We often get asked whether our Silky Peach cream 'stays localized', so let's take a look at what the science says when it comes to the systemic effects of topical hormones...

Can GABA cross the blood brain barrier? Well, the research is complicated as initially it was thought not, but as researchers looked at the BBB more (and GABA molecules) they found some pretty interesting information...

Now, whilst this study was looking at premenopausal women, it still holds value. This is because testosterone in women has not been nearly as well studied (like man other areas of women's health), but also because these help indicate ranges - specifically what optimal ranges - of testosterone for women might be - something that can be helpful for women in peri or menopause to help better assess their needs and potential BHRT use.

This study followed 30 healthy women for seven years, starting about three years before menopause, to track hormone changes during the transition.

When it comes to pets, there is the belief that they help promote longevity - with research suggesting that pet owners have lower cardiovascular risk, as well as lower rates of anxiety and depression. Couple that with the alleged increase pro social aspect of having pets, and you can see how these outcomes occur.

This study examines vaginismus—a condition characterized by involuntary vaginal muscle spasms that make penetration painful or impossible—through a comprehensive lens that integrates biological, psychological, and social influences.

How Much Do You Really Know?

Think you’re an expert on menopause? This quiz will put your knowledge to the test! Answer these 20 multiple-choice questions to see how well you understand the science behind perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause.

Insulin and estrogen are pivotal hormones that intricately regulate our body's metabolism. Insulin primarily manages blood sugar levels by facilitating glucose uptake into cells, while estrogen influences reproductive functions and also impacts metabolic processes.

This was heavy on the science, but offers some interesting insight into how hormone conversions can affect us as we age.

Take a look at our 'ELI5' (Explain Like I'm 5)  breakdown!

This study explores how social activity affects the health of women going through menopause.

DIM (Diindolylmethane) is a compound that comes from breaking down indole-3-carbinol, which is found naturally in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage. What makes DIM especially interesting is how it helps guide estrogen metabolism in your body. Think of it like a traffic cop directing cars - DIM helps direct estrogen down the healthier metabolic pathways in your body.

This study was done off the premise that estrogen and progesTIN (not progesTERONE) causes an increased risk of breast cancer in menopause. Let's take a closer look!

This study explored how constipation and diarrhea severity during the menopause transition (MT) relate to age, MT stage, reproductive and stress-related biomarkers, and stress perceptions.

One of the most common things women here is that it is our estrogen decline that is causing a myriad of issues in perimenopause onwards - and whilst there is a degree of truth to this - studies show that in the past, research has oversimplified the experience of perimenopause, ignoring the significant role of progesterone, which decreases more markedly than estrogen.

Does our culture affect our sex life in menopause? Well, according to some research, yes. This study looked at 30 in-depth interviews with women to assess how their sex lives were impacted my menopause. Aside from physiological changes, many women reported cultural and social issues as relevant factors in their sex lives.

Wondering whether you're really more stressed out in menopause or not? Science has the answer...

Otherwise known as Gray Divorce, the rise in divorce rates of those 60+ has become known as the 'Gray Divorce Revolution' and science has something to say about it...

We've talked about this a lot on our Ask Dr. Robyn segment, but many women aren't aware that their adipose tissue (fat cells) play a role in estrogen production, and that inadequate estrogen can lead to increased visceral fat.

This survey of 139 UK menopause specialists (71% in primary care, 29% in secondary care) revealed significant gaps in mental health support for menopausal women.

After menopause, estrogen levels drop significantly, leading to various skin changes like thinning, wrinkles, dryness, and slower healing. What does this mean? Well, as estrogen declines, so does collagen, and with it the stretchy nature of our skin, as well as the 'mesh' that keeps skin looking and feeling soft and supple.

This research paper examines how menopause affects the brain structure, potentially impacting cognitive function in women.

This study explored the treatment of genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). It discusses the effectiveness and harms of vaginal estrogen, non-estrogen hormone therapies, and vaginal moisturizers for treatment of GSM symptoms.

This was a study about the effects of estrogen and progesterone on the brain. It discusses the effects of these hormones on emotion and cognition.

