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The Exercise Guru - Graeme Pearce, Gold Coast (2026)

I am a former owner of 4 gyms, and have been a regular trainer and have trained many clients in all forms of fitness endeavours for more than 30 years. Early in my career I have won numerous body building titles, culminating with a finalist placing in the NABBA Mr Universe contest in London. One area of my expertise is the understanding of the biomechanics of lifting weights. This knowledge is cru

cial for achieving results and also for limiting injuries, especially in the older population. Too many trainers, even when they are with a PT are still getting injured. Over the last 15 years I have trained many older people and also clients that have sustained injuries, either sports related or due to age related body weaknesses. I have also worked with programs for those with neurological and auto immune diseases like Parkinson’s and MS. I have also had a keen interest in training sports people and sporting teams, those who are working towards achieving high level athletic goals. A passion I have had for many years is nutrition and I am currently undertaking a part time nutrition degree. For the last 3 years I have been studying new dietary research material and how manipulating the macronutrients of food effects the way hormones regulate fat partitioning in our bodies. This is what determines whether a diet will succeed or fail and if it does succeed will it keep giving results for the long term, unfortunately not many do. The weight/fat loss area has for too long been corrupted with wrong advice and out of date hypotheses. I find it important that before I start a nutritional program I will recommend a comprehensive blood test and the results will determine what food and training program I will use for that client. So if you want to lose fat, increase lean muscle, repair injuries, lower your cardio vascular disease risk factors, get fit or compete in a sport, my many years of experience and my continual search for knowledge will ensure you get the best program to give you the results that you deserve.

14/05/2026

Why we get sick?

Damage to the body starts when we are young. We often treat metabolic disease like a cliff we fall off in our 60s, but it’s actually a long slide that starts in our 20s.

I have written about Insulin Resistance (IR) many times over the years but recent information I have seen from Dr Ben Bikman PhD, who is a prominent metabolic scientist and Associate Professor at Brigham Young University, (BYU) has prompted me to write this.

Also there have been other interesting scientific articles I have seen about sickness and its underlying causes, all of which has influenced me in writing what I believe to be very important health related information.

It is not only older adults that suffer health problems that are usually associated with the elderly, but more and more young people are now suffering from bad health and bad lifestyle choices.

Damage to the body starts when we are young, we often treat metabolic disease like a cliff we fall off in our 60s, but it’s actually a long slide that starts in our 20s."

HIGH INSULIN
High blood insulin has always been a very important issue for me but often overlooked in standard clinical practice. When you have a blood test seldom is insulin included.

Why this is important and not normally included by doctors I will explain, but first I will tell you the problems of having elevated insulin.

High levels of insulin (hyperinsulinemia) causes insulin resistance (IR) and they both are often the underlying drivers of a broad range of chronic health issues. When your cells stop responding enough to insulin, the pancreas pumps out even more making the matter worse. This chronic "over-insulination" negatively affects almost every organ in your body.

The main job of insulin is to take blood sugar away and take it into your cells for energy. (one of its main functions) Not only will high levels of blood sugar/glucose over time damage organs, but will also damage tissues, nerves and blood vessels and cause much harm to your body.

So having insulin resistance and not being able to lower blood sugar and insulin, will have a devastating effect on health and disease.

Why do you think Type 1 diabetics are skinny? Because they lack the anabolic (storage) signal of insulin. Without it, the body literally wastes away because it cannot store energy. Take insulin away from a Type 2 diabetic and they lose fat.

Here is a list of the primary health problems associated with hyperinsulinemia. (Thanks to AI for this information)

Metabolic & Cardiovascular Issues
• Type 2 Diabetes: Eventually, the pancreas can no longer keep up with the demand for more insulin, leading to elevated blood glucose levels

• Dyslipidemia: High insulin signals the liver to produce more VLDL particles, leading to high triglycerides and low HDL (the "good" cholesterol). It also shifts LDL particles toward a dangerous smaller, denser, and more inflammatory pattern.

• Hypertension (High Blood Pressure): Insulin causes the kidneys to retain sodium and can overstimulate the sympathetic nervous system, both of which increase blood pressure.

• Atherosclerosis: The combination of inflammation and high lipids promotes the buildup of plaque in the arteries, significantly increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Organ-Specific Damage
• Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): High insulin promotes "de novo lipogenesis," where the liver converts excess energy into fat, leading to inflammation and potentially cirrhosis.

• Kidney Stress: Chronic hyperinsulinemia can damage the delicate filtration units of the kidneys (nephrons) even before blood sugar becomes high enough for a diabetes diagnosis.

• Polycystic O***y Syndrome (PCOS): In women, high insulin can cause the ovaries to produce excess androgens (male hormones), leading to menstrual irregularities and fertility issues.

Cognitive & Cellular Health
• Cognitive Decline: There is a strong link between insulin resistance in the brain and neurodegenerative diseases. Some researchers even refer to Alzheimer’s as "Type 3 Diabetes" due to the brain's inability to process glucose efficiently.

• Increased Cancer Risk: Insulin is a growth hormone. High levels can stimulate the growth of certain cells and may increase the risk of cancers like colon, breast, and pancreatic cancer.

