Whey too much protein

Summary

Today, Explained: Whey Too Much Protein
Released March 7, 2025
Host: Noel King and Chris Gayomali
Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network

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Introduction: The Protein Craze

Timestamp: [00:02 – 02:09]

Noel King and guest co-host Chris Gayomali dive into the burgeoning obsession with protein in modern diets. They humorously illustrate the extremes people go to in order to increase their protein intake, highlighting unconventional methods such as the “chicken smoothie.”

Notable Quote:
Noel King [00:02]: “We are going to extreme lengths to get more protein these days. The powders, the shakes, the cottage cheese and the oatmeal, the peanut butter and everything. And the chicken smoothie.”

Chris Gayomali [00:12]: “I went to the store, got like some chicken breast, boiled it, blended it in a blender... This is so weird.”

---

The Genesis of Protein Mania

Timestamp: [02:11 – 04:19]

Chris recounts his personal journey into the protein obsession, which began post-lockdown as gyms reopened and he became heavily involved in fitness. Influenced by health podcasts like Huberman Lab, he fell into what he describes as the “protein event horizon.”

Notable Quote:
Chris Gayomali [02:58]: “Yeah. And I was constantly getting all these messages that, like, you're not getting enough protein in your diet. And so that sort of triggered my fall down this trapdoor towards the protein event horizon.”

---

Historical Context: From Waste to Supplement

Timestamp: [03:51 – 07:35]

The discussion shifts to the historical development of whey protein. Post-World War II industrialization saw dairy production surge, leading to excess whey, traditionally treated as waste. Environmental legislation in the 1970s and technological advancements in microfiltration transformed whey into a marketable protein supplement.

Notable Quote:
Chris Gayomali [06:00]: “It's like this whole protein boom is like people just figured out that you can take existing garbage, essentially and sell it to people.”

He also touches on the diversification of plant-based proteins, noting how industries have adapted by extracting proteins from soy, pea, algae, hemp, and rice to meet the rising demand.

---

Innovations in Protein Products

Timestamp: [07:35 – 10:08]

Chris introduces innovative protein products like “Feisty,” a protein-infused soda. He interviews V, the founder of Feisty, who shares her journey from overcoming a knee injury to developing a lighter, fizzy protein drink using hydrolyzed pea protein.

Notable Quote:
V [08:11]: “And I was like, wow, this is so incredible. And just like, fell in love with all things fitness.”

Additionally, food scientist David Julian McClelmanson explains the complex processes behind fortifying plant-based foods with proteins, such as creating plant-based eggs and chicken alternatives.

David Julian McClelmanson [09:22]: “We’ve made plant-based scallops... chicken and plant-based eggs that are fortified with proteins and other healthy ingredients.”

---

The Influence of Fitness Culture and Social Media

Timestamp: [10:17 – 13:02]

Noel and Chris discuss how fitness culture, particularly post-pandemic, has normalized high-protein diets across genders. Influencers like Dr. Gabrielle Lyon advocate for increased protein intake, especially for aging populations to combat muscle loss.

Notable Quote:
Noel King [12:40]: “...Dr. Gabrielle Lyon... she argues that women, especially as they enter menopause, need to be lifting weights and eating way more protein to stay healthy.”

The conversation highlights how social media and fitness influencers have played pivotal roles in shifting public perception towards prioritizing protein.

---

Industry Response: Food Giants Embrace Protein

Timestamp: [13:02 – 20:38]

The episode delves into how major food companies like General Mills have capitalized on the protein trend. Chris shares his experience visiting General Mills headquarters, where he observed the extensive R&D efforts to incorporate high levels of protein into traditional products like Wheaties without compromising their iconic texture.

Notable Quote:
Chris Gayomali [18:32]: “They went through 40 different iterations over it over a multi-year R&D period... It was kind of funny because they rolled out all these different versions over the years in little glass containers.”

This segment underscores the lengths to which companies go to innovate and meet consumer demand for high-protein products.

---

Debating Protein: Benefit or Overconsumption?

Timestamp: [20:38 – 24:38]

Noel raises concerns about the prevalence of ultra-processed high-protein foods, questioning whether these products qualify as healthy or if they represent a new form of junk food. Chris acknowledges the dilemma, noting that while whole food sources are ideal, the convenience of protein supplements is beneficial, especially for older adults combating muscle loss.

