Turn Fat Into Muscle?! What 2 New Studies Say About Ketones and Vitamin D
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
Release Date: 03/28/2025
The Truth About Collagen, Protein Timing & Fat Loss for Women: Top Collagen Researcher Dr. Shiloah Kviatkovsky
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
Timeline NOW Get 20% off Mitopure, clinically proven to boost mitophagy. Go to . In this empowering episode, Vanessa sits down with Dr. Shiloah Kviatkovsky, a leading researcher in collagen supplementation, protein metabolism, and connective tissue health. Together they unpack what actually works when it comes to optimizing protein intake, timing, and supplementation for women focused on fat loss, muscle retention, and active aging. This conversation covers everything from satellite cells, myonuclei, and muscle protein synthesis to collagen peptides, tendon repair, and skin rejuvenation. Dr....
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Advanced Fat Loss & Muscle Gain Strategies from the Body Recomp King – Christopher Barakat (Solo Recap)
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
In this solo episode, Vanessa breaks down her incredible interview with Christopher Barakat—researcher, physique coach, and educator—whose work is redefining what we know about body recomposition, resistance training, and maximizing hypertrophy. Christopher was the first to publish a scientific paper using the term body recomposition, and his evidence-based approach is helping people break free from outdated beliefs around calories, bulking, and fat loss. In this recap, Vanessa shares the top takeaways from their conversation, including how to finally train and eat in a way that builds...
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Advanced Fat Loss & Muscle Gain Strategies Backed by Science – Physique Expert Christopher Barakat
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
Timeline: Get 10% off Mitopure, clinically proven to boost mitophagy. Go to Today’s episode is a powerhouse conversation with researcher, coach, and educator Christopher Barakat. We dive deep into the science of body recomposition—yes, building muscle and losing fat at the same time is absolutely possible—and Chris breaks down exactly how to do it with the right training, nutrition, and strategy. We discuss cutting-edge training methods like Myoreps, to support efficient workouts and hypertrophy, especially during fat loss. Chris also shares his research on what really works...
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The Science of Survive vs. Thrive: Which Protein Wins? Dr. Chris Lockwood Recap
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
Get 10% off Magnesium Breakthrough by BiOptimizers, using the code VANESSA at In this solo Friday recap, Vanessa breaks down her powerful interview with protein researcher and supplement industry expert, Dr. Chris Lockwood. Discover why only ~10% of your protein intake actually builds muscle, the real differences between plant and animal proteins, and why protein quality matters more than you think. Vanessa dives deep into the “Survive vs. Thrive” protein framework, explains how to overcome anabolic resistance with age, and unpacks which supplements are truly worth your money. If you’ve...
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Eat for the Body You Want: How Protein Quality Changes Everything: Dr. Chris Lockwood
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
Timeline: Get 10% off Mitopure, clinically proven to boost mitophagy. Go to . In this eye-opening episode of the Optimal Protein Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Chris Lockwood, PhD—a renowned sports nutrition scientist, industry expert, and former Editor-in-Chief of the International Society of Sports Nutrition Journal—to break down why not all protein is created equal. We dive deep into the Survive vs. Thrive paradigm, uncover how amino acids act as powerful metabolic signals, and explain the critical role of protein quality in fat loss, muscle gain, and long-term health. Whether...
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New Study: Doubling Your Protein Burns 128 Extra Calories & Directs Calories Into Muscle Instead of Fat Storage!
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
Timestamp straight to the research study - 10:11 IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% OFF all IQBAR products, plus get FREE shipping. To get your 20% off, text VANESSA to 64000. That’s VANESSA to sixty-four thousand. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. In this episode, Vanessa breaks down a groundbreaking new study published in Nature Metabolism (June 2025), revealing what actually happens when you double your protein intake. The results? Participants naturally ate 196 fewer calories per day, burned an additional 128 calories per day, and stored...
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Burn Fat, Detox Daily & Age Slower with This Master Antioxidant
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
Timeline: Get 10% off Mitopure, clinically proven to boost mitophagy. Go to . In this powerful episode, Vanessa sits down with Dr. Nayan Patel, expert pharmacist, researcher, and author of The Glutathione Revolution, to unpack why glutathione is known as the master antioxidant—and how boosting your levels can transform your health, metabolism, and longevity. You’ll learn how glutathione fights oxidative damage, reduces inflammation, supports detoxification, and even slows aging. Dr. Patel explains the exact diet, lifestyle, and supplement strategies that can increase your body’s...
