63: Louann Brizendine : The Brain-Hormone Conversation Every Woman Needs Before Menopause

Jun 23, 202646 min

Summary

In this episode of Hello Hormones, Dr. Carrie Jones welcomes renowned neuropsychiatrist Dr. Louann Brizendine to explore the critical relationship between the female brain and hormonal changes during midlife. Addressing common concerns like brain fog, memory lapses, and shifting libido, the discussion demystifies the biological processes occurring during the perimenopause and menopause transition. A primary focus is the role of testosterone, which Dr. Brizendine identifies as a vital hormone for sexual energy and physical well-being. She explains how lab results often fail to account for individual baselines, emphasizing that women should focus on how they feel rather than strictly adhering to standard reference ranges. The conversation also highlights the importance of the "critical window"—the optimal time to initiate hormone therapy to support cognitive health and manage the metabolic shifts in the brain. Dr. Brizendine explains how estrogen influences the brain's ability to utilize glucose, offering insights into why women experience cognitive symptoms as hormone levels decline. By prioritizing proactive health check-ups and personalized hormone management, the guests encourage women to view this life stage as an opportunity for an upgrade rather than a period of decline.

Updated Jun 25, 2026

Health & Wellness Science Society & Culture Women's Health Hormone Health Neuroscience Menopause Aging

Topics

Embracing Authenticity and New Life Stages

About This Episode

Brain fog, low libido, poor sleep, and suddenly having zero patience for the things you used to tolerate are usually treated like separate problems.

Or worse, women are told it is just stress, aging, or "normal."

But what if a lot of those symptoms are not random? What if they are starting in your brain?

In this episode of Hello Hormones, I sit down with Dr. Louann Brizendine to talk about what actually happens to the female brain during perimenopause and menopause. We kick things off with the brain and sex, go deeper into testosterone, then walk through brain fog, glucose, estrogen, hormone therapy timing, dementia risk, sleep, caffeine, alcohol, and why "no" really can be a complete sentence in this next phase of life.

Dr. Louann Brizendine is a neuropsychiatrist, founder of the Women's Mood and Hormone Clinic at UCSF, and one of the leading voices in female brain science. She completed her neurobiology degree at UC Berkeley, graduated from Yale School of Medicine, and completed her residency at Harvard. She is the New York Times bestselling author of The Female Brain, The Male Brain, The Upgrade, and the upcoming book Your Brain on Menopause.

What's Discussed:

(00:21) Why the brain belongs in the hormone conversation and why libido starts there.

(06:42) How testosterone replacement can help some women, why dosing matters, and what to know before giving up on it.

(17:40) What actually happens in the brain during perimenopause and menopause.

(26:38) What women need to know about dementia risk, genetics, estrogen, sleep, caffeine, alcohol, and lifestyle.

(38:21) Why menopause can bring more boundaries, authenticity, and that "no is a complete sentence" energy.

If you have ever felt foggy, forgetful, disconnected from sex, restless at night, or completely unlike yourself and wondered if this is just who you are now, please listen to this episode. Your brain is not boring, and it is definitely not separate from your hormones.

✍️ FREE GUIDES:

Top 7 Perimenopause Myths You Need to Stop Believing ASAP: drcarriejones.com/myths

Hormones 101 Cheat Sheet: drcarriejones.com/hormones101

The Perimenopause & Menopause Labs Test Checklist: drcarriejones.com/labs

The 101 on Stress, Cortisol And Your Nervous System Ebook: drcarriejones.com/stressfreebie

Which Stage of Perimenopause Am I In? Ebook: drcarriejones.com/stages

Find more from Dr. Carrie Jones:
Website: drcarriejones.com
Newsletter: drcarriejones.kit.com/newsletter
Instagram: @dr.carriejones
Facebook: @drcarriejones
TikTok: @drcarriejones
YouTube: @drcarriejones
Pinterest: @drcarriejones

Find more from Dr. Louann Brizendine

Website: louannbrizendine.com/

Instagram:

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More Episodes

62: Helmut Schmutz: The Histamine-Hormone Link on Why Your Body Feels Allergic to Everything in Perimenopause

Jun 16, 20261h 7m

Summary

In this episode of Hello Hormones, Dr. Carrie Jones explores the often-overlooked connection between histamine intolerance and the hormonal fluctuations experienced during perimenopause. She is joined by scientist Helmut Schmutz, an expert with over two decades of clinical research in histamine metabolism, to discuss why many women suddenly feel as though their bodies are turning against them as they enter their forties and beyond. The conversation centers on diamine oxidase (DAO), the primary enzyme responsible for breaking down histamine in the small intestine. The guests explain how estrogen surges—common during the volatile perimenopausal transition—can suppress DAO production while simultaneously increasing histamine release. This creates a difficult cycle that explains symptoms often mislabeled as strictly hormonal, such as migraines, anxiety, brain fog, insomnia, bloating, and heart palpitations. They clarify the important distinction between traditional antihistamines, which merely block receptors, and DAO supplements, which actively degrade histamine in the gut. By understanding this mechanism, listeners gain insight into why previously tolerated foods like wine, cheese, or fermented products may suddenly trigger intense physical reactions, offering a potential path to relief for those feeling frustrated by these systemic changes.

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