Notable Quote:
Chris Gayomali [22:06]: “A lot of the researchers I talked to... it's maybe not ideal. Maybe we should be getting our protein from whole sources... But we don't live in an ideal world. We're always on the move and need convenience when we can.”

The hosts also explore the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for protein, revealing that recent research suggests an increased requirement, which aligns with the current protein-centric dietary trends.

Notable Quote:
Chris Gayomali [23:13]: “So in terms of how much protein a person might need, the RDA works out to basically 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. More recent research suggests that it should be probably closer to 1.6, which is double what the old RDA was.”

---

Cultural Reflections: What Protein Obsession Says About Us

Timestamp: [24:38 – 25:56]

In the concluding segments, Noel and Chris reflect on the broader cultural implications of society’s fixation on protein. They discuss how nutritional knowledge has evolved and how it intersects with personal beliefs and misinformation spread through various media platforms.

Notable Quote:
Chris Gayomali [24:38]: “I feel like we're just getting so much smarter about nutrition now... it's kind of like a personal calculation is where I've kind of landed on it.”

Chris humorously mentions his own increased protein intake and its positive effects, encapsulating the personal nature of dietary choices amidst a sea of conflicting information.

Chris Gayomali [25:45]: “And your muscles got bigger.”

Noel King [25:47]: “There you go. There you go. That is it. That is why we do it.”

---

Conclusion: Navigating the Protein Landscape

Timestamp: [25:56 – End]

The episode wraps up with production credits and a brief mention of upcoming segments and other podcasts. Noel and Chris emphasize the importance of balancing scientific research with personal health needs, encouraging listeners to make informed decisions about their protein consumption.

---

Key Takeaways:

1. Historical Evolution: The transformation of whey from a dairy byproduct to a protein supplement highlights the interplay between industrial needs, environmental regulations, and technological advancements.

2. Diverse Protein Sources: The rise of plant-based proteins reflects both environmental concerns and dietary preferences, expanding the options beyond traditional animal sources.

3. Influence of Fitness Culture: Social media and fitness influencers have significantly shaped public perceptions, making high-protein diets more mainstream across different demographics.

4. Industry Adaptation: Major food companies are continuously innovating to incorporate higher protein content into familiar products, balancing health trends with consumer expectations.

5. Health Implications: While increased protein intake can be beneficial, especially for aging populations, there is ongoing debate regarding the potential overconsumption and reliance on processed protein sources.

6. Personalization of Diet: Amidst evolving nutritional guidelines and mixed media messages, individuals are encouraged to tailor their protein intake based on personal health needs and lifestyle.

---

Final Thoughts:

The episode "Whey Too Much Protein" offers a comprehensive exploration of society’s protein obsession, tracing its origins, examining its cultural impact, and pondering its future trajectory. Through engaging discussions and expert insights, Noel King and Chris Gayomali provide listeners with a nuanced understanding of why protein has become such a central component of modern diets and what that means for our health and food industry.

Transcript

[Noel King]

We are going to extreme lengths to get more protein these days. The powders, the shakes, the cottage cheese and the oatmeal, the peanut butter and everything. And the chicken smoothie.

[Chris Gayomali]

I went to the store, got like some chicken breast, boiled it, blended it in a blender. It was like added a splash of water and then it smelled like, you know, I was just like, dude, I'm making soup here. This is so weird. So then I added like every berry, every frozen banana like I could basically find in my freezer and you know, to make it a little bit more tolerable.

[Noel King]

Have you tried the chicken smoothie?

[Chris Gayomali]

And then my wife tried it too and she was like, oh yeah, you could definitely feel the chicken on that. And so I had this like, you know, venti sized chicken smoothie that I had to drink all myself because I can't waste anything in my house.

[Noel King]

Coming up on TODAY Explained. Protein Madness.

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[Noel King]

And may be impacted by emergencies.

[Unknown]

You're listening to TODAY Explained.

[Noel King]

I'm Noel King. You and me and everyone we know is going to the gym lately and so is writer Chris Gamali. Chris publishes the health and wellness newsletter Heavies. And he recently wrote a big piece about protein for Grub street that started with his path to to protein obsession.

