[00:00:00] JJ (3): [00:00:01] [00:00:02] [00:00:03] [00:00:04] [00:00:05] I’m JJ Virgin, [00:00:06] PhD [00:00:07] dropout, sorry [00:00:08] mom, turned four [00:00:09] time New York [00:00:10] Times best selling [00:00:11] author. Yes, I’m a [00:00:12] certified nutrition [00:00:13] specialist, fitness [00:00:14] hall of famer, and I [00:00:15] speak at health [00:00:16] conferences and trainings [00:00:17] around the globe, [00:00:18] but I’m driven by [00:00:19] my insatiable passion. Satiable [00:00:20] curiosity and [00:00:21] love of science to keep [00:00:22] asking [00:00:23] questions, digging for [00:00:24] answers and sharing the [00:00:25] information that I [00:00:26] uncover with as [00:00:27] many people as I can.

[00:00:27] JJ (3): [00:00:28] And that’s why [00:00:29] I created the [00:00:30] Well Beyond [00:00:31] 40 [00:00:32] podcast to [00:00:33] synthesize and [00:00:34] simplify the science of [00:00:35] health into [00:00:36] actionable strategies to [00:00:37] help you thrive. [00:00:38] In each [00:00:39] episode, we’ll talk about [00:00:40] what’s working in the [00:00:41] world of wellness. [00:00:42] From personalized [00:00:43] nutrition and healing your [00:00:44] metabolism, to [00:00:45] healthy aging [00:00:46] and prescriptive [00:00:47] fitness.

[00:00:47] JJ (3): Join [00:00:48] me on the journey to [00:00:49] better health, so [00:00:50] you can love how you [00:00:51] look and feel right [00:00:52] now, and have the [00:00:53] energy to play [00:00:54] full out at [00:00:55] 100. [00:00:56] [00:00:57] [00:00:58] Well, I’ve [00:00:59] been watching all of our [00:01:00] downloads and it [00:01:01] seems to be [00:01:02] that the most [00:01:03] popular shows [00:01:04] on Well Beyond [00:01:05] 40. [00:01:06] Deal with [00:01:07] hormones. And so [00:01:08] I’m always [00:01:09] looking for [00:01:10] amazing guests to [00:01:11] come in [00:01:12] and give [00:01:13] their insight [00:01:14] on [00:01:15] hormones and bust some of [00:01:16] the crazy [00:01:17] myths and [00:01:18] misinformation out there.

[00:01:18] JJ (3): And [00:01:19] I have a great [00:01:20] guest today doing [00:01:21] just that. In fact, [00:01:22] what we really [00:01:23] focused on today, such [00:01:24] practical [00:01:25] information, but [00:01:26] You know, [00:01:27] how do you [00:01:28] know [00:01:29] when you [00:01:30] need estrogen or [00:01:31] testosterone, [00:01:32] progesterone? What are some of the [00:01:33] symptoms? Should [00:01:34] you be taking [00:01:35] DHEA? Which tests should you [00:01:36] really be looking at? [00:01:37] Is testing [00:01:38] valid?

[00:01:38] JJ (3): So [00:01:39] we’re going to be [00:01:40] unpacking all of those [00:01:41] questions and those are [00:01:42] questions I get DM’d [00:01:43] all the time on [00:01:44] Instagram. [00:01:45] And then what [00:01:46] else is [00:01:47] important as you’re [00:01:48] navigating menopause [00:01:49] to make this happen? [00:01:50] [00:01:51] [00:01:52] So I’ve got [00:01:53] Dr. Tabatha [00:01:54] Barber with me [00:01:55] today. I’ve known her now [00:01:56] for a couple of years. She’s [00:01:57] a member of [00:01:58] my [00:01:59] MindShare Mastermind group, [00:02:00] and [00:02:01] I have just [00:02:02] absolutely [00:02:03] fallen in love with this [00:02:04] woman.

[00:02:04] JJ (3): She is an [00:02:05] amazing doctor. [00:02:06] She was a, [00:02:07] uh, [00:02:08] A [00:02:09] teenage, at [00:02:10] 17, she had [00:02:11] a baby, was a high [00:02:12] school [00:02:13] dropout and [00:02:14] kind of emerged [00:02:15] through all of this [00:02:16] with a lot of faith and [00:02:17] perseverance to [00:02:18] become [00:02:19] a medical doctor, a [00:02:20] gynecologist, a [00:02:21] functional [00:02:22] gynecologist now. [00:02:23] And has [00:02:24] a thriving [00:02:25] medical practice. [00:02:26] She has the [00:02:27] gutsy [00:02:28] gynecologist [00:02:29] podcast, her [00:02:30] gutsy gyne [00:02:31] supplement line.

[00:02:31] JJ (3): She has [00:02:32] her fast to [00:02:33] faith book. She has been [00:02:34] very [00:02:35] busy getting [00:02:36] information out into the [00:02:37] world again, to really [00:02:38] kind of break [00:02:39] through some of the myths [00:02:40] of what’s been going on. [00:02:41] And, [00:02:42] Bonus points, [00:02:43] she went through [00:02:44] menopause herself. [00:02:45] I think right now she’s [00:02:46] actually in [00:02:47] perimenopause which [00:02:48] makes it even better [00:02:49] because [00:02:50] there’s nothing [00:02:51] like real world [00:02:52] experience of your [00:02:53] own [00:02:54] situation that [00:02:55] helps you really [00:02:56] understand what’s going [00:02:57] on because [00:02:58] You can hear about it, you can [00:02:59] learn about it, you can read [00:03:00] about it, you can treat [00:03:01] people, but boy when you go [00:03:02] through it you’re like, oh [00:03:03] this is what it [00:03:04] feels like.

[00:03:04] JJ (3): So, [00:03:05] she [00:03:06] has got [00:03:07] all of that having [00:03:08] treated, [00:03:09] uh gosh I think [00:03:10] thousands of patients [00:03:11] now, [00:03:12] helping them go through [00:03:13] navigate [00:03:14] menopause, and [00:03:15] taking a [00:03:16] beautiful approach where she [00:03:17] combines For [00:03:18] allopathic training, [00:03:19] her functional medicine [00:03:20] training, [00:03:21] all of that to really [00:03:22] help you help [00:03:23] you navigate [00:03:24] this in the best possible [00:03:25] way.

[00:03:25] JJ (3): So I will [00:03:26] be right back with [00:03:27] Dr. Tabitha Barber. [00:03:28] Also, [00:03:29] she is going to be [00:03:30] gifting you [00:03:31] her [00:03:32] guide on how [00:03:33] to go [00:03:34] through menopause, [00:03:35] how to balance your [00:03:36] hormones. [00:03:37] And so you’re going to be [00:03:38] able to get that at [00:03:39] jjvirgin. [00:03:40] com forward slash [00:03:41] Dr. Tabitha. That [00:03:42] is Dr. Tabitha.[00:03:43] [00:03:44] [00:03:45]

[00:03:45] JJ (3): All right, [00:03:46] I’ll be right back [00:03:47] with Dr. Tabitha. [00:03:48] Stay with [00:03:49] [00:03:50] [00:03:51] [00:03:52] me.[00:03:53] [00:03:54] [00:03:55] [00:03:56] [00:03:57]

[00:03:57] JJ (3): [00:03:58] Dr. Tabitha [00:03:59] Barber, welcome to [00:04:00] Well Beyond [00:04:01] 40.

[00:04:01] Dr. Tabatha Barber: Oh [00:04:02] my gosh, thank you for [00:04:03] having me. This is [00:04:04] such an important [00:04:05] conversation.

[00:04:05] JJ (3): It [00:04:06] is. Oh my, well, [00:04:07] anytime we talk [00:04:08] hormones, [00:04:09] everyone leans [00:04:10] in. And what I’m really [00:04:11] excited today to [00:04:12] talk about is first of [00:04:13] all, debunk [00:04:14] some myths, [00:04:15] [00:04:16] Talk about how to [00:04:17] navigate the [00:04:18] system because [00:04:19] I feel like so many [00:04:20] people are just kind of [00:04:21] left out left [00:04:22] hanging and [00:04:23] yes [00:04:24] Yes, so [00:04:25] let’s start there because [00:04:26] I [00:04:27] recently was [00:04:28] listening to a podcast I was [00:04:29] listening to my [00:04:30] buddy Jason [00:04:31] Wachob over on [00:04:32] MindBodyGreen and he was talking to [00:04:33] Dr Lisa [00:04:34] Moscone who wrote the [00:04:35] menopause brain [00:04:36] and they were [00:04:37] talking about the [00:04:38] lack of [00:04:39] really [00:04:40] doctors trained [00:04:41] in [00:04:42] menopause therapy and [00:04:43] And [00:04:44] that most [00:04:45] gynecologists are actually not even [00:04:46] trained to handle [00:04:47] menopause, [00:04:48] which I was like, [00:04:49] what are you talking [00:04:50] about?[00:04:51]

[00:04:51] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:04:52] What? [00:04:53] Everyone is so [00:04:54] surprised. [00:04:55] And let me just [00:04:56] start out by [00:04:57] saying [00:04:58] [00:04:59] gynecologists Our [00:05:00] surgeons, we [00:05:01] spend four years [00:05:02] in a [00:05:03] surgical residency [00:05:04] learning how to do a [00:05:05] hysterectomy four different [00:05:06] ways, doing [00:05:07] procedures, [00:05:08] delivering [00:05:09] babies, that C [00:05:10] sections. [00:05:11] We do not [00:05:12] sit and study [00:05:13] the intricacies [00:05:14] of the endocrine [00:05:15] system and how [00:05:16] hormones are [00:05:17] affected by all the other [00:05:18] systems in your [00:05:19] body.

[00:05:19] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:05:20] Honestly, my [00:05:21] menopause [00:05:22] training consisted [00:05:23] of a few [00:05:24] [00:05:25] [00:05:26] lectures and [00:05:27] conversations [00:05:28] about conjugated [00:05:29] [00:05:30] equine [00:05:31] estrogen and synthetic [00:05:32] progestins and [00:05:33] how to dose them. [00:05:34] That really was [00:05:35] the gist of it [00:05:36] to [00:05:37] manage [00:05:38] vasomotor symptoms, [00:05:39] you know, your hot [00:05:40] flashes. Wow. [00:05:41] Okay. [00:05:42] Yeah. [00:05:43] Big problem, right? [00:05:44] [00:05:45]

[00:05:45] JJ (3): Well, [00:05:46] so is that [00:05:47] still kind [00:05:48] of what a [00:05:49] conventional [00:05:50] gynecologist [00:05:51]

[00:05:51] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:05:52] Yeah, so [00:05:53] unfortunately, the [00:05:54] medical system [00:05:55] is pretty [00:05:56] antiquated when it comes [00:05:57] to what [00:05:58] we’re learning and, [00:05:59] you know, how we’re [00:06:00] being trained.

[00:06:00] Dr. Tabatha Barber: We’re [00:06:01] still [00:06:02] being trained [00:06:03] in the same way [00:06:04] generation after [00:06:05] generation. A [00:06:06] lot of [00:06:07] [00:06:08] myths are [00:06:09] being passed [00:06:10] down, bad [00:06:11] advice, [00:06:12] bad [00:06:13] standard of care [00:06:14] training. But [00:06:15] I will say, [00:06:16] like, I continue to [00:06:17] follow [00:06:18] the [00:06:19] societies that [00:06:20] governed my training, [00:06:21] American College of [00:06:22] OBGYNs and [00:06:23] North American Menopause [00:06:24] Society, [00:06:25] and I [00:06:26] think because of this [00:06:27] big shift we’re [00:06:28] seeing just in [00:06:29] society with women [00:06:30] going, hey, what about [00:06:31] us?