There is a lot of confusion when it comes to bioidentical hormones - and one of the biggest ones is, "does this come from animals?"

"In this largest controlled study of its kind, a “combination of vitamin D, omega-3 and simple exercise” reduced the risk of invasive cancers in humans by a remarkable 61%."

Did you know there are two types of aging?

• Intrinsic Aging: A natural, time-dependent process influenced by hormonal changes.
• Extrinsic Aging: Caused by external factors, primarily UV radiation.

This was an interesting study, which explored female responses to visual pornography.

When it comes to painful sex, there are lots of ways we can hurt - from stabbing or sharp pain, to pressure, to 'cheese grater' sensations - why do these different sensations occur and what can we do about it?

Black cohosh, a flowering plant native to North America, has a long history of use in traditional medicine. Native American tribes utilized its roots for various ailments, and European settlers later adopted its use. Today, black cohosh is most recognized for its potential benefits in managing menopausal symptoms.

This article discusses the use of progesterone for treating hot flashes and night sweats (vasomotor symptoms, VMS) in menopausal women. It argues that progesterone is an effective and safe alternative to traditional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with estrogen and progestin.

The key takeaway from this study that explored mental health disorders and menopause was this, "Potential misattribution of psychological distress and psychiatric disorders to menopause could harm women by delaying accurate diagnosis and the initiation of effective psychotropic treatments, and by creating negative expectations for people approaching menopause."

This article explored the positive effects of progesterone on the brain, particularly its impact on mood regulation. Progesterone is a hormone that has been shown to have positive effects on mood, anxiety, and stress. Progesterone levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle, and some studies suggest that low progesterone levels may be linked to premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

The Mental Health of Menopause

We are in the age of a menopause revolution - or so we hear - as companies embrace older women (hello, Boom by Cindy Joseph) and silver haired actresses grace the silver (or 3D) screen. But, are menopause attitudes actually changing, or does this visibility just pay lip service to actual change?

When it comes to DHEA use, it can be confusing for women to know whether DHEA is a good option for them - research has been limited, and DHEA as a precursor hormone changes into other hormones (namely, testosterone, estradiol, and estriol) meaning it does not behave the same way in everyone. However, this research suggests that there is clear clinical evidence for two groups: those with low circulating DHEA, and those with osteoporosis.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a vital molecule found in all living cells.

Using over 300 women, this test aimed to look at the efficacy of saliva testing for women's hormone levels. They were primarily looking at estrogen and progesterone.

Wonder what magnesium can do for you? Well, it has hundreds of uses in the body, and - as this study shows, "reduced levels of magnesium are associated with a wide range of chronic diseases.

Does L-Theanine help with sleep? You bet... and that's not all, it also helps with cognitive function and stress related symptoms. This study looked at how four weeks of L-Theanine administration could reduce a host of symptoms, including anxiety, poor cognitive function and sleeplessness.

Whilst this study was done on dogs, the research into GABA is prolific for a reason - this neurotransmitter is a powerful calming agent that can help the brain when it becomes dysregulated.

Many of our ladies know that estriol can be amazing on skin on other parts of the body (it's not just for the vulva!), as we have written about in this blog - but, one of the newer areas of research is the effect that topical progesterone has on skin, and particularly women's skin post-menopause. This article was a clinical study on the use of topical progesterone cream of 40 post-menopausal women over a 16 week period.

Sleep disturbances such as insomnia are extremely common, especially in women after menopause. According to data from the National Institutes of Health, sleep disturbance varies from 16% to 42% before menopause, from 39% to 47% during perimenopause, and from 35% to 60% after menopause.

The Study: Effects and side-effects of 2% progesterone cream on the skin of peri- and postmenopausal women: results from a double-blind, vehicle-controlled, randomized study.

We've written before about how estriol can be used to kick wrinkles to the curb, but what about progesterone?

When it comes to workouts as we age, the idea of throwing weights around like Arnie can be a little intimidating... but science suggests that weight lifting is crucial as we age to help things like muscle mass, osteoporosis, and even weight gain, so why exactly does a barbell pack so much punch?

This study used a test group and a control group, and examined mental health (specifically depression/depressive symptoms) when treated with progesterone and estrogen therapies.

