Why Your Protein Hasn’t Turned into Muscle

G'day Legend,

Just returning from Phoenix HYROX and despite falling at the last hurdle, I’m now more confident than ever on my sub-60 journey in a pro individual race. It was also so cool to meet a bunch of you in person and hear how this regenerative protein series has changed how you buy protein. That’s what this newsletter is about: intention and today’s final piece is the most important one of them all… it is one people continue to get wrong… the amount of protein you eat is not the most important number, it is something more important…

In this week’s newsletter (4 min read):
🧠 Why protein can stop “working” even when you hit your number
🏈 A Patriots analogy for digestion + absorption (go Pats)
🥩 The simplest way to improve results without eating more

If you’ve got a mate who’s “hitting their protein” but still feels sore, flat, or beat up, send them THIS link.

When Protein Stops “Working”

As we discussed in Week 1, protein quality matters. It’s not just about the number; it’s what comes with it. I learned this in my early 20s playing rugby. Like most people, I’d hit my protein target and call it a day. But I couldn’t gain muscle. I sat around 76kg (168lb) for ages, and I needed more size to compete.

I thought I was doing everything right—consistently “hitting my protein”—but nothing changed. After about a year, I took a step back. I was chasing the number while ignoring everything else: inflammatory sources, missing micronutrients, and a stressed gut. I was basically reading the label and stopping at the protein tab (I was not alone as this was the norm).

So the issue wasn’t intake; it was utilisation. Digestion research backs this up: lab digestibility can look fine, but in humans, low-grade gut inflammation and digestive stress can reduce amino acid absorption and use.

Looking back, I was following food culture, not physiology—and that same mismatch may be why many people short-change lean muscle, metabolism, longevity, and healthspan.

Protein Tolerance Is a Bioavailability Problem

Ok so admittedly this one can be a little technical. Luckily I like using sport analogies to explain things, and with the Super Bowl this weekend (Go Patriots), I wanted to use that as inspiration to help us understand protein tolerance and bioavailability.

When you eat protein, your body doesn’t just “count grams.” Protein only matters if it can get onto the field and do its job. That process is bioavailability. Think of protein as players entering the Patriots organisation:

Step 1: Digestion (training camp)
Protein has to be broken down into amino acids. If digestion is compromised, the players don’t make the roster.

Step 2: Absorption (game-day squad)
Those amino acids need to cross the gut lining into circulation. If transport is compromised, they’re stuck on the sidelines.

Step 3: Allocation (coaching decisions)
Now the body decides where amino acids go: muscle repair, hormones, tissue rebuilding, or elsewhere.

Here’s the key: inflammation changes how your body prioritises protein. When your system is stressed — from poor food quality, chronic stress, or gut irritation — amino acids are more likely to be diverted to immune support instead of muscle repair.

From the outside, it can feel like protein “isn’t working.” In reality, it’s being used for survival, not performance (its playing defense, never being able to score points). If protein leaves you feeling heavy or bloated, that’s feedback: your body isn’t set up to use it efficiently. But when digestion is supported and inflammation is lower, protein is far more likely to go toward lean muscle and recovery.

Why Quality Improves Tolerance (Not Just Ethics)

So what changed for me? I stopped treating protein like an isolated macro and started treating it like a nutrient package. Higher-quality proteins didn’t just feel cleaner — they demanded less from my digestion.

Research helps explain why. Even if grass-fed and grain-fed meats look similar in digestibility tests, higher-quality proteins often arrive with a better nutrient profile: healthier fats, more omega-3s, fat-soluble vitamins, antioxidants, and key minerals like zinc and iron. Those nutrients support digestion, gut integrity, and lower inflammation — which affects how much protein your body can actually use.

In simple terms, protein eaten in a low-inflammation environment is more likely to be absorbed and put to work. So I shifted my focus from protein numbers to protein quality. Within 8 weeks I gained the lean muscle I needed, and I’ve applied this approach with athletes ever since.

Final Note

In summation mate, I’ve always been a big believer in quality over quantity. But in food, it matters even more, especially when it comes to protein.

My gold standard is grass-fed, regenerative protein. Not only because it supports your body with better nutrient density and healthier fats, but because it supports the natural cycle of the environment too. You’re looking after your longevity while backing a system that looks after the land. So when you go to the supermarket look for Force of Nature, they are a company setting the gold standard for these principles and what I have been consuming for some time!

If you’ve got any follow-up questions on this series, hit reply and let me know. Just remember: quality over quantity, and never look at protein in isolation.

As The Beatles said… I get by with a little help from my friends. 🙂

🎁 2-Week Referral Giveaway (this one’s a banger)

To match this regenerative protein series, we’re giving away the real deal: a $210 Force of Nature regenerative meats box (higher-quality protein, healthier fats, and better recovery support). 
Every mate you refer = one entry (so yes… stack them up).

👉 Refer a mate HERE to enter

This Week’s Recipe: High-Protein Shakshuka

This is one of my favorite meals to eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Easy, fast, high-protein, delicious.

Recipe HERE.

cals: 540 • fat: 21g • protein: 30g • carbs: 65g

Quick Notes

🎁 On the note of referral reward, congratulations to Nicole Vangrieken for winning one year of Alma premium with the January referal reward challenge. Check your inbox for details ;)

🏃‍♂️2 weeks out from the Austin Marathon, we have a packed weekend from BPN excited to see you legends there!

📱ALMA food tracking just go even easier, you can now use Apple’s action button to log your food without opening the app itself

#EatGoodFeelGood

— DC