Protein for Winter
At iBiome Health & Wellness, we look at nutrition through the lens of biochemistry, not buzzwords.
So when everyone starts telling you to “eat more protein,” especially in winter, let’s decode what’s really happening at the molecular level, and why context matters.
Seasonal Biology and Protein Turnover
Winter isn’t just colder…. it changes your metabolic signaling.
Shorter daylight decreases thyroid activity and lowers basal metabolic rate.
Reduced sunlight alters leptin–ghrelin balance, increasing hunger and slowing lipid oxidation.
Cold exposure activates brown adipose tissue (BAT) aka Brown Fat, which uses amino acids and fatty acids to maintain thermogenesis.
Your body enters a phase of nitrogen conservation and mitochondrial adaptation…. meaning you need amino acids (from protein) not only to build, but also to fuel the enzymes that repair mitochondrial membranes and regulate oxidative stress.
In functional terms:
Protein in winter becomes less about “muscle building” and more about maintaining redox balance, thermogenesis, and immune turnover.
The Ancestral Blueprint:
Why Winter Meant…High Protein
Before there were supplements, macros, or continuous glucose monitors, humans adapted their diets based on what the terrain and season provided.
In ancestral and traditional medicine systems…. winter was a protein-centric season by necessity and by biology.
In the Paleolithic Era…..
Food scarcity and shorter days shifted metabolism toward ketosis and fat oxidation, as plant-based carbohydrates were limited.
Protein and fat from preserved meats, fish, and marrow became the primary fuel for thermogenesis (to stay warm), driving mitochondrial heat production and preserving lean tissue through colder months. (High protein was a form of evolutionary adaptation!)
These cycles naturally trained the body to oscillate between glycolytic (summer) and ketogenic (winter) metabolism — a rhythm that modern constant food availability has largely disrupted.
Uric Acid: The Forgotten Marker of Winter Ketosis!
Ketosis temporarily elevates uric acid.
When the liver begins producing ketone bodies (β-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate), these compete with uric acid for renal excretion.
In other words, as ketone levels rise, uric acid clearance decreases, causing transient elevation.
This is the environmental adaptation that was occuring naturally….if you want to read more about this, check out the book called “Drop Acid” by Dr. David Perlmutter.
Click link, its available on Amazon! Its an eye opening book on the metabolic patterns of today vs our ancestral rhythms.
Your biology still remembers the ancestral rhythm, winter as the time to rebuild, replenish, and protect. By aligning your intake with these ancient cycles…. not through restriction but through intelligent fueling, you honor both your biochemistry and your lineage of adaptive wisdom.
High protein wasn’t a trend, it was an evolutionary adaptation.
But does it apply today?
When protein intake exceeds your (individual) oxidative capacity, especially without adequate fiber, magnesium, or antioxidants, it increases urea, ammonia, and ROS load.
ROS is a reactive oxygen species, and it refers to inflammatory cells within your body. (more inflammation!)
That’s why you’ll see fatigue, sluggish digestion, or even increased inflammation on poorly balanced “high-protein” diets.
Conversely….
If you eat too little protein, though, your body can’t repair tissue, make glutathione, or support your gut lining.
The goal isn’t “high protein” or “low carb.” It’s metabolic precision, where you have enough amino acids to repair and detox, but not so much that your body stops burning fat for fuel.
iBiome approach: We adjust protein targets based on:
metabolic markers (RBC magnesium, AST/ALT, urea nitrogen, homocysteine)
gut diversity and stool ammonia patterns (patients who struggle with ammonia balance can be due to an imbalanced gut microbiome!)
thyroid and cortisol rhythm
individual mitochondrial fatigue or redox imbalance (inflammed patients)
Seasonally……
Your terrain needs time to prepare for winter.
Use the summer and fall to strengthen digestion and diversify plant foods — that’s when your microbiome builds resilience.
Winter is when the body naturally shifts toward protein-rich, nutrient-dense foods to sustain warmth, mitochondrial repair, and immune strength — but only when your digestion can handle the load.
IBIOME CELLULAR HEALTH ESSENTIALS
iBiome Protein Pearls
Why I Don’t Recommend Whey Protein - Not a Fan!
Whey protein is one of the most overused and misunderstood supplements in the wellness industry.
While it’s marketed as a “clean” or “complete” protein, the biochemistry tells a different story, especially for the type of patients I see at iBiome Health & Wellness.
1️⃣ Casein Peptides and Gut-Immune Reactivity
Even “isolated” whey contains trace casein fragments, specifically β-casein A1 peptides, which break down into β-casomorphin-7 (BCM-7) during digestion. BCM-7 binds to μ-opioid receptors in the gut and brain, slowing motility, altering dopamine signaling, and increasing intestinal permeability through tight-junction disruption.