• Systemic Inflammation: Insulin resistance triggers the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines from fat tissue, contributing to joint pain and general fatigue.

Obesity
High insulin and insulin resistance is the best way to become fat. Obesity is both a hormone and calorie problem, not just about how much food you eat.

Insulin resistance will stimulate hormones that will slow down your metabolism and create the environment so your body can store fat.

The 3 drivers of insulin resistance
There is another interesting result of being insulin resistant. Two hormones are also released, along with small proteins used for "cell signalling” called Cytokines. The hormones are Cortisol and Epinephrine - why do these matter?

First let me tell you briefly what they do, then what their roles are in insulin resistance.

- [ ] Epinephrine is the "Go!" signal for energy, meaning ‘fight or flight’, get ready for action
- [ ] Cortisol is the "Hold!" signal for stress, meaning, helps sustain energy and functions during stress
- [ ] Cytokines are the "Alert!" signal for the immune system.
When they all rise at once, the body goes into a high-alert metabolic state and causes a mechanical and chemical block, which gums up the works.

Here is a summary of what these 3 do when there is insulin resistance.
Cytokines
• Action: Blocks insulin receptors (IRS-1).
• Effect on Health: Sustains chronic inflammation and "locks" glucose out of cells.

Cortisol
• Action: Forces the liver to make new glucose.
• Effect on Health: Leads to high fasting blood sugar and muscle breakdown.

Epinephrine
• Action: Releases fatty acids and glucose into the blood, insulin forces the liver to re-package them into fat.
• Effect on Health: Keeps blood sugar high by forcing the liver to dump glucose into the blood. Increases liver fat and further worsens insulin resistance.

DIABETES DRUGS
So - why not just take drugs?
Everything you put in your body has a ramification. You need to weigh up the good and bad between the drugs doing the right thing and doing the wrong thing to your body.
ie a balance between what you want and what you don’t want.

Here are some of the drugs your doctor may suggest you take, if you are living with high blood glucose.

Metformin
This drug works reasonably well by helping insulin sensitivity and bringing blood glucose down. Yes it does lower blood glucose and helps IR, but surprisingly it does this by acting as a mild mitochondrial stressor by inhibiting mitochondrial function especially in muscle.

Exercise on the other hand makes muscle mitochondria bigger and stronger, but if you take metformin and do exercise it wipes out metformin’s ability to function.

Whereby, exercise alone is twice as effective. Metformin can also have gut issues. So it depends on your health and other factors whether you should take it or not, discuss it with an informed doctor.

GLP-1 agonist
GLP-1 agonists are made in the gut. They inhibit Glucagon which lowers blood glucose and thereby improving diabetes and insulin levels.

The original drug was called Ozempic, which was a low dose drug and worked quite well, but then the same drug was developed but was around 5 times as strong - it was called Wegovy. The problem with this higher dose was it slows gastric emptying, which is the rate at which food leaves the stomach and enters the small intestine.

While this helps with blood sugar and controls hunger, the higher dose can bring about problematic gastrointestinal (GI) side effects. The slower movement through the GI tract can take up to 30 hours to move through and can cause wind build up, ie burping and flatulence, and food can ferment or remain undigested.

Other problems seen are nausea and vomiting, feeling full after only a few bites, acid reflux and constipation.

Sulfonylureas
A class of oral medications used to treat Type 2 diabetes by stimulating the pancreas to release more insulin to lower blood sugar levels.

You can see the trouble here, if you only concentrate on glucose and don’t worry about insulin you are just making matters worse, especially if you are insulin resistance.

DIET
Data from around the world says that the average diet consists of around 70% carbohydrates, fat and protein make up roughly the other 15% each. Here are some statistics showing insulin’s response to the macronutrients we eat.

Fat:
No insulin response

Protein:
Basically only a small insulin response, but does depend on the type of protein and how much is consumed at a time.

Carbohydrates:
Insulin level will go up around 10-20 times from fasting insulin to after meal level and will take around 3 hours to come back down in an insulin sensitive person. If you eat a lot of carbs in one meal the time to come back down could be 10 plus hours.

Also, it matters very much the type of carbs you eat. Vegetables and berries won’t affect your blood glucose and insulin levels that much, but unfortunately most people are consuming highly processed and high sugar foods, so glucose and insulin elevation is that much more severe.

In a healthy person’s metabolic system, insulin levels are not static; they fluctuate dynamically to keep blood glucose within a very narrow, safe range.

An interesting study I recently looked at was young adults/students were given high amounts of high glycemic (quick acting) carbohydrates for 1 week. Scientists then did a fasting blood draw (ie in the morning before breakfast) and found their blood glucose was normal, but insulin levels had risen 2.5 times.

They had developed a degree of insulin resistance. This is an example of ‘normal glucose - abnormal insulin’, you wouldn’t know this if you only checked glucose.

Why do diabetes doctors and diabetes associations tell their patients to eat carbohydrates? I truly don’t know. They should know that reducing or eliminating carbs in the short term will eliminate their diabetes.

There is a significant 'institutional inertia' in medicine that prioritizes managing symptoms with lifelong medication over addressing the dietary root cause. Has it something to do with the billions of dollars made by selling drugs - maybe?

