Midlife women are being over-promised health benefits. And it's a problem.

Why midlife women deserve honest health advice

Photo by frame harirak on Unsplash

I scroll midlife-related social media feeds every day. I do this to keep abreast of the messages midlife women see and hear. And it all can be overwhelming.

From hormone therapy to the dangers of seed oils to supplements, we’re constantly being told what to do.

“Take hormones, at the right time and the right dose”

“Testosterone too”

“avoid seed oils”

“Eat only protein”

“Don’t drink”

These commands disappointingly fail to live up to the initial promise. The promise of optimal health if you just do the right things.

“It's all very conflicting, isn't it? I thought this gel [estrogen] was going to be the answer to all my prayers,” wrote one woman about her start on hormone therapy.

This is a problem because the rhetoric rarely matches the research.

Disinformation vs. qualifying the research

I’m not a big fan of labeling information as “disinformation,” even when our intuition tells us it is. In my view, influencers and health professionals can say anything they please. I just want them to qualify the research.

If what they’re saying is a theory or opinion, with little research, they should state that. If it’s a promising area of research with some but few studies, say that too.

In my opinion, when the claim is stronger, more qualifications are needed.

One example is the claim that women need physiological levels of sex hormones after menopause. I can’t find any research to support that a certain level of hormones is better than others.

For instance, I kept hearing that women need at least 60 pg/ml of estrogen for bone protection. So, I looked it up, and that number comes from one study in 1992 with 262 women. We need to conduct more research before we state this as a fact.

Maybe it ends up that we need a certain threshold of estrogen/progesterone for optimal benefits. But until we get there, women deserve to know where exactly the research stands.

READ: The gaping hole in women’s health research

Theories need to be tested

Theories are a great starting place, but they need to be tested. This is especially true for medical treatments, so we can at least find out if it’s safe, much less effective.

I understand we can’t always wait for studies. A lot of that has to do with comfort level. Some people are comfortable with new treatments short on research, while others are not.

During my iodine investigation, I discovered a doctor who suggests extremely high levels (10,000mg) of molecular iodine. He showcased pregnant women taking these amounts and their genius kids.

Molecular iodine (I2) differs from iodide (I-), as it’s not reduced to iodide in the blood before being absorbed. That means its direct effect on the thyroid is about 40% lower.

The reason behind the recommended upper limit of 1 mg/1100 mcg for iodine is the potential thyroid issues it can cause in certain individuals. In its molecular form, and in doses of 1mg or higher, molecular iodine acts as an antioxidant throughout the body.

Although the main uptake of iodine is in the thyroid, other organs take it up, including breast tissue. It has anti-proliferative (growth) effects, including tumor cells.

And research shows 1 to 6mg/day can help with fibrocystic breast tissue and prostatic hyperplasia. Besides animal studies, we don’t have good data that these high levels also aid our health and brain as touted by the doctor.

The theory is there, as are the stories on the internet, but the research is lacking. I've often wondered if needs increase as the uptake is reduced during Aging Pause.

I’d love to see more studies, but I’m not comfortable taking that leap just yet. 

So, I ensure I encourage women to meet their iodine needs based on current recommendations and will keep a watchful eye on the research.

We are acting like we have the answers when we don’t

I was speaking with an anti-aging doctor who believed in his clients having high levels of hormones of sex hormones. When I asked him what research he had to base his decision on, he took offense.

And he never gave me an answer.

This doctor acted like he had all the answers, when, in reality, the research to date is on much lower doses of hormones. He does not know if the levels he prescribes are safe.

People argue different points when the answer is simply not available yet. It’s the absence of the research I think makes it all so problematic.

Without strong research and guidelines, everyone is trying to fill the gaps. This makes sense because there is a great need for women. Maybe we should save our energy by fighting for better research.

This is why I don’t spend my time over-promising health benefits to midlife women. Instead, I want to give them the gift of the why.

Understanding the why

As the proverb says: “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Right now, we are doing a lot of fish giving in the midlife space. Just telling women what to do is not a long-term solution. Not only that, but we also naturally want to rebel from this.

But when you understand why your body's changing and what it needs, it’s a game changer.

I keep digging until I fully understand health concepts. By the time I'm done, the answer somehow becomes clear. The answer isn’t always easy, but I can feel confident about it.

One of my biggest breakthroughs was the One Health Principle. Understanding this overarching principle helped me see the myriad of tools we have to health in check. Empowering.

And maybe I went a little crazy when writing the stomach post. But understanding the Fab 4 helped me recently solve an issue I was having.

Really digging deep into weight gain during the menopause transition made me feel good about my choices to build muscle and not focus on fat.

And until we figure out why so many midlife women have thyroid issues, why not ensure we are getting the micronutrients needed to help its function?

I’m a big fan of practices that have mostly upside even when the research isn’t quite there yet. 

Midlife women deserve better

I think women are smart enough to make their own decisions. They just deserve the best, most complete information.

And until we get that research, I’ll keep helping midlife women fully grasp the changes in their bodies and explore every avenue to sustain their health and wellbeing.

Let me know what you think in the comments!