Would you drink booze-flavored protein shakes? Fitness brand launches Southern Comfort cocktail powders

Macros on the rocks.

Myprotein, an online sports nutrition brand, has just teamed up with Southern Comfort to launch a pair of protein powders that taste like whiskey cocktails — hold the whiskey.

Not that you couldn’t add whiskey to it — in fact, Arnold Schwarzenegger has admitted to mixing a bit of booze into his own protein drinks.

The collab comes in two flavors: whiskey sour and old fashioned. They have 300 mg of caffeine, 3.2 g Beta Alanine and 6 g L-Citrulline Malate and are priced at $44.99 a package.

“Our existing Origin pre-workout is hugely popular amongst our core consumers, so it is great to be able to elevate the range further with this flavor variation collab with Southern Comfort. It is a perfect overlap as both brands bring an approachable confidence to their respective industries,” Neil Mistry, CEO of THG Nutrition, said in a press release.

So what if you wanted to use it as part of a true old fashioned and pour in some actual whiskey?

Schwarzenegger’s a fan, admitting to Men’s Health that he likes to add tequila or schnapps to his protein shake. His “so yummy” recipe includes almond milk, cherry juice, banana, protein powder and a raw, unpeeled egg — and alcohol.

“I sometimes put in the schnapps, I sometimes put in the tequila, it just gives it a little extra flavor,” he said.

He figures the alcohol might help the protein get into his bloodstream faster, according to Business Insider.

However, a 2014 study suggests that drinking alcohol reduces the body’s ability to create muscle and impairs recovery.

“Consuming alcohol can negatively affect your body’s ability to absorb and utilize protein,” Dr. Arielle Kemps told FeastGood.com. “Alcohol can decrease the secretion of pancreatic enzymes that break proteins down into amino acids, thereby resulting in the inability to effectively absorb protein.

“Additionally, alcohol can reduce absorption by damaging the cells that line your stomach and small intestine. These cells are responsible for the absorption of protein.”

None of that has stopped brands from experimenting with it. In 2022, the beer brand Protochol Beverage debuted a spiked canned protein drink with 11 g of protein and 8% ABV. It comes in three flavors: Pineapple Pump, Swoleberry and Orange County.

That same year, the sports drink brand Pulp Culture released its own spiked protein drink, BUILD by Pulp Culture+, though it no longer appears to be available.