The Dr Louise Newson Podcast

In this really interesting episode, two ocean rowers over 50 share their menopause journeys. One of them takes all three hormones, and the other would love to but has been refused testosterone by so many doctors.
Gail Wolstenholme and Nicola Matthews are part of Team Old Enough to Row Better, a five-person crew aiming to become the oldest mixed team to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic in the World's Toughest Row. Gail takes all three hormones and describes testosterone as "like the sun coming out." Nicola has tried the Mirena coil, gels and patches without feelinglike herself, was told by one GP she was too old for "that mucky stuff" and handed antidepressants, and still can't get testosterone prescribed in Scotland.
Dr Louise Newson explains why it's still so hard to access evidence-based hormone treatment, why testosterone matters for women's mood, energy and coordination, and why you can't exercise your way out of hormone deficiency.
They also share why taking up something new after 50 matters, from staying physically and mentally active to building confidence and widening your social circle, with four take-home tips.
Sponsor the crew: www.oldenoughtorowbetter.co.uk

Follow: @old_enough_to_row_better

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👉Been dismissed or offered antidepressants instead of hormones? Book with Newson Clinic: https://www.newsonhealth.co.uk/
👉 More from Dr Louise Newson: https://linkin.bio/drlouisenewson

Consultant dermatologist Dr Saj Rajpar, making his fifth visit to the podcast, joins Louise to explain why acne, hair loss and ageing skin are so often driven by hormones rather than skincare.
Saj runs Midland Skin in Birmingham and has worked alongside Louise for years, since a shared patient's hair loss first brought them together. That collaboration runs through this conversation, from hormonal acne that flares before every period to a patient whose acne returned after switching from bioidentical progesterone to the Mirena coil.
They also discuss why "dermatologist" isn't a protected title and what to check before booking high-street laser treatments, how the contraceptive pill and synthetic progestogens can block oestrogen's benefits for skin, and why dramatic skin ageing can be a sign of unaddressed menopause rather than normal ageing.
Louise closes, as always, with three take-home tips — this time on why the skin matters more than you'd think.
Let’s connect
👉 Track your symptoms andunderstand hormones, download the Balance app: https://bit.ly/4yZty5A
👉 More from Dr LouiseNewson: https://linkin.bio/drlouisenewson
👉 Follow Saj:@dr.rajpar_dermatologist

Mathilde Barker was 23 when she finally understood why, since the age of 14, doctors had told her it was "just" muscle strain, put her on antidepressants, and once removed her appendix by mistake. It took five years to get a diagnosis of endometriosis, and two surgeries later, adenomyosis too.
She joins Dr Louise Newson to talk through her whole journey: the misdiagnoses, a scan result that was reversed by a phone call, being told by a doctor at 19 that having a baby would cure her symptoms, and the reality of being put into a medically induced menopause in her twenties just to manage the pain.
Louise explains what's actually happening in the body with endometriosis and adenomyosis, why low testosterone and progesterone are so common in women with these conditions, and why blocking hormones completely isn't always the right approach.
Louise ends, as always, with three take-home tips for anyone who suspects they — or someone they know — might have endometriosis or adenomyosis.
Lets connect
👉 Track your symptoms and understand hormones, download the Balance app: ⁠https://bit.ly/4yZty5A⁠👉 More from Dr Louise Newson: ⁠https://linkin.bio/drlouisenewson⁠👉 Follow Mathilde: @mathildebarker

In this episode, Dr Louise Newson is joined by Dr Pooja Saini and psychologist Dr Olivia Hendriks to discuss their important research into perimenopause, menopause and suicide risk. Together, they explore why hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause can have such profound impacts on mental health, and why this connection is still often overlooked in both research and clinical care.
They also discuss findings showing significant improvements in mental health and suicidal thoughts with appropriate hormone treatments, and why greater awareness, better research and more frequent prescribing of hormones are urgently needed to improve the health of women.
This is a really important episode highlighting the important link between menopause and suicide risk that can’t be ignored.
Let’s connect
👉 Read the full research paper discussed in this episode: https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/knowledge/hormone-related-suicide-risk-going-undetected
👉 More from Dr Louise Newson: https://linkin.bio/drlouisenewson

Jo flew supersonic jets under extreme pressure for a living, but missed the menopause happening inside her own body.
This week Dr Louise Newson is joined by Jo Salter, Britain's first female fast jet pilot, who spent years pushing through severe menopause symptoms without realising what they were, until she found herself mentally ticking off a symptom checklist in the middle of a conference. They talk about why testosterone is still so hard for women to access even on an NHS prescription, and the guidelines that leave many women denied any hormones at all after a surgical menopause.
Louise also explains why breast cancer shouldn't automatically rule out HRT, the buried history of progesterone and postnatal depression, and shares a patient story that shows just how much hormones can transform a life.
Jo closes with her three take-home tips for building the confidence to advocate for your own health.
Let’s connect
👉 Track your symptoms and understand hormones, download the Balance app: https://bit.ly/4yZty5A
👉 More from Dr Louise Newson: https://linkin.bio/drlouisenewson
👉Follow Jo: @josaltermbe