Women’s Health, In One Place

Women’s health isn’t a niche; it’s representative of half the population and is a cornerstone to how we think about longevity at the LSF. Over the past months, our SLIC series unfolded 11 clear, practical pieces spanning brain aging, menopause, HRT, lifespan care, cancer, the “estrogen reset,” postmenopausal shifts, interventions, nutrition, muscle, and sleep [LINK]. To consolidate this wealth of resources for digestibility, we combined it all into a single, readable summary. Use it as a concise, evidence-led guide to the changes women face, why they each distinctly matter, what to do next, and to see how the LSF is closing research gaps to deliver practical, equitable care.

As always, if you’d like help with something specific, want an introduction to knowledgeable clinicians, or find value in these articles and wish to support the research that drives better outcomes for women, we’d love to hear from you.

As women get older, especially around midlife, the risk of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disease increases dramatically. A big contributor is menopause. When estrogen (mainly the hormone called estradiol) drops, the brain loses some of its usual “protective signals,” which can affect memory, energy use, and inflammation. After menopause, heart and metabolic risks rise too, which can further impact brain health. Mood issues also become more likely; some women experience their first major depression during this time. But there is no reason to panic: knowledge is the best way to protect your health.

How the LSF helps: We’ve identified research to find earlier warning signs (biomarkers) and develop prevention strategies, including hormone-responsive options, so women get tailored tools that actually work. If you want to drive proactive change, reach out to us to help fund this work.

HRT replaces the estrogen your body loses during menopause. If you still have your uterus, you’ll also need a form of progesterone to protect the uterine lining. HRT is the most effective treatment for hot flashes and night sweats, and it can also help with sleep, mood, and brain fog. When started near menopause, it protects bones and may support heart and brain health for some women.

HRT got a bad reputation in the early 2000s because older drug types and dosing were linked to higher risks of breast cancer, leading to an FDA “black box” warning. In 2025, an FDA advisory panel recommended removing that warning, noting today’s care is different: more women use skin patches instead of pills, doses are tailored, and treatments start earlier. Some experts still want large, modern trials to confirm long-term safety.

Bottom line: HRT can be life-changing for symptoms and menopause-related health conditions, such as sarcopenia and osteoporosis. Whether it’s right for you depends on your age and timing, the form (patch vs. pill), dose, whether you have a uterus, and your personal risk profile, so a decision must be made with a menopause-informed clinician.

How the LSF helps: We aim to fund new studies and build clear decision-making tools to empower both women and clinicians to make confident choices.

Longevity for women starts long before older age; each life stage sets up the next.

Adolescence (teens):

It’s the time to build strong bones, a healthy metabolism & immune system, and mental resilience. If periods are irregular or you’re always exhausted, see your primary care clinician early; they can run initial tests and coordinate referrals. Catching issues now can lower future risks of PCOS, autoimmune problems, and depression.

Reproductive years (20s–30s):

Now, it’s essential to protect (or preserve) fertility, keep cycles healthy, build strength, and support emotional well-being. Get 7–8 hours of sleep, manage stress, avoid smoking/vaping, keep alcohol moderate, and ask your clinician to check key labs like iron/ferritin, thyroid, and blood sugar.

Perimenopause & menopause (often 40s–50s):

This is a big turning point - hormone shifts affect metabolism, brain and mood, heart, and bones. Track where you are in the transition by logging period patterns and symptoms, and talk with a menopause-informed clinician about options, including HRT if appropriate.

Postmenopause (50s+):

You must focus on staying strong, mobile, clear-minded, and well-rested, and on staying socially connected. Aim for preventive care, and never hesitate to seek help.

How the LSF helps: We’re creating a “lifespan playbook” for women, better tests to spot risks sooner, practical interventions for each stage, and expert networks to turn science into everyday guidance.

After menopause, cardiovascular risk rises sharply as estrogen’s vascular protection fades. Symptoms often diverge from male “textbook” patterns, delaying care.

If you experience any of these symptoms, call emergency services immediately. For day-to-day prevention, know your numbers (blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar), talk with your clinician about how menopause affects heart risk, and prioritize the basics: nourishing diet, solid sleep, stress management, and not smoking.

How the LSF helps: By funding women-centered cardiovascular research and tools for earlier recognition and personalized prevention, we aim to reduce heart disease risk, catch problems sooner, and help more women stay heart-healthy for longer.

When people say “women’s cancers,” they often think only of breast or ovarian cancer. In reality, many major cancers affect women differently than men, especially in the way they show up and respond to treatment.

Take lung cancer, for example: it’s a leading cause of cancer death in women. Women are also more likely than men to get lung cancer, even if they’ve never smoked. Certain gene changes (like EGFR) are more common in women, which can affect which targeted treatments work best.

With colorectal cancer, women more often develop tumors on the right side of the colon. Those can be harder to spot with standard screening, so diagnoses may come later.

For melanoma (skin cancer), women under 30 have a higher risk than men, and spots often appear on the legs. That’s why regular skin self-checks and dermatologist visits matter.

Liver and alcohol-related cancers are another area to watch. Women can experience more liver damage at lower levels of drinking than men, which can raise cancer risk, so cutting back helps.

How the LSF helps: We’ve identified research to fund that bakes sex differences into risk, biology, and treatment guidance.

Menopause is a real pivot. As estrogen, especially estradiol, drops to a lower, steady level, the body loses some of the “maintenance signals” that keep the brain, blood vessels, bones, muscles, skin, immune system, and pelvic tissues in good shape. Estrogen normally helps cells make energy, calms inflammation, relaxes blood vessels, and protects bones and brain connections. When levels fall, those supports weaken a bit, so certain risks rise: bones thin faster, arteries stiffen, metabolism gets less flexible, sleep and mood can wobble, and vaginal/urinary tissues may become drier and more fragile. Another estrogen (estrone) remains after menopause, but it’s weaker and less consistent.

What you can do now: track symptoms; know blood pressure/lipids/glucose; plan DEXA scan; resistance training + cardio; protein, calcium/vitamin D; moderate alcohol; consider local therapies and, when appropriate, MHT; set follow-ups.

How the LSF helps: By backing biomarkers, smarter hormonal/non-hormonal therapies, and precision lifestyle tools, we help women detect risks earlier, treat symptoms more precisely, and extend healthy years.

When estradiol drops in menopause, risks shift in many parts of the body. Building on the section above, we’ve outlined what changes and the simple steps you can take to prevent problems or ease the symptoms you’re already feeling.

How the LSF helps: With funding support, we will catalyze and bring into the real world stage-specific tests and treatments so this life stage becomes a managed reset, with clearer options tailored to women.

Think of “prevention” after menopause as reducing future risks, not stopping menopause itself. Three habits make everything else work better:

Not right now. There’s no approved way to push natural menopause later. Experimental ideas (like ovarian tissue procedures or rapamycin) aren’t ready for routine use, though advancing safe, effective delay strategies is a goal of ours.

How the LSF helps: We will fund rigorous trials and build practical, personalized tools so every woman, at any life stage, can get care that’s clear, effective, and fair.

“Balanced nutrition” shifts by life stage. Here’s a simpler, skimmable version of the nutrition needs across a woman’s life (details are in the full article) [LINK].

Supplements: Food first; use labs, supplements, and clinician guidance to add only what you need.

How the LSF helps: With female-focused nutrition and menopause research, we can develop practical tools and protocols by life stage.

Because estrogen declines with ovarian aging (most noticeably during perimenopause and after menopause), women face faster bone loss, metabolic shifts, and sleep/mood changes. Muscle is the best buffer, and you can build it at any age.

If you’re peri/postmenopausal: slightly shorter, more frequent sessions can feel more manageable; include bone-loading moves (squats, step-ups, carries) and progressions that are gentle on the pelvic floor.

How the LSF helps: We look into female-first exercise research so programs fit real women, by life stage, hormones, and goals.

Women are more likely to struggle with insomnia and restless legs. Moreover, after menopause, sleep apnea becomes more common. Many women also run a little “earlier” biologically and are more sensitive to heat at night. Some say women need a whole extra hour of sleep, but the evidence shows it’s only about 10-20 minutes, a tiny difference. What really matters is consistency.

How the LSF helps: We plan to build the evidence base for women-specific sleep care by funding well-designed studies so care can become more personalized, practical, and effective.

Women’s health is dynamic: biology, hormones, and life stages shift risks and responses over time. The practical takeaway is simple: notice what’s changing, act early, and build habits that compound (eat protein and plenty of plants, do both resistance and cardio, keep a regular sleep schedule, treat symptoms smartly, and follow stage-specific screening). Use the science where it’s strong; where it’s not, help us make it stronger.

At the LSF, we have identified women-centered research, including better biomarkers, smarter hormonal and non-hormonal options, and precision lifestyle tools, to turn results into clear, usable guidance. If this synthesis helps, share it, and consider supporting the next projects that will extend women’s healthspan, fairly, practically, and soon.