Why Women Over 40 Need More Protein, Creatine, and Key Supplements for Midlife Health

[00:00:00] Women have about 70-80% less creatine stored in their muscle versus men. So when they supplement with it, they're just filling the tank up. They can see tremendous benefits, but they're not going to get big and bulky or anything like that. That's a hormone thing. They're going to feel good and they're going to get very much stronger.

[00:00:40] Welcome back to Midlife Unleashed. Quick question before we start. How much protein did you have yesterday? And it's not a true question. Just think about it. Because if you're like most women that Doug sees and has practiced, the answer is probably somewhere between half and two-thirds of what your body actually needs. And that's what we're fixing today. So Doug is going to give us the number, translate it into real food, and then go somewhere most people don't really expect, creatine.

[00:01:05] So if you think creatine is a supplement for young men trying to bulk up, stay with us. Because Doug is going to change your mind completely. We're also getting his three supplement non-negotiables, the only ones he'd take for the rest of his life. I liked your introductory question of how much protein did you eat yesterday? Because most people really don't know or oftentimes don't think about it unless they are starting to get current on actually how they should be eating.

[00:01:33] So I'm glad to hear you ask that question. Absolutely. And I'm excited to learn how much more protein I should be eating. I'm sure a lot of women, men too, but probably mostly women are on the same boat as me with under-eating protein. So I'm sure you're going to educate all of us today with this episode. So speaking of that, let's kind of just start off with the honest truth. So most women over 40 are not hitting their protein targets, and most of them don't even know what their target is.

[00:02:01] So what are we actually working with here? Yeah. So most women, what the research shows, are eating somewhere between 55 to 65 grams of protein a day. And that truly is about half of what an active woman over 40 actually needs. And I've seen that coming through the door in my clinic. People are fasting or they're really not eating breakfast or they're eating like one egg or something like that.

[00:02:28] And then they're eating a salad for lunch, you know, with very little or no protein in it. And then they're eating protein at dinner. And so that's a big problem in terms of going through perimenopause and menopause, because as you actually age, you need more protein. So not only are you getting half of what you need, right? So you're already deficient and you shouldn't be eating more. So it's something that we've been working on a lot.

[00:02:57] I mean, I've been working on it for decades in terms of getting women to eat more protein in their breakfast and throughout the day. But a lot of times it's a knowledge problem and a math problem because no one's ever explained to people exactly how much they need.

[00:03:13] Right. And that old RDA recommendation of 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight that was built to keep people out of a deficiency disease, not to keep and maintain and build muscle. You know, so that number is like a floor. You know, it's not a target. But but starting in your 40s, your body actually gets worse at utilizing the protein that you eat. Right. It's called anabolic resistance.

[00:03:42] And what that means is your muscles need a bigger stimulus to respond the same way that they used to. So that means the target goes up. You need to eat more to maintain the same results. And that's usually when women are eating less. Absolutely. And so we've talked about what happens to muscle mass in midlife before. But what happens to a woman's muscle mass and metabolism over time when she's chronically under eating protein?

[00:04:09] Yeah, you got slow motion muscle loss, you know, and it compounds. That's the problem because less muscle means you have a slower metabolism. Right. And the slower your metabolism is, the easier it is to gain fat and the harder it is to lose it. You know, so that's that's what we've seen over time. I mean, sarcopenia is going to happen regardless. But eating less protein just kind of accelerates that process.

[00:04:42] And is this something that you see across, let's say, all of your patients, regardless of the diet type, even women who actually think that they eat pretty healthy? Yeah, I'd say it's pretty consistent. I mean, when everyone comes in, one of the things I would say consistently is when I put them on their nutrition plan, it's more protein than they've been eating. So it doesn't matter if they're vegetarian, if they're like eating clean, as we call it, or even if they're on a keto diet.

[00:05:13] One of the things that we underestimate is how much protein we're actually eating and getting. So it's pretty much across the board. And then, OK, so give us the number 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight. So what does that actually mean in practical terms for, let's say, 150 pound woman? Yeah, see, that's that's that's part of the problem.

[00:05:40] And I kind of blame that on us, the health, the health professionals. Right. Because here we are talking about one point is to one point that and kilograms per body weight. Well, no one in this country knows their weight in kilograms. You know, if you go over to Europe, it's a little different. But but but here we talk pounds. And so every time we're throwing out percentages per kilogram of body weight, we're just we're just making the problem worse.

