Today, I’m joined by the insightful Siobhan Mitchell PhD, a leading expert on women’s health, mitochondria, and metabolic resilience. In our conversation, Siobhan reveals why so many women in their 30s and 40s feel like their metabolism is suddenly “broken,” and unpacks the real science behind what’s happening beneath the surface—especially as our hormones begin to shift.

Episode Timestamps:

Introduction and host welcome ... 00:00:00

Introducing Speaker B and focus on women’s health ... 00:04:30

Growing interest in women’s health and clinical gaps ... 00:05:12

Body composition and metabolic changes in perimenopause ... 00:06:01

Hormonal shifts—not a broken metabolism ... 00:09:21

Addressing the root cause versus band-aids like GLP-1 ... 00:11:10

What’s happening beneath the surface in early perimenopause ... 00:12:40

Role of estrogen in appetite, glucose, and fat storage ... 00:13:12

Visceral fat, inflammation, and accelerated aging ... 00:15:02

Estrogen’s connection to mitochondrial function ... 00:16:15

Brain, muscle, and cognitive declines with estrogen loss ... 00:16:44

Environmental and mitochondrial factors in PCOS ... 00:21:09

Shift to belly fat and why fat storage changes ... 00:22:58

Mitochondria, immune system, and autoimmunity in women ... 00:29:16

Phytoestrogens, soy, and S-equol as hormone alternatives ... 00:32:37

S-equol’s benefits: metabolic, bone, and brain health ... 00:35:50

Soy fears, GMOs, and the purity of S-equol ... 00:46:25

Microbiome, Bifidobacterium breve, and estrogen recycling ... 00:49:18

GLP-1s versus supporting the root cause ... 00:53:01

Optimizing estrogen signaling for health span and menopause timing ... 00:55:20

When to use S-equol: timing and benefits ... 00:55:54

Reversing visceral fat and lifestyle factors ... 01:03:28

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