[Chris Gayomali]

This actually started a few years ago here in New York. Once lockdown restrictions sort of eased up, the gyms were kind of the first thing to open. And so mostly out of boredom, I started going to my Muay Thai gym like five or six days a week and got really, really fit. Around that same time, I started listening to health podcasts like Huberman Lab.

[T Mobile]

When I heard This I thought, there's no way this is true. Which was making sure that you get 30 or so grams of protein within 30min waking.

[Chris Gayomali]

Yeah. And I was constantly getting all these messages that, like, you're not getting enough protein in your diet. And so that sort of triggered my fall down this trapdoor towards the protein event horizon.

[T Mobile]

People think it's crazy that I've eaten 200 grams of protein for almost 20 straight years every single day.

[Noel King]

The biggest lie that you're telling yourself is that you can't hit your protein goals. Stop over complicating it.

[T Mobile]

I blend chicken twice a day to be an open pro bodybuilder. Chug that baby down, somebody get this mess of protein.

[Noel King]

I myself do listen to Huberman. And I have gotten the message too. I think a lot more about protein than I ever thought I would think about protein.

[Chris Gayomali]

Same here.

[Noel King]

Me of 36 months ago would not recognize this person. Tell me where protein mania begins. Is this a recent phenomenon?

[Chris Gayomali]

So it actually really starts with whey protein. And for that you have to go back to right after World War II.

[Unknown]

The Japanese have accepted our terms fully. That is the word we have just received from the White House in Washington. And I didn't expect to hear a celebration here in our newsroom in New York, but you can hear one going on behind me.

[Chris Gayomali]

A lot of farming became really industrialized, and around that time, we really saw dairy production really start to ratchet up here in the United States.

[Unknown]

Milk is one of our most wholesome foods. Now, where are the milk cows and the dairy farms of the United States? Located in an area commonly called the Dairy Belt.

[Chris Gayomali]

There was just like, so much cheese that they were making, especially in Vermont and Wisconsin.

[Unknown]

Cheese, a more concentrated food, is more valuable per pound than milk.

[Chris Gayomali]

When you make cheese, its liquid byproduct is whey, which has historically been treated as a refuse that was like, either dumped in the rivers or fed to pigs and cattle. Once the whey is discarded, at least it kind of has nowhere to go. And there was one cheese plant in 1942 that used to dump all its whey product into an old drinking well. The substance produced so much gas that at one point, the well's cover blew off. Things really started to change in the 1970s when a couple of things started happening in tandem. The big one was there was kind of this swell of environmental legislation that came out that sort of just made dumping whey not the move. All these manufacturers had to find a use for this stuff that was essentially garbage. And meanwhile, there were Technological breakthroughs in fields like microfiltration, which made it easier to transform the whey into a powder that you could actually mix with water and drink down. So that's kind of how we got to this point where you're able to drink whey protein as we know it today. And then the other thing that happened was in 1977, there was this big documentary that came out called Pumping Iron. And now we come to the heavyweights. Over 200 pounds, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The greatest feeling you can get in the gym, or the most satisfying feeling you can get in the gym is the pump. It was kind of a mind blowing thing at the time. Like this guy came out of nowhere and had biceps on top of his biceps. Blood is rushing into your muscles and that's what we call the pump. Your muscles get a really tight feeling like your skin is going to explode any minute. It kind of kicked off a real bodybuilding boom. And from there, people just really wanted protein and to look like the Terminator. I'll be back. Whey protein, like that kind of set the model for a lot of different plant proteins. It was basically the same model where it was like, you know, we have all this excess trash and mush, like especially from the soybean oil industry. And they were like, hey, we have all this soy mush left over from, you know, extracting oil. What should we do with it? And then they figured out that you can really transform this stuff into soluble powders. And it's actually pretty nutrient dense too. But what's really funny about it is it's like this whole protein boom is like people just figured out that you can take existing garbage, essentially and sell it to people. And so that's how we got to where we are today. But more recently, you know, they're sort of synthesizing all sorts of plants. There's soy, there's pea, there's algae, there's hemp, there's rice. Yeah, all sorts of stuff that they are. They're sort of mushing up and extracting protein from and turning it into powders that they can jam into all sorts of wacky snacks, which I've tasted a lot of during this journey.

