Dr. Christine Maren

03/09/2026

A woman in her late 40s came to see me after several years of feeling dismissed, confused, and increasingly frustrated with her care.

She was experiencing symptoms like:
-Mood changes
-Low libido
-Fatigue
-Weight gain
-Hair loss
-Inflammation

She suspected perimenopause and requested hormone therapy, but was told by her doctor that this was not an option for her since she was still cycling…

Instead she was prescribed birth control pills and an antidepressant. They didn’t help. 😫

Sound familiar? I’m sure it does, because I hear a version of this every week.

I’m sharing her story and the common myths (aka misinformation) of perimenopause in my newsletter this week. And it’s a juicy one! 💦

💬 Subscribe here before 3/12 if you want to read it:

Here's What's Waiting for You Inside...

03/06/2026

“What you resist, persists.” This principle suggests that fighting unwanted thoughts, emotions, or life situations often strengthens them, causing them to linger longer or become more intense.

I see this often with the women I work with. Sometimes we feel emotions like anxiety and try to shove them away because we have $h!t to do. No time for that… we are highly capable, disciplined, and functioning at a high level.

Meanwhile, our nervous system has been carrying unprocessed stress for years, and eventually it catches up with the body.

When experiences aren’t fully felt, processed, or integrated, the body adapts. Suppression becomes a strategy. Staying busy becomes a strategy. The illusion of control. Dissociation. These are adaptive responses from a nervous system trying to keep you safe.

Over time, though, chronic activation of the stress response begins to affect immune function, hormone balance, digestion, and inflammation. The body keeps score.

Healing is not about forcing catharsis or “letting it all out.” It begins with awareness. With recognizing patterns. With self-compassion. With creating enough safety for integration to happen gradually and sustainably.

This is part of a true root-cause approach. Not just labs, supplements, and hormones (although those are important too).

If your body has been asking for less pressure and more partnership, that is worth listening to.

Share this with someone who needs to hear it today 💜

03/05/2026

When evaluating thyroid function in midlife, context matters.

Many women are told their thyroid is “normal” based on TSH alone. TSH is an important screening tool, but it does not provide a complete picture of thyroid physiology, particularly when autoimmune disease is involved.

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in women. It can be present for years before TSH even becomes abnormal.

A more comprehensive evaluation includes:
⭐️ TSH
⭐️ Free T4
⭐️ Free T3
⭐️ Reverse T3 when clinically indicated
⭐️ TPO and TG antibodies to evaluate for autoimmune disease

Thyroid autoimmunity does not exist in isolation. It intersects with gut health, inflammation, micronutrient status, and hormonal transitions such as perimenopause.

This is why midlife fatigue, brain fog, or weight changes deserve thoughtful evaluation, not assumptions.

👑 Save this for reference. And if you’d like a deeper explanation of how I approach thyroid testing in perimenopause, we’re not accepting new patients in CO, TX, MI, and IL.

💜 Click here to apply: https://drchristinemaren.com/become-a-patient/

03/04/2026

Stop blaming perimenopause for everything.
(There, I said it.)

Perimenopause is a transition. It is not a diagnosis that explains every symptom in midlife.

Yes, shifting hormones can absolutely affect energy, mood, metabolism, cognition, and more. That part is real.

But not all midlife symptoms are because of s*x hormones.

One of the more common issues I see is hypothyroidism, often caused by and autoimmune thyroid disease called Hashimoto’s, which is the most common autoimmune disease affecting midlife women.

And the overlap in symptoms is almost complete:

🧠 Brain fog
😴 Fatigue
⚖️ Weight gain
😵‍💫 Anxiety or low mood
🩸 Irregular periods
💇‍♀️ Hair thinning

Which means thyroid dysfunction is frequently mislabeled as perimenopause.

Standard screening typically includes:
• TSH
• Sometimes a Free T4

What it often does not include:
❌ Free T3
❌ Reverse T3
❌ Thyroid antibodies (TPO and TG)

And this part is important: autoimmune thyroid disease can be present for years before TSH is outside of the normal range. Which means we are missing the diagnosis of Hashimoto’s… a lot.

