Menopause Isn’t Just Hormones: Why Supplements Alone Won’t Fix the Whole Picture
The other day I had a conversation with someone regarding their menopause journey. Our conversation brought up some important points that I wanted to share with all of you.
Listen, if you’re in perimenopause or menopause and feel like your body is falling apart, you’re not alone.
Fatigue. Brain fog. Weight gain. Bloating. Mood swings. Night sweats. Insomnia. Libido gone. Many of my patients share these frustrations. For some, it’s these very symptoms that prompted them to reach out and establish care. Many come to me asking about supplements and hormones.
Now, it makes sense to look for a biochemical fix. Maybe your estrogen is low. Maybe your progesterone has tanked. Maybe your cortisol is off. So you try hormone therapy, or some supplements that promise balance. Maybe it helps… a little.
But deep down, something still feels off. And that’s when most women start to think one of two things:
“Maybe I just need to find the right supplement or dose.”
“Maybe this is just how it is now.”
But I want to offer a third option:
Maybe your body is asking for something deeper.
Hormones Help—But They’re Not the Whole Story
I prescribe hormones. I discuss supplements. But I don’t pretend they’re the easy button. In fact, I’ve seen too many women chase the bio-solution while totally overlooking the psychoneuroendocrine reality they’re living in.
Here’s what I mean.
Your body isn’t a series of disconnected systems. Your thoughts, emotions, stress, inflammation, and hormones are all talking to each other. And menopause? It doesn’t just hit your ovaries. It hits your entire regulatory system.
The PNEI System: What Most Clinics Ignore
There’s a system in your body that links your mind (psycho-), nervous system (neuro-), hormones (endocrine), and immune system. It’s called the PNEI axis, and it’s where a lot of people (men and women alike) break down—without ever realizing it.
Here’s what years of self-neglect, chronic stress, or trauma, can do:
Disrupt the HPA axis (brain-adrenal-hormone signaling)
Keep the nervous system in a hypervigilant “fight-or-flight” mode
Suppress your body’s ability to respond to hormone therapy
Trigger immune dysregulation (inflammation, gut issues, histamine problems)
If you’ve been surviving for decades on stress hormones and performance, menopause can feel like your body finally calling it in. Not just hormonally—but systemically.
Why Supplements Fall Short
I really need you to hear me on this: supplements can support a depleted system—but they can’t regulate a dysregulated one.
If your body is stuck in a cycle of over-functioning, chronic exhaustion, fear, resentment, or loneliness, no supplement will undo that. It’s like trying to fix a blown fuse by changing the lightbulb.
Before any intervention works—whether natural or pharmaceutical—the whole system has to be ready to respond.
That means:
Your nervous system needs to feel safe.
Your beliefs and emotions need to be processed—not suppressed.
Your body needs nourishment, movement, and rhythm.
Your relationships and spiritual life need attention.
The Way Forward
You don’t need more quick fixes.
You need a system that honors the complexity of what you’re going through. One that addresses root causes while respecting your lived experience. That’s what I do at TrueCare DPC.
If you’re tired of being told your labs are “normal” or your symptoms are “just part of aging”—you’re not crazy. You’re just not being treated holistically.
Let’s change that.
Want to dig deeper into how your hormones, nervous system, and stress load are connected? Text me and let’s talk about what care might look like for you (910)758-1769
