Dr. Brendan McCarthy
Welcome! Dr. Brendan McCarthy founded Protea Medical Center in 2002. While he’s been the chief medical officer, Protea has grown and evolved into a dynamic medical center serving the Valley and Central Arizona. Through successful case after successful case, Dr. McCarthy has been dedicated to hormone balance, healthy metabolism, and the best quality of life. Dr. McCarthy’s hallmark is his unorthodox approach to mental/emotional wellness and its link to hormone balance in women and men. Through the use of blood work and clinical investigation, Dr. McCarthy gets to the bottom of possible causes for common conditions such as anxiety, PMS, depression, slow metabolism, weight gain, insomnia and now wants to share his knowledge to the viewers with his podcast. Join the discussion, ask questions, and welcome to the podcast!
Episodes
Why do so many women struggle with autoimmune issues, fertility challenges, cardiovascular disease, and weight gain—despite following medical advice?
In this episode, Dr. Brendan McCarthy, NMD, explores the overlooked connection between self-silencing—the habit of suppressing your voice, needs, and emotions—and women’s health. Drawing on years of patient care and research, he explains how chronic stress from silencing yourself impa...
In this episode, Dr. Brendan McCarthy, Chief Medical Officer at Protea Medical Center in Tempe, Arizona, explores how self-silencing—the cultural pressure for women to suppress their voices and needs—can directly affect fertility.
Dr. McCarthy discusses:
The emotional toll of self-silencing on women’s identity and value
How chronic stress impacts ovulation, progesterone, and conception
Why the medical system often overlooks stress ...
Why do so many women struggle with stress-related health issues without ever speaking up?
In this episode, Dr. Brendan McCarthy continues his series on self-silencing in women—a powerful yet often overlooked cultural and psychological pattern.
Dr. McCarthy breaks down:
What “self-silencing” really means and how it shows up in everyday life
The four categories of self-silencing
How chronic stress and emotional suppression affect hor...
In this episode, Dr. Brendan McCarthy explores how self-silencing behaviors—putting others first, suppressing your own needs, and avoiding conflict—can contribute to chronic stress and trigger autoimmune conditions in women. From the science of immune misfires to the cultural pressures women face, Dr. McCarthy shares how deep, patient-centered care goes beyond prescriptions to address the root causes of illness. He discusses the li...
Welcome to the first episode in a five-part series on self-silencing and its profound effect on women’s health. I’m Dr. Brendan McCarthy, Chief Medical Officer at Protea Medical Center, and in this episode, I break down how self-silencing — the learned suppression of one’s needs, emotions, and voice — directly influences weight gain, hormone disruption, autoimmunity, cardiovascular risk, and more. This is a deeply personal and evid...
In today’s episode, we’re talking about the role men play in fertility and women’s health. Too often, the fertility journey places the burden entirely on women, physically, emotionally, and medically. Dr. McCarthy unpacks why that’s both inaccurate and damaging, and shares what true masculinity looks like during this chapter: support, presence, and courage. From hormone imbalances and sperm health to the overlooked emotional toll m...
Welcome to the podcast with Dr. Brendan McCarthy!
In this episode, Dr. McCarthy opens up about the psychological hurdles men face when it comes to reproductive health, how avoidance can create deep relationship wounds, and why it's critical for male partners to step into fertility conversations with courage and compassion.
He breaks down:
✔️ The emotional weight women carry in fertility journeys
✔️ How low testosterone and sperm...
Welcome to the podcast with Dr. Brendan McCarthy!
PMS isn’t just a hormone issue—it affects relationships too.
In this episode, Dr. McCarthy breaks down how hormone shifts impact emotions, communication, and connection. It’s a message for men who want to understand what’s really going on—and how to show up better.
💡 Topics:
Why PMS can trigger relationship tension
The science behind progesterone and mood
How self-silencing buil...
Welcome to the podcast with Dr. Brendan McCarthy!
Today he continues answering your most pressing questions about testosterone and hormone therapy in Part 2 of our Testosterone Q&A series.
In this episode, Dr. McCarthy dives into:
Why your labs can look "normal" while you still feel terrible
The difference between DHEA and actual testosterone therapy
The role of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) in blocking free testoste...
Welcome to the podcast with Dr. Brendan McCarthy!
In this episode, I’ll be responding to your questions and comments. As always, thank you for being part of this community. Your questions fuel these episodes — and I’m honored to keep showing up for you. 🧪 Have questions about your labs? Drop them in the comments — I may cover them in the next episode. 💬 Yes, I do read them (even in movie previews).
Dr. Brendan McCarthy found...
Welcome to the podcast with Dr. Brendan McCarthy!
In this episode, he dives deep into the powerful potential, and the necessary precautions, of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) in women. He shares why this once-taboo treatment is gaining traction, how it may reduce the risk of breast cancer by up to 50%, and why lab testing and clinical nuance are absolutely non-negotiable. Dr. McCarthy also addresses medical betrayal, the...
Welcome to the podcast with Dr. Brendan McCarthy!
In this deeply personal episode, he shares why lab work—especially testing FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone)—is non-negotiable in hormone replacement therapy.
This is not about gatekeeping. It’s about understanding. It’s about caring. Dr. McCarthy recounts a formative memory of meeting a woman who underwent surgical menopause and was never told what would happen to her body af...
Welcome to the podcast with Dr. Brendan McCarthy!
In this video, Dr. Brendan McCarthy breaks down common misconceptions about hormone testing and treatment during perimenopause — including why many influencers and physicians get it wrong. From the misuse of expensive boutique tests like the Dutch test, to the dangers of suppressive hormone therapies without proper lab monitoring, Dr. McCarthy explains the science behind hormone ...
Welcome to the podcast with Dr. Brendan McCarthy!
Can you start hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or bioidentical hormones without lab testing? Technically—yes. But should you? In this episode, Dr. Brendan McCarthy, Chief Medical Officer of Protea Medical Center, shares his medical perspective on why skipping labs could put your health at risk.
Responding to viral videos that suggest lab work is unnecessary, Dr. McCarthy walks y...
Welcome to the podcast with Dr. Brendan McCarthy!
This episode takes you deep into the real-world practice of prescribing testosterone therapy for women.
This is not a high-level overview—this is a nuts and bolts breakdown:
✅ Who it's for
✅ How it's dosed
✅ What labs to run
✅ What delivery methods are safest
✅ Why it's often done wrong—and how to get it right
With over 20 years of clinical experience, Dr. McCarthy shares the i...
Welcome to the podcast with Dr. Brendan McCarthy!
In this episode we dive deep into one of the most misunderstood and debated topics in hormone health: testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for women. You may have heard horror stories—or glowing reviews. But what’s the truth?
Dr. McCarthy discusses:
- Why testosterone matters for women’s health
- How it affects brain chemistry, mood, bone density, and even breast tissue
- Its r...
Welcome to the podcast with Dr. Brendan McCarthy!
Today’s episode is all about testosterone therapy in women—a topic that’s often misunderstood, highly debated, and rarely taught in depth. I’m sharing what I’ve learned over my years of clinical experience, how I approach testosterone use in women safely, and why the conversation around it needs to evolve.
Dr. Brendan McCarthy founded Protea Medical Center in 2002. While he’s b...
Welcome to the podcast with Dr. Brendan McCarthy!
Explore how progesterone travels through the body depending on the method of delivery—oral, transdermal, or injection. Dr. McCarthy explains why certain forms may not be effective for all patients and discusses how the body metabolizes progesterone, influencing its therapeutic impact. This episode is essential for anyone considering or currently on hormone replacement therapy.
...
Welcome to the podcast with Dr. Brendan McCarthy!
Today’s episode is all about answering YOUR submitted questions — real concerns from real women — about hormone therapy, reverse responses to progesterone, MTHFR, estrogen detoxification, and more. This episode is packed with insights to help you better understand your body and your options.
Dr. Brendan McCarthy founded Protea Medical Center in 2002. While he’s been the chief ...
Welcome to the podcast! In this deeply personal Q&A episode, Dr. Brendan McCarthy—Chief Medical Officer at Protea Medical Center—responds to your most powerful and vulnerable questions about hormone replacement therapy, including:
- Why some women reverse-respond to progesterone
- What to do when testosterone creams trigger migraines
- How to safely navigate HRT with MTHFR or methylation issues
- The emotional toll of being dis...
Popular Podcasts
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.