[00:06:09] You know, but but I'll explain it, what it is. And then I'll give you a easier way to determine what you should be getting. Right. And so if you were to take 150 pound person and we wanted to convert their weight to kilograms, all you do is divide it by 2.2. All right. So let's just say 70 kilograms is what that person would weigh.

[00:06:34] So now we're going to multiply that one point two times 70 and you get 84 when you do that. And we're going to multiply that 70 times one point six, which will give us one hundred and twelve. So that says that they should be eating somewhere between 84 and one hundred and twelve grams of protein. All right. So that's that's how that would be computed. But people just really don't know how to do that.

[00:07:02] And so we kind of screw them up with that. But as long as you're eating somewhere between there, you're going to be in a pretty good place. All right. I would tell the listeners and I talk with people, I tell them it's point seven to point nine grams per pound. So, for example, 150 pound person is multiplied by point seven. And OK, well, what's that come to? That's one hundred and five grams and you multiply it by point nine.

[00:07:33] That's one hundred and thirty five grams. So they would be between one of five and one thirty five. And the difference would be that one thirty five person is doing a lot more strength training and their frequency, intensity and duration of exercise is a little higher. So they need more. So they need more. But those are the ballparks. That's where you want to be in. That's the sweet spot, especially if you're over 40 years old, because, again, you got that anabolic resistance going on.

[00:08:03] So you want to make sure if you're trying to maintain your muscle that you're getting well over a hundred. Like that's like the floor. And then based on how much you're working out, you're going to work it up from there. And then I have a question, too, because I feel like. Everyone eating protein is something that a lot of people are talking about right now. I think everyone's like eat protein, protein, protein is hot. Yeah. Yeah. Everyone's talking about protein. Right. But is there a ceiling?

[00:08:31] So can someone actually eat too much protein? And does that number change for women who are strength training? You really can't eat too much, but there's definitely a point of diminishing returns. Right. And so and so the latest research that they did on perimenopausal women, they found that the best muscle building results came at 35 grams of protein per meal. Right.

[00:09:00] So what if you eat 60? Well, there was no additional benefit that was gained. You know, so, you know, can you eat 60? Yes. Not going to not going to kill you. Not going to cause you any problems, you know, especially if you're a healthy person. But there's really no benefit to it in terms of, you know, muscle maintenance and muscle building. 35 seem to be the sweet spot.

[00:09:28] And then so I think also most women are not going to weigh their food. So translate that. So what is 120 to 130 grams of protein actually look like across, let's say, a full day of eating? Can you walk us through that meal by meal? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So if I were designing a meal plan for someone and they needed 120 grams of protein, I'd break that up into four meals.

[00:09:56] And so 120 divided by four, that's about 30 grams a meal. All right. And I would try to balance that to foods that they like and show them how to do that. So breakfast might be an omelet, you know, three egg omelet, some low fat cheese, some veggies and some toast, we'll say. And that'll get you close to that 30 mark.

[00:10:20] Lunch would be chicken, some sort of veggie and a carb, sweet potato, rice, whatever it may be. It could be a tuna fish sandwich. So it could be something along those lines, but it needs to have about five ounces of protein. So that's about 35 grams, five ounces is. And dinner the same way. Dinner needs to be a palm and a half of protein. Everyone got taught that whole palm thing, right? No, no, no.

[00:10:49] It's a palm and a half of protein. And that could be some salmon. That could be some lean beef. That could be some fish. That could be some chicken, you know, along with, you know, a veggie broccoli and, you know, some sort of starch. And then I would fill that. That's your breakfast, lunch and dinner. So I would throw some sort of snack in there, which could be a protein shake.

[00:11:13] It could be some Greek yogurt with some granola and some blueberries or some cottage cheese. But something that's going to give you about 25 more grams of protein. And if you do that, then you got, you know, you just built out 110, 120 calorie, 120 grams of protein throughout the day. And that's pretty simple. That's not a hard one, you know, to do.

[00:11:39] There's other things and other ways I would build it based on the person's lifestyle and how they worked and what they had time for and how they meal prepped and all that stuff. But that's just a down, dirty, simple way for meals, divide your protein up into four and try to get that amount in each meal. And then speaking about that, about different meals, what about the time of day? So what time of day matters the most for protein if it does matter the most?

