This post covers quick hits march. No Fluff. Just the important stuff. The numbers, studies, and moments you need to know — fast.
💊 The Black Box Is Gone. Finally.
The FDA officially removed the decades-old black box warnings from HRT labeling — the ones linking estrogen to breast cancer, heart disease, and dementia based on flawed WHI data. Gone.
The result? Estrogen prescriptions surged 72–86% in a matter of weeks. And now patches are backordered nationwide.
The number: 29 drug manufacturers are relabeling their HRT products right now.
My take: I’ve been prescribing hormone therapy for over 10 years, through the fear years, watching women be undertreated because of warnings we knew were wrong. This is a long time coming. If you can’t get your patch, ask about gel, spray, ring, or talk to a compounding pharmacy. Do not go without.
💪 Testosterone Is Having a Moment
Halle Berry credited testosterone with restoring her sex drive. ISSWSH 2026 (the world’s top sexual health conference) just wrapped with testosterone front and center. A biotech company just received FDA guidance to develop the first female-specific testosterone formulation.
The number: Prescriptions are up 10x at Midi Health in the last 12 months.
My take: Women are hearing about testosterone everywhere and asking their doctors, most of whom still don’t know how to prescribe it. Low-dose testosterone in women is one of the most underutilized tools in practice. Libido, yes. But also muscle, energy, cognition, and mood. See my previous articles on testosterone therapy in women.
🏋️ The GLP-1 Numbers Nobody Wants to Talk About
Harvard published data showing that up to 40% of weight lost on GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic is lean muscle mass – not fat. Worst outcomes are in women 40 and over.
At the same time, AAOS 2026 dropped a study of 73,483 patients showing 29% higher osteoporosis risk and a 2.5x risk of osteomalacia after 5 years on GLP-1 agonists.
One more: a Lancet/Mayo Clinic analysis found women on HRT + tirzepatide lost 35% more weight than tirzepatide alone.
My take: GLP-1s can be a legitimate longevity tool, but not alone. If you’re on Ozempic or Mounjaro, you need resistance training, axial loading exercises (think: jumping), adequate protein, hormone optimization, and regular bone density monitoring (DEXA Scan, bone resorption blood markers). This isn’t optional. This is the protocol.
🧠 1 in 6. Read That Again.
A new study from Liverpool John Moores University found that 1 in 6 perimenopausal women experiences suicidal ideation — and standard depression questionnaires (like the PHQ-9) miss the majority of them.
The number that matters: HRT has been shown to reduce suicidal ideation by 90% in this population.
My take: This is not a mental health crisis. It’s an undertreated hormone crisis. If you’ve had thoughts that scared you during perimenopause, please know — you are not broken. You are undertreated. This is exactly what drives me to educate providers. Only 31% of OB/GYN programs offer any menopause curriculum. That has to change.
🔬 One More From the Lab
A Phase 2b RCT published in Cell Stem Cell showed a single IV dose of allogeneic MSCs (lab-grown stem cells) improved walking distance by 63 meters and reversed frailty markers by ~30% – effects that held at 9 months. Highest quality allogeneic stem cell trial in humans to date.
My take: This is the science behind the Full Body Stem Cell Makeover that Dr. Adelson and I have been doing for years (Utah). We also use regenerative therapies at Humanaut Health (Texas and Florida) and Biorestoration Medical (Utah). It’s validating to see Phase 2 RCT data catching up.
That’s your Quick Hits for the week. A lot happened. The momentum is real. Stay curious.
— Dr. Amy Killen
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If there’s a topic above that you’d like me to do a deep dive on for a future post, let me know in the comments! 🙂
If you’re a medical provider ready to actually learn hormone optimization, check out my HOT Provider Course.
Sources
1. FDA HRT labeling change. HHS/FDA, March 2026.
2. ISSWSH 2026 Annual Meeting. International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health, March 2026.
3. Aviva Biosciences FDA guidance for female testosterone formulation, March 2026.
4. Midi Health testosterone prescribing data, 2025–2026.
5. GLP-1 lean mass loss data. Harvard, reported in Nature Biotechnology, March 2026.
6. GLP-1 and bone outcomes (n=73,483). AAOS 2026 Annual Meeting.
7. HRT + tirzepatide weight loss synergy. Lancet/Mayo Clinic, 2026.
8. Perimenopausal suicidal ideation (1 in 6). Liverpool John Moores University, covered by Euronews, March 15, 2026.
9. Laromestrocel MSC Phase 2b RCT. Cell Stem Cell, 2026.
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