What is my advice?
1. Control carbohydrates. Especially the simple fast food variety, not healthy berries and vegetables or those that don’t cause a glucose spike.
2. Eat enough protein. Protein doesn’t spike glucose levels like carbs and is very important in maintaining adequate muscle mass, especially for those exercising or the elderly.
3. Don’t fear fat. Especially grass fed animal fats that are stable, nutrient-dense and rich in fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K2. As well, animal fats contain small, natural amounts of Linoleic acid which helps with inflammation and supports metabolic health. But also be careful of excessive amounts of Linoleic acid that is found in seed oils because they can promote pro-inflammatory byproducts.

Note: In nature protein always comes with fat, and is why the body prioritises protein and fat together.
a) Combining protein with fat controls glucose and insulin more than protein alone. Protein by itself especially in higher amounts can convert some amino acids into glucose through a process known as gluconeogenesis.

Combined with fat it slows down the digestion and provides an alternative fuel source (fatty acids/ketones), so the body doesn't feel the "emergency" need to create as much glucose from protein.

b) The two together controls gastric emptying and prevents glucose and insulin spikes, especially when protein is eaten by itself.
c) Eating them together triggers the release of satiety hormones telling your brain you are fuller, this can last for hours.
d) The fat/protein relationship is necessary for the fat soluble vitamins to be fully utilised by the body.
e) Fats with protein support the hormonal environment allowing hormone control, tissue building and repair.
f) Eating fat with protein ensures if you are low on carbs you will have enough fuel (fat) to burn for energy without destroying muscle.

I hope I have given you fuel for thought. This information can have a direct effect on your health and longevity.
Graeme

29/04/2026

Salt - your health and Insulin Resistance - why eating enough salt is important for your health

You’ve been told for decades if you eat too much salt you will raise blood pressure and die from heart disease. But in my essay you will learn the story that salt is a lot more complicated than you thought.

One of the best predictors of heart disease is insulin resistance (IR). IR is a condition where cells in your body become insensitive to the hormone insulin. Essentially, your cells won’t allow insulin to take the sugar (glucose) from your blood and bring it into the cell for processing and creating energy.

Insulin
Insulin isn't just a blood sugar regulator, it is a master signaling hormone for nutrient storage. When insulin levels are high, it signals the kidneys to conserve resources rather than excrete them.

Insulin also coordinates the storage and synthesis of fats and proteins, and it maintains critical electrolyte balances in the body. When IR disrupts these very important bodily processes your health suffers badly.

Why is this bad?
Keeping blood glucose and insulin in a tight range is essential to prevent wear and tear and overload your organs and body systems. When glucose and insulin levels stay high for too long, it causes systemic damage by three main pathways:

1. Damage to Blood Vessels
High sugar and insulin levels make the blood more viscous and can damage the lining of your blood vessels. It can damage the tiny blood vessels in your eyes (retinopathy), damage your kidneys (nephropathy), and your nerves (neuropathy). It contributes to the stiffening of larger arteries, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

2. Glycation
Glycation is a spontaneous, non-enzymatic chemical reaction where sugars (like glucose or fructose) bind to proteins, lipids, or DNA, forming harmful compounds called Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs). This process can damage the collagen in your skin and joints and can interfere with how your organs function.

3. Chronic Inflammation and Oxidative Stress
Excess glucose produces many free radicals that cause systemic inflammation, damaging DNA and cellular membranes and inhibits your body’s ability to heal wounds and fight off infections.

So, high blood glucose leads to INSULIN RESISTANCE (IR), and IR leads to cardiovascular disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and fatty liver disease - to name just a few.

The Feedback Loop of Insulin Resistance
When insulin is constantly high (hyperinsulinemia), the body’s cells become numb to insulin’s signal and they do this to protect themselves from over-processing glucose. This is Insulin Resistance.
• The Paradox: Even though the muscles and liver become "resistant" to insulin’s sugar-clearing signal, the kidneys often remain sensitive to its sodium-retaining message.
• The body’s Response: To move the same amount of blood sugar, the pancreas must pump out even more insulin. This higher "baseline" of insulin keeps the kidneys in a constant state of sodium and water reabsorption and as mentioned the resulting ‘insulin resistance’ creates many health problems for the individual.

The Link between High insulin and Heart Disease
The relationship between insulin and heart disease isn't just about pressure; it’s about the quality of the particles in your blood.
• LDL Transformation: High insulin levels often correlate with an increase in Small Dense LDL (Pattern 😎. Unlike large, fluffy LDL, these small particles are more likely to become oxidized, get trapped in artery walls, and form plaque.
• Vascular Damage: Chronic high insulin causes the smooth muscles in your arteries to thicken and stiffen.

The Result: You end up with a "perfect storm" for heart disease: high fluid volume (pressure) pushing damaged, sticky cholesterol particles into stiffened, narrow arteries.

SO WHAT HAS ALL THIS GOT TO DO WITH SALT?
This is where it gets counterintuitive. You would think insulin only responds to sugar, but insulin is deeply tied to salt balance. If you don't eat enough salt, your body will intentionally raise insulin levels to stimulate sodium transporters prompting the kidneys to hold onto salt.

