45

Intro

4min

Promotional Insights on Science and Wellness Products

4min

Navigating Female Hormonal Health

20min

Transforming Dietary Habits for Microbiome Health

4min

The Complexity of Probiotics and Gut Health

4min

Nourishing the Microbiome: Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Nutritional Deficiencies

4min

Understanding Magnesium Deficiency and Testing Methods

2min

Women’s Health: Understanding Constipation and Hormonal Interconnections

17min

Breathing Techniques and Societal Stress

10min

10.

Understanding Hormonal Health Through Personalized Insights

3min

11.

Understanding Women's Hormonal Health and PCOS

18min

12.

Empowering Health Choices

10min

13.

Exploring Adaptogens: The Role of Ashwagandha in Hormonal Balance

2min

14.

Cortisol, Supplements, and Women's Health

19min

15.

Navigating Women's Hormonal Health and Contraception

23min

16.

Assessing Gut Health: Tests and Insights

7min

17.

Understanding Health Assessments: CAC and ACE Scores

2min

18.

Exploring Female Hormone Health and Engagement Opportunities

3min

My guest is Sara Gottfried, M.D., a Harvard-trained, board-certified gynecologist and clinical assistant professor of integrative medicine & nutritional sciences at Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Gottfried specializes in hormone health, vitality and longevity using precision/personalized approaches. We discuss female hormone health, puberty, perimenopause, and menopause, hormone testing, the microbiome, stress related hormone challenges, their causes, and various treatments. We also discuss fertility, birth control and tools for improving microbiome health, treating PCOS, insulin management, and the best nutrition, supplementation, and exercise programs for women. While the episode focuses mainly on female hormones, males will also benefit from our discussion because it includes actionable tools suggested for managing stress, bolstering the gut microbiome, and immunity—all of which stand to improve overall health, vitality and longevity in males and females.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

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Timestamps

(00:00:00) Dr. Sara Gottfried

(00:04:07) Sponsor: LMNT

(00:07:50) Women, Family History, Heredity & Environment

(00:11:00) Puberty, Stress, Menstrual Cycles, Intrauterine Devices (IUDs)

(00:17:26) Tool: Sex Hormones, Microbiome, Estrobolome & Disease; Biomarker Testing

(00:25:11) Nutritional Testing; Vegetables, Microbiome & Disease

(00:27:33) Sponsor: AG1

(00:32:22) Microbiome, Prebiotics & Probiotics, Inflammation

(00:36:08) Microbiome Testing, Magnesium, Constipation & Thyroid

(00:42:25) Female Colonoscopy; Network Effect & Modern Medicine, Stress Factors

(00:45:13) Constipation, Stress & Trauma, Autonomic Balance

(00:55:35) Constipation Relief, Stress, Breathwork & Meditation

(01:02:58) Systemic & Societal Stress Unique to Females

(01:09:23) Testing & Future Behavior

(01:11:55) Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) & Cardiometabolic Disease; Stress

(01:22:57) PCOS, Insulin, Glucose Monitoring and Management; Data Access

(01:29:48) Behaviors for Vitality; Exercise & Body Phenotype; Cortisol

(01:36:40) Cortisol Supplements: Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, Fish Oil, Phosphatidylserine

(01:42:36) Cortisol, Anxiety & Immune System; Adrenal Function, Resilience

(01:48:07) Tool: Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Inflammation, Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediators

(01:54:20) Oral Contraceptives, Benefits & Risks; Ovarian Cancer; Testosterone

(02:06:50) Fertility, Follicular & Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) Assessments

(02:10:29) Menopause & Hormone Replacement Therapy; Women’s Health Initiative

(02:15:30) Perimenopause, Cerebral Hypometabolism, Metabolism & Estrogen

(02:21:49) Intermittent Fasting, Ketogenic Diet, Metabolic Flexibility

(02:23:29) Stool Testing

(02:25:32) Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) Test, ACE Score & Disease

(02:31:56) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter, Momentous

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Huberman Lab

Dr. Sara Gottfried: How to Optimize Female Hormone Health for Vitality & Longevity

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Understanding Hormone Health and Longevity in Women

The Link Between Nutritional Deficiencies and Hormone Health

Understanding and Addressing Constipation as a Symptom

Exploring Tools for Hormone Health and Longevity

Benefits and risks of oral contraceptives

Considerations for hormone-based contraception

Personalized benefits of omega-3s

Exercise recommendations based on individual body phenotypes

The Importance of Testosterone for Women

Perimenopause and the Impact on Brain Function

“Being female is a health hazard.”

Gratitude and Appreciation for Shared Knowledge on Health and Biology

The Dosage of Rodeola Rosacea that I Found to be Helpful

The Power of Smoothies to Get Your Veggies and Transform Microbiome

Thank you to our sponsors

Timestamps

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts