81 – The hormone confusion that’s affecting millions of women
07/07/2026 | 29 min
What’s the difference between natural and synthetic hormone treatments, and why does it matter? In this episode, Dr Louise Newson is joined by pharmacist and hormone expert Sara Hover, who has spent more than 30 years helping women understand hormone health. Together, they explore one of the most misunderstood topics in medicine: why natural, bioidentical hormone treatments are fundamentally different from synthetic hormone treatments, despite often being grouped together. Louise and Sarah discuss how small changes in a hormone’s chemical structure have very different effects throughout the body, why synthetic hormone treatments shouldn’t be considered interchangeable with natural, bioidentical hormone treatments, and how decades of confusion have influenced the way hormone treatments are prescribed and researched. They also explore why personalised hormone treatment is so important, the limitations of relying on blood tests alone and why conversations about hormones shouldn’t begin and end with menopause. LET'S CONNECT 👉 Subscribe on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@menopause_doctor?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/menopause_doctor/?hl=en&utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlouisenewson/?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@drlouisenewson?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7dCctfyI9bODGDaFnjfKhg?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ LEARN MORE 👉 Download mybalance app https://balance-app.com/?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Order my new book https://bio.to/ThePowerofHormones?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Speak to Newson Clinic https://www.newsonhealth.co.uk/?utm_source=louise_podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=clinic_cross_promotion 👉 Visit my website https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+
80 – What if we’ve misunderstood hormones all along?
02/07/2026 | 32 min
Many people only think about hormones in relation tomenopause, puberty or fertility. But hormones influence every cell in yourbody, affecting everything from your energy and metabolism to inflammation, sleep and long-term health. In this episode, Dr Louise Newson is joined by consultant endocrinologist and author Dr Saira Hameed to uncover the extraordinary roles hormones play throughout the body, and why so many myths and misunderstandings about hormones still exist. Together they explain how hormones act as the body’scommunication system, why medicine has traditionally focused on diagnosing hormonal disease rather than preventing it, and why conditions such as insulinresistance are often missed for years. They also discuss why hormone blood tests should never be interpreted in isolation, and why understanding your symptoms is as important as understanding your results. Whether you’ve been told your hormones are “normal”, want to better understand your symptoms, or are simply fascinated by how the human body works, this episode will leave you thinking about hormones in a completely different way. LET'S CONNECT 👉 Subscribe on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@menopause_doctor?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/menopause_doctor/?hl=en&utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlouisenewson/?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@drlouisenewson?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7dCctfyI9bODGDaFnjfKhg?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ LEARN MORE 👉 Download mybalance app https://balance-app.com/?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Order my new book https://bio.to/ThePowerofHormones?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Speak to Newson Clinic https://www.newsonhealth.co.uk/?utm_source=louise_podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=clinic_cross_promotion 👉 Visit my website https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+
79 – ”I knew it wasn’t depression”: Jenny’s PMDD story
30/06/2026 | 29 min
For years, Jenny was wrongly told she had depression. She was prescribed antidepressants, saw multiple healthcare professionals and even underwent a hysterectomy, yet no one addressed the underlying hormonal changes driving her symptoms. In this powerful episode, Dr Louise Newson is joined by Jenny Potkins, who shares her deeply personal experience of living with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a severe hormone-related condition that can have a devastating impacts on mental and physical health. Jenny describes years of feeling dismissed, the toll PMDD has taken on her family, and why she is now campaigning to raise awareness so that other women don’t have to go through the same dreadful experience. Louise explains why PMDD is often misunderstood, how fluctuating hormone levels can affect the brain and the whole body, and why so many women are still often inappropriately prescribed antidepressants or encouraged to have surgery before natural hormones are even considered. Together, they discuss the importance of listening to women, recognising the cyclical nature of symptoms, and ensuring people have access to informed choice about hormone treatments. LET'S CONNECT 👉 Subscribe on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@menopause_doctor?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/menopause_doctor/?hl=en&utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlouisenewson/?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@drlouisenewson?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7dCctfyI9bODGDaFnjfKhg?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ LEARN MORE 👉 Download my balance app https://balance-app.com/?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Order my new bookhttps://bio.to/ThePowerofHormones?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Speak to Newson Clinic https://www.newsonhealth.co.uk/?utm_source=louise_podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=clinic_cross_promotion 👉 Visit my website https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ Link to Jenny's poster : PMDD_Poster_2026 v2.2-29-06-2026.pdf - Google Drive
