Felice Gersh MD

03/08/2026

Happy International Women’s Day!

Supporting women’s health is about more than treating illness—it’s about empowering women with knowledge, respect, and access to the care they deserve throughout every stage of life.

I’m grateful to spend my career advocating for women and learning from the incredible women I meet every day.

Here’s to continuing the work of advancing women’s health and well-being around the world. 💜

03/05/2026

Let’s talk about hormones and dosing. One of the most frequent questions I get asked is, “How much estradiol and progesterone should I take?”

I wish there were a simple one-size-fits-most answer. Unfortunately, dosing varies from woman to woman, and may even change as women age. There is no best dose, but there are target blood levels that are associated with best health outcomes, and there are dosing ranges that are most likely to achieve those levels in most women.

So let’s dig in and I’ll offer as much clarity and guidance as I can.

⏰ Live Thursday, tune in for my talk.

Thurs, 3/5 at 8:00 PM Pacific
Watch live on Instagram.
Or check YouTube for the recording in a few days.

I’ll be checking Instagram for questions. Please share your thoughts and questions below, and I’ll do my best to address them during tonight’s conversation or in a future talk.

02/25/2026

Have you ever had random spotting after menopause? Here’s what may be going on and when you should see a health care professional who is knowledgeable about women’s health, hormones, and menopause.

Thank you to editors, Cailey Griffin () () and Lisa Maxbauer (), and Woman’s World () for providing an opportunity to educate women about important women’s health questions.

02/23/2026

It was such a pleasure and honor to speak about menopause at this year’s (Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses) Conference. I cannot speak highly enough about the caring and dedication that this incredible group of people have for the health of women and newborns. It was inspiring to spend the day with such these professionals who really are on the frontlines of women’s and newborn’s healthcare every day.

02/19/2026

Tonight I’m going to talk about something I’ve wrestled with for a long time: my complicated relationship with “longevity medicine.” I believe deeply in helping people live longer and healthier lives, but I’ve also been uneasy about where parts of the longevity space have gone—toward hype, exclusivity, and ideas that don’t align with evidence-based, ethical medicine.

I worried for a long time about talking publicly about this, because I don’t want to be misunderstood. But I think it’s important to be honest about where I stand as a physician.

In this talk, I’ll share what I believe is real and valuable in longevity and prevention, what concerns me, and how I think about healthspan, risk, and responsibility in medicine. I’d love to hear your questions ahead of time, especially if you’ve felt curious, confused, or conflicted about longevity medicine yourself.

⏰ Live Thursday, tune in for my talk.

Thurs, 2/19 at 7:30 PM Pacific
Watch live on Instagram.
Or check YouTube for the recording in a few days.

I’ll be checking Instagram for questions. Please share your thoughts and questions below, and I’ll do my best to address them during tonight’s conversation or in a future talk.

02/14/2026

My latest talk!
Why I recommend Physiologic Cyclic HRT, not low-dose static hormones in menopause
https://youtu.be/g1D7YxzD2Qs

In this talk, I address one of the most common questions I receive: why I recommend cyclic, physiologic hormone therapy instead of low-dose, static regimens for women in menopause.I explain that I did not invent cyclic hormone therapy—it has been used safely since the 1970s and remains standard of care for women with premature ovarian insufficiency.

I walk through how hormone therapy was originally prescribed, why medicine shifted after the Women’s Health Initiative, and how fear, not biology, led to the mantra of “lowest dose, shortest time.”

We explore why estradiol and progesterone are vital life hormones, why dose and rhythm matter for receptors, growth factors, mitochondria, brain, bone, and cardiovascular health, and why there is no biologic reason to stop hormone replacement at an arbitrary age like 50. I also explain why bleeding on cyclic therapy can be normal and healthy, and why simplifying female physiology comes at a cost.

This video is for women and clinicians who want to understand what true hormone replacement means and why aligning treatment with female physiology matters for lifelong health.

In this talk, I address one of the most common questions I receive: why I recommend cyclic, physiologic hormone therapy instead of low-dose, static regimens ...

02/13/2026

I’m thrilled to be part of Fellowship in Longevity Medicine Module I: Endocrine and Cardiometabolic Health Mastery - focused on the intricate connections between hormonal health, metabolic function, and cardiovascular wellness.

