Back by Popular Demand: Dr. Arny Ferrando on Protecting Muscle & Burning Fat

Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina

Vanessa Spina

Fitness, Health & Fitness, Nutrition

4.5 • 758 Ratings

🗓️ 15 September 2025

⏱️ 70 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

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In this highly requested follow-up, Dr. Arny Ferrando returns to the Optimal Protein Podcast to go even deeper into the science of preserving muscle and optimizing body composition. Dr. Ferrando is one of the world's leading researchers in muscle protein metabolism, with over 35 years of groundbreaking work on essential amino acids, anabolic resistance, and nutrition-exercise interactions.

We kick things off with his perspective on Protein-Sparing Modified Fasts (PSMF) versus water fasting, and the implications each has for fat loss and lean mass preservation. Dr. Ferrando also shares his positive take on collagen supplementation, including how it can support connective tissue health, and weighs in on the potential risks of GLP-1 medications to muscle tissue during rapid weight loss.

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The heart of this episode dives into anabolic resistance during menopause. Dr. Ferrando explains why it may not just be about hormones, but also about impaired nutrient delivery to muscle. He describes amino acids as the "signal" and blood flow as the "delivery truck"—a powerful analogy that reveals why exercise is so critical to overcoming anabolic resistance.

We explore practical strategies for women to preserve muscle and improve body composition during midlife and beyond, including:

Why blood flow and nutrient delivery may matter as much as hormones.
How red light therapy and blood flow restriction training (BFR) could enhance amino acid delivery and muscle responsiveness.
His recommendations for EAA dosing, timing, and frequency in peri- and postmenopausal women.
The role of microvascular health and endothelial function in muscle retention.
Why free-form EAAs are more efficient than intact protein under calorie restriction.

This conversation is packed with actionable science and myth-busting insights that will help you understand how to protect your muscle, burn fat, and stay strong at every stage of life.

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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.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the optimal protein podcast. I'm Vanessa Spina.
0:04.4	Hello, my friends, and welcome back to the optimal protein podcast. I'm your host, Vanessa.
0:09.3	Today, I'm thrilled to welcome back one of our most popular guests, Dr. Arnie Ferando, a world leader in human muscle metabolism research.
0:17.8	The response to our first conversation was incredible and you all had more questions
0:23.0	for him. So we are diving even deeper today. We start off by tackling some hot topics.
0:29.2	I was asking him about his opinion on water fasting versus protein spraying modified fast to really
0:36.3	delve into the mechanisms behind what happens
0:39.8	when you initiate muscle protein synthesis and how much that adds up in terms of a calorie
0:45.3	burn when it comes to your metabolic rate. Dr. Frando shares his take on the differences,
0:50.2	the benefits, potential drawbacks for both muscle preservation and fat loss.
0:55.2	From there, we get his evidence-based opinion on collagen supplementation,
0:59.4	including why he actually views it positively and how it can support connective tissue health
1:04.3	when used correctly.
1:05.4	We also cover the potential risks to muscle tissue with GLP1 agononists like some of glutide, especially in the
1:13.6	context of rapid weight loss and low protein intake, and how to mitigate those risks.
1:19.1	Then we go deep into the topic that sparked so much listener interest.
1:22.8	Last time, anabolic resistance in menopause.
1:25.4	We explore his latest findings on whether it's primarily
1:29.1	caused by hormonal shifts or by impaired nutrient delivery and help blood flow. The delivery
1:35.3	truck for amino acids might be just as important as the amino acids themselves. You'll hear
1:40.9	Dr. Ferando's thoughts on red light therapy and blood flow restriction training for improving amino acid delivery to muscle, his recommended essential amino acid dosing strategies for Perry and postmenopausal women, and how it all plays into the bigger picture.
1:56.9	If you loved our first interview, you're going to love this one even more.
	...

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