78 – Primodos: The forgotten synthetic hormone scandal
25/06/2026 | 33 min
Millions of women were prescribed Primodos as a pregnancy test even though there were concerns that it was associated with many different and often devastating birth defects. More than 60 years later, many of the questions surrounding the drug - which contains synthetic hormones that are still prescribed to women today - remain unanswered. In this episode, Dr Louise Newson is joined by ProfessorNeil Vargesson, Professor of Developmental Biology at the University of Aberdeen, whose research into Primodos has helped shine a light on one of themost dreadful drug scandals in modern medicine. Together, they explore how Primodos came to be prescribed, why concerns raised by women were not properly investigated, and why it took 20 years for the drug to be withdrawn. They also discuss what the scandal reveals about the regulation of medicines, the importance of knowing about the difference between synthetic and natural hormones and why this history should never be forgotten. We hope you love the podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please make sure to follow us, leave a 5-star rating and share it with someone who might find it helpful. LET'S CONNECT 👉 Subscribe on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@menopause_doctor?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/menopause_doctor/?hl=en&utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlouisenewson/?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@drlouisenewson?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7dCctfyI9bODGDaFnjfKhg?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ LEARN MORE 👉 Download mybalance app https://balance-app.com/?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Order my new book https://bio.to/ThePowerofHormones?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Speak to Newson Clinic https://www.newsonhealth.co.uk/?utm_source=louise_podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=clinic_cross_promotion 👉 Visit my website https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+
77 – Hormones after cancer: why women deserve a choice
23/06/2026 | 31 min
For many women diagnosed with cancer, conversations about hormones end before they’ve even begun. They’re often told they can never take hormone treatment again, without being given the evidence, the options or the opportunity to make an informed choice. In this episode, Dr Louise Newson is joined by women’shealth nurse and educator Jill Chmielewski to discuss why so many women are denied balanced information about hormones after cancer, and why this needs tochange. Together, they explore the widespread misconceptionssurrounding hormones, the importance of understanding physiology rather thanrelying on outdated assumptions, and why decisions about treatment should always consider both long term health and quality of life. Whether you’ve had cancer yourself, are supporting someone who has, or simply want to better understand the role hormones play in lifelong health, this episode offers reassurance, evidence and hope. LET'S CONNECT 👉 Subscribe on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@menopause_doctor?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/menopause_doctor/?hl=en&utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlouisenewson/?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@drlouisenewson?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7dCctfyI9bODGDaFnjfKhg?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ LEARN MORE 👉 Download mybalance app https://balance-app.com/?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Order my new book https://bio.to/ThePowerofHormones?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+ 👉 Speak to NewsonClinic https://www.newsonhealth.co.uk/?utm_source=louise_podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=clinic_cross_promotion 👉 Visit my website https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+
Dr Louise Newson is an award-winning physician, respected women’s hormone specialist, educator, and author committed to increasing awareness and knowledge of perimenopause, menopause, and lifelong hormone health. Each week, Louise dives into the newest research, treatments and hot topic issues, providing accessible, evidence-based information to empower your future health. Joined by fellow experts and special guests, with answers to your burning questions, Louise explores how hormones impact every aspect of our lives.
Described as the “medic who kickstarted the menopause revolution”, Louise aims to empower a generation of women to have a greater understanding, choice and control over their treatment, bodies, minds and future health through their hormones. She is the creator of the award-winning free balance app, a Sunday Times bestselling author and the founder of the Newson Health clinic. With over three decades of clinical experience, Louise is a member of the Royal College of Physicians, a Fellow of the Royal College of GPs, a Visiting Fellow at Cambridge, a regular contributor to academic journals including the Lancet and the British Journal of General Practice, and has been awarded an honorary Doctorate of Health from Bradford University.
DISCLAIMER: The information provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Dr Louise Newson or the Newson Health Group.
Colombia