Confessions of a Male Gynecologist

Today's episode focuses on the topic of testosterone deficiency in women, which is the number one hormone imbalance across all age groups. Dr. Tassone discusses the impact of birth control pills on testosterone levels and explains the difference between total testosterone and free testosterone. He also discusses commonly overlooked symptoms of low testosterone including fatigue, lack of motivation...

In this episode, Dr. Shawn Tassone discusses perimenopause and the symptoms associated with it. He highlights the issue of marketing and selling products related to perimenopause by celebrities and predatory companies. Dr. Tassone explains that perimenopause is not a disease but a time period around menopause, and it is characterized by a range of symptoms. He discusses the importance of addressin...

Dr. Shawn Tassone discusses the patient's bill of rights and what patients should expect from their healthcare providers. He covers topics such as confidentiality, informed consent, access to medical records, pain treatment, and the right to refuse medical treatments. Dr. Tassone emphasizes the importance of patient advocacy and empowerment in healthcare decisions. Episode Highlights Why patients...

How are we at a point where women are terrified of a hormone they've had in their bodies most of their lives? Many of us have heard horrible things about estrogen and its connection to breast cancer. A lot of this public aversion stems from a study that came out in the early 2000s called the Women's Health Initiative (WHI). The WHI was a landmark study designed to define the risks and benefits of...

In this episode Dr. Shawn Tassone discusses the use of metformin, berberine, and dihydroberberine for weight loss in women, particularly those in perimenopause and menopause. He explains that while GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Monjaro are effective for weight loss, some women may prefer to try metformin, berberine, or dihydroberberine due to concerns or fear of injectable medications. He pro...

In this episode, Dr. Shawn Tassone discusses the recent recommendations from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) regarding mammography guidelines. The USPSTF recommends biennial screening mammography for women aged 40 to 74, with a B recommendation. Dr. Tassone explains the incidence and mortality rates of breast cancer, particularly among non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic...

In this episode, Dr. Shawn Tassone discusses the misleading claims and false information surrounding hormone creams, specifically wild yam cream. He highlights the lack of regulation in the cosmetic industry and the dangers of using products that are not FDA-approved. Dr. Tassone also emphasizes the importance of reading labels and avoiding products that claim to contain progesterone or other horm...

In this episode, Dr. Shawn Tassone discusses the difference between synthetic and bioidentical hormones. He explains that bioidentical hormones are structurally similar to the body's hormones, while synthetic hormones are structurally different. He also delves into the history of hormone replacement therapy, including the use of pregnant mare's urine and the marketing of Premarin. He dispels myths...

In this episode, Dr. Shawn Tassone discusses a recent study published in the Journal of the North American Menopause Society that challenges the previous negative views on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for women over the age of 65. The study found that HRT, specifically estrogen therapy, beyond the age of 65 is associated with significant risk reductions in mortality, breast cancer, lung cance...

Confession:  "Hormone injections and hormone pellets are horrible. Anybody putting them in, in my opinion, is committing malpractice." - Shawn Tassone, MD, PhD In this episode Dr. T discusses the dangers and drawbacks of hormone pellets and injections, particularly testosterone, and why he believes that using these methods is committing malpractice. He also covers how the companies promoting them...

"Women are getting off birth control amid misinformation explosion." - a very problematic article in the Washington Post last week. Written by two people with no medical background, the article is highly politicized, filled with anecdotal evidence, and dismissive of women's lived experiences with birth control. Once I saw it, I had to address it here on the podcast because it's disgusting. Birth c...

"If you're already a board-certified OBGYN, why would you pay to become NAMS certified?" Many physicians turn to the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) for guidance on menopause-related issues. Every few years, they release a position statement outlining their stance on relevant treatment options, and lately, I've been getting a lot of questions about their recent statements. For the next cou...

Finding the right doctor can be daunting, especially if you've been dismissed or mistreated in the past. One of the questions I get asked weekly on my Saturday Instagram Q&A is how we can work together and what that process looks like. For today's episode, I wanted to share the entire process with you, from setting an appointment to blood testing, what we discuss during a typical visit, and how we...