In conditions like obesity, metabolic syndrome, or type 2 diabetes, high circulating insulin levels can lead to excessive salt retention, contributing to high blood pressure and strokes.

This means that while insulin acts to lower blood sugar, it simultaneously acts as a renal salt-retaining hormone, raising salt levels in the body.

We are frequently told to "lower salt for health," but extreme salt restriction can actually worsen insulin resistance in the short term. When you drastically reduce salt, your body perceives this to be a "crisis" because it needs sodium to maintain blood volume.

Salt Restriction - why is this bad?
Salt restriction sets off a chain reaction in your body because sodium is tightly tied to blood volume and blood pressure. When you cut salt significantly, 2 main hormones respond to compensate.

Aldosterone
Aldosterone rises to help the kidneys retain sodium and water. Higher aldosterone = more sodium retention, but also causes more potassium loss, often leading to persistent hypertension. There is also evidence that long term aldosterone elevation can damage kidney filtering units.

Norepinephrine
Low sodium can reduce blood volume slightly, which activates the sympathetic nervous system increasing norepinephrine (a stress hormone).
This leads to:
1. Raised blood pressure
2. Higher heart rate
3. Vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels)
4. Norepinephrine tells the liver to dump more glucose into the bloodstream for energy, but simultaneously prevents the pancreas from releasing enough insulin to handle that glucose.

The Result: Restrict salt too much and you end up with higher circulating blood sugar and your cells not getting the fuel they need. This can lead to a paradoxical state where insulin resistance actually increases because the body is trying to "save" glucose for the brain during a perceived crisis.

Take Home Message about salt and hormones
Salt restriction (especial if too strict) tends to raise aldosterone and norepinephrine, and can slightly worsen insulin sensitivity in some people. A healthy state is not “as low as possible,” but enough sodium to avoid chronic hormone activation while not driving high blood pressure.

So, who is affected the most by restriction salt?
Healthy, Lean Individuals:
Yes, this group often shows the most significant insulin resistance when salt is restricted. Their bodies react quickly to the "stress" of low sodium by activating the hormones mentioned above to conserve salt, interfering with how cells respond to insulin.

Who may benefit?
Salt-Sensitive Hypertensives:
Those people whose blood pressure is highly reactive to salt, restricting salt is usually beneficial for their cardiovascular health. In some of these cases, reducing salt may actually improve or have a neutral effect on insulin sensitivity.

Type 2 Diabetics:
The data here is mixed. Some studies show that very low sodium intake can paradoxically worsen metabolic markers in diabetics, while others show no significant change.

What have we learned so far?
Studies have shown that in healthy individuals, a very low-salt diet can lead to a significant increase in fasting insulin and increase insulin resistance. The body may intentionally raise insulin levels during salt restriction because, insulin tells the kidneys to reabsorb sodium.

Can I Eat Too Much Salt?
Yes: Too much salt can lead to high blood pressure and, in some studies, may worsen insulin resistance by promoting inflammation and oxidative stress.

What Is Ideal?
For most people, especially those living in the hot states like Queensland, or those that engage in a lot of regular exercise, a moderate salt intake is more metabolically stable than an extreme low-salt diet.

But there are 4 other players you need to look at. Not too much and not too little, you need to keep a balance between all 4.
1. Sodium
2. Potassium
3. Magnesium
4. Calcium

While sodium and potassium are the most well known, they actually operate within the quartet of electrolytes that manage your hydration, muscle function, and insulin signaling.
To maintain good metabolic health, make sure these 4 essential macro minerals (especially if you are physically active), are optimally in balance.

Hydration (Water Volume)
Electrolytes/minerals are concentrations. You can have the "perfect" ratio of all these but if you are chronically dehydrated or over-hydrated, the concentration of those minerals shifts.
Aim to always have sufficient hydration.

The Role and importance of Potassium
It is often helpful to look at the Sodium-to-Potassium ratio rather than sodium in isolation. While sodium holds water, potassium acts as a natural diuretic, helping the kidneys flush excess sodium out.
• High Potassium: Relaxes blood vessel walls and lowers pressure.
• The Balance: If potassium is high, the body can often handle moderate salt intake much more efficiently without the spike in blood pressure.

Note: For those following a low-carbohydrate lifestyle, the body naturally excretes more sodium (a process called the "natriuresis of fasting"). Maintaining adequate salt is essential in preventing fatigue or dizziness.

In Concluding
Now you all can see that salt intake can be an important factor in your health and avoiding insulin resistance is key to a long healthy life.

My advice to you is to see your doctor and have regular blood checks. Make sure you are consuming adequate minerals, and that the amounts you consume are sufficient to keep them all in balance. Your health will thank you for it.

01/02/2026

Protein Restriction and Longevity
Protein restriction (PR) is the reduction in dietary protein whilst maintaining normal calorie intake from the other macronutrients. This approach has often been followed by vegetarians and has gained attention in aging research papers for its potential to promote health and extend lifespan.

Studies have used mice, flies, and yeast, and observational data in humans. Pathways involved in cellular growth, repair, and aging have shown a link between PR and either an improvement in cellular growth or an acceleration in aging but - keep on reading it’s a very interesting story.