[00:12:06] So is there a window where it's more effective for muscle retention at all? Yeah. So so what you get what you take in during the day, the whole day is what matters the most. Now, do we want it broken up? Yes, because that's going to help with muscle protein synthesis. But the key that I find, particularly with perimenopausal, menopausal women, it's the breakfast.

[00:12:30] Not not to say that the other meals aren't just as important, but getting protein in your breakfast does great things for you. Cortisol wise, it does great things for you being satisfied. It's great for your blood sugar. And that's the one that people kind of walk in the door consistently missing or kind of under eating. But you want to know meals more important than the other. You know, I'm not a fan of waiting and putting it all in in one meal at night.

[00:12:58] But if you can spread it out, that's where you're going to get the biggest bang for your buck. And then when it comes to high protein foods, I know a lot of it is usually associated with meat. But what do you recommend for high protein foods for women who don't eat a lot of meat? Eat more meat. Eat more meat. That's that's one answer.

[00:13:23] But if they're not eating a lot of meat, then they got to eat the Greek yogurts, the cottage cheese, the lentil, the eggs, the tofu, the seitan, the tempeh, all those kind of foods. But I find when people come in who are plant based and don't need a lot of meat, they struggle if they even come close to hitting their protein goals.

[00:13:51] And so meets the answer. Right. And it's complete. It's got all the amino acids in it. You're going to be super productive on it, you know, from a muscle building standpoint. But if you're not a meat eater or if you don't, you really got to crank those other things up to make sure that you're getting, you know, giving your body what it needs to retain itself. And then for women who don't really typically track their food. Right.

[00:14:19] So what's the easiest way for it's not funny because I'm probably one. I am one of them. For a woman who has never tracked their food, what's the easiest way to get a baseline sense of where she is right now? Yeah, you got to write it down. You got to write it down. And once you write that down and you go plug it into one of these MyFitnessPals or one of those things, you'll probably be shocked.

[00:14:45] You know, because if you're doing that, no breakfast or, you know, I'll just eat a bar or I'll eat one egg and skipping lunch or doing a salad and doing dinner. You're going to find that you are so low. So, but the best way to really get, you know, control and find out what's going on is you got to get some facts. You got to track it.

[00:15:09] So you just got to do a little food log, you know, for a couple of days and then throw that into the tracker and, you know, take it from there. You know, I find that even when I'm working with people on nutrition, not just protein, but protein is a big part of that, that it's not the day. It's the consistent days that they struggle with. Everyone can hit a protein goal now and then.

[00:15:37] But the goal is we want to hit it every day. That's when you start to see the benefits of having, you know, enough protein and your body starts to change a little bit and you start to maintain more muscle. Your workouts get better and your blood sugar is more stable and all these positive things happen. Right. No, that's good. That's good advice. Yeah. And the consistency of actually having doing it every day.

[00:16:04] And I think that's a good way to really kind of think about your baseline, because even myself and I'm sure a lot of listeners and a lot of women won't even know where they are in terms of where they want to be. Sure. They have no idea. So that's a good idea. Kind of even you said, like you said, basic, maybe even off kind of a week to see just even your habits and have that reflected. I think once you write it down and you enter it in your app, you'll have a better clear picture of, OK, where am I?

[00:16:30] Sure. And I can tell you, if you are fasting, you're not hitting your protein goals because you just took one meal out of the equation, you know. And so typically that's they're not hitting it. And if you're not getting protein at breakfast, it's very hard to get that number. Very hard. And then even with the best intentions, there's usually some sort of gap between what someone can eat and what they need. So that's kind of where protein supplements, I think, come in.

[00:17:00] So where should someone actually look for it in a protein or what should someone actually look for in a protein powder and what should they avoid? What should they look for? They should look for 20 to 25 grams of protein. It should be really short, a simple list. You know, if you're looking at the ingredients, it shouldn't be a paragraph. It should just be a protein source and a flavor system.

[00:17:28] Right. It needs to have all of the amino acids. And the part that's really tricky for people or that people just don't think about is it really should have some third party testing if possible. So everyone goes in and grabs the stuff off the shelf. Oh, it's got 25 grams of protein. Well, just know no one's verifying that. No one's verifying that. But there are companies that have third party testing.

[00:17:54] And those are the places that I buy any supplements I take from because I know that an independent person is verifying what they say on the label. And so that's my two cents on that. But it should be a short ingredient list. It should be whey protein isolate and it should be 20 to 25 grams of protein. What to avoid?

