Transparent Labs: Creatine HMB (Review)

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If you’re serious about building muscle or improving your body composition, it’s possible that you have come across the ingredients creatine and HMB in your supplement research. 

Both ingredients independently have impressive science behind them, but finding a product that tastes good, combines clinical doses, high-quality ingredients, and is third- party tested is another story. 

Transparent Labs Creatine HMB caught my attention for checking all of those boxes. I have used both creatine and HMB independently for years, so finding a product that blended both (while maintaining Transparent Labs’ reputation for clean, third-party tested supplements) was something I had to try. 

In this review, I’ll break down what’s in it, how it performed in my training routine, and whether it’s worth the premium price tag. Spoiler alert: this is a supplement I’ll continue using in my own regimen.

Key Takeaways

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• Transparent Labs Creatine HMB delivers 5g of creatine monohydrate and 1.5g of patented myHMB® to support strength, recovery, and lean muscle growth.

• HMB is hard to flavor well, but Transparent Labs offers 13 naturally flavored options making it one of the most palatable HMB supplements that I have tried.

• Though pricier than buying creatine and HMB separately, you’re paying for flavor, convenience, publicly disclosed third-party testing, and high quality patented ingredients which justifies the cost.

Overview of Transparent Labs Creatine HMB

Transparent Labs is already established as one of the top supplement companies due to their commitment to quality and transparency (as their name implies). 

They create high quality, third-party tested ingredients without the use of any artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. 

The Creatine HMB powder offered by Transparent Labs is no exception. 

First, the product contains a clinical dose of 5g of creatine monohydrate, one of the most thoroughly researched ingredients for increasing strength and supporting athletic performance. 

Secondly, Transparent Labs uses a patented form of an ingredient called HMB. HMB is a metabolite of the amino acid leucine, and plays a significant role in reducing muscle breakdown. Transparent Labs uses an ingredient called myHMB®, which has research showing it is effective for increasing muscle mass and improving body composition. 

Transparent Labs has also added BioPerine®, or black pepper extract, which can increase the absorption of the key ingredients found in their product. (I’ll elaborate more on that below). 

HMB is notoriously foul tasting. On its own, HMB tastes sour, bitter, and almost chemically. Transparent Labs Creatine HMB is available in 13 different flavor varieties (all naturally flavored) which makes it likely that you will be able to find at least one flavor that you enjoy. 

My Results & Experience

I’ve been using creatine on and off for nearly two decades, so I wasn’t expecting dramatic strength changes just from switching brands. But for someone new to creatine, you’d likely notice strength gains within 4–6 weeks, better recovery between sets, and fuller muscles thanks to the extra water creatine stores inside your muscle cells.

During my 30-day trial of Transparent Labs Creatine HMB, I replaced my usual plain creatine with one scoop daily. On workout days, I took it post-workout; on rest days, usually in the morning. I also made sure to stay hydrated (~2.2L of water daily) to avoid any side effects.

My personal goal was cutting body fat while holding onto lean mass. Over the month, my weight barely changed (down about 1.8 lbs), but I lost almost 2 inches around my waist and my clothes fit noticeably better. 

Strength held steady. I went from 12 to 15 strict pushups, and performance improved in a big way. My 5K stroller run dropped from 41:51 to 38:15, an 8.6% improvement. 

The biggest difference was that I no longer needed rest breaks, even on hills, because my upper body and legs could handle the load more efficiently.

Taste-wise, this was a big step up from other creatine + HMB powders I’ve tried, and the convenience of one scoop a day beats mixing powders or swallowing capsules.

Ingredients

Creatine Monohydrate

Transparent Labs Creatine HMB contains 5g of creatine monohydrate per serving. 

Creatine is a compound that plays an important part during one of the key energy systems that the body uses for high intensity, short duration activities like weight lifting and sprinting. 

By supplementing with creatine monohydrate, you increase the concentration of creatine stored in your body. This means you have more potential energy stored and available, which leads to increases in strength and athletic performance. 

While there are decades of research proving that creatine is effective for increasing strength and muscle mass, newer research in the last several years is also showing it effective for increasing cognