Hormone Health Hub: Expert Insights on Testing, Balance & Better Living — menopause wellness

The gut microbiome and estrogen are more closely connected than most people realise. As estrogen declines in menopause, microbial diversity falls with it — triggering a cascade of metabolic consequences including weight gain, abdominal fat, inflammation and reduced insulin sensitivity. Dr. Kate Placzek explores the science behind the estrobolome and explains why supporting both gut health and hormone balance is essential for metabolic wellbeing in menopause.

The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) trial cast a long shadow over hormone replacement therapy — but it enrolled women well over a decade past menopause. Two newer trials, ELITE and KEEPS, specifically studied HRT started early in the postmenopausal period. Their findings on cardiovascular health, sexual function, sleep, mood and cognition paint a more nuanced and encouraging picture. Here is what the latest research shows.

Persistent skin problems — from acne and dryness to unwanted hair growth and premature wrinkling — are often rooted in hormone imbalance. Oestrogen, testosterone, DHT, progesterone, thyroid hormones, cortisol and vitamin D all play distinct roles in skin health. This article explains the connections and how hormone testing can help identify the underlying cause.

Menopause affects approximately 40–50 million women in the US alone — yet it remains widely misunderstood. This article answers the five essential questions: who is affected, what menopause actually is, when it typically begins, where in the body it originates, and why hormone balance is the key to navigating this natural transition with health and vitality.

Over 25 million women enter menopause each year and face decisions about hormone replacement therapy. But HRT dosing is far from standardised — and the testing method used makes all the difference. This article explores why doses vary so widely and how saliva, blood spot and urine testing can help optimise outcomes.