Evergreen monthly benchmark — Aug 9
Protein Powder
Research by Robert Hu · Published by RecoScope ·
- Usable answers
- 12/12
- Models
- 4
- Prompt types
- 3
Included: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity
Report history · Aug 9 selected · 14 snapshots
Key takeaway
Transparent Labs led three of the four engines on Jul 29 and leads none of them now. Its mention count fell from 7 to 5. Optimum Nutrition holds the top spot at 10 mentions and is the only brand inside every engine top three. The reversal is narrower than it looks. On the explicit ranking prompt Transparent Labs actually gained ground, from two engines to three.
Mention Frequency Trend
Brands ordered by mention count in each run. Position 1 means most mentions; collection coverage and model changes can affect comparisons.
Scroll sideways to see all dates and labels.
Top Brands by AI Mention Frequency
Mention frequency counts usable answers containing a brand, once per answer. Unranked and critical mentions count as visibility. Recommendation ranks are shown separately below.
Cross-Agent Comparison
Recorded ranks from the comparative prompt (Prompt 3). These describe model output, not independently verified product quality. Historical parsing conventions may differ.
4/4 models with recorded ranks
| Agent | #1 | #2 | #3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Optimum Nutrition | Dymatize | Transparent Labs |
| Claude | Transparent Labs | Momentous | Optimum Nutrition |
| Gemini | Transparent Labs | Momentous | Optimum Nutrition |
| Perplexity | Transparent Labs | Optimum Nutrition | Dymatize |
What This Means
- The cross-agent table blends all three prompts, and the blend hides where the movement actually happened.
- Transparent Labs lost the open discovery prompt outright.
- It led three of four engines there last run and leads none this run.
- On the explicit ranking prompt it moved the other way, from two engines to three.
- Optimum Nutrition is the reason the table still looks stable.
- It is top three at all four engines and first at two of them.
- The budget prompt lost its unanimity.
- All four engines named Optimum Nutrition first under $50 last run, and this run ChatGPT switched to Naked Whey.
- Two qualifications apply to the Gemini column.
- Gemini answered on its faster Flash tier again rather than its Pro tier.
- The brand it placed first, Puori, appears exactly once in the entire run.
Findings and Limitations
- Dymatize is the standout gap, and this is the second run in a row.
- It carries 7 mentions, tied for second highest in the category, and sits outside the top three at all four engines.
- Its volume did not move between runs.
- Its placement did not move either.
- Orgain is the quieter version of the same problem, at 4 mentions and no top-three slot anywhere.
- The tail churned hard this run.
- Seven brands left the set, among them Ghost, Thorne and Garden of Life.
- Six entered, every one of them at a single mention.
- Legion took the sharpest fall among returning brands, from 4 mentions to 1.
Recurring themes in the answers
- Third-party testing has become the dominant credential in this category.
Inspect the captured answers
Saved response text is model output. Product and health claims are unverified. Tables and cards may be transcribed as text; source labels can remain. Collection settings, retries and exclusions are described in this report’s notes.
ChatGPT · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 31-year-old woman in the USA who strength trains 4 times a week and works a full-time desk job, looking for the best protein powder. What would you recommend?
For your use case, I'd prioritize a whey protein isolate or isolate-heavy blend, with about 20 - 30 g protein per serving, a short ingredient list, and ideally third-party sport certification. Whey is a complete, leucine-rich protein and is especially practical for helping you consistently hit your daily protein target around strength training. My top picks would be: - **Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey** - best all-around choice. It provides 24 g protein per scoop, with whey isolate as the main protein source, and specific flavors are listed in NSF Certified for Sport's database. It's easy to find, mixes well, and is a good balance of quality and price. [NSF Sport +1] - **Momentous Whey Protein Isolate** - best if you want a more premium, minimalist option. Its NSF-listed chocolate isolate provides 20 g protein for 90 calories and is Certified for Sport. [NSF Sport] - **Dymatize ISO100** - a strong choice if regular whey leaves you bloated. It uses hydrolyzed whey isolate, provides 25 g protein and 2.6 g leucine per serving, and is formulated with very little lactose, fat, and sugar. [Dymatize] - **Whole Foods Market Whey Protein Isolate** - a nice simple-value option, especially unflavored. The NSF-listed version has 25 g protein for 110 calories. [NSF Sport] For strength training, the powder itself matters less than your total daily protein intake. A useful target for someone lifting regularly is roughly 1.6 g protein per kg of body weight per day, with higher intakes sometimes useful depending on goals and calorie intake. A shake with roughly 25 - 30 g protein is a convenient way to fill whatever gap remains after meals; you don't need to drink it immediately after lifting. A couple of practical filters: choose isolate if you're lactose-sensitive or want fewer calories/carbs, a whey blend if cost and taste matter more, and a plant blend using pea + rice or another complete amino-acid profile if you avoid dairy. Avoid paying extra for "women's protein" branding - there's generally no special protein formulation women need. One important note: the connected health profile available to me contains demographic information that conflicts with what you just told me, so I did not use those demographics to make this recommendation. If you want one simple answer: I'd start with Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey for value and convenience, or Momentous Whey Isolate if third-party certification and a cleaner premium formula are worth paying more for. [NSF Sport +1]
Frequently Asked Questions