[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"podcast-she-talks-health-cathleen-brown-hrt-perimenopause-menopause":3,"lead-banner-get-physician-led-menopause-care":616},{"mediaPodcastsCollection":4},{"items":5},[6],{"faq":7,"slug":8,"title":9,"metaTitle":10,"metaDescription":11,"publishedDate":12,"host":13,"image":14,"heroCta":17,"intro":24,"content":65,"keyTakeaways":421,"platformLinksCollection":512,"featuredPhysician":524,"leadBanner":552,"relatedWinonaResourcesCollection":581},null,"she-talks-health-cathleen-brown-hrt-perimenopause-menopause","SHE Talks Health: Dr. Cathleen Brown on HRT, Perimenopause, and Menopause - Episode #180","Dr. Cathleen Brown on SHE Talks Health - Episode #180: HRT & Perimenopause | Winona","Winona's Dr. Cathleen Brown joins SHE Talks Health to discuss HRT, perimenopause symptoms, and the hormone-thyroid connection in women's health.\n","2026-07-23T00:00:00.000+08:00"," Sophie Shepherd",{"url":15,"description":16},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.ctfassets.net\u002Flyqt8dkk29ch\u002F25j3VsTpkXDvoWzyQyz7PJ\u002F7e328e727e0f2e0aec881dae6d63f42a\u002FSHE_Talks_Her_Podcast.webp","SHE Talks Her Podcast",{"name":18,"buttonStyle":19,"url":20,"customClassname":7,"target":21,"buttonSize":22,"addIcon":7,"buttonTextStyle":23},"LISTEN TO THE EPISODE","Primary A","https:\u002F\u002Fpodcasts.apple.com\u002Fus\u002Fpodcast\u002Fep-180-everything-you-need-to-know-about-hrt-before\u002Fid1502643985?i=1000778019368","_self","Large","Button 1",{"json":25,"links":62},{"data":26,"content":27,"nodeType":61},{},[28,47,54],{"data":29,"content":30,"nodeType":46},{},[31,36,42],{"data":32,"marks":33,"value":34,"nodeType":35},{},[],"Board-certified OB-GYN and menopause specialist Dr. Cathleen Brown, Medical Director at Winona, joined host Sophie Shepherd on Episode #180 of the ","text",{"data":37,"marks":38,"value":41,"nodeType":35},{},[39],{"type":40},"italic","SHE Talks Health Podcast",{"data":43,"marks":44,"value":45,"nodeType":35},{},[]," to clear up the confusion around starting hormone replacement therapy (HRT) before reaching menopause. The conversation covered how perimenopause symptoms can start as early as a woman's mid-30s and why treatment isn't one-size-fits-all.","paragraph",{"data":48,"content":49,"nodeType":46},{},[50],{"data":51,"marks":52,"value":53,"nodeType":35},{},[],"Dr. Brown explained why symptom tracking often provides more useful information than hormone lab tests to guide HRT treatment decisions. 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She clarified how elevated cortisol levels and erratic hormone fluctuations, rather than hormone decline alone, often drive the weight gain many women notice around the midsection during the transition. She also shared why symptom tracking gives a clearer idea of a patient’s menopause status than a single hormone lab test.",{"data":279,"content":280,"nodeType":46},{},[281],{"data":282,"marks":283,"value":284,"nodeType":35},{},[],"The conversation also explored the often-overlooked link between hormonal shifts and thyroid function, why testosterone decline starts earlier and more gradually than estrogen decline, and what to look for in a telehealth doctor. ",{"data":286,"content":287,"nodeType":46},{},[288],{"data":289,"marks":290,"value":291,"nodeType":35},{},[],"Dr. Brown closed the episode by highlighting the cardiovascular and bone health benefits associated with starting hormone therapy at the right time, encouraging listeners to seek support before symptoms become overwhelming.",{"data":293,"content":294,"nodeType":76},{},[295],{"data":296,"marks":297,"value":298,"nodeType":35},{},[],"Topics