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How lifestyle, digestion, detoxification, and balance determine whether hormones actually work
In this episode of the Stronger Bones Lifestyle Podcast, I welcomed back one of my most trusted and respected guests, Dr. Lorraine Maita. She’s known as the hormone harmonizer and detoxifier, and for good reason. With over 40 years of clinical experience, she brings clarity to a topic that feels increasingly confusing for women: bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT).
Hormones are everywhere right now. Online platforms, celebrities, social media — the message is often, “Your hormones are low, so just replace them.” But what Dr. Maita and I discussed goes much deeper than that. Because hormones don’t work in isolation. They only work well when the body is prepared to receive them.
Hormones Don’t Work Well in a Congested Body
One of the most important points Dr. Maita made is this:
You can’t put hormones into a toxic, inflamed, sluggish body and expect great results.
Hormones are metabolized, detoxified, and eliminated through the liver and gut. If those systems aren’t working properly — if you’re constipated, inflamed, under-slept, stressed, or not absorbing nutrients — hormones can backfire. They may cause breast tenderness, bloating, uterine symptoms, mood swings, or simply not deliver the benefits you were promised.
This is why convenience-based hormone prescribing, especially online, concerns both of us. A questionnaire and a standard dose don’t take into account the complexity of the human body.
Digestion, Detoxification, and Inflammation Are the Foundation
We spent much of this conversation talking about the basics that are often overlooked:
- Daily bowel movements (yes, daily — “logs and snakes,” as Dr. Maita puts it)
- Adequate fiber to bind estrogen metabolites and toxins
- Magnesium, chosen based on symptoms, to support relaxation and elimination
- Reducing inflammatory foods temporarily to calm the system
- Supporting the microbiome so estrogen is properly metabolized
If estrogen breakdown products aren’t eliminated, they are reabsorbed and act like estrogen in the body — but they’re not measured on standard blood tests. This is why women are often told their hormones are “normal” while still feeling terrible.
Inflammation Is the Real Enemy of Bones
Osteoporosis is not simply a disease of aging — it’s an inflammatory, metabolic condition. Chronic inflammation interferes with hormone signaling, bone remodeling, muscle maintenance, and nutrient absorption.
Dr. Maita uses the analogy of trying to communicate in a room full of smoke. When the body is inflamed, hormones can’t “hear” each other properly. Signals get crossed. Resistance develops. This applies not just to estrogen and progesterone, but also to insulin, cortisol, and thyroid hormones.
Reducing inflammation is one of the most powerful anti-aging strategies available — and it doesn’t require perfection. It requires consistency.
Hormones Can Be Safe — Even Later in Life
One of the most reassuring parts of our conversation was addressing the myths around hormone therapy. While the ideal time to start BHRT is within 10 years of menopause, Dr. Maita shared that hormones can still be safe and beneficial later in life — when prescribed thoughtfully and monitored appropriately.
There are contraindications, of course, and these decisions should always be individualized. But hormones remain one of the few therapies that truly build bone, rather than just slow bone loss.
My Takeaway
Hormones are not a magic fix — but they are a powerful tool when the body is ready. Digestion, detoxification, movement, stress management, and joy all determine whether hormones help or hurt.
Healthy aging is not about being perfect. It’s about making supportive choices most of the time, giving yourself grace, and creating a lifestyle that allows your body — and your bones — to thrive.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Oxalates, also known as oxalic acid, are naturally occurring compounds found in many plants, vegetables, and fruits. They are part of a plant’s defense mechanism against predators and can be found in high concentrations in foods like spinach, rhubarb, beets, nuts, chocolate, tea, and certain beans.
Regarding bone health, oxalates can bind to minerals such as calcium in the gut, forming calcium oxalate. This compound is not easily absorbed by the body, meaning the calcium that could have been utilized for bone strengthening is instead excreted. This process can potentially lead to lower calcium availability for bone health, which can be particularly concerning for individuals at risk of osteoporosis or other bone-related issues.
However, for most women, dietary oxalates do not pose a significant threat to bone health, especially if their diet is balanced with enough calcium and they do not have a history of kidney stones.
Your gut is crucial for stronger bones for several reasons:
- Nutrient Absorption: The gut is where most nutrient absorption occurs. For bones to be healthy and strong, they need a variety of nutrients, particularly calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin D. A healthy gut efficiently absorbs these essential nutrients from your diet and facilitates their transportation to the bones.
- Gut Microbiome and Bone Health: Research has shown that the gut microbiome (the community of bacteria living in your intestines) can influence bone density. Certain gut bacteria help in producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, which have been shown to promote bone health. SCFAs can enhance the absorption of minerals necessary for bone strength and play a role in reducing inflammation, which can negatively affect bone health.
- Hormone Regulation: The gut helps regulate hormones that are involved in bone metabolism, including insulin, thyroid hormones, and sex hormones like estrogen. For example, estrogen is vital for bone density, and gut health can influence estrogen levels through the enterohepatic circulation, where estrogens are processed in the liver and intestines.
- Reducing Inflammation: Chronic inflammation, which can stem from poor gut health, is linked to many conditions that compromise bone strength, such as osteoporosis. A healthy gut helps to reduce systemic inflammation, protecting bones from inflammatory damage.
- Immune System Modulation: The majority of the immune system is located in the gut. An imbalance in the immune system can lead to autoimmune conditions, some of which affect the bones. Maintaining gut health helps to ensure the immune system works correctly, protecting against autoimmune reactions that could impact bone health.
In essence, maintaining a healthy gut contributes significantly to stronger bones by ensuring the effective absorption of vital nutrients, regulating hormones, reducing inflammation, and supporting a healthy immune system. Therefore, a diet rich in bone-healthy nutrients, prebiotics, and probiotics, along with lifestyle factors that promote gut health, is key to maintaining strong bones.