{"id":372378,"date":"2025-11-11T21:10:17","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T21:10:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/372378\/"},"modified":"2025-11-11T21:10:17","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T21:10:17","slug":"doctors-share-their-best-advice-on-womens-hormone-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/372378\/","title":{"rendered":"Doctors Share Their Best Advice on Women’s Hormone Health"},"content":{"rendered":"

Everybody\u2019s talking about hormones. Celebrities like Michelle Obama, Sex and the City\u2019s Kim Cattrall, Oprah Winfrey, and the irrepressible Gwyneth Paltrow are waxing poetic on menopause, and, according to industry publication BeautyMatter<\/a>, the market for products related to that particular life stage will hit $24.4 billion by 2030<\/a>. There are more than 225,000 TikTok posts under the hashtag #hormonehealth, many of them focusing on \u201cbalancing\u201d out-of-whack levels of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and more. Those often-mysterious little chemical messengers are having a moment.<\/p>\n

According to Dr. Ashlee Schelsier<\/a>, a Sharp Community Medical Group<\/a> board-certified OB-GYN, \u201chormonal imbalance\u201d isn\u2019t a clinical diagnosis in and of itself, since \u201cour hormones as women vary hour to hour, day to day, and by what part of the cycle we\u2019re in, so it is normal to have big fluctuations.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, she adds, \u201cwe do have clinical diagnoses that result in changes in our hormones that are a symptom of a disease.\u201d And with age comes the palpable shifts of menopause.<\/p>\n

\"San\u00a0Dr. Ashlee Schlesier
Courtesy of West Coast OBGYN<\/p>\n

The associated symptoms\u2014annoying at best and debilitating at worst\u2014frequently leave ovary-havers scrambling for solutions, from medications and supplements to foods said to help our hormones achieve equilibrium. \u201cIt\u2019s really important to partner with a medical team and a physician that is willing to sit and listen and understand your experience,\u201d says Dr. Meredith McMullen<\/a>, a San Diego OB-GYN with Kaiser Permanente<\/a>. \u201cIn the past, there has been a tendency to underplay or dismiss these symptoms, both on the patient and provider side. But you don\u2019t have to suffer in silence.\u201d<\/p>\n

The first step is working to understand exactly what\u2019s going on. Per the World Health Organization, polycystic ovary syndrome<\/a>, or PCOS, affects approximately six to 13 percent of reproductive-aged women globally. Doctors typically diagnose PCOS if you have some combination of irregular or absent periods; the titular cysts on your ovaries; and signs of elevated androgenic hormones like testosterone, including acne and excessive hair growth. People with the condition might also experience insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, issues regulating cholesterol, and even depression and anxiety.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe syndrome itself actually runs with things like Type 2 diabetes<\/a> \u2026 and obesity,\u201d McMullen explains. \u201cThat\u2019s why we call it a syndrome, because we see the effects across multiple body systems. This disorder is really specific to women who are still menstruating.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"SanCourtesy of Dr. Meredith McMullen<\/p>\n

Others experience the lesser-known premenstrual dysphoric disorder<\/a> (PMDD), \u201cdefined as recurrent, severe, and distressing symptoms that occur during the luteal phase, which is the week or two before menstruation, and significantly improve within a few days after the onset of menstruation,\u201d McMullen says. Symptoms include anxiety, depression, headaches, and severe fatigue, all more extreme than your garden-variety PMS.<\/p>\n

Perimenopause<\/a> (the period of transition just before your cycle stops permanently) and menopause<\/a> (which you\u2019ll have officially reached once you\u2019ve gone 12 months without a period) are different\u2014they\u2019re normal, age-related stages, but they can come with uncomfortable symptoms and side effects. \u201cWhat menopause really signifies is the end of the ovaries producing consistent levels of estrogen and progesterone,\u201d McMullen adds. \u201cBut instead of the ovaries stopping like a light switch, what we see is that the light switch \u2018flickers.\u2019 It\u2019s that flickering time frame that corresponds to the perimenopausal phase where you\u2019re getting irregular secretion of estrogen from the ovaries. That\u2019s why you see these perimenopausal symptoms\u201d\u2014 things like night sweats, hot flashes, fatigue, weight gain, even joint pain\u2014\u201cstart to become more prevalent.\u201d<\/p>\n

But because the symptoms people experience can be so diverse and far-reaching, it can be difficult to tell whether what you\u2019re dealing with is truly a hormone issue. For example, \u201cthere are a lot of things that mimic PCOS, like androgen disorders [or] thyroid disease,\u201d Schlesier explains. Clinicians use tools like physical exams, patient history, blood tests, and ultrasounds to diagnose conditions such as PCOS and PMDD.<\/p>\n