Brain fog might be a symptom of menopause, but cognitive decline is also associated with aging in general. We know that exercise is great for heart health, for lung health, for bone density, and mobility, and even gut health... but what about our brains? Read on to learn the science that links brain health and busting a move!

Ok, so the study was done in mice - so we have to take it with a grain of sugar (or aspartame), but it does start to show how these food additives can have other consequences in our bodies aside from the obvious aspects of weight gain. The study, explored in the journal of neuroscience, explained, "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved aspartame as a sweetener in 1981.

We've heard that food is medicine and medicine is food (thanks Aristotle), and we know that a plant based diet high in unprocessed foods and good fiber is key... and we know all about super foods thanks to Instagram (Kale anyone?), but what does the science say about the sweet science of berries, the delicious superfood we can get behind?

One of the main takeaways of this study was how effective progesterone is in treating not only hot flashes, night sweats, and sleeplessness, as well as cardiovascular endothelial function AND, one study found it beneficial in preventing breast cancer in women who were using estrogen supplementation.

This is an in-depth study that not only gives detailed insight into how the gut microbiome works and how it develops, but the interaction between gut health, exercise, and disease. This study is based on the premise that, "An increasing body of evidence suggests that gut microbiota can be modulated by different factors, such as infection, disease, diet, antibiotics, and exercise, and, in turn, these modulations can affect some diseases. Interestingly, exercise can determine changes in the gut microbial composition playing a positive role in energy homeostasis and regulation."

How do hyaluronic acid and vitamin e compare as non hormonal options? This clinical trial was done on 40 women, and was both double blind and randomized. Whilst it is a small sample group, it does help towards showing what options are effective treatments for vaginal atrophy!

Spearmint tea is a folk remedy for women in menopause... but we got to wondering why that was... Many folk remedies ARE rooted in science, with things like black cohosh, flax, and soy being beneficial for women's health, particularly menopausal health, across the world.

Green tea, a known producer of L-theanine, has been found to be effective on the brain waves, helping increase relaxation and overall lowering stress levels... but how does the science stand up when this compound is taken out and administered?

This study is very technical, but it details not only the effect of GABA supplementation on the brain, and more specifically on the function of learning behaviors and activity within the brain, but also the effect of responsiveness of GABA receptors in the brain, and how these two things work together to help increase our ability to learn!

A broad look at DHEA research, this paper explores where DHEA experiments started (animals) to the future of DHEA research. DHEA is considered an interesting research chemical, since it has so many different capabilities, functions, and conversions in the human body.

Maybe you've heard of L-Theanine; it's a compound in green tea, and it is often added to the amino acid supplements you might find at the gym (this is because it helps control the effects of caffeine), but there is far more to this humble amino acid than meets the eye, and scientific studies are showing just what L-theanine supplementation can do for you...

It sounds complicated, but it can be broken down pretty simply; low grade inflammation in the brain is a key contributor to gradual degeneration (Which causes cognitive decline, or, in more extreme cases, things like Alzheimers).

GABA, the key ingredient in Chaos Calmer Cream has been hailed as a helper in cognitive functioning and preventing neurological decline. Delving into these processes, this study looks at the role GABA has in the brain with regard to stress and sleep.

Understanding the impact of the menopause transition can be half the battle for a lot of women. Your coworkers and your boss don't get it. Your kids don't get it. Your guy doesn't get it. Heck, even your doctor doesn't get it. Let's be real, this would make anyone a little crazy, but add in hot flashes and mood swings and it's a miracle there aren't more female serial killers aged 55+.

It's good for the brain, good for the nervous system, good for menopause symptoms, and good for pregnancy...

We often hear from our ladies that 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or, EVOO) is a great lube, and if you ask Greek women, it makes a great skin moisturizer. If you ask any health foodie, it makes a great dietary addition, but what does the science say about this liquid gold? Myth or miracle?

With numerous functions all round the body, DHEA is often touted as the 'anti-aging' hormone, since it is the major precursor hormone that helps create both testosterone and estrogen in our bodies. Studies into DHEA in older adults, as well as women who are post-menopausal, have found that higher DHEA levels are associated with greater immunity, greater muscle mass, lower cortisol (thus stress), and much more! This particular study was a comprehensive review of these other studies - let's take a look!

