Endocrine Matters

Dr. Arti Thangudu
  • 5.0 (32)
  • Medicine
  • Updated Biweekly

Endocrine matters empowers women physicians to challenge conventional norms and enhance patient relationships. Through deep discussions, we aim to elevate the specialty and inspire future generations of women physicians, driving meaningful change in hormonal health.

  1. 3d ago

    You Just Go Diagnosed With Hyperthyroidism Of Graves: Now What?

    Just Diagnosed With Hyperthyroidism or Graves Disease? Here's Exactly What Happens Next | Endocrine Matters Ep. 2.48 Put the phone down. Googling "hyperthyroidism" at 1am is not a treatment plan. You just left the office with a diagnosis you can barely pronounce and a lab printout that reads like a foreign language. This episode is the calm, practical, here's-exactly-what-happens-next guide. Dr. Arti Thangudu, triple board-certified endocrinologist and founder of Complete Medicine, explains what your thyroid actually does, what the blood work means in order, how Graves disease is treated, the red flags that matter, and the four-item to-do list that turns a scary diagnosis into a plan. No internet spiral required. 🔍 This episode explores: • 🧩 What your thyroid does: a small butterfly-shaped gland that sets your body's engine speed, and what happens when it revs too fast (racing heart, insomnia, running hot, unintended weight loss, shakiness and anxiety with no clear cause) • 🧩 Graves disease, the most common cause of hyperthyroidism: your immune system telling your thyroid to overproduce — mistaken identity with real consequences, and very treatable • 🧩 The blood work in order: low TSH → free T4 and total T3 → TRAB and TSI antibodies to confirm Graves → a thyroid uptake scan when antibodies aren't elevated, to distinguish Graves from thyroiditis or a toxic nodule • 🧩 Treatment paths: antithyroid medication adjusted by regular labs, beta blockers for faster symptom relief, and when radioactive iodine or surgery enters the conversation (age, pregnancy plans, thyroid size, smoking status, and eye disease all matter) • 🧩 The eye disease warning: dryness, bulging, or double vision can need their own treatment plan, and usually rule out radioactive iodine • 🧩 The 4-item to-do list: labs scheduled before you leave, the thyroid-storm red flags that mean the ER, the "why this treatment and not another" question, and giving your body weeks, not days 👩 This episode is for you if: ● You or someone you love just got a hyperthyroidism or Graves diagnosis ● Your labs showed a low TSH and nobody explained what that means ● You spent months assuming you were "just stressed" while your body ran hot ● You are staring at a long endocrinology waitlist and don't know how hard to push ● You want to walk into your first specialist visit already understanding the map ⚖️ The bottom line Untreated hyperthyroidism is genuinely dangerous. Treated correctly and promptly, it does not have to be. About a third of Graves patients reach remission on medication alone, and this is one of the best understood, best treated conditions in all of endocrinology. You are not walking into the unknown. Your endocrinology care team has a map, and after this episode, so do you. 🎙 About the Host Dr. Arti Thangudu is a triple board-certified physician in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, and Obesity Medicine, and the founder of Complete Medicine, a direct-care practice built around time, transparency, and evidence. Endocrinologists are the only physicians with dedicated training in thyroid disease, and she would like you to check the board certification (certificationmatters.org) before you check the reviews. 📚 Resources Mentioned ● Board certification lookup: https://www.certificationmatters.org (plus your state medical board for licensing) ● The 4-item post-diagnosis to-do list (discussed in episode) ● Complete Medicine: https://www.sacomplete.com ● This episode is sponsored by Complete Medicine and Hey Healthy 🔗 Learn More / Connect 🩺 Complete Medicine → https://www.sacomplete.com | Direct care with a doctor who actually has time for you 📩 Newsletter + Blog → https://www.sacomplete.com/complete-medicine-blog | Weekly, plain-language hormone breakdowns 🎙 Podcast → Endocrine Matters, new episodes on all major platforms 📲 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drartithangudu | Daily myth-busting and real talk ▶️ YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@drartithangudu | Full episodes and shorts Subscribe, leave a review, and send this episode to the person spiraling at 1am with their phone. 🎙 About Endocrine Matters Endocrine Matters is a weekly podcast where endocrinologist Dr. Arti Thangudu breaks down hormones, metabolism, and the healthcare system in plain language. No hype. No misinformation. No "heal your hormones naturally" shortcuts.

  2. Sep 30

    Starting a GLP-1: What to Actually Expect (A Practical First-8-Weeks Guide) | Endocrine Matters Ep. 2.47

    Starting a GLP-1: What to Actually Expect (A Practical First-8-Weeks Guide) | Endocrine Matters Ep. 2.47 It is 11pm and you are reading GLP-1 horror stories from a stranger on the internet. Close the tab. Your doctor just prescribed a GLP-1 receptor agonist, and the comment sections are not your roadmap. Dr. Arti Thangudu, triple board-certified endocrinologist and founder of Complete Medicine, walks through what actually happens in your first few weeks on a GLP-1: what is normal, what is not, and how to get through the rough patch without quitting in week two. The headline up front: most people tolerate these medications well when they are started low and titrated up correctly. Everything else is a footnote, and this episode is the footnotes. 🔍 This episode explores: • 🧩 The headline: most people tolerate GLP-1s well when started low and titrated correctly, and why the horror stories are the exception, not the pattern • 🧩 Why GI side effects (nausea, diarrhea, constipation, occasional vomiting) concentrate in the first 8 weeks, especially right after a dose increase, and why slowed gastric emptying is the medicine working, not failing • 🧩 The timeline: individual nausea episodes typically resolve in about a week, vomiting and diarrhea in a couple of days, weeks 3 to 4 is when most people feel things settle, and constipation is the one that overstays its welcome • 🧩 The practical toolkit: smaller lower-fat meals, stopping at full, steady sips of water, anti-nausea prescriptions when it is intolerable, and the constipation game plan (hydration, fiber, movement, a gentle laxative if needed) • 🧩 The titration truth: holding your current dose longer is a legitimate strategy, not a failure to keep up • 🧩 The one true red flag (severe abdominal pain that is not ordinary nausea = same-day call), and the oral GLP-1 options that now exist if injections are not for you 👩 This episode is for you if: ● You just got a GLP-1 prescription and the internet has you terrified ● You are in week two and eyeing your injection with suspicion at 2am ● Nausea or constipation has you wondering if this medication is "wrong for you" ● Your dose just went up and your stomach objected ● You want the version of this conversation your 7-minute visit never has time for ⚖️ The bottom line The first month on a GLP-1 is almost always the roughest part of the whole timeline, and then it quiets down. If you are in the rough part right now, that does not mean it is not working. It usually means it is working exactly as expected. Started low, titrated patiently, with the toolkit in hand, most people do well. Save this episode and come back to it in week two. You've got this. 🎙 About the Host Dr. Arti Thangudu is a triple board-certified physician in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, and Obesity Medicine, and the founder of Complete Medicine, a direct-care practice built around time, transparency, and evidence. She has walked hundreds of patients through week two. 📚 Resources Mentioned ● The nausea toolkit and constipation game plan (discussed in episode) ● Oral GLP-1 options for patients who cannot tolerate injectables ● Complete Medicine: https://www.sacomplete.com ● This episode is sponsored by Complete Medicine and Hey Healthy 🔗 Learn More / Connect 🩺 Complete Medicine → https://www.sacomplete.com | Direct care with a doctor who actually has time for you 📩 Newsletter + Blog → https://www.sacomplete.com/complete-medicine-blog | Weekly, plain-language hormone breakdowns 🎙 Podcast → Endocrine Matters, new episodes on all major platforms 📲 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drartithangudu | Daily myth-busting and real talk ▶️ YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@drartithangudu | Full episodes and shorts Subscribe, leave a review, and send this episode to the friend refreshing GLP-1 forums at 11pm. 🎙 About Endocrine Matters Endocrine Matters is a weekly podcast where endocrinologist Dr. Arti Thangudu breaks down hormones, metabolism, and the healthcare system in plain language. No hype. No misinformation. No "heal your hormones naturally" shortcuts.

  3. Sep 23

    Everything You've Been Told About Diet and Diabetes Is Wrong (The South Asian Edition)

    Everything You've Been Told About Diet and Diabetes Is Wrong (The South Asian Edition) | Endocrine Matters Ep. 2.46 Try telling a South Asian family to cut back on rice. Go on, we'll wait. That conversation fails for a reason, and it is not stubbornness: the standard advice, eat less and move more, was never built with South Asian bodies in mind, and the data backs that up. Dr. Arti Thangudu, triple board-certified endocrinologist and founder of Complete Medicine, treats South Asian women for type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, PMOS, and weight every week. In this episode she walks through what the research actually says our bodies need, including an 18,000-person study out of India, the whole wheat roti surprise, and why the answer to yogurt is more dahi, not less. Nobody's rice is the enemy, and nobody is taking your ghee. 🔍 This episode explores: • 🧩 Why South Asians develop type 2 diabetes at lower body weights, and how insulin resistance builds while the scale says you're fine • 🧩 The carb load nobody talks about: traditional diets running over 60% refined carbohydrates in some studies, from white rice to the sugar in the chai • 🧩 The 18,000-person study out of India that tested exactly which ratio of carbs, protein, and fat South Asian bodies do best on: roughly 40 to 50% carbs, 20% protein, the rest healthy fat • 🧩 The whole wheat roti catch: finely milled atta spikes blood sugar almost as much as refined white flour, and what actually helps (millets, barley, coarser grains, pairing carbs with protein and fiber) • 🧩 More dahi, not less: plain yogurt, dal, eggs, and fish all tracked with LOWER diabetes risk across South Asia • 🧩 The three-step plate plan, why brown rice over white is a small swap with a real effect, and how cultural fasting traditions already overlap with time-restricted eating 👩 This episode is for you if: Diabetes runs in your family and "just eat less" has never once workedYou switched to whole wheat roti and considered the problem solvedYou look fine on the scale but the family history keeps you up at nightYou want food advice that was actually calibrated for a body like yoursYou are tired of being told your culture's food is the problem⚖️ The bottom line Diabetes is one of the most preventable and most treatable conditions out there, and lifestyle factors account for the vast majority of risk in South Asian populations. You do not have to abandon your culture to protect your health. You have to know which specific shifts move the needle for a body like yours, not a body built for a Western research study that historically didn't include people who look like us. If this changed how you look at your plate, send it to the relative who still thinks diet means suffering. 🎙 About the Host Dr. Arti Thangudu is a triple board-certified physician in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, and Obesity Medicine, and the founder of Complete Medicine, a direct-care practice built around time, transparency, and evidence. Her plate keeps the dal and the ghee. 📚 Resources Mentioned The 18,000-person macronutrient study out of India (discussed in episode)The three-step plate plan: add an under-eaten protein, swap white rice for brown a few times a week, and lean on fasting traditions you already haveComplete Medicine: https://www.sacomplete.comThis episode is sponsored by Complete Medicine and Hey Healthy🔗 Learn More / Connect 🩺 Complete Medicine → https://www.sacomplete.com | Direct care with a doctor who actually has time for you 📩 Newsletter + Blog → https://www.sacomplete.com/complete-medicine-blog | Weekly, plain-language hormone breakdowns 🎙 Podcast → Endocrine Matters, new episodes every Wednesday on all major platforms 📲 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drartithangudu | Daily myth-busting and real talk ▶️ YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@drartithangudu | Full episodes and shorts Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with the relative who still thinks diet means suffering. 🎙 About Endocrine Matters Endocrine Matters is a weekly podcast where endocrinologist Dr. Arti Thangudu breaks down hormones, metabolism, and the healthcare system in plain language. No hype. No misinformation. No "heal your hormones naturally" shortcuts. ⏱ Chapters 00:00. Welcome: why "cut back on rice" always fails 00:50. Diabetes at lower body weights: the South Asian pattern 01:45. The refined carb load, from white rice to the chai 02:25. The 18,000-person study and the ratio that worked 03:20. The whole wheat roti catch (and what actually helps) 04:00. More dahi, not less: the foods linked to lower risk 04:40. The three-step plate plan 05:20. The bottom line: culture stays, specifics change

  4. Sep 16

    The One Thing Midlife Women Aren't Doing Enough Of (It Involves Picking Up Something Heavy)

    The One Thing Midlife Women Aren't Doing Enough Of (It Involves Picking Up Something Heavy) | Endocrine Matters Ep. 2.45 If you can hold a full conversation through 20 reps, the weight is too light. You're eating clean, getting your steps in, doing the same cardio that worked in your 20s, and your body is doing whatever it wants anyway. This episode is not "eat less, move more." Dr. Arti Thangudu, triple board-certified endocrinologist and founder of Complete Medicine, names the specific piece missing for most women over 40 (it was never willpower), explains why pink dumbbells are cardio with better branding, and hands you the exact two-session, 15-minute starter plan she gives her own patients. No gym membership required, and one assignment: pick up something heavier than you think you can this week. 🔍 This episode explores: • 🧩 Why your body stopped responding to the routine that worked in your 20s: estrogen decline reshapes how your body partitions food, stores fat, and holds onto muscle • 🧩 The default loss nobody mentions: after 30, everyone loses muscle mass every year unless they actively work against it, and with it goes resting metabolic rate and blood sugar control • 🧩 What real strength training actually means: weights heavy enough that the last few reps are genuinely hard, and why "mildly inconvenienced" muscles are the entire mechanism of change • 🧩 The pink dumbbell correction: if you can chat through 20 reps without your voice changing, that is cardio with better branding • 🧩 The no-gym toolkit: bodyweight squats, counter push-ups, resistance bands, and a pair of medium dumbbells at home • 🧩 The starter plan: week one, two sessions of 15 minutes; week two, add load; judge results at 6 to 8 weeks, and never by the scale alone 👩 This episode is for you if: You are doing "everything right" and your body is not responding like it used toYour strength routine is a light circuit or a 2-pound-dumbbell classYou want the shortest honest starting plan, not a gym-culture lectureYou care about your bones, blood sugar, and metabolism, not just the mirrorSoreness or "where do I even start" has kept you on the sidelines⚖️ The bottom line The missing piece for most midlife women is not more cardio and not more restriction. It is muscle: the tissue protecting your bones, your metabolic rate, and your insulin sensitivity while your hormones change. Real strength training, two to three genuinely challenging sessions a week, is the fix, and 15 minutes counts. Pick up something heavier than you think you can this week. Your bones and your metabolism will register the difference before you do. 🎙 About the Host Dr. Arti Thangudu is a triple board-certified physician in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, and Obesity Medicine, and the founder of Complete Medicine, a direct-care practice built around time, transparency, and evidence. She practices what she prescribes: the last few reps are genuinely hard. 📚 Resources Mentioned The week-one starter plan: two sessions, 15 minutes each (bodyweight squats, wall push-ups, band rows)Complete Medicine: https://www.sacomplete.comThis episode is sponsored by Complete Medicine

    The One Thing Midlife Women Aren't Doing Enough Of (It Involves Picking Up Something Heavy)

  5. Sep 9

    Why Menopause Changes How You Need to Exercise and Why Strength Training Is Non-Negotiable

    Your metabolism did not break. Your muscle left. If you are doing everything you did in your thirties, same diet, same workouts, and getting a different body back, this episode explains why, without a single word about eating less or doing more cardio. Dr. Arti Thangudu, triple board-certified endocrinologist and founder of Complete Medicine, breaks down what menopause changes at the cellular level, why strength training is medicine for your muscle, metabolism, and bones, and a realistic weekly plan that does not require hours in a gym. This is a topic she is genuinely passionate about, and it shows. 🔍 This episode explores:• 🧩 Why estrogen decline changes your body at the cellular level: estrogen receptors live in your muscle cells, and when estrogen drops, muscle repair slows and loss accelerates• 🧩 Muscle as your metabolic engine: why "same diet, same exercise, still gaining" is body composition, not willpower, and why the weight goes to visceral fat around the middle• 🧩 Strength training, full stop: how lifting signals your body to keep muscle, improves insulin sensitivity, supports growth hormone and testosterone, and may reduce inflammation• 🧩 Bones respond to mechanical load: why cardio alone will not protect your skeleton, and how resistance training can maintain and in some cases even increase bone density after menopause• 🧩 Joint pain and fatigue: why gentle, consistent movement helps more than rest, and why ten minutes counts• 🧩 The realistic weekly framework: 2 to 3 strength sessions, 2 to 3 weight-bearing cardio days, one flexibility/balance day, real rest, and 20 to 30 grams of protein per meal 👩 This episode is for you if: Nothing changed in your habits, but your body changed anywayCardio has been your main (or only) form of exerciseYou were raised on the idea that lifting weights makes women bulkyJoint pain or exhaustion has you convinced exercise is off the tableYou want a plan that fits real life, not a fitness influencer's schedule⚖️ The bottom line Menopause changes your body composition at a hormonal level: less muscle, more visceral fat, faster bone loss. These are not inevitable consequences you have to accept. They are biological processes you can directly influence, and strength training is the most powerful tool you have. It is not optional. It is medicine. You are not too old, it is not too late, and your body is still listening. 🎙 About the Host Dr. Arti Thangudu is a triple board-certified physician in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, and Obesity Medicine, and the founder of Complete Medicine, a direct-care practice built around time, transparency, and evidence. She lifts, and she wants you to as well. 📚 Resources Mentioned The weekly exercise framework and protein targets (discussed in episode)Complete Medicine: https://www.sacomplete.comThis episode is sponsored by Complete Medicine and Hey Healthy🔗 Learn More / Connect 🩺 Complete Medicine → https://www.sacomplete.com | Direct care with a doctor who actually has time for you📩 Newsletter + Blog → https://www.sacomplete.com/complete-medicine-blog | Weekly, plain-language hormone breakdowns🎙 Podcast → Endocrine Matters, new episodes every Wednesday on all major platforms📲 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drartithangudu | Daily myth-busting and real talk▶️ YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@drartithangudu | Full episodes and shorts Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a woman who still thinks lifting will make her bulky. 🎙 About Endocrine Matters Endocrine Matters is a weekly podcast where endocrinologist Dr. Arti Thangudu breaks down hormones, metabolism, and the healthcare system in plain language. No hype. No misinformation. No "heal your hormones naturally" shortcuts. ⏱ Chapters00:00. Welcome: exercise in menopause (not a cardio lecture)01:00. What menopause changes at the cellular level03:00. Strength training, full stop05:00. Your bones respond to load07:30. Joint pain, fatigue, and starting small09:00. A realistic weekly framework10:30. Protein, the other half of the equation11:45. The bottom line

    Why Menopause Changes How You Need to Exercise and Why Strength Training Is Non-Negotiable

  6. Sep 2

    Testosterone Pellets for Women: Why I Don't Recommend Them (and What I Use Instead)

    Once those pellets are in your body, they are in your body. If you are in any perimenopause or menopause group online, you have seen the testosterone pellet debate: half the comments say "pellets changed my life, " the other half say "I had a nightmare and could not do anything about it. " Dr. Arti Thangudu, triple board-certified endocrinologist and founder of Complete Medicine, walks through this honestly: why testosterone genuinely matters for women, exactly how pellets work, the risks nobody explains before the procedure, and the safer, adjustable option she uses with her own patients. 🔍 This episode explores: • 🧩 Why testosterone is not just a male hormone: energy, motivation, muscle, mood, libido, bone density, and what low testosterone feels like in perimenopause and menopause • 🧩 What pellets actually are, how the implant procedure works, and why the convenience is so appealing • 🧩 The core problem: no reversing, no adjusting, no lowering the dose, for three to six months • 🧩 Why women's testosterone dosing is tricky, how levels can come back far higher than intended (one woman's came back five times what they should have been), and the real harms of high testosterone: cystic acne, hirsutism, and hair loss that may not fully reverse  • 🧩 Compounded quality control, unpredictable absorption, the weak evidence base, and the fact that no FDA-approved testosterone product exists specifically for women in the US  • 🧩 What Dr. Arti uses instead: topical testosterone, dosed low, monitored closely, and adjustable at any time 👩 This episode is for you if: -Someone has offered you testosterone pellets, or you are considering asking about them -You feel flat, low energy, low libido, and wonder if testosterone is part of your picture -You are on pellets and something does not feel right -You have seen the "I feel 30 again" comments and want the full picture before deciding -You want to know what informed consent on this treatment actually sounds like ⚖ The bottom line Testosterone matters for women and your symptoms deserve to be taken seriously. But pellets are a delivery method, not a magic formula, and they carry risks other options do not: you cannot adjust the dose, you cannot remove them, quality is inconsistent, and levels frequently run higher than intended. Safer, adjustable, monitored options exist. You deserve the full picture before anything goes under your skin. 🎙 About the Host Dr. Arti Thangudu is a triple board-certified physician in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, and Obesity Medicine, and the founder of Complete Medicine, a direct-care practice built around time, transparency, and evidence. Informed consent is not a buzzword to her; it is the whole job. 📚 Resources Mentioned -FDA-approved topical testosterone options and monitoring approach (discussed in episode) -Complete Medicine: https://www.sacomplete.com -This episode is sponsored by Complete Medicine and Hey Healthy 🔗 Learn More / Connect 🩺 Complete Medicine → https://www.sacomplete.com | Direct care with a doctor who actually has time for you  📩 Newsletter + Blog → https://www.sacomplete.com/complete-medicine-blog | Weekly, plain-language hormone breakdowns 🎙 Podcast → Endocrine Matters, new episodes every Wednesday on all major platforms  📲 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drartithangudu | Daily myth-busting and real talk  ▶ YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@drartithangudu | Full episodes and shorts Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who is navigating this exact decision. 🎙 About Endocrine Matters Endocrine Matters is a weekly podcast where endocrinologist Dr. Arti Thangudu breaks down hormones, metabolism, and the healthcare system in plain language. No hype. No misinformation. No "heal your hormones naturally" shortcuts. ⏱ Chapters 00:00. Welcome: the pellet debate  01:00. Why testosterone matters for women  02:15. What pellets actually are  03:30. The problem: you cannot take them out  05:30. Quality control, absorption, and the evidence gap  07:45. What I use instead  09:30. If you are on pellets and feeling great  10:20. The bottom line

