Hormonal

Everyone has hormones. But for some reason only one gender is seen as the "hormonal" one. How can we reclaim this term? And how can we explore the powers of our hormones—not just the burdens?

For more we're joined now by Martie Haselton, the author of "Hormonal: The Hidden Intelligence of Hormones." She's also a professor of psychology at UCLA. Her book makes the argument that the more we know about our hormones, the more we can harness their evolutionary intelligence to aid our modern day lives.

For more information on today's episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus.

Want to know the answer to the question at the beginning of the show? Check out The immune system and the menstrual cycle on helloclue.com

Episode Links:

Helloclue.com: Androgens 101

Helloclue.com: Estrogen 101

Helloclue.com: Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) 101

Helloclue.com: What you should know about hormones

Most of us appreciate the work that food does to nourish our bodies. On a macro level, things like proteins help repair muscles and carbohydrates give us energy. But micronutrients, things like vitamins and minerals, are really important to paving the way for hormones to do their jobs. And research suggests that proper nutrition is especially important for periods of big hormonal shifts — such as PMS.

For more on this research, we're joined by Liz Bertone-Johnson. She's a professor of epidemiology at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

For more information on today's episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus.

Want to know the answer to the question at the beginning of the show? Check out Why does hormonal birth control fail? on helloclue.com

Background Reading:

Helloclue.com: Vegetarianism, veganism, and the menstrual cycle

Helloclue.com: How your gut affects your hormones

Helloclue.com: Diet, nutrition, and the menstrual cycle

Your endocrine system relies on balance. An increase or a drop in one hormone can trigger a drop or rise in another. So changes in your environment, like air or water quality, can affect your hormones, and how you feel during different parts of your cycle.

And the changes to your hormones can be even more consequential during critical growth periods — like when a fetus is developing and during puberty.

To discuss this topic and more, we're joined today by Dr. Shruthi Mahalingaiah. She's a professor at Harvard School of Public Health and a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

For more information on today's episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus.

Want to know the answer to the question at the beginning of the show? Check out Digestion and your cycle: A conversation between Clue and Cara on helloclue.com.

Episode Links:

Helloclue.com: How I determine the causes of irregular periods

Helloclue.com: Clue lets you know if you're at risk for PCOS

Many of the effects that hormones have on the body are internal. But there's definitely one way that fluctuating hormones are visible to us: acne.

If you're someone who's had a few periods already, you probably know when you're most likely to break out. Or, alternatively, when your hormones are most likely to help your skin look it's healthiest. But when it comes to skin appearance, there are quite a few factors to keep in mind about what's under our control—and what's under the influence of our hormones.

Today we're joined by Dr. Tiffany Clay from Dermatology Affiliates in Atlanta, Georgia. You can follow her on Instagram @dermdrclay.

For more information on today's episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus.

Want to know the answer to the question at the beginning of the show? Check out Hair changes during pregnancy on helloclue.com.

Episode Links:

Helloclue.com: Skin and the cycle: how hormones affect your skin

Helloclue.com: The chemicals in your skincare products

In 1982, Jane Fonda put out her first exercise video. That VHS tape helped spark an exercise craze. But the exercise craze also made a lot of people suddenly lose their periods. Doctors were confused. Was this a temporary reaction due to all the exercise? Was this forever? Were these women still fertile?

Our guest today, Virginia Vitzthum, decided to dig in and research these exact questions. Dr. Vitzthum is the head of scientific research at Clue, and a senior scientist at the Kinsey Institute.

For more information on today's episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus.

Want to know the answer to the question at the beginning of the show? Check out Can you get pregnant from "precum"? on helloclue.com.

Background Reading:

Helloclue.com: What is an "irregular" menstrual cycle?

Helloclue.com: Hormones and your environment: a conversation with Dr. Virginia J. Vitzthum

Helloclue.com: Hormones and culture: How reproductive hormones vary across cultures

When women first began competing in elite sports, an important question cropped up: who exactly is a woman? Fears that men would simply plop on a wig and a petticoat in order to compete, to the perceived disadvantage of women, arose, and sporting officials began checking the gender of competitor.

What started as so-called "naked parades" has morphed into a pseudoscience of hormone testing, clitoris measuring, and suspicion-based investigating. Like many aspects of gender, these cases aren't simple—as a decade of controversy surrounding South African runner Caster Semenya has shown.

For today's discussion on sports and hormones Katrina Karkazis. She's the co-author of "Testosterone: An Unauthorized Biography." She's also the Senior Visiting Fellow at the Global Health Justice Partnership at Yale University and the Carol Zicklin chair at Brooklyn College.

For more information on today's episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus.

Want to know the answer to the question at the beginning of the show? Check out Let's talk about squirting: Why is it important, and what does it feel like? on helloclue.com.

Background Reading:

Helloclue: What puberty is like as an intersex person

Fact: Right before your period, your hormones and body can change. Myth: you're automatically going to turn into a weepy, emotional, and irrational B*TCH.

So how do the cultural perceptions around Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) change how you experience that time of the month? Turns out, a lot.

For more on this research we're joined by Jane Ussher. Jane is a professor of women's health psychology at Western Sydney University. She's also the author of "The Madness of Women: Myth and Experience."

For more information on today's episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus.

Want to know the answer to the question at the beginning of the show? Check out "Period blood color: brown, black, or dark — does it matter? on helloclue.com.

Background reading:

Helloclue.com: Tracking your period can help you understand PMS symptoms. Here's how

Helloclue.com: Premenstrual magnification: Mental health conditions and PMS

Helloclue.com: Positive symptoms of PMS

Helloclue.com: Stress and the menstrual cycle

Helloclue.com: 9 tips for PMS relief

Hormones were only discovered about a hundred years ago. But since then, they've taken on a lot of significance, both in science and in western culture. Before we find out how hormones affect just about everything, let's look at the history of these powerful molecules.

Our guest this week is Randi Epstein. She's a doctor, a medical writer and the author of: "Aroused: The History of Hormones and How They Control Just About Everything."

For more information on today's episode visit helloclue.com/hormonal. And to find out how to support the work here at Clue, go to Clue.Plus.

Want to know the answer to the question at the beginning of the show? Go to "Helloclue.com: Getting wet: discharge vs. cervical fluid vs. arousal fluid."

For more on menstrual and medical history:

Helloclue.com: A short history of modern menstrual productsHelloclue.com: How did menstruation become taboo?

About Hormonal

Hormones affect everyone and everything: from our skin, to stress, to sports. But for most of us, they're still a mystery.

Even the way we talk about hormones makes no sense. ("She's hormonal.")

So let's clear some things up. Each week, Rhea Ramjohn is asking scientists, doctors, and experts to break it all down for us.

A new podcast from Clue. Season 1 launches this fall.

About Clue

Clue is a period tracking app and menstrual encyclopedia that use data and science to help you understand your body.

Learn more about the Clue app, and check out the work Clue is doing to advance menstrual health research.