[00:18:20] I would avoid any proprietary blends where like they kind of hide the actual protein number or anyone that's added like a bunch of sugar to the protein product. Or anywhere where like the carbs and the fat are equal to or more than the protein. That's not a protein product, you know. So those are the things that that I would avoid if I was looking to get a nice clean protein shake.

[00:18:47] It should have 20 to 25 grams of protein should have some sort of flavor system should have a nice profile of the amino acids and someone else should have looked at it to verify it. Good to know. And also when talking about protein powders, let's talk a little bit about creatine. So I know this is the one where most of our listeners just thought that's just not for me. And I think a lot of people don't really understand what creatine is.

[00:19:17] So what is creatine actually? And why does that assumption just need to die and go away? Yeah, well, creatine, believe it or not, is one of the most studied compounds of all sports science. We're talking like decades of data. Decades. I mean, I've been taking creatine for almost probably 30 years at this point. So it has been researched.

[00:19:43] It is tested and it is one quality protein. Excuse me. It is one quality molecule that helps you to maintain your muscle. Right. Your body already makes it. It's stored mostly in your muscle. It helps to generate energy in your cells as you're exerting yourself either in exercise or just in every daily day, every in daily activities of living.

[00:20:12] So it's a great it's a great source. It's nothing that, you know, has to do with testosterone or anything like bulking that came from back in the 90s when I first started using it. And I got to tell you, at when I first started using creatine, they used to have a loading phase, which means you'd have to take three to four times as much in the first five to seven days.

[00:20:39] And the product was loaded with sugar to kind of help with the absorption into your cells. And we blew up. I mean, that's true. We did. We like you swelled up like a bowling ball. But that was 30 years ago. So since then, things have changed drastically. You know, the whole sugar bombing effect.

[00:21:02] They've gotten the sugar out of it because what they realized is a good post-workout meal can do the same thing, you know, and they've gotten rid of the loading phase, that five to seven day period, because you can get the loading through the course of three to four weeks. So it's a completely different product now than it was 30 years ago, you know, when I first started taking it. And it's extremely beneficial, especially for women.

[00:21:32] You know, women have about 70 to 80 percent less creatine stored in their muscle versus men, you know. So when they supplement with it, they're just filling the tank up, right? They're just filling the tank up. And so they can see tremendous benefits, but they're not going to get big and bulky or anything like that. What they might see is a little fuller, more responsive muscle, which is what you want.

[00:22:01] But they're never going to get big and bulky, right? That's a hormone thing. And so unless they're taking extra testosterone, then they're not going to see big bulky muscles. But they're going to feel good and they're going to get very much stronger, very much stronger. No, that makes sense, because I think a lot of people think of creatine, they think that they'll be bulky. They think of it as a men's supplement. So it stems from back then and sounds like it's just changed a lot over time.

[00:22:31] It has. That's some old school thinking. But I will tell you this. Back in the 90s, when I was training female bodybuilders and figure competitors, I didn't let them use it. Because number one, I knew what it was going to do to them mentally with all that weight gain. And it just wasn't the product that it is now. Now, anybody walking into the door, I'm like, oh, you have to put this on your list of supplements to buy.

[00:23:02] Right. And it makes a lot of sense, too, because exactly what you said. And also, let's kind of talk about that a little bit further. So what is the actual evidence of that? So what does creatine do in the body? Because you mentioned when it comes to creatine. Yeah, yeah. When it comes to strength and like lean mass, the evidence is just like solid. You know, especially when you pair it with resistance training. Right. It improves your training capacity and your recovery. Which is key. Right.

[00:23:32] And if you're doing the work that it allows you to do properly with the resistance training, it's also going to improve your bone density. And so those are some key areas, especially when you're talking about perimenopausal and menopausal women. Those are key. And then more recently, some of the research is talking about kind of like brain health. That's like the newest frontier.

[00:23:56] You know, in a study I read that was published this year in perimenopausal and menopausal women, they found measurable increases in brain creatine levels. Right. And cognitive changes just from daily supplementation. And so that's like kind of like what's on the horizon now that they're doing much more research on creatine with women. Right.

[00:24:19] Before it was all research done with men, but now they're seeing quite significant changes and benefits to it. And speaking about benefits to it, I think brain health is definitely one of them. So there are actual evidence that creatine supports cognitive function. And is that relevant for the brain fog that a lot of our audience and women in midlife experience? Yeah. Well, the creatine's role in the brain is about cellular energy.