Done in Germany, this was a comprehensive review of many other studies that looked at various other hormone replacement studies.

This study, done with 140 women over a three month period looked at ways in which flax improved menopause for women - and the results showed that, "The menopausal symptoms decreased and the quality of life increased among the women who used flaxseed for 3 months." This suggests adding flax to your diet could be a great option to help reduce those symptoms and feel better overall.

Read on to learn more about why and how!

"Excessive stress, which leads to elevation of stress hormones, can also negatively affect reproductive ability, including by accelerating menopause."

Thinking about adding some seaweed to your diet? Well, studies say this might be a beneficial addition for menopausal women (and might go some way towards explaining why women in Asian countries report less severe menopause symptoms), since it contains compounds that favorably alter estrogen.

This is a great article that covers not one, not two, but twelve (12!) different studies on soy, that looks at everything from one off cases - like the man drinking 3 liters of soy milk a day - to the study of 73,000+ Chinese women and the rates of breast cancer with a diet high in soy.

Women have frequently been left in the dark - or outright misinformed - about menopause. For many women, they are told vague aspects of the 'change', and expect hot flashes, weight gain, and moodiness... but end up with a whole load of other issues that they didn't know were related to menopause (like vaginal atrophy!), and if they do seek help, they are told to deal with it, or take hormones. That opens another can of worms; some certain horse pee hormones have been linked to cancer, but others have been found to significantly help menopause - especially for women who go through early menopause... So what does science actually say?

Vitamin E Suppositories are often recommended as a natural (and internal) option to relieve the pain and discomfort associated with the dryness that occurs from vaginal atrophy. Whilst vitamin E is a known moisturizer, what does the science actually say about this remedy? We did some digging to find out!

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a hormone produced by the ovaries adrenal glands that plays a crucial role in the body's hormone balance. DHEA levels decline as women and men age, and the decrease in DHEA production is associated with various age related symptoms. DHEA can be a tool to help deal with brain fog, lack of motivation, and general fatigue, but can this hormone actually help your cognitive capabilities? Science says YES! Let's take a look...

How do hormones play a role in heart disease and cancer risk? Well, according to the latest study done by the Women's Health Initiative it all depends on a woman's age, and how many years post-menopause she is. Per their report, "WHI findings indicate important differences in HT-related clinical outcomes by age and time since menopause."

Menopause driving you demented? Well, it turns out hormones might be good for more that just hot flashes and vaginal health. This comprehensive article looks at the research being done into how our brains and our hormones interact, especially around menopause.

A lot of people have a hard time believing/admitting/accepting this, but dairy IS bad for you (and we say this knowing that parmesan is obviously delicious!), and it can actually raise the risk of breast cancer. Ironically, soy was demonized for increasing cancer risk and the opposite is true, and dairy has snuck under the radar and it is the one that can wreak havoc on our bodies.

Whilst Chaos Calmer might be great for calming you down, it also has another benefit - helping alleviate muscle aches and pains. But, why is that? Well, the answer lies in magnesium. Magnesium, a mineral, has many functions in the body - and low magnesium contributes to skeletal, muscular, and nervous system issues.

This was a research review - meaning all the existing research was pooled, compared, and summarized, leading to this conclusion: "the current data on DHEA are promising and may prove that DHEA-based treatment is efficacious for preventing and slowing human OA progression."

This study was a summary of other studies, and it looked at the efficacy of soy foods and their impact on body composition.

Honestly? We just want to copy and paste this entire takeaway into the blog, but don't worry we will give you the TL;DR version. Women with a history or concern of breast cancer are prescribed vaginal estrogen therapy 50% less than other women with the same genitourinary symptoms and complaints (itching, dryness, pain). Why is this, and is it justified?

This study found that topical estriol was effective and safe, even for women who had a history of breast cancer.

One of the key insights from this study was this, "A literature review in PsycInfo Ovid of records pertaining to first-onset mood disorders during perimenopause showed that this multifactorial process involves hormonal fluctuations, with estrogen being a key player. In addition, vasomotor symptoms, previous negative life events, and socioeconomic status were found to contribute to first-onset mood disorders during perimenopause."