[00:06:31] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:06:32] They are [00:06:33] finally catching up [00:06:34] and shifting [00:06:35] their [00:06:36] career. Committee [00:06:37] opinions, [00:06:38] how they, [00:06:39] um, say with their [00:06:40] practice bulletins, [00:06:41] they’re finally [00:06:42] getting [00:06:43] the idea that [00:06:44] women want [00:06:45] to feel good going [00:06:46] into menopause. [00:06:47] And so, [00:06:48] slowly but surely, [00:06:49] the tides are [00:06:50] turning, and it’s [00:06:51] important that we continue [00:06:52] to have these [00:06:53] conversations so that they do [00:06:54] step up and [00:06:55] help us out.[00:06:56]

[00:06:56] JJ (3): Well, what [00:06:57] are some of [00:06:58] the myths and [00:06:59] bad advice out [00:07:00] there? [00:07:01] Cause I want people [00:07:02] to be able to spot [00:07:03] it when it’s [00:07:04] happening.

[00:07:04] Dr. Tabatha Barber: Yeah. [00:07:05] So [00:07:06] when I [00:07:07] was in medical [00:07:08] school and [00:07:09] residency, it was [00:07:10] standard to give [00:07:11] women hormone [00:07:12] replacement therapy for [00:07:13] menopause. Like [00:07:14] everybody just went [00:07:15] on it because we [00:07:16] had [00:07:17] Four decades [00:07:18] worth of studies [00:07:19] that showed [00:07:20] the benefits [00:07:21] against heart [00:07:22] disease, bone [00:07:23] loss, [00:07:24] dementia, and so it [00:07:25] was standard of [00:07:26] care.

[00:07:26] Dr. Tabatha Barber: And then the [00:07:27] crazy study, the [00:07:28] Women’s Health Initiative, [00:07:29] came out in [00:07:30] 2002, [00:07:31] scared the [00:07:32] bejesus out of [00:07:33] everybody because there [00:07:34] was a story [00:07:35] that got ran [00:07:36] through media [00:07:37] that really was [00:07:38] a lie, and it [00:07:39] was that estrogen [00:07:40] caused breast [00:07:41] cancer. [00:07:42] Unfortunately, when you [00:07:43] put something out [00:07:44] there like that, it’s [00:07:45] hard to take [00:07:46] back.

[00:07:46] Dr. Tabatha Barber: It’s [00:07:47] like a bomb went [00:07:48] off and we’re still trying to [00:07:49] clean up the mess. [00:07:50] But what [00:07:51] happened was, [00:07:52] the study [00:07:53] was stopped [00:07:54] early. [00:07:55] because of a [00:07:56] tiny little [00:07:57] increase in [00:07:58] breast [00:07:59] cancer in the [00:08:00] estrogen plus [00:08:01] progestin [00:08:02] arm of the study. [00:08:03] So we were looking [00:08:04] at two different [00:08:05] populations. One [00:08:06] woman, one group [00:08:07] was taking [00:08:08] estrogen alone because they [00:08:09] didn’t have a uterus.[00:08:10]

[00:08:10] Dr. Tabatha Barber: The other group was [00:08:11] taking [00:08:12] estrogen plus [00:08:13] a synthetic [00:08:14] progestin. There was [00:08:15] a tiny [00:08:16] increase in risk in [00:08:17] that group with [00:08:18] the [00:08:19] progestin. And so they [00:08:20] halted the study [00:08:21] and they [00:08:22] scared everyone. And [00:08:23] [00:08:24] unfortunately, [00:08:25] About 17 years [00:08:26] later, the lead [00:08:27] investigator, one of [00:08:28] them, came out and [00:08:29] said, [00:08:30] we were going [00:08:31] for high impact.

[00:08:31] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:08:32] We wanted to [00:08:33] change the thinking on [00:08:34] HRT. [00:08:35] We wanted to [00:08:36] show it was harmful, and [00:08:37] as soon as we [00:08:38] saw that [00:08:39] tick in the [00:08:40] number, [00:08:41] we, uh, You [00:08:42] know, went with that [00:08:43] and the [00:08:44] damage is done. [00:08:45] So why [00:08:46] did

[00:08:46] JJ (3): they want to do, [00:08:47] like, why, what was [00:08:48] their [00:08:49] reasoning to show that it was [00:08:50] harmful? [00:08:51]

[00:08:51] Dr. Tabatha Barber: So [00:08:52] it’s a big [00:08:53] business [00:08:54] and there [00:08:55] was, you know, [00:08:56] a lot [00:08:57] of money being [00:08:58] made for [00:08:59] hormone replacement [00:09:00] therapy.

[00:09:00] Dr. Tabatha Barber: At that [00:09:01] time, there were [00:09:02] standardized [00:09:03] prescriptions and [00:09:04] this was really [00:09:05] going to [00:09:06] shift [00:09:07] that. And [00:09:08] it did. [00:09:09] Overnight, [00:09:10] um, the [00:09:11] big drug [00:09:12] companies lost [00:09:13] billions of dollars [00:09:14] because over [00:09:15] 70 percent of [00:09:16] women went [00:09:17] off their hormone [00:09:18] replacement therapy [00:09:19] overnight. But [00:09:20] here’s the cool [00:09:21] thing. [00:09:22] When I came out of [00:09:23] residency, [00:09:24] I [00:09:25] inherited a [00:09:26] really amazing [00:09:27] practice from an [00:09:28] older gentleman just [00:09:29] retiring [00:09:30] and his [00:09:31] average patient [00:09:32] was in menopause.

[00:09:32] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:09:33] So I [00:09:34] inherited this huge [00:09:35] practice of older [00:09:36] ladies and [00:09:37] Hey, they’re [00:09:38] not older. [00:09:39] Right. [00:09:40] [00:09:41] Wiser and [00:09:42] youthful [00:09:43] and amazing. But [00:09:44] the cool thing was [00:09:45] he didn’t [00:09:46] buy into that [00:09:47] fear of [00:09:48] that study that came [00:09:49] out and he [00:09:50] left all his [00:09:51] women on [00:09:52] hormone replacement. [00:09:53] So I got [00:09:54] to inherit a [00:09:55] practice full of [00:09:56] women on HRT. [00:09:57] [00:09:58] Mind you, [00:09:59] They were [00:10:00] mostly on [00:10:01] synthetic hormones like [00:10:02] conjugated [00:10:03] equine estrogen and [00:10:04] progestins, [00:10:05] but they were [00:10:06] still happy [00:10:07] and young [00:10:08] and vibrant and [00:10:09] having sex with [00:10:10] their partners [00:10:11] and playing [00:10:12] pickleball.

[00:10:12] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:10:13] And they just [00:10:14] showed me how [00:10:15] incredible [00:10:16] hormone replacement [00:10:17] therapy was. I had [00:10:18] women threatening like, don’t [00:10:19] you dare take my [00:10:20] hormones away from me, I’ll [00:10:21] hurt you. [00:10:22] And so I [00:10:23] quickly learned, [00:10:24] you know, [00:10:25] the [00:10:26] benefits and I’ll [00:10:27] never forget the one [00:10:28] woman. [00:10:29] She had [00:10:30] gone to a [00:10:31] cardiologist [00:10:32] for some [00:10:33] minor thing [00:10:34] seen on an echo [00:10:35] and he made her [00:10:36] go off of her [00:10:37] estrogen [00:10:38] overnight [00:10:39] and she had a [00:10:40] stroke the [00:10:41] following month.[00:10:42]

[00:10:42] Dr. Tabatha Barber: And [00:10:43] that really got me [00:10:44] thinking, like, [00:10:45] what is [00:10:46] estrogen [00:10:47] and how is it [00:10:48] Associated [00:10:49] with our clotting [00:10:50] factors and [00:10:51] our [00:10:52] cholesterol and all of the [00:10:53] changes that happen in our [00:10:54] body. And it [00:10:55] really [00:10:56] just drove me to [00:10:57] wanna study this [00:10:58] more and figure this [00:10:59] piece out. And I [00:11:00] quickly learned [00:11:01] like that [00:11:02] WHI study was [00:11:03] full of crap.

[00:11:03] Dr. Tabatha Barber: It [00:11:04] really was. And [00:11:05] now we have [00:11:06] people who have [00:11:07] like really [00:11:08] shown it for what it [00:11:09] is. The book Estrogen [00:11:10] Matters. If you [00:11:11] haven’t read it, every [00:11:12] woman should [00:11:13] read it. It’s Who’s that [00:11:14] by [00:11:15] Dr. [00:11:16] Avron Blooming. [00:11:17] He. [00:11:18] Rips apart [00:11:19] every single study [00:11:20] and just tells you [00:11:21] the truth of what those [00:11:22] studies show [00:11:23] and why [00:11:24] they don’t [00:11:25] show what they [00:11:26] claim they [00:11:27] showed.

[00:11:27] Dr. Tabatha Barber: And it’s [00:11:28] really [00:11:29] helpful [00:11:30] information. [00:11:31] Um, like I [00:11:32] love to give this [00:11:33] example. [00:11:34] We [00:11:35] use percentages [00:11:36] to scare people. [00:11:37] Like [00:11:38] HRT increased the risk [00:11:39] of breast cancer by [00:11:40] 26 [00:11:41] percent. [00:11:42] Well, it turns out it [00:11:43] was one extra [00:11:44] person [00:11:45] in the group, [00:11:46] but think about it. [00:11:47] Like one in 10, [00:11:48] 000 [00:11:49] versus [00:11:50] three women in [00:11:51] 10, 000 is a [00:11:52] 300 percent increase.

[00:11:52] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:11:53] So percentage [00:11:54] wise, it sounds [00:11:55] huge, but it’s [00:11:56] literally one person [00:11:57] versus three [00:11:58] people in a [00:11:59] group. So [00:12:00] you have to be [00:12:01] very careful [00:12:02] about [00:12:03] how things are [00:12:04] presented to you. [00:12:05] And they’re not always [00:12:06] at face [00:12:07] value.

[00:12:07] JJ (3): [00:12:08] Wow, [00:12:09] that’s wild. Well, [00:12:10] you brought up [00:12:11] something and I, I know I’ve, [00:12:12] I’ve, I’ve [00:12:13] unpacked the, the [00:12:14] women’s health [00:12:15] initiative and started to look at it and I [00:12:16] go, Oh, it was one [00:12:17] person.

[00:12:17] JJ (3): And then they [00:12:18] didn’t even feel like [00:12:19] they followed him [00:12:20] out. Nothing. [00:12:21] They were treated and [00:12:22] they were fine. So I [00:12:23] was like, right.

[00:12:23] Dr. Tabatha Barber: And it was in [00:12:24]

[00:12:24] JJ (3): the progestin [00:12:25] group, not even the [00:12:26] estrogen alone [00:12:27] group yet. [00:12:28] Estrogen got the blame. [00:12:29] Poor estrogen. [00:12:30] Well, let’s talk [00:12:31] about estrogen because I [00:12:32] do feel [00:12:33] like, [00:12:34] Estrogen gets the [00:12:35] blame a lot out [00:12:36] there, you know, the [00:12:37] estrogen dominance [00:12:38] and, and [00:12:39] one, one friend [00:12:40] said, well, women are [00:12:41] estrogen dominant.

