Boost Your Mood- Power of Hormones

03/07/25 • 48 min

In this insightful episode, Dr. Spencer Zimmerman sits down with Dr. Lorraine Maita, an expert in integrative and anti-aging medicine, to discuss the profound impact of hormones on brain health. They dive deep into how hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are not just about sex and reproduction but play essential roles in cognitive function, mood regulation, memory, and overall neurological health.

Key Takeaways:
✅ Hormones Are Brain Regulators – Estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and DHEA function as neurosteroids, directly influencing mood, cognition, memory, and mental sharpness.
✅ Menopause & Brain Fog – Fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone during perimenopause and menopause can lead to memory lapses, mood swings, anxiety, and depression.
✅ The Testosterone Factor – Women actually have more testosterone than estrogen, and low testosterone in both men and women is linked to anxiety, depression, and reduced confidence.
✅ Testing Matters – Many healthcare providers prescribe hormones without proper testing. Blood, saliva, and urine tests are necessary to accurately assess and adjust hormone levels.
✅ Bioidentical vs. Synthetic Hormones – Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), including estradiol patches and micronized progesterone, is safer and more effective than synthetic alternatives.
✅ Your Lifestyle Impacts Your Hormones – Diet, stress, exercise, and environmental toxins all play a role in hormone balance and brain health.

Dr. Maita also debunks common hormone myths, including the misconception that estrogen causes breast cancer and shares how proper hormone management can reduce risks of dementia, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease.

Previous Episode

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Treatment Using Functional Medicine

In this episode I dive into chronic fatigue syndrome and functional medicine from different angles.

CFS is a syndrome, not a disease, involving neurological, immune, and gut dysfunction, often leaving patients feeling dismissed.
Root causes include infections (Epstein-Barr, Lyme, mold), gut dysbiosis, and neuroinflammation, with immune weakness playing a key role.
Traditional medicine only manages symptoms with medications, failing to address the underlying issues, leaving many without lasting relief.
Functional medicine targets root causes, using personalized lab testing and treatments rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Functional neurology is crucial for CFS recovery, assessing brain function and connectivity to ensure a more effective treatment plan.

You may read our entire blog post version of this episode: https://peakbrainandbody.com/functional-medicine-approach-to-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/

Next Episode

Functional Neurology: A New Approach To Brain Health

Key Takeaways:

Functional neurology focuses on brain function rather than structural damage and provides solutions where traditional neurology falls short.
Eye movements, balance testing, and cognitive assessments are essential in diagnosing neurological dysfunction.
Neuroplasticity is at the core of functional neurology, allowing the brain to rewire and heal.
A true functional neurology approach integrates rehabilitation, functional medicine, and lifestyle interventions.
Not all functional neurology providers are equal—expertise, training, and diagnostic tools matter.

If you’ve been struggling with chronic fatigue, brain fog, dizziness, post-concussion symptoms, or other neurological issues, this episode is a must-listen to understand why functional neurology may be the missing piece in your recovery.

To check out the blog: https://peakbrainandbody.com/functional-neurology-tampa/

Brain Body Reset - Boost Your Mood- Power of Hormones

Transcript

Lorraine Mehta, MD, welcome to the show. Thank you so much for having me. It's such an important topic. I mean, where would we be without our brains? Exactly. You know, most important part of the body, but yet most people kind of go through life just hoping it's okay up there. And if it's not, they just don't know what to even do. Exactly. Exactly. That's why we have to treat the whole body, not just, you know, your heart or your lungs or your skin or your gut. It's the whole body you need. An