Optimizing protein, muscle, and ageing well naturally

From around 40, adults lose roughly 1% of muscle mass a year without resistance training. That loss shows up later as poor glucose control, frailty and a longer recovery from everything.

How much protein, really

Most guidelines set a floor, not a target. For anyone training or over 50, somewhere between 1.2 and 1.6 g per kg of body weight per day is a more useful aim, spread across meals rather than loaded into dinner.

What to watch in bloodwork

Fasting insulin and HbA1c tell you how well your muscle is handling glucose. Ferritin and vitamin D affect whether you recover well enough to keep training. They belong in the same conversation.

Food first, supplements second, and lift something heavy twice a week.