On the latest episode of Well Yes, HUM founder Walter Faulstroh sits down with the scientist using AI to unlock hidden peptides in everyday foods. Here’s what we learned about muscle, longevity and the future of nutrition.
What if the answer to some of our biggest health challenges has been sitting in our pantry all along? That’s the question driving Dr. Nora Khaldi, founder and CEO of Nuritas, a company that uses artificial intelligence to discover bioactive peptides hidden in nature. In this episode, she explains why muscle is your body’s longevity engine, how a humble fava bean became one of the most exciting ingredients in sports nutrition, and why she starts most mornings with toast and really good olive oil.
Meet Dr. Nora Khaldi
Dr. Khaldi knew she wanted to be a scientist before most kids knew what the word meant. When a classmate asked her what a scientist does, her answer was simple: you help people. That mission carried her through a master’s in pure mathematics, studies in computer science and a PhD in molecular evolution. Today she holds more than 100 patents and leads Nuritas, which she founded to solve a problem she couldn’t stop thinking about. People want to be healthier than ever, but the ingredients available to them haven’t kept up.
Nature Has Already Solved It
Dr. Khaldi believes nature has spent hundreds of millions of years solving the same problems we face today. The challenge is finding those solutions. To put the scale in perspective, she shares a favorite fact: a single apple holds more molecular data than all the data social media has ever produced.
That’s also why we don’t get every benefit from the food we eat. Many beneficial compounds stay locked away, and our bodies can’t access them on their own. Traditional practices like fermentation, think kefir, kombucha or even overnight oats, help unlock some of them. Nuritas uses AI to find the rest.
Why AI Changes Everything
The old way of discovery meant testing one molecule at a time in a lab, a process that takes decades and rarely works. Nuritas spent eight to nine years building its own data and models of human digestion and biology before launching a single product. That foundation lets its AI screen for peptides that are effective, survive digestion, stay stable and can be produced at scale, all at once. Finding the peptides in PeptiStrong this way took months. By Dr. Khaldi’s estimate, traditional lab screening would have taken 30 million years.
So, What Exactly Are Peptides?
Peptides are short chains of amino acids, smaller and more agile than proteins. Dr. Khaldi calls them “the language of life,” because they’re one of the main ways cells in your body communicate.
The Doorbell Effect
Her favorite analogy: a peptide is like ringing a doorbell. It doesn’t move into the house. It simply signals someone inside to get up and answer the door. In the body, that signal might tell a cell to make more protein, produce more energy or calm inflammation. Then the peptide disappears, its job done.
Not All Peptides Are Created Equal
Peptides are having a moment, but Dr. Khaldi draws a clear line. Many of the injectable peptides trending online are synthetic and, in her words, have “no data behind them.” Nuritas takes a food-grade approach, precisely releasing dormant peptides from proteins in plants we’ve eaten for thousands of years.
Why Strength Is the New Longevity Marker
According to Dr. Khaldi, muscle health is one of the clearest markers of how well we’ll age. The research backs her up. A meta-analysis of nearly 2 million adults linked higher grip strength with a 31% lower risk of death from any cause, with an even stronger association in women. And a review of cohort studies in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that muscle-strengthening activities were associated with a 10–17% lower risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes.
Yet muscle starts to decline earlier than most of us realize, and that decline can speed up during perimenopause, menopause and weight loss. As Walter notes in the episode, that’s exactly why HUM wanted to make muscle health a priority, especially for women and for anyone on a GLP-1.
From Fava Bean to PeptiStrong
Nuritas set out to do something protein alone can’t. Dr. Khaldi compares protein to fuel: helpful, but if the engine isn’t running well, more fuel won’t fix it. So the team went looking for peptides that could signal muscle cells to work better. Their AI found a network of four in an unexpected place, the fava bean.
The result, PeptiStrong, has been studied in human clinical trials. In a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, researchers at Maastricht University found that PeptiStrong increased muscle protein synthesis rates during recovery after a week of leg immobilization, compared with milk protein. A follow-up trial studied a 2.4 g daily dose, and Dr. Khaldi says newer studies have expanded to include women.
Fuel Meets Signal: Inside Stack & Sculpt
That research is the foundation of Stack & Sculpt, HUM’s peptide-powered creatine, made in partnership with Nuritas. Each scoop pairs two ingredients that work in different but complementary ways.
- 5 g creatine monohydrate (the fuel): The standard daily serving behind decades of research. Creatine is one of the most studied supplements for strength and training output, as outlined in the International Society of Sports Nutrition’s position stand.
- 2.4 g PeptiStrong (the signal): Plant-based peptides from fava beans that support recovery and muscle maintenance.
As Walter puts it, creatine is the fuel and PeptiStrong is the signal. Together, they’re designed to help you tone, recover and maintain muscle, with a focus on definition rather than bulk. Dr. Khaldi also appreciated HUM’s clean label: clinical doses, no “pixie dust” and none of the sweeteners she avoids herself.
Dr. Khaldi’s Everyday Wellness Philosophy
For someone who knows food at the molecular level, Dr. Khaldi’s approach is refreshingly relaxed.
- Eat a bit of everything. She follows a mostly Mediterranean diet and believes variety matters more than strict rules.
- Don’t fear fat. Her worst nutrition advice ever was “fat is bad for you.” Her favorite breakfast is brown toast with really good olive oil and a spoonful of Greek yogurt.
- Question “detox.” Her pet peeve is products promising a vague detox. As she points out, your liver and kidneys already do that job.
- Move in ways you love. She dances to techno between meetings and goes rollerblading. Yes, she also strength trains.
- Drink water first. The best advice she ever received came from her dad: when you’re very hungry, have a glass of water before you eat.
FAQs
What are bioactive peptides?
Bioactive peptides are short chains of amino acids that send signals to your cells rather than simply serving as fuel. Food-derived bioactive peptides, like those in PeptiStrong, are released from plant proteins so your body can actually use them.
Are food-derived peptides the same as injectable peptides?
No. Many trending injectable peptides are synthetic and lack human research. PeptiStrong is a food-grade, plant-based ingredient made from fava beans and studied in human clinical trials.
Will Stack & Sculpt make me bulky?
Stack & Sculpt is designed for tone and definition, not bulk. It supports strength, recovery and muscle maintenance, especially when paired with regular strength training.
Can I take Stack & Sculpt if I’m on a GLP-1?
Muscle maintenance is an important focus during weight loss, which is one reason we created Stack & Sculpt. As with any new supplement, check with your healthcare provider first.
Do I still need protein if I take Stack & Sculpt?
Yes. Protein provides the building blocks, while Stack & Sculpt helps your muscles make the most of them. Think of them as teammates.
The Takeaway
Dr. Khaldi’s message is hopeful: the years before illness are where we have the most power to shape our health, and strength is one of the best investments we can make. With nature’s hidden peptides and smarter science, supporting your muscles has never been more precise.
Transparency note: HUM partners with Nuritas, maker of PeptiStrong, on Stack & Sculpt.
Fuel your strength and signal your muscles: Shop Stack & Sculpt.
Watch the full episode on YouTube
