The Best Protein Powder for Runners

Optimizing training and performance isn’t just about running and logging all the miles– it’s about fueling your body properly to enhance your endurance, speed, strength and recovery.

While all 3 macronutrients– carbs, fat and protein– are equally as important for runners, each plays a different role in the body and in our training. Protein is most known for muscle repair and muscle building. While this is certainly true, protein offers many other benefits to the body.

Runners tend to have higher protein requirements and in addition to protein foods, protein powder can be a very easy way to boost protein intake and help runners meet their protein needs, but there are some things to consider first.

Let’s take a closer look at protein for runners, high protein foods, the pros & cons of protein powders, how to choose a protein powder and incorporate it into your diet and a list of Dietitian approved protein powders!

Why Protein Matters for Runners 

Protein is crucial for exercise recovery, muscle building, supporting our muscle mass as we age and making hormones and enzymes that our bodies need to function. 

Per research, after the age of 30, our muscle mass decreases by 3–8% per decade and declines at an even higher rate after the age of 60. Often accompanying muscle loss is reduced strength. 

Older athletes tend to have higher protein needs in order to support their muscle mass throughout the aging process. Eating enough protein (along with consistent strength training) can attenuate muscle losses and preserve strength.  

Eating enough protein on the daily will also help you fill up at meals and snacks, keep you fuller longer and can be helpful for regulating blood sugar levels.  

Learn how to maximize your protein intake with these high protein athlete breakfast ideas!

Runners’ Protein Requirements 

According to The International Society of Sports Nutrition, athletes should aim for 1.4-2 g/kg/day. These are general requirements and protein needs should be individualized to each runner and is dependent on medical history, age, training and goals.

Unlike carbs and fat, we don’t have a large storage pool of protein in the body. Because of this, you’ll want to spread your protein intake out throughout the day and include protein at all of your meals and snacks. I generally recommend 25-40 g/meal starting at breakfast and 10-20 g/snack.

Not sure what to eat for breakfast? The Ultimate Guide to an Athlete Breakfast will point you in the right direction!

High Protein Foods for Runners 

Animal protein sources

• Meat like chicken, turkey, beef
• Seafood like fish and shellfish
• Dairy like milk, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese
• Eggs

Plant protein sources

• Soy like tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy milk
• Lentils
• Black bean, chickpeas, kidney beans
• Hemp seeds
• Other high protein plant-based milks
• High protein grains like farro and quinoa
• Nutritional yeast and spirulina are good additives that provide some

I recommend to focus on meeting your protein requirements through food first. Supplements like protein powders do have a time and place and can be a helpful way to meet your daily protein needs. 

Please keep in mind that protein powder is a supplement, not a replacement. It should supplement or add to your diet but it should never replace a meal or snack. Avoid having a protein shake as a meal as this lacks balance and macro- and micronutrients. 

Instead, an option could be to make a smoothie that has carbs, a source of fat, fruit/veg and then add protein powder to increase the protein content! 

Use these guides: Meal Prep for Athletes: a 6-Step Guide and Busy Athlete Meal Prep: the Pantry Staples You Need to help you plan out your meals and stock up on protein staples so you can fuel well and meet your daily protein needs.

Pros and Cons of Protein Powders 

Using protein powders can be a quick way to boost your protein intake. It can be easily mixed into oatmeal and smoothies and boost the protein content. It can be very convenient to stash protein powder in your car and drink it on the way from from a long run or a gym session.

It can be a great on-the-go option if you’re a busy runner, especially if it’s premixed. Protein powder can be a helpful way for older athletes to get in extra protein to support their muscle mass and strength throughout the aging process.

Protein powder does have some cons though, especially when it comes to cost as they can get pretty expensive. Some protein powders can also have a chalky taste and an unpleasant texture so sometimes it can require trial and error to find one that you like and what works best for you.

Protein powders may not be appropriate for people with medical conditions such as kidney or liver disease. In this case, it would be a good idea to consult with your doctor before using.

How to Choose a Protein Powder

When choosing a supplement like protein powder, I recommend that you choose a third-party tested supplement. Supplements aren’t regulated by the government in the US. Third-party tested supplements are a way to choose a safer supplement. 

Third party testing companies like NSF Certified for Sport and Informed Choice/Informed Sport, analyze the products to make sure that what we see on the supplement label is in the product, in the right dosages and that what’s in the supplement is on the label and nothing else. 

Head to their websites to search for third-party tested supplements or to enter a supplement that you’re already on to see if it’s third-party tested.

Another way to tell if a supplement is third-party tested is to look on the product for the NSF Certified for Sport and Informed Choice/Informed Sport labels. 

Since protein powders tend to be on the expensive side, I like to choose a protein powder that gives me the biggest bang for my buck and for me that’s a powder that provides 20-30 g. of protein per scoop. 

The Best Protein Powders for Runners

There are two common types of protein powder that I recommend for runners: whey protein powder and plant-based protein powder for my plant-based athletes and for those who have a milk allergy.

Whey is made from cow’s milk and it’s the liquid that is produced during the cheesemaking process. Whey is a complete protein source meaning that it has all 9 essential amino acids and includes leucine which is an essential amino acid for the muscle building & repair process. 

Whey is not suitable for those with a milk allergy and may or may not be tolerated by those who are lactose intolerant. One of my favorite things about whey is that it provides a large amount of protein per serving, typically 20-30 g., and is a great choice after exercise for muscle recovery.

Plant-based powders often have a wide variety of ingredients like rice, soy, chia, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, pea, hemp, garbanzo, lentil and navy beans, to name a few. These powders may or may not provide all essential amino acids and may or may not be a good source of leucine.

Whether you are plant-based or eat animal products, I recommend to aim for a variety of protein-rich foods throughout the day. A protein powder can make a good addition to a meal or snack and/or after a workout to promote exercise recovery.

5 Dietitian Approved Protein Powders for Runners

While there are a massive amount of protein powders on the market, these are protein powders that I often recommend to running clients and they are all third-party tested. 

• Klean Athlete Klean Isolate
• Klean Athlete Plant-Based Protein 
• Garden of Life Sport Certified Grass Fed Whey Powder 
• Garden of Life Sport Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder 
• Vega Sport Premium Plant-Based Protein Powder

How to Incorporate Protein Powders

Once you find a protein powder that you like, this part is easy! Add protein powder into a smoothie or smoothie bowl, hot oatmeal or overnight oats, into a muffin mix or into a waffle/pancake mix! 

Final Thoughts 

Protein is crucial for muscle repair, muscle building, supporting our muscle mass as we age, making hormones and enzymes that our bodies need to function, filling us up at meals and snacks, keeping us fuller longer and can be helpful for regulating our blood sugar levels. 

As a runner, you generally want to aim for 1.4-2 g/kg/day and 25-40 g/meal and 10-20 g/snack. Keep in mind that these are general requirements and protein needs should be individualized to each runner and depend on medical history, age, training and goals.

First, focus on meeting your protein requirements through food. Protein powders can be a good addition to what you’re already eating and a helpful way to meet your daily protein needs. Don’t use protein powder as a meal or snack replacement.

When choosing a protein powder, make sure that it’s third-party tested for a safer supplement. Look for NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Choice/Informed Sport. 

Once you find a protein powder that you like, incorporating protein powders into your diet is easy! It works well in a smoothie, oatmeal, in a muffin mix or in a waffle/pancake mix! 

Nutrition should be individualized to the athlete. Looking for individualized 1:1 nutrition support? Apply or reach out and let’s work together to create a personal plan for you!