Bérénice Benayoun, PhD, explains why ovarian aging may be one of the earliest and most important drivers of female aging, influencing the brain, immune system, metabolism, and long-term disease risk far beyond reproduction. She breaks down what we actually know so far, including DNA damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, fibrosis, hormonal signaling, and why the ovary appears to age faster than other tissues.

We also get into one of the most surprising findings in the field right now: a brand new study from her lab found that post-reproductive gut microbiota unexpectedly improved ovarian reserve and lowered inflammatory signals in young mice, raising a completely new set of questions about the gut-ovary connection and what may eventually be possible for ovarian health.

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In this conversation:

-Why the ovary may be the fastest aging organ in the female body

-Why menopause is a healthspan issue, not just a fertility issue

-DNA damage, mitochondria, fibrosis, and the hallmarks of ovarian aging

-The new microbiome finding that surprised even the researchers

-Why later menopause predicts longer and healthier life

-Rapamycin, hormone therapy, and what may actually help

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Learn more about Bérénice Benayoun:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/b%C3%A9r%C3%A9nice-benayoun-a374a74b/en/Website: https://gero.usc.edu/labs/benayounlab/Her New Study (Estropausal gut microbiota transplant improves measures of ovarian function in adult mice): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41776310/