Everyone knows protein is essential for a balanced diet – but as protein supplements and protein-enriched products rise in popularity, creating a multi-billion-dollar global industry, 1News digital reporter Emma Hildesley got the scoop on how they work and whether we really need them.

During the throes of Auckland’s epic Covid-19 lockdown in 2021, when the gyms were deserted and many exercise regimes were tossed out the window, I started consistently lifting weights for the first time in my life. I was working out, feeling good, and hungrier than ever.

Every day after our workout, my partner would make himself some kind of protein-packed snack, such as oats or a shake with a scoop of vanilla-flavoured whey protein powder in it. It smelt like ice cream, and my dairy-hating tummy would rumble with envy. It sparked my curiosity, and prompted me to look into plant-based protein powder alternatives for myself.

Focusing on protein as part of a well-balanced diet is certainly not a new trend, and how to go about consuming it has gone through many iterations over time.

But while plenty of the foods in our everyday diets contain protein (meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, legumes and soy-based products such as tofu) there’s been a notable push in recent years towards supplementing our diets with intense amounts of protein in the form of powders, gummies, bars and ready-to-drink shakes – thanks in part to social media trends.

Protein is big, big business

The global protein supplement industry is enormous. In 2024 it was worth US$28.15 billion (NZ$49.46 billion). By 2032, it’ predicted to be worth US$55.32 billion ($NZ$97.2 billion).

While a high-protein diet is traditionally associated with meat and eggs, the shift toward more plant-based diets among western cultures hasn’t been excluded from the protein supplement trend. Plant-based protein supplements derived from ingredients such as soy, pea, and rice are a big part of the industry. Typically these products have a higher fibre content than animal alternatives and (tapping into another current dietary buzzword) promise to promote smoother digestion and support a healthy gut microbiome.

The industry also taps into the low-carb, anti-sugar trends of the past decade or two, with protein once again the dietary hero (as it was before the low-fat, high carb 1980s.)

With all of this push toward protein, it’s no wonder the word is leaping out from the packaging, usually accompanied by adjectives such as “high”, “extra” and “packed” – with a price tag to match. It begs the question: can protein targets be met from food alone? Or could exploring diet supplements be a beneficial, and convenient way to achieve better health?

Women and protein

Women are increasingly being influenced to eat more protein because, among other things, it’s said to help regulate their hormones and play a role in mood and sleep.

Nicki Bezzant, a journalist focusing on diet and health and the author of two books about menopause, says upping protein intake has been trending for a long time. However she’s noticed it has “really ramped up in the last year or so in the social media space in particular”.

And while Bezzant is generally one to call out hype, she doesn’t entirely dismiss the protein push. “We absolutely need to prioritise protein as especially as women, and especially if we’re entering perimenopause or menopause and getting older.”

How much protein do we actually need?

Food researcher and Massey University professor Paul Moughan specialises in mammalian protein metabolism processes.

He says people’s protein needs vary depending on factors like age, activity level, muscle mass, and overall health. Typically, an adequate daily protein intake for an average adult is about 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight.

“If you’re just a regular run-of-the-mill adult who’s not worried about any particular aspect of your life, you’re probably getting enough utilisable protein [from ordinary foods] to meet what you need,” he says. “But if you’re a person trying to lose weight, an elderly person, an elite sports person, or if you’ve had surgery or are critically ill, you may have a different protein requirement”

Moughan says if the goal is to lose weight, “you may want to have a much higher protein intake than normal, because you want to lose fat, you don’t want to lose lean muscle mass.”

He says most people don’t understand that humans don’t actually need protein per se – we need amino acids, which break down to help the body grow and repair. “The amino acids are supplied by proteins, and some proteins are better at supplying the key amino acids than others are. So we can’t just talk about [the amount of] protein, we’ve also got to talk about protein quality.”

“Some of the protein supplements available, things like whey protein isolate for example, they’re very, very high-quality proteins as they provide all of the essential amino acids that we need in highly bioavailable forms and with a plentiful supply.”

Bioavailable means they can be easily absorbed into the blood and used by the body.

“And some of those other [protein sources] like dairy, meat, high-quality soybean, they’re very high-quality proteins, but there’s other proteins, which often may be vegetable protein, that are lower in quality.”

How do we know what’s high-quality?

Current food labelling in New Zealand shows only protein quantity, not quality.

The Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score, or DIAAS, is the worldwide gold standard for evaluating protein quality, he says. In this measure, products were given a ‘score’ out of 100% for how consumed amino acids were absorbed and utilised by the body.

“You’ve got a lot of vegetable proteins that have got DIAAS values anywhere between 50% to 80% – so not great – whereas most of the animal proteins are 100%,” he says.

