Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina

Start of episode recap is at 13.41
In today's Friday solocast, Vanessa Spina breaks down the biggest takeaways from her interview with Dr. Paul Moughan—one of the world's leading experts on protein quality, amino acid digestibility, and how much of the protein you eat actually becomes usable by the body.
If you've ever wondered why fat loss stalls in a deficit, why muscle can drop even when you "hit your protein," or why metabolic rate seems to slow during dieting—this episode explores a rarely discussed variable: utilizable protein and amino acid delivery to tissues. 
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What you'll learn in this episode:
Why protein grams on labels don't equal protein your body can use

The difference between total protein vs. utilizable protein (what actually reaches tissues)

How DIAAS (Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score) upgrades outdated protein scoring systems

Why fat loss diets can unintentionally accelerate lean mass loss if protein quality is low

How the body prioritizes amino acids (and why muscle can become the "last resort")

The overlooked role of the gut's massive protein turnover and amino acid demand

Why low protein quality can contribute to metabolic adaptation (lower RMR over time)

Why women in perimenopause/menopause, dieters, vegans, and older adults may be more vulnerable

The collagen "protein" mistake: why collagen is not a primary protein source for preserving muscle

Practical strategies to improve outcomes without simply "eating more protein"

The future of protein labeling: why "digestible protein" may eventually replace total protein on labels

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Vanessa discusses how using the Tone Device is a proxy for fat loss and autophay on Protein Sparing Modified Fasting (PSMF) days! 👉 Use code VANESSA for 20% off HERE
Get my free NEW high-protein keto guide: The Keto Reset eBook
Free high-protein keto guide: The Keto Reset eBook
👤 Connect with Vanessa:
• Instagram: @ketogenicgirl
📱 Follow @ketogenicgirl for the latest studies and strategies on fat loss and protein optimization
📸 Follow @optimalproteinpodcast for episode visuals and updates
💬 Join the Facebook group: Optimal Protein Podcast Community
🎙 The content in this podcast is for informational purposes only and not nutritional or medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making major dietary or lifestyle changes.

Protein grams don't tell the full story. In this episode, Vanessa Spina is joined by Paul Moughan, a world authority on protein quality and amino acid digestibility, to explore why fat loss can stall and muscle can be lost — even on a high-protein diet.
Dr. Moughan, a Distinguished Professor at Massey University and architect of DIAAS, explains why protein absorbed and delivered to muscle matters more than protein consumed.
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You'll learn:
Why identical protein intakes can produce very different body composition outcomes
How low-quality protein may drive hunger and muscle loss during dieting
Why protein grams on labels are misleading for fat loss and recomposition
This episode isn't about eating more protein — it's about eating protein that actually counts.
👉 Subscribe, rate, and review the Optimal Protein Podcast to support the show and help bring you more evidence-based conversations on fat loss, protein, and muscle-centric nutrition.
Get 20% off the Tone Device to try on a PSMF Day! Shop the collection HERE and use the code VANESSA
Get delicious high protein meal recipes! Connect with Vanessa on Instagram @ketogenicgirl
🔴 Tone LUX Red Light Therapy Get 20% off the Tone LUX Crystal Red Light Therapy collection including the Crystal Mask and accessories the with the code VANESSA HERE
Follow @optimalproteinpodcast on Instagram to see visuals and posts mentioned on this podcast.
Link to join the Facebook group for the podcast
The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet or exercise regimen.

Start of Arny Ferrando's episode recap is at 14:00 minutes.

In today's Friday solocast, Vanessa Spina recaps her recent interview with Arny Ferrando, one of the world's leading experts on human muscle protein metabolism — and explains why fat loss problems are often muscle problems in disguise.
The episode opens with two brand-new studies that challenge common fat-loss assumptions, including new findings on hydration and body fat loss, and surprising research linking resistance training with intelligence and cognitive performance.
From there, Vanessa distills the most important insights from her conversation with Dr. Ferrando, including why simply eating less often backfires, how aging and hormonal changes impair muscle metabolism, and what most people misunderstand about protein needs, circulation, and metabolic slowdown.
🧠 IQBAR – Try the Ultimate Sampler Pack: IQBARs, IQMIX, and IQJOE! Text VANESSA to 64000 for a 20% off discount code
🧠 In This Episode, You'll Learn
Why a basic habit most people overlook can quietly stall fat loss
How strength training affects far more than muscle and appearance

Why eating less often worsens metabolic adaptation over time

What actually changes in muscle as we age — especially in women

Why protein intake becomes more important, not less

The missing link between circulation, amino acids, and body recomposition

🔬 Studies Mentioned
Water intake and body fat loss (PubMed ID: 39585691)

Resistance training and intelligence (Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2025)

