A couple weeks ago, I invited the founder of the non-profit, LetzMenopause, Dr Susanne Folschette to join the show about perimenopause and menopause. It was meant to be an intro to the topic, covering the symptoms of perimenopause, when it can start, and what the resources are here in Luxembourg. But there's only so much ground you can cover in 30 minutes, and our episode went long! After we recorded, I was on the phone with my friend and the first thing she asked me was, "Did you ask about testosterone?"
I realised right away that I'd need to have Dr Folschette back on the show to do a proper deep dive into our hormones. I also invited LetzMenopause co-founder Diane Elsen to join, to talk about her journey which led her to what she considers her "life's work." This episode is a deep dive into estrogen, progesterone, and a little known (or thought of) hormone, testosterone. Turns out, we need all three to function properly.
I won't give it all away, but we talk about estrogen – which Dr Susanne calls the vitality hormone, and why its decline also brings some genuinely unexpected upsides. We talk about progesterone – what it does, why some women are sensitive to it, and why starting on the lowest possible dose is very important. And yes, we finally talk about testosterone – the hormone nobody discusses in the context of women, even though we need it too. Brain fog, loss of motivation, low libido, losing muscle mass – these can all be testosterone related, and yet in Luxembourg there is no approved female formulation. Women who take it here are doing so off-label, on male doses, using a tenth of the tube!
The unfortunate thread running through this show is how little research has been done on the female body. Women were excluded from clinical trials until 1994. The testosterone blood test ranges are calibrated for men. (I find that incredible and infuriating!) There was finally a study, but it scared an entire generation off HRT. The study was flawed, widely discredited, and yet the fear it created has never fully gone away.
We also get into the preventative case for HRT – not just the symptomatic one. According to Diane, taking hormones isn't just about how you feel today. It's about your bones, your bladder, your cardiovascular system, your brain – everything that quietly depends on estrogen to function. We also cover genitourinary syndrome of menopause – something that affects every single woman as estrogen declines, and which is almost never talked about. If you've been experiencing recurrent UTIs or other unexpected changes, this part of the conversation is worth your time.
LetzMenopause is a new nonprofit doing important work right here in our community. If you want to get involved, donate, or just follow along, find them on social media at @letzmenopause.
Give it a listen and let me know what you think. You can reach me at @momlifeinluxembourg or email momlife@rtltoday.lu.
This season we've focused a lot on women's health – from postpartum depression to GLP-1s to perimenopause. If there's a topic you want covered or you'd like to be on the show, get in touch! I'd love to hear from you.
