Quick question: can you really only absorb 30 grams of protein at once?

The honest answer is... it depends on who's asking.

In this week's episode, I sat down with Daniel A. Traylor, Ph.D. — co-founder and principal scientist of LEUVATE™ — to dig into the protein quality and amino acid science that most people (including most coaches) completely miss.

Dan's research focuses on how leucine and essential amino acids (EAAs) signal muscle protein synthesis — and why older adults may need twice the protein dose to get the same anabolic response as a 25-year-old.

That's not a rounding error. That's a fundamentally different protein strategy.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The 30g protein myth — and the real answer (spoiler: protein source and amino acid composition matter more than the number)
• mTORC1 and muscle protein synthesis — how leucine acts as the "dimmer switch" that turns on the anabolic machinery
• Why sarcopenia is a bigger crisis than most people realize — and the specific leucine thresholds older adults need to overcome anabolic resistance
• GLP-1 drugs and muscle loss — what the emerging data says about protecting muscle mass while on semaglutide or tirzepatide
• LEUVATE™ vs. whey — the clinical trial data comparing MPS responses, and how leucine-enriched EAAs signal differently in the gut
• Protein spiking and supplement quality red flags — how to spot low-quality products and what to actually look for on a label

Episode Timestamps:

• 3:36 — Can you really only absorb 30g protein at once?
• 9:16 — Sarcopenia: the muscle-loss crisis in aging
• 16:01 — mTORC1 and what triggers muscle protein synthesis
• 20:46 — Why older adults may need twice the protein dose
• 30:26 — The origin story of LEUVATE™
• 34:01 — Leucine: the master switch for MPS
• 37:56 — How leucine acts as a dimmer on mTORC1
• 53:21 — GLP-1 drugs, muscle loss, and amino acid needs
• 1:06:36 — LEUVATE™ vs whey: MPS data and ongoing trials
• 1:17:01 — How leucine-enriched EAAs signal differently in the gut
• 1:27:11 — Protein spiking and supplement quality red flags

🎧 Listen to Ep 392 here →

If you care about muscle, longevity, or protein strategy — this one's loaded.

— Dr. Mike