Why were millions of women denied access to hormone replacement therapy for over two decades based on a single flawed study? The 2002 Women's Health Initiative used the wrong women at the wrong age with the wrong hormones delivered the wrong way, yet the media created mass fear that persists today. In this episode of Legacy and Longevity Podcast, COO Zach Dancel and Clinical Director Stephanie Misanik break down exactly what went wrong with the study that tested synthetic hormones on 63-year-old women already a decade past menopause instead of treating perimenopause in the mid-thirties when symptoms actually begin. They reveal why bioidentical hormone therapy started early reduces breast cancer risk by 22%, prevents heart attacks and strokes by 66%, and protects brain health, bone density, and metabolic function when initiated during the critical window of opportunity. This conversation exposes the gender disparity in medicine where men have over 30 FDA-approved testosterone formulations while women have zero, why most OBGYNs and endocrinologists lack hormone expertise despite their titles, and how the timing hypothesis proves early intervention during perimenopause creates lifelong protection that late intervention cannot reverse.

This is Part 1 of a two-part series exploring the complete science of hormone optimization for women, with Part 2 covering testosterone deficiency, peptide therapy, and advanced longevity protocols.

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