The way that PR is thought to affect health and longevity is through the mTOR pathway, this includes insulin signalling and longevity mechanisms. I will show you that protein restriction is not the way to optimum health but protein needs to be well managed to get the benefits without the problems. On the other hand insulin, which I have written about many times, can be insidious for your health if kept too high too often.

mTOR
mTOR is a protein kinase that forms two main complexes: mTORC1 and mTORC2. mTORC1 acts as a nutrient sensor and is activated by high protein intake. This promotes cell growth and protein synthesis, but chronic activation is linked to accelerated aging and age-related diseases.

We know that restricting protein suppresses mTORC1 which suppresses muscle growth, but it also triggers beneficial responses like autophagy, which is a cellular “cleanup” process that removes damaged components and recycles the cellular materials. This shift from growth to cellular recycling is thought to delay aging.

Researchers looking at mouse models, found that PR reduces signalling in tumors and all body cells, inhibiting cancer growth and improving health and lifespan. Genetic or pharmacological inhibition of mTORC1 (e.g., with rapamycin) mirrors these effects, extending lifespan in various animal species, but the trouble is lab kept animals are not the same as humans living a normal lifestyle. Also, they are only looking at it through their particular lens, there are many other aspects, some good and bad with PR.
PS. I write more about mTOR near the end of my essay

Amino Acid Specificity: We now know that Leucine, Arginine, and Methionine are the primary "fuel" for mTORC1. Leucine is the most potent activator, found heavily in animal proteins and dairy.

Recent research has shown that while mTORC1 reduction can generally promote longevity, a reduction can also have detrimental effects with longevity which I describe below. Reducing mTORC2 can also cause problems which I also talk about below.

Insulin resistance without lifespan benefits.
Research has clarified that we need to keep both mTORC1 and mTORC2 under control, not too little for muscle strength and growth, and not too much for longevity. mTORC2 handles the structural integrity and survival of the cell, when too low it causes insulin resistance leading to high blood glucose and metabolic dysfunction.

One of my “go too guys” Ben Bikman gives his insight
Ben Bikman PHD is a metabolic scientist, professor and author, best known for his work on insulin resistance, metabolic health, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Bikman points out that while amino acids (from protein) stimulate mTORC1 which we need for muscle growth, insulin will stimulate it much more potently and for a much longer duration. Protein only causes a temporary "spike" in mTOR which is necessary for building muscle and bone. The real danger is chronically elevated insulin which keeps mTOR turned "on" 24/7 and preventing the body from ever entering a state of autophagy and fat burn.

Bikman argues that research has shown for humans, that muscle mass is one of the strongest predictors of how long you will live. Restricting protein to lower mTOR can lead to sarcopenia (muscle wasting) and frailty especially with the over 65s, which is a greater risk to longevity than mTOR and its activation of insulin.

He argues that animal proteins are superior because they have a complete amino acid profile and don't contain the "anti-nutrients" found in plants that can block mineral absorption.

Insulin-to-Glucagon Ratio.
Bikman also says that when a metabolically healthy person eats protein with low carbs, protein stimulates both insulin and glucagon, but because glucagon is also present, the body remains in a "fat-burning" state, and mTOR activation is balanced.

With a high-carb diet, insulin is already high and adding protein on top of a high-carb meal creates an "anabolic bomb" that spikes insulin further and shuts down fat-burning and autophagy entirely.

Protein Restriction is misguided
Bikman is against protein restriction for the average person, especially as they age. He identifies a condition called Anabolic Resistance, where older bodies need more protein (specifically leucine-rich animal protein) to trigger the same muscle-building signals that a young person gets from a smaller snack.

How does Bikman suggest we do this?
If you want the benefits of low mTOR (autophagy) and also the benefits of stronger muscles, don't starve yourself of protein. Instead, lower your carbohydrates. This keeps your baseline insulin low, allowing mTOR to cycle naturally. He also says eat protein with fat so as to stabilizes the insulin response.

How Much Protein overloads the system?
As of 2026, the research has moved away from a simple "yes or no", the answer depends entirely on your age, activity level and the source of the protein.

The Paradoxical Age Finding
A landmark study (Longo et al.) found that high amounts of protein is risky for those under 65 (increased cancer/mortality), but beneficial for those over 65 (higher protein actually reduced cancer/mortality in this age group by supporting the immune system).

Longevity science (LS) and protein consumption
LS looks at a different metric, not just "can you handle protein load," but "does it make you age faster?" If you are highly active (heavy weightlifting or intense cardio), your muscles act as a "sink" for protein. When you exercise, you create muscle damage and the protein you eat goes directly toward repair and recovery.
Because of this, the "pro-aging" signaling (mTOR) is balanced by the fact that you are clearing out damaged proteins through the exercise itself.

Sedentary" Danger
If someone is young and sedentary, and also eats very high amounts of protein the "growth signal" has nowhere to go. It just sits there telling your cells to grow, grow, grow stopping the "cleanup" (autophagy) process. The other problems they will face is excess calories from carbohydrates will be stored as body fat and they can become constipated. Eating high amounts of protein will typically contain about 2.5 to 3 grams of leucine, at these levels leucine is the specific amino acid which is the “On" switch for growth and the "Off" switch for cellular cleanup.