[00:12:41] JJ (3): [00:12:42] That’s what being a [00:12:43] woman is. I’m like, oh, [00:12:44] that’s such a [00:12:45] good point. [00:12:46] Um, what is [00:12:47] estrogen’s [00:12:48] role? Like, [00:12:49] because you said you started to [00:12:50] look at it and [00:12:51] unpack it and [00:12:52] I’ll give you, [00:12:53] um, a little, [00:12:54] A little insight [00:12:55] that happened with me. I [00:12:56] was working [00:12:57] in, uh, [00:12:58] an office out [00:12:59] of an office in [00:13:00] Palm Desert. [00:13:01] And [00:13:02] the doctors were [00:13:03] sending me in people [00:13:04] they wanted me to [00:13:05] do nutrition [00:13:06] consults on.

[00:13:06] JJ (3): And I literally [00:13:07] could tell before I looked [00:13:08] at their labs [00:13:09] and, and [00:13:10] their health history, I, or [00:13:11] just by looking at their [00:13:12] labs without looking at [00:13:13] what they were doing, I could tell [00:13:14] if they were on hormones or [00:13:15] not. I [00:13:16] mean, you can see [00:13:17] it. Like, the [00:13:18] minute a woman [00:13:19] goes through menopause [00:13:20] and is not on [00:13:21] hormones, you see it in [00:13:22] her HSCRP.[00:13:23]

[00:13:23] JJ (3): You see her more [00:13:24] inflamed, you see her [00:13:25] LDL go up. Like, you just [00:13:26] saw all these [00:13:27] markers go the [00:13:28] wrong direction. [00:13:29]

[00:13:29] Dr. Tabatha Barber: Oh my gosh, I’m [00:13:30] so glad you said [00:13:31] that. I literally had a [00:13:32] patient this [00:13:33] morning who [00:13:34] was being threatened [00:13:35] with a statin [00:13:36] by her doctor [00:13:37] because Her [00:13:38] total [00:13:39] cholesterol and LDL [00:13:40] jumped up over [00:13:41] 40 points [00:13:42] in one year.[00:13:43]

[00:13:43] Dr. Tabatha Barber: She [00:13:44] went into [00:13:45] menopause! That’s [00:13:46] what happens [00:13:47] because [00:13:48] [00:13:49] steroid, or all the [00:13:50] steroid hormones, [00:13:51] estrogen, [00:13:52] testosterone, [00:13:53] [00:13:54] progesterone, DHEA, [00:13:55] cortisol, [00:13:56] They are made [00:13:57] from [00:13:58] cholesterol. Cholesterol [00:13:59] is actually the [00:14:00] backbone ingredient. [00:14:01] So if your [00:14:02] ovaries stop [00:14:03] making these [00:14:04] sex hormones [00:14:05] because it’s gone into [00:14:06] menopause, [00:14:07] you’re not [00:14:08] using that cholesterol.

[00:14:08] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:14:09] It’s just [00:14:10] continuing to sit in [00:14:11] your liver and [00:14:12] accumulate. And it [00:14:13] takes your body a [00:14:14] minute to go, Oh, [00:14:15] we’re not [00:14:16] requiring all this [00:14:17] cholesterol [00:14:18] production anymore. [00:14:19] Okay, let’s get rid [00:14:20] of some of this [00:14:21] excess cholesterol [00:14:22] now. But I see it [00:14:23] every single [00:14:24] time. Same [00:14:25] thing with [00:14:26] Blood sugar, it [00:14:27] increases when you [00:14:28] go into that [00:14:29] menopausal [00:14:30] transition.

[00:14:30] Dr. Tabatha Barber: You become [00:14:31] inflamed. [00:14:32] We see [00:14:33] increase in autoimmune [00:14:34] conditions because [00:14:35] our immune [00:14:36] system is [00:14:37] actually [00:14:38] regulated by [00:14:39] estrogen. [00:14:40] This is a [00:14:41] really cool thing. So, [00:14:42] a lot [00:14:43] of people don’t [00:14:44] realize that [00:14:45] or think about [00:14:46] the fact that when [00:14:47] you are [00:14:48] pregnant, You [00:14:49] are carrying [00:14:50] half [00:14:51] foreign [00:14:52] DNA in your [00:14:53] uterus. Half that [00:14:54] baby has foreign [00:14:55] DNA [00:14:56] that normally your [00:14:57] body would [00:14:58] attack and [00:14:59] kill and destroy [00:15:00] because that’s what the [00:15:01] immune system does to [00:15:02] foreign [00:15:03] DNA.

[00:15:03] Dr. Tabatha Barber: But [00:15:04] because [00:15:05] of the innate [00:15:06] intelligence in your [00:15:07] body, [00:15:08] The high, [00:15:09] high doses of [00:15:10] estrogen down [00:15:11] regulate your immune [00:15:12] system and it [00:15:13] doesn’t attack the [00:15:14] baby. [00:15:15] But what we see [00:15:16] is after the [00:15:17] pregnancy, when the [00:15:18] estrogen drops [00:15:19] to like really [00:15:20] low levels, because now you [00:15:21] have to [00:15:22] breastfeed and make [00:15:23] prolactin, [00:15:24] we see [00:15:25] autoimmune conditions [00:15:26] just skyrocket.

[00:15:26] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:15:27] That’s when I was [00:15:28] diagnosed with [00:15:29] Hashimoto’s was after [00:15:30] my 17 year [00:15:31] old pregnancy and [00:15:32] delivery. [00:15:33] And it was [00:15:34] because I no longer had [00:15:35] that protection of [00:15:36] estrogen, [00:15:37] my immune [00:15:38] system was out of [00:15:39] control and on [00:15:40] fire, and I had a [00:15:41] horrible gut, [00:15:42] and it was like a [00:15:43] perfect storm for my [00:15:44] autoimmune condition [00:15:45] to arise.

[00:15:45] Dr. Tabatha Barber: So, [00:15:46] [00:15:47] estrogen is [00:15:48] protective. [00:15:49]

[00:15:49] JJ (3): [00:15:50] Wow, [00:15:51] how have we gotten this so [00:15:52] wrong? What [00:15:53] is your [00:15:54] process, because there’s [00:15:55] so many [00:15:56] different schools of thought [00:15:57] out there, everything [00:15:58] from, you [00:15:59] know, don’t test, [00:16:00] just give hormones, [00:16:01] don’t give hormones, [00:16:02] wait till you get through [00:16:03] menopause, so [00:16:04] someone [00:16:05] starting to notice some [00:16:06] differences, [00:16:07] you know, maybe their [00:16:08] periods are getting [00:16:09] longer, [00:16:10] heavier, [00:16:11] they’re starting to get hot [00:16:12] flashes, [00:16:13] you know, how do [00:16:14] you take someone [00:16:15] through this process?[00:16:16]

[00:16:16] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:16:17] Yeah, so I [00:16:18] feel [00:16:19] like a little [00:16:20] unicorn in [00:16:21] this space because [00:16:22] I have the [00:16:23] cool [00:16:24] opportunity [00:16:25] to use my [00:16:26] conventional [00:16:27] training and not [00:16:28] have it be used against me, [00:16:29] but to use it [00:16:30] in a way of [00:16:31] knowing [00:16:32] What a [00:16:33] typical doctor is going to say [00:16:34] to these women, [00:16:35] knowing [00:16:36] the way that they [00:16:37] approach things, but also [00:16:38] being functionally [00:16:39] trained, I [00:16:40] know that there are [00:16:41] alternatives.[00:16:42]

[00:16:42] Dr. Tabatha Barber: When I was [00:16:43] a surgeon, I [00:16:44] would always [00:16:45] have you sign your [00:16:46] consent before the [00:16:47] surgery. Risks, [00:16:48] benefits, [00:16:49] alternatives. But [00:16:50] honestly, I wasn’t [00:16:51] giving the proper [00:16:52] alternatives [00:16:53] because I didn’t know [00:16:54] them. All I [00:16:55] knew was birth [00:16:56] control pills and [00:16:57] surgery. I didn’t realize [00:16:58] there was this whole [00:16:59] world of [00:17:00] let’s use herbs, [00:17:01] let’s use [00:17:02] food, let’s use [00:17:03] antioxidants, [00:17:04] and all of these other [00:17:05] things and bio [00:17:06] identical hormones.

[00:17:06] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:17:07] So, [00:17:08] it’s really [00:17:09] important [00:17:10] that you [00:17:11] know the [00:17:12] alternative. So, if [00:17:13] you bring the two [00:17:14] worlds together, [00:17:15] You want to take the [00:17:16] best of both [00:17:17] worlds. And [00:17:18] [00:17:19] conventional [00:17:20] gynecology, we are [00:17:21] trained not [00:17:22] to test for [00:17:23] hormones unless we [00:17:24] are dealing with [00:17:25] infertility and [00:17:26] trying [00:17:27] to adjust [00:17:28] to create a [00:17:29] baby. Like putting you [00:17:30] on Clomid, doing [00:17:31] IVF, [00:17:32] then we’re [00:17:33] checking [00:17:34] hormones.

[00:17:34] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:17:35] We don’t have any [00:17:36] standard [00:17:37] levels that we base [00:17:38] anything off of in [00:17:39] conventional [00:17:40] gynecology, so we just don’t [00:17:41] test. And we [00:17:42] tell people [00:17:43] it’s not [00:17:44] necessary, [00:17:45] we don’t understand [00:17:46] how to interpret the [00:17:47] results, you [00:17:48] don’t need it, [00:17:49] and that’s our [00:17:50] way of just kind [00:17:51] of turning a blind [00:17:52] eye. [00:17:53] But in [00:17:54] functional medicine, [00:17:55] integrative medicine, anti [00:17:56] aging medicine, [00:17:57] there are decades [00:17:58] of [00:17:59] studies and [00:18:00] I don’t [00:18:01] even know [00:18:02] countless patients [00:18:03] that we [00:18:04] have tested, and [00:18:05] we know the [00:18:06] standard levels [00:18:07] that are [00:18:08] optimal, that we are [00:18:09] looking for.

[00:18:09] Dr. Tabatha Barber: And [00:18:10] so, there’s [00:18:11] these worlds [00:18:12] fighting back and [00:18:13] forth that you can’t [00:18:14] test, it doesn’t [00:18:15] work, and [00:18:16] yes you can, here’s the [00:18:17] levels. And [00:18:18] I love that I [00:18:19] know both sides [00:18:20] of that, and I can [00:18:21] meet women in the [00:18:22] middle and go, [00:18:23] okay. [00:18:24] If you are [00:18:25] having an [00:18:26] irregular period, [00:18:27] we are going [00:18:28] to have to interpret [00:18:29] these levels a little [00:18:30] bit differently, [00:18:31] but we still [00:18:32] can.

[00:18:32] Dr. Tabatha Barber: It is worth [00:18:33] testing. It’s [00:18:34] worth seeing [00:18:35] how [00:18:36] far down this [00:18:37] perimenopausal trail [00:18:38] you are, and [00:18:39] sometimes it’s more [00:18:40] than one test. [00:18:41] Because we [00:18:42] do change our [00:18:43] levels every day [00:18:44] of the [00:18:45] month, we have to [00:18:46] start to see some [00:18:47] trends. We have to [00:18:48] talk about [00:18:49] symptoms [00:18:50] and we have to put the [00:18:51] full picture [00:18:52] together. So it’s [00:18:53] not like a five [00:18:54] minute [00:18:55] conversation where you do one [00:18:56] lab test and [00:18:57] here’s your diagnosis.

