112: The Birth Control Conversation We Need to Have: Helpful Tool or Hidden Problem?
Hormones, Metabolism & You!Show Notes
What if the birth control pill you’ve been told is safe for decades is affecting far more than just pregnancy prevention? In this episode, I sit down with OB-GYN Dr. Johnny Peet for a powerful and nuanced conversation about oral birth control, hormone health, and the risks many women are never fully informed about, especially as they enter their 40s and 50s. We unpack the real differences between oral contraceptives and progesterone-only IUDs, why birth control pills can impact testosterone, mood, sleep, thyroid function, and gut health, and why the conversation around women’s health needs to become far more individualized.
We also dive into the difficult transition of perimenopause, why so many women feel dismissed or confused during this phase, and the important questions every woman should ask before staying on hormonal birth control long term.
Topics We Cover in This Episode:
Why birth control can affect far more than just fertility
The hormone shift many women experience in their 30s and 40s
What happens when SHBG levels become too high
Why perimenopause can feel harder than menopause itself
The connection between birth control, gut health, and thyroid function
The birth control options Dr. Peet says he would avoid after 40
Why some women feel worse even when their hormone labs “look normal”
These conversations matter because women deserve better education, better support, and better options when it comes to their health.
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