The Gut-Bone Axis in Midlife Women: Inflammation, Bone Health, and Emerging Clinical Solutions
Midlife is a pivotal time for women’s health, with shifts in hormones, inflammation, and gut function influencing bone health in important ways. This two-hour webinar brings together Felice Gersh, MD and Jeff Bland, PhD, moderated by Bridgette Briggs, MD, for an expert discussion on the gut-bone axis and its relevance to women in midlife.
Through scientific insights, clinical perspective, and panel discussion, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how inflammation affects bone health, why the gut-bone connection matters, and how these changes may contribute to declining bone density, including osteopenia and osteoporosis. The session will explore the unique bone health challenges women face during midlife and consider how emerging approaches fit within a broader strategy to support skeletal health and overall well-being.
Learning Objectives:
- Explore the relationship between the gut-bone axis and bone health in midlife women.
- Explain how inflammation contributes to changes in bone metabolism, bone density, and the development or progression of bone loss and osteopenia during the midlife transition.
- Discuss the physiologic and clinical factors that make midlife women uniquely vulnerable to inflammation-related bone health concerns.
- Review lifestyle strategies and the role of Bōndia as a novel option for supporting bone health and addressing osteopenia in midlife women.
Speakers
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Jeff Bland, PhDJeffrey Bland, PhD, is a pioneering figure in the food-is-medicine movement and a leading expert in nutritional biochemistry. As founder of Big Bold Health, he now focuses on longevity through immune health, championing the concept of immune rejuvenation as a pathway to healthy aging. Dr. Bland’s work highlights the powerful role of plant polyphenols and omega-3 fatty acids in supporting immune resilience. Widely known as the “father of Functional Medicine,” he has spent more than 40 years advancing nutrition science, regenerative agriculture, and personalized approaches to lifelong vitality.
Dr. Bland began his career in academia as a university professor. In the early 1980s, he became a protégé of two-time Nobel Laureate, Dr. Linus Pauling. Dr. Bland then spent decades as a natural products industry insider and entrepreneur, while also serving as a scientific advisor and mentor to dynamic founders and leading brands.
A lifelong educator, Dr. Bland has traveled the world many times over as a renowned speaker. In 1991, he and his wife, Susan, founded The Institute for Functional Medicine. In 2012, they established another educational nonprofit called The Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute, which brings together researchers, clinicians, industry leaders, and other stakeholders to focus on new models of healthcare delivery, advancements in medical nutrition therapy, and exciting emerging science.
Dr. Bland is the author of The Disease Delusion: Conquering the Causes of Chronic Illness for a Healthier, Longer, and Happier Life, as well as additional books and many research papers. His next book will be published by HarperCollins in March 2027. The Nourished Gene: Rejuvenate Your Immunity, Reverse Chronic Symptoms, and Activate Your Longevity is now available for pre-order from all major booksellers.
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Bridget Briggs, MDDr. Bridget Briggs, MD has been empowering patients to live inspired healthy lives for over 20 years. Her integrative approach and profound knowledge of genetics, epigenetics, nutrigenomics and biochemistry has paved the way to her advanced methods in precise, personalized, preventative medicine. Dr. Briggs is a board certified Family Medicine Physician who is at the forefront of the emerging science of genetics and how a patient’s DNA can be altered to prevent disease or treat current ailments with a personalized treatment plan.She specializes in functional medicine, bio-identical hormones, lipidology, women’s health, pediatrics, geriatrics, detoxification, nutritional and dietary support.Her expertise in genetic testing and interpretation allows her to develop a precise treatment approach leading to improvement in all areas of disease ranging from chronic migraines, fatigue, anxiety, depression, autism, GERD, IBS, SIBO issues among others.
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Felice Gersh, MDFelice Gersh, M.D. is a multi-award winning physician with dual board certifications in OB-GYN and Integrative Medicine. She is the founder and director of the Integrative Medical Group of Irvine, a practice that provides comprehensive health care for women by combining the best evidence-based therapies from conventional, naturopathic, and holistic medicine. She received her education at Princeton University, USC School of Medicine, Kaiser Hospital, and University of Arizona School of Medicine. She received the highly coveted Outstanding Volunteer Clinical Faculty Award, while teaching obstetrics and gynecology at Keck USC School of Medicine, where she served for 12 years as an Assistant Clinical Professor. She now serves as an Affiliate Faculty Member at the Fellowship in Integrative Medicine, through the University of Arizona School of Medicine, where she mentors and regularly grades the case presentations written by the Fellowship students for their final exams.
Felice Gersh, M.D. is the bestselling author of PCOS SOS, PCOS SOS Fertility Fast Track, and Menopause: 50 Things You Need to Know. She has also had numerous scientific articles published in peer-reviewed medical journals. Dr. Gersh is a prolific lecturer and has been featured in several films and documentary series, including The Real Skinny on Fat with Montel Williams, Fasting with Valter Longo, Ph.D., and The Business of Birth Control.