[00:24:49] Right. And perimenopause brain is dealing with a real energy shift from the estrogen drops, you know, and so it can support and it's being researched as support to kind of help with brain fog. It's not like the answer to brain fog. You're not going to take this and then it's just going to go away. But it's a great support and they're starting to do more and more research for it on it.

[00:25:15] So I wouldn't wait if I were if I was someone who was experiencing brain fog. I would start to take the creatine anyway because you need it. And we'll talk about how much. But in those researches where they talk about brain development and bone development, it's just a higher dose. It's higher dose. And then also, is there a connection between bone density here as well?

[00:25:42] Does that play or does creating play a role in bone density at all? Well, it does because what it does for you in terms of strength and recovery. Right. And so if you're stronger and you're using supplementing with creatine, that's going to allow you to put a bigger load on whatever you're exercising or stressing. That load is what actually kind of builds bone. You know, so it definitely plays a part.

[00:26:11] It's not a direct part, but an indirect relationship it has to improving bone density. You got to lift the weights, though. Absolutely. But then, OK, so in terms of noticing a difference, how long does that usually take? Is there like a time span for that or what does the difference actually feel like? Yeah. So if you're talking about strength and recovery, two to four weeks, two to four weeks.

[00:26:38] So pretty, pretty, pretty quick, I would I would say if we're talking bone density and we're talking the brain benefits. Now you're talking months. Right. Because that's a much slower build benefit. It takes more time and it takes a higher dose. So those those are going to take months before you're going to really start to see some of those benefits. But if you're looking for strength gains, you're looking for recovery, you know, two to four weeks is realistic.

[00:27:08] And then you mentioned we'll talk about how much to take. So yeah. So how much creatine? What form when and with what kind of give us the protocol? Yeah. Yeah. So what you hear out there is three to five grams. My recommendation is five grams every day with water or shake. You don't need a loading phase, which is why I say five grams. So within the three to four weeks, you will have maxed yourself out. So you don't need that.

[00:27:38] Stay away from the gummies. A lot of people eat these creatine gummies and independent testing showed that there's little to no creatine in there. And not that there wasn't in the beginning, but because of the process in the heat and the water exposure during production, it's gone by the time people are actually taking them. So stay away from those. Some of the newer research in terms of women has looked at the dosage in the five to 10 gram range.

[00:28:07] And that's for that brain and bone benefits that we talk about. I tell people to take five grams and stay there unless there's a reason or unless there's a specific reason as to why they want to take something, you know, a higher dosage of it. It's safe, but it just hasn't been researched at high levels just yet. You know, in terms of what kind of creatine, go with the creatine monohydrate.

[00:28:35] It's the most researched by miles, right? We're talking about decades of safety and efficacy data. Some of the newer versions of creatine, they're a little pricier, but it's the same molecule. And they haven't they don't have anywhere close to the testing of the creatine monohydrate. I used to take creatine HCL for a couple of years when it first came on the market.

[00:29:05] It was touted as a lower dose, less bloating, and it was easier on your stomach. So I used to take that as very bitter, but I would mix it with like my pre-workout before I worked out. And as soon as I eventually got rid of taking pre-workouts, I went back to the creatine monohydrate really didn't feel any different. So that's the one to go with. It just it just makes sense through all the research, you know, the benefits of it.

[00:29:36] It's just clearly the most significant and it's the cheapest as the cheapest version. There you go. That's and that's another good reason. And then this is the one that the title promise. So speaking about supplements, if you could take only three supplements for the rest of your life, the ones with the strongest evidence and really the most impact for women over 40, the ones that you'd never stop yourself. So what are they and why? Creatine. I told you I've been taking it for 30 years. You know what I mean?

[00:30:06] So so I've been taking that forever. I just know the benefits. I know how I feel when I'm when I'm utilizing it. So it'd be creatine would be number one. Vitamin D3 would be number two. And we'll talk about that or I'll tell you why. And then the other one would be an omega three and omega three. And those those are three I would recommend for women.

[00:30:31] But keep in mind, those are three I take myself and have been taking for decades, for decades. So I recommend the creatine just based off of everything that we just talked about, the muscle, the bone, the brain. Those are those are key movers. The vitamin D because deficiencies directly affect muscle weakness and muscle loss.

