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About this episode:
The First Lady of Nutrition sits down with certified hormone specialist and transformational nutrition coach Karen Martel, CEO of Midlife Solutions, to cut through the confusion around hormone replacement therapy.
Ann Louise has long written about the hormonal shifts of perimenopause and menopause—including in her New York Times bestseller Before the Change. In this conversation she invites Karen to share the latest thinking on estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and the evolving picture of HRT more than two decades after the Women’s Health Initiative raised alarms.
They revisit why that landmark study was halted and what the data actually showed once researchers looked more closely (including the key role of synthetic progestin versus estrogen itself). The discussion covers practical differences between bioidentical hormones and older synthetic options, why delivery method matters (especially transdermal versus oral estrogen), what FSH levels can tell you, and how testosterone, cortisol, pregnenolone, and DHEA fit into the picture. Karen also explains her clinic’s approach to estradiol versus Biest, low-dose vaginal estrogen for dryness, who needs extra caution, and why the right plan is highly individual.
The result is a clear, up-to-date conversation for any woman navigating perimenopause or menopause who wants to understand the real benefits, risks, and options available today.
Find Karen at karenmartel.com and midlifesolutions.org.