Covered",{"data":300,"content":301,"nodeType":216},{},[302,312,322,332,342,352,362,372,382,392,402],{"data":303,"content":304,"nodeType":96},{},[305],{"data":306,"content":307,"nodeType":46},{},[308],{"data":309,"marks":310,"value":311,"nodeType":35},{},[],"Why weight gain and cortisol levels increase during the menopause transition",{"data":313,"content":314,"nodeType":96},{},[315],{"data":316,"content":317,"nodeType":46},{},[318],{"data":319,"marks":320,"value":321,"nodeType":35},{},[],"Why symptom tracking is more useful than hormone lab tests for managing perimenopause",{"data":323,"content":324,"nodeType":96},{},[325],{"data":326,"content":327,"nodeType":46},{},[328],{"data":329,"marks":330,"value":331,"nodeType":35},{},[],"Early, easy-to-miss signs of perimenopause",{"data":333,"content":334,"nodeType":96},{},[335],{"data":336,"content":337,"nodeType":46},{},[338],{"data":339,"marks":340,"value":341,"nodeType":35},{},[],"Why perimenopause can start in a woman's mid-30s",{"data":343,"content":344,"nodeType":96},{},[345],{"data":346,"content":347,"nodeType":46},{},[348],{"data":349,"marks":350,"value":351,"nodeType":35},{},[],"Managing side effects as the body adjusts to HRT",{"data":353,"content":354,"nodeType":96},{},[355],{"data":356,"content":357,"nodeType":46},{},[358],{"data":359,"marks":360,"value":361,"nodeType":35},{},[],"The difference between estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and DHEA",{"data":363,"content":364,"nodeType":96},{},[365],{"data":366,"content":367,"nodeType":46},{},[368],{"data":369,"marks":370,"value":371,"nodeType":35},{},[],"Why testosterone hormone pellets carry more risk than reward",{"data":373,"content":374,"nodeType":96},{},[375],{"data":376,"content":377,"nodeType":46},{},[378],{"data":379,"marks":380,"value":381,"nodeType":35},{},[],"What to look for in a qualified telehealth HRT physician",{"data":383,"content":384,"nodeType":96},{},[385],{"data":386,"content":387,"nodeType":46},{},[388],{"data":389,"marks":390,"value":391,"nodeType":35},{},[],"The connection between hormonal changes and thyroid function",{"data":393,"content":394,"nodeType":96},{},[395],{"data":396,"content":397,"nodeType":46},{},[398],{"data":399,"marks":400,"value":401,"nodeType":35},{},[],"How HRT affects cholesterol and long-term heart health",{"data":403,"content":404,"nodeType":96},{},[405],{"data":406,"content":407,"nodeType":46},{},[408],{"data":409,"marks":410,"value":411,"nodeType":35},{},[],"The role of estrogen in protecting bone density",{"data":413,"content":414,"nodeType":46},{},[415],{"data":416,"marks":417,"value":249,"nodeType":35},{},[],{"entries":419},{"block":420},[],{"json":422,"links":509},{"nodeType":61,"data":423,"content":424},{},[425,432,438,446,453,460,467,474,481,488,495,502],{"nodeType":76,"data":426,"content":427},{},[428],{"nodeType":35,"value":429,"marks":430,"data":431},"Key Takeaways",[],{},{"nodeType":46,"data":433,"content":434},{},[435],{"nodeType":35,"value":249,"marks":436,"data":437},[],{},{"nodeType":439,"data":440,"content":441},"heading-3",{},[442],{"nodeType":35,"value":443,"marks":444,"data":445},"Weight gain during the menopause transition is often driven by cortisol, not just hormone decline",[],{},{"nodeType":46,"data":447,"content":448},{},[449],{"nodeType":35,"value":450,"marks":451,"data":452},"Dr. Brown explained that fluctuating estrogen levels can push the body into a heightened state of stress, raising cortisol levels and prompting it to hold onto calories, particularly around the abdominal area. 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