Podcast

Why I Always Run Labs Before Hormone Therapy: The Real Risks of Skipping FSH

Podcast · 21 min · Jun 18, 2025 · Dr. Brendan McCarthy

About this episode

Welcome to the podcast with Dr. Brendan McCarthy! In this deeply personal episode, he shares why lab work—especially testing FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone)—is non-negotiable in hormone replacement therapy. This is not about gatekeeping. It’s about understanding. It’s about caring. Dr. McCarthy recounts a formative memory of meeting a woman who underwent surgical menopause and was never told what would happen to her body afterward. That moment shaped his lifelong mission to treat women with comprehensive, individualized care—not cookie-cutter patches or “blind firing” estrogen without context. In this episode, he explains: 🧬 Why FSH matters just as much as estrogen 🧠 How FSH affects metabolism, bone density, fat storage, and even Alzheimer’s risk 🩺 What truly responsible hormone therapy should look like

This content is for education and is not medical advice. It does not replace an evaluation with a licensed provider, and no one should start, stop or change a medication on its basis.

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