Note: New Research from 2024-2025 tells us that the body can absorb and use much larger amounts of protein than we think, (100g+) so we can build muscle, but this doesn't mean it’s healthy because of the shutting down of the anti-aging benefits of autophagy.

This doesn't necessarily mean everyone needs to eat a small amount of protein in a meal or protein overall, it is mainly about the person and the timing. By eating protein in a shorter window (Intermittent Fasting), you get the "muscle building" benefits during the day and the "autophagy/anti-aging" benefits at night. This strategy is called ‘Protein Pulsing’ but only works to your advantage if you are in that window of being very active, pregnant, bodybuilding OR you are over 65yo.

Important - once you hit your protein threshold, eating more protein doesn't necessarily make the muscle-building signal "stronger," but it does make it last longer. A 60g steak takes longer to digest than a 30g protein shake, keeping mTORC1 active for an extended period.

So, what is the difference between eating 30g and 60g of protein?
We need to look at how high does the signal goes and how long does it stay on.
- The Intensity (The "Satiation" Point)
The "muscle-building switch" (mTORC1) either hits the Leucine Threshold or it doesn’t. At 30g you have likely provided enough Leucine (~2.5g–3g) to fully saturate the mTORC1 response. This triggers maximum Muscle Protein Synthesis. (MPS) At 60g you don't necessarily get "double" the muscle-building signal. Once the cells are protein saturated, the intensity of the signal plateaus, you have told the body to "build," and it can only build so fast.
- The Duration (The "Autophagy" Problem)
This is where the major difference lies, with aging and autophagy. When you eat 30g of Protein there is a "clean" pulse and it is digested and processed relatively quickly. (roughly 2–3 hours depending on the source). When the amino acids are cleared from the blood, mTORC1 activity drops, allowing you to get back towards a "repair" state sooner. With 60g of Protein, this creates a much longer building phase because It takes the gut significantly longer to break down and absorb 60g of protein. This means amino acid levels remain elevated in the blood for 5–7 hours.
Note: 60g is only necessary if you are a high-level athlete with massive caloric needs, or if you are only eating two meals a day and need to hit your total protein goal.

Key Takeaway:
More protein doesn't build muscle faster, it just keeps the "growth" signal on longer—which is the enemy of autophagy.

Here is some information that will help you find your target protein threshold

Protein Threshold:
Finding that "ceiling" where more protein stops being a muscle-builder and starts being an expensive calorie source is a mix of science and listening to your body.

Here is how you can identify that limit:
Elderly - over 65yo
For people over 65, the timing of protein is often more important than the total amount. Younger adults can trigger muscle growth with as little as 20g of protein per meal, but older adults typically need a larger "spike" to overcome anabolic resistance.
• Optimal Dose: Aim for 30–40g of protein per meal. (3 x meals)
With protein pulsing you get the best of both worlds. (See below)

Here is a guide chart for the “Daily Protein Requirement” for various activity levels (younger adults and seniors)
1. Young & Sedentary• Target: 0.8 – 1.0 g per kg of body weight• Goal: Basic maintenance for those with desk jobs or low activity.
2. Seniors (Over 65)• Target: 1.2 – 1.5 g per kg of body weight• Goal: To overcome anabolic resistance and prevent muscle loss.
3. Moderately Active• Target: 1.2 – 1.5 g per kg of body weight• Goal: Recovery for those exercising 3–4 times per week.
4. Very Active / Endurance• Target: 1.5 – 1.8 g per kg of body weight• Goal: Repair for daily intense training or physical labor.
5. Bodybuilding / Strength• Target: 1.6 – 2.2 g per kg of body weight • Goal: Maximum muscle growth and protection during fat loss.

How to Find Your Personal Number
To get a ballpark figure, you can use this simple calculation:
1. Find your weight in kg
2. Multiply by 1.2 (This is for a sedentary person).

Target Grams = body weight (kg) x 1.2

Younger sedentary Person - Example: If you weigh 70kg, your effective ceiling is likely around 84g of protein per day. Anything beyond that is likely just wasted "extra" energy.

PROTEIN PULSING
I’ve been looking into the nutrition strategy called ‘Protein Pulsing’, and it’s kind of a game-changer. Instead of just eating all day, you time your protein to hit like a 'spike' for your muscles, and then you give your body 16 hours of 'cleanup time.' I must admit I don’t do it all the time, but when I do I’ve noticed way better focus in the morning, and I don't feel like I’m constantly dieting.

The reason why Protein Pulsing works
Instead of grazing on protein all day, which keeps the "growth switch" (mTOR) turned on 24/7, you consolidate your protein into fewer meals to create a clear biological "on" and "off" switch. To turn off the growth switch we need a window of at least 4 hours of not eating any protein, and 16 hours to clean up and get rid of unwanted cells.

To maximize both muscle preservation (turning mTOR "on" when needed) and longevity (turning it "off" to allow autophagy), you need to create "peaks and valleys" in your blood amino acid levels.

Protein Pulsing - 3 Common Objections
1. I could never skip breakfast; I’d be starving
Hunger is actually just a habit, after three days your hunger hormones reset and your body starts burning its own fat for fuel in the morning. You get energy and laser focus because you aren't
crashing from a morning bagel.