Dandelions have been used in traditional medicine for years to help with menopause - scientists hypothesized that dandelions would behave as a Selective estrogen receptor modulators and be effective as hormone replacement therapy in the postmenopausal women. Early studies indicate this folk remedy may be backed by science!

Any woman in menopause can tell you that she rarely gets the care she needs or deserves, with many practitioners having limited knowledge on menopause at all.

How does movement connect to mental health during menopause? According to this study, pretty significantly. Menopause isn't just hard on our bodies, it can be tough on our minds too. Between physiological changes, nasty side effects, and roller coaster emotions, we can feel out of shape and out of our minds.

This article looked at the link between estrogen receptors, estrogen levels, and the increase in Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (PFD) and UTI's in menopause.

This study explored how hysterectomy and oophorectomy affected androgen levels before and after menopause. They found that, "the postmenopausal ovary remains a critical source of androgen throughout the lifespan of older women."

This study contrasted and compared the research on these two differing components. Phytoestrogens refers to those estrogens found in foodstuffs (soy, yams) as naturally occurring compounds. Though mistakenly believed to be harmful, these phytoestrogens have been found in fact, to be both protective and anti-estrogenic. However, in recent years, chemicals in foods and beauty products have allowed xenoestrogens into our systems, as discussed in the blog above. So, what does the science say?

This is a literature review that explored numerous different clinical studies and investigations of women with joint and muscle pain menopause onwards. This means that the information is drawn from a variety of different kinds of research and gives us a good birds eye view of the issue; in this case, why do women seem to have so much more musculoskeletal pain in menopause and beyond?

This article is a literature review, that looks at the major bodily systems affected by menopause - and specifically perimenopause - as conducted by STRAW.

This article explored why a decline in progesterone has such an effect in perimenopause onwards, and explored what issues arise from declining progesterone AND imbalances between progesterone and estrogen levels, as well as the effects of supplementation with progesterone. Unlike other studies, this is a really interesting in-depth case study of a woman named Emily - and on top of that, the author herself was a victim of an unaided menopause:

The conclusion of this scientific study really summed it up well: "In conclusion, the majority of women had negative attitudes toward menopause and perceived social support during menopause was at low levels. The perceived social support and attitude towards menopause correlated. Informational programs need to be focused on developing positive attitudes in both women and men to help couples and strengthening women’s social support and preparation during menopause."

The breakdown of this study was, "We sought to understand women’s practices, their motivations for use and the role vaginal practices play in women’s health, sexuality and sense of wellbeing." Pretty interesting? Researchers looked at sexual practices around the world, from differing cultures, to conduct this study.

Androgens, referring to the male sex hormones, are still present in women, and this has led to a lot of confusion when it comes to women's health - specifically in menopause, when androgen levels can drop, leaving women with many symptoms that cannot be corrected by female sex hormone supplementation alone.

Whilst we are on the topic of stress, what about anxiety? A poll of our ladies found that 52% of them experienced anxiety (this was out of 400 women who responded). This is a statistically significant number. It suggests that women experience anxiety fairly regularly - but is this more common during menopause, or simply for women in general?

The supplements talked about in this article are naturally occurring vitamins and minerals that can help ensure the body stays healthy; things like diet and exercise (and water intake and sleep) play a huge role in our overall health and wellbeing throughout menopause. Specifically, this research looked at Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and calcium all of which are beneficial for things like bone health, metabolic health, and heart health.

Ever wonder about the science of sleep... post menopause? We all know that sleep never seemed to be quite so difficult before, but is it the hot flashes, the anxiety, or the restlessness that is keeping us up? And, what the hell do our hormones have to do with all this?

We know that pesticides are bad for us, but it can be hard to pin down exactly what they are doing in our bodies. Beyond Pesticides is a research website that looks at all the different ways that pesticides interact with our bodies. Pesticides are one of the most potent xeno-estrogenic compounds, as estrogenic strength and environmental half-life exceed those of other xeno-estrogenic compounds, so it makes sense they disrupt normal, natural estrogen levels.