    Testosterone Pellets for Women: Why I Don't Recommend Them (and What I Use Instead)

  7. Aug 26

    My Labs Are Normal But I Feel Awful: What's Actually Going On With Your Hormones

    "Everything looks normal" is not an answer. It is the beginning of a better question. If you are exhausted, gaining weight with nothing changed, not sleeping, and watching your mood swing while your bloodwork keeps coming back "fine, " this episode is for you. Dr. Arti Thangudu, triple board-certified endocrinologist and founder of Complete Medicine, explains why "hormone imbalance" is not actually a diagnosis, what estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are really doing, and the specific questions that get you real answers. She built her entire practice around the women who were told they were fine when they knew they were not. 🔍 This episode explores: • 🧩 Why "hormone imbalance" is not in any textbook, and the three questions that matter instead: which hormone, why is it off, and when in your cycle• 🧩 Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone: what each one does, and why their relationship matters as much as their levels • 🧩 What people call "estrogen dominance, " and what is usually really happening (spoiler: low progesterone)• 🧩 Perimenopause: why wildly swinging hormones can look completely "normal" on a random Tuesday lab draw• 🧩 PMOS (polycystic metabolic ovary syndrome), the newer name for PCOS: the testosterone and insulin vicious cycle, why progesterone disappears, and why chasing estrogen treats the wrong thing• 🧩 Why sleep, blood sugar, strength training, and stress management are biochemistry, not soft suggestions 👩 This episode is for you if: -A doctor has told you "everything looks normal" while you felt anything but -You have Googled "hormone imbalance" at 11pm -Your anxiety, 3am wakeups, or mood changes feel like they came out of nowhere -You have PCOS, or symptoms nobody has ever fully explained to you -You want the exact questions to bring to your next appointment ⚖ The bottom line Feeling terrible with normal labs is not the end of the conversation. It is the beginning of a better one. Normal ranges are built on population averages, and they do not capture your ratios, your fluctuations, or your cycle. The real question is never "am I imbalanced. " It is which hormone, why, and when. 🎙 About the Host Dr. Arti Thangudu is a triple board-certified physician in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, and Obesity Medicine, and the founder of Complete Medicine, a direct-care practice built around time, transparency, and evidence. She is also a South Asian woman and a mom who knows exactly how often women hear "you're fine" when they are not. 📚 Resources Mentioned -Complete Medicine: https://www.sacomplete.com -Previous episodes on lab reference ranges (Ep. 2.37) and beta cell burnout (Ep. 2.40) for the South Asian metabolic health series -This episode is sponsored by Complete Medicine and Hey Healthy 🔗 Learn More / Connect 🩺 Complete Medicine → https://www.sacomplete.com | Direct care with a doctor who actually has time for you📩 Newsletter + Blog → https://www.sacomplete.com/complete-medicine-blog | Weekly, plain-language hormone breakdowns🎙 Podcast → Endocrine Matters, new episodes every Wednesday on all major platforms📲 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drartithangudu | Daily myth-busting and real talk▶ YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@drartithangudu | Full episodes and shorts Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who has been told she was fine one too many times. 🎙 About Endocrine Matters Endocrine Matters is a weekly podcast where endocrinologist Dr. Arti Thangudu breaks down hormones, metabolism, and the healthcare system in plain language. No hype. No misinformation. No "heal your hormones naturally" shortcuts.

    My Labs Are Normal But I Feel Awful: What's Actually Going On With Your Hormones

  8. Aug 19

    Why Am I Breaking Out at 45? Perimenopause Acne and What Actually Helps

    You survived teenage acne. Then your 40s said, just kidding. If you are suddenly breaking out on your chin and jaw in your late 30s, 40s, or 50s, while also fighting fine lines in the same mirror, this episode is for you. Dr. Arti Thangudu, triple board-certified endocrinologist and founder of Complete Medicine, breaks down the zits-and-wrinkles combo nobody put in the brochure. She hears about it constantly from her own patients, and she has watched too many women get handed another cleanser when what they needed was a hormone conversation. 🔍 This episode explores: • 🧩 Why estrogen starts "ghosting you" in perimenopause, riding up and down like a roller coaster while androgens stick around, and why that ratio shift lands on your chin, jaw, and neck • 🧩 The three patterns of adult acne in women (persistent, late-onset, postmenopausal), why persistent acne can travel with PCOS (or PMOS, the newer name Dr. Arti prefers), and which pattern deserves an androgen workup • 🧩 Why treating hormonal acne with skincare alone is like mopping the floor while the faucet is still running • 🧩 Spironolactone: how a decades-old blood pressure medication became a well-studied, dermatology-recommended tool for hormonal acne • 🧩 The honest side effect conversation, including the potassium question, period changes, and why pregnancy is a hard no while taking it • 🧩 Who is the best candidate for spiro, and when a dermatologist should be leading your acne care 👩 This episode is for you if: -Your breakouts came back (or showed up for the first time) after 35 -The same pimple returns to the same spot on your chin every few weeks -Your flares track with your cycle, or got worse as your cycle changed -You have tried every topical and still feel like you are losing -You want to walk into your next appointment knowing exactly what to ask ⚖ The bottom line Perimenopause acne is real, incredibly common, and not your fault. It is not a face-washing problem. It is a hormone transition, and there are real tools that treat it at the root cause. You deserve to be taken seriously, and you deserve clear skin at every age. 🎙 About the Host Dr. Arti Thangudu is a triple board-certified physician in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, and Obesity Medicine, and the founder of Complete Medicine, a direct-care practice built around time, transparency, and evidence. She is also a mom who understands that midlife health does not happen in a vacuum. 📚 Resources Mentioned -American Academy of Dermatology guidance on spironolactone for hormonal acne (discussed in episode) -Complete Medicine: https://www.sacomplete.com -This episode is sponsored by Complete Medicine and Hey Healthy 🔗 Learn More / Connect 🩺 Complete Medicine → https://www.sacomplete.com | Direct care with a doctor who actually has time for you 📩 Newsletter + Blog → https://www.sacomplete.com/complete-medicine-blog | Weekly, plain-language hormone breakdowns 🎙 Podcast → Endocrine Matters, new episodes every Wednesday on all major platforms 📲 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drartithangudu | Daily myth-busting and real talk ▶ YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@drartithangudu | Full episodes and shorts Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who is also fighting the zits-and-wrinkles combo. 🎙 About Endocrine Matters Endocrine Matters is a weekly podcast where endocrinologist Dr. Arti Thangudu breaks down hormones, metabolism, and the healthcare system in plain language. No hype. No misinformation. No "heal your hormones naturally" shortcuts. ⏱ Chapters 00:00. Welcome and the zits-and-wrinkles combo 01:00. What is actually going on with your hormones 05:00. Can't I just use skincare? 07:00. Enter spironolactone 11:00. Side effects and safety, honestly 14:00. Who spiro is for, and when to see a dermatologist 16:00. The bottom line

See All (64)

Trailer

5
out of 5
32 Ratings

About

Endocrine matters empowers women physicians to challenge conventional norms and enhance patient relationships. Through deep discussions, we aim to elevate the specialty and inspire future generations of women physicians, driving meaningful change in hormonal health.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Arti Thangudu
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    64
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Dr. Arti Thangudu
  • Show Website
    Endocrine Matters

You Might Also Like