Join me in West Palm Beach, FL at the Hilton West Palm Beach | April 10-12, 2026 to master cortisol regulation, thyroid function, blood sugar management, and evidence-based interventions for lasting patient wellness. ✨ Transform patient outcomes through hormonal and metabolic balance optimization.

🔗 Register now: https://www.a4m.com/module-i-2026.html
LINK IN BIO

02/12/2026

If you haven’t noticed, I don’t prescribe hormones the way most doctors do, and you probably have questions. I get a lot of questions about what cyclic hormones are, why I prescribe this way, and lots of questions about the nuts and bolts of how this works. And most importantly:

Are cyclic hormones right for you?

Send me your questions and if I don’t get to them tonight, I’ll try to do another round of top questions. I can’t give out patient-specific advice over the internet, but lots of people share questions and I want to give out as much info as I can.

A few questions I’ll try to get to:
* Did I invent the cyclic hormone protocol?
* Why do I prefer cyclic over standard, static hormone dosing?
* Are cyclic hormones safe?
* Will you still need vaginal estrogen?

⏰ Live Thursday, tune in for my talk.

Thurs, 2/12 at 7:30 PM Pacific
Watch live on Instagram.
Or check YouTube for the recording in a few days.

I’ll be checking Instagram for questions so if you have any additional questions that you’d like me to address, please add them to the comments of this post.

Let me know what questions you have! And tune in for this upcoming talk!

02/10/2026

My latest talk!
How progesterone protects the uterus:
Endometrial cancer risks and symptoms.
Plus what it means for hormone therapy in menopause.
https://youtu.be/-JvwE8fl16Q

In this talk, I explain how the uterine lining—the endometrium—normally grows and sheds, and what goes wrong when estrogen and progesterone are out of balance. I walk through the menstrual cycle, showing how estradiol acts as the growth signal and progesterone serves as the critical regulator that stops overgrowth and allows healthy shedding.

I clarify why endometrial cancer is rare in young women with regular cycles, why it occurs most often in postmenopausal women who are not on hormones, and how unopposed estrogen plus inflammation drives abnormal growth. I also explain endometrial hyperplasia—both simple and atypical—how it develops, how often it progresses, and why abnormal bleeding should always be evaluated but not automatically feared.

Finally, I discuss how physiologic, cyclic estradiol and progesterone therapy can lower inflammation, restore normal endometrial behavior, and reduce risk when properly monitored. Understanding how the uterus responds to hormones is essential for safe, effective hormone therapy at every stage of life.

In this talk, I explain how the uterine lining—the endometrium—normally grows and sheds, and what goes wrong when estrogen and progesterone are out of balanc...

02/09/2026

Alternatives to oral progesterone: protect the uterus without increasing appetite

If you take progesterone orally, a huge amount gets converted in the liver into allopregnanolone. Way more than your body would naturally make. And that can dysregulate appetite, drive carb cravings, and push overeating. And honestly, none of us want that.

So what do I recommend instead? Vaginal progesterone. We have a ton of data on this. It’s used every day in fertility clinics, IVF patients, all the time. It’s well studied and well absorbed.

It can also be used rectally, especially overnight. Same pill. Different route.

I really encourage you to talk with your practitioner about options, cyclic use, and choosing the route that works with your biology—guided by the science.

Learn more, watch my full talk,
Progesterone, Appetite, & Weight:
What women in menopause need to know about HRT
https://youtu.be/d7kDuTQrDO0

02/09/2026

How oral progesterone can increase appetite

Progesterone for menopausal hormone therapy is most often prescribed as an oral pill. And that matters. Because once you swallow it, it takes a first pass through the liver, where up to 80–90% is converted into other metabolites before it ever reaches the rest of the body.

One of the main metabolites is allopregnanolone. It’s not progesterone, but it’s made from it. And it has very real effects, especially in the brain.

Allopregnanolone has been studied as a driver of hyperphagia. Meaning increased appetite, stronger hunger signals, and a pull toward high-fat, high-sugar foods.

Learn more, watch my full talk,
Progesterone, Appetite, & Weight:
What women in menopause need to know about HRT
https://youtu.be/d7kDuTQrDO0