[Noel King]

You also tasted a protein soda. Tell me about that.

[Chris Gayomali]

Oh, my gosh. So when I came across this, the existence of this protein soda called Feisty, I was like, protein soda? That's so wild. But then I talked to the founder.

[V]

Yeah, hi, my name's V. I'm the.

[Chris Gayomali]

Founder of Feisty and she's a former designer at Louis Vuitton, based in London. And she actually had her own interesting journey with protein. She had, like, a gnarly knee injury not too long ago, and her PT was basically like, you should get into lifting.

[V]

And I gave it a go. I've never been sporty my whole life. I never had this feeling of like an endorphins hit before. And I was like, wow, this is so incredible. And just like, fell in love with all things fitness.

[Chris Gayomali]

And from the lifting, she kind of fell in love with the sport and then started researching how to create her own drink that wasn't as heavy. Not like a shake that you would have to guzzle down. And so she landed on this idea for a fizzy protein soda.

[V]

I heard of this hydrolyzed pea protein, which is like a pea protein which dissolves in water. It's clear. And I was like, why does no one put this in a soda? This is cool.

[Noel King]

You did talk to some plant protein scientists. What does that job entail?

[Chris Gayomali]

There's a lot of research being done right now in, like, genetically modifying certain plants, say pea, or, you know, even potatoes. So protein is really tricky. And I'm by no means an expert in, like, how all that stuff sort of holds together.

[David Julian McClelmanson]

My Name's David Julian McClelmanson. I'm a distinguished professor in the department of Food Science at the University of Massachusetts, and I do a lot of work on protein fortification of plant based foods.

[Noel King]

First of all, ridiculous that that exists. I love it.

[David Julian McClelmanson]

So we're trying to make plant based alternatives. The most common way is you just basically take the plant, you grind it up into a powder, then you put it in water, and then you make it very alkaline, and that causes the proteins to dissolve. And then you collect them and then you change the ph again, and they all come out of solution and you get this big curd that you can take and dry and use as a protein isolate. So we've made plant based scallops.

[Chris Gayomali]

I admittedly get a little bit squeamish around fake meats like that plant based.

[David Julian McClelmanson]

Chicken and plant based eggs that are fortified with proteins and other healthy ingredients. So things like potatoes or peas or soybeans or nettles.

[Chris Gayomali]

There's no way I should be eating this burger that is designed to taste like a cow, but isn't a cow. I'm kind of like, just be yourself burger.

[Noel King]

So there's two parallel tracks here. And one is we are able to just make more kinds of proteins and put them into more types of foods.

[Chris Gayomali]

Exactly.

[Noel King]

And then sell them to people. And the other is people want them. Right. People are also buying the stuff. What came first, the chicken or the egg? Or is this just a nice confluence of what the customer wants the industry is prepared now to provide?

[Chris Gayomali]

In my reporting, I sort of found that, you know, of all the macronutrients, the big three are fat, carbohydrates, and protein. Protein's kind of the only one that's really been demonized by marketers and, like, pop scientists and Atkins and like, all that stuff. It's like you think of carbohydrates. It was like that was verboten at one point.

[Noel King]

The great diet debate, low carb or low fat?

[Chris Gayomali]

You probably have had some friends or family members or yourself trying the no carb or low carb diets. Fat, definitely a verboteno at one point. The analogy I like to use is protein's kind of like the Dolly Parton of macronutrients. Like, we can all agree that she's pretty great. Regardless of your identity or, like, political affiliation, my hopes for the new year is a little more kindness, a little more love.

[Noel King]

So speaking of Dolly and also speaking of Arnold Schwarzenegger. I love Arnold, but as like a woman, I don't aspire to look like Arnold, but the algorithm has found me anyway. Like, I go on Instagram and the ladies are serving me protein. Most women are not eating enough protein.

[Chris Gayomali]

Oh, my God. You're looking for a high protein breakfast option that takes less than 10 minutes to make, and it's 65 grams of protein. Yeah, I know that's what you wanted. And I'm a giver, I'm a lover.

[Noel King]

How did we go from this is kind of male dominated muscles on muscles on muscles to a lot of female health Influencers are evangelizing it also. When does that turn happen?

