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Hart2Heart with Dr. Mike HartAuthor: Dr. Mike Hart
Hart2Heart is the show where Dr. Mike Hart breaks down evidence-based health, longevity, performance, and modern medicine without the fluff. Each episode explores practical, evidence-based strategies for improving your life, including hormone health, peptides, sleep optimization, nutrition, supplements, exercise, sunlight, psychedelics, and smarter medication use. The goal is simple: help you understand what actually works so you can make better decisions for your health. The show also looks at the bigger picture, including how public health policy and politics influence personal well-being, and what you can do to take back control. If you want clear, actionable, no-BS conversations about living healthier, performing better, and thinking for yourself, this podcast is for you. Language: en-us Genres: Health & Fitness, Medicine Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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#238 The Science of Hormones: Birth Control, HRT, and Thyroid with Dr. Masghati
Episode 238
Thursday, 17 September, 2026
In this episode, Dr. Mike Hart and OB-GYN Dr. Salome Masghati examine how common hormone interventions can affect women far beyond pregnancy prevention or symptom relief. They discuss the risks and tradeoffs of different birth control options, possible effects on mood, libido, testosterone, and attraction, and why individual responses can vary significantly. The conversation then explores when to consider HRT, the roles of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, thyroid testing beyond TSH, and how shifting hormones may contribute to mast cell symptoms during perimenopause. The episode provides a practical framework for making more informed and personalized decisions about hormone care. Dr. Salome Masghati is a board-certified OB-GYN and functional gynecologist whose work focuses on individualized hormone care for women throughout their reproductive years, perimenopause, and menopause. Her approach combines symptoms, menstrual patterns, comprehensive laboratory testing, metabolic markers, and treatment response to understand each patient's complete health picture rather than relying on a single test or standardized protocol. She works with bioidentical and rhythmic hormone strategies, thyroid care, sexual wellness, and root-cause assessment, emphasizing informed choices, careful monitoring, and helping patients move beyond temporary symptom control toward better long-term health and function. Dr. Salome Masghati Official Website — Dr. Salome Masghati, Precision Gynecology https://drsalomemasghati.com/ Dr. Salome Masghati on Instagram — Dr. Salome Masghati https://www.instagram.com/drsalomemasghatimd/ This Is Your Brain on Birth Control — Dr. Sarah E. Hill https://www.sarahehill.com/books/your-brain-on-birth-control/ Women's Health Initiative — National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/science/womens-health-initiative-whi 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement — The North American Menopause Society https://menopause.org/wp-content/uploads/professional/nams-2022-hormone-therapy-position-statement.pdf Mortality Associated With Hormone Replacement Therapy — Shelley R. Salpeter et al. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15209595/ Oral Contraceptives, SHBG, and Androgen Levels — Claudia Panzer et al. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16409223/ Hormonal Contraceptive Discontinuation and Relationship Satisfaction — V. Michelle Russell et al. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25404285/ Progestogen Use and Intracranial Meningioma Risk — Léa Hoisnard et al., The BMJ https://www.bmj.com/content/384/bmj-2023-078078 Physiologic Hormone Restoration Therapy — Women's Hormone Network https://womenshormonenetwork.org/traditional-versus-pr/ GlycanAge Biological Age Test — GlycanAge https://glycanage.com/ Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to the Hart2Heart Podcast 01:00 Birth Control Safety Overview 02:07 SHBG Testosterone Libido Risks 04:19 SSRIs And Sexual Side Effects 05:26 Depo Shot Meningioma Concerns 09:07 Choosing Alternatives And Counseling 12:40 Attraction Changes And Partner Choice 15:20 Doctor Personal Story Coming Off 19:15 Menopause HRT Fear And WHI 22:00 Estrogen Window For Heart Brain 24:12 HRT Longevity And Start Age 30:41 Testosterone For Women Benefits 33:06 Rhythmic Hormone Dosing Explained 35:30 Cycle-Based GLP-1 Dosing 37:12 Evidence for Rhythmic HRT 39:32 Hormone Cycling and Cancer Risk 41:13 Why Most Doctors Don't 42:58 Libido and Orgasm Tools 46:59 Thyroid Labs Beyond TSH 50:26 Thyroid Antibodies Strategy 54:59 Staying on HRT for Life 58:21 Bioidentical Hormone Choices 01:00:53 Progesterone Delivery Debate 01:02:50 Mast Cell Activation Explained 01:07:28 Wrap-Up and Where to Follow The Hart2Heart podcast is hosted by family physician Dr. Michael Hart, who is dedicated to cutting through the noise and uncovering the most effective strategies for optimizing health, longevity, and peak performance. This podcast dives deep into evidence-based approaches to hormone balance, peptides, sleep optimization, nutrition, psychedelics, supplements, exercise protocols, leveraging sunlight, and de-prescribing pharmaceuticals — using medications only when absolutely necessary. Beyond health science, we explore the intersection of public health and politics, exposing how policy decisions shape our health landscape and what actionable steps people can take to reclaim control over their well-being. Guests range from out-of-the-box thinking physicians such as Dr. Casey Means (author of "Good Energy") and Dr. Roger Sehult (Medcram lectures) to public health experts such as Dr. Jay Bhattacharya (Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Dr. Marty Mckary (Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and high-profile names such as Zuby and Mark Sisson (Primal Blueprint and Primal Kitchen). If you're ready to take control of your health and performance, this podcast is for you.We cut through the jargon and deliver practical, no-BS advice that you can implement in your daily life, empowering you to make positive changes for your well-being. Connect with Dr. Mike Hart Instagram: @drmikehart Twitter: @drmikehart Facebook: @drmikehart
