Contrary to common belief building muscles is not the only use of protein powder. It can help improve your strength, posture, and overall body composition.
If you wish to lose weight, adding more protein to your diet can also help suppress your appetite and stop you from overeating. Let’s have a look at some of the best protein powder for women and how they can help you.
Keep your needs and preferences in mind when choosing a protein powder. E.g., whey protein might not be the best choice if you have milk allergies.
We’ve included plant, whey, egg white, and even beef isolate! Whatever your diet, you’ll find options here.
SEE ALSO: Best low carb protein powders , or best protein powder for men.
Best Protein Powder for Women
MuscleMeds Beef Protein Isolate
- Very effective
- clinically-tested, USDA
- Zero carbs

BulkSupplements Whey Protein Isolate: for Weight Loss, Muscle Building, and Toning
One problem that many people, especially women, face with weight loss is losing muscle mass along with body weight. You need healthy muscles for many vital roles, such as movement and posture. Whey protein has been proven to help reduce and prevent the loss of muscle mass.
Whey protein isolate is like the concentrated version of whey with more protein and fewer carbs, making it one of the best choices for women on a low carb diet.
One thing we noticed about BulkSupplements is their transparency. They admit getting their raw ingredients from different countries. A lot of other companies also do the same, but only mention the “manufactured in the USA” part.
The ingredients in your BulkSupplements protein go through many quality checking processes at their FDA registered facility before being manufactured into protein powder for you.
They will also be happy to give you a certificate of analysis for your protein powder if you wish to see it.
Pros & Cons
- Made from grass-fed cow milk
- Suitable for low carb diets
- May be ideal for those with allergies and intolerance
- Goes through multiple quality checking methods
- Ingredient transparency
- Slightly more expensive than traditional whey.
- Not available in other flavors
Orgain Organic Plant Protein: Best for Vegans and Vegetarians
This is an organic plant-based protein powder made out of pea, brown rice, and chia, all of which have proven health benefits. Pea protein, for instance, is as effective as whey for building lean body mass and improving composition.
In an 8-week study, 15 men and women participated in a high-intensity training program that consisted of 4 sessions per week. They were given either 24 grams of whey or pea protein before and after their workout sessions and in between meals on the other days.
They found that both groups had similar results in terms of muscle growth, body composition, and overall strength [1].
What makes this plant-protein powder even more special is that it’s developed by Dr.Andrew Abraham, who’s also a cancer survivor.
Pros & Cons
- Developed by a doctor
- No artificial flavors or additives
- They use organic premium ingredients such as real vanilla beans and cocoa
- Free from allergens
- Certified vegan protein powder
- No unflavored version
Jay Robb Egg White Protein: Perfect For Weight Loss
The egg white protein supplement is a great choice for women wanting to increase their protein intake without fat and additional calories. If you’re trying to lose weight, egg white protein supplements can help you by increasing your satiety levels and reducing hunger [2].
This egg white protein powder is created by Jay Robb, a clinical nutritionist and personal trainer with decades of experience. His protein supplements are one of the bestselling on Amazon.
A lot of reviewers have been using this brand for years, and that tells a lot about its quality.
Pros & Cons
- Created by an experienced clinical nutritionist and personal trainer.
- Lactose and soy-free
- The unflavored version is available along with three other flavors
- Low carb and diabetic-friendly
- Some people may not like the taste of stevia leaf extract.
Dymatize Elite Casein: Best Protein Powder For Muscle Strength and Toning
Some women avoid protein powders because they don’t want big muscles that make them look masculine. If you’re one of them, protein powder alone will not make you look masculine.
Casein protein powder can help preserve your muscle mass if you take it right before bed. It will release amino acids slowly and help prevent recovery muscle loss [3].
Dymatize Elite Casein protein powder has been developed by a team of scientists led by an experienced doctor. All their products are certified by Informed-Choice and are manufactured in GMP certified facilities.
A lot of reviewers have mentioned that it dissolves quickly and goes well with smoothies, shakes, and baked goods.
Pros & Cons
- Created by experienced scientists and medical professionals.
- Certified by Informed-Choice
- Free from banned substances
- Low carb
- Not suitable for milk allergies and intolerance
- Some people may not like the taste
MuscleMeds Beef Protein Isolate: Best Protein Powder for Keto
MuscleMeds beef protein isolate is zero carbs and one of the best protein powder for women who’re on a low carb diet or trying to lose weight.
It’s a complete source of protein and is as effective as whey when it comes to building a better body composition and for weight loss.
MuscleMeds have the current best-selling beef protein powder on Amazon. Their protein is created by clinically-tested, and USDA approved beef protein. You’ll see a lot of positive feedback from long-term users and those who have dairy allergies.
Pros & Cons
- Made from clinically tested beef protein
- Goes through 6 stages of purification
- Best alternative of whey for those who have lactose intolerance
- Some reviewers have said you might need to use a blender
Best Protein Powder For Women FAQ
Below are the answers to some of the frequently asked questions you may have about protein powders for women.
What is the best protein powder for women to gain weight?
By “gain weight,” if you mean muscle mass, then protein powder certainly can help.
Think about this for a moment, if protein powder on its own can help gain weight, it won’t make sense to say that it can help lose weight, which it can as well [4].
However, you can use protein shakes as one of the easiest ways to consume more calories to increase your overall body weight.
That said, protein powder is one of the best if you wish to increase your weight more healthily and improve your overall body composition.
As for the best one, it depends on your preferences because all five of the powders we’ve discussed in this article can help gain weight if you use them correctly. E.g., if you’re a vegan or have allergies, you might want to go for the pea protein powder.
What is the best protein powder for weight loss and lean muscle?
Whey concentrate and whey isolate are the ultimate best protein powders to build muscle and lose weight. However, as mentioned above, the best one for you depends on your preferences.
Some studies discussed in this article have shown that beef protein isolate and pea protein can be as effective as whey to increase lean body mass and lose weight.
If you have lactose intolerance, you might want to choose one between the beef and pea protein.
What is the Best Pea Protein Powder for Female Weight Loss?
We recommend Bulksupplements Pea Protein for three reasons: price, quality, and transparency.
You’ll know exactly what goes in your supplement, where the ingredients are sourced from, and you can even request for a COA (Certification of Analysis) if you want from them.
All the supplements undergo multiple testing at their FDA registered facility to ensure they’re free from any harmful chemicals, metals, and to test their potency.
Their pea protein powder is also low carb and free from allergens.
Does Protein Shake Help You Lose Weight?
As stated in the answer to the first question, protein powder alone cannot help you gain or lose weight. E.g., you cannot expect to lose weight if you overeat every day just because you also drink protein shakes. All that will do is add extra calories to your diet and do the opposite: make you gain weight.
However, protein shakes combined with a restricted calorie-diet can speed up weight loss. Most protein powders can help suppress your appetite and help you lose weight by reducing your hunger. They can also help you gain more lean mass, which in turn will help you burn more calories.
A 16-week study investigated the effect of whey protein on thirty-four women who regained weight after bariatric surgery. The participants were put on a restricted-calorie diet and supplemented with or without whey protein.
Their results showed that the experimental group lost more body weight and fat mass than the other group [5].
One thing to take note of is that the participants in the above study also followed a low-calorie diet, supporting our statement that protein powder alone will not help with weight loss.
Takeaways
- Protein powders can help women lose weight and gain weight if used with the correct strategies such as following a low-calorie diet and exercise plan.
- Whey isolate and beef protein isolate are good choices if you wish to build more lean body mass and improve your body composition.
- Pea protein is a good alternative for those who wish to avoid whey and beef protein.


The author
Steve Theunissen