About this episode
For more than half a century, "the Pill” has been a routine part of women’s lives, prescribed not only for contraception but for acne, period pain and hormonal regulation. It’s so deeply woven into modern medicine and culture that most of us rarely question how it works or what it does beyond its prescribed use. In this episode, Dr Louise Newson speaks with psychologist, researcher and author Dr Sarah Hill about the untold story behind synthetic hormones and their impact on the brain. Together, they explore how shutting down natural hormone production and replacing it with synthetic versions can alter mood, motivation, cognition and mental health - changes that are often dismissed or overlooked in both medical practice and public conversation. Dr Sarah Hill also explains why progesterone remains one of the most misunderstood hormones in medicine. Far from being a simple reproductive regulator, it plays a vital role in neuroprotection, inflammation control and emotional stability with implications for conditions ranging from anxiety and depression to postnatal mental health and autoimmune disease. This episode challenges decades of cultural assumptions about women’s health and invites clinicians, researchers and patients alike to rethink what we know (and don’t know) about how synthetic hormones shape the female brain. LET'S CONNECT Subscribe here 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@menopause_doctor Website 👉 https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/ Instagram 👉 / @drlouisenewsonpodcast Download balance app 👉 / https://www.balance-menopause.com/balance-app/ LinkedIn 👉 / https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlouisenewson/ TikTok 👉 / https://www.tiktok.com/@drlouisenewson Spotify 👉 https://open.spotify.com/show/7dCctfyI9bODGDaFnjfKhg LEARN MORE Join me on my upcoming theatre events in London and Birmingham 👉 https://www.nlp-ltd.com/dr-louise-newson-qanda/ Buy Dr Sarah Hill’s new book, The Period Brain 👉 https://www.sarahehill.com/books/ Take my online education course, Hormones Unlocked 👉 https://www.learningwithexperts.com/products/hormones-unlocked-dr-louise-newson Sign up for my Confidence in Menopause Course 👉 https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/education---confidence-in-menopause