Do runners need protein supplements, or is food enough?

Anyone who starts running more frequently may soon face a question: is it necessary to include a protein supplement in their routine to improve recovery? Despite the popularity of products such as whey protein among people who engage in physical activities, the answer depends less on the supplement itself and more on the runner’s diet, training load and ability to meet nutritional needs throughout the day.

Protein plays an important role in recovery and in the adaptations exercise causes in the body. This also applies to high-endurance sports (endurance). During prolonged exercise, amino acids can be used as an energy substrate (organic compounds the body uses to produce energy for cells), and after training, processes related to muscle protein synthesis and breakdown contribute to recovery.

For this reason, runners may have higher protein needs than sedentary people, especially as they increase their training volume and intensity. A review available on PubMed on the protein needs of physically active people recommends approximately 1.2 to 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for endurance athletes. This does not mean, however, that this amount needs to come from a supplement.

Read also: Next match! Post-workout: are protein supplements the best strategy?

Before the supplement comes food

Meat, eggs, milk, yogurt and other protein-rich foods can help runners meet their daily protein needs. In addition to the total amount, spreading protein sources across meals helps incorporate this nutrient into the diet.

Sports Dietitians Australia (SDA), in its specific guidance for distance runners, recommends including protein-rich foods throughout the day to support the production of new muscle proteins and red blood cells as part of the processes involved in repair and adaptation to training.

This distribution is supported by broader scientific evidence: the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) indicates that dividing protein intake among approximately four meals throughout the day supports muscle protein synthesis more consistently than concentrating the same amount in just a few meals, such as one or two.

Food also has an advantage that goes beyond protein alone. Foods are part of a broader nutritional matrix and can provide other important nutrients. Meat, eggs and dairy products, for example, are natural sources of vitamin B12. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, the vitamin occurs naturally in animal-based foods, including meat, eggs, milk and dairy products. Dairy products also provide nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium and protein, according to a study.

Meat can also contribute to iron intake, with the added benefit of containing more heme iron, which has greater bioavailability, meaning it is better utilized by the body. The NIH explains that meat, poultry and seafood can also support the absorption of non-heme iron.

This aspect deserves particular attention among runners: Sports Dietitians Australia warns that distance-running athletes, especially women, may face a higher risk of low iron levels because of factors such as inadequate intake and increased losses associated with menstruation. Therefore, focusing only on “how many grams of protein” a food provides does not tell the whole story about its contribution to the diet.

So what is the role of whey?

Whey is a protein derived from milk whey that, in supplement form, makes it possible to concentrate protein in a product that can be consumed quickly. In practice, its main advantage in the routine of many runners is convenience.

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) includes isolated protein supplements in its Group A, a category that brings together products with strong scientific evidence for use in specific situations in sport. Within this group, they are listed among sports foods: specialized products intended to provide nutrients conveniently when consuming conventional foods is not practical.

This distinction is important. The supplement should not be viewed as nutritionally “better” than food, but rather as an alternative for a busy routine.

Imagine someone who finishes a long workout early, needs to shower and go straight to work. Or a runner who travels to a race and does not know what foods will be available after crossing the finish line. Some people also have little appetite immediately after intense exercise and find it difficult to consume a complete meal at that time.

In these situations, a compact source that is easy to prepare can make it easier to consume protein.

Post-run recovery is not just about protein

The growing popularity of protein shakes may create the impression that muscle recovery is practically synonymous with protein. For runners, however, another part of the equation is essential: replacing the energy used during exercise.

Long runs and intense sessions reduce muscle glycogen stores. For this reason, Sports Dietitians Australia recommends that recovery after these workouts combine carbohydrates with approximately 20 to 25 grams of high-quality protein.

The organization prioritizes nutritious options made with food and gives examples such as eggs with toast and vegetables, yogurt with nuts and fruit, as well as sandwiches with protein sources such as meat. This helps explain why drinking only a protein shake does not necessarily represent a complete recovery strategy. Depending on the workout, runners also need to consider carbohydrates, fluids and the rest of their diet.

When can a supplement be useful?

In practice, the decision can begin with a fairly simple question: is it difficult to meet your protein needs through your usual diet?

The situations already mentioned—little time between training and other commitments, reduced appetite after intense sessions or practical difficulties preparing a meal—are usually the main triggers for this decision.

There is evidence that many endurance athletes already manage to meet their protein intake, but fewer than half meet carbohydrate recommendations.

In other words, adding more protein to a diet that already provides enough may not address what is actually missing from the runner’s nutritional strategy. In a study of 116 nonprofessional athletes in endurance sports, 87.1% reported consuming at least 1.2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. Interestingly, the most frequent problem in that group was not a lack of protein, but inadequate carbohydrate intake, since only 45.7% of all athletes reported meeting the recommended intake levels for this macronutrient.

Food and supplements do not have to compete for space

Perhaps this is the simplest way to view the relationship between food and supplements in running: they do not have to be adversaries.

A diet made up of a variety of foods should form the foundation of a nutritional strategy because it needs to meet not only protein demands, but also requirements for energy, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals. When necessary, a supplement can be used as a convenient tool to complement this structure.

Before turning to one, therefore, it is worth looking at the routine as a whole: how much you train, what you eat during the day, how recovery is going and what practical difficulties you face in maintaining an adequate diet.

When these needs can be met through meals and snacks, whey is not a requirement for runners. When their routine makes this difficult, the supplement can be a practical ally—just as its name suggests: a complement, not the foundation of the diet.