August 26, 2025
89. Sara Szal, MD: Why 80% of Women Experience Brain Fog in Perimenopause (And How to Fix It)
Extend Podcast with Darshan Shah, MDAbout this episode
What if the depression, brain fog, and weight gain you're experiencing isn't "just aging" but actually a treatable hormone deficiency? In this episode of Extend, I sit down with Sara Szal, MD, a Harvard-trained gynecologist who has revolutionized how we approach women's health. We dive into why 80% of women experience brain dysfunction during menopause, the shocking failure of conventional medicine's "birth control and antidepressants" approach, and Dr. Sara's "hormone therapy plus" model. Whether you're 35 and starting to notice changes or 65 wondering if you've "missed the boat," this conversation will transform how you think about aging as a woman. Sara Szal, MD is a Harvard-trained gynecologist, New York Times bestselling author of four books including "The Hormone Cure," and a leading authority on hormone optimization. With over 25 years of experience treating 25,000+ patients, she specializes in root cause analysis and personalized protocols for peak performance. We Also Discuss: The 100+ Symptoms of Perimenopause Most Doctors Don't Recognize Why Your Doctor Says Hormone Testing Is "Useless" (And Why They're Wrong) Bioidentical vs. Synthetic Hormones: What You Need to Know The 80% of Women Who Experience Cerebral Hypometabolism During Menopause Why FSH Levels Predict Alzheimer's Risk in Women Testosterone for Women: When It Helps and When It Hurts The "Cheating Nature" Argument Against Hormone Therapy (Debunked) Mitochondrial Health: The Key to Reversing Biological Age Hot vs. Cold Therapy for Mitochondrial Optimization Thank You for Our Sponsors: Vitaboom: For supplements you can trust and wellness solutions tailored to your health, visit https://vitaboom.com/ NextHealth: Your destination for cutting-edge health optimization—from IV therapy to hormone balancing. Explore at https://www.next-health.com/ Learn more about Dr. Shah: Website: https://www.drshah.com/ Clinic: https://www.next-health.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darshanshahmd/ Learn more about Sara Szal, MD: Website: https://www.saragottfriedmd.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saragottfriedmd/