How Women Can Improve Their Fertility & Hormone Health | Dr. Natalie Crawford

Andrew Huberman – Huberman Lab
Andrew Huberman – Huberman LabApr 13, 2026

Why It Matters

Understanding fertility as a health barometer enables women to detect and treat systemic risks early, improving longevity and reducing chronic disease burden.

Key Takeaways

  • AMH testing reveals ovarian reserve, guiding reproductive planning.
  • Fertility reflects overall hormonal, metabolic, and cellular health.
  • Menstrual patterns remain health indicators even during perimenopause.
  • Early hormone therapy can protect heart, brain, and bone health.
  • Lifestyle, nutrition, and targeted supplements boost fertility across ages.

Summary

The Huberman Lab podcast features Dr. Natalie Crawford discussing how women can improve fertility and hormone health through science‑based tools. She emphasizes the AMH test as a simple way to gauge ovarian reserve and shape family‑planning decisions, while clarifying that fertility is a broader health metric, not just the ability to conceive.

Crawford links reproductive function to systemic wellness, noting that infertility often signals chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, or metabolic syndrome—conditions that raise long‑term risks of heart disease, stroke, and early mortality. She advises tracking menstrual cycle phases, even in perimenopause, as a window into hormonal balance, and advocates for earlier, personalized hormone replacement therapy rather than waiting for a year of amenorrhea.

Key quotes illustrate her points: “Infertility is frequently the first warning sign that something is off in the body,” and “Women in their 40s can still achieve pregnancy when they understand their cycle and support it with lifestyle and medical interventions.” She also shares clinical observations that tailored nutrition, targeted supplements, and low‑dose hormonal augmentation improve ovulatory health across age groups.

The implications are clear: proactive fertility monitoring empowers women to address underlying metabolic issues, adopt evidence‑based lifestyle changes, and consider timely hormone therapy, ultimately extending healthspan and reducing disease risk. For clinicians, insurers, and the burgeoning fertility‑tech market, these insights highlight a shift toward preventive, personalized reproductive care.

Original Description

Dr. Natalie Crawford, MD, is a double board-certified OB-GYN and reproductive endocrinologist. We discuss how to improve hormone health at any age and the importance of fertility markers not just for pregnancy, but as a powerful window into overall health, vitality and longevity. We discuss hormone replacement therapy, egg freezing, IVF, and what biomarkers like AMH really indicate. Plus, how anti-inflammatory diets and specific supplements can be beneficial and the impact of microplastics and certain fragrances on hormones. We also discuss lesser-known factors that deplete male and female fertility, vitality and health. This conversation highlights how better understanding of hormones and your reproductive markers can empower better informed choices at every stage of life.
Thank you to our sponsors
Huberman Lab
Dr. Natalie Crawford
The Fertility Formula (book): https://amzn.to/4c79e8Z
Fora Fertility clinical practice: https://www.forafertility.com
Timestamps
00:00:00 Natalie Crawford
00:02:26 Fertility as a Health Marker, Infertility
00:05:34 Perimenopause, Menopause, Hormone Replacement Theory
00:11:01 Sponsors: David & BetterHelp
00:13:35 Hormone Therapy, Extending Ovarian Lifespan
00:19:11 Plastics, Toxins & Fertility
00:22:02 Does Prior Pregnancy Make Conception Easier?, Secondary Infertility
00:29:02 Testing Sperm; Pregnancy Loss & Conceiving Again, Fertility Testing
00:38:17 Sponsor: AG1
00:39:40 Menstrual Cycle, Egg Number & Quality, AMH Test
00:48:17 Tool: AMH Test; Fertility Education & Patient Choices
00:53:13 Tool: Tracking Ovulation; Ovulation Disorders
00:55:11 AMH Test Cost; Genetic Testing & Patient Choice
01:01:13 Does Egg Freezing Cause Early Menopause?, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
01:05:29 Egg Freezing, IVF, Ethical Concerns; Embryo Banking
01:15:21 Sponsor: Eight Sleep
01:16:39 Egg Freezing, Cost & Patient Choices
01:21:22 Concieving After Hormonal Birth Control, IUD or Depo-Provera
01:27:17 Pregnancy Termination & Concieving Again
01:29:28 Support Egg Quality, Tools: Ovulation & Avoiding NSAIDs; 5 Lifestyle Non-Negotiables
01:34:03 Sleep, Melatonin; Cold Plunge
01:38:41 Curcumin, NAD/NR, CoQ10, Supplements for Prenatal Care & Sperm Health
01:42:05 Sponsor: Function
01:43:16 Fertility Research into Supplements & Lifestyle Factors
01:48:21 Inflammation, Red Light
01:53:12 Cannabis & Detriments to Egg & Sperm Health
01:58:57 Nicotine, Smoking, Egg Health & Sperm Count; Healthy Lifestyle Practices
02:02:21 GLP-1s, PCOS, Endometriosis; Human Growth Hormone
02:10:58 Platelet-Rich Plasma; Paternal Age & Sperm Quality; Biotin
02:17:27 Endocrine Disruptors, Fragrances, Receipts, Tool: Fragrance-Free
02:22:48 Patient Education & Empowerment; Inflammation, Celiac Disease
02:25:40 Anti-Inflammatory Diet, Protein, Fiber, Red Meat
02:33:25 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Sponsors, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter
#hubermanlab #health #hormonehealth #fertility
Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

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