The Mel Robbins Podcast

How to Balance Your Hormones: What Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You About Menopause

Order your copy of The Let Them Theory 👉 https://melrob.co/let-them-theory 👈 The #1 Best Selling Book of 2025 🔥 Discover how much power you truly have. It all begins with two simple words. Let Them. — Today, a top menopause doctor is here to give you the science and facts on menopause and hormone replacement therapy that your doctor isn’t telling you. This episode is a must listen because you’ll learn EXACTLY what to do to feel like yourself again. Dr. Jen Gunter, MD, is known as the internet’s best Ob/Gyn. She is a double-board certified, fellowship-trained medical doctor and a fierce advocate for women’s health. She says you deserve science-backed solutions, not fairytales, and she is here to bust through all menopause myths and clear through the misinformation. You’ll learn: -The best intervention for menopause symptoms to help you lose weight, sleep better, and stop suffering now. -Should you or a loved one be on hormone replacement therapy (HRT)? -Which form of HRT is best? -Are “bioidentical hormones” better? After today, you will know how to hack your hormones and get your mojo back. Bookmark this episode and share it with every single woman in your life, because it’s time to change the paradigm: you do not have to live with symptoms that can be resolved, and you do not have to suffer. For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page: www.melrobbins.com/podcasts/episode-171 Follow The Mel Robbins Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themelrobbinspodcast I’m just your friend. I am not a licensed therapist, and this podcast is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional. Got it? Good. I’ll see you in the next episode. In this episode: 00:00 intro 00:3:47: If you struggle with menopause, you need to hear this. 00:7:04: How long does menopause actually last? 00:8:08: What “normal” menopause changes look like in the body. 00:9:14: There is a positive at the end of menopause – here’s what it is. 00:11:32: 3 non-hormonal interventions that will help with menopause symptoms.. 00:13:41: What is hormone replacement therapy and what are the different types? 00:14:47: Is plant-based hormone replacement therapy even a thing? 00:16:12: What you should ask your doctor about your hormones for the next appointment. 00:18:34: Don’t make this ONE menopause mistake. 00:20:22: What you need to know about “compounded” hormones. 00:26:02: How do you even know what is FDA approved and safe to use? 00:28:48: The only 2 hormones you need to know about for longevity & vitality. 00:30:03: Do you want to see Mel’s hormone replacement therapy patch? 00:32:07: What the heck are “pellets” and are they safe to use? 00:38:29: Does HRT increase the risk of breast cancer? 00:42:25: How to know if HRT is a safe option for you? 00:46:12: If you are struggling with menopause, you need to hear this. 00:48:02: What the real reason for brain fog during menopause is. 00:50:30 Don’t use menopause to excuse mediocre men! — Follow Mel: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melrobbins/ TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@melrobbins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melrobbins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melrobbins Website: http://melrobbins.com — Sign up for Mel’s newsletter: https://melrob.co/sign-up-newsletter A note from Mel to you, twice a week, sharing simple, practical ways to build the life you want. — Subscribe to Mel’s channel here: https://www.youtube.com/melrobbins?sub_confirmation=1 — Listen to The Mel Robbins Podcast 🎧 New episodes drop every Monday & Thursday! https://melrob.co/spotify https://melrob.co/applepodcasts https://melrob.co/amazonmusic — Looking for Mel’s books on Amazon? Find them here: The Let Them Theory: https://amzn.to/3IQ21Oe The Let Them Theory Audiobook: https://amzn.to/413SObp The High 5 Habit: https://amzn.to/3fMvfPQ The 5 Second Rule: https://amzn.to/4l54fah #menopause #womenshealth #melrobbins

Mel RobbinshostDr. Jen Gunterguest

May 8, 20241h 6mWatch on YouTube ↗

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Menopause Demystified: Evidence-Based Hormones, Myths Shattered, Power Restored

Mel Robbins interviews OB-GYN Dr. Jen Gunter about what menopause really is, how it affects the body, and how women can safely treat symptoms using evidence-based medicine. They reframe menopause as “puberty in reverse,” a normal life stage that can be both challenging and liberating, not the end of a woman’s value or health. A major focus is separating FDA-approved menopausal hormone therapy from unregulated compounded “bioidentical” products and pellets, and clarifying real versus exaggerated risks such as breast cancer and cardiovascular disease. The conversation also covers non-hormonal strategies, how to talk to doctors and loved ones, and why women should refuse to blame hormones for structural sexism or “mediocre men.”

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Reframe menopause as a normal transition, not a personal decline.

Menopause is a natural stage of the ovulatory cycle, akin to puberty in reverse, with a wide range of normal experiences—some unpleasant, some liberating. Understanding this reduces shame and the feeling of being uniquely “broken” or “crazy.”

Prioritize exercise and basic lifestyle habits even before hormones.

Regular exercise (especially resistance training), adequate protein, high fiber intake, and not smoking have powerful effects on bone health, muscle mass, mood, heart and brain health, and fall risk—touching almost every domain affected by menopause.

Choose FDA‑approved hormone therapies and avoid routine compounded “bioidentical” products.

“Bioidentical” is a marketing term; compounded creams, pellets, and bespoke mixes are not FDA-approved, not batch-tested, and often deliver unknown doses, potentially increasing risks like endometrial cancer or failing to protect bones. Estradiol patches, pills, and rings from pharmaceutical companies use the same raw hormones but in rigorously studied delivery systems.

Use symptom‑driven, not lab‑driven, decisions for most women over 45.

For women 45 and older with typical symptoms (hot flashes, irregular periods, vaginal dryness), clinicians generally don’t need hormone blood tests to start treatment—symptoms and age are enough. Blood work is crucial if periods stop before 45 or there are atypical patterns, to rule out premature menopause or other conditions.

Time hormone therapy wisely and individualize risk–benefit decisions.

Starting menopausal hormone therapy within 10 years of the last period and before ~60 is associated with lower risks for dementia and cardiovascular disease; transdermal estradiol plus oral progesterone is the current standard with very low breast cancer risk for most. Risk calculators for breast cancer and heart disease can help tailor decisions.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

You can think about menopause as puberty in reverse.

— Dr. Jen Gunter

Using FDA‑approved hormones is like going to the gas station… Getting compounded formulations is like buying gas from a dude on the side of the road who says he has bespoke gas for you.

— Dr. Jen Gunter

If you could only ever do one thing for your health, it would be to get your exercise.

— Dr. Jen Gunter

When people use the word ‘bioidentical,’ it tells me that they think women are dumb.

— Dr. Jen Gunter

The answer to being mistreated is not taking hormones. The answer to being mistreated is to be treated correctly.

— Dr. Jen Gunter

Menopause as a normal physiological transition (“puberty in reverse”)Common symptoms, variability of experience, and major myths about menopauseEvidence-based menopausal hormone therapy vs. compounded “bioidentical” hormones and pelletsNon-hormonal foundations: exercise, nutrition, and lifestyle for midlife healthReal risks and benefits of hormone therapy (breast cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, dementia)How to work with doctors: what to ask for, when testing is needed, timing of HRTSupport systems and relationships: partner/family roles and not blaming menopause for inequity

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