Drew Barrymore Shares Her Hormone Replacement Therapy Experience at 50

Veteran actress Drew Barrymore, 50, is sharing her recent experience with hormone replacement therapy.

“Everyone said it would be trial and error, and I just went through a lot of error,” the talk show host told People.

Barrymore went on: “I did not recognize the person I saw in the mirror. I was like, ‘Is that the crypt keeper? No, that’s me.’ ” 

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), or menopausal therapy, involves replenishing estrogen in the body through the bloodstream.  

Maureen Slattery, an OB-GYN at Rochester Regional Health in New York, explained to AARP in July that HRT can be administered either orally or through skin absorption. She notes that doctors generally prefer non-oral options.

Delivering estrogen through a patch, gel, spray or vaginal ring significantly reduces the risk of heart attack or stroke. For women who still have a uterus after menopause, progesterone is usually added, either taken orally or combined with estrogen in a patch. Slattery notes that this method applies to perimenopausal women.

The Charlie’s Angels star said her skin was “puffy from hormones,” and “I just didn’t feel good about myself,” prompting her to double down on her self-care routine.

“Every time I feel that way, I’m like, ‘OK, buckle down: Eat cleaner, prioritize sleep, start exercising a little bit more and just get yourself back to center,’ ” Barrymore said.

The former child actress also credits her therapist, Dr. Barry Michels, who “helped me write out a list of seven healthy habits for me that work.”

“I just get back to that list,” she explained. “It’s actually faded over time, and I retrace it with a black pen so I can still read it perfectly, because it helps.” 

She went on, “It’s not good to stay stuck and not feeling confident or attractive or good about yourself. So these are just little steps you can take.” 

Barrymore, who appeared on the January 2025 cover of AARP The Magazine, said she was “thrilled” to be turning 50 in February.

“It can’t come soon enough,” she said. “I feel like Frodo [in The Lord of the Rings]. I see that brass ring and I’m so excited! I have no issues with aging — this is the happiest I’ve been in my life.”

A 2024 AARP study found that over 1.4 million women, or about 65% of women seeking treatment for menopause in the U.S., received an HRT prescription. There are mixed reviews about prescribing HRT based on prior personal medical history, but scientists say women who choose to take HRT, starting early in menopause or before turning 60, will gain the most benefits from the treatment.

AARP offers more information on managing menopause symptoms.