Episode summary
Women Lose Significant Bone Density During Menopause | Bloomberg Businessweek
Bloomberg Businessweek Daily
· · 8 min · Hosts: Carol Massar, Tim Stenovec · Guests: Doug Lucas
Summary
Osteoporosis remains underdiagnosed and undertreated, even though about half of women and 20% of men over 50 break a bone because of it. The discussion centered on how the FDA’s late-2025 policy change could speed drug development by allowing bone mineral density to serve as an earlier trial endpoint, making studies shorter and cheaper and potentially attracting more biotech companies and investors.
Doug Lucas argued that the biggest opportunity is prevention, not rescue after a fracture. He said screening happens far too late under current guidance and should begin earlier, especially for women in midlife and during perimenopause and menopause, when hormone changes accelerate bone loss. He also said estradiol is FDA approved for prevention of osteoporosis, but clinicians often focus only on symptom relief rather than measuring whether hormones are actually protecting bone.
Lucas also criticized the way women are treated in medicine, saying research has long centered on men and that women are often told what to do rather than educated and included in decisions. His practical advice was straightforward: get screened early, optimize hormones, do resistance training and impact exercise if possible, and maintain a whole-food diet.
Key takeaways
- Doug Lucas said screening women at 65 is too late and argued for testing during midlife, perimenopause, and menopause.
- He said estradiol is FDA approved for osteoporosis prevention, but many clinicians still use hormones only to treat symptoms.
- Lucas said the best bone-health plan is early screening, hormone optimization, resistance training, impact exercise, and a whole-food diet.
- He said women’s health research and medical training have historically centered on men, which leaves clinicians without the right tools for female patients.
- The FDA’s new bone-density-based trial path could shorten studies, lower costs, and draw more biotech and investor interest into osteoporosis drugs.
Notable quotes
“About half of women and 20% of men over 50 break a bone because of osteoporosis”
“the Food and Drug Administration making an important policy change that is expected to spark new interest in treating the common bone disease”
“I actually don't operate anymore because I actually am now in the game of prevention. I want to educate. I want to prevent”
“screening earlier. Right now the recommendations from some of the governing bodies like the USPSTF, United States Preventive Services Task Force recommend screening for women at 65 and men for 70 if they have risk factors”
“Get screened early. Optimize hormones resistance training and impact if you can do it. That's the recipe”
How the episode opens
Bloomberg Audio Studios podcasts, radio, news. — You're listening to Bloomberg Business Week with Carol Masser and Tim Stenc on Bloomberg Radio. — About half of women and 20% of men over 50 break a bone because of osteoporosis. Yet, many people with the condition don't get treated. But late last year, we did see the Food and Drug Administration making an important policy change that is expected to spark new interest in treating the common bone disease.
So instead of waiting years to see whether clinical trial participants experience fewer fractures, drug makers can now measure whether their medicine increases bone mineral density. It'll take make clinical trials much shorter and cheaper. But it's expected to entice more biotech companies to pursue new drugs and investors to back them.
And it'll be interesting about the differences, men versus women, because we know we've talked about that a lot in this se segment. Let's get to it. It's time for the business week women's health segment.
We focus on key issues in developing technologies impacting the present and future of women's health around the world. Delighted to have with us Dr. Doug Lucas.
He's an orthopedic surgeon, osteoporosis specialist at the telealth platform, LifeMD joining us here in studio. Welcome. Welcome.
Thank you. Happy to be here. — It's good to have you here. I don't think we talk about it a lot, but I think we should. tell us about this condition and why you chose to focus on it especially when it comes to health, bone health in women.
Uh well I mean first of all thank you for letting me talk about it because you're right we don't talk about it enough. — Um osteoporosis as you mentioned has a very high morbidity rate meaning the problems that come along with fracture is very high meaning you could potentially die after a fracture.
From the episode’s captions: roughly the first two minutes, lightly cleaned. Keep watching on YouTube →
Topics
- menopause
- bone density
- osteoporosis prevention
- hormone replacement
- hormone optimization
Watch the episode
Watch “Women Lose Significant Bone Density During Menopause | Bloomberg Businessweek” on YouTube
Summary, takeaways and quote selection by Octagon. Quotes are short excerpts; the full conversation is in the episode.
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