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The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show

Why Protein Isn’t Always Enough: Anabolic Resistance, Obesity, and Protein Efficiency | Dr. Nick Burd

The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon

Medicine, Science, Health & Fitness, Life Sciences

4.6 • 911 Ratings

🗓️ 15 July 2025

⏱️ 113 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Muscle health isn’t just about how much protein you eat—it’s about how your body uses it. And for people with obesity or advancing age, that process can become less effective, even with optimal nutrition.

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Nick Burd, one of the world’s leading researchers in muscle metabolism, to unpack the concept of anabolic resistance—when muscle doesn’t respond normally to protein and/or exercise. Together, we explore how aging, obesity and even the way foods are combined on your plate can impact muscle remodeling, recovery, and growth. Dr. Burd also shares why plant-based proteins often fall short, why protein efficiency matters more than quantity, and how endurance and resistance training affect nutrient use differently.

You’ll learn:

  • What anabolic resistance is—and why it matters
  • How to improve protein efficiency and muscle quality over time
  • Why food matrix, and timing can change your results
  • Key differences in nutrition strategies for endurance vs. strength athletes

Whether you're focused on longevity, performance, or helping someone break through a plateau, this episode delivers the research-backed information you’ve been looking for.

Who is Dr. Nick Burd?

Dr. Nick A. Burd is a muscle-metabolism scientist and professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he leads the Nutrition & Exercise Performance Research Group. Originally from the Midwest, he trained under renowned experts around the world before focusing his research on how protein and exercise influence muscle health across the lifespan. His work uses advanced tracer methods and muscle biopsies to explore optimal protein intake, plant vs. animal protein quality, and strategies to combat anabolic resistance.

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Transcript

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0:00.0

Is it ideal to build muscle on a vegan diet?

0:03.0

Does protein timing actually matter?

0:06.0

And why does gaining muscle seem so hard?

0:09.0

Even when you're training consistently and eating enough.

0:13.0

Muscle protein synthesis isn't just about what you eat.

0:17.0

It's about when you eat it and how your body, the efficiency, absorbs it, how your

0:23.0

hormones, your gut, and your body composition can change the entire equation. Dr. Nicholas Bird

0:28.4

is one of the world's leading experts in muscle metabolism, especially obesity, how age and

0:35.3

dietary patterns reshape the body's ability to build and maintain muscle.

0:39.9

His research challenges a lot of assumptions that plant-based diets can't support strength,

0:45.5

that protein timing doesn't matter, that more protein always equals better results.

0:51.4

In today's episode, you'll learn how obesity and aging change your response

0:56.2

to protein. Whether protein distribution across meals actually matters, why food combinations,

1:03.0

not just food sources, can boost muscle protein synthesis. And the truth about plant-based muscle building from a leading scientist who

1:13.2

studies it. If you're an athlete or a midlife woman or just someone who wants to age with

1:18.5

strength, this episode is for you because muscle isn't just about aesthetics. It's your metabolic

1:25.7

body armor and the way you feed it matters more than ever.

1:30.3

So if you're eating enough protein but still not seeing results, the question isn't just how

1:37.4

much. It's how well your body is using it. Let's break down what it really takes to make

1:44.0

protein work for you with Dr. Nicholas Bird.

1:51.8

Dr. Nicholas Nick Bird. I'm so excited to have you on. I've been following your work for years.

2:00.1

That's right. I have a celebrity sitting here.

...

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