Dr. Mary Claire Haver: How To Navigate Menopause & Perimenopause For Maximum Health & Vitality [92ae2b]
2025-07-29
Post Time: 2025-07-29
Blood sugar levels are a delicate balance, heavily influenced by various factors including diet, exercise, and medication. While prescription medications can effectively manage blood sugar for individuals with diabetes or those prone to hyperglycemia, some may unintentionally contribute to elevated blood glucose readings.
Medications That Can Spike Blood Sugar: A Silent Threat
- Steroids: Corticosteroid use has been linked to increased glucose levels and insulin resistance in the body.
- Certain Antipsychotics: Some antipsychotic medications, such as olanzapine (Zyprexa) and risperidone (Risperdal), have been found to raise blood sugar levels by affecting liver function.
- Painkillers Like Ibuprofen and Naproxen: Overuse or long-term use of these nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may cause a temporary increase in glucose readings, particularly for individuals with pre-existing diabetes or those taking medications that affect insulin sensitivity.
Medications That Can Lower Blood Sugar: Their Double-Edged Swords
- Sulfonylureas: These oral antidiabetic medications stimulate the release of insulin from pancreatic beta cells and are commonly prescribed to manage type 2 diabetes, but they can lead to hypoglycemia if not monitored carefully.
- Meglitinides: Like sulfonylureas, meglitinides enhance insulin secretion in response to meals, yet their use is associated with the risk of causing blood sugar levels to drop too low.
How Lifestyle Factors Contribute to Blood Sugar Fluctuations
- Exercise and Sleep Patterns: While regular physical activity can help lower blood glucose by increasing insulin sensitivity and enhancing muscle uptake of glucose from the bloodstream, inadequate sleep patterns or chronic stress may disrupt this balance.
- Poor Dietary Choices: A diet high in refined sugars, saturated fats, and processed foods tends to exacerbate pre-existing hyperglycemia.
Finding Balance: Mitigating Medication-Induced Blood Sugar Changes
Maintaining stable blood sugar levels requires careful management of various factors including medication adherence. In cases where prescribed medications are known to raise glucose readings, consider lifestyle modifications like engaging in regular physical activity and adjusting your diet accordingly to mitigate these effects. By recognizing how different drugs impact our bodies' ability to regulate glucose and being proactive about managing this delicate balance, we can better prevent long-term complications associated with blood sugar imbalances.
In this episode, my guest is Dr. Mary Claire Haver, MD, a board-certified OB/GYN and an expert on women’s health and menopause. We discuss the biology and symptoms of perimenopause and menopause and their effects on body composition, cardiometabolic health, mental health, and longevity. She explains the lifestyle factors, including nutrition, resistance training, sleep, and supplements, that can better prepare women for and improve symptoms of both perimenopause and menopause. We also discuss hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and whether HRT impacts the incidence of breast cancer sugar blood level or can affect cardiovascular health. We also discuss contraception, cellulite, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and how to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. This episode is rich in actionable information related to what is medtronic blood sugar monitor known about menopause and perimenopause and the stages before, allowing women of all ages to best navigate these life stages. Access the full show notes, including referenced articles, books, people mentioned, and additional resources: Thank you to our sponsors AG1: AeroPress: Eight Sleep: BetterHelp: InsideTracker: Huberman Lab Social & Website Instagram: Threads: Twitter: Facebook: TikTok: LinkedIn: Website: Newsletter: Dr. Mary Claire Haver Clinical website: The ‘Pause Life: The New Menopause (book): The Galveston Diet: TikTok: Instagram: YouTube: Facebook: LinkedIn: Timestamps 00:00:00 Dr. Mary Claire Haver 00:02:04 Sponsors: AeroPress, Eight Sleep & BetterHelp 00:06:26 Menopause, Age of Onset 00:09:50 Perimenopause, Hormones & “Zone of Chaos” 00:14:42 Perimenopause, Estrogen & Mental Health 00:20:04 Perimenopause Symptoms; Tool: Lifestyle Factors & Ovarian Health 00:25:26 Early Menopause, Premature Ovarian Failure; Estrogen Therapy 00:29:42 Sponsor: AG1 00:31:31 Contraception, Transdermal, IUDs; Menopause Onset, Freezing Eggs 00:38:18 Women’s Health: Misconceptions & Research 00:45:01 Tool: Diet, Preparing for Peri-/Menopause; Visceral Fat 00:48:31 Tools: Body Composition, Muscle & Menopause, Protein Intake 00:51:42 Menopause: Genetics, Symptoms; Tools: Waist-to-Hip Ratio; Gut Microbiome 00:58:22 Galveston vs. Mediterranean Diet, Fasting, Tool: Building Muscle 01:05:18 Sponsor: InsideTracker 01:06:29 Hot Flashes; Estrogen Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), Breast Cancer Risk & Cognition 01:15:36 Estrogen HRT, Cardiovascular Disease, Blood Clotting; “Meno-posse” 01:24:00 Estrogen & Testosterone: Starting HRT & Ranges 01:30:36 Other Hormones, Thyroid & DHEA; Local Treatment, Urinary Symptoms 01:37:57 OB/GYN Medical Education & Menopause 01:41:30 Supplements, Fiber, Tools: Osteoporosis “Prevention Pack” 01:46:53 Collagen, Cellulite, Bone Density 01:51:42 HRT, Vertigo, Tinnitus, Dry Eye; Conditions Precluding HRT 01:55:27 Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) & Treatment; GLP-1, Addictive Behaviors 02:01:55 Post-menopause & HRT, Sustained HRT Usage 02:04:58 Mental Health, Perimenopause vs. Menopause; Sleep Disruptions, Alcohol 02:09:09 Male Support; Rekindle Libido 02:12:46 HRT Rash Side-Effect; Acupuncture; Visceral Fat 02:16:24 Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, YouTube Feedback, watch that detects blood sugar Sponsors, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter #HubermanLab #WomensHealth #Health Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac - Disclaimer: