The BIGGEST Menopause Misunderstanding of the Last 20 Years

The BIGGEST Menopause Misunderstanding of the Last 20 Years

From All About You With Dr Shauna Watts by Dr Shauna Watts

May 26, 2026 · 53 min

About this episode

This episode discusses the misconceptions surrounding hormone therapy and breast cancer risk in relation to menopause, featuring insights from experts Dr. Avrum Bluming and Carol Tavris.

For more than 20 years, women have been told that hormone therapy causes breast cancer but what if the science was misunderstood from the very beginning? The conversation around menopause and hormone replacement therapy has been shaped by fear for decades. In this episode, Dr. Avrum Bluming and social psychologist Carol Tavris unpack the study that changed women’s health forever and explain why many doctors, researchers and patients are now re-examining what we thought we knew about estrogen, breast cancer and HRT.T hey explored the lasting impact of the Women’s Health Initiative study, the difference between observational studies and randomized trials, and why so many women still struggle to access informed menopause care today. We also discuss the growing evidence around estrogen’s role in brain health, osteoporosis prevention, cognitive decline, cardiovascular health and quality of life during perimenopause and menopause. If you’ve ever been told you’re “too young” for HRT, that hormones are dangerous because of breast cancer, or that menopause is just something women should suffer through, this conversation will challenge a lot of assumptions. In this episode: ➡️ Why the fear…

People in this episode

Host: Dr Shauna Watts

Guests: Dr. Avrum Bluming, Carol Tavris

Topics covered

  • menopause
  • hormone therapy
  • breast cancer
  • Women’s Health Initiative
  • estrogen
  • women's health
  • HRT

Keywords

  • menopause
  • hormone replacement therapy
  • breast cancer risk
  • estrogen
  • Women’s Health Initiative
  • cognitive decline
  • osteoporosis prevention
  • cardiovascular health

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Women’s Health Initiative

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