[00:18:57] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:18:58] That’s not how it [00:18:59] works. But if [00:19:00] you’re working with a [00:19:01] provider who’s [00:19:02] trained [00:19:03] in these [00:19:04] hormones, [00:19:05] they know the [00:19:06] patterns. They [00:19:07] know [00:19:08] what’s up. I can [00:19:09] tell you. [00:19:10] Just by talking to [00:19:11] women, [00:19:12] whether they need [00:19:13] estrogen or [00:19:14] progesterone or [00:19:15] testosterone, almost [00:19:16] every time. It’s, [00:19:17] it’s not [00:19:18] very often that I’m [00:19:19] surprised.

[00:19:19] Dr. Tabatha Barber: So [00:19:20] I do love [00:19:21] testing [00:19:22] and the way [00:19:23] that we test is a whole [00:19:24] nother conversation. [00:19:25] Not sure

[00:19:25] JJ (3): you want to get [00:19:26] into that, but I don’t [00:19:27] know. I was like going, [00:19:28] okay, I’m making [00:19:29] notes right here. [00:19:30] Um, [00:19:31] and I told you [00:19:32] in advance, I’m like, [00:19:33] I have a load of [00:19:34] questions here, and [00:19:35] then I want to see where we [00:19:36] go. But, [00:19:37] you know, what [00:19:38] are some of the [00:19:39] basic tests [00:19:40] that, that [00:19:41] you would [00:19:42] have someone look [00:19:43] at?

[00:19:43] JJ (3): Like what, [00:19:44] or get tested? [00:19:45] What would be the [00:19:46] starting point? [00:19:47]

[00:19:47] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:19:48] Well, As a [00:19:49] functionally trained [00:19:50] gynecologist, I look [00:19:51] at everything. You [00:19:52] know, I’m [00:19:53] looking at your average [00:19:54] blood sugar, your hemoglobin [00:19:55] A1c, [00:19:56] your fasting [00:19:57] insulin, [00:19:58] um, I [00:19:59] am looking at a [00:20:00] complete thyroid [00:20:01] panel, doing [00:20:02] all the things, [00:20:03] but when it comes to [00:20:04] hormones, [00:20:05] at [00:20:06] minimum, I would [00:20:07] love to see [00:20:08] estradiol, [00:20:09] which we call [00:20:10] E2, [00:20:11] [00:20:12] estrone, which we call [00:20:13] E1, [00:20:14] [00:20:15] [00:20:16] progesterone, DHEA, [00:20:17] Total and free [00:20:18] [00:20:19] testosterone and sex hormone [00:20:20] binding [00:20:21] globulin [00:20:22] and [00:20:23] FSH.

[00:20:23] Dr. Tabatha Barber: It [00:20:24] sounds like a lot, [00:20:25] um, but it [00:20:26] comes in a panel. [00:20:27] You can get your, [00:20:28] did you know you can [00:20:29] order your own labs now [00:20:30] on [00:20:31] ultalabtest. com? You don’t even [00:20:32] need a doctor’s [00:20:33] order. That’s how [00:20:34] advanced we’re [00:20:35] becoming. I love [00:20:36] this. Let [00:20:37] women take back [00:20:38] control of their health. So [00:20:39] you can get a [00:20:40] hormone panel [00:20:41] and you can see.[00:20:42]

[00:20:42] Dr. Tabatha Barber: I [00:20:43] recommend trying [00:20:44] to get it. [00:20:45] in a time where we’re going [00:20:46] to catch [00:20:47] ovulation to see if [00:20:48] you are still making [00:20:49] enough [00:20:50] progesterone. And that’s [00:20:51] typically going to be in the [00:20:52] second half of your [00:20:53] cycle, in [00:20:54] the luteal phase. [00:20:55] Optimal [00:20:56] days, if you’re having a [00:20:57] 28 day [00:20:58] cycle, is somewhere day [00:20:59] 19 [00:21:00] to [00:21:01] 22, somewhere like [00:21:02] day 21.[00:21:03]

[00:21:03] Dr. Tabatha Barber: If your periods are [00:21:04] super [00:21:05] irregular, I [00:21:06] guarantee you’re not [00:21:07] ovulating or you’re [00:21:08] not making enough [00:21:09] progesterone after you [00:21:10] ovulate to [00:21:11] sustain that luteal [00:21:12] phase. So [00:21:13] I’m a little [00:21:14] less concerned. I know [00:21:15] you need [00:21:16] progesterone support. I want to [00:21:17] see what your estrogen [00:21:18] levels are [00:21:19] doing. You can [00:21:20] do that earlier in [00:21:21] the cycle, like [00:21:22] days three [00:21:23] to ten, somewhere in [00:21:24] there when it [00:21:25] peaks.

[00:21:25] Dr. Tabatha Barber: And [00:21:26] if women [00:21:27] don’t have a period [00:21:28] because they had an [00:21:29] ablation [00:21:30] or they have a [00:21:31] hormonal IUD like a [00:21:32] Mirena, [00:21:33] we get it [00:21:34] whenever. [00:21:35] We talk about the [00:21:36] symptoms that they’re having [00:21:37] when they have those [00:21:38] labs drawn and we try [00:21:39] to put the pieces of the [00:21:40] puzzle [00:21:41] together. And we [00:21:42] usually [00:21:43] figure it out and [00:21:44] sometimes we recheck [00:21:45] to verify.[00:21:46]

[00:21:46] Dr. Tabatha Barber: Um, [00:21:47] but it’s, [00:21:48] it’s not rocket [00:21:49] science. [00:21:50] It [00:21:51] works, [00:21:52] you know, we don’t [00:21:53] have to guess. [00:21:54]

[00:21:54] JJ (3): [00:21:55] So you said [00:21:56] something that was very [00:21:57] intriguing. You said, I [00:21:58] can talk to someone and [00:21:59] pretty much figure [00:22:00] out if they need [00:22:01] estrogen, testosterone, [00:22:02] progesterone. And I’m [00:22:03] like, [00:22:04] okay, like [00:22:05] give us, give us some [00:22:06] insight into [00:22:07] that. Oh

[00:22:07] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:22:08] my gosh.[00:22:09]

[00:22:09] Dr. Tabatha Barber: Well, [00:22:10] about two [00:22:11] years ago, I found [00:22:12] myself Sitting on the [00:22:13] couch [00:22:14] and not wanting to [00:22:15] do anything by [00:22:16] about the third day of [00:22:17] canceling all my [00:22:18] patients. I was [00:22:19] like, what is wrong [00:22:20] with me? [00:22:21] I have a [00:22:22] tendency to [00:22:23] have depression, but this [00:22:24] was different. [00:22:25] And [00:22:26] like an [00:22:27] aha moment, [00:22:28] I was like, Oh my [00:22:29] gosh, I think my [00:22:30] estrogen dropped.[00:22:31]

[00:22:31] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:22:32] And mind you, my [00:22:33] periods were a little [00:22:34] bit wonky. [00:22:35] I was having some [00:22:36] spotting [00:22:37] beforehand. They, [00:22:38] they were lasting a [00:22:39] little bit longer. [00:22:40] [00:22:41] Um, but [00:22:42] this one was [00:22:43] late and it [00:22:44] finally dawned on [00:22:45] me and lo and behold, [00:22:46] my estrogen was [00:22:47] so low. [00:22:48] It was like [00:22:49] menopausal [00:22:50] levels. [00:22:51] And so I put [00:22:52] on a tiny [00:22:53] little bit of an [00:22:54] estrogen patch [00:22:55] and [00:22:56] by that next [00:22:57] day I started to [00:22:58] feel like [00:22:59] myself again and by about [00:23:00] the third day I [00:23:01] was back to me.[00:23:02]

[00:23:02] Dr. Tabatha Barber: And [00:23:03] that was [00:23:04] so eye [00:23:05] opening because [00:23:06] I was always [00:23:07] trained that it’s [00:23:08] a gradual [00:23:09] [00:23:10] process. that you’re [00:23:11] slowly going to like [00:23:12] [00:23:13] transition, [00:23:14] um, you’re going to start to have [00:23:15] hot flashes and [00:23:16] night sweats, but [00:23:17] this was [00:23:18] overnight. Like this [00:23:19] took me out at [00:23:20] the knees. [00:23:21] I didn’t want to be married to [00:23:22] my husband. I didn’t [00:23:23] want to do my [00:23:24] job.

[00:23:24] Dr. Tabatha Barber: I didn’t want to show [00:23:25] up for my kids. [00:23:26] And if [00:23:27] I would have [00:23:28] been a regular old [00:23:29] Joe and went to the [00:23:30] doctor. [00:23:31] They would have [00:23:32] gave me [00:23:33] Zoloft or [00:23:34] [00:23:35] Paxil or [00:23:36] Prozac, [00:23:37] exactly. I would have got [00:23:38] an [00:23:39] antidepressant [00:23:40] and [00:23:41] can I just tell you [00:23:42] that was [00:23:43] the worst? [00:23:44] I don’t know who [00:23:45] came up with this [00:23:46] and who started [00:23:47] studying [00:23:48] SSRIs for [00:23:49] menopause, but [00:23:50] holy cow, if [00:23:51] you, like, [00:23:52] I feel like that person [00:23:53] must not like [00:23:54] women because [00:23:55] if you’re already [00:23:56] gaining weight [00:23:57] and going through the [00:23:58] menopausal [00:23:59] transition, Feeling [00:24:00] down and depressed [00:24:01] and weepy and you get an [00:24:02] antidepressant, [00:24:03] you’re going to gain [00:24:04] another five to ten [00:24:05] pounds.

[00:24:05] Dr. Tabatha Barber: You’re going to [00:24:06] completely wipe [00:24:07] out any tiny [00:24:08] libido you had [00:24:09] left [00:24:10] and wipe out any [00:24:11] drive that you have [00:24:12] left. Those are the three [00:24:13] most common side [00:24:14] effects of [00:24:15] antidepressants. So, [00:24:16] if you want to [00:24:17] really destroy [00:24:18] yourself, that’s the route [00:24:19] to go. So, if [00:24:20] you ever get offered [00:24:21] that, please just [00:24:22] say no. Thank you, . [00:24:23] No, [00:24:24] thank you,[00:24:25]

[00:24:25] JJ (3): Well, [00:24:26] this is the [00:24:27] difference between a [00:24:28] conventionally [00:24:29] trained gynecologist that [00:24:30] doesn’t have those [00:24:31] tools that [00:24:32] you have, [00:24:33] and then a functional [00:24:34] gynecologist [00:24:35] who’s gonna look and go, [00:24:36] what’s [00:24:37] this? You know, this [00:24:38] isn’t a, [00:24:39] the [00:24:40] depression is not a, [00:24:41] a result of [00:24:42] having a Prozac [00:24:43] deficiency or a [00:24:44] serotonin deficiency.

[00:24:44] JJ (3): It’s [00:24:45] an estrogen [00:24:46] deficiency. I, [00:24:47] I will tell you too, when [00:24:48] my estrogen dropped, [00:24:49] it wasn’t, [00:24:50] it wasn’t a slow [00:24:51] decline. [00:24:52]

[00:24:52] Dr. Tabatha Barber: Yeah, [00:24:53] I’m seeing that [00:24:54] more and more. It’s [00:24:55] really not. And I [00:24:56] think [00:24:57] it’s because we [00:24:58] are [00:24:59] driven, busy [00:25:00] women with high [00:25:01] stressed lives. [00:25:02] And I [00:25:03] try to explain to [00:25:04] women that your [00:25:05] adrenal glands are [00:25:06] your backup [00:25:07] ovaries.

