Menopause/hormone therapy, Pt. 1: Risks & benefits (w/ Avrum Bluming & Carol Tavris)-Get Real Health

Are the benefits of hormone replacement therapy worth the risks?

Dr. Davis chats with Dr. Avrum Bluming and Dr. Carol Tavris about the pros and cons of taking estrogen during menopause and beyond. Bluming, a breast cancer expert, and Tavris, a psychologist, are both passionate about empowering women to make an informed choice rooted in solid science.

In this conversation, they reveal that many common fears around hormone therapy are not supported by the latest evidence, and stem from a misinterpreted study two decades ago. They also explain that hormone replacement therapy can offer far more than just relief from hot flashes, with potential benefits ranging from bedroom to boardroom (cognitive function) to bones and beyond.

This episode is the first of a two part conversation. In the second part (coming soon), Bluming and Tavris dive deeply into why the conclusions presented by the Women's Health Initiative Study two decades ago were deeply flawed. Both episodes contain important lessons on how research findings are communicated - or mis-communicated - to clinicians and the public

Dr. Avrum Bluming is a hematologist and medical oncologist who has been treating women with breast cancer for forty years. Bluming has worked as a clinical professor of medicine at USC and as a senior investigator for the US National Cancer Institute. He holds an MD from the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Dr. Carol Tavris is a social psychologist who is highly regarded for her efforts to promote science, skepticism, and gender equality. Tavris has written several influential books including Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me), Why we justify foolish beliefs, bad decisions, and hurtful acts". She holds a PhD in social psychology from the University of Michigan.

Bluming and Tavris have literally written the book on this controversial topic. Their 2018 book - Estrogen Matters - has been described as: "A compelling defense of hormone replacement therapy, exposing the faulty science behind its fall from prominence and empowering women to make informed decisions about their health."

Learn more about Estrogen Matters, including testimonials from leading experts and links to the latest scientific studies at: https://estrogenmatters.com/

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Get Real Health provides science-based insights so that you can make smart, healthy choices. Dr. Chana Davis (PhD, Stanford genetics) interviews leading experts who share practical, science-based advice and bust common myths and misconceptions. Show topics span food (nutrition, toxicology, weight loss), exercise, infectious diseases (microbiome, COVID-19), public health (vaccines), and mental wellbeing.

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