The Luminescence Podcast with Schuyler Grant

Why Women Age Differently: Bone, Muscle & Menopause with Dr. Vonda Wright

The Luminescence Podcast with Schuyler Grant

Show Notes

Women lose up to 20% of their bone density during perimenopause, often silently, until a fracture makes it impossible to ignore.

Dr. Vonda Wright, MD, an orthopedic sports surgeon and author of Unbreakable, explains the biology of bone loss, muscle loss, and menopause, and why women, the 51% who make most household and healthcare decisions, still receive only a sliver of research funding after age 40.

Recorded live at Luminescence Los Angeles in February 2025.

Here's what you'll learn:

Why bone functions as an endocrine organ that influences the brain, metabolism, and more

The biological drivers of aging: epigenetics, cellular senescence, inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction

Why lifting heavier weights and eating more protein matter more at midlife than moderate cardio

Making hormone decisions based on evidence rather than fear This talk is for anyone concerned about bone density, osteoporosis risk, or building strength through perimenopause and menopause.

Topics: bone density, osteoporosis prevention, perimenopause, menopause, strength training, women's health research

More from The Luminescence Podcast with Schuyler Grant

Oct 20, 2026

Metabolic health isn't really about weight, Schuyler Grant, Dr. Robin Berzin, and Dr. Mary Pardee argue — it's the single biggest lever available for healthspan, driving everything from brain function to bone health to the "four horsemen" of heart disease, cancer, and dementia.

Oct 13, 2026

Viagra was approved in 1998. It took another two decades before women's sexual health started being treated as a physiological issue instead of a mood problem — and most women still don't know there are three real prescription options for low desire.

Oct 6, 2026

Estrogen receptors are in nearly every organ in your body, so when estrogen drops, your whole body feels it. OB/GYN and menopause expert Dr. Mary Claire Haver explains what that means for your bones, muscle, heart, brain, and belly fat. Recorded live at the Luminescence event in Texas.

Sep 22, 2026

55% of women say they've felt gaslit by a doctor. 80% delay care rather than walk into an appointment where they know they won't be heard.

Sep 15, 2026

Menopause is usually talked about in terms of hot flashes and mood swings. But beneath those symptoms are silent, system-wide changes and one of the most important ones happens in the heart.

See all episodes →