[00:25:07] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:25:08] So, if you [00:25:09] are making a lot [00:25:10] of cortisol to [00:25:11] manage your day [00:25:12] every day [00:25:13] because you’re busy from [00:25:14] dusk until dawn [00:25:15] and you’re, I don’t know. [00:25:16] exercising and [00:25:17] you’re running a [00:25:18] business or you’re like trying to [00:25:19] please your boss [00:25:20] or you manage all your [00:25:21] children or whatever [00:25:22] you’re doing [00:25:23] all the excess [00:25:24] cortisol [00:25:25] production is [00:25:26] really taxing [00:25:27] on the adrenal [00:25:28] glands but the [00:25:29] adrenals also [00:25:30] make [00:25:31] DHEA, [00:25:32] testosterone, and [00:25:33] estrogen and so [00:25:34] when your ovaries are [00:25:35] done [00:25:36] [00:25:37] ovulate [00:25:38] anymore we’ve run out of [00:25:39] production we’re [00:25:40] closing shop.[00:25:41]

[00:25:41] Dr. Tabatha Barber: Your body [00:25:42] goes, okay [00:25:43] adrenals, it’s your [00:25:44] turn to kick in and [00:25:45] give us our sex [00:25:46] hormones for the second [00:25:47] half of our life, [00:25:48] but if you [00:25:49] go into menopause [00:25:50] with tanked [00:25:51] adrenals and low [00:25:52] DHEA, [00:25:53] you’re screwed. [00:25:54] Like, [00:25:55] it feels 10 [00:25:56] times worse and now we’re [00:25:57] seeing I’m seeing more [00:25:58] premature [00:25:59] menopause [00:26:00] and more [00:26:01] symptomatic [00:26:02] menopause because we [00:26:03] don’t have [00:26:04] healthy adrenals [00:26:05] going into [00:26:06] that next [00:26:07] phase.

[00:26:07] Dr. Tabatha Barber: So [00:26:08] for me, that [00:26:09] was my problem. I [00:26:10] was way [00:26:11] overstressed. I just [00:26:12] killed [00:26:13] my ovaries, [00:26:14] you know, that year. [00:26:15] And [00:26:16] um, I learned a lot [00:26:17] about [00:26:18] myself and just [00:26:19] women in general that [00:26:20] year.

[00:26:20] JJ (3): Yeah. [00:26:21] Well, it makes you a [00:26:22] far better [00:26:23] doctor too. Look at this. [00:26:24] I know. Right? [00:26:25] Yay. [00:26:26] So. [00:26:27] When I think about [00:26:28] going into menopause, [00:26:29] I always think the, [00:26:30] if, if I could do [00:26:31] it over [00:26:32] starting about [00:26:33] 35, I would’ve really [00:26:34] leaned [00:26:35] into [00:26:36] stress handling [00:26:37] stress [00:26:38] better.

[00:26:38] Dr. Tabatha Barber: Oh, absolutely. [00:26:39] And

[00:26:39] JJ (3): instead of trying to get [00:26:40] that badge of [00:26:41] honor for [00:26:42] everything I could possibly [00:26:43] do, and thinking I, [00:26:44] my thing now is [00:26:45] like, I’m not super [00:26:46] woman. I didn’t [00:26:47] sign up to be [00:26:48] Superwoman. I’m not [00:26:49] Superwoman Super mom. [00:26:50] Super. Nope, not [00:26:51] it. [00:26:52] Um, but I think we [00:26:53] all do that. We [00:26:54] are like, [00:26:55] like [00:26:56] doing everything.[00:26:57]

[00:26:57] JJ (3): When [00:26:58] you look at moving into [00:26:59] menopause where you have [00:27:00] no margin for error, it [00:27:01] all comes down to, [00:27:02] feels like to me, [00:27:03] like how, [00:27:04] how [00:27:05] rocking are your [00:27:06] adrenal glands. [00:27:07] [00:27:08]

[00:27:08] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:27:09] Absolutely. And we [00:27:10] have so [00:27:11] much control [00:27:12] over that, like you’re [00:27:13] saying. So [00:27:14] for those of [00:27:15] us who are [00:27:16] still in the [00:27:17] perimenopausal transition. [00:27:18] [00:27:19] Now is prime [00:27:20] time, like, set [00:27:21] yourself up for [00:27:22] success.

[00:27:22] Dr. Tabatha Barber: And if [00:27:23] you have [00:27:24] already gone into full blown [00:27:25] menopause, meaning you [00:27:26] haven’t had a [00:27:27] period in over a [00:27:28] year, you haven’t [00:27:29] elevated FSH [00:27:30] level, [00:27:31] you [00:27:32] still want to [00:27:33] resuscitate your [00:27:34] adrenals and get them [00:27:35] back into [00:27:36] balance because [00:27:37] [00:27:38] They are the [00:27:39] driver of health [00:27:40] or disease. [00:27:41] I just [00:27:42] saw another [00:27:43] patient who [00:27:44] had such a [00:27:45] crazy stressful [00:27:46] situation in her [00:27:47] marriage that she and [00:27:48] her husband [00:27:49] both developed [00:27:50] cancers within [00:27:51] six months of that [00:27:52] situation.

[00:27:52] Dr. Tabatha Barber: And [00:27:53] I see that a [00:27:54] lot. And [00:27:55] it’s because when [00:27:56] we have chronic cortisol [00:27:57] production, it [00:27:58] tells [00:27:59] the rest of our [00:28:00] body to make all [00:28:01] of these decisions. [00:28:02] [00:28:03] toxic [00:28:04] immunoglobulins and things [00:28:05] to break [00:28:06] down [00:28:07] all these [00:28:08] inflammatory chemicals, [00:28:09] excuse me, [00:28:10] to [00:28:11] destroy cells, [00:28:12] to not [00:28:13] recycle, [00:28:14] you know, not to [00:28:15] get into [00:28:16] autophagy, not to clean [00:28:17] house.

[00:28:17] Dr. Tabatha Barber: And [00:28:18] so there’s so [00:28:19] much that you can do [00:28:20] to actually [00:28:21] prevent [00:28:22] disease. And we’re just [00:28:23] not talking about it [00:28:24] and getting out of [00:28:25] that sympathetic [00:28:26] fight or flight mode [00:28:27] is [00:28:28] key.

[00:28:28] JJ (3): It’s key. [00:28:29] So how does someone [00:28:30] know [00:28:31] that [00:28:32] You know, cause I feel like [00:28:33] it’s kind of a, [00:28:34] this [00:28:35] thing out there. How [00:28:36] would someone be able to take [00:28:37] this into practical [00:28:38] everyday life and go, [00:28:39] do I have an adrenal [00:28:40] issue?

[00:28:40] JJ (3): How do I know [00:28:41] I have an adrenal [00:28:42] issue? Okay. I have [00:28:43] an adrenal issue. What [00:28:44] do I do about it? [00:28:45] [00:28:46]

[00:28:46] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:28:47] Uh, [00:28:48] so that one is a [00:28:49] little more [00:28:50] complex because [00:28:51] the systems [00:28:52] are overlapped when [00:28:53] it comes to [00:28:54] symptoms. So [00:28:55] fatigue could [00:28:56] be, A [00:28:57] thyroid issue, it could [00:28:58] be adrenal issue, [00:28:59] it could be a low [00:29:00] sex hormone [00:29:01] issue, it could be a [00:29:02] chronic viral [00:29:03] issue, that kind of thing.[00:29:04]

[00:29:04] Dr. Tabatha Barber: So when it [00:29:05] comes to adrenal [00:29:06] glands, the [00:29:07] most common [00:29:08] symptoms are, [00:29:09] you just don’t want to get out of [00:29:10] bed in the morning. You’re [00:29:11] like, you got [00:29:12] to hit snooze 10 [00:29:13] times, you’re talking [00:29:14] yourself up of [00:29:15] getting out of bed. [00:29:16] You’re [00:29:17] reaching for [00:29:18] caffeine in the [00:29:19] afternoon, you’re taking [00:29:20] naps in the [00:29:21] afternoon, [00:29:22] and [00:29:23] then a lot of women get [00:29:24] their second [00:29:25] wind.

[00:29:25] Dr. Tabatha Barber: They don’t want to go to [00:29:26] bed at 10 [00:29:27] o’clock because they [00:29:28] finally have some [00:29:29] energy. They’re like [00:29:30] ready to do [00:29:31] their job and like [00:29:32] get on their [00:29:33] emails and everything. [00:29:34] And so [00:29:35] they have [00:29:36] insomnia at night. [00:29:37] That is the [00:29:38] classic adrenal [00:29:39] dysfunction. [00:29:40] There’s different [00:29:41] stages and [00:29:42] it’s, it’s like [00:29:43] stage one. [00:29:44] You’re just making [00:29:45] too much cortisol all [00:29:46] the time.

[00:29:46] Dr. Tabatha Barber: You’re feeling [00:29:47] wired and a [00:29:48] little tired. [00:29:49] Stage two. [00:29:50] [00:29:51] Your pattern’s starting [00:29:52] to flip. You’re starting [00:29:53] to be tired during the [00:29:54] day and awake [00:29:55] at night. And then [00:29:56] stage three, [00:29:57] you’re just [00:29:58] flatlined. You’re just [00:29:59] tired 24 [00:30:00] 7. You can [00:30:01] barely function. [00:30:02] And I hope no woman [00:30:03] gets to that point [00:30:04] because that’s [00:30:05] really a [00:30:06] struggle to get [00:30:07] back from.[00:30:08]

[00:30:08] Dr. Tabatha Barber: But if [00:30:09] you talk to a [00:30:10] functional provider, [00:30:11] like, that’s [00:30:12] pretty much the first [00:30:13] thing we’re going to look at [00:30:14] because it affects [00:30:15] your gut health. [00:30:16] Chronic stress [00:30:17] causes leaky [00:30:18] gut. It destroys [00:30:19] your good [00:30:20] microbiome. It does so [00:30:21] many bad things for [00:30:22] you. [00:30:23] So it is [00:30:24] something to pay attention [00:30:25] to. [00:30:26] And the cool thing [00:30:27] is you can do a [00:30:28] 24 hour [00:30:29] saliva test [00:30:30] and see what your [00:30:31] cortisol pattern is.[00:30:32]

[00:30:32] Dr. Tabatha Barber: You can see are [00:30:33] you making enough, [00:30:34] too much, is [00:30:35] your pattern [00:30:36] flipped, like what the heck [00:30:37] is going on? [00:30:38] And that [00:30:39] is invaluable. [00:30:40]

[00:30:40] JJ (3): [00:30:41] I think, and this [00:30:42] is another one that you can [00:30:43] order on your own, [00:30:44] [00:30:45] which for a [00:30:46] while, I was doing it every [00:30:47] six months because I [00:30:48] would [00:30:49] trash them and repair [00:30:50] them and trash them. [00:30:51] [00:30:52] But one of the [00:30:53] challenges I saw [00:30:54] when I was seeing [00:30:55] people one on one is [00:30:56] that no one [00:30:57] came in during the [00:30:58] first phase.[00:30:59]

[00:30:59] Dr. Tabatha Barber: Right. It’s

[00:30:59] JJ (3): the [00:31:00] first phase. We

[00:31:00] Dr. Tabatha Barber: power [00:31:01] through. You’re [00:31:02] like,

[00:31:02] JJ (3): you’re [00:31:03] superwoman, man. You’re just [00:31:04] like, it’s like you’ve [00:31:05] got an IV [00:31:06] of caffeine all [00:31:07] the time. You can get so [00:31:08] much stuff done. [00:31:09] Exactly. [00:31:10] And, but that does [00:31:11] not last. [00:31:12] And [00:31:13] when you’re doing this [00:31:14] too, I mean, [00:31:15] When [00:31:16] you are trashing [00:31:17] your [00:31:18] adrenals, you’re [00:31:19] also going to be [00:31:20] impacting [00:31:21] progesterone, correct?[00:31:22]

[00:31:22] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:31:23] Absolutely. [00:31:24] So, this is why we’re [00:31:25] seeing [00:31:26] perimenopause at a younger [00:31:27] and younger [00:31:28] age. When I’ve, you [00:31:29] know, went through my [00:31:30] medical school training, [00:31:31] They told me [00:31:32] perimenopause was like [00:31:33] this one to [00:31:34] two year time [00:31:35] period before [00:31:36] menopause [00:31:37] where women’s [00:31:38] might be a little bit [00:31:39] uncomfortable. They might [00:31:40] have some hot [00:31:41] flashes and some mood [00:31:42] swings.

