Tag: Protein powder history

During the Golden Era of bodybuilding, roughly the 1960s and 70s, nutrition wasn't as scientifically advanced, yet competitors achieved legendary physiques with a focus on simple, high-protein diets built mostly from whole foods. While the variety of supplements was limited, they were an important part of the routine for top athletes aiming to maximize their growth.

Hundreds of years before modern supplements, Hippocrates was prescribing liquid whey for its health benefits, demonstrating that the concept of using concentrated milk derivatives is ancient. However, the question of who created the first protein powder as we know it today is not a simple one, with several key figures playing a part in its commercial development.

Whey protein wasn't invented by a single person, but was discovered accidentally thousands of years ago during the process of cheesemaking in ancient Poland. From a discarded liquid byproduct to a modern-day nutritional powerhouse, its story is a long and fascinating evolution of human ingenuity.

While modern-day protein powder feels like a recent invention, the concept of whey protein can be traced back to ancient Greece, where Hippocrates prescribed it as a healing tonic. The modern commercial version, however, with which many fitness enthusiasts are familiar, only started to emerge much later, particularly in the mid-20th century.

While the first commercial protein powders emerged in the 1950s for bodybuilders, it wasn't until decades later that the product truly entered the mainstream. The history of how protein powder became popular is a fascinating story of fitness trends, technological advances, and evolving consumer awareness.