Women’s Hormone Health Update

For decades, women have been misled about hormone therapy—largely because of the 2002 Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study. That study was originally designed to evaluate cardiovascular disease prevention, not hormone therapy safety. Yet it became the defining narrative against hormones for women. Importantly, the WHI used synthetic progestins and synthetic estrogens, not the bio-identical progesterone and estradiol we use today. The data that followed unfairly painted all hormone therapy as risky.

Fast forward to now—the FDA has announced the removal of the “black-box” warning from more than twenty hormone-based therapies used for menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats. This marks a major shift in women’s health policy and public understanding. Modern evidence shows that, for many women—especially those who begin therapy before age 60 or within 10 years of menopause—the benefits of hormone therapy far outweigh the risks. Properly balanced hormones protect cardiovascular health, bone density, mood stability, cognition, and overall quality of life. In fact, remaining without these critical hormones may be more detrimental than using them under appropriate supervision.

At 77 Wellness, we treat hormone optimization as part of whole-body care. Hormone therapy is never one-size-fits-all—it’s personalized based on timing, dosage, delivery method (patch vs pill), and individual health background such as cardiovascular risk or breast-cancer history. For women in perimenopause or menopause experiencing hot flashes, insomnia, fatigue, mood swings, or bone loss, we review both hormonal and non-hormonal options, along with integrative therapies, bio-identical replacement, and lifestyle interventions.

This FDA decision is a step forward in empowering women with accurate information and individualized treatment choices. At 77 Wellness, we remain committed to evidence-driven, root-cause-focused hormone care—for women and men alike—because balanced hormones are essential for longevity and vitality.

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References

    1.    The Women’s Health Initiative Steering Committee. JAMA. 2002;288(3):321-333.

    2.    Manson JE et al. Menopausal hormone therapy and health outcomes during the intervention and extended post-stopping phases of the WHI trials. JAMA. 2013;310(13):1353-1368.

    3.    Hodis HN, Mack WJ. Timing hypothesis and cardiovascular protection with estrogen therapy. Menopause. 2020;27(7):802-810.

    4.    North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Position Statement. Menopause. 2022;29(7):767-794.

    5.    FDA Press Release. FDA removes boxed warning for certain hormone therapy products. 2025.

Your Labs Are Normal - So Why Do You Feel Terrible?

It’s a scenario we hear every week at 77 Wellness: you go to your doctor, get the standard blood work back, and everything is “within normal range.” Yet you still feel tired. Foggy. Frustrated. What gives?

1. “Normal” doesn’t necessarily mean optimal

Lab reference ranges are based on large population samples — they’re designed to detect disease, not to define thriving health. For example, one article points out that standard normal ranges are too broad to catch early dysfunction. drdaniel.com+1 At 77 Wellness, we look beyond “within range” to the narrower optimal zones that often reveal root-cause dysfunction before full disease sets in.

2. Hidden dysfunctions beyond what standard labs catch

Here are some of the subtle patterns we routinely find when everything appears “normal”:

• Insulin resistance can show up long before glucose is flagged. Conventional labs may call a fasting glucose of 99 mg/dL “normal,” yet functional insight shows this may be a warning sign. Activated Health & Wellness+1

• Thyroid markers like TSH might be inside range, but if they’re at the high end of “normal,” many patients still feel fatigue, cold intolerance or brain fog. Grace Vitality & Wellness

• Low-grade inflammation (such as elevated hs-CRP) or subtle nutrient deficiencies often lurk under the radar of standard testing. Fullscript+1

3. How integrative/functional care at 77 Wellness picks up where conventional labs leave off

At our clinic in Layton, we follow a proactive, root-cause model:

• We use functional labs and interpret them with tighter “optimal” ranges not just the broad “normal” ones. Functional Diagnostic Nutrition+1

• We look at patterns across systems (hormones, metabolism, detox, immune) not just one isolated number.

• We integrate your symptoms, lifestyle, environment and lab pattern to identify dysfunction early — before you’re told a diagnosis or “everything looks fine.”

4. Don’t wait for a diagnosis; take steps now

Your health doesn’t pause for the seasons — whether you’re gearing up for a busy winter or mitigating the effects of less daylight and lower activity, now is the moment.
If you’re still feeling off despite “normal labs,” it’s not time to ignore it. It’s time to get ahead of what’s silently evolving.

At 77 Wellness, we offer the membership model that gives you unlimited visits, functional testing, hormone balance support and whole-body wellness without the insurance hassle.

Feeling stuck? Let’s get you unstuck. Schedule your appointment at 77Wellness.com or call us in Layton today. Because “normal labs” aren’t enough — you deserve optimal health.

References

• Bland JS. “Systems Biology Meets Functional Medicine.” PMC. 2019. PMC

• “Why Standard Blood Tests Miss What’s Really Wrong With You.” HelixSportOKC blog. 2025. Helix Spine & Sport

• “Why Normal Is Not Optimal When Analyzing Blood Test Results.” ODX Research blog. 2021. optimaldx.com