If you see a celebrity partnering with a celebrity physician for a product, I'm here to tell you it won't help. It's a money grab. Menopause is getting a makeover, and menopausal women are spending a lot of money. It's a multi-billion dollar industry, and celebrities in their mid to late 40s and 50s are leveraging their menopause experiences into cash grabs. By sharing their stories and teaming up...

Did you know there are only four bioidentical hormones? The amount of misinformation and confusion surrounding hormone replacement options - especially estradiol and micronized progesterone - is staggering. Many doctors act like synthetic hormones, and bioidenticals are the same thing when in reality, it's like comparing apples to cars. Today, I'm doing a quick but deeper dive to clear up any conf...

Semaglutide is a fantastic medication when used the right way. Anybody with a passing interest in weight loss has probably heard about semaglutide. Whether it's Ozempic, Wegovy, or Rybelsus, these antidiabetic medications have skyrocketed in popularity for the incredible weight loss results they can bring. There have even been shortages for the past couple of months! On the flip side, critics poin...

How are we at a point where women are terrified of a hormone they've had in their bodies most of their lives? Many of us have heard horrible things about estrogen and its connection to breast cancer. A lot of this public aversion stems from a study that came out in the early 2000s called the Women's Health Initiative (WHI). The WHI was a landmark study designed to define the risks and benefits of...

Confession: You are being lied to about hormone testing, and, in many cases, you're either not being tested enough or being tested way too much. There are many "hormone experts" out there, and the information they share is often wildly contradictory. From providers who say hormone imbalance doesn't exist to those who only want to see results from a specific day of your cycle, how do you filter out...

"I think it's scammy. I think it's dangerous. And I'm saddened that many women are being lied to about these products." Have you seen those ads on social media for menopause or perimenopause supplements and creams that claim that they will fix all your woes? None of these products have a shred of proof behind their dramatic claims, and many of them are backed by huge celebrities promoting them lik...

Welcome back to the final installment of my special series of interviews with my kids. So far, you've heard from my firstborn, Hannah, my eldest son, Hunter, and my youngest, Anthony. Today, I'm chatting with my thirdborn, Angelo. Angelo and I share very similar birthdays - only four days apart - and he's the one who's most like me emotionally. He was born about five weeks early, right before 9/11...

Welcome back to part three of my special series of interviews with my kids. So far, you've heard from my firstborn, Hannah, and my eldest son, Hunter, and today we're jumping to my youngest, Anthony. Anthony was born via C-section on November 22 in Tucson, Arizona. Named after his great-great-grandfather, Antonio, his name is in many middle names and first names throughout my family. As my younges...

I can't bring myself emotionally, spiritually, psychologically, or physically to use hormone pellets with my patients. Hormone pellets are tiny pellets containing hormones and medications inserted under your skin and replaced every three to six months. In my clinic, many unhappy patients come to me with complications from pellets. Outside of my clinical experience, I also tried pellets myself a fe...

We're back for part two of this special series of interviews with my kids. Last week, you heard from my oldest-  and only daughter - Hannah, and today, I'm talking to my oldest son, Hunter. Hunter is 28, and the only one of my children who decided to go into medicine, and he's currently in medical school. Hunter was born in Oklahoma City during the third year of my residency in 1996. Probably the...

This month, I'm doing something different. I have four special guests, my kids, and I'll share their interviews with you each week. To start things off, today's guest is my firstborn child, Hannah, who will be turning 30 this month! Hannah was born in Papillion, Nebraska, on December 10, 1993, in my third year of medical school. Later, we moved to Oklahoma, where I did my residency, and when she w...

"Hormone balance is the catchphrase for younger women." - James Frame When you're looking at perimenopause and post-menopause, the goal is to stop the hormone fluctuations or to replace hormones that have been lost. For younger women, the focus is reinvigorating the biofeedback mechanism to balance and regulate their hormone production. Unfortunately, being younger means that many doctors are more...