With so many supplement choices available, I ask Moughan how consumers are supposed to know what’s actually good for us, and what’s simply good marketing.

“More and more particularly for supplements, companies are beginning to put on labels with what the DIAAS is, and if they don’t, you should ask the supplier. If they don’t know, it tells you something about the product.”

Attention: all those over 60

Of the three macronutrients – protein, carbohydrates and fats – protein likely ranks as the most important one to keep tabs on as you age.

Moughan says people tend to lose lean body mass as we get older, and therefore it ‘s “critically important” to get protein intake right as older people are more susceptible to sarcopenia, which is an advanced muscle loss condition.

He points to a Dutch study in which a high proportion of elderly participants were not meeting protein requirements.

“Of course that was associated with frailty, loss of function, loss of cognitive function. All these things where protein is very, very important. So, I think when you’re talking about the elderly, it’s critically important that we get it right.”

From the age of about 60, Moughan says people should look at upping both their quantity and quality of protein intake.

“Normally it’s people who are getting into their late 70s, 80s and 90s when it becomes a real problem, but it begins a lot earlier,” he said.

“The proportion of elderly people in our population is growing, so it’s going to become more of an issue and there’s also quite a lot of evidence to suggest that for older people, 70-plus, the actual requirement for protein is higher compared to a 40-year-old.”

He says alongside introducing more high-quality proteins into their diets, older people can benefit from a supplement.

“Maybe a milkshake with whey or soy bean in it to give them a protein boost could be a really good thing because they may find it harder to chew meat, or they might have an aversion to certain foods, that sort of thing.”

Remember: it’s a ‘supplement’

Nikki Bezzant says she uses a protein supplement “from time to time” but she doesn’t base her diet around it.

“You really need to treat them like a supplement to the food you’re eating,” she says. “And not rely on them and not use them to displace other things in the diet…

“It’s really not a good idea to prioritise protein over other things that we need, like vegetables and fruit and plants. You know, we need those too. So it’s kind of a balance.”

Also, check the quality of your supplement, says Bezzant. “Some of the processed foods that are being used as supplements might not be ideal, like a lot of the protein bars are are super highly processed.”

When meat’s off the table

Growing up as a competitive swimmer, Auckland business owner Kelsi Boocock, 26, said her coaches were always pushing her toward a high-protein diet, however there few options availablefor supplements on the market then – especially for a vegetarian like Boocock.

Last year, Boocock, who has gained an online following with her vegetarian recipes, has developed a plant-based protein powder and canned vegan protein shake and launched a business.

Boocock believes people can get enough protein from plant-based meals alone, but she wanted to provide a high-protein, dairy-free supplement option that tasted good. “People are always looking for convenience,” she says.

Moughan agrees, saying taste and convenience would be huge factors in people opting for supplements.

“It’s got to fit in with the lifestyles, and it is probably true of elderly people as well. They might have more time on their hands, but they want things to be easy and they want the food to be easily consumed, and easy to prepare.”

But are plants really enough?

People who follow vegetarian diets excluding meat, or vegan diets which exclude dairy and eggs too, miss out on all the foods that are said to content the highest levels of easily absorbed proteins.

Moughan says: “There’s also quite a bit of evidence that there’s a high proportion of vegans not meeting their requirements, and that’s the concern because when you don’t meet your amino acid requirement, you don’t suddenly wake up and feel terrible, or not be able to function. It’ll be over a long period of time that you’ll see the ill effects. So it’s important but it may not be immediately obvious.”

But, he says it’s entirely possible for people to get enough protein and all the amino acids required from plant-based foods alone it just takes more work.

There’s nothing wrong with plant-based protein supplements, he says. However they tend to be of lower quality because vegetable proteins in general are less digestible and not as utilisable when absorbed. “Therefore you need to consume more of them, or you need to be more careful that you’ve got your balance right.”

But the arguments for and against plant-based supplements are “not usually black and white” and it isn’t about demonising one and glorifying the other, he says. “It’s not a case of ‘is this better than that?’ It’s a case of using both together wisely to get the most efficient way of using resources long term for the world.”

For those who feel exhausted by the idea of measuring the grams of protein in their diet and purchasing supplements, Nikki Bezzant suggests a simple approach to ensuring you eat enough of it. “Try not to obsess about it and just make sure that you’re getting some foods that have protein in them in every meal and every snack and you’re probably going to be fine.”

Moughan also suggests living by a simple philosophy when it comes to consuming protein. “I think a lot of plant, with a little bit of animal, is probably the most efficient and effective.”

The information in this article is general in nature and should not be read as medical advice.