We talk constantly about eating more protein in midlife.

But here is the question we do not ask nearly enough:

Is your body actually getting what it needs from that protein?

Because there is a big difference between eating protein, digesting protein, getting enough of the right amino acids, and actually giving your body what it needs to maintain muscle as you age.

And this becomes especially important in perimenopause and menopause, when preserving muscle already starts getting harder.

In this episode, I sit down with Angelo Keely, co-founder and CEO of Kion, to get into something I realized I did not understand nearly as well as I thought I did: essential amino acids.

We break down what amino acids actually are, why some proteins are considered “complete” while others are not, why collagen does not count the way many women think it does, and why protein quality may matter just as much as the number of grams you are tracking.

Then we get into the part I think is especially important for midlife women: what happens when you are dieting, using a GLP-1, struggling to eat enough protein, or simply noticing that maintaining muscle is getting harder than it used to be.

There are some very surprising pieces of research in this conversation that completely changed the way I think about protein supplementation.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

• What amino acids actually are and why your body needs them

• The difference between essential and non-essential amino acids

• Why not all protein sources are created equal

• What actually makes a protein “complete”

• Why collagen may not count toward your protein goals the way you think

• Animal protein versus plant protein

• Whey protein versus essential amino acids

• Why the amount of protein you needed in your 20s may not be enough anymore

• What happens to muscle when you are not getting enough amino acids

• Why calorie restriction can make muscle preservation much harder

• The GLP-1 and muscle-loss conversation women need to understand

• A fascinating piece of NASA research on amino acids and muscle

• Why leucine gets so much attention

• Why BCAAs are not the same thing as a complete essential amino acid formula

• Amino acids, hormones, neurotransmitters, mood, hair, skin, and nails

• When to take amino acids for the greatest benefit

• Pre-workout versus post-workout versus between meals

• Whether amino acids can be combined with protein, collagen, electrolytes, and other supplements

• What to look for when choosing an amino acid product

Who This Episode Is For

This episode is especially for the woman who says:

“I’m eating protein. Why am I still losing muscle?”

“I can’t possibly eat another chicken breast.”

“I’m on a GLP-1 and I’m struggling to get enough food in.”

“My body doesn’t respond to workouts the way it used to.”

Or:

“I’m hitting my protein goal, but am I actually getting what I need?”

If you are in your 40s, 50s, or beyond and muscle, metabolism, recovery, hair, skin, or body composition have become harder to maintain, this conversation is worth hearing.

What You’ll Walk Away Understanding

By the end of this episode, you will understand why simply counting grams of protein may not tell the whole story and what your body is actually looking for when it comes to rebuilding and maintaining tissue.

We also get into why this becomes even more important during weight loss and why women using GLP-1 medications may need to think about protein differently.

And Angelo explains the very specific thing he looks for on an amino acid label that most consumers never think to check.

Get 20% off your KION Aminos at http://getkion.com/hormone

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