Amy Held

A byproduct of cheesemaking, whey was once considered waste.

Today, by way of concentrated protein, consumers can't get enough.

The U.S.

dairy industry has been scaling up, investing billions to meet protein demand.

But the USDA says whey availability is shrinking.

Some suppliers have already sold out for the year.

Over the past year, whey concentrate prices have spiked almost 90 percent.

And protein's popularity keeps gaining muscle.

This year, U.S.

dietary guidelines were updated to advise higher intake.

And with the rise of GLP-1 weight loss drugs, users are turning to protein to avoid muscle loss.

While many people prefer dairy-based whey, concentrated protein from plant sources like lentil and pea is also going strong.

Amy Held, NPR News.

In emergency appeals filed Saturday, makers of Mifepristone, Danko Laboratories, and GenBioPro are asking the Supreme Court to restore mail order access.

Around a quarter of all abortions in the U.S.

are prescribed via telehealth, and most abortions are from medication.

Friday, a federal appeals court granted a stay requested by Louisiana that affects the entire U.S., ruling the drug can only be distributed in person at clinics.

Thirteen states where abortion is totally banned have no such clinics.

Mifepristone blocks the hormone progesterone needed for a pregnancy to continue.

It's also used in miscarriage care.