08/15/2026
Someone I love had terrible hot flashes. Twenty years ago, nobody told us why it mattered.
I'm sharing something personal today, because it's shaped why I do this work.
Research now shows hot flashes aren't just uncomfortable — they may be a signal. Frequent, severe hot flashes have been linked to measurable changes on brain MRI, to impaired memory, and to higher levels of biomarkers also seen in early Alzheimer's disease. Estrogen has a real, measurable role in brain health.
I didn't know that then. Someone I love is 70 now, living with Alzheimer's. I can't change her story. But I can make sure other families know sooner than I did.
Here's what the evidence actually shows: there appears to be a critical window. Starting hormone therapy early in menopause may lower later dementia risk. Starting it late — in your 60s or 70s — does not appear to help, and isn't recommended for that reason. This isn't a guarantee. It's a reason to have the conversation while it can still matter.
If you have bad hot flashes, please don't wave them off as something to just get through. Ask your doctor:
Am I a candidate for menopausal hormone therapy?
What are the risks and benefits for someone with my history?
Is now — not later — the right window to start?
I'm Dr. Neeli Singh — endocrinologist and Menopause Society Certified Physician. New-patient visits are 1–2 hours. Virtual across MA, NY, ME, NH, MD, AR, and in-person in Westborough and Natick.
Don't wait twenty years to ask. Book at endo-harmony.com.
If this reached you, please share it with someone whose hot flashes you've watched them dismiss 💙
— Dr. Neeli Singh