[00:31:42] Dr. Tabatha Barber: Really? Gosh, what was [00:31:43] that?

[00:31:43] JJ (3): Nineteen [00:31:44] hundreds? I

[00:31:44] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:31:45] know. So [00:31:46] yeah, I don’t want to date [00:31:47] myself too much, [00:31:48] but it was [00:31:49] like the early two [00:31:50] thousands [00:31:51] and that’s what they said [00:31:52] perimenopause [00:31:53] was. And [00:31:54] [00:31:55] quickly, you know, over the next [00:31:56] five to 10 [00:31:57] years, and then [00:31:58] through the [00:31:59] pandemic, we really [00:32:00] saw. [00:32:01] These symptoms [00:32:02] were prolonged [00:32:03] and they weren’t going [00:32:04] three years or [00:32:05] five years.

[00:32:05] Dr. Tabatha Barber: Now we’re [00:32:06] seeing women 10 [00:32:07] years, so at 35 [00:32:08] or [00:32:09] 40, [00:32:10] complaining of these [00:32:11] perimenopausal symptoms. [00:32:12] Like, what the heck is [00:32:13] going on? What [00:32:14] is up? [00:32:15] And there are [00:32:16] a few other [00:32:17] reasons that we probably don’t [00:32:18] need to get into [00:32:19] today because it’s a whole [00:32:20] nother topic, [00:32:21] like toxins in our [00:32:22] environment. [00:32:23] destruction [00:32:24] of our [00:32:25] ovaries and [00:32:26] gut issues causing [00:32:27] destruction of our [00:32:28] ovaries.

[00:32:28] Dr. Tabatha Barber: But [00:32:29] it really is [00:32:30] this chronic [00:32:31] cortisol [00:32:32] adrenal [00:32:33] dysfunction that is [00:32:34] driving it. And think about [00:32:35] it, your [00:32:36] body doesn’t [00:32:37] want to create [00:32:38] another human [00:32:39] being [00:32:40] If you’re in [00:32:41] survival mode, [00:32:42] you know, the, [00:32:43] your [00:32:44] reproduction is going to be the [00:32:45] first thing to [00:32:46] go because that’s an [00:32:47] extra, that’s [00:32:48] a bonus for [00:32:49] your body to [00:32:50] reproduce.

[00:32:50] Dr. Tabatha Barber: It’s not [00:32:51] a bonus to [00:32:52] live and [00:32:53] survive and have [00:32:54] thyroid [00:32:55] functioning. [00:32:56] And so [00:32:57] that bonus [00:32:58] gets put on the back [00:32:59] burner as soon as [00:33:00] you get into [00:33:01] survival mode. And [00:33:02] even, I [00:33:03] tell my patients [00:33:04] this all the time, [00:33:05] even though [00:33:06] you can handle [00:33:07] it, like mentally, you’re [00:33:08] like, I’m good. I [00:33:09] got this. Me and [00:33:10] my friends were [00:33:11] all just busy, [00:33:12] busy, busy.[00:33:13]

[00:33:13] Dr. Tabatha Barber: Your [00:33:14] physiology can’t handle it. [00:33:15] Your [00:33:16] physiology still [00:33:17] responds in the [00:33:18] cavewoman way [00:33:19] that it was created to [00:33:20] respond, and it [00:33:21] will still be [00:33:22] inflamed [00:33:23] and shut down your [00:33:24] ovaries. That’s how [00:33:25] the physiology [00:33:26] works. [00:33:27]

[00:33:27] JJ (3): What are some other [00:33:28] signs of [00:33:29] low progesterone? [00:33:30]

[00:33:30] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:33:31] Yeah, so [00:33:32] I [00:33:33] mentioned, you know, that I [00:33:34] had to go on an [00:33:35] estrogen patch.

[00:33:35] Dr. Tabatha Barber: Well, I [00:33:36] was already on [00:33:37] progesterone for about a [00:33:38] year and a half, two [00:33:39] years before [00:33:40] that. And [00:33:41] I knew I needed [00:33:42] [00:33:43] progesterone when I [00:33:44] could no longer sleep [00:33:45] at night. [00:33:46] Even though I was [00:33:47] so sleep [00:33:48] deprived as an [00:33:49] OB GYN, I should have [00:33:50] just, like, [00:33:51] been out as soon [00:33:52] as I hit the pillow, but I [00:33:53] couldn’t. Like, I [00:33:54] couldn’t fall asleep, [00:33:55] or I’d wake up [00:33:56] in a panic, [00:33:57] feeling anxious, [00:33:58] and I felt [00:33:59] anxiety for the [00:34:00] first time ever in my [00:34:01] life.

[00:34:01] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:34:02] Um, and it [00:34:03] turns out [00:34:04] Progesterone is our anti [00:34:05] anxiety [00:34:06] natural hormone. [00:34:07] It keeps us calm. [00:34:08] It keeps us [00:34:09] balanced. And so that is [00:34:10] the most common [00:34:11] symptom that I [00:34:12] hear from women is [00:34:13] like, [00:34:14] Man, I just can’t [00:34:15] handle things [00:34:16] anymore. I just feel [00:34:17] overwhelmed or [00:34:18] I, [00:34:19] I’m waking up at [00:34:20] night. I can’t fall [00:34:21] asleep. I’m, I’m [00:34:22] feeling my heart [00:34:23] racing and panicky in [00:34:24] the middle of the [00:34:25] night.

[00:34:25] Dr. Tabatha Barber: I give [00:34:26] them progesterone [00:34:27] orally. [00:34:28] And like [00:34:29] by day three, [00:34:30] they’re messaging me. [00:34:31] I love [00:34:32] you. I have [00:34:33] my life [00:34:34] back. This is [00:34:35] incredible. [00:34:36] Um, [00:34:37] it’s pretty [00:34:38] amazing. And I, I [00:34:39] didn’t learn [00:34:40] that as an [00:34:41] OBGYN. [00:34:42] So this [00:34:43] is really important [00:34:44] for women to [00:34:45] understand. [00:34:46] And I just [00:34:47] combed through ACOG [00:34:48] again, [00:34:49] because I wanted to [00:34:50] see what they’ve [00:34:51] updated recently.[00:34:52]

[00:34:52] Dr. Tabatha Barber: And they’re finally [00:34:53] getting on board with [00:34:54] progesterone [00:34:55] because [00:34:56] All of the [00:34:57] birth control [00:34:58] pills, [00:34:59] all of the [00:35:00] IUDs, the [00:35:01] shots, the [00:35:02] arm [00:35:03] implanon [00:35:04] rod, the [00:35:05] nexplanon rod, like [00:35:06] everything is a [00:35:07] synthetic [00:35:08] progestin. That [00:35:09] is what the drug [00:35:10] companies make. [00:35:11] [00:35:12] There is something [00:35:13] called micronized [00:35:14] progesterone. [00:35:15] It’s a bio [00:35:16] identical [00:35:17] capsule.

[00:35:17] Dr. Tabatha Barber: It’s been around [00:35:18] for decades. [00:35:19] It’s a generic [00:35:20] drug, [00:35:21] but nobody [00:35:22] uses it in the [00:35:23] conventional [00:35:24] space. We all use [00:35:25] progestins. That’s [00:35:26] what we’re trained to [00:35:27] use. [00:35:28] And, uh, [00:35:29] There’s a [00:35:30] huge [00:35:31] difference and this [00:35:32] is why these [00:35:33] worlds keep [00:35:34] fighting as well [00:35:35] because [00:35:36] progestins, they do a [00:35:37] great job [00:35:38] of stopping [00:35:39] the lining inside [00:35:40] your uterus from [00:35:41] [00:35:42] overgrowing.

[00:35:42] Dr. Tabatha Barber: So [00:35:43] estrogen’s a growth hormone, it [00:35:44] tells the uterine [00:35:45] lining to grow every [00:35:46] month and then [00:35:47] progesterone comes in [00:35:48] and calms it and keeps [00:35:49] it quiet. [00:35:50] So these [00:35:51] progestins do a great [00:35:52] job at that, [00:35:53] but they [00:35:54] do the [00:35:55] opposite. in the rest [00:35:56] of your body. So [00:35:57] progestins [00:35:58] typically cause a [00:35:59] little weight gain, [00:36:00] a little [00:36:01] anxiety or [00:36:02] depression, [00:36:03] a little [00:36:04] puffiness, a little [00:36:05] inflammation.

[00:36:05] Dr. Tabatha Barber: A [00:36:06] lot of women do not feel [00:36:07] good on them. Ask [00:36:08] someone who’s had a [00:36:09] depo shot. It’s [00:36:10] terrible. [00:36:11] But [00:36:12] progesterone [00:36:13] The [00:36:14] capsule, which is the [00:36:15] same chemical as our [00:36:16] body makes, [00:36:17] we feel [00:36:18] good on that [00:36:19] because it sends the [00:36:20] right signal to the [00:36:21] rest of our body, [00:36:22] not just our [00:36:23] uterus. And that is a [00:36:24] huge [00:36:25] difference. So [00:36:26] ACOG finally [00:36:27] put in their [00:36:28] statement, and I [00:36:29] wrote this [00:36:30] down because I was [00:36:31] so [00:36:32] excited.

[00:36:32] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:36:33] That they’re [00:36:34] finally [00:36:35] acknowledging micronized [00:36:36] progesterone [00:36:37] has a different effect [00:36:38] than these synthetic [00:36:39] progestins and it [00:36:40] doesn’t have the [00:36:41] risk of breast [00:36:42] cancer that synthetic [00:36:43] progestins [00:36:44] do. Oh [00:36:45] my gosh, let me just [00:36:46] read it. [00:36:47] There is adequate [00:36:48] evidence in the [00:36:49] medical literature that [00:36:50] natural [00:36:51] progesterone is not a synthetic progesterone.

[00:36:51] Dr. Tabatha Barber: Estrogen is [00:36:52] associated with an [00:36:53] increased risk of venous [00:36:54] thromboembolism, [00:36:55] like blood clots [00:36:56] and stroke. [00:36:57] [00:36:58] Conversely, there’s evidence [00:36:59] that by [00:37:00] comparison, synthetic [00:37:01] progestins [00:37:02] do increase the [00:37:03] risk of [00:37:04] venous thromboembolism. [00:37:05] And the use of [00:37:06] estrogen alone [00:37:07] has been associated with [00:37:08] the increased [00:37:09] risk, um, [00:37:10] compared to those.