[00:30:54] And most people, if you're not getting enough sun, which I know in New England, we're not because every time someone gets their blood work done in the clinic, so many people are deficient in vitamin D. So you're going to get significantly impact there. So I like to recommend 5000 IU a day, but get your levels checked so that you can really dial it in.

[00:31:16] And again, make sure you're using a trusted source or there's some independent testing there. You know, I had a woman come in, I think, last month or the month before her vitamin D levels were low and she was surprised because she takes it every day. And so I'd be surprised if I took something every day that I was low, too. But all these supplements aren't what they say they are on the bottle.

[00:31:42] And that's where the third party testing really kind of comes in. So D3 is a winner, especially if you're not out in the sun most of the time. And then the omega-3, the omega-3 EPA and DHA, the data is off the charts on the cardiovascular protection. It's just way too strong. The number one killer of women, heart disease.

[00:32:07] OK, so the cardiovascular protection from that is just incredible. And in a recent study in Journal of Menopause, they found that two grams a day of EPA and DHA cut hot flash frequency by more than half and it improved mood scores. So I recommend anywhere between 1000 to 2000 milligrams of combined EPA, DHA every day, every day.

[00:32:33] But again, make sure you're getting it from a true and trusted source, because especially with, you know, fish oil, you know, it can be very dirty, you know, full of heavy metals and toxins. And here you are thinking you're doing something good for your body and you're just making yourself sicker, you know. So make sure it's third party tested. And those three are the winners. Creatine, D3 and omega-3.

[00:33:03] So those are a great three. But what didn't make the list that people might expect to be on your list? And why do you think that is? Magnesium, because it's hot right now. And I would suggest that people do take magnesium. But you gave me three. No, no. But magnesium, because it's great for sleep, you know, muscle cramps. And most adults are deficient in magnesium.

[00:33:30] So, you know, that would be one I would recommend. It didn't make the top three because it doesn't play as big of a part in the big outcomes, the muscle, the bone, the longevity. That's the only reason why it wasn't in there, because we're very deficient in it. And then the other, I'd probably say, is a multivitamin. I mean, I think they're great to fill nutritional gaps in our diet.

[00:33:53] None of us are eating from the rainbow and have these great diversified diets so that we're getting all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that we need. So I like to look at that as like a little insurance policy there. But again, it didn't move the big ones, the bone, the muscle, the longevity, the heart, right? Those, that's why I picked, you know, the three that I shared. And I have a question, too, because I feel like collagen is one that comes up a lot.

[00:34:22] And I think that's also a pretty hot topic. So being that that conversation's everywhere, how do you feel about that? Is that one of the supplements that you think may be a waste of money for women? Is it important, just not as important? And then, so beyond those supplements that you mentioned, the supplement industry itself is a $50 billion business. And it's built on a confusion and hope.

[00:34:47] So what are the things that most women are buying that they should maybe just stop buying? Probably, I would say two things. Fat burners, because you're not going to burn any, no pill is going to help you burn fat while you sit still. You know, so that's a great marketing and all that stuff. But I wouldn't buy anything that claimed to be a fat burner.

[00:35:14] And then detox products, right? Your livers and your kidneys already detox you every day for free, 24-7, right? All you got to do is drink water, you know? So those are things that I wouldn't waste my money on. Like, you're not buying a fat burner out there.

[00:35:34] And these detox products aren't doing anything of real significant, you know, unless a doctor is prescribing like a metal-type detox. You're really, if you're buying it over the counter, you're kind of wasting your money. Absolutely. And then what about collagen? The collagen conversation is everywhere. Yeah. I think it's something that everybody hears about. I know I personally have collagen powder, so I'm nervous.

[00:36:03] You got some collagen? I do. That's good. That's good. Is this something that you recommend, or do you think it's one of those supplements that are kind of a waste? No, no, no. Collagen is a good one. It's defensible. You know, it has good results.

[00:36:18] I mean, in a recent study, they looked at like 100 clinical trials with like 8,000 people, and they found consistent evidence of skin elasticity, hydration, and osteoarthritis, or relief of osteoarthritis, that joint stiffness and joint pain. So it's a winner in my book.

[00:36:44] Where it goes off is where they used to market these as like muscle recovery and performance enhancing. And in those same studies, they found no evidence of that. And so it doesn't help with that. So if you're taking it for the right reason, skin, hair, nails, then I say go for it. I mean, I put the little collagen in my shake also, you know.