[Chris Gayomali]

It has to do with the sort of normalizing of fitness culture, which you have also fallen into in the past couple of months.

[Noel King]

I work out all the time. I can bench you. And it's addicting.

[Chris Gayomali]

Right. And I think part of it is like, you know, post pandemic, we were just so concerned about our mortality and watching death sort of surround us in a real way that a lot of people decided to get healthy kind of at the same time. But also, you know, your point about influencers is really interesting. One of the big ones is Dr. Gabrielle Lyon. She's a part of the sort of Huberman cinematic universe.

[Noel King]

There is not one macronutrient more important to an aging individual than protein.

[Chris Gayomali]

Really compelling figure in her mid-50s, I think. And she looks like she could deadlift like a Miata if she needed to. But she's a. But she's argued that women, especially as they enter menopause, need to be lifting weights and eating way more protein to stay healthy.

[Noel King]

Protein for Dummies Source meat, which include pork, beef, lamb.

[Chris Gayomali]

She's so turbo. But I think she's onto something. And I think that's really like hitting a note with a lot of people across all stripes.

[Noel King]

The other big cultural moment that we're in is the moment of Ozempic and Mounjaro and other GLP1s. Those also affect how much protein we want or need.

[Chris Gayomali]

You know, retailers like Walmart especially are like sort of already stocking their shelves with foods that are a little bit more nutrient dense and high in protein.

[Noel King]

Nestle just announced a new frozen food brand that it says is intended to be a companion for GLP1 weight loss medication.

[T Mobile]

Users and consumers focused on weight management. The makers of Kit Kat are coming.

[Chris Gayomali]

Out with some food items that you'll be able to find on your local grocery shelves soon. And these foods will be geared towards.

[T Mobile]

You and Me, users of GLP LP1 medications.

[Chris Gayomali]

Let's take a look at what they are. Mostly because these kind of drugs are so popular right now and they really do limit the amount of food you can eat. So if you can't eat as much food, the thinking goes that you need stuff that's just packed with more nutrients in order to feel okay and good and healthy. So that's, it's kind of really shaping the industry in a, in a very real way right now. What I eat in a day, I miss Ozempi. I always start my day with some Greek yogurt.

[Noel King]

Chobani is my favorite. And then today is the day that we take our Ozempic shots.

[Chris Gayomali]

So you already know what that means.

[Noel King]

We need to get in a good high protein meal before doing so. Let's make protein coffee while I talk about the importance of protein.

[Chris Gayomali]

While on a GLP1 medication. I was like shopping for breakfast cereals for my 3 year old. Just like looking around and I noticed this svelte new box of Wheaties protein which like advertised 20 something grams of protein on the COVID There was no old Wheaties like this. It had been replaced seemingly overnight by this like very, you know, buff new insurgent, I guess. And so I was kind of like, I was like, huh? And so in the course of this, I hit up General Mills, which, you know, owns this big portfolio of food products and Wheaties especially. Ben asked if I could come out and check out what they're doing over there and weirdly enough, they said yes.

[Noel King]

Coming up, Chris goes behind the veil at General Mills.

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[Noel King]

Today explained is back with me, Noelle from work and Chris Gayomali. Now, as you've skittered around the aisles of your local grocery store, you have likely wondered at some point, how are they getting the protein into all this stuff? Chris had the same thought, and then he scored an invitation.

[Chris Gayomali]

So last November, I landed in Minneapolis and took an Uber out to General Mills headquarters. And it's this beautiful, picturesque campus just outside of Minneapolis. They have like this sculpture garden outside. It's just this beautiful campus with duck ponds and there was like foliage everywhere. And then I'm inside this building where they make all these snack products. General Mills, they began looking into, you know, jamming protein into a lot of their products. Maybe a little over 10 years ago, they had this Nature Valley bar that they had like jammed a little bit more protein in. And then once they started selling it, they realized, realized they could make a lot of money off of this stuff. I think it did like $100 million in its first year or something like that. So they were like, okay, maybe there's other products we can put protein into that would make us a ton of money. And so Wheaties being, you know, their flagship sort of cereal product that like, you know, has Tiger woods and Michael Jordan and Serena Williams and all those people on the COVID better eat your Wheaties. I better eat my Wheaties. They really realized Wheaties would be a good test for this stuff. And so they went out to their roster of like, fitness enthusiasts. And the information they were hearing back was, you know, a Wheaties protein product would ideally have at least 15 grams of protein per serving, which is kind of a lot. You know, the challenge for them was preserving the fidelity of the flake, because Wheaties eaters are surprisingly hardcore about what a Wheaties should taste like and how hard it should be, like, how crunchy it should be. So it was actually wheat germ and soy protein isolate that they had to combine and make, make it somehow taste like the old version of Wheaties. And they went through 40 different iterations over it over a multi year R D period. And it was, it was kind of funny because they rolled out all these different versions over the years in little glass containers, kind of like little, I don't know, like Jurassic park embryos or something. And I asked them to take a picture of it and then they were just like, oh, no, we can't do that. Like, it was like Illuminati levels of secrecy for all these cereal shapes.

