On TikTok, influencers tout protein powder as key to building muscle and nourishing their bodies — all in a quick, convenient scoop added to coffee or a smoothie.
There’s no question that protein is essential for making muscles, strengthening bones and maintaining your immune system, digestion and hormone levels.
But most protein powders are considered dietary supplements, which raises the question: Do you really need a supplement to get enough protein? And if you do, what kind is best? We asked experts for advice.
Are protein powders necessary?
The “vast majority” of people in the United States already get enough protein from the foods they eat and don’t need to take it in supplement form, said Colleen Tewksbury, an assistant professor of nutrition science at the University of Pennsylvania.
Federal guidelines recommend that adults 19 and older consume 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. That comes out to 54 grams for a 150-pound adult, or 72 grams for a person weighing 200 pounds. Research suggests, however, that older adults may benefit from adding about 50 percent more protein, and those who are pregnant, breastfeeding or do regular strength or endurance training may want to double the recommended amount or more.
Whole foods — like chicken, fish, lean meats, yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, nuts, beans and lentils — are the best sources of protein, experts said. They offer a variety of other valuable nutrients, like vitamins, minerals, fiber, healthy fats and plant-based compounds, said Wayne Campbell, a professor of nutrition science at Purdue University.
If you’re “just slugging down a supplement” instead of eating real food, “you’ve got your protein, but you’re missing out on a lot of nutrition,” he added.
Most protein powders contain about 20 grams of protein per serving. That’s roughly equivalent to the amount found in a half-cup of diced chicken breast; two cups of brown rice and beans; three quarters of a cup of nonfat Greek yogurt topped with one ounce of walnuts; and three tablespoons of peanut butter on two medium slices of whole wheat bread.
And once you’ve met your body’s protein needs, more is not necessarily better, Dr. Tewksbury said, since you can’t store extra protein. Instead, your kidneys will break it down to be used as calories or stored as fat. People with kidney disease should not overload on protein, she said.
Who might benefit from protein powder?
Protein powder can be useful for certain people, Dr. Tewksbury said.
These include those who need to get enough protein with smaller amounts of food — such as cancer patients with limited appetites, or those recovering from major gastrointestinal surgeries who can only consume liquids or small portions of food.
Similarly, older adults, who need fewer calories and often have reduced appetites, may find that stirring protein powder into oatmeal or yogurt can help them get enough, said Nancy Rodriguez, a professor emerita of nutritional sciences at the University of Connecticut. About half of women and a third of men 71 and older in the United States aren’t meeting federal recommendations for protein. That may increase their risk of muscle loss, which can lead to falls, bone fractures and hospitalization.
If you are trying to build muscle size and strength, research suggests that using a protein powder can help you meet your goals, Dr. Rodriguez said. Consuming protein from regular foods can work just as well, she said, but busy athletes often choose to use protein powders for their convenience.
Just keep in mind, Dr. Rodriguez said, that “eating protein does not mean you’re going to convert the protein to muscle.” You need a well-designed strength training program and extra calories to put on muscle, she said.
And your body can’t use more than 20 to 40 grams of protein per meal to make muscle, Dr. Tewksbury said. That’s no more than a serving or two of protein powder.
Are there downsides to protein powders?
Because most protein powders are classified as dietary supplements, they aren’t tightly regulated by the federal government, Dr. Rodriguez said. They may not contain the amount of protein they claim, and researchers have detected small amounts of heavy metals and in rare cases, anabolic steroids in some protein supplements.
Most protein powders are likely safe, said Stefan Pasiakos, the director of the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health. But it’s best to choose one marked with a seal from a third party lab, like NSF or U.S. Pharmacopeia, which independently test supplements to ensure they contain what’s on the label and nothing more, he said.
Protein powders are also ultraprocessed foods, and health concerns are associated with certain ingredients used in them. They can contain added sugars like high fructose corn syrup; or they may be sweetened with artificial sweeteners or other sugar substitutes, like stevia or erythritol, which limited studies have linked to cardiovascular problems, Type 2 diabetes and microbiome changes. They may also contain emulsifiers, such as lecithin or xanthan gum, which some research suggests can increase gut inflammation.
If you have a medical reason for using a protein supplement, the benefits likely outweigh the potential risks, Dr. Tewksbury said. For everyone else, she added, we don’t know enough about their long term health effects to say if they might increase the risk of chronic conditions.
What should you look for in a protein powder?
Among the many types of protein powders available, whey protein is backed by the most research, Dr. Pasiakos said. Made from milk, whey is rapidly digested and is a “complete” protein — meaning it contains enough of the nine essential amino acids, or building blocks to create new proteins in your body.
Most plants are low in at least one essential amino acid, so many powders contain blends of several plant sources to provide a balance of amino acids, Dr. Pasiakos said. “In the grand scheme of things,” he said, the type of protein you choose likely won’t matter much in terms of your ability to build muscle or meet your protein needs, he said. Pea, soy and rice protein powders, for example, have been shown to support muscle building, similar to whey protein in small trials.
More important, Dr. Rodriguez said, is to choose one that doesn’t have a lot of extra ingredients, like added sugars, additives or vitamins and minerals in excess of the recommended daily value.
“The simpler, the better,” Dr. Pasiakos agreed.
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