How to Navigate Menopause & Perimenopause for Maximum Health & Vitality | Dr. Mary Claire Haver

Andrew Huberman

Jun 3, 2024

Episode description

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Mary Claire Haver, MD, a board-certified OB/GYN and an expert on women’s health and menopause. We discuss the biology and symptoms of perimenopause and menopause and their effects on body composition, cardiometabolic health, mental health, and longevity. She explains the lifestyle factors, including nutrition, resistance training, sleep, and supplements, that can better prepare women for and improve symptoms of both perimenopause and menopause. We also discuss hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and whether HRT impacts the incidence of breast cancer or can affect cardiovascular health.

We also discuss contraception, cellulite, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and how to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. This episode is rich in actionable information related to what is known about menopause and perimenopause and the stages before, allowing women of all ages to best navigate these life stages.

Access the full show notes, including referenced articles, books, people mentioned, and additional resources: https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/dr-mary-claire-haver-how-to-navigate-menopause-perimenopause-for-maximum-health-vitality

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Dr. Mary Claire Haver
Clinical website: https://maryclairewellness.com
The ‘Pause Life: https://thepauselife.com
The New Menopause (book): https://amzn.to/4bJHsg5
The Galveston Diet: https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-galveston-diet
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drmaryclaire
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmaryclaire
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drmaryclaire
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drmaryclaire
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-pause-life

Timestamps
00:00:00 Dr. Mary Claire Haver
00:02:04 Sponsors: AeroPress, Eight Sleep & BetterHelp
00:06:26 Menopause, Age of Onset
00:09:50 Perimenopause, Hormones & “Zone of Chaos”
00:14:42 Perimenopause, Estrogen & Mental Health
00:20:04 Perimenopause Symptoms; Tool: Lifestyle Factors & Ovarian Health
00:25:26 Early Menopause, Premature Ovarian Failure; Estrogen Therapy
00:29:42 Sponsor: AG1
00:31:31 Contraception, Transdermal, IUDs; Menopause Onset, Freezing Eggs
00:38:18 Women’s Health: Misconceptions & Research
00:45:01 Tool: Diet, Preparing for Peri-/Menopause; Visceral Fat
00:48:31 Tools: Body Composition, Muscle & Menopause, Protein Intake
00:51:42 Menopause: Genetics, Symptoms; Tools: Waist-to-Hip Ratio; Gut Microbiome
00:58:22 Galveston vs. Mediterranean Diet, Fasting, Tool: Building Muscle
01:05:18 Sponsor: InsideTracker
01:06:29 Hot Flashes; Estrogen Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), Breast Cancer Risk & Cognition
01:15:36 Estrogen HRT, Cardiovascular Disease, Blood Clotting; “Meno-posse”
01:24:00 Estrogen & Testosterone: Starting HRT & Ranges
01:30:36 Other Hormones, Thyroid & DHEA; Local Treatment, Urinary Symptoms
01:37:57 OB/GYN Medical Education & Menopause
01:41:30 Supplements, Fiber, Tools: Osteoporosis “Prevention Pack”
01:46:53 Collagen, Cellulite, Bone Density
01:51:42 HRT, Vertigo, Tinnitus, Dry Eye; Conditions Precluding HRT
01:55:27 Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) & Treatment; GLP-1, Addictive Behaviors
02:01:55 Post-menopause & HRT, Sustained HRT Usage
02:04:58 Mental Health, Perimenopause vs. Menopause; Sleep Disruptions, Alcohol
02:09:09 Male Support; Rekindle Libido
02:12:46 HRT Rash Side-Effect; Acupuncture; Visceral Fat
02:16:24 Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, YouTube Feedback, Sponsors, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

#HubermanLab #WomensHealth #Health

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac - https://www.blabacphoto.com

Disclaimer: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Implement osteoporosis prevention protocol with protein, resistance training, and collagen

To prevent osteoporosis, consider a protocol of adequate protein, resistance training, wearing a weighted vest, taking 5 grams of creatine monohydrate, and using a specific bioactive collagen.

#osteoporosis

#protein

Apply topical estriol cream to preserve facial collagen post-menopause

Using a topical estriol cream on the face can help slow down the 30% loss of collagen that occurs within the first five years of menopause.

#menopause

#skin

Prioritize hormone replacement therapy over statins for heart attack prevention in women

Statins have never been shown to decrease the risk of a primary heart attack in women, whereas hormone replacement therapy can if given within the right time window.

#HRT

#statin

Start hormone replacement therapy between ages 50 and 59 to reduce health risks

Starting hormone replacement therapy between the ages of 50 and 59 can decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and death from all causes by up to 50%.

#HRT

#risk

Increase protein intake to combat frailty

Data from the Women's Health Initiative showed that women with the highest protein intake, around 1.5 to 1.7 grams per kilogram of lean body mass, were the least likely to be frail.

#aging

#protein

Manage visceral fat increase during menopause transition

A woman's visceral fat can increase from approximately 8% to 23% of her total fat during the menopause transition, even with no changes in diet and exercise.

#menopause

#visceral-fat

Avoid smoking and surgeries to delay menopause onset

Smoking, having a hysterectomy (which can reduce ovarian life by four years), or having a tubal ligation (reducing it by one and a half years) can all accelerate the onset of menopause.