[Noel King]

Speaking of Jurassic Park. I was trying to picture how do you get protein into food? Cause it's not just Wheaties, it's also Cheerios. It's also, like you said, it's granola bars. It's everything. And all I can imagine is a person with like a big needle. Somehow the needle has liquid protein. They're just like plunging the needle into a wheaty flake, I'm guessing. No, but how does it work? Like, how do they get the protein in there?

[Chris Gayomali]

Yeah, it isn't too far off from Jurassic park. As I understand it. You're altering the DNA of a, whatever the food is on a like a very granular level. You know, it's like they'll take the wheat germ that they were using for Wheaties, for example, put in some protein, and then they have like all these calculations about like how much liquid to use. And they're just calibrating that until they get something that sort of resembles the traditional product but is maybe just a little bit off. And then on top of that, they'll try to mask it with, you know, nut clusters and all this other stuff to sort of like take your eye off the ball a little bit that this isn't the old one you're eating, but it's a little bit different. But it can't be too different. And I think that's kind of the trick towards all these new protein food products. Honestly.

[Noel King]

You know, you're pointing at something here. Listeners will know I am obsessed with ultra processed foods and what they may be doing to us. I drank a protein shake the other day and I was like, oh my God, none of this is stuff that I could find in my own kitchen. And so a thing I wonder is, are we just eating junk food? Is all the high protein stuff crap?

[Chris Gayomali]

Yeah, you know where I sort of landed. And this flip flops every day. If you ask me the same question tomorrow, I might have a different answer for you. But it's still junk. But it's kind of a lesser evil situation to my mind. A lot of the researchers I talked to, there was this one guy named Alan Aragon who's sort of like been at the forefront of a lot of protein and fitness research over these past couple decades. He made the point that really kind of shocked me that this stuff is actually really useful for people who are maybe a little bit older and they're dealing with age related muscle loss. And it's just so much easier for them to eat a bowl of cereal versus like a huge sirloin steak that a Carnivore diet influencer would like make for themselves and eat off a cutting board or something like that. It's maybe not ideal. Maybe we should be getting our protein from whole sources like you know, fish and like grass fed meat and tofu and stuff like that. But you know, we don't live in a sort of ideal world. We're always on the move and like, need convenience when we can. So I'll occasionally indulge in like a protein thing that tastes like a pop tart and feel not too bad about it if I can help it.

[Noel King]

There's a thing that happens, it has certainly happened to me probably most people where you realize that like you're not getting enough calcium, right, or enough iron and then suddenly you are slamming iron tablets and spinach and steak and then you read something that's like, oh, you should only actually be getting such and such milligrams every day. We, we are as a culture really obsessed with protein right now. Has anyone dug into whether we are, are getting too much?

[Chris Gayomali]

So in terms of how much protein a person might need, the RDA works out to basically 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. That's a lot of math. But more recent research suggests that it should be probably closer to 1.6, which is double what the old RDA was. Most people probably aren't getting enough, especially if you work out and you know, protein is the source of our cellular like healing and all that stuff. So ye, uh, we're probably all not eating enough. Honestly.

[Noel King]

We've all learned to be suspicious of big food companies, right? There are a lot of problems with the American diet and we're all aware of it. There are a lot of chronic conditions that stem from the American diet. When you think about what the story of protein and its rise and then continued rise tells us about ourselves, what do you think is the story behind the story here?

