Best Protein Powder for Seniors (2025): With Age Comes Wisdom and Increased Protein Needs

Transparent Labs is a notable sports nutrition company offering a wide variety of products, including its Whey Protein Isolate. Made with 100% grass-fed whey, this protein powder provides 28 grams of protein per serving. We consider it the the best overall protein powder for seniors for seniors, holding one of the industry’s highest protein-by-weight ratios at 82% protein, which earns it a 5 out of 5 for the formulation.

Whey Protein is often used to encourage weight gain. Transparent Labs’ Whey Protein Isolate is designed to support muscle growth and overall health. It’s made from naturally fed, hormone-free whey and contains no artificial sweeteners, food dyes, preservatives, or gluten. GGR’s Anthony O’Reilly, CPT, CNC, put the whey protein powder to the test and gave it 5 out of 5 for its effects, calling it a “great midday snack or post-workout recovery drink.” He went on to say, “I always feel full for a bit after drinking this with no stomach issues.”

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Anthony also gave the protein supplement a 5 out of 5 for taste and solubility. There are a variety of flavors available, but he tried the Peppermint Hot Chocolate.

“It’s exactly that—all you need is some whipped cream and marshmallows to complete the scene. Other delicious flavor options include Strawberry Milkshake, Vanilla Peanut Butter, Mocha, and Blueberry Pancakes.

Importantly, Transparent Labs products undergo third-party testing to ensure their quality and safety. The Whey Protein Isolate is Informed Choice-certified, meaning they are tested for unsafe contaminants. The powder can be taken independently or stacked with other Transparent Labs products. 

If you’re interested in trying this product, or any Transparent Labs product, read our full Transparent Labs Protein Review, then visit our Transparent Labs Discount Code page for their latest offers.

Sports Research Whey Protein provides the building blocks necessary for muscle building and recovery. Each serving contains 25 grams of protein, including 6.5 grams of BCAAs, which can help reduce muscle soreness and increase muscle strength, according to studies³. It also contains all the essential amino acids (EAAs) that are needed through diet and act as the building blocks of protein molecules.

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The whey protein powder is available in chocolate and vanilla flavors and is free from artificial flavors, sweeteners, and colors (though they use some gums for consistency). Certified nutrition coach Anthony O’Reilly tried the chocolate and gave it a 5 out of 5 for taste:

“It’s like an instant cocoa powder drink, which I see as a good thing,” Anthony says. “I want to have this with marshmallows over an open fire. No protein aftertaste at all.” Anthony usually uses it in his morning protein smoothies and mixes it with a few berries or a banana.

Anthony went on to give Sports Research Whey Protein a 3.5 out of 5 for solubility when not used in a blender. He noticed that some of the powder stuck to the side of the cup and didn’t get incorporated all the way.

“The .5 points is because what got mixed was smooth and had no lumps, so at least the texture was good,” says Anthony.

It’s third-party tested for purity and banned/harmful substances by Informed Choice, which, combined with the amino acid breakdown and transparent ingredients list, gives it a 5 out of 5 on transparency.

You can read more about this muscle-building protein in our full Sports Research Whey Protein Review.

Legion Whey+ is our pick for the best whey protein for seniors based on its quality, flavors, and third-party testing. Specifically, Legion sources their whey from small, grass-fed dairy farms in Ireland, and it’s hard to get cleaner sourcing than that. We give this protein 5 out of 5 stars for the formulation.

Additionally, the whey isolate protein uses all-natural ingredients with no additives and is tested by Labdoor, a third-party laboratory that ensures supplements are free from heavy metals and banned substances. If you use Legion Whey+, you can rest assured, knowing that your protein is free from any banned substances or harmful chemicals. (We did our own third-party testing and found Legion to score pretty high in most categories we looked at, too.)

Our testers have tried several flavors of Legion Whey+, and found most of them to be very tasty.

GGR’s Performance Editor, Anthony O’Reilly, tried the Cinnamon Cereal flavor and gave it a 5 out of 5 on taste, saying, “Kind of tasted like when you first start eating a bowl of cinnamon toast crunch and the cereal hasn’t had a chance to fully incorporate into the milk yet. AKA, the flavor’s there but not quite as pungent as I would’ve liked.”

GGR Senior Director of Content and competitive weightlifter Kate Meier has been using Legion Whey+ for a month. “The Vanilla option is perfect for my morning fruit smoothie because it adds a hint of flavor and gets me more than 20 grams of protein,” she says.

The solubility also earns a 5 out of 5, as it mixed perfectly in our testing with no floaters or clumps.

At $2.00 per serving, it’s not the cheapest protein powder, and there are more affordable options, so we give this 3.5 out of 5 for the price per serving. However, you get what you pay for, and Legion uses very high-quality ingredients with transparent labeling and third-party testing, which we love to see.