I am a strong advocate for hormone therapy when appropriate. But if the thyroid is underperforming, HRT alone will not move the needle. Midlife health deserves a comprehensive evaluation.

💜 Click here for my comprehensive lab guide for hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s:
https://drchristinemaren.com/thyroid-lab-guide/

03/03/2026

When sleep is off in midlife, everything feels harder. AMIRIGHT?

Most of the women I know who struggle with sleep are already doing what they can:
• Morning sunlight within 30 minutes of waking
• Consistent sleep and wake times
• Dimming lights at night and limiting screens before bedtime
• Limiting alcohol
• Regular exercise

These habits matter!

But if you have done all of this and you are still waking at 2 or 3 a.m., there are a few deal breakers to consider.

1️⃣ Hormones

Oral progesterone is a game changer for many women. It supports GABA and has a calming effect on the brain. Estradiol also influences temperature regulation, serotonin, and melatonin. When hormones fluctuate or decline in perimenopause, sleep is often the first place it shows up.

2️⃣ Stress

That 3 a.m. wake-up is often a cortisol spike. Blood sugar swings, chronic overfunctioning, unprocessed trauma, and a constantly activated nervous system all show up as stress. Supporting your stress response and unloading the bucket becomes essential in midlife.

3️⃣ Supplementation

Used strategically, tools like low-dose melatonin, glycine, magnesium, and ashwagandha can help break the cycle while we address root causes.

Here are 4 of the exact supplements I recommend to help with sleep:

1. Quicksilver Scientific Liposomal Melatonin
2. Designs For Health Glycine Powder
3. Xymogen OptiMag Neuro (with magnesium L-threonate)
4. Ayush Herbs Ashwagandha

You can access these through my online dispensary where you’ll have access to the pharmaceutical-grade supplements I use at home and recommend to my patients. Plus, you’ll get 20% off your first order!

https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/cmaren/store-start

*as always, this information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Always talk to your doctor before starting new supplements, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications.

03/02/2026

Protein gets a lot of attention in midlife, and for good reason.

But what I see clinically is that many women increase protein while continuing to under-eat fiber.

That combination matters more than most people realize.

I start my day with 30+ grams of protein and 10+ grams of fiber. It’s a reliable way to support steady energy, fewer cravings, better digestion, and a more resilient metabolism.

💜 Click here if you want the breakfast I eat on repeat (plus 3 other options) to hit 30g protein + 10g fiber >
https://drchristinemaren.com/power-breakfasts/

02/28/2026

Perimenopause is not a single lab value. It really is a clinical diagnosis, which means we rely on your symptoms and cycle tracking more than anything.

That said, I think it’s a disservice to hold back on lab testing for women in this transition, especially those who are symptomatic. There are a lot of symptoms women attribute to perimenopause, and not all of them are simply “hormones.”

Perimenopause is a hormonal shift. But it can also be a time when women experience low thyroid function, nutrient deficiencies, inflammation, autoimmune disease, insulin resistance, and more.

That’s why, in my practice, we do comprehensive lab testing.

Labs are tools. They help us look for patterns. They help us rule out other causes. They help us understand what may be unmasked as ovarian function changes.

If you’ve been told your labs are “normal” but you don’t feel normal, that doesn’t mean nothing is happening. It means we need a more comprehensive and nuanced lens.

👑 We are now accepting/ enrolling new patients in CO, TX, MI, and IL.

Click here to apply: https://drchristinemaren.com/become-a-patient/

02/28/2026

Thank you to for the feature in the February 2026 issue for the article “Get More Energy.”

It covers what I see every day in practice. Fatigue in midlife is rarely just one thing. It might be related to thyroid function, sleep quality, nutritional deficiencies, heart health, chronic stress, mood, and especially changing hormones for women in perimenopause and menopause.

The other big kicker I see is that women often under-eat or go low-carb, and that can backfire and slow metabolism when our body simply needs more fuel.

Fatigue isn’t something to push through.

