Optimal Protein Podcast with Vanessa Spina

Vanessa Spina is a Sports Nutrition Specialist and bestselling author who originally launched this show as Fast Keto with Ketogenic Girl before rebranding to reflect its broader focus on protein optimization. That evolution tells you something about where the keto conversation has moved over the past few years, and Spina has kept pace with the science rather than staying locked into one rigid framework. The podcast features a mix of solo episodes and expert interviews, with Spina bringing on protein researchers, endocrinologists, fertility specialists, and other practitioners. Over 540 episodes are in the catalog, with new ones arriving twice a week. Recent topics have included ketosis during perimenopause, blood sugar management strategies, hormonal health for women on keto, and the role of protein timing in body composition. Episodes typically land between 40 and 70 minutes, long enough to get into real substance without dragging. Spina has a particularly strong following among women navigating keto, partly because she's willing to address the hormonal complexities that many male-hosted keto shows gloss over entirely. She talks openly about her own experiments with protein intake, body composition tracking, and metabolic testing. The show carries a 4.6-star rating from about 750 Apple Podcasts reviews. Her interviewing style is thorough and research-literate. She clearly reads the papers before sitting down with guests, which means conversations go deeper than surface-level talking points. For anyone interested in the intersection of ketogenic eating and protein science, especially women, this is essential listening.