779: How Did We Get Hormones So Wrong? The HRT Story Every Woman Should Know with Dr. Louise Newson

October 6, 2026 in Podcast, Women’s Health 0

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Episode Summary

How did hormones become something women were taught to fear?

For decades, hormone therapy has been surrounded by confusion, conflicting recommendations, and sweeping assumptions that lump very different hormones and formulations together. Meanwhile, women continue walking into doctors’ offices saying, “I don’t feel like myself anymore,” and too often leave without answers or options.

In this episode, Dr. Mariza sits down in London with physician, women’s hormone specialist, educator, bestselling author, and advocate Dr. Louise Newson for a powerful conversation about how women’s hormone care got here and what needs to change.

They unpack why menopause has been reduced to hot flashes and night sweats, why estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone need far more nuance, and why Dr. Newson believes hormones deserve a place in the conversation about long-term health, not simply symptom relief.

They also go deep into one of the most controversial areas of women’s hormone care: testosterone, why the conversation so often begins and ends with libido, and what Dr. Newson has observed in women taking it for broader symptoms.

Most importantly, this episode is about informed choice: giving women accurate information, acknowledging where evidence is strong or still evolving, and creating healthcare relationships where women can participate fully in decisions about their own bodies.

DR. LOUISE NEWSON

Dr. Louise Newson is a physician, women’s hormone specialist, educator, bestselling author, and advocate working to transform the way women understand and access hormone care.

Her newest book, The Power of Hormones, explores the history of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, hormone therapy, inflammation, and the medical decisions that have shaped women’s healthcare. Dr. Newson also focuses heavily on helping women understand their options and participate more actively in decisions about their health.

IN THIS EPISODE

Why menopause and hormone loss need to be viewed as more than hot flashes and night sweats
How decades of medical history shaped today’s fear and confusion around hormone therapy
Why lifestyle and hormone therapy should not be treated as an either-or decision
The controversy around testosterone for women and why the conversation extends beyond libido
Why the specific hormone and formulation matter when discussing benefits and risks
How hormone changes may influence metabolic health, inflammation, and healthy aging
The differences Dr. Newson draws between bioidentical hormones and synthetic hormone formulations
Why younger women with hormonal conditions such as PMDD deserve a deeper hormone conversation
How women can use knowledge, evidence, and informed choice to advocate for better healthcare