BOOST YOUR COLLAGEN & ELASTIN with RED LIGHT THERAPY! Save 20% on all Tone Lux Red Light therapy with the code VANESSA! Learn more about the  TONE LUX Crystal red light therapy mask and the brand new accessory the TONE LUX CONTOUR for the neck and décollete
Vanessa discusses how using the Tone Device is a proxy for fat loss and autophay on Protein Sparing Modified Fasting (PSMF) days! 👉 Use code VANESSA for 20% off HERE
Get my free NEW high-protein keto guide: The Keto Reset eBook
Free high-protein keto guide: The Keto Reset eBook
👤 Connect with Vanessa:
• Instagram: @ketogenicgirl
📱 Follow @ketogenicgirl for the latest studies and strategies on fat loss and protein optimization
📸 Follow @optimalproteinpodcast for episode visuals and updates
💬 Join the Facebook group: Optimal Protein Podcast Community
🎙 The content in this podcast is for informational purposes only and not nutritional or medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making major dietary or lifestyle changes.

In this episode of The Optimal Protein Podcast, Vanessa Spina welcomes back leading muscle metabolism researcher Dr. Arny Ferrando for a deep dive into protein, muscle, and women's physiology across the menopause transition.
Timeline Mitopure Gummies — The #1 Urolithin A supplement for energy and healthy aging, now in delicious strawberry gummies. Get 20% off at timeline.com/vanessa
They explore why perimenopause represents a critical turning point for whole-body protein balance, how muscle loss accelerates during midlife, and why protein quality, dosing, and movement become essential for preserving lean mass and metabolic health. Dr. Ferrando also shares insights from forthcoming research comparing animal-based and plant-based proteins, and explains why muscle is the body's primary survival tissue during stress and aging.
This conversation delivers clear, evidence-based strategies for improving body composition, fat loss, and long-term health in women. Topics include:
Why menopause changes protein utilization and muscle retention

Perimenopause as a muscle-critical intervention window

Protein intake vs. protein optimization

Essential amino acids (EAAs): when supplementation is useful

Muscle loss, fat gain, and metabolic slowdown in midlife

Why muscle preservation matters more than scale weight

The role of circulation, blood flow, and resistance training

Fat loss without muscle loss: what the science shows

GLP-1 weight loss drugs and concerns around lean mass loss

Emerging research on beef-based vs. plant-based proteins for women

Dr. Arny Ferrando is a world-leading researcher in human protein metabolism, muscle physiology, and aging. His work has helped define how amino acids, protein intake, and exercise influence muscle preservation, recovery, and metabolic health across the lifespan.
👉 Subscribe, rate, and review the Optimal Protein Podcast to support the show and help bring you more evidence-based conversations on fat loss, protein, and muscle-centric nutrition.
Get 20% off the Tone Device to try on a PSMF Day! Shop the collection HERE and use the code VANESSA
Get delicious high protein meal recipes! Connect with Vanessa on Instagram @ketogenicgirl
🔴 Tone LUX Red Light Therapy Get 20% off the Tone LUX Crystal Red Light Therapy collection including the Crystal Mask and accessories the with the code VANESSA HERE
Follow @optimalproteinpodcast on Instagram to see visuals and posts mentioned on this podcast.
Link to join the Facebook group for the podcast
The content provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet or exercise regimen.

Most people think creatine only affects muscle strength and performance. But what if creatine also plays a role inside fat cells themselves—and could subtly influence fat loss and body recomposition?
In this episode of the Optimal Protein Podcast, Vanessa Spina I recaps the key takeaways from the interview with Dr. Scott Forbes, focusing on fat loss, body recomposition, muscle preservation, protein intake, creatine supplementation, sleep, and aging.
This episode breaks down brand new research on how different training modalities, recovery, and evidence-based supplements influence fat loss and body composition—and why scale weight alone is a poor marker of fat loss success.
🧠 IQBAR – Try the Ultimate Sampler Pack: IQBARs, IQMIX, and IQJOE! Text VANESSA to 64000 for a 20% off discount code
BOOST YOUR COLLAGEN & ELASTIN with RED LIGHT THERAPY! Save 20% on all Tone Lux Red Light therapy with the code VANESSA! Learn more about the  TONE LUX Crystal red light therapy mask and the brand new accessory the TONE LUX CONTOUR for the neck and décollete
Vanessa discusses how using the Tone Device is a proxy for fat loss and autophay on Protein Sparing Modified Fasting (PSMF) days! 👉 Use code VANESSA for 20% off HERE
Get my free NEW high-protein keto guide: The Keto Reset eBook
Free high-protein keto guide: The Keto Reset eBook
👤 Connect with Vanessa:
• Instagram: @ketogenicgirl
📱 Follow @ketogenicgirl for the latest studies and strategies on fat loss and protein optimization
📸 Follow @optimalproteinpodcast for episode visuals and updates
💬 Join the Facebook group: Optimal Protein Podcast Community
🎙 The content in this podcast is for informational purposes only and not nutritional or medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making major dietary or lifestyle changes.