[00:37:10] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:37:11] So, [00:37:12] estrogen and progestins [00:37:13] [00:37:14] cause blood clots, [00:37:15] stroke. [00:37:16] Progestins cause breast [00:37:17] cancer. [00:37:18] Progesterone [00:37:19] doesn’t cause any of [00:37:20] it. And [00:37:21] estradiol [00:37:22] transdermally [00:37:23] has [00:37:24] a [00:37:25] significantly less risk [00:37:26] of blood [00:37:27] clot and no risk [00:37:28] of breast cancer. [00:37:29] So, [00:37:30] ACOG finally put [00:37:31] this out in a [00:37:32] committee opinion, [00:37:33] like, we have [00:37:34] hope, there’s hope.[00:37:35]

[00:37:35] JJ (3): [00:37:36] Well, here’s the other [00:37:37] one that I just find [00:37:38] bizarre and weird, [00:37:39] because I know our [00:37:40] biggest [00:37:41] hormone, our most [00:37:42] abundant hormone is [00:37:43] testosterone.

[00:37:43] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:37:44] Yes.

[00:37:44] JJ (3): And [00:37:45] here in [00:37:46] Florida, [00:37:47] um, our [00:37:48] mutual friend, Dr., was [00:37:49] it Dr. [00:37:50] Lisa Coates telling me [00:37:51] this? Anyway, [00:37:52] in Florida, it’s [00:37:53] now a controlled, [00:37:54] testosterone is now a [00:37:55] controlled substance.[00:37:56]

[00:37:56] JJ (3): Yes, [00:37:57] across the country. Because [00:37:58] they’re very [00:37:59] concerned about [00:38:00] it, something about, [00:38:01] um, testosterone. [00:38:02] the transgender [00:38:03] thing going on here [00:38:04] in Florida. [00:38:05] So like, [00:38:06] you have to be specially [00:38:07] trained [00:38:08] to be able to, [00:38:09] [00:38:10] to prescribe [00:38:11] it. There’s all this [00:38:12] stuff around it. [00:38:13] And [00:38:14] so talk [00:38:15] about how someone would [00:38:16] know if they were [00:38:17] low in [00:38:18] testosterone [00:38:19] and [00:38:20] what, you know, [00:38:21] what we should do [00:38:22] about that.

[00:38:22] JJ (3): Because [00:38:23] like, I was like, how could [00:38:24] this be hard to, [00:38:25] like, why is this so [00:38:26] hard to prescribe for [00:38:27] women? If [00:38:28] it’s not hard to [00:38:29] prescribe for men. [00:38:30] [00:38:31]

[00:38:31] Dr. Tabatha Barber: It is not. [00:38:32] And that is the [00:38:33] frustrating part [00:38:34] because that [00:38:35] originally [00:38:36] became a controlled [00:38:37] substance because [00:38:38] men were [00:38:39] abusing [00:38:40] [00:38:41] steroids with [00:38:42] like weight training [00:38:43] and Olympic [00:38:44] athletes and things like [00:38:45] that.

[00:38:45] Dr. Tabatha Barber: And so the [00:38:46] FDA’s [00:38:47] answer was to [00:38:48] make [00:38:49] testosterone a [00:38:50] controlled [00:38:51] substance. [00:38:52] It didn’t help [00:38:53] at all [00:38:54] because you can still get all [00:38:55] of those things. [00:38:56] And [00:38:57] there are. [00:38:58] So many [00:38:59] options for [00:39:00] men. There’s all kinds [00:39:01] of [00:39:02] injections and creams [00:39:03] and different things with [00:39:04] many, many [00:39:05] doses. For [00:39:06] women, [00:39:07] there’s nothing. [00:39:08] There’s a [00:39:09] lower dose [00:39:10] injectable.

[00:39:10] Dr. Tabatha Barber: It’s 100 [00:39:11] milligrams per [00:39:12] ml. So you can [00:39:13] like give yourself [00:39:14] an insulin [00:39:15] syringe little [00:39:16] injection of [00:39:17] testosterone. [00:39:18] Or you [00:39:19] can use a [00:39:20] compounded cream, [00:39:21] but they’re not [00:39:22] FDA approved for [00:39:23] women. [00:39:24] And [00:39:25] the bodies that [00:39:26] be, [00:39:27] ACOG and NAMS, [00:39:28] still is not [00:39:29] on board with [00:39:30] it. They [00:39:31] continue to give [00:39:32] conflicting [00:39:33] information. So they’re [00:39:34] saying, [00:39:35] We don’t [00:39:36] recommend testosterone [00:39:37] [00:39:38] replacement, um, [00:39:39] for women, but [00:39:40] I just [00:39:41] read an art, um, [00:39:42] a committee [00:39:43] opinion about [00:39:44] vaginal [00:39:45] therapy and they [00:39:46] said testosterone [00:39:47] seems to be [00:39:48] beneficial and here’s the [00:39:49] dose that we [00:39:50] recommend it.

[00:39:50] Dr. Tabatha Barber: And [00:39:51] so [00:39:52] nobody’s [00:39:53] in agreement [00:39:54] with anything, but I [00:39:55] will tell you in the [00:39:56] functional space, we’ve been [00:39:57] using it for [00:39:58] decades. And [00:39:59] women are so [00:40:00] thankful because [00:40:01] it can be a [00:40:02] game changer. [00:40:03] Testosterone [00:40:04] is actually a [00:40:05] very abundant [00:40:06] hormone in our body. [00:40:07] Even though [00:40:08] it’s in smaller [00:40:09] doses than men, [00:40:10] it’s still [00:40:11] super important.[00:40:12]

[00:40:12] Dr. Tabatha Barber: We have [00:40:13] testosterone receptors [00:40:14] throughout our body. [00:40:15] And it gives us [00:40:16] not just a sex [00:40:17] drive, but a [00:40:18] drive for life. [00:40:19] It’s that feeling [00:40:20] of like, I’m going to [00:40:21] get up and do [00:40:22] something [00:40:23] today. And I would say [00:40:24] that’s probably the [00:40:25] most common [00:40:26] complaint I [00:40:27] hear from women, [00:40:28] is they’re just [00:40:29] blah. They don’t [00:40:30] want to do [00:40:31] life.

[00:40:31] Dr. Tabatha Barber: Any [00:40:32] more. I [00:40:33] had a woman who, [00:40:34] she [00:40:35] was like two months [00:40:36] postpartum, [00:40:37] [00:40:38] stuck on a mini [00:40:39] pill right [00:40:40] after [00:40:41] delivery because she had a [00:40:42] bleeding episode or [00:40:43] something, [00:40:44] and she [00:40:45] came into the office and [00:40:46] she wanted to [00:40:47] divorce her husband. [00:40:48] And her [00:40:49] husband was so [00:40:50] lovely, and they [00:40:51] were so in love [00:40:52] during the pregnancy, [00:40:53] but she was [00:40:54] like, I don’t want [00:40:55] him.

[00:40:55] Dr. Tabatha Barber: I’m out. [00:40:56] I don’t want life. [00:40:57] I don’t want him to ever [00:40:58] touch me or look [00:40:59] at me. He [00:41:00] disgusts me. He tried [00:41:01] to kiss me, [00:41:02] and it was [00:41:03] because she had [00:41:04] no [00:41:05] testosterone. Her [00:41:06] testosterone production was being [00:41:07] suppressed [00:41:08] by this [00:41:09] progestin only [00:41:10] birth control pill. [00:41:11] And it [00:41:12] took us a while to figure [00:41:13] that out because I was still a [00:41:14] conventional doctor [00:41:15] at that point, but [00:41:16] that was really eye [00:41:17] opening for me.[00:41:18]

[00:41:18] Dr. Tabatha Barber: So [00:41:19] just feeling [00:41:20] blah, not [00:41:21] wanting to be [00:41:22] intimate, no [00:41:23] sex drive. [00:41:24] Um, [00:41:25] not being able to [00:41:26] build muscle, not [00:41:27] being able to look like [00:41:28] JJ and get in [00:41:29] the gym, make [00:41:30] some gains. [00:41:31] Like, you [00:41:32] need testosterone [00:41:33] and working out [00:41:34] helps you [00:41:35] actually make your own [00:41:36] testosterone. [00:41:37] So it’s like [00:41:38] this [00:41:39] awesome thing where if [00:41:40] you can get into the [00:41:41] gym and start [00:41:42] making gains, you’ll [00:41:43] probably make more [00:41:44] testosterone [00:41:45] unless your [00:41:46] adrenals are tanked [00:41:47] and your ovaries are [00:41:48] gone.

[00:41:48] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:41:49] So there’s [00:41:50] always that [00:41:51] piece and [00:41:52] getting women on some [00:41:53] testosterone [00:41:54] replacement can [00:41:55] really [00:41:56] be what they need to [00:41:57] get back to [00:41:58] feeling like [00:41:59] themselves. And the [00:42:00] brain clarity, [00:42:01] let’s talk about [00:42:02] that. Like [00:42:03] that can be a game [00:42:04] changer as [00:42:05] well. So many of us [00:42:06] are struggling [00:42:07] Like, [00:42:08] we can’t [00:42:09] remember things, or we can’t [00:42:10] complete a thought, or we [00:42:11] can’t finish a [00:42:12] project at work, and [00:42:13] it’s because our [00:42:14] hormones have [00:42:15] shifted so [00:42:16] much.

[00:42:16] Dr. Tabatha Barber: These [00:42:17] can really give [00:42:18] you your life [00:42:19] back. [00:42:20]

[00:42:20] JJ (3): So [00:42:21] when you’re going [00:42:22] through, because I, [00:42:23] what I describe [00:42:24] this like, [00:42:25] is [00:42:26] when you’re going [00:42:27] through it. [00:42:28] It’s kind of [00:42:29] like you’re out paddle [00:42:30] boarding then all of a sudden the [00:42:31] wind kicks up and all of [00:42:32] a sudden you’re [00:42:33] surfing out there and then [00:42:34] the wind goes down [00:42:35] and then you’re fine again, you’re [00:42:36] up and down and up and [00:42:37] down and then all of a sudden [00:42:38] you get through all [00:42:39] of it [00:42:40] and it’s [00:42:41] calm and you [00:42:42] know exactly [00:42:43] which hormones like [00:42:44] you can balance your [00:42:45] hormones [00:42:46] because nothing’s [00:42:47] changing, [00:42:48] right?

[00:42:48] JJ (3): Yeah. [00:42:49] But when [00:42:50] you’re going through [00:42:51] it, [00:42:52] how does [00:42:53] one, [00:42:54] because your estrogens [00:42:55] all over the place, [00:42:56] you’re like, [00:42:57] how do you balance [00:42:58] hormones? In the [00:42:59] middle of a storm. [00:43:00]

[00:43:00] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:43:01] Yeah, so [00:43:02] that’s why testing [00:43:03] is important. [00:43:04] And [00:43:05] testosterone [00:43:06] and [00:43:07] progesterone, they typically [00:43:08] just [00:43:09] decline. They’re more [00:43:10] like of a steady [00:43:11] decline, whereas [00:43:12] estrogen is that [00:43:13] roller coaster.

[00:43:13] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:43:14] And that [00:43:15] Can go [00:43:16] on for a [00:43:17] while. I’ve seen [00:43:18] women do [00:43:19] this for like two [00:43:20] years where they’re, [00:43:21] I think of it like [00:43:22] when you’re squeezing [00:43:23] out a rag, try [00:43:24] to get those last [00:43:25] drops of water out of [00:43:26] that rag. The [00:43:27] ovaries are like, I’m going to [00:43:28] give you a little bit [00:43:29] more estrogen and [00:43:30] they keep [00:43:31] trying. But [00:43:32] like, once you stop [00:43:33] ovulating and [00:43:34] producing [00:43:35] progesterone, it doesn’t [00:43:36] usually come [00:43:37] back if you’re like [00:43:38] menopausal [00:43:39] age.

