Best of The Body Pod: Should We Be Taking Estrogen, Progesterone, AND Testosterone with Dr. Heather Hirsch
The Body PodShow Notes
As part of our Best of the Body Pod series, we're revisiting one of our favorite Body Pod conversations with one of our favorite guests. So many women think they have to wait until they've gone a full year without a period before hormone therapy is even on the table, but Dr. Heather Hirsch, founder of Join the Collaborative, says that's one of the most persistent myths in women's health. Her breakdown of the THRIVE Method and how to actually approach hormone decisions is just as useful now as it was the first time this episode aired.
In this episode of The Body Pod, hosts Hailey and Laura sit down with Dr. Hirsch for a wide-ranging conversation on perimenopause and menopause care, digging into her THRIVE Method: a framework for approaching hormone decisions through tracking symptoms, reviewing health history, researching safety data, and investigating one hormone at a time.
The discussion digs into testosterone therapy for women (still, as Dr. Hirsch puts it, a "data-free zone"), the safety and underuse of vaginal estrogen even in women already on systemic hormones, and the physiology behind genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). She also makes the case that bone health deserves the same proactive treatment women's health gives to conditions like pre-diabetes, and highlights the growing role of strength training in protecting bone density during midlife.
For women who aren't ready for (or can't use) hormone therapy, Dr. Hirsch outlines a tiered approach starting with lifestyle changes and supplements before moving to non-hormonal medications or hormone therapy itself. She closes with a reassuring message: hormone therapy doesn't have to be all-or-nothing, and can be trialed short-term before making a longer-term decision. Listeners can find Dr. Hirsch at Join the Collaborative jointhecollaborative.com and on Instagram @HeatherHirschMD.
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