This study aimed to explore the link between the menopause and peri-menopause transition and the effect on perceived sexuality as well as sexual activity of women aged between 45-55. They randomly selected the women, and the study was focused on sexual activity and perception over the prior 12 months

This study is a literature review, aimed at exploring the link between menopause and cardiometabolic health in women. The authors note that, post menopause, women are at greater risk of heart disease and associated conditions, however, there do seem to be causal factors and mitigating responses that can help heart health management.

Boric Acid suppositories are small capsules, inserted into the vaginal canal, that can help balance pH, for many women helping with UTI's, yeast infections, and overall vaginal acidity. Many women swear by them, but what does the science say?

One of the common questions we get asked is what will help with lowered libido in menopause - and it can be tricky to answer, because libido is more complicated than just a little blue pill - however, DHEA looks to be a promising solution for women.

The article sheds light on a significant gap in neuroscience research: the lack of focus on women's health factors despite the availability of advanced brain imaging technologies like MRI. While women make up half of participants in neuroimaging studies, less than 0.5% of these studies specifically consider health factors unique to women. This oversight is concerning given that conditions like Alzheimer's and depression affect a higher percentage of women.

Estrogen, often regarded as the primary female sex hormone, is a complex group of hormones responsible for various physiological functions in both men and women. Within the estrogen family, there are three main types: estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), and estriol (E3), each with distinct roles and impacts on the body.

Does medical cannabis help with menopause symptoms? Let's look at the science and find out!

This article discusses the prevalence and trends in hysterectomy, a surgical procedure involving the removal of the uterus, particularly for benign conditions. Despite a recent decrease in hysterectomy rates, it remains a common procedure, with over 600,000 women undergoing it annually in North America. The article highlights a shift in surgical techniques, with nerve-sparing approaches like subtotal hysterectomy gaining popularity. The choice of less invasive interventions, such as laparoscopy-assisted vaginal hysterectomy, is also increasing.

GABA is the main inhibitory neurochemical in the human brain. Evidence from both animal and human studies indicates that individual variations in GABA are associated with behavioral performance - what does this mean? In a nutshell, more GABA = better performance...

Are there other ways to mitigate menopause? This research looked into what we can do to help menopause without medical interventions.

How estrogen affects bone density and overall bone health; what the research says on HRT and osteoporosis.

Acne scars can be a long lasting and painful reminder of our teenage (and even later!) years that many of us suffer with. These scars can occur from picking, skin damage, and long-term cystic acne. After the acne has gone, we can be left trying to treat the scars with things like peels, dermabrasion, lasers, and other invasive methodologies that can be painful, expensive, and show little improvement.

This was a large study, with 747 middle-aged women obtained from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) from 1996 to 2008. The ethnic groups included: Afro-American, Chinese, Japanese, Caucasian, and Hispanic. Perimenopause age and duration, menopause age, and hormonal indicators of menopause were examined across five ethnicities. This allowed researchers to examine, not only how menopause differed between ethnic groups, but also whether menopause was changing worldwide - as well as presenting hypotheses as to why that might be

Estriol is a key ingredient in Silky Peach, and the active repair ingredient, that can help strengthen the cells and reduce atrophy, lower UTI risk, and even help with incontinence. Here is what the research on Estriol says!

Did you know, "Urinary incontinence (UI) is an important social problem that affects more than 50% of postmenopausal women"? And yet, you don't exactly see ads filled with solutions, or women talking about it, or anything except discreet aisles filled with thick pantyliners and adult diapers. This study looked at urinary incontinence and what to do about it.

Think you're alone? Think again! The research shows many women share the same menopause experience - which means together we can find solutions!

We've covered the increased likelihood of osteoporosis in menopause - an annoying health effect due to declining hormones, in other scientific research, but what about prevention? Whilst there is a lot of advice circulating on how to prevent this bone loss through diet and exercise (both are great!), there is also supplementation. Most people think of calcium and other collagen and cartilage based supplements, but studies suggest that hormone supplementation - and specifically estriol - may hold important keys to reducing bone loss in menopausal women.