This peptide cross-reactivity can worsen leaky gut, brain fog, constipation, and histamine reactions, particularly in patients with MCAS, IBS, or autoimmune backgrounds.
2️⃣ Dairy-Derived Growth Factors
Whey is rich in IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1) and stimulates mTOR …..which promotes anabolic repair in healthy muscle but can also drive hyperinsulinemia, acne, and cellular overgrowth when chronic inflammation or metabolic inflexibility is present.
Rita, in my functional terrain model, mTOR activation is useful intermittently (repair phases) but counterproductive in patients with insulin resistance, PCOS, endometriosis, or cancer-prone terrain.
See below for my favorite Dairy Free Protein Powder.
iBiome Protein Pairings for Winter
Pair amino acids with cofactors: Ensure magnesium, zinc, and B-vitamins are present. they’re required for transamination and urea-cycle detoxification.
Hydrate adequately: The urea cycle is water-dependent. Dehydration amplifies ammonia toxicity.
Add sulfur donors: Cruciferous vegetables buffer oxidative stress from increased nitrogen turnover.
Cycle your protein sources: Rotate between plant and animal amino acids to diversify microbial metabolites
Support winter mitochondria: Include adaptogens and amino acids
Gut repair: collagen peptides + L-glutamine + zinc carnosine.
Mitochondrial recovery: collagen peptides + magnesium malate + CoQ10.
Adrenal fatigue / post-infection: collagen peptides + adaptogens (ashwagandha, Rhodiola).
Hormone & neurotransmitter balance: collagen peptides + multi-source protein + tyrosine + B6.
Winter thermogenesis: collagen peptides + taurine + medium-chain triglycerides
ALL AVAILABLE AT OUR FULLSCRIPT SUPPLEMENT DISPENSARY
My Favorite Protein Powder!
Protein powder isn’t a “fitness product.”
It’s a nutrient delivery tool to correct amino-acid insufficiency when digestion, stress, or clinical demands exceed dietary intake. We use it to modulate:
Nitrogen balance and mitochondrial repair
Glutathione synthesis (via cysteine/glycine)
Collagen matrix and mucosal repair
Neurotransmitter precursors (tryptophan, tyrosine)
>Pea Protein Isolate: Excellent for gut-sensitive or histamine-reactive patients. Rich in arginine and lysine, which support nitric oxide signaling and collagen synthesis. BUT TASTES HORRIBLE!
>Rice Protein: Complements pea protein’s amino acid gaps, improving overall leucine and methionine ratios for complete tissue repair. NOT A FAN.
>Pumpkin Seed Protein: Mineral-rich (magnesium, zinc, manganese), supporting adrenal and mitochondrial resilience. (GOOD STUFF!)
>Hemp Protein: Naturally contains edestin and albumin, highly digestible plant proteins that also supply omega-3 precursors and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). (GREAT SUMMER PROTEIN)
>Amino Acid Blends (Vegan EAAs): Useful when GI absorption is poor (low elastase, low sIgA, post-antibiotic terrain).
>>>My Choice…..!!!! Peptides from Collagen (Bovine or Marine):
Bovine Protien is generally glycine-dominant (ideal for gut lining repair, vagus nerve modulation, and liver detoxification) and this one, incorporates protease enzyme to support protein breakdown. Its formulated with hydrolyzed bovine collagen I and III, which may additionally support skin, hair, nail, and joint health and its made by a company I trust: Collagen Proteinvite
ALL AVAILABLE AT OUR FULLSCRIPT SUPPLEMENT DISPENSARY
Ancestrally, protein wasn’t consumed for aesthetics or macros….. it was consumed for survival, repair, and resilience.
In winter, your body increases demand for amino acids to sustain thermogenesis, mitochondrial repair, and immune readiness.
This mirrors our ancestral rhythm…oscillating between glycolytic summers and ketogenic winters.
Because true health isn’t about “high protein.” It’s about precision, timing, and communication between your cells and your terrain.
Stay warm and stay kind,
Rita Wadhwani, MSN, RN, ACNP, CNS
iBiome Health & Wellness, PMC
TELEPHONE: 818 634 4202 | FAX: 213 619 0555
Disclaimer: The content shared by iBiome Health & Wellness, P.M.C. is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The information provided reflects the clinical and functional-medicine perspective of Rita Wadhwani, MSN, RN, ACNP, CNS and the iBiome team, and should be used to support, not replace the guidance of your licensed healthcare provider.
All supplement suggestions and Fullscript or affiliate links are provided for convenience and transparency. iBiome may receive a small commission on purchases made through these links, which helps support ongoing patient education and content creation. However, recommendations are made solely based on clinical merit, product integrity, and therapeutic efficacy.
Always consult your primary-care physician or specialist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication, supplement, or health protocol. Individuals with specific health conditions, allergies, or who are pregnant or breastfeeding should seek personalized guidance.
Statements in this newsletter have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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