Modern Menopause by Parlor Games

Your feed says you need it. Your wallet says maybe not. Morven and Dr. Robyn Kutka sort through three of the most talked-about supplements right now: creatine, NAD, and glutathione.

Dr. Robyn shares which one has the strongest research for perimenopause and menopause, why creatine can throw off kidney lab results, and why most NAD products aren’t actually NAD. They also cover how to spot a supplement that contains what its label claims, why sleep and food still beat any capsule, and the smartest first step when you feel terrible and don’t know why.

Have a topic you’d like us to cover? Drop it in the comments below.

The information provided is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Statements made have not been evaluated by the FDA nor are they intended to treat or diagnose. Any health concerns should be discussed and evaluated by your primary health care provider.

Dr. Robyn calls it a “choose your own adventure,” and Morven goes straight to Goosebumps. For some women, sex hurts. For others, nothing hurts, but nothing quite happens either. Morven and Dr. Robyn look at what’s shifting in the tissues, the blood flow, serotonin, and dopamine, plus everyday meds (yes, even allergy ones) that can dampen desire. And what can help, from moisturizers to pelvic floor therapy to a simple change in timing.

The information provided is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Statements made have not been evaluated by the FDA nor are they intended to treat or diagnose. Any health concerns should be discussed and evaluated by your primary health care provider.

Your body changed. Your checkup should, too. Morven and Dr. Robyn Kutka cover the labs, screenings, and exams worth requesting once perimenopause or menopause arrives, including the bloodwork that isn’t always on the standard list and why pelvic exams shouldn’t vanish at 65. Along the way, they tackle the “it’s just aging” brush-off. Eyesight declines with age, and no one tells you to simply live with it. You get glasses. Vaginal changes deserve the same response: common doesn’t mean there’s nothing to be done.

The information provided is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Statements made have not been evaluated by the FDA nor are they intended to treat or diagnose. Any health concerns should be discussed and evaluated by your primary health care provider.

A USA Today story about a nurse who died from an UTI sent Morven and Dr. Robyn straight to the research. In this episode they talk about how UTI patterns can look different as we age, why that's worth knowing, and what a large observational study of about 1.8 million women found when researchers looked at vaginal estrogen use — including what the researchers themselves say the data can and can't tell us. Plus: why “I’m not sexually active” isn’t a reason to stop using it.

USA Today article referenced in this episode: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2026/09/22/menopause-uti-vaginal-estrogen-sepsis/91680008007/

The information provided is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Statements made have not been evaluated by the FDA nor are they intended to treat or diagnose. Any health concerns should be discussed and evaluated by your primary health care provider.

Some of the best menopause advice comes from the friend who’s a few steps ahead of you and says it like it is. Marni and Dom, audiobook narrators and hosts of Bitches in Heat, built a whole podcast around that idea.

They join Morven and Dr. Robyn Kutka to talk about why humor makes hard conversations easier, why no question is too basic, and how sharing stories helps other women (and the people who love them) understand what’s going on.

Listen to the Bitches in Heat here: https://www.bitchesinheatpodcast.com/

The information provided is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Statements made have not been evaluated by the FDA nor are they intended to treat or diagnose. Any health concerns should be discussed and evaluated by your primary health care provider.

Her blood work said to raise your estrogen. Her saliva said lower it. Her urine said you're good. Dr. Robyn shares a real client's results, a 51-year-old with osteoporosis using topical hormones, and shows why each lab tells a different story. Then Morven asks the question: if the numbers disagree, which one do you act on?

A previously recorded podcast mentioned in the show is titled: The Great Testing Debate: Why Blood Work Says You're "Normal" When You Feel Terrible.

The information provided is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Statements made have not been evaluated by the FDA nor are they intended to treat or diagnose. Any health concerns should be discussed and evaluated by your primary health care provider.

Morven and Dr. Robyn tackle the myths women hear about life after 65, starting with the idea that it's too late to try something new, whether that's a hobby, a sport, or a whole new look. They get into the real science behind loneliness and the HPA axis, why balance training matters more than people think, and the pervasive myth that women over a certain age shouldn't be having sex. Plus: the "smallest dose, shortest time" rule for HRT is getting a second look, and we break down what the newer thinking actually says. So many symptoms doctors chalk up to "just aging" are worth a closer look and a real conversation with your doctor. And yes, we get into the one about heavy lifting being dangerous as you age (hear our take at the start).

The information provided is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Statements made have not been evaluated by the FDA nor are they intended to treat or diagnose. Any health concerns should be discussed and evaluated by your primary health care provider.

A professional post-menopausal athlete came to Dr. Robyn with no hot flashes, no mood changes, no sleep issues — just injury after injury and a 25% drop in performance. The culprit turned out to be a compounding error that had quietly flipped her estrogen ratio, dosing her with four times the estradiol she should've had. Morven and Dr. Robyn walk through how that imbalance shows up in muscle and ligament health, why estrogen (not just testosterone) drives strength and recovery in women, and what the recovery arc looked like once things were recalibrated. Whether or not you're chasing a podium, this one reframes what "optimized" hormones actually look like.

Effect of Estrogen on Musculoskeletal Performance and Injury Risk: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6341375/

The information provided is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Statements made have not been evaluated by the FDA nor are they intended to treat or diagnose. Any health concerns should be discussed and evaluated by your primary health care provider.

Menopause doesn't just thin the hair on your head, it can thicken it in places you'd rather it didn't. Dr. Robyn explains why one hormone shift causes two opposite effects depending on where the follicle lives, and what's actually worth trying if you're dealing with noticeable hair changes.

Let’s talk about what's happening to your hair in midlife — and what's actually worth your time and money to fix it.

The information provided is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Statements made have not been evaluated by the FDA nor are they intended to treat or diagnose. Any health concerns should be discussed and evaluated by your primary health care provider.

For decades, sex meant focusing on what your partner needed, not what you did. Board-certified sexologist Jackie JacksonDaley joins Morven and Dr. Robyn to talk about what changes when women finally ask what they want — from vanishing libido to the real reason so many couples feel mismatched in the bedroom. Plus: an honest, no-shame conversation about toys, boundaries, and why "self-exploration" isn't as intimidating as it sounds.

Learn more about Jackie JacksonDaley https://www.jackiejacksondaley.com/

The information provided is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Statements made have not been evaluated by the FDA nor are they intended to treat or diagnose. Any health concerns should be discussed and evaluated by your primary health care provider.