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Celebrities embracing hormone therapy for perimenopause

From Oprah to Gwyneth Paltrow, A-listers are shedding light on a topic often shrouded in secrecy 

Donna Francis
Contributing Editor US
November 25, 2024
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Perimenopause and menopause were once considered taboo topics, but thanks to a growing number of celebrities such as Naomi Watts and Drew Barrymore openly sharing their experiences, discussions about this hormonal stage are more open than ever, 

From alleviating night sweats to improving mood and energy levels, hormone therapy is helping women navigate this transformative life stage, and these celebrities are breaking the silence, reducing stigma, and inspiring millions by speaking openly about their hormone therapy journeys.  

Naomi Watts: A decade of hormone therapy 

Naomi hopes by opening up about her menopause and sharing her vulnerabilities, to break down the stigmas surrounding midlife© Arturo Holmes
Naomi Watts openly shares her midlife journey

Actress Naomi Watts, who launched her wellness and menopause skincare brand Stripes last year, has been vocal about her early menopause journey, which began at 36. 

During a recent discussion on the Let's Talk Menopause podcast episode with TV presenter, Stacey London, Naomi, who is now 56, credited hormone therapy with helping her manage symptoms such as hot flashes and low energy. "I went on HRT pretty much straight away. I trusted my doctor and I've been on hormone therapy successfully for over a decade.

Kate Winslet: Feeling sexy again

Kate Winslet at the 2024 WIF Honors at The Beverly Hilton on October 24, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California© River Callaway
Kate Winslet is undergoing hormone therapy

Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet, 48, recently shared she has turned to testosterone therapy as part of her perimenopausal routine.

Kate had a candid chat about midlife and all that comes with it, on the Failing with Friends podcast earlier this month, revealing that she takes testosterone to help make her feel "sexy again."

"Sometimes women have a real dip in libido because there might be stuff going on with their thyroid," Kate told British podcaster Elizabeth Day. "There could also be stuff going on with your level of testosterone.

"A lot of people don't know this, but women have testosterone in their body, when it runs out — like eggs — it's gone," she went on. "And once it's gone you have to replace it, and that is something that can be done and you'll feel sexy again," she said.

INSPIRATION: Five non-negotiables for thriving during menopause 

Jane Seymour: Regaining control 

Actress Jane Seymour got candid with HELLO! last year about her positive experience with hormone therapy © Alberto E. Rodriguez
Actress Jane Seymour got candid with HELLO! last year about her positive experience with hormone therapy

British actress Jane Seymour told HELLO! in an interview last year, that she was put on menopause hormone therapy (MHT) after experiencing painful sex, a common symptom associated with menopause.

"I made sure with my doctor that I got it accurate," Jane, who is now 73, noted. "I hit menopause between the ages of 50 and 51, which is perfectly normal, and because I didn't have a family history of breast cancer, I was put on HRT.

Jane emphasized that hormones have helped her regain control and helped her feel being on estrogen is her "superpower."

EXCLUSIVE: Jane Seymour on her sexuality and finding love again: 'I feel an extraordinary freedom at the moment' 

Oprah Winfrey: A new lease of life

Oprah Winfrey on the red carpet © Paul Morigi
Oprah Winfrey discovered a new lease of life following hormone therapy

Oprah Winfrey, 70 has often shared her struggles with menopause, including her frustration over undiagnosed symptoms such as heart palpitations and anxiety. After discovering she was in menopause in her late 40s after several consultations with her doctors, Oprah turned to bioidentical hormone therapy, which she credits with giving her a new lease of life. 

"I wasn't vibrant. My whole world dulled down a couple of notches,” she said in her The Life You Want class on OprahDaily.com in 2023. "I got my first click of estrogen, and I was like, 'The sky is bluer!' I would have been headed for depression if I had not been on estrogen.!

SEE: Age-defying stars who look far younger than 70: Helen Mirren, Oprah Winfrey & more 

Michelle Obama: Life-changing results

Former First Lady Michelle Obama speaks at the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015  at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on July 25, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.© Getty
Michelle Obama said hormone therapy was life-changing

Former First Lady Michelle Obama, 60, surprised fans when she spoke about hot flashes on her podcast. She revealed her doctor recommended hormone therapy to manage her symptoms, and the results were life-changing. 

And in a 2022 interview with People, she discussed her decision, expressing gratitude for the abundance of new information available.

"Before, there were studies that said hormones were bad. That's all we heard. Now, we're finding out research is showing that those studies weren't fully complete and that there are benefits to hormone replacement therapy," Michelle explained. "You're trying to sort through the information and the studies and the misinformation. So I'm right there."

Gwyneth Paltrow: Intense research

Gwyneth Paltrow tried other remedies before hormone therapy© Daniele Venturelli
Gwyneth Paltrow tried other remedies before hormone therapy

In a Q&A for her Goop newsletter, the 52-year-old actress opened up about her journey through perimenopause, sharing her thoughts on the benefits and challenges of hormone therapy and offering insight into how she's navigating this chapter of life. 

"I tried to take other routes, but it wasn't worth the suffering," Gwyneth said when asked if she takes hormones. "And after all the research I have done and the many cutting-edge MDs I have spoken to, I feel good about my protocol."

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