VANTA Coaching

Menopause, Inflammation & Inner Power: Lessons from Dr. Rhonda Patrick on the Diary of a CEO

Jul 30, 2025By Dorota G
Dorota G

What if the symptoms of menopause weren’t just a hormonal rollercoaster—but a biological alarm system, alerting you to hidden inflammation, nutrient imbalances, and unmet cellular needs?

In her powerful appearance on Diary of a CEO, Dr. Rhonda Patrick—biomedical scientist and renowned expert in aging and micronutrients—offered some radical insights into the drivers of disease, dysfunction, and how we age. At VANTA Coaching, we’re obsessed with translating scientific truths like these into real-life solutions for women in perimenopause and beyond. So we listened carefully. Then we got to work applying her research to the midlife female experience.

This post is your guide to:

  • Why midlife is a metabolic and mitochondrial turning point
  • How inflammation and nutrient depletion silently sabotage women’s health
  • What Dr. Patrick says about aging—and how to reverse some of its effects
  • Practical takeaways you can start today to reduce brain fog, fatigue, and pain

Let’s unpack what every woman over 40 needs to know.

1. The Real Driver Behind Menopausal Symptoms? Chronic Inflammation.
Dr. Patrick describes aging as “a progressive loss of function that’s accelerated by inflammation.” But here’s the twist: inflammation doesn’t always hurt. It can be silent. Hidden. Subtle. And it often starts manifesting as mood shifts, fatigue, bloating, or joint stiffness—long before you get a diagnosis.

Sound familiar?

Perimenopause brings natural hormonal changes, but if your system is already inflamed, those changes hit harder. Your estrogen drops? So does its anti-inflammatory power. Your cortisol spikes? It amplifies inflammation.

This sets off a cascade:

  • Hot flashes
  • Brain fog
  • Painful periods or heavy bleeding
  • Poor sleep
  • Gut issues
  • Unexplained weight gain

VANTA takeaway: You’re not crazy. You’re inflamed. And when you reduce that inflammation through food, lifestyle, and micronutrient support, symptoms begin to melt away.

2. Your Mitochondria Are Tired—And That’s Why You’re Exhausted
Mitochondria are your body’s energy generators. They turn oxygen and nutrients into ATP, the fuel for every cell in your body—including your brain, ovaries, and muscles.

Dr. Patrick explains that aging is accelerated when your mitochondria stop working properly due to: nutrient deficiencies (magnesium, B vitamins, CoQ10), poor sleep, inflammation, sedentary lifestyle, toxin exposure.

For women in midlife, the double-whammy of hormonal shifts plus sluggish mitochondria means you start to feel like your spark is fading. The tank is empty.

VANTA coaching principle: We don’t just chase energy—we restore it from the source. Every wellness protocol we offer supports mitochondrial health through nutrition, supplementation, breathwork, strength training, and recovery. Because when your mitochondria wake up, so do you.

3. Micronutrients Matter—More Than You’ve Been Told
Dr. Rhonda Patrick is best known for hammering home the importance of micronutrients—vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that don’t just “support” your health, they run your health. And the truth? Most women are severely deficient, especially during midlife.

Some non-negotiables:

  • Magnesium – Regulates sleep, blood sugar, muscle cramps, and estrogen metabolism
  • Vitamin D – A hormone in disguise that reduces inflammation and supports mood
  • B vitamins – Crucial for energy, neurotransmitter production, and stress resilience
  • Omega-3 fatty acids – Brain health, anti-inflammatory signaling, and hormonal balance
  • Choline – Essential for liver detox, brain clarity, and estrogen processing

Dr. Patrick highlights that optimal health is impossible without nutrient sufficiency.

At VANTA, we often say: you can’t supplement your way out of a bad diet—but you also can’t ignore your gaps.

What you can do today:

  • Get a blood test (or work with a practitioner to assess nutrient status).
  • Eat a rainbow of real, whole foods.
  • Use targeted supplementation, not guesswork. (We can help with this.)
     
    4. Longevity Isn’t About Living Longer—It’s About Living Better Now

We love how Dr. Patrick reframes longevity—not as something that starts at 80, but something we build in our 40s. The aging process is influenced by every daily choice we make, from what we eat and how we move to how we sleep and manage stress. Dr. Patrick talks about “healthspan”—the number of years you live vibrantly, not just alive. And for women in perimenopause, that vision hits different.

Imagine: waking up clear-headed, feeling light and powerful in your body, having a stable mood all day, loving your workouts again, reconnecting to your libido, purpose, and peace. It’s not a fantasy. It’s biology—supported.

At VANTA, we’re obsessed with making sure your 40s and 50s are not a slow decline—but a strategic reset. One where we restore energy, improve strength, support your brain, and balance your hormones—naturally and effectively.

5. The VANTA-DOAC Checklist: Your Daily Reset Inspired by Rhonda
To make all this practical, here’s a simplified version of what we call the VANTA-DOAC—inspired by Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s philosophy, but designed for women in the hormonal transition:

Final Thoughts: This Isn’t Just About Science—It’s About Sovereignty
Dr. Rhonda Patrick brings the research. At VANTA, we translate it into real-life tools for transformation. We believe midlife is not the end of your vitality—it’s the beginning of your conscious power. You are not meant to feel flat, inflamed, or invisible. You are meant to rise into a new season of strength, clarity, and unapologetic health. Let’s make it happen—together.

👣 Next Steps:

Join our VANTA Reset Program—a 12-week journey built on the science of midlife biology and the art of personalised coaching.