2. Don't you need to eat every 3 hours
That’s an old myth, if you eat small snacks all day your body never gets into 'cellular cleanup' (autophagy). Also by pulsing your protein in big hits, you signal your muscles to grow more than if you just trickled it in all day. Intermittent fasting keeps insulin levels low and stable, providing the brain with a steady stream of energy rather than a series of peaks and valleys.

When you eat frequently, your body constantly diverts blood flow and metabolic resources to the gut. The body isn't "broken" by frequent eating, but it is distracted. Constant digestion prevents the body from switching into "maintenance and repair" mode. Giving your gut a 4- to 5-hour break between meals (and a longer break overnight) allows those metabolic resources to be redirected toward cellular cleanup and mental clarity.

From an evolutionary standpoint, your brain is designed to be sharpest when you are hungry (to help you find food). Fasting triggers the release of norepinephrine, which heightens alertness and focus. Intermittent fasting and "protein pulsing" can increase the production of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) helping mental clarity.

When your body is working how it should, by not eating for those 3-4 hours it will force your body to shift from burning glucose to burning ketones. (derived from fat)
When you eat every three hours, your body stays in a "fed state”, every snack or meal triggers an insulin response to manage blood glucose, leaving less "fuel" for high-level cognitive functions.

3. That sounds too complicated
It’s actually simpler. You only have to worry about three 'pulses.' You eat at noon then a high-protein snack at 4:00, and a big dinner at 8:00. No more 'what should I eat for breakfast'.
Note: These starting and finishing times can be moved but the timing in between must stay the same to get the benefit.

Summary Comparison: Frequent Eating vs. Intermittent Fasting
Eating Every 3 Hours
* Primary Fuel: Glucose (Fluctuating)
* Insulin Levels: Consistently High
* Mental State: Peaks and Valleys (Brain Fog)
* Cellular Repair: Low (Suppressed by mTOR)

Intermittent Fasting
* Primary Fuel: Ketones (Stable)
* Insulin Levels: Low/Baseline (body fat for fuel)
* Mental State: Steady Clarity
* Cellular Repair: High (Triggered by Autophagy

The "Low-Risk" Challenge, how to start
If it all sounds daunting, instead of committing for life, try a 3-day trial:
Start a 72 hour trial. From 8:00 PM tonight until noon tomorrow, just stick to water/black coffee. Then, at noon, have a high-protein lunch and see after 3 days what difference it has made to how you feel - what have you got to lose?

Important NOTE: No calories between 8:00 PM and noon, this is when the "cellular repair" called autophagy happens.

Protein Pulsing Schedule
8:00 PM – 12:00 PM | Fasting Phase
Action: No calories (Only Water/Black Coffee/Tea).
Purpose: Deep Autophagy and Fat Oxidation.

12:00 PM | Pulse #1
Action: 30g–50g Protein.
Purpose: Break the fast; trigger Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS).

4:00 PM | Pulse #2
Action: 30g–50g Protein.
Purpose: Mid-day protein hit; second MPS spike.

8:00 PM | Pulse #3
Action: 30g–50g Protein.*
Purpose: Final meal; provides amino acids for the start of the fast.

*This amount can vary (see below) especially if you are more concerned with health issues and cellular cleanup. (Autophagy)

Quick Reminders:
• The Gap: Keep 3-4 hours between meals to reset your muscle-building signals.
• The Trigger: Aim for at least 35g of protein per meal to ensure you hit the "Leucine threshold."
Note: remember you can bring back your dinner meal to eat say at 6pm. That would mean your first 2 meals of the day would be 10am and 2pm.

Golden Rules for this Method
1. Hit the "Leucine Threshold"
For the pulses to work (especially if you are sedentary or over 65), you can't just have a "little bit" of protein at noon. You need enough to trigger the switch.• Aim for at least 35g of protein in that first meal. If you only eat 10g, mTOR won't fully activate, and you'll get the "worst of both worlds" (no autophagy, but no muscle growth either).
2. Avoid the "Hidden" Grazing
Small snacks are the enemy of autophagy. Even a splash of milk in your coffee or a small piece of jerky at 10:00 AM will spike your amino acids and kill the autophagy you worked for all morning. Rule: If you have anything in the 8-hour window, it must be zero-protein (water/plain tea/black coffee).
3. Prioritize "Whole" Proteins at Night
For your final meal at 6 or 7 or 8 PM, choose slower-digesting proteins (like steak, chicken,) rather than a fast-digesting whey shake.• Why: A steak can take 4–6 hours to fully digest, this creates a sustained "slow-drip" of amino acids into the bloodstream, keeping the muscle-building machinery running much longer into the night before the system eventually transitions into autophagy in the early morning.

Why this is safer than "Long Fasting"
Some people try to fast for 3–5 days for autophagy, but research shows this causes significant muscle loss (sarcopenia) in people especially over 50. The "daily pulsing" method gives you about 4 hours of high-quality autophagy every single day while ensuring your muscles get fed exactly what they need to stay strong.

Note: For those that say, “but the body can only assimilate around 30gm of protein at a time”, there is ample evidence available that says you can eat 100g+ of protein in one meal without it being "too much" for your health. Your body will absorb it all, although only about 30–50g will go directly toward immediate muscle building; ( see note below) the rest will support other bodily functions, be stored as fat or be used as fuel.
Note: The amount of protein that will go to building muscle will depend on your age, activity and how much resistance training you do.