Grateful to the team at Prevention for highlighting the nuance behind women’s energy and giving space to this conversation.

02/27/2026

Chicago! You’ve been good to me! 💜

This week I had the honor of joining the panel discussion hosted by following

I was surrounded by some stellar women (and new friends), including the film’s producer





Day 2 was in Winnetka with an incredible group of women at . Smaller room, deeper conversation, lots of questions.

There is a part of me that lights up when I get to share my personal and professional experience with other women.

Education creates agency.
Agency creates confidence.
Confidence changes the trajectory of a woman’s next decade.
Better health allows us to live the life we want.
And that is the whole point.

(And yes — we are officially accepting Illinois patients now.)

02/26/2026

Hot flashes and heart palpitations in perimenopause are called vasomotor symptoms.

They are driven by declining estrogen and changes in how the autonomic nervous system regulates temperature, vascular tone, and heart rhythm.

💥 And here is the important point: they are not benign or just annoying.

They are signs of physiologic change and potential health risks that need to be taken seriously.

During a hot flash, studies show measurable changes in blood flow to the heart and brain. This is a whole body vascular event, not just a fleeting sensation.

Research also suggests that women with persistent vasomotor symptoms may have a higher future risk of heart attack and stroke.

That does not mean a hot flash causes a heart attack. It does mean these symptoms can function as an early signal and deserve attention.

Perimenopause is a cardiovascular transition as much as it is a hormonal one. Heart disease remains the number one killer of women.

👑 If you are ready for individualized, hormone informed care, we are currently enrolling patients in CO, TX, MI, and IL.

Comment here to apply: https://drchristinemaren.com/become-a-patient/

💜 Pass this along to a woman in your life who is suffering through hot flashes or palpitations… because you love her!

02/25/2026

HRT is not just about hot flashes. That framing misses the point.

Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone influence nearly every system in the body, including:
✅Bone density
✅Heart health
✅Metabolism and blood sugar
✅Sleep
✅Cognition
✅Mood
✅Sexual health
✅Connective tissue and joint health
✅and my personal favorite… GUT HEALTH

When these hormones decline during perimenopause and menopause, the impact isn’t limited to symptoms. It affects long-term health, resilience, and how women age over time.

This is why, in my clinical practice, I don’t think of HRT as a last resort. I think of it as a first-line therapy. When appropriately prescribed and thoughtfully monitored, it can support quality of life while also protecting long-term health.

HRT is not one-size-fits-all. Timing, type, dose, and formulation all matter. These decisions should always be individualized. We base this decision on both symptoms AND labs. And we have a whole menu of options to choose from!

If you were told hormones only matter for hot flashes, or that the birth control pill is your only option for treating perimenopause, you were given an incomplete picture.

Has HRT improved your quality of life? Share in the comments👇🏼 and tell another woman she doesn’t have to “stick it out” or suffer in silence.

02/24/2026

Hashimoto’s is one of the most common autoimmune diseases, and it is up to 10× more common in women than men. It is also the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States.

Despite that, it is still widely under-tested and under-diagnosed.

Thyroid dysfunction doesn’t happens overnight. Thyroid antibodies often appear years before lab changes like a rising TSH fall outside the conventional range.

In the meantime, women are living with symptoms that are easy to dismiss:
• Fatigue
• Brain fog
• Anxiety
• Hair loss
• Weight gain
• Sleep disruption

Many of these overlap with perimenopause and midlife stress, which is part of why Hashimoto’s is so often missed during this transition.

You can have a normal TSH and still have active Hashimoto’s.

And once you have one autoimmune condition, your lifetime risk of developing another increases, especially when root contributors like gut health, inflammation, stress physiology, environmental exposures, and nutrient deficiencies are not addressed.

This isn’t about fear. It’s about context.

When we understand what’s actually happening in the body, we move from confusion to solutions.

If this surprised you, share it. More awareness leads to better care 💜

👑 We are now enrolling new patients in CO, TX, MI, and IL.

Click here to apply: https://drchristinemaren.com/become-a-patient/