Amino Spiking in 2023
Amino spiking (or nitrogen spiking) is the practice of adding cheap, non-essential amino acids to protein powder to artificially inflate the total protein count shown on the nutritional label.
How It Works
The FDA requires protein content to be measured via nitrogen content (usually the Kjeldahl method). The test cannot distinguish between the nitrogen in a complete, muscle-building whey protein molecule and the nitrogen in a cheap, single amino acid like glycine.
Because whey protein wholesale prices have risen, a manufacturer might put only 15g of actual whey in a scoop, but add 10g of cheap glycine. The lab test reads 25g of "protein," which goes on the label, but your muscles only receive 15g of complete protein.
The Red Flags
Look at the Ingredients List
- Glycine: The most common culprit. It's cheap and tastes sweet.
- Taurine: Often added to "energy" blends.
- Creatine: While an excellent supplement on its own, it contains nitrogen. If it's mixed into your protein powder, it's artificially inflating the protein count.
- "Proprietary Amino Blends": A major red flag. If they won't tell you the exact amounts, they are hiding something.
At the Institute of Protein, we mandate full amino acid profiling for our top-tier recommendations. If the leucine content is significantly lower than the expected 10-11% for whey, the product has likely been spiked.