The "Trigger" Threshold (20–35g)
Research suggests that for the average male, 20 to 35 grams of high-quality protein in a meal is the "sweet spot."• Why 20-35g? The mTOR threshold: This is enough to fully saturate Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS).
The Autophagy threshold: While it does suppress autophagy, it is a transient spike. Most humans return to a "basal" (low-level) autophagic state within 3–4 hours after a meal of this size. Eating 80g+ in one sitting doesn't necessarily make the mTOR spike "higher," but it can make it last significantly longer, keeping autophagy suppressed for a much larger portion of the day.

The "Timing" Factor (Pulsing vs. Grazing)
The balance isn't found in a single meal, but in the frequency of those meals.
The Problem with Grazing: If you eat 15g of protein every 2 hours, you keep mTOR "simmering" all day. This is the worst of both worlds: you never hit the high threshold for muscle growth, but you also never drop low enough for deep autophagy.
The "Pulse" Solution: Spacing your protein intake into 3 distinct pulses (e.g., every 3 hours) allows mTOR to spike, to do its work, and then disappear. This creates "windows" where autophagy can resume between meals.

Practical Takeaway:
Building Muscle: If you are training hard and trying to put on size, don't starve your muscles at night. The "anabolic window" of sleep is too valuable.

If you are more concerned with general health and aging or have hit a weight-loss plateau, lowering protein at night is a powerful tool. It allows your liver and cells to shift from "construction mode" to "repair and maintenance mode" much earlier in the evening.

Note: Do what is right for you.

I want to now comment more about the mTOR. (mechanistic Target of Rapamycin complexes 1 and 2) Because my research continually makes me delve deeper into the nutritional health sciences, I have come to realise how important mTOR and its effects on the human body are.

Research on mTORC1 is currently at the center of longevity science. It acts as a "nutrient sensor"—specifically for amino acids, and functions like a cellular light switch. When "on," it triggers growth and protein synthesis; when "off," it triggers autophagy (cellular cleanup).

Recent studies (2024–2025) have moved away from the idea that protein is "bad" and toward a more nuanced protein intake.

The Latest Research on mTORC1 (2024-2026)
New research tells us that chronic activation of mTORC1 24/7, is what causes the harm, rather than the temporary spikes caused by a single meal.

In 2025, researchers identified rare genetic variants in long-lived individuals that naturally "recalibrate" mTORC1. (the 2025 Kolbe et al. study) These people don't have zero mTOR activity; they have a more efficient switch that flips between growth and repair more easily.

What can we do?
While you can't change your DNA, you can use lifestyle "bio-hacks" to mimic this fluid switching. This means making self-directed, strategic changes to your biology, diet, lifestyle, and environment to optimize health, performance, and longevity. You cannot perfectly replicate a rare genetic mutation that makes your cells 20% more efficient, but you can achieve 80% of the benefit through metabolic flexibility. (MF) MF is your body’s ability to switch between fuel sources based on what you eat.

Two Fuel States
1. The Glucose Burner (Fed State): After you eat a lot of carbs with high protein, insulin rises. Your body burns the sugar in your blood and stores the rest in your liver and muscles as glycogen or if you are metabolic inflexible you become a fat storer.
2. The Fat Burner (Fasted State): When you haven't eaten for several hours, insulin drops. Your body "flips the switch" to pull energy from your stored body fat and to produce ketones.

Note: Modern lifestyle—constant snacking and high-carb diets—keeps insulin levels chronically elevated. When insulin is always high, the "switch" gets stuck in glucose fat storing mode.

Signs you are metabolically inflexible
* If you miss a meal and get shaky, irritable, or dizzy, your body can’t access your fat stores for energy.
* Energy Crashes: You feel lethargic 2 hours after lunch.
* Difficulty Losing Weight: Even if you eat less, your body struggles to "unlock" your fat cells, because insulin is blocking the exit.

FINAL CONCLUSIONS:
The relationship between protein intake and longevity is not a simple linear equation; it is a delicate balancing act between growth and maintenance.

While chronic protein overconsumption keeps the mTOR pathway locked in "growth mode"—effectively silencing the body’s cellular cleanup processes, (autophagy) protein restriction carries its own set of perils, particularly the risk of sarcopenia and frailty in our later years.

The most promising path to longevity lies in metabolic flexibility rather than dogmatic restriction. By employing "Protein Pulsing," we can satisfy the body’s anabolic requirements to maintain muscle and bone density while intentionally creating windows of nutrient scarcity. This approach mimics the rare genetic efficiency found in centenarians, allowing the mTOR "switch" to flip fluidly between the building phase and the repair phase.

Ultimately, longevity is not merely the absence of disease, but the preservation of function. By timing protein intake, choosing slow-digesting sources at night to bridge the fasting window, and training the body to switch fuels efficiently, we can harness the benefits of protein for vitality without sacrificing the cellular "housekeeping" necessary for a long life. The goal is a recalibrated metabolism: a body that knows when to build, when to clean, and how to thrive in both states. Graeme

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