Hormonal – Details, episodes & analysis

This season on Hormonal we’ve learned a lot about birth control. From the origin of the pill, to how side effects can be beneficial, to the history and future of Reproductive Justice. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t more to learn, especially when it comes to those pesky myths that just never seem to completely disappear. 

This week on the Hormonal podcast, we are assembling a super squad of science-backed Mythbusters. They’re ready to tackle questions from real users like you. 

On the mythbusting squad we’re welcoming back Dr. Lynae Brayboy, Clue’s Chief Medical Officer–and also joining us is Amanda Shea, Clue’s Head of Science, and Dr. Hajnalka Hejja, Clue’s Science Lead for Product. 

"It feels like it's constantly being reinforced that we should have an exactly 28-day cycle that comes at the exact day we expect, month after month after month. And then it's completely not true."

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. 

Episode Links

• HelloClue.com: The birth control implant: myths and misconceptions
  
• HelloClue.com: Antibiotics and Birth Control: Myths and Facts
• HelloClue.com: How to use Clue if you’re on the hormonal birth control pill
• HelloClue.com: The top 3 PMS myths
• HelloClue.com: 36 superstitions about periods from around the world
• HelloClue.com: Tampons: questions & misconceptions
• HelloClue.com: Can you swim on your period?
• HelloClue.com: The myth of moon phases and menstruation

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended healthcare systems around the world, especially reproductive healthcare. People who relied on face-to-face visits with their doctor or timely appointments are now facing cancellations and rescheduling. And those who had employer-based care in countries that have limited alternatives, like the United States, are now asking themselves, “What now?”

We wanted to know more about how COVID-19, as well as the pandemic and recession associated with it, are influencing people’s birth control options and choices. 

On this episode of Hormonal, we’re joined by Gillian Sealy. She's the interim CEO of Power to Decide–a nonprofit in the U.S. focused on preventing unplanned pregnancy and helping young people find a birth control option that works for them. She joins us today from Tampa Bay, Florida.

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.

“[In our recent survey,] birth control users [ages] 18 to 34 said that birth control has allowed them or their partner to worry about one less thing during the COVID pandemic.”

Episode Links

• #ThxBirthControl 2020: Survey Says
• HelloClue.com: How coronavirus impacts pregnancy, breastfeeding, and postpartum
• HelloClue.com: Does Coronavirus (COVID-19) affect your periods or cycle health?
• HelloClue.com: Is it safe to get pregnant during coronavirus?
• HelloClue.com: Will coronavirus impact access to contraception?

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 products
Helloclue.com: How did menstruation become taboo?