Menopause Masterclass: HRT Safety, Patch Absorption, Progesterone Intolerance, and Bone Density

About this episode

Dr. Mary Claire Haver addresses common questions about hormone therapy and menopause, including HRT safety and bone density.

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver answers your most asked questions about hormone therapy, menopause symptoms, and how to advocate for yourself when your doctor doesn't have answers. She walks through who actually qualifies for HRT, what the real contraindications are versus conditions that simply require a different delivery method, and how to think about continuing estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone therapy after 60. Dr. Haver explains the estrogen patch absorption problem, with research showing that up to 20 percent of women on transdermal therapy never reach physiologic estradiol levels regardless of dose. She breaks down SHBG, the protein that can bind your hormones and render them inactive even when your numbers look adequate on paper, and walks through what optimal estradiol levels look like for bone density and osteoporosis prevention specifically. Books: “The Complete Bone and Joint Health Plan: Help Prevent and Treat Osteoporosis and Arthritis,” by Jocelyn Wittstein“The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver Resources: Women’s Health Initiative Estradiol (University of Rochester Medical Center) Meet Dr. Heather Hirsch Alloy Health Midi…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Mary Claire Haver

Topics covered

• menopause
• hormone therapy
• HRT safety
• bone density
• progesterone intolerance
• estrogen patch absorption

Keywords

• menopause
• hormone therapy
• HRT
• bone density
• progesterone
• estrogen
• SHBG
• osteoporosis

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Rochester Medical Center, Alloy Health, Midi Health

More episodes of unPAUSED with Dr. Mary Claire Haver

• Toxins, Stress, and What They're Doing to Your Hormones with a Top Reproductive Endocrinologist · June 12, 2026 · 50 min
• The Truth About Your Biological Clock: Egg Quality, AMH and Fertility with Dr. Natalie Crawford · June 9, 2026 · 1h 8m
• GLP-1s, Hormones, and Why You Can't Calorie-Count Your Way Out of Menopause with Dr. Michelle Gordon · June 2, 2026 · 1h 15m
• Menopause Is a Portal: Reclaiming the Body, the Story, and the Second Half with Dr. Hillary McBride · May 26, 2026 · 1h 11m
• The Holistic Plastic Surgeon: Devices, Ozempic Face, and What Your Habits Do to Aging Skin · May 21, 2026 · 42 min
• What Estrogen Does to Your Skin (And What Actually Works) · May 19, 2026 · 1h 7m