You’ve seen the clips. Joe Rogan sitting in that red-lit studio, sweating after a workout, or talking to a world-class neuroscientist about "total human optimization." Naturally, everyone wants to know what's in the shaker cup. People search for joe rogan protein powder like it's a magic potion for growing a beard and a black belt overnight.
But here is the thing.
Joe doesn't really have a "Joe Rogan branded" protein powder that he shills every five minutes. It’s actually more complicated than that. He’s a guy who obsesses over sourcing. If you’ve listened to him for more than ten minutes, you know he’s basically a walking encyclopedia of elk meat, grass-fed beef, and "clean" fuel.
Most people expect him to be pounding a massive tub of chocolate-flavored whey from a generic big-box store. He doesn't.
The Onnit Connection and the Protein Pivot
For a long time, the go-to answer for anything supplement-related was Onnit. Joe co-founded the company with Aubrey Marcus before selling it to Unilever in 2021. Back in the day, Onnit had a very specific hemp protein that Joe used to swear by. It was gritty. It tasted like grass. It was very "Joe."
But things change.
Onnit eventually moved away from that specific hemp powder. Lately, Joe has been more vocal about Onnit Protein Bites—which aren't a powder at all. He’s called them "ridiculously addictive." It’s sort of funny because for a guy so disciplined, he talks about these things like they're candy.
If you are looking for a powder specifically, he’s historically leaned toward grass-fed whey. Why? Because he’s a stickler for how animals are treated and what they eat. He often mentions that if you're going to use whey, it should be from cows that aren't pumped full of hormones.
Honestly, he gets most of his protein from literal animals he’s hunted himself.
Does He Actually Use Plant-Based Protein?
This is a weird one. You’ll find old threads of people arguing about Joe and vegan protein. Joe has had some legendary debates on the podcast—think James Wilks vs. Chris Kresser—where the "Game Changers" documentary was shredded for three hours.
Despite his love for elk, he isn't strictly anti-plant protein.
He’s mentioned using AG1 (formerly Athletic Greens) every single morning. While AG1 isn't a "protein powder" in the traditional sense (it only has about 2 grams of protein per serving), it’s the "powder" he talks about the most. It's his nutritional insurance policy. He mixes that green sludge and drinks it down before he even thinks about a steak.
When it comes to actual muscle-building powder, though, he’s a whey guy through and through.
Specifically, he looks for:
- Grass-fed sourcing. No grain-fed garbage.
- Minimal ingredients. No sucralose or weird artificial dyes.
- Bioavailability. He wants the body to actually use it, not just bloat up.
The Real "Rogan Stack" Beyond the Shaker
If you're trying to replicate the joe rogan protein powder vibe, you have to look at the stuff he adds to his shakes or takes alongside them. Protein is just one piece of his puzzle.
He’s big on Creatine Monohydrate.
There was a weird rumor he addressed once about creatine being tainted with steroids, but he cleared that up. He takes Onnit’s creatine because it’s simple and it works for recovery. He also dumps MCT Oil into almost everything.
- MCT Oil: For that "clean" brain energy he’s always talking about.
- Alpha BRAIN: Usually taken before he records or does a set, not necessarily in the shake.
- Vitamin D3 and Fish Oil: He takes massive doses of Carlson’s liquid fish oil. He’s mentioned taking three tablespoons at a time. That’s a lot of oil.
Why You Can't Just Buy One Tub and Look Like Joe
Here is the cold truth. Joe Rogan is 50-plus years old and in better shape than most 20-year-olds because of a terrifying work ethic, not just a supplement.
He does the "Carnivoreish" diet. He eats elk. He eats eggs. He does sauna sessions at 200 degrees and then jumps into a tub of ice. If you buy a bag of protein powder and sit on the couch watching the podcast, you aren’t going to get the results.
He’s also very transparent about his TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy). He’s said it multiple times: supplements are the "spark plugs," but the engine is the food and the hormone optimization.
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What You Should Actually Look For
If you want to follow the Rogan philosophy for protein, stop looking for a brand name and start looking at the label.
Avoid the stuff that looks like a neon sign. If it has "Acesulfame Potassium" or "Red 40," Joe would probably tell you it's poison. He prefers things that are as close to the earth (or the animal) as possible.
Look for cold-processed whey. Heat can denature the protein. Cold-processed keeps the micronutrients intact. That's the kind of "nerdy" supplement talk that Joe actually cares about.
He also emphasizes gut health constantly. He takes Total Gut Health by Onnit, which includes probiotics and digestive enzymes. He’s of the mind that it doesn’t matter how much protein you eat if your gut is too wrecked to absorb it.
Actionable Steps for Your Routine
If you’re ready to "optimize" like the JRE, don't just hunt for a specific joe rogan protein powder. Do this instead:
- Audit your sourcing: Switch to a grass-fed whey isolate with no artificial sweeteners. Stevia or monk fruit is fine; aspartame is not.
- Fix your gut first: Start a high-quality probiotic or eat fermented foods like kimchi (another Rogan favorite) to make sure you're actually digesting your expensive protein.
- Stack it wisely: Add 5g of Creatine Monohydrate to your post-workout shake. It’s the most researched supplement on the planet.
- Don't skip the "Greens": Consider a daily greens powder like AG1 in the morning to cover the micronutrients that meat and whey might miss.
Focus on the quality of the ingredients rather than the face on the bottle. Joe’s real secret isn't a specific powder; it's the fact that he treats his body like a high-performance vehicle and refuses to put "cheap gas" in the tank.