To read more, read our Legion whey protein review, or watch our Legion Whey+ video review.

With 25 grams of protein per serving, our pick for the best budget protein powder for seniors is Nutricost Whey Protein Concentrate. You can get a 5-pound tub at a price that’s only about $0.78 per serving. That’s some nice savings, and earns a solid 5 out of 5 for the overall value.

The amount of protein per serving will help active older adults prevent the loss of muscle, known as sarcopenia. Registered dietitian Perry Nix, MS, also explains, “The 25 grams of protein is plenty to stimulate muscle protein synthesis for building and repairing muscle mass.” Additionally, this concentrate will have all essential amino acids, which are crucial for muscle growth and maintenance.

Our product tester and GGR’s director of content Kate Meier, NASM-CPT, USAW-L1, CF-L1, has tried the chocolate peanut butter protein, and rates the taste a 5 out of 5. She was impressed, since she’s usually not a fan of peanut butter. She adds, “The peanut butter flavor is just right—not too powerful and it doesn’t overpower the chocolate. I really enjoyed it.”

Nutricost Whey Concentrate comes in five different flavors, including an unflavored one. The flavored wheys each get a 4 out of 5 for formulation, as artificial ingredients are added for flavoring. Still, the unflavored option doesn’t have those artificial flavors if you’re looking to avoid those ingredients.

To read more, be sure to check out our in-depth Nutricost Whey Protein Concentrate Review.

Ritual Essential Protein Daily Shake is designed to support muscle recovery after exercise and form lean muscle. It’s a plant-based protein powder made with high-quality, traceable ingredients. Each serving provides 20 grams of protein, including a complete amino acid profile with 8 grams of essential amino acids and 4 grams of branched-chain amino acids, earning 5 out of 5 for the formulation.

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Ritual Essential Protein Daily Shake is made with organic pea protein from non-GMO, regeneratively-farmed peas in the United States. It comes in a vanilla flavor, but pea protein supplements typically have a distinctive taste. Kathleen, a woman over 50 trained by Kate Meier, CPT, USAW-L1, CF-L1, and GGR Head of Content, gave it a 3 out of 5 for taste.

“I had to look at the package because I could not tell what I was tasting, but it wasn’t very good. It has quite an aftertaste, too—and I don’t know what exactly it is. I have trouble articulating what I taste. I tried it first with cold water, then to make it more palatable, I tried it with juice (pineapple, lemon, and cranberry), which I sometimes will use with a vanilla or unflavored protein. That made it better, but the aftertaste was still there. I Tried it with cold brew coffee and a little chocolate milk—-still mixed up so nicely. But still couldn’t lose that odd taste/aftertaste.”

As far as solubility goes, Kathleen finds that it mixes easily without clumps, and she gave it 5 out of 5 stars for solubility. When asked if she would purchase the Essential Shake, she said, “Only if there is some compelling research that shows me it has something awesome that I can’t get from other proteins and that I am in need of. Then I can drink it with other stuff to disguise the flavor and put up with the aftertaste.”

Ritual’s evidence-based ingredient list sets it apart from many other protein powders. Each serving provides 1.5 grams of calcium beta-hydroxy-beta-methyl butyrate or calcium HMB. Research has shown²  that calcium HMB can support muscle strength and physical functionality in older adults. Additionally, Ritual’s products are tested by a third party, ensuring product quality and safety.

For more, check out our full Ritual Protein Powder Review.

As we age, our digestive capabilities change⁴, putting us at risk for malnutrition and other health concerns. Protein powders can help prevent or slow down the decline of one’s nutrition status, but not all nutrition supplements are easy on the gut. Plant-based proteins, like Ora Organic Daily Superfood Plant Protein, are easier to digest because they contain no lactose and has digestive enzymes to help with digestion.

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Certified nutrition coach Anthony O’Reilly says he experienced no bloating or gas after drinking this protein supplement, and noted there was no protein aftertaste. There’s also a superfood blend that’s made of more than 19 foods that can help with multiple bodily functions, including digestion.

Anthony tried the Vanilla Chai flavor and was impressed by how much he liked it, though the final score landed at a 4 out of 5. “It actually tastes like chai, and I only docked a point is I like my chai to have a good amount of spice,” he says. “This is more chai-flavored. Don’t get me wrong, it’s really good. I’m just a big chai drinker.”

On solubility, he gave it a 5 out of 5. “It’s two scoops per serving, but I still found it pretty easy to mix up in a shaker bottle,” he says.

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Unfortunately, this is at the pricier end, costing $2.49 per serving. You also only get 20 servings per bag, so it earns a 1 out of 5 on cost.

When searching for a dairy-free protein powder, it’s important to find one that has all the essential amino acids (EAAs) needed for muscle growth. With the exception of soy, all plant-based proteins lack or are deficient in at least one EAA, which is why Gainful Vegan Protein Powder combines two milk-free protein sources (organic pea protein and organic brown rice protein) for a complete protein.

We also like it because of its macronutrient content (24 grams of protein, 2 grams of carbs, and 1.5 grams of fat), and has green tea extract. Green tea has been used for centuries for metabolism support, and modern studies have found a link between the extract and weight loss. We rate its formulation a 4.5 out of 5.

Gainful specializes in creating customized proteins. In other words, you’ll take a quiz on your fitness experience and goals before the company recommends a product for you (be sure to tell them you’re avoiding dairy). You’ll then get a bag of unflavored protein powder along with flavor boosters that can be used to create your ultimate protein powder.

“You can definitely taste the pea protein,” says Erin Chancer, a certified nutrition coach. “I used the caffe mocha flavor booster and while it was pleasant, I didn’t find it to be very coffee-flavored.” Overall, she rated the taste a 3.5 out of 5.

The solubility was rated a 4 out of 5, with Erin saying it was one of the thicker plant proteins she’s had. “It settled like silt at the bottom of the shaker cup,” she adds.

To learn more, be sure to read our complete Gainful Protein Powder Review.

Physical inactivity and social isolation have been linked to an increased risk of chronic medical illnesses⁵ in older adults. Physical activity and social connection are essential to healthy aging, which means more seniors are on the move! Busy schedules can make meeting your daily protein needs even more challenging. In the search for the best protein sources to take on the go, we found Muscle Milk Zero.

Christina, a nurse practitioner and member of Kate Meier’s (CPT, USAW-L1, CF-L1) weightlifting team, tried Muscle Milk Zero three to four times weekly for about three weeks. She tested it every which way—mixed with water, plain Greek yogurt, overnight oats, and smoothies with almond milk and frozen fruit. It earned an over score of 4.2 out of 5.

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Christina appreciated the taste but found that the formula lacked, hence its formulation score of 2.5 out of 5. “I would definitely use it again; it mixes well and is tasty. However, I don’t love that it’s just 15 grams of protein per 2 scoops, so it wouldn’t be my first choice for a post-workout shake. Instead, this is something I would personally just use to boost protein intake.”

Its taste scored much better, with Christina assigning it a 4.5 out of 5. “I tried the vanilla flavor. It’s a nice vanilla flavor, quite sweet. I wouldn’t mind it being a little less sweet, actually, which is why I took .5 off the score. There is a hint of an artificial sweetener taste, which I would expect from any zero-sugar product, but I didn’t detect any aftertaste.”

Muscle Milk Zero is slightly more expensive than other protein supplements on the market, but it is conveniently packaged and ready to take on the go. Each bottle provides 20 grams of animal-based protein and zero added sugar. It also contains 4 grams of fiber per serving and is a good source of calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin D. 

If you prefer to mix your own protein shakes, Muscle Milk is also available in powdered form. You can read our complete Muscle Milk Review to learn more and see what our tester thought of this protein powder.

After testing hundreds of protein powders, we landed on Isopure Whey Protein Isolate as the best-tasting option for seniors because it’s one of the best unflavored protein powders, allowing you to add it to smoothies, baking recipes, and other foods to increase your protein intake. Although unflavored, our product testers actually liked the taste and kept coming back to it.

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GGR’s social media manager, Brittany Combs, tested the protein powder and gave it a 4.175 out of 5. Its taste and solubility scores were significant factors in the favorable score—Brittany gave the Isopure Whey Protein Isolate a 5 out of 5 for both.

“This is actually REALLY good! I have added this to several different foods, and while the texture may have been altered slightly, I never really notice a change in flavor, which is great! It also dissolves really well.”

Plus, Isopure Whey Protein Isolate is an unflavored protein powder, making it a versatile supplement. You don’t need milk to make it palatable. It can be added to baked goods, soups, and much more.

Brittany echoes this, saying, “This is a really good unflavored protein powder! My husband and I constantly tease each other about whether or not soup is a meal or just an appetizer or size. I always say if it’s got protein in it it’s a meal haha so I add this to our soups and you can’t even tell! My other favorite thing to put this in is my kids’ pancakes. They cannot tell there is any difference, and I feel better feeding them something that isn’t just straight carbs/sugar.”

The whey protein supplement is lactose and sugar-free, providing 25 grams of protein and zero carbohydrates per serving. It can be consumed at breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a snack between meals. The formulation earns a 5 out of 5.

You can order Isopure Whey Protein Isolate in tubs of 16 and 47 servings, with increased savings when buying in bulk. Unfortunately, third-party testing is not mentioned on the company’s website.

For more, check out our in-depth Isopure Protein review.