Timeline: Get 10% off Mitopure, clinically proven to boost mitophagy. Go to timeline.com/vanessa.

In this powerful episode of The Optimal Protein Podcast, host Vanessa interviews Dr. Dominic D’Agostino, one of the world’s leading researchers in ketogenic science and metabolic therapy.

They dive into how ketones not only serve as a powerful fuel source but also act as metabolic signaling molecules that promote fat loss, protect muscle, and support whole-body health.

Dr. D’Agostino shares why he personally pursues ketosis every day, how ketones interact with protein metabolism, and the key differences between nutritional and exogenous ketones. You’ll also learn how a high-protein ketogenic diet supports appetite regulation, body recomposition, and metabolic flexibility—especially for women in midlife.

If your goals include burning fat, preserving lean muscle, and optimizing energy and cognition, this episode is a must-listen.

🔍 Topics Covered:

• How and why Dr. D’Agostino gets into ketosis every day

• The truth about protein on a ketogenic diet

• Ketones and their impact on muscle protein synthesis and preservation

• Appetite suppression and satiety in a keto-adapted state

• Exogenous ketones: how and when to use them

• The synergy of strength training, protein, and ketones

• Why you test breath acetone ketones

• What the latest science says about ketosis for performance and metabolic health & the future of ketone research in aging, and more

Get 20% off on the Tone Device breath ketone analyzer OR the Tone LUX Crystal Red Light Therapy Mask Ketogenicgirl.com with the code VANESSA

Join the Community! Follow Vanessa on instagram to see her meals, recipes, informative posts and much more! Click here @ketogenicgirl

Follow @optimalproteinpodcast on Instagram to see visuals and posts mentioned on this podcast.

🔗 Connect with Dr. D’Agostino:

• Website: https://www.ketonutrition.org

• Instagram: @dominic.dagostino.kt

• Twitter/X: @DominicDAgosti2

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 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.

Get 20% off the TONE LUX red light collection or the 2nd Generation Tone Device HERE with the code VANESSA

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

Read the Summary

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

Follow @optimalproteinpodcast on Instagram to see visuals and posts mentioned on this podcast.

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.

Timeline: Get 10% off Mitopure, clinically proven to boost mitophagy. Go to timeline.com/vanessa.

In this episode of the Optimal Protein Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Victoria Felkar, a leading expert in women’s health, endocrinology, and performance. Victoria’s work challenges common myths and misconceptions surrounding women’s health — from hormone fluctuations to muscle growth and strength training.

In this episode, we discuss:

✅ Why the belief that women and men are vastly different in muscle growth and strength isn’t as clear-cut as you might think

✅ Misconceptions about cycle syncing and whether tailoring training to the menstrual cycle is backed by solid science

✅ Why overly simplified messages about hormones and female health can do more harm than good

✅ The dangers of focusing solely on estradiol in peri- and post-menopause and why this narrow focus is bad science

✅ Why isolating health into distinct processes — like sleep, nutrition, or hormones — overlooks the interconnectedness between these factors

Victoria’s insights will empower you to better understand the complexities of female physiology and take a science-backed approach to improving your health, performance, and body composition.

Episode Highlights:

🧠 Common misconceptions about women’s health and performance — and what the science really says

💪 Are women and men really that different when it comes to building strength and muscle?

🔍 Why oversimplifying menstrual cycle training strategies can mislead women

🔥 The surprising truth about hormonal influences in peri- and post-menopause

🌐 Why sleep, nutrition, and hormones shouldn’t be treated in isolation — and how interconnected these systems really are

Get 20% off on the Tone LUX Crystal Red Light Therapy Mask Ketogenicgirl.com with the code VANESSA

Join the Community! Follow Vanessa on instagram to see her meals, recipes, informative posts and much more! Click here @ketogenicgirl

Follow @optimalproteinpodcast on Instagram to see visuals and posts mentioned on this podcast.

Connect with Victoria Felkar:

🔗 Website

🔗 Instagram

🔗 ResearchGate