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This New Study in Women Just Changed Fasted Training Forever + New Viral Fat Loss 30/30/30 Trend?
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% OFF all IQBAR products, plus get FREE shipping. To get your 20% off, text VANESSA to 64000. That’s VANESSA to sixty-four thousand. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. In this Friday solo science episode, Vanessa breaks down a brand-new 2025 randomized controlled trial looking at fasted vs. fed resistance training in women. The study dives deep into muscle growth, fat-free mass, and body composition outcomes — and the results challenge some long-held beliefs. Vanessa goes into the exact nutrition and training protocols...
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12 Most-Asked Questions on Fat Loss, Hormones & Metabolism—Backed by Science
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
Timeline: Get 10% off Mitopure, clinically proven to boost mitophagy. Go to . In this special Ask Me Anything episode, Vanessa Spina answers your most frequently asked questions on everything from postpartum weight loss to carb cycling, protein over 60, keto while trying to conceive, PFAs in clothing, and more. This episode is packed with evidence-based insights and practical strategies to help you burn fat, optimize hormones, and build lean muscle—no matter your life stage. Questions answered in this episode include: Why is it so hard to lose weight 3 months postpartum—even while...
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The Truth About Protein, Muscle, and Fat Loss for Women – Recap Episode on What the Science Actually Shows
Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina
IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% OFF all IQBAR products, plus get FREE shipping. To get your 20% off, text VANESSA to 64000. That’s VANESSA to sixty-four thousand. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. This Friday’s episode is a detailed solo recap of my interview with world-renowned protein researcher Dr. Stuart Phillips. In this science-packed conversation, we busted some of the most persistent and misleading myths in women’s fitness, protein metabolism, and muscle growth. From fears around mTOR and kidney health to the truth about cycle syncing...
info_outlineIQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% OFF all IQBAR products, plus get FREE shipping. To get your 20% off, text VANESSA to 64000. That’s VANESSA to sixty-four thousand. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details.
In this episode of The Optimal Protein Podcast, I take a deep dive into two exciting new studies that could reshape how we think about fat loss and body composition.
The first study investigates how a medically supervised ketogenic diet not only promotes fat loss but reverses biological aging by more than 6 years. And it’s not just the calorie restriction—the study found that elevated ketones, especially beta-hydroxybutyrate, played a key role in reducing epigenetic age and promoting longevity pathways.
The second study examines high-dose vitamin D supplementation and how it may direct surplus calories away from fat storage and toward muscle growth—via mechanisms involving myostatin and leptin signaling. While preclinical, the findings open up new conversations around vitamin D as a muscle-preserving, fat-loss–enhancing tool.
If you’re focused on losing fat, preserving muscle, and optimizing metabolic health, this episode is packed with cutting-edge insights.
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Follow @ketogenicgirl for updates on the latest studies and strategies to optimize protein intake and metabolic health.
🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
• How the very-low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) reversed biological aging in adults with obesity
• The role of ketonemia (beta-hydroxybutyrate) in slowing cellular aging
• Ketones as signaling molecules: antioxidant effects, insulin sensitivity, autophagy, and more
• The potential for endogenous ketones to promote longevity
• How high-dose vitamin D may reprogram calorie allocation—favoring muscle over fat
• The roles of myostatin suppression and leptin signaling in body recomposition
• Why optimizing vitamin D status could matter for muscle preservation and fat loss
• What this research means for your own diet, supplementation, and metabolic strategy
📚 Studies Referenced:
1. Epigenetic Aging Acceleration in Obesity Is Slowed Down by Nutritional Ketosis Following Very Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet (VLCKD): A New Perspective to Reverse Biological Age
Published in Nutrients, March 2025
2. High dose dietary vitamin D allocates surplus calories to muscle and growth instead of fat via modulation of myostatin and leptin signaling
Preprint, Research Square, May 2024
DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4202165/v1
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.