Urinary Tract Infections (UTI's) are painful, dangerous, and frankly - a total pain in the (front) butt. But, with antibiotic resistance on the rise, and chronic UTI's a common part of menopause, what can you do to actually prevent them BEFORE they happen? Well, the answer may be D-Mannose - a sugar that helps make the urinary tract slippery. Check out the latest science...

Ok, so we know fast food isn't great, and we know we should cut down on the chips... But, is it really that bad? According to a new scientific study - yes, it really is that bad and comes with a lot of side effects that can have long term negative health consequences. This paper is interesting as it draws our attention not just to the type of food (i.e., candy versus fruit), but how something like vegetable soup can differ in its make up via added preservatives and chemical contact from packaging.

Do you know what is in your laxatives? Many laxatives contain the same chemicals that are found in brake fluid and anti-freeze, and internet reporting has suggested that there may be issues with pediatric usage of these drugs and neurological issues in children... so what does the science say?

There has long been concerns over the use of anti-anxiety medications (as well as many other mental health medications) and the severity of their side effects - namely, do the side effects end up making things worse for the person taking them? In this case, benzodiazepines were studies - via self report, which has limitations, to see whether this was the case.

A review that examines the role of estriol, the authors aim was to examine the numerous different studies of estriol to look more closely at, "emerging roles for estriol in the treatment of menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis, cancer, hyperlipidemia, vascular disease, and multiple sclerosis. Estriol appears to offer a potentially cost-effective approach to a variety of conditions and may offer a wide range of health benefits."

Lowered libido is common post menopause, but why? Aside from things like pain, or changes to the vagina, there can be a significant number of underlying hormone mechanisms that affect the female sex drive. This study explores why that is and what we can do about it!

How do our hormones affect our brain? A lot, is the short answer. So, what does that mean for menopause - when our hormones start going haywire?! This study looks at how cognitive function is affected by hormone loss and hormone replacement.

Stress Incontinence is defined as the involuntary, sudden loss of urine secondary to increased intraabdominal pressure that is bothersome or affecting the patient's quality of life. Physical activities precipitating stress incontinence include laughing, sneezing, straining, coughing, or exercising.

Aging gracefully can mean different things to different people. For us, it means enjoying life and enjoying who you are - and for many women, this means taking care of their skin! We often feel younger than we look (which is a good thing!), but it turns out, there may be a great resource sitting in our cupboards already... This was an interesting study done to see whether topical estrogens have an effect on skin aging, particularly wrinkles that occur due to collagen loss (collagen formation is in part influenced by estrogen levels).

Heart health and menopause have long been linked, but understanding the link between estrogen, cholesterol and overall heart health is a key focus of current research!

There are three kinds of lies; lies, damned lies, and statistics! Ok, statistics aren't that bad, and they can be pretty helpful when it comes to understanding menopause and what things are common, or less common, and what medical issues (i.e., bone loss) we need to be aware of!

Dyspareunia, or pain during sex, is a common complaint during menopause - but do dilators actually make a difference for women in menopause who might be struggling with pain, or penetration issues, during sex?

Also known as Vulvovaginal Atrophy, (VVA), or Urogenitary Syndrome of Menopause (USM), women often struggle with a host of issues related to tissue changes in their vagina and vulva. This can include dryness, itching, pain, pain during sex (otherwise known as dyspareunia), incontinence, and even increased UTI's! The most challenging part is that women themselves often don't know much about VA or what to look out for. This was a large study, and helped to highlight the lack of care for women in this realm!

What makes estriol even better? According to science, vaginal probiotics help to control and regulate vaginal flora, meaning your estriol works more effectively. Research showed the combination of these two products was effective at treating vaginal atrophy, with no risk of endometrial proliferation.

NAMS is the North American Menopause Society, and new light shed on hormone therapies shows just how wrong medical science has been about both hormone supplementaiton, and how we treat menopausal women.

This study explored how the vaginal microbiome is affected by menopause, and how changes in estrogen directly affect changing levels of lactobacillus.

You know you are supposed to do your kegels, but why exactly? Well, scientific research shows that kegels have more than just a placebo affect.

Research on Safety and Efficacy of Topical Estrogens on vulvovaginal atropy