[Chris Gayomali]

I feel like we're just getting so much smarter about nutrition now. I always think back to my youth when the, you know, the food pyramid at the bottom of it was like your foundation of a healthy diet is like 6 to 11 daily breads or something. That's so many carbs. That's so much bread. It's so weird because some of this stuff gets really rigid really fast. But then research is also moving fast. And so it's kind of weird because you, you have to balance some conspiratorial like thinking with all these like, you know, podcasters and people randos on TikTok who are making, like, really strong health recommendations not founded in any sort of, like, real science with sort of what sounds about right. And so it's kind of like a personal calculation is where I've kind of landed on it, you know, if, like, eating a little bit more protein helps you feel good, then by all means do it. I've personally sort of started eating double the amount that I was eating prior to reporting this story. Then I feel pretty good and not too terrible with myself. So that's where I've landed with all of that.

[Noel King]

And your muscles got bigger.

[Chris Gayomali]

Yeah, my muscles are so brolic right now, dude.

[Noel King]

There you go. There you go. That is it. That is why we do it.

[Chris Gayomali]

I know.

[Noel King]

All right, Chris Gaiomali, check him out at Heavy on Substack. Gabrielle Berbe produced today's show. Amina Elsadi edited Matthew, Billy and Andrea, Kristen's daughter engineered. And Laura Bullard checks the facts. Khadi Mwagdi, Amanda Llewellyn, Devin Schwartz, Victoria Chamberlain, Travis Larchuk, Miles Bryan and Avishai Artsy produced Today Explained. Miranda Kennedy is our EP and Jolie Myers is our deputy ep. Sean Ramas firm is taking an airplane to south by Southwest this week to ask Minnesota Governor Tim Walls about all those J.D. vance memes. If you're in Austin, stop by the Vox Media podcast stage is presented by Smartsheet. And this Sunday, right here in this feed, you're gonna find our new weekend show, explain It To Me, hosted by Jonquillen Hill. JQ what's the show about on Sunday?

[Unknown]

Hello? Okay, so this week on the show, we're gonna go on a journey to help a man in the love department. You know, Noelle, we've talked about this. Dating is changing, and it's changing very quickly. A lot of guys feel like they've been left behind. So I talked to a listener who told me he's never tried to approach a woman in person because he's worried about coming off creepy.

[Noel King]

Poor guy.

[Unknown]

Yeah, it's rough out here. I felt for him. But we hit a men's group at a bar in Austin, Texas, and found some inspiration from a bunch of guys that get together to help each other with stuff like this. You can hear that show on Sunday morning in the Today Explained feed, and.

[Noel King]

People can call you if they have a question they want you to answer. What's the number?

[Unknown]

Number 1-800-618-8545.

[Noel King]

Thanks. J.Q. i'm Noel King. It's Today Explained. Today Explained is distributed by WNYC and the show is a part of V.O.

[Addeo]

All right, Sean, you can do this promo. Talking about all the great Vox Media podcasts that are going to be on stage live at south by Southwest this March. You just need a big idea to get people's attention, to help them, you know, keep them from hitting the skip button. I don't know. I'm going to throw it out to the group.

[Noel King]

Chat.

[Addeo]

Kara, do you have any ideas?

[Noel King]

In these challenging times, we're a group of mighty hosts who have banded together to fight disinformation by speaking truth to power. Like the Avengers, but with more spandex. What do you think, Scott?

[Chris Gayomali]

I'm more of an X Man fan myself. Call me Professor. Can I read minds? I can't really read minds, but I can empathize with anyone having a midlife crisis, which is essentially any tech leader. So minds are important, Scott, but we're more than that. I think that you can't really separate minds from feelings. And we need to talk about our emotions and explore the layers of our relationships with our partners, co workers, our families, neighbors, and our adjacent communities.

[Noel King]

I just want to add a touch more. From sports and culture to tech and politics, Vox Media has an all star lineup of podcasts that's great in your feeds, but even better live.

[Addeo]

That's it, All Stars. Get your game on, go play. Come see a bunch of Vox Media All Stars. And also meet me at south by Southwest on the Vox Media podcast stage. Presented by Smartsheet and Intuit. March Eigth through 10th in Austin, Texas. Go to VoxMedia. Com SXSW. You'll never know if you don't go. You'll never shine if you don't glow.