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E205
September 25, 2026
Building Muscle in Menopause: Protein, Creatine and Strength Training with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon
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In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver continues her conversation with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, a board certified family physician and author of the bestselling book Forever Strong, moving from the science of muscle centric medicine into practical strategies for building muscle, managing protein intake, and training through perimenopause and menopause.

The conversation starts with protein timing and why the first meal after an overnight fast is the most important window for triggering muscle protein synthesis. Hitting 30 to 50 grams of protein at that meal can improve body composition on its own, and Dr. Lyon explains how poor sleep suppresses muscle protein synthesis and disrupts blood sugar regulation, while a session of high intensity exercise can help offset a few nights of lost sleep during travel.

Dr. Lyon and Dr. Haver also cover essential amino acids as a way to boost protein quality without eating more food, and creatine, which cannot realistically be obtained through diet alone at the doses shown to support muscle and brain health in aging women.

Much of the conversation centers on anabolic resistance, the declining response of aging muscle to protein and exercise. Dr. Lyon argues this is not an unavoidable part of aging but something women can reverse through higher protein intake and consistent strength training. She breaks down why the standard recommended dietary allowance for protein is only a floor to prevent deficiency, not a target for optimal muscle health, and why women who fall short face a higher risk of fracture and bone loss.

The two also address plant based versus animal protein, why outdated guidelines limiting saturated fat may not apply to most women with healthy cholesterol, and why personalized nutrition based on lab markers like triglycerides should guide carbohydrate intake rather than a single universal rule.

On hormones, Dr. Lyon is candid that research connecting estrogen and testosterone to skeletal muscle quality has not caught up to clinical experience, and that resistance training and dietary protein remain the most powerful tools available regardless of hormone therapy. She and Dr. Haver discuss GLP-1 medications and the risk of accelerated sarcopenia without enough protein and strength training, and why progressive overload is better understood as progressive stimulus, since changing tempo, exercise selection, or volume can build muscle without always lifting heavier weight.

The episode closes with guidance for women starting resistance training for the first time in midlife, why decades of cardio alone will not protect muscle mass, and Dr. Lyon's three priorities for healthy aging: get strong, prioritize high quality protein, and know your own standards so conflicting health advice does not derail progress.

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Chapters

00:00:00 – The practical roadmap for protecting muscle
00:01:46 – Protein timing and the first meal
00:04:05 – Sleep, recovery and muscle growth
00:06:18 – Essential amino acids, GLP-1s and creatine
00:09:11 – Anabolic resistance explained
00:14:22 – How much protein women really need
00:17:35 – Animal protein vs plant protein
00:20:52 – What a high-protein meal actually looks like
00:27:25 – Menopause, hormone therapy and muscle
00:37:46 – GLP-1s, sarcopenia and muscle quality
00:41:43 – What counts as resistance training
00:45:07 – How beginners should start lifting
00:48:02 – What “heavy enough” really means
00:52:02 – What longevity gets wrong about mTOR
00:56:11 – Three priorities for aging well

About the guest

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon is board-certified in family medicine, a fellowship-trained physician from Washington University in St. Louis in Nutritional Science and Geriatrics, and the founder of Muscle-Centric Medicine®, a science-based approach that places skeletal muscle at the center of metabolic health, disease prevention, and longevity.

She is a two-time New York Times bestselling author of Forever Strong: A New, Science-Based Strategy for Aging Well and The Forever Strong PLAYBOOK. 

Through her books, podcast, and educational platforms, she translates complex science into practical strategies for building strength, preserving vitality, and maintaining independence throughout life. Widely recognized for her expertise in dietary protein and human performance, she works with elite athletes, high-performance leaders, an U.S. Special Operations Forces.

Dr. Lyon is leading a shift in modern medicine by redefining muscle as the foundation of long-term health and resilience. She continues to treat patients through her private telehealth medical practice, Strong Medical.