[00:43:39] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:43:40] Same with [00:43:41] testosterone. Unless you [00:43:42] work really [00:43:43] hard. [00:43:44] to try and [00:43:45] resuscitate those [00:43:46] adrenal glands and [00:43:47] do all of the [00:43:48] right things. [00:43:49] That typically [00:43:50] doesn’t come back [00:43:51] either and [00:43:52] so you [00:43:53] know those are probably going to [00:43:54] be the first two [00:43:55] hormones that you’re going to [00:43:56] replace and then [00:43:57] estrogen is going to come [00:43:58] in later at some [00:43:59] point unless you’ve [00:44:00] already gotten to that [00:44:01] calm period with [00:44:02] where everything’s just [00:44:03] low and [00:44:04] staying low at that [00:44:05] point and [00:44:06] that you can all [00:44:07] see in [00:44:08] standard blood work.

[00:44:08] Dr. Tabatha Barber: You [00:44:09] really can and I [00:44:10] just want to make a note [00:44:11] about testosterone [00:44:12] because [00:44:13] Some [00:44:14] conventional doctors will [00:44:15] just check a [00:44:16] total [00:44:17] testosterone and then [00:44:18] tell their patient, [00:44:19] you’re fine, there’s [00:44:20] nothing wrong with you, your [00:44:21] testosterone [00:44:22] is, I don’t know, [00:44:23] 15 or [00:44:24] 20, and it’s [00:44:25] in the normal [00:44:26] range. But [00:44:27] there’s a lot more to [00:44:28] the story.

[00:44:28] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:44:29] There’s a f There’s [00:44:30] an amount of free [00:44:31] testosterone. [00:44:32] So total [00:44:33] is actually [00:44:34] bound up to a [00:44:35] carrier protein [00:44:36] called sex hormone [00:44:37] binding globulin, and [00:44:38] it holds on to [00:44:39] testosterone until [00:44:40] your body’s ready to [00:44:41] use it, and [00:44:42] it carries it around the [00:44:43] body and drops it [00:44:44] off at different [00:44:45] locations. [00:44:46] So you might [00:44:47] have an okay [00:44:48] testosterone, [00:44:49] total [00:44:50] testosterone, or [00:44:51] you might be in the [00:44:52] quote unquote normal [00:44:53] range, but it’s really low [00:44:54] for you.

[00:44:54] Dr. Tabatha Barber: So you want [00:44:55] to see what is your [00:44:56] free [00:44:57] testosterone because a lot [00:44:58] of I [00:44:59] see. [00:45:00] Less than [00:45:01] 0. 4, which means [00:45:02] the level’s so [00:45:03] low, [00:45:04] they can’t even [00:45:05] qualify it [00:45:06] or count it in the [00:45:07] lab. It just, it’s [00:45:08] not there. [00:45:09] And so these poor [00:45:10] women are being told they’re [00:45:11] fine and they have no [00:45:12] free [00:45:13] testosterone and their sex hormone [00:45:14] binding globulin is [00:45:15] really high.

[00:45:15] Dr. Tabatha Barber: It’s like, Oh [00:45:16] my gosh, honey, [00:45:17] we can help you. [00:45:18] [00:45:19]

[00:45:19] JJ (3): [00:45:20] And what do [00:45:21] you do about [00:45:22] DHEA? Do you have people [00:45:23] take it, not take [00:45:24] it? [00:45:25] I

[00:45:25] Dr. Tabatha Barber: love [00:45:26] DHEA, but [00:45:27] there’s an idea [00:45:28] that if you take it, [00:45:29] your testosterone is [00:45:30] going to go up, and [00:45:31] in practice, I [00:45:32] don’t [00:45:33] really see that. [00:45:34] I see that [00:45:35] being a separate [00:45:36] thing, and [00:45:37] DHEA, call it your [00:45:38] anti [00:45:39] aging, keep you young and [00:45:40] healthy hormone.

[00:45:40] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:45:41] It is [00:45:42] combating [00:45:43] cortisol. It is [00:45:44] keeping [00:45:45] cortisol, your stress [00:45:46] hormone, in check. It’s [00:45:47] repairing all the [00:45:48] stuff from [00:45:49] cortisol. And [00:45:50] naturally, our [00:45:51] DHEA starts to [00:45:52] decline as we [00:45:53] age. The [00:45:54] production does. [00:45:55] But it doesn’t have to [00:45:56] be down [00:45:57] in like the [00:45:58] [00:45:59] 40s. You want to be [00:46:00] in triple digits. [00:46:01] Like, you need [00:46:02] to have those [00:46:03] levels be [00:46:04] halfway decent.

[00:46:04] Dr. Tabatha Barber: [00:46:05] And this is for men [00:46:06] and women. It turns [00:46:07] out when my dad [00:46:08] almost died from a [00:46:09] pulmonary [00:46:10] embolism a year and a half [00:46:11] ago, [00:46:12] His DHEA [00:46:13] was like 20. [00:46:14] And [00:46:15] the only reason we knew [00:46:16] that is because I [00:46:17] made them check [00:46:18] it. [00:46:19] And it’s [00:46:20] because [00:46:21] DHEA helps you [00:46:22] heal and [00:46:23] recover from stuff. [00:46:24] So you need [00:46:25] it more in your second [00:46:26] half of your life [00:46:27] than ever [00:46:28] before.

[00:46:28] Dr. Tabatha Barber: So I do [00:46:29] like to replace [00:46:30] DHEA. [00:46:31] [00:46:32]

[00:46:32] JJ (3): Wow, this [00:46:33] was a [00:46:34] fabulous [00:46:35] masterclass. [00:46:36] [00:46:37] [00:46:38] Now, [00:46:39] the good news for [00:46:40] everybody who’s been [00:46:41] probably furiously [00:46:42] writing notes is, [00:46:43] number one, we have the [00:46:44] transcripts, but also [00:46:45] you have a [00:46:46] guide to hormone [00:46:47] balancing [00:46:48] naturally. Will you tell us what [00:46:49] that is? And we’re going to put [00:46:50] that at [00:46:51] jjvirgin.

[00:46:51] JJ (3): com forward slash [00:46:52] Dr. Tabatha Dr. [00:46:53] Tabatha. T [00:46:54] A B A T H [00:46:55] A.

[00:46:55] Dr. Tabatha Barber: Yes, [00:46:56] three A’s, no [00:46:57] I’s. [00:46:58] Um, yeah, the [00:46:59] guide, [00:47:00] actually, we didn’t talk [00:47:01] about what’s in the guide [00:47:02] very much, so I think [00:47:03] it’ll be a good [00:47:04] little add [00:47:05] on to what we [00:47:06] talked about today, [00:47:07] because it [00:47:08] turns out the other [00:47:09] systems in our body [00:47:10] really do [00:47:11] affect our sex [00:47:12] hormones.

[00:47:12] Dr. Tabatha Barber: And I [00:47:13] talk about the adrenals [00:47:14] more, I talk about [00:47:15] gut health, I [00:47:16] talk about [00:47:17] The nervous [00:47:18] system and the [00:47:19] sympathetic and the parasympathetic [00:47:20] and all [00:47:21] kinds of stuff that can [00:47:22] totally [00:47:23] affect your sex [00:47:24] hormones. Thyroid is [00:47:25] another big one that we [00:47:26] didn’t even touch on [00:47:27] and it’s so [00:47:28] important to [00:47:29] get that [00:47:30] evaluated.

[00:47:30] Dr. Tabatha Barber: So that’ll [00:47:31] be really helpful for [00:47:32] anybody listening. [00:47:33] You can start to like [00:47:34] really [00:47:35] see the [00:47:36] picture once you put all [00:47:37] these pieces [00:47:38] together. Like, oh [00:47:39] my gosh, it [00:47:40] makes so much more [00:47:41] sense.

[00:47:41] JJ (3): This is [00:47:42] fantastic. Thank [00:47:43] you so much. And [00:47:44] again, I’m going to put that at [00:47:45] jjvirgin. [00:47:46] com forward slash Dr. [00:47:47] Tabitha. And [00:47:48] this [00:47:49] was fabulous [00:47:50] and you’re [00:47:51] fabulous.

[00:47:51] JJ (3): And thank you so much [00:47:52] for all the amazing [00:47:53] work you’re doing out [00:47:54] there.

[00:47:54] Dr. Tabatha Barber: Oh, thank [00:47:55] you, JJ. Love you.[00:47:56] [00:47:57] [00:47:58] [00:47:59] [00:48:00]

[00:48:00] JJ (3): Be sure to [00:48:01] join me next time [00:48:02] for more tools, [00:48:03] tips, and [00:48:04] techniques you can [00:48:05] incorporate into [00:48:06] everyday life to ensure [00:48:07] you look and [00:48:08] feel great and [00:48:09] are built [00:48:10] to last. [00:48:11] Check me out [00:48:12] on Instagram, [00:48:13] Facebook, and my [00:48:14] website, [00:48:15] jjvirgin. com, [00:48:16] and make sure to follow [00:48:17] my podcast [00:48:18] at [00:48:19] subscribetojj. com [00:48:20] so you don’t [00:48:21] miss a [00:48:22] single [00:48:23] episode.

[00:48:23] JJ (3): And hey, if [00:48:24] you’re loving what you [00:48:25] hear, don’t forget [00:48:26] to leave a review. [00:48:27] Your reviews make [00:48:28] a big [00:48:29] difference in helping me [00:48:30] reach more incredible [00:48:31] women just like [00:48:32] you to spread the [00:48:33] word about [00:48:34] aging [00:48:35] powerfully after [00:48:36] 40. Thanks for [00:48:37] tuning in. Bye. And I’ll [00:48:38] catch you on the [00:48:39] next episode.[00:48:40] [00:48:41] [00:48:42] [00:48:43] [00:48:44] [00:48:45] [00:48:46] [00:48:47] [00:48:48]

[00:48:48] JJ (3): [00:48:49] Hey, JJ here, [00:48:50] and just a reminder that [00:48:51] the Well Beyond 40 [00:48:52] podcast offers health, [00:48:53] wellness, fitness, and [00:48:54] nutritional information [00:48:55] that’s [00:48:56] designed for educational and [00:48:57] entertainment [00:48:58] purposes only. You [00:48:59] should not rely on this [00:49:00] information as a [00:49:01] substitute for, [00:49:02] nor does it replace [00:49:03] professional medical [00:49:04] advice, diagnosis, [00:49:05] or treatment.

[00:49:05] JJ (3): [00:49:06] If you have any [00:49:07] concerns or questions about your [00:49:08] health, you should [00:49:09] always consult with a [00:49:10] physician or other [00:49:11] healthcare professional. [00:49:12] Make [00:49:13] sure that you do not [00:49:14] disregard, avoid, or [00:49:15] delay obtaining medical or [00:49:16] health related advice [00:49:17] from your healthcare [00:49:18] professional because of something [00:49:19] you may have heard on this [00:49:20] show or [00:49:21] read in our show [00:49:22] notes.

[00:49:22] JJ (3): The use of any [00:49:23] information [00:49:24] provided on this show [00:49:25] is solely at your [00:49:26] own [00:49:27] risk.
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