[00:37:09] So I want the benefits of the skin elasticity, and I've got some achy joints from time to time. So for that, it's great. If you think you're taking it as part of your protein count or your protein goals, you've been misled, and you should stop counting it. And it doesn't work in that way. And then, well, that's definitely good to know.

[00:37:35] It's more like, I guess I can add it on supplement for other things, but not for the, like you said, the bone density and the muscles and things like that. But it doesn't hurt. So I'm going to continue to put my... No, no, no. Keep taking it. Keep taking it. I'm going to keep doing that one. All right. So it's been so much good information already, but let's kind of land the plane, if you will.

[00:37:56] So if someone listening right now wants to start clean, protein sorted, creatine added, three supplements in place, what does the whole picture really look like? Give us, let's say, a summary of it. Yeah. So first thing is we got to get our protein right. So or we can call it a protein goal or a protein target is what I like to say. And so that's, you know, your weight times 0.7 and 0.9. Right.

[00:38:24] So that'll tell you how many grams of protein you should be shooting for. Divvy that up between four different meals so that now we're giving ourselves consistent opportunities for muscle protein synthesis. Add your creatine in there. Get five grams of creatine every day. Right. We don't need to cycle that thing. Just hit it every day. And you're going to start to see the benefits in two to three weeks. Get your vitamin D in there.

[00:38:53] 5,000 IUD. Get your omega-3. One to 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams a day. That's your foundation. That's your foundation. Then everything else is optimization on top of a system that's like already working, you know. So that's the foundation that we can build upon. But it really, really does start with you eating enough protein. That's the foundation. And then we just build up from there.

[00:39:24] Good way to put it about the foundation and kind of building it up. I always am good with visual, so I love the way you always break things down like that. But where would you point someone to get started? So someone wants to do this based off everything you just said. What's the first thing to nail before maybe adding anything else? How should someone get started? Yeah, it's the food. I mean, it all starts with food. You know, that's our nourishment. And, you know, it all starts with protein.

[00:39:50] You know, so and I try to get as much protein from food as I can before going to like the powders and that kind of stuff, you know. And so get square with what 100 grams or 120 or whatever your number looks like and get started on that. Because that takes some time and difficulty to be consistent.

[00:40:15] But as soon as you get to that point and you're consistent, then everything else will fall into play much easier. And that's a habit that you have for the rest of your life. That's that's a good point, too. It's something that once you kind of have it like a habit, I feel like it will just be kind of a second nature almost. And it's super important, super important for our longevity and quality of life. And super important question for you.

[00:40:43] So for someone who wants to do this with your guidance, what does that look like through your program? And how should they actually go about doing so? Yeah, so they can email me at Doug at the fitness professor, Doug at the fitness professor dot com. And then basically that always I always start with a pretty thorough intake form. It's about 70, 80 questions where I want to know about how you're living, what your lifestyle is like.

[00:41:12] What are you currently eating? How are you currently working out? How are you managing your stress? All the key pillars, you know, that I work with people on in my perfect scale program. They submit that to me. I do a huge analysis of it. And then we get on a Zoom call. And, you know, so I can kind of get a real feel for what it is that you want to accomplish and where you are right now.

[00:41:37] And then I kind of build the program out and coach you and guide you all the way through it with all the tools that you need. But more importantly, the customization that you need, you know, because that's the part where, you know, people fall short. They try these programs, whoever's program. And what they're trying to do is fit themselves into the program. And what has to happen is a good quality program has to fit themselves into your life.

[00:42:07] And that's that's what I do. I make it work for you so that you can do it for the rest of your life. Absolutely. Instead of three months or four months or when the summer comes or whatever, you know. So I wish this episode existed three years ago, Doug. Simple, specific, zero fluff, which is exactly what the supplement conversation needed. So thank you for all of this information and everyone listening. Make sure that you do reach out to Doug. You can repeat the website, Doug at the Fitness Professor.

[00:42:37] Sure. Doug at the Fitness Professor. That's my email dot com. So for everyone listening, make sure you share and subscribe and follow and share this one with someone, you know, and especially women in midlife. Make sure you share because every woman, you know, has a cabinet full of supplements that she's not sure about. And this episode has the answer. So we'll be back soon with the next episode. And I can't wait for another great conversation with you, Doug. Thank you. It's a pleasure speaking with you as always. I know I feel a little motivated to go get some new supplements and actually buckle down.

[00:43:05] I hope a lot of the women listening feel the same way. And we'll talk soon. All right. Sounds good. Be well.