The Deadly Truth About Bone Loss: What Women Never Get Told | Dr. Vonda Wright

Dec 4, 2025

Discover the surprising dangers of bone loss that women often overlook. A femur fracture dramatically increases mortality risk and can lead to long-term loss of independence. Explore how engaging in resistance training can significantly benefit bone health at any age. Dr. Vonda Wright presents striking MRI comparisons demonstrating how an active lifestyle can make you look youthful well into your 70s. Learn about the critical role of estrogen in bone health and how proactive measures starting in your 30s are essential for longevity.

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INSIGHT

Hip Fracture Risks Are Staggering

A broken femur drastically raises mortality and loss of independence in older adults.
Dr. Vonda Wright says a hip fracture carries ~30% chance of death and ~50% chance of not returning home.

ADVICE

Start Building Bone Early

Start building bone mass early and act when osteopenia or osteoporosis appears.
Do resistance training or begin with bodyweight movements and progressively overload to strengthen bone.

ADVICE

Lift And Use Impact To Stimulate Bone

Lift weights or use impact (jumping) at any age because mechanical load triggers bone growth.
Begin with bodyweight if needed and progressively increase load to stimulate biochemical bone-building signals.

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What if I told you that the moment you break your femur, you have a 30% chance of dying — and a 50% chance of never going home again?

In this minisode, I share the most shocking moments from my conversation with orthopedic surgeon and longevity expert Dr. Vonda Wright, and why bone health is one of the biggest blind spots in women’s health.

Dr. Wright reveals that “the minute you fall and break this bone… you have a 30% chance of dying from the complications” — pneumonia, UTIs, bedsores — and “a 50% chance of not returning to the home where you came from.”

We also break down her viral MRI comparison: the thigh of a sedentary 74-year-old vs. a 40-year-old vs. a 74-year-old triathlete — and how the active 74-year-old looks nearly identical to the 40-year-old. Aging is not the enemy; inaction is.

If you’re in your 30s, 40s, or beyond, this is your wake-up call:
You can change the trajectory of your health if you start early enough.

This episode features highlights from our full conversation, which premiered September 2nd, 2025. Watch the full episode here → https://youtu.be/pUb1z_LJp3g

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I’m Louisa Nicola — clinical neurophysiologist — Alzheimer’s prevention specialist — founder of Neuro Athletics.

My mission is to translate cutting-edge neuroscience into actionable strategies for cognitive longevity, peak performance, and brain disease prevention.

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Topics discussed:
00:00:00 Introduction: The Deadly Truth About Hip Fractures 00:01:08 The Cost of Inaction: Financial and Personal Impact 00:01:28 Building Better Bones: It's Never Too Late 00:02:16 The Power of Resistance Training at Any Age 00:03:00 Starting Early: Lessons for the Next Generation 00:03:22 The Viral MRI: 40-Year-Old vs 74-Year-Old Athletes 00:03:54 Anatomy of Aging: What the MRI Really Shows 00:04:41 Bone as an Endocrine Organ: The Master Communicator 00:05:28 The Silent Crisis: Why We Don't Hear Our Bones 00:06:16 The Menopause Catastrophe: When Estrogen Walks Out

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