Energy, Longevity, and the Power of Proactive Hormone Health
- 20 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Dr. Lorna A. Brudie, DO, FACOG, FACOOG
Gynecologic Oncologist and Medical Director, Fem Excel and Excel Medical
As a double board-certified OB-GYN and gynecologic oncologist, I’ve spent nearly three decades caring for women at every stage of life, from routine gynecologic care to complex cancer treatment. Over time, my work expanded beyond the operating room to deep specialization in hormone health, menopause, PCOS, and long-term prevention. That dual perspective—oncology and hormone medicine—has shaped how I understand energy, longevity, and what sustains health.
The most meaningful changes I’ve witnessed in women’s vitality come from consistent, science-based care that respects how a woman’s hormones, metabolism, and brain function act as an integrated system, and how those systems evolve across decades.
One reality is clear: hormone health is not optional to longevity; it’s foundational.
The Habit That Most Transforms Energy
One habit that most consistently improves a woman’s energy is treating hormone health as a core vital sign not an afterthought.
Too often women are told fatigue, disrupted sleep, brain fog, or weight changes are part of aging. That explanation is incomplete and frequently inaccurate. When hormones are evaluated thoughtfully and supported appropriately, women often experience a meaningful shift in how they feel and function.
Proactive hormone care begins with a comprehensive assessment: listening carefully to symptoms; evaluating sleep, mood, cognition, libido, and metabolic changes; reviewing appropriate laboratory data; and understanding personal and family medical history, including cancer risk. At Fem Excel, this approach is rooted in individualized, consistent hormone optimization rather than one-size-fits-all dosing or sporadic interventions.
When hormone levels are optimized and supported, many women notice their baseline improves. They wake up rested. Afternoon energy crashes become less frequent. Mental clarity returns.
A common observation I hear is finally feeling like themselves again.
What Vitality Really Means
Vitality is often reduced to physical output or performance metrics. Clinically, it represents something more enduring. True vitality is the capacity to participate fully in life—physically, mentally, and emotionally—over the long term.
In practice, vitality looks like physical resilience: maintaining muscle mass, bone density, and cardiovascular health so women can work, travel, and live without being limited by fatigue or pain. When used appropriately and under proper medical supervision, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone therapy can support bone health, metabolic stability, cognitive function, and cardiovascular health in carefully selected patients.
Vitality also includes optimized hormone levels, and when combined with attention to sleep, nutrition, and stress, often results in fewer mood fluctuations, reduced brain fog, and greater emotional bandwidth.
A Myth That Still Needs Correcting
One persistent misconception I encounter is hormone replacement therapy is not worth the risk for most women.
This belief stems from headlines in the 2000s that frightened a generation of women away from treatment, based mainly on a significantly flawed study and oversimplified data interpretations. Since then, the evidence-based science has evolved considerably.
That shift was formally acknowledged on November 10th, 2025, when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the FDA removed most misleading boxed warnings related to hormone replacement therapy, citing the need for more accurate, individualized guidance for women.
As a gynecologic oncologist, I spend significant time counseling women whose risk factors, disease processes, or history of cancer require a more nuanced conversation about hormone therapy—not blanket exclusions. These decisions should always be individualized and evidence-driven.
Family history, cancer history, cardiovascular risk, timing since menopause, and overall health context all matter.
One shift I encourage women to embrace: ask for a real conversation about hormone therapy, grounded in facts, not fear.
With appropriate guidance, hormone therapy can be a powerful tool for energy, longevity, and a life fully lived, not merely endured.
Connect With Dr. Lorna
@drlornabrudie