109. Has Perimenopause Become Too Loud? Cutting Through the Noise
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The conversation around perimenopause has exploded – but has it gone too far?
In this episode, we’re cutting through the noise, confusion, and conflicting advice dominating social media. From “it’s all your hormones” to “it’s just aging,” we break down what’s actually happening in your body during perimenopause, why symptoms like weight gain, anxiety, and poor sleep are so common, and how to take a more balanced, realistic approach to your health after 40.
Key Takeaways:
- Why the perimenopause space has become so loud and how marketing plays a role
- The two extremes: “everything is hormones” vs. “it’s just aging”
- Common perimenopause symptoms (mood changes, anxiety, sleep issues, weight gain)
- How lifestyle factors like blood sugar, stress, and muscle mass impact symptoms
- Why you don’t need more supplements or quick fixes; you need a clear strategy
LINKS MENTIONED:
Ep. 106 GLP-1s in Perimenopause: What Most Providers Are Missing
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Why You’re Exhausted, Moody & Not Seeing Results After 40 (Even When You’re Doing Everything Right)
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Why the Perimenopause Conversation Feels So Loud Right Now
Hello! I was on vacation in Florida last week and whenever I’m away, it gives me space to think.
So while I was laying on the beach, trying to relax, instead, I was thinking about how the conversation around perimenopause has exploded in the last couple years.
And honestly? It’s gotten very loud.
There’s more awareness, which is great. It’s why I do what I do.
But there’s also more noise, more opinions, and a lot more people trying to sell you something.
So today I want to dive into that and give you a more realistic perspective on what’s going on—and what actually matters.
A Look Back: How We Got Here
Quick side note:
I’ve been talking about perimenopause for several years, before it was all over social media,
because I started experiencing symptoms myself in my late 30s. I like to think I’m ahead of the curve.
And at the time, there wasn’t much information.
There was more info on menopause. Not this oh-so-fun transition.
Most women were being dismissed, told their labs are “normal,” handed an antidepressant or given a long list of supplements to support every symptom. That’s kind of where I was – taking a ton of supplements trying to address every perimenopause symptom I was dealing with and the list was long.
So the increased awareness we’re seeing now? It’s a good thing.
But like anything that gets attention… it’s been taken in a lot of different directions.
The Reality of Perimenopause Symptoms
Let’s zoom out for a second.
- Around 80–90% of women experience symptoms during perimenopause
- The most common?
- mood swings
- anxiety
- poor sleep
- weight gain (especially around the midsection)
- brain fog
- And on average, women see multiple providers—often 3 to 5—before getting real support
Luckily that is changing – albeit slowly.
The Two Extreme Narratives
But what I’m seeing now is two very loud camps.
1. “It’s all your hormones”
Everything gets blamed on estrogen and progesterone.
You feel off? Hormones.
You gained weight? Hormones.
You’re anxious? Hormones.
And then the solution becomes:
- Take HRT
- Take this supplement “stack”
- Do this “hormone reset”
While I love to simplify things, that is way over-simplified.
2. Then the other camp pushes back hard saying:
- “your metabolism isn’t slowing down”
- “this is a natural phase, just accept it”
- “you don’t need hormone therapy – just change your lifestyle or get some sunshine – as if it was that easy”
And while yes, perimenopause is natural…we all go through it at some point
that doesn’t mean you should feel terrible and just push through it.
The Missing Middle Ground
Both of these extremes miss the bigger picture.
Do your hormones change in perimenopause?
Yes, yes they do.
Do those changes impact how you feel?
Absolutely.
But they are not the only thing driving your symptoms.
Your:
- blood sugar
- stress levels
- sleep quality
- muscle mass
- nutrient status
…all influence how those hormonal shifts show up in your body.
So when someone has black and white thinking – it’s THIS or THAT.
That should be your cue to take a step back.
How Social Media Fuels the Confusion
A big part of this is social media.
Nuance doesn’t perform well there.
A balanced take doesn’t go viral.
What does?
- strong opinions
- bold claims
- and honestly…controversy
So you end up seeing things like:
- “Everyone should be on HRT”
- “HRT is dangerous”
- “your metabolism isn’t slowing down at all”
- “everything leads back to cortisol”
And it creates this constant back-and-forth that leaves you thinking…
“Alright, but what am I actually supposed to do?”
And the other thing that’s happening is a lot of personal stories are being shared—which can be helpful—but not all of it is coming from a clinical or educational background.
So you’ll see someone often with hundreds of thousands of followers share what worked for them… and suddenly it becomes advice.
But let me remind you: someone’s personal experience is not the same thing as expertise. Ideally, they’d have a combination of the two.
The Rise of Perimenopause Marketing
And then there’s the marketing.
As soon as something becomes a “thing,” products follow.
Now we have:
- perimenopause supplements
- hormone-balancing powders
- perimenopause-specific skincare
And listen—some of these tools can be helpful.
But a lot of it is just basic health support…repackaged with a new label and a higher price tag.
You don’t need a $75 supplement just because it says “for perimenopause” on the front.
We’re also seeing a big rise in things like GLP-1 medications—like Semaglutide or Tirzepetide—being talked about in the perimenopause space.
I did an episode on this a couple weeks ago. I’ll link it in the show notes in case you missed it. And again, these can be helpful tools for the right person.
But they’re not addressing the full picture.
If your sleep is off, your stress is high, your nutrition isn’t dialed in…
taking something to suppress your appetite doesn’t fix those underlying patterns.
And quite frankly, you’re not going to reap the benefits. You’ll end up wasting money, spinning your wheels and back at square one.
What Actually Works (Even If It’s Not Trendy)
The truth is: what actually works isn’t flashy:
- Eating enough protein and stabilizing blood sugar
- Strength training to support muscle and metabolism
- Getting better sleep (even if that means improving your habits)
- Managing stress in a realistic way
- Supporting your body with the right nutrients
These things are not trendy; they’re not new.
But they make a massive difference in how you feel – now and as you age.
And that’s what we focus on with clients and have been for YEARS.
Why Women Feel So Stuck
The real problem isn’t that there’s too much information.
It’s that there’s too much conflicting information and it isn’t personalized to you.
So you’re left second-guessing everything:
- “Do I need HRT or not?”
- “Is this my hormones or my lifestyle?”
- “Am I doing too much or not enough?”
- Should I try a GLP-1?
And that’s where so many women get stuck.
The Real Solution: Clarity Over More Information
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, it makes sense.
As someone who is in this space and understands hormones and perimenopause, it’s quite frankly, frustrating to me.
And at the end of the day, you’re likely not lacking discipline or missing some magic supplement.
You’re trying to make decisions in a space that’s gotten very noisy.
What most women need isn’t more content…it’s clarity.
A clear plan. Based on your body, your symptoms, and what’s actually going on under the surface.
That’s what we help women do inside The Perimenopause Method – we look at your full picture, not just one piece of it, and create a plan that works in real life.
Final thoughts
If this episode resonated, check out my free training in the show notes to learn more AND share this episode with a friend who’s also trying to make sense of all of this chaos.
Alright, I’ll talk to you next week.
Claudia Petrilli is a Functional Health Coach, Integrative Nutrition Coach, Women’s Health Educator, and creator of The Perimenopause Method. Having experienced debilitating periods, digestive issues, a sluggish thyroid, a pituitary tumor, and perimenopause symptoms in her late 30s, she knows exactly what it’s like to get dismissed by doctors and spend years searching for answers.
