Not all protein you eat is absorbed equally. Protein bioavailability—the amount your body can actually use—varies greatly between sources. Without high bioavailability, even protein-rich foods may not deliver the muscle, recovery, and health benefits you expect.
Nutrition labels might list “20 g of protein,” but without the right amino acid profile, sourcing, and processing methods, much of it never fuels your muscles or supports recovery.
Here are four common reasons your protein isn’t working as hard as you think—and what to choose instead.
1. Many Protein Sources Lack the Amino Acids Needed for High Bioavailability
Collagen and beef protein isolate are common in bars and powders, but they don’t offer the same quality of protein as whey or whole beef. Collagen is incomplete, missing essential amino acids, and beef isolate is low in leucine—the amino acid that tells your body to build muscle. Without enough leucine, muscle protein synthesis is limited, no matter what the label says.
If a bar has added collagen to reach 20 g on the label, it still won’t deliver like 20 g from whey or whole beef because your body doesn’t have all the building blocks needed to use that protein effectively.
If you do use collagen, make sure you’re also getting a complete protein source elsewhere in your diet to fill in the missing amino acids.
2. Fillers in High-Protein Products Lower Protein Bioavailability
Soy protein isolate and pea protein isolate are often added to boost the protein numbers on a label, but your body can only use part of that protein. Plant-based isolates like soy and pea often have incomplete amino acid profiles and lower digestibility scores (measured by PDCAAS or DIAAS), which means less of that protein is actually broken down and absorbed.
A snack might list the same protein number as steak, but because of low bioavailability, far less of that protein is absorbed. Over time, you may see fewer gains in strength, recovery, and muscle growth than you’d expect.
3. Poor Protein Sourcing Lowers Nutrient Quality and Absorption
Not all beef is equal. Grain-finished cattle produce meat with fewer omega-3s and lower levels of key micronutrients like vitamin E and CLA compared to pasture-raised, regeneratively managed cattle.
When those nutrients are lacking, your body isn’t getting as complete a package to support recovery and overall health. Choosing better-sourced protein increases nutrient density and improves protein bioavailability, meaning more of what you eat benefits your body.
4. Processing Methods Can Damage Protein and Reduce Bioavailability
High-heat processing, like what’s used for most jerky, can damage proteins and reduce the availability of important amino acids your body needs. It also often means extra sugars, oils, or gums are added to improve texture and keep the product shelf-stable.
Gentler methods, like slow cooking or low-temperature drying, keep the full amino acid profile intact—making the protein easier for your body to absorb and use.
A new standard for protein
Too many “protein” products are filled with ingredients that don’t translate into real nutrition.
One of our top protein picks on the go is Lineage Provisions’ Air‑Dried Steak and Meat Sticks. They go beyond industry standards with sourcing, processing, and testing to create protein that’s both nutrient‑dense and truly clean:
- 100% pasture‑raised, grass‑finished beef sourced from regenerative farms
- Slow air‑dried for several days; no harsh heat, no fillers, no preservatives
- 16 g of highly bioavailable protein per ounce (64g per pack!)
- Their Meat Sticks include beef liver and heart—nutrient powerhouses (but you won't taste them)
- Third‑party tested
- Always seed-oil-free–now officially Seed Oil Safe®
Lineage Provisions was founded by Dr. Paul Saladino, MD, and Dr. Anthony Gustin, DC, to reconnect people, animals, and the earth through truly clean, nutrient‑dense foods.
Use code SEEDOILSCOUT for an exclusive 15% off your order, for a limited time only.