While many hormonal diseases are not curable, there are plenty of routes to treat them. \u201cThere\u2019s a supplement that is helpful with PCOS called inositol<\/a>,\u201d Schlesier says. \u201cThe main treatment for PCOS is going to be an oral contraceptive pill. It increases something called your sex hormone\u2013binding globulin, which binds up those excess androgens. It also regulates your cycle. It is important to have four cycles a year \u2026 to protect your uterus against potential pre-cancer and cancer.\u201d<\/p>\n

For PMDD, SSRI antidepressants can help, as can hormonal contraception. \u201cThe way [birth control medications] work is they give a steady level of estrogen and progestin, which slows down the body\u2019s normal production of endogenous hormones,\u201d Schlesier explains. \u201cWe are not adding hormones to what the body already produces, but replacing the hormones with a more steady level, preventing these larger swings that the patient is sensitive to.\u201d<\/p>\n

For managing unpleasant perimenopause and menopause symptoms, \u201cthe main state of treatment is classically estrogen and progesterone<\/a>,\u201d McMullen says. \u201cThose are the two hormones that are FDA-approved for hormone therapy.\u201d That can come in the form of patches, creams, and other delivery methods, or, for some, a birth control pill.<\/p>\n

This form of therapy can have benefits beyond easing hot flashes, too. \u201cTreating you hormonally will also reduce the risks of osteoporosis, dementia, and cardiovascular disease,\u201d Schlesier adds.<\/p>\n

And though social media has been flooded with chatter questioning contraceptive pills\u2019 safety, \u201cthey\u2019ve been around for over 40 years, and they\u2019re very well-studied,\u201d McMullen points out. While some people have contraindications that can make them poor candidates for certain types of pills\u2014including vascular or heart issues or a family history of breast cancer<\/a>\u2014 \u201cthe overwhelming evidence shows that they are safe and effective forms of reversible contraception for the vast majority of women.\u201d<\/p>\n

Concerns about these medications often center around the fact that the hormones they deliver are \u201cunnatural,\u201d but Schlesier takes a different tack: \u201cAs mammals, our bodies are meant to have, like, 15 children and breastfeed them until they are 7,\u201d she says. \u201cWe\u2019re not meant to ovulate this much. Being on a birth control pill is probably a more natural state than the socially conditioned state we\u2019re in right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, regardless of whether you\u2019re utilizing hormonal contraception, your daily habits play a part in controlling hormone-related conditions and symptoms, too. \u201cWith any kind of disease, we\u2019re looking at diet and exercise,\u201d Schlesier says. \u201cThe PCOS diet is going to be very similar to a Mediterranean diet,\u201d which prioritizes plant-based foods<\/a> and healthy fats.<\/p>\n

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Ultimately, it\u2019s rarely one individual approach that will make the difference. \u201cA lot of my clients have been dealing with [their symptoms] for years,\u201d says Bridget Walton<\/a>, a San Diego\u2013based certified functional hormone specialist and women\u2019s hormone coach. \u201cWhen you\u2019re focusing on [something like] phytoestrogens or getting endocrine disruptors out of your system, it can feel like, \u2018Oh, well, I\u2019ve already checked these things off the list so it must be this really small, nuanced thing that I just haven\u2019t found yet.\u2019 It\u2019s harder to look at the big picture, which is why working with a coach or reflecting with a friend can be very helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walton\u2019s own health concerns inspired her to transition from a military career to coaching. She doesn\u2019t diagnose or treat in any clinical sense\u2014instead, her work<\/a> is about helping clients shift their lifestyle to support their overall well-being and, in turn, their hormone health. Working with her starts at $300 for an introductory call designed for taking stock of your cycle, sleep, gut health<\/a>, nutrition, and more and creating an initial plan. \u201cWhen you look at different parts of health in silos, you\u2019re just not getting the full picture,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Walton encourages clients to track their cycle and symptoms, as well as their digestion. Because insulin resistance is associated with PCOS, she recommends that those experiencing it be mindful of their blood sugar by starting each meal with vegetables and moving after eating. And, perhaps the toughest tip of all: \u201cLet\u2019s all do a little audit on our stress,\u201d Walton says. \u201cLet\u2019s figure out what we can cut from our schedule, and remember that processed foods or sugars are also a form of stress.\u201d<\/p>\n

PARTNER CONTENT<\/p>\n


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Her suggestions might differ depending on the stage of life you\u2019re in\u2014for example, \u201csomebody going through perimenopause or menopause might find it beneficial to incorporate foods that have more phytoestrogens, like flax seeds or soy,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

These plant compounds \u201chelp regulate hormone levels and reduce hot flashes, so they\u2019re part of a bigger picture of a balanced diet.\u201d McMullen confirms. \u201cHormones absolutely impact every system, and looking at your body in its entirety and thinking about your wellness<\/a> from a global perspective is going to lead to much improved longevity in the longterm.\u201d<\/p>\n

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