Martha Stewart, 85, Reveals Secret to Her Decades of Good Health
The lifestyle mogul also confessed to struggling with the same supply shortages that millions of American women face.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Telemundo
Martha Stewart has revealed a key factor behind her many years of good health.
On Wednesday, the queen of homemaking sat down for a panel discussion at Perry St. restaurant in New York City, an event hosted by her skincare brand, Elm Biosciences.
During the intimate breakfast, Stewart, 85, shared that she has been taking estrogen for more than 40 years.
“I’ve been on estrogen since I was like 42 years old, I think,” the lifestyle mogul, whose radiant complexion is a frequent subject of admiration on social media, said. “I think that’s very helpful.”
Like millions of American women, however, Stewart has struggled to fill her prescriptions because of ongoing supply shortages.
Martha Stewart at the 2026 U.S. Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, in Flushing, NY.
Shea Kastriner/USTA via Getty Images
“I haven’t seen anything written about the shortage of hormones,” Stewart said. “You can’t get your Dotti now.”
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Dotti is a brand of transdermal estrogen skin patches that can help with menopause and post-menopause symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, mood swings, and bone loss. It’s one of the many hormone therapy products currently in short supply.
Martha Stewart maintains an active lifestyle, attending events such as the Central Park Hat Luncheon at Conservatory Garden in Central Park on May 6, 2026.
Lexie Moreland/WWD via Getty Images
“You can’t get estrogen, you can’t get progesterone, you can’t get any of those things now,” Stewart said. “My drugstore doesn’t have any. I had to go to another place for it.”
Martha Stewart started menopausal hormone therapy around 1983. Pictured here in Hollywood in 1989.
George Rose/Getty Images
The homemaking icon also pointed out that the conversation about hormone therapy has changed since the 1980s, when she first started taking it.
“Other doctors were saying, ‘Oh no, it causes cancer’ and all that other stuff,” she said. “I’ve been on it, and I think that has helped me keep my strong bones and a strong body.”
Martha Stewart is best known for her homemaking genius, but her enviable style has landed her at high-fashion events throughout her career. Here, she walks the red carpet outside the 2001 Met Gala wearing an eye-catching gold lamé gown.
Fairchild Archive/Penske Media via Getty Images
In 2003, the FDA imposed a “black box warning” on many estrogen products. This was due to studies that appeared to indicate a higher risk of issues like breast cancer in postmenopausal women taking estrogen.
The warning for “serious or life-threatening risks” was removed in February 2026 after new data showed the risks were lower than previously thought.
Martha Stewart, seen here at the Clive Davis party ahead of the 2026 Grammy Awards, is often admired for her glowing skin, healthy hair, and timeless sense of style.
Mario Anzuoni/REUTERS
Since the warning was lifted, the demand for hormone therapy has increased significantly.
According to CBS, prescriptions for estrogen patches in the U.S.A. skyrocketed after the change, going from around 594,000 in June 2024 to 1.6 million in May 2026.
A national shortage has quickly followed the increased demand, and Stewart is just one of the many women across the U.S.A. struggling to get their dose.
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