Dr. Louise Newson

About one in 30 women under the age of 40 have menopause at a young age. So no one's too young to be perimenopausal or menopausal either. So these hormonal shifts are so important for people to recognize. But it's actually really important for women to recognize themselves and then go and seek help rather than expecting a doctor to diagnose because a lot of them won't.

About one in 30 women under the age of 40 have menopause at a young age. So no one's too young to be perimenopausal or menopausal either. So these hormonal shifts are so important for people to recognize. But it's actually really important for women to recognize themselves and then go and seek help rather than expecting a doctor to diagnose because a lot of them won't.

Any type of contraception. So the tablet contraception, so the combined oral contraceptive pill, the progesterone-only pill, the implants, they're all synthetic, so they've been chemically altered, which basically means if something's been chemically altered, it's not going to have the same beneficial effect on the cell because all our cells have receptors. It's a bit like a key and a lock.

Any type of contraception. So the tablet contraception, so the combined oral contraceptive pill, the progesterone-only pill, the implants, they're all synthetic, so they've been chemically altered, which basically means if something's been chemically altered, it's not going to have the same beneficial effect on the cell because all our cells have receptors. It's a bit like a key and a lock.

So they've got the lock waiting for the key, the hormone to fit in, unlock, and then you've got these lovely biological reactions going on. You can imagine if it's been altered a bit, it might go into the lock. You know, if you've had a dodgy key cut, it fits in and then it doesn't quite unlock. And that's what happens with these synthetic hormones.

So they've got the lock waiting for the key, the hormone to fit in, unlock, and then you've got these lovely biological reactions going on. You can imagine if it's been altered a bit, it might go into the lock. You know, if you've had a dodgy key cut, it fits in and then it doesn't quite unlock. And that's what happens with these synthetic hormones.

So they block the natural hormones having an effect, but they also don't have the lovely biological reactions going on. And there's some studies, not many, because no one's really done good studies of women, of course, that women who have contraceptive pill will have lower levels of serotonin in their brain because Easterdahl will improve serotonin.

So they block the natural hormones having an effect, but they also don't have the lovely biological reactions going on. And there's some studies, not many, because no one's really done good studies of women, of course, that women who have contraceptive pill will have lower levels of serotonin in their brain because Easterdahl will improve serotonin.

So if you block Easterdahl, you're going to reduce serotonin levels and dopamine and other neurotransmitters as well, which is really important. But a lot of younger people, they're just blamed. Oh, it's because, you know. or it's all because they're young and they've just got immature brains or whatever.

So if you block Easterdahl, you're going to reduce serotonin levels and dopamine and other neurotransmitters as well, which is really important. But a lot of younger people, they're just blamed. Oh, it's because, you know. or it's all because they're young and they've just got immature brains or whatever.

But again, thinking about what we're doing to the brain, which is such an important organ, is so crucial.

But again, thinking about what we're doing to the brain, which is such an important organ, is so crucial.

Absolutely. The... effect of changing hormones on the brain is huge and often things just get very overwhelming people often catastrophize people often find that they're very very anxious and they worry about things that they wouldn't have worried about before their short-term memory is not as good their recall is not as good a lot of people worry that they've got dementia and

Absolutely. The... effect of changing hormones on the brain is huge and often things just get very overwhelming people often catastrophize people often find that they're very very anxious and they worry about things that they wouldn't have worried about before their short-term memory is not as good their recall is not as good a lot of people worry that they've got dementia and

They know that something's not right, but they don't know what to do and they can't fix it. Anybody that's listening who's had brain fog is just the hardest thing ever because you know you should be able to function and you can't. It's really, really disconcerting and it's very, very isolating.

They know that something's not right, but they don't know what to do and they can't fix it. Anybody that's listening who's had brain fog is just the hardest thing ever because you know you should be able to function and you can't. It's really, really disconcerting and it's very, very isolating.

And a lot of people are too scared to talk about their symptoms or they go and get help and they're misdiagnosed with depression and then they're being medicalised with the wrong medication. That can often make things worse as well. So people really scramble.

And a lot of people are too scared to talk about their symptoms or they go and get help and they're misdiagnosed with depression and then they're being medicalised with the wrong medication. That can often make things worse as well. So people really scramble.

And, you know, we also know, like, as I said to you, you can have low dopamine with the low hormones and then people aren't having that reward. So then they're thinking about drugs or alcohol or any addictive behavior to try and get that dopamine. And that's not going to necessarily help. but they don't know that it's not helping because they're so desperate to get help.

And, you know, we also know, like, as I said to you, you can have low dopamine with the low hormones and then people aren't having that reward. So then they're thinking about drugs or alcohol or any addictive behavior to try and get that dopamine. And that's not going to necessarily help. but they don't know that it's not helping because they're so desperate to get help.