Fear and confusion have surrounded hormone therapy for decades, especially since the Women’s Health Initiative. But what really happened, what did the research show, and how did those findings shape the way women think about hormones today?
In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Felice Gersh, a double board-certified OB-GYN and integrative medicine physician, to discuss the history, the research, and the ongoing debate around hormone therapy and bone health.
We talk about why estrogen matters for bones, Dr. Gersh’s take on what was misunderstood in the Women’s Health Initiative, and why she believes progesterone deserves more attention in the bone-health conversation.
We also discuss what women in their 50s and 60s should know, why individualized decision-making matters, and why more research is still needed.
“We want to help people to have healthy longevity. And that means when nature takes us down the wrong path, we try to do something to make it better. If you don’t believe that medicine is about defying nature, then you don’t know what medicine is.“
~ Dr. Felice Gersh (on the necessity of medical intervention)
In this episode:
[02:37] – History of hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
[09:27] – How the Women’s Health Initiative changed HRT
[21:48] – Why HRT may be necessary before official menopause
[33:12] – How to access HRT in a safe and effective way
[45:43] – What Dr. Gersh says about different HRT regimens
[1:04:10] – HRT after 60: did women really miss their window?
Resources mentioned
– Osteoporosis Exercises to Improve Strength and Prevent Fractures