Why Is Protein Powder So Expensive?

As you are no doubt painfully aware at this point, it is becoming more and more expensive to live. It seems like every time you go to the store to pick up your favorite ingredients, the price has increased, with stores seemingly hiking their prices however they like.

With record-breaking double-digit inflation, rising interest rates, instability in the banking sector, political uncertainty, spiraling energy prices, global conflict, and the remnants of a global pandemic, economies worldwide are struggling.

The cost of living is now ridiculously high, which means that we all need to watch our spending and cut back wherever we can.

As gym bros and sisters will know however, the gains stop for nothing, and despite gym memberships, the cost of food, and supplement prices all rising (some way above inflation, but don’t get us started on that!) we always find a way to feed the gains and build our bodies.

Protein powder for a bodybuilder is arguably the most important supplement in existence.

Protein builds muscle, yet getting enough from food alone can be tricky, this is where protein supplements prove so beneficial.

Over the last couple of years, however, protein prices have rocketed.

Why is protein powder so expensive?

First Off, What The Heck Is Protein?

Before we go any further and begin looking at why protein powder is now so expensive, let us first begin by looking at what protein is.

Speak to any bodybuilder or athlete with even the most basic of understanding fitness, nutrition, and supplementation, and 99.9% of the time they’ll know about the importance of protein. Understanding it from a non-bodybuilding perspective, however, is a little trickier.

For the body to function correctly, healthily, and efficiently, it requires a wide range of nutrients. It gets these nutrients from the foods, drinks, and supplements we consume. Primarily it needs three macronutrients to cover all bases. These macronutrients are:

• Protein
• Fat
• Carbohydrate

Protein is one of three essential macronutrients.

As it is essential, this means that the body needs it, but does not have the capabilities to produce it naturally.

While it would be wonderful, and cheap, if the body could make protein by itself, sadly it can’t, which means that we need to consume it in whole food or supplement form.

Protein is the most abundant macronutrient in the body.

It’s found in the nails, hair, bone, skin, and of course, the muscles.

It’s present in virtually every organ and every tissue in the body.

It is vital for optimal cellular function and health.

We are essentially just huge walking masses of cells, so from that point of view, we get to see just how important protein is for our overall health and well-being.

If you imagine our cells as being batteries for us, protein is the energy that powers the batteries. Protein forms the enzymes that power multiple physiological chemical reactions in the body, as well as the hemoglobin responsible for transporting oxygen around the body via the bloodstream.

The building blocks of a protein molecule are called amino acids.

There are more than 20 amino acids currently known, and protein is comprised of them all. Amino acids cannot be stored by the body, which means it has to get them in two ways.

With non-essential amino acids, the body can synthesize them naturally or alter existing ones, whereas, with the nine essential amino acids, the body has to get these from foods, drinks, or supplements.

Protein is commonly found in meat, fish, eggs, and dairy sources, though there are also plant-based sources that people can consume as well.

How Does Protein Build Muscle?

Okay, so now we know the basics behind protein, but what we may not yet know, is exactly how protein is used to build muscle.

Bodybuilders, in particular, can’t seem to get enough protein in their lives and will sing the praises of protein until the cows come home.

We commonly associate protein with muscle growth and bodybuilding and for good reason. Protein and the amino acid building blocks that make it up are all found within muscle tissue.

Protein is the building block of muscle tissue, in the same way, that the amino acids that make up protein are the building blocks of protein.

Without sufficient amounts of protein in our bodies, our muscles won’t repair themselves or rebuild themselves, no matter how hard we train.

When we exercise and lift weights, we don’t build muscle, we break down existing muscle tissue. We build muscle when we rest and recover.

It is then when the body works its magic and begins to repair damaged and broken down muscle tissue, building it slightly bigger and stronger than it was previously.

The body repairs muscle tissue via a process known as protein synthesis.

Protein is of course needed for this process to happen, though in particular, it is leucine that plays a key role.

Leucine helps to facilitate protein synthesis, this is known technically as the ‘leucine trigger concept’.

There’s a lot more science behind it than that, but basically, that’s how protein helps to build muscle and why protein is so important.

What Is Protein Powder?

For a bodybuilder, protein powder is arguably the most important supplement for any lifter, athlete, or fitness enthusiast to have in their cupboard.

Protein powder is exactly as it sounds – a powder made up of protein.

Protein powder supplements come in a variety of different forms, yet the most common and most popular is whey protein. 99% of the time when a bodybuilder chugs down a protein shake following a strenuous workout, the shake in question will have been a whey protein shake.

Another popular protein powder is casein protein, as casein is a slow-digesting protein that is usually consumed before bed, to provide the body with a constant stream of protein and amino acids and keep it in an anabolic state.

You can also find egg white protein, collagen protein, and beef protein, along with several plant-based protein sources derived from plant-based ingredients.

Protein powder is NOT designed to be used as a substitute for whole foods.

If you have the choice between a whole food meal and a protein supplement, the whole food meal should be chosen every single time.

When used in conjunction with a healthy diet and a smart training regime, however, protein powder can give you that slight edge needed to take your physique and recovery to the next level.

Protein powders are typically flavored and can be mixed with milk, water, or the liquid of your choosing, as well as added to smoothies, soups, or baked goods.

How Is Whey Protein Made?

As whey protein is the best-selling, most popular protein supplement on the market today, we’re going to look at how this particular protein is made.

Different types of protein are derived from different sources, but for today’s article, we’re going to stick with whey.

Whey protein is derived from the milk of cows.

The process begins at the dairy farm. A good quality whey protein comes from cows that are healthy, happy, and kept in good quality conditions.

Typically cattle farms are found in rural areas, away from built-up areas, cars, pollution, and the hustle and bustle of city life.

Cows are then milked, with the milk being pasteurized to ensure that any potentially harmful bacteria or organisms are destroyed.

The milk is then transported to a cheese-making facility, where enzymes are added to split the milk.

The enzymes added to the milk are the same ones used to make cheese.

Once the enzymes are added, the milk instantly curdles and begins to separate into solids and liquids.

The solids are known as curds, or cheese curds, whereas here it is the liquid that protein manufacturers are after, as the liquid is known as the whey, and is where most of the protein is found.

The liquid whey also contains fats and carbs, so it needs to undergo additional filtration and processing.

The whey is loaded into complex machines that process and separate the whey protein from the fats and carbohydrates also present in the liquid.

Typically a whey protein concentrate, which is the most popular and common form of protein, is made up of around 80% protein, with the final 20% consisting of fats and carbs.

Whey protein isolate, which is more expensive and of better quality, undergoes additional filtration and processing to remove even more fats and carbs.

Whey isolate can be between 95% and 99% pure protein, meaning per serving, you get more protein.

The liquid whey is then dried via hot and cold air to separate the solids from the liquids.

Once it has dried into a powder, it is plain and unflavoured. It will then be tested for purity and may have additional ingredients added such as flavorings, extra amino acids, or even creatine.

Finally, the powder is then placed in suitable air-tight packaging, labeled, and shipped off to supplement stores, gyms, health stores, and other stores all over the globe.

Why Is Protein Powder So Expensive?

As fantastic as protein powder is, you’ve probably noticed how over the last couple of years or so, the price of protein powder has increased to ridiculous highs.

Of course, prices of protein vary from company to company, and manufacturer to manufacturer, but some places have more than tripled the price of their protein powder supplements.

So, what gives?

Are these price increases down to pure greed, or are they simply because the manufacturers and distributors have no choice?

Why is protein powder so expensive?

Here are several reasons that might explain why the cost of protein powder is so ridiculously high.

High Inflation:

One of the main reasons why protein, and everything else for that matter, is now so much more expensive than it was pre-2020, is the fact that inflation levels recently peaked at record highs.

Global inflation is still in double digits in many countries, which is driving up the cost of living and increasing interest rates.

To tackle rising inflation, in the USA for example, The Federal Open Market Committee, also known as the ‘Fed’ have hiked interest rates.

Rising interest rates mean that businesses that have taken out loans such as business loans, or paid for credit, will now be paying more money each month in interest to pay off their debts.

To cover the fact that their outgoings are now increasing, businesses have been forced to increase their prices.

These price hikes have affected protein prices in numerous ways.

It means that packaging costs, ingredient costs, transport costs, marketing costs, and manufacturing costs have increased.

In simple terms, it now costs much more to produce a batch of whey protein powder than it did years ago.

To cover their costs, protein powder manufacturers are forced to increase the price of their supplements.

Expensive Ingredients:

As we just touched upon previously, the cost of ingredients used in protein powder has also increased, meaning that producing protein powder supplements now costs much more than it did years ago.

Shortage Of Truck Drivers:

Truck drivers are the backbone of economies all over the globe. Without truck drivers, life as we know it would grind to a halt.

Every item we use or own will have been purchased or made at some point, and whether it’s the ingredients or materials used to make the products, or the products themselves, they will have been transported by a truck driver at some point.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve seen a global shortage of truck drivers.

With rising fuel prices, a lot of drivers have decided they no longer wish to be on the job.

The shortage of truck drivers and the increased cost of fuel means that transporting protein supplements costs the manufacturers more, so again, they’ve had to increase their prices.

High Energy Costs:

Due partly to the pandemic, the conflict in Ukraine, and the current economic climate globally, energy prices have also increased to ridiculous highs all over the globe.

The protein-making process relies heavily upon machinery, which uses energy. Running these machines now costs more, which is another factor affecting the price of protein powder.

Supply And Demand:

With a shortage of ingredients and transport drivers, the demand for protein powder has also increased.

The simple fact remains that those who can afford to pay more for protein powder, need it and are willing to pay more.

Because of this, prices have remained high because people are willing to pay them.

Greed:

Finally, while this is not true for all protein manufacturers and supplement companies, the truth of the matter is that some companies out there are simply hiking their prices because they can.

No doubt it is costing them more to produce their supplements, but some companies out there have hiked their prices way more than they should, simply because they have the perfect excuse to “justify” their price increases.

If you were to break their costs down, however, you’d find that some companies are simply being greedy and have increased their prices far more than they would need to.

It’s their business, however, and they can charge whatever prices they like.

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