"Hormones Cause Cancer"

Today, I want to talk about one of the biggest medical mistakes in modern history—one that has affected millions of women, leaving them suffering in silence, all because of bad science and worse reporting.

Ever heard that hormone therapy causes cancer, strokes, and heart disease?

Yeah, me too.

And guess what? It’s completely false.

Today’s video release on YouTube is all about how this flawed narrative came to permeate pop culture.

Let’s rewind to 1991, when the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study was launched.

It was a massive, government-funded trial designed to examine how hormone replacement therapy (HRT) affected postmenopausal women.

Sounds noble, right?

Except it was flawed from the start.

The WHI Study Tested the Wrong Stuff

Instead of using bioidentical hormones, they used:

❌ Horse urine estrogen (yes, really—conjugated equine estrogens)

❌ Synthetic progestin (a lab-made version that does NOT act like real progesterone)

❌ Oral administration (which we now know increases clot risk)

And what did they find?

This one-size-fits-all, outdated protocol led to increased risks of breast cancer, stroke, and blood clots.

The media went into full panic mode, and within a few years, HRT prescriptions for women dropped by 80%.

Doctors were scared to prescribe it. Women were afraid to take it. And the suffering began.

The Aftermath: Decades of Needless Suffering

Since 2002, millions of women entered menopause with no estrogen, no testosterone, no progesterone, and no hope. Instead of relief, they got:

⚠️ Osteoporosis (hello, broken hips!)

⚠️ Cognitive decline (yep, estrogen is neuroprotective)

⚠️ Heart disease (because estrogen helps keep arteries flexible)

⚠️ Muscle loss & fat gain (ever wonder why weight loss feels impossible post-menopause?)

All from a flawed study based on the wrong hormones, given the wrong way.

Here’s What the WHI Study Didn’t Tell You

✔️ Estrogen alone does NOT increase breast cancer risk (in fact, women on estrogen-only therapy had LOWER breast cancer rates than the placebo group).

✔️ Testosterone is just as important for women as it is for men (yet, the WHI didn’t even include it in their study).

✔️ Bioidentical HRT—administered properly—reduces heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and fractures (but that doesn’t make for scary headlines).

And get this… the study was stopped early—which means we never got the full picture of long-term benefits.

The Media Made It Worse (SHOCKER!)

You’ve heard the phrase “If it bleeds, it leads”, right?

Well, nothing grabs attention like a “26% increase in breast cancer risk!”

Except… that number was relative risk (a misleading statistic).

The absolute risk increase was only 0.08% per year—meaning it was practically irrelevant. But did the media clarify that? Of course not.

Instead, they scared millions of women into avoiding life-saving hormones, and we’re still dealing with the fallout 30 years later.

So What’s the Truth About HRT?

Here’s what the real science says:

✅ Starting HRT within 10 years of menopause is not only safe, but it’s protective. It lowers the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and even all-cause mortality.

✅ Bioidentical hormones (estradiol, progesterone, testosterone) work better and are safer than the synthetic versions used in the WHI study.

✅ Transdermal or injectable estrogen is safer than oral estrogen. It avoids liver metabolism and reduces clot risk.

✅ Testosterone isn’t just for men! It boosts mood, libido, muscle mass, and brain health in women—yet most doctors won’t even mention it.

✅ HRT doesn’t just improve lifespan—it improves healthspan. Meaning you’re not just living longer, you’re living better.

The Real Question Is: Why Wouldn’t You Replace Your Hormones?

Think about it. If you had low vitamin D, would you just tough it out?

No! You’d take a vitamin D supplement (and make sure to add vitamin K2 with it 🙂).

So why is menopause different?

Why do we act like losing all your hormones is just part of aging when we now have the ability to fix it?

Because somewhere along the way, we let bad science and media fear-mongering dictate women’s health.

What Now?

If you or someone you love has been told HRT is dangerous, they were lied to. And I don’t say that lightly.

It’s time to:

➡️ Find a doctor who understands bioidentical hormones. (Not the one who just hands out antidepressants and sleeping pills.)

➡️ Learn the truth about HRT. (Not the fear-based nonsense from 2002.)

➡️ Share this with anyone who needs to hear it. Because women shouldn’t have to suffer just because doctors are stuck in outdated thinking.

Hormones Are Life. Period.

Without them, you lose muscle, brainpower, heart health, energy, libido, and joy. 

But with them? You feel like yourself again.

And isn’t that what health optimization is all about?

Best,

Hunter Williams

P.S.

Taylor and I will be live at 10 AM EST tomorrow morning for our coffee talk. Come join us as we answer your most pressing questions!