Beef prices continue to soar and protein obsessed gym bros and GLP-1 users may be to blame

Blame the beefcakes.America’s beef obsession is colliding with a cattle crisis.US cattle inventory fell to a 75-year low earlier this year, even as demand remains historically high.

Add a war with Iran affecting diesel prices and supply chains disrupting fertilizer and feed costs — the result?Soaring beef prices and draining household budgets.The world’s biggest beef consumers — the US — eat more than 13 million metric tons a year — and now pay nearly 8% more for beef than they did a year ago, according to the U.S.

Bureau of Labor Statistics.You’d think rising beef prices would force consumers to switch to cheaper animal proteins like chicken or turkey.But think again.Even as beef prices climb, two groups remain hungry for their favorite protein — the gym obsessed and GLP-1ers, according to studies co-authored by assistant professor at Arizona State’s Morrison School of Agribusiness, Justin D.

Bina.And both are willing to pay a premium to get their protein fix.Bina’s report revealed fitness-maxxers will spend up to $1.91 more per pound for ribeye steaks from retailers and grocery stores and up to $2.47 more at a restaurant.

He told The Post that the physically active population is a more reliable consumer base, bolstering protein purchases.While Bina didn’t intentionally break the data down by gender, he found that males “were more frequently engaged in strength-based exercise, indicating that they consume protein intentionally to aid in their fitness goals.”Translation — gym bros are behind the demand for beef, which then beefs up the cost.Coach Dre, a 31-year-old natural bodybuilder and fitness coach from Ohio who goes by GainsbyDre online, told The Post that the cost of high-protein foods is an often-overlooked expense in the fitness world, where building muscle can mean spending more on food.Dre himself eats beef four to five times a week, usually opting for a New York strip steak.Even as prices continue to climb, the Cleveland s...