Protein is expensive! Is it still worth continuing to drink it?

Protein prices are rising one after another. Now that protein has become mainstream among a wide range of people—from gym-goers to those focused on health and beauty—it’s time to ask again: Is it really necessary to keep drinking protein shakes? While examining the reasons behind the price hikes, we explore smart ways to incorporate protein into our lives moving forward.

The Background of Rising Protein PricesGrowing Demand for Strength Training and Beauty. Japan’s Protein Drink Market Has Expanded Approximately 7.7-Fold

SAVAS ranked first in brand-specific sales revenue in both the domestic protein powder and protein drink markets in 2025. ^[1] Meiji, the company behind the SAVAS brand, will reduce the net content of 14 protein powder products by approximately 11–22% starting in September 2026. The 980g package of “SAVAS Whey Protein 100” will also be gradually changed to 800g.Furthermore, starting in December, the company plans to raise the wholesale prices of 22 protein drink products by approximately 6–11%. ^[2][3] Behind this price surge is the global increase in demand for whey ingredients.According to “NutraIngredients,” a specialized media outlet in the nutrition industry, the price of “WPC80”—a whey concentrate with a protein content of approximately 80%—rose from $5,500 per metric ton around June 2023 to $32,000 per metric ton by June 2026.This represents an increase of approximately 5.8 times. ^[4] This growing demand is also reflected in domestic market figures. According to a survey by Intage SRI+, sales revenue in the sports protein drink market expanded approximately 7.7-fold when comparing the period from April 2017 to March 2018 with that from April 2025 to March 2026. ^[5] Behind this trend is not only the growing popularity of strength training but also a broadening demographic—including both men and women—seeking protein for beauty, health maintenance, and weight loss. In recent years, the widespread use of GLP-1 agonists to suppress appetite has also created demand for nutritional supplementation among people whose food intake has decreased. ^[6][7] While food companies are investing in this growing market, whey—the raw material for whey protein—is primarily a byproduct of cheese production. Production volumes cannot be easily increased simply because demand has risen. Furthermore, in Japan, the weak yen is a factor driving up procurement costs.When importing whey from overseas, this directly affects the purchase price in yen; even for domestically produced whey, costs may be indirectly impacted by rising prices for imported feed and energy.

Benefits and Precautions of Protein SupplementsProtein Content, Calories, Additives, and Taste: A Multifaceted Evaluation of Each Serving

In recent years, protein supplements have evolved in terms of taste thanks to advancements in technology, such as the blending of flavorings and sweeteners and improvements in raw material processing.A study published in the *Journal of Dairy Science* in 2018 also demonstrated that the type and combination of sweeteners influence the palatability of protein beverages. ^[8] Furthermore, there is now a wide variety of protein drinks readily available at convenience stores and supermarkets. It has become possible to efficiently supplement protein while also enjoying the taste of the beverage. If you choose them as an alternative to sugary soft drinks, depending on the product, you may be able to replenish protein while limiting your sugar intake. These benefits deserve to be actively recognized.However, precisely because protein drinks have become so convenient and tasty, it’s important to consider not only what you gain from a single serving but also what you’re putting into your body. For example, just 20 grams of protein is equivalent to about 80 kcal, and products containing carbohydrates or fats will further increase the total energy content. If your goal is weight loss, the calories added by incorporating these drinks into your regular diet cannot be ignored.There are also points to note regarding the sweeteners used to reduce sugar content. In 2023, the WHO published guidelines stating that it does not recommend the use of non-carbohydrate sweeteners, such as sucralose, as a means of weight management. This is due, in part, to the lack of confirmed long-term effects on body fat reduction. ^[9] While this does not deny the safety of sweeteners themselves, a low sugar content is not necessarily synonymous with effectiveness for weight loss. If you prioritize simplicity in ingredients, plain varieties—free of flavorings and sweeteners—are also a viable option.Compatibility with one’s physical constitution is also important. Products containing lactose may cause abdominal bloating or diarrhea in people with lactose intolerance. ^[10] Regarding the impact on the kidneys, studies involving healthy adults have not confirmed any clear deterioration in kidney function due to high protein intake.However, since people with impaired kidney function may need to limit their intake, it is necessary to carefully consider total intake as well. ^[11][12] Protein supplements are already attractive products simply because they are convenient and tasty. Even so, drinking them does not automatically mean they are beneficial to your body.By evaluating not only the protein content but also the calories, ingredients, and how well it suits your body type, the value of that single serving should become clearer.

A Nutritional Strategy Centered on ProteinSelecting the Necessary Supplements by Working Backward from Your Diet and Goals

The first thing to review is your daily diet.Meat, fish, eggs, and soy products contain a variety of nutrients in addition to protein. For example, oily fish contain EPA and DHA; eggs contain choline and vitamin B12; and lean meat contains iron and zinc—each has its own distinct nutritional value. Even if the total protein intake is the same, the specific nutrients your body absorbs vary depending on the source.An interesting study was published in *The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition* in 2017. Ten young men with experience in strength training were given either whole eggs or egg whites, both standardized to 18 grams of protein. The study found that whole eggs stimulated post-exercise muscle protein synthesis more strongly than egg whites. ^[13] Since this was a small-scale, short-term study, it is not possible to conclusively state that a regular diet is superior to protein powder. Nevertheless, it serves as a good example of how the nutritional value of a food cannot be measured by protein content alone. However, there is another aspect of a nutrient-rich diet that cannot be overlooked.Planning daily meals, shopping for meat, fish, and vegetables, cooking, and cleaning up afterward—maintaining this kind of eating pattern requires a significant amount of time and effort in addition to the cost of ingredients. A U.S. study published in *Current Developments in Nutrition* in 2026 also showed that time spent on responsibilities such as work and childcare limits the time available for meal preparation. ^[14] While preparing ingredients in advance or making meals in advance can reduce the burden, the amount of time available for meals varies depending on one’s job and family situation. Even if you don’t cook yourself, your partner or family members may be shouldering that burden. The very fact that one can maintain a nutritionally balanced diet may be a sign of a privileged environment.Viewed this way, the rising cost of protein supplements reveals a clear value: the convenience of efficiently meeting protein needs without spending time cooking. While they cannot fully replace the nutritional richness of a meal, they can be a reasonable choice for ensuring time for work, family, training, and rest.Furthermore, the value of that one serving depends on what it’s replacing. If it replaces a sugary soft drink, it may have nutritional benefits; however, if a nutritionally balanced meal is replaced solely with a protein shake, you’ll miss out on the opportunity to consume other essential nutrients. Even when adding it to your regular meals, you must remember that you’re increasing not only your protein intake but also your total calorie intake.That’s why, before deciding whether to drink protein shakes, you should first understand what you’re already getting enough of and what you tend to lack. While accurately tracking your nutrient intake requires checking the weight of ingredients and nutritional labels, simply feeding photos of your meals into AI can give you a rough idea of your nutritional balance and any dietary imbalances. ^[15] Once you’ve identified these deficiencies, first consider whether you can address them by improving your diet. Only then should you consider incorporating supplements to provide nutrients that are difficult to obtain through your regular diet alone, or ingredients recognized as effective for specific goals such as bodybuilding, beauty, health maintenance, or weight loss.For example, for men aiming to increase muscle strength, creatine—which research has shown to be effective when combined with strength training—is a good candidate. A 2024 meta-analysis found that the group taking creatine gained an average of 1.14 kg more lean body mass than the group that did strength training alone. ^[16] Specific options include California Gold Nutrition’s “Sports Pure Creatine Monohydrate,” available on iHerb. Additionally, if your diet tends to be low in dietary fiber, psyllium—a soluble dietary fiber—is also worth considering.A 2025 meta-analysis reported that psyllium intake lowers LDL cholesterol. ^[17] Examples of products include Viva Naturals’ “Organic Psyllium Husk Powder.” However, it must be taken with plenty of water, and it cannot replace other nutrients found in vegetables and fruits. Furthermore, if a vitamin D deficiency is suspected due to limited sun exposure or dietary habits, products such as NOW Foods’ “Vitamin D3 1,000 IU” may be considered after confirming the need.However, vitamin D is a nutrient that requires caution against excessive intake, so you should avoid taking supplements lightly before you know for certain whether you are deficient. ^[18] As you can see, different supplements serve different purposes. Protein supplements are used to make up for protein deficiencies, while ingredients like creatine—which require ongoing intake—should be used according to your specific goals.Having the necessary supplements on hand makes it easier to make choices tailored to your body, even on busy days. That said, having them on hand is not the same as taking just anything. You should carefully assess whether there is any overlap in ingredients between supplements, whether there is sufficient scientific evidence to support the expected effects, and whether they place any undue strain on your body. Protein supplements are, after all, just one of many types of supplements available.Consider the richness of nutrients obtained from meals, the time and effort required for cooking, as well as the ingredients in supplements and their effects on your body. What you choose not to take is just as important as what you do take. It is in those choices that the quality of your investment in your body truly shines through.

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