The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

Episode: Most Replayed Moment: Would You Still Love Them If You Came Off The Pill...? Your Hormones Are Controlling You!
Release Date: June 13, 2025
Guest: Dr. [Guest's Name] (Psychologist specializing in women's hormonal health)

Introduction

In this compelling episode of The Diary Of A CEO, host Steven Bartlett engages in an in-depth discussion with Dr. [Guest's Name], a psychologist who has extensively researched the effects of hormonal birth control on women's physiology and psychology. The conversation delves into how hormonal contraceptives influence women's attraction preferences, sexual desire, emotional states, and overall well-being.

Hormonal Birth Control and Women's Hormones

Understanding the Menstrual Cycle: Dr. [Guest's Name] begins by explaining the natural fluctuations in a woman's menstrual cycle and how these changes affect partner preferences.

[00:36] C: "Women's partner preferences and the types of qualities that women tend to prioritize... do change across the menstrual cycle."

Impact of Estrogen and Progesterone: She details the roles of estrogen and progesterone throughout the cycle, highlighting the surge in estrogen around day nine leading up to ovulation at day fourteen.

[01:26] B: "Days into the cycle."

[01:27] C: "Estrogen really starts to surge right around day nine of the cycle... it will peak around day 14, which is when ovulation occurs."

Impact on Sexual Desire and Attraction

Changes in Sexual Psychology: Dr. [Guest's Name] explains how heightened estrogen levels during the fertile window enhance women's interest in sex and preference for genetically compatible partners.

[02:13] C: "Women become increasingly attuned to all things sex... prioritizing cues related to high genetic quality or genetic compatibility within their choice of partners."

Preference for Masculine Traits: She elaborates on research showing that during high fertility phases, women prefer masculinized male features, such as deeper voices and broader shoulders, which are indicators of high testosterone levels and, by extension, robust immune systems.

[03:15] C: "Women exhibit a greater preference for cues related to testosterone in men... more masculinized male faces, voices, and behavior at high fertility."

Research Findings

Study on Facial Preferences: Dr. [Guest's Name] references a seminal study where women’s saliva samples were correlated with their preferences for male facial masculinity, confirming increased preference during peak estrogen phases.

[04:22] A: "How'd you test this?"

[04:23] C: "Researchers had women evaluate male faces while monitoring their estrogen levels... found a correlation between high estrogen and preference for masculine features."

Effects of Hormonal Birth Control: She discusses how hormonal contraceptives suppress natural estrogen surges, thereby dampening these natural preferences and altering sexual desire.

[13:16] B: "So on that first point, then it changes who you're attracted to, your sexual."

[13:19] C: "The birth control pill is going to change you... changes our sexual desire and who we're attracted to."

Personal Experience and Motivation for Writing the Book

Realizing the Impact of Birth Control: Dr. [Guest's Name] shares her personal journey of discontinuing hormonal birth control after a decade, leading to heightened emotional and sexual awareness.

[06:44] B: "Why did you choose to write this book?"

[06:46] C: "When I went off hormonal birth control, I felt like I woke up... I realized that the pill was changing me in ways I hadn't understood."

Commitment to Empowerment: Her motivation stems from a desire to inform women about the comprehensive effects of hormonal contraceptives, enabling informed personal decisions.

[09:17] C: "This book was really important to me to present... information as a way to really empower women to make informed decisions."

Implications for Relationships

Attraction Dynamics Post-Birth Control: The conversation explores how discontinuing birth control can alter attraction to partners, potentially increasing or decreasing romantic and sexual satisfaction based on the partner's attributes.

[19:05] C: "Women who are partnered to attractive men, when they went off hormonal birth control, they were more attracted to their partner... but for women with less attractive partners, the attraction decreased."

Stability in Relationships: However, Dr. [Guest's Name] reassures that for most couples, the changes are subtle and don't lead to significant strain.

[21:43] C: "Most women who choose their partners when they're on hormonal birth control go off of it and then there's really not a huge shakeup in their relationship."

Potential Effects on Male Partners

Men’s Attraction to Naturally Cycling Women: Research indicates that men find women more attractive when they are in high fertility phases, suggesting that natural hormonal cycles enhance female attractiveness traits.

[23:35] C: "Men find women sexier... think that they smell better, they look more attractive."

Speculations on Male Hormones: Dr. [Guest's Name] hypothesizes potential links between widespread hormonal birth control use and declining testosterone levels in men, although this remains unproven.

[25:55] C: "We don't know... it's possible that lower estrogen levels in the population could predict lower testosterone in men."

Broader Implications and Future Questions

Sexual Orientation and Hormonal Influence: The discussion touches on how hormonal changes can even influence aspects of sexual orientation and personal identity.

[22:30] C: "Women who felt like they were lesbian might feel more bisexual or not interested in women after going off the pill."

Societal and Evolutionary Perspectives: Exploring the evolutionary significance of hormonal cues in mate selection, the conversation underscores the deep-rooted biological mechanisms that govern human attraction.

[25:46] C: "Men are wired to pick up on estrogen cues... tied to fertility."

Call for Further Research: Dr. [Guest's Name] emphasizes the need for more studies to fully understand the long-term societal impacts of hormonal contraceptive use.

Conclusion

This episode sheds light on the profound and often overlooked effects of hormonal birth control on women's lives and relationships. By intertwining personal experiences with scientific research, Dr. [Guest's Name] provides listeners with a nuanced understanding of how hormones shape our desires, attractions, and identities. The discussion not only raises awareness but also encourages informed decision-making regarding contraceptive use.

Notable Quotes:

• [00:36] C: "Women's partner preferences... change across the menstrual cycle."
• [04:23] C: "Women exhibit a greater preference for cues related to testosterone in men."
• [06:46] C: "I knew that I had to share this information with other women."
• [13:19] C: "The birth control pill is going to change you."
• [23:35] C: "Men find women sexier... think that they smell better, they look more attractive."
• [25:55] C: "It's possible that lower estrogen levels in the population could predict lower testosterone in men."

Connect with Steven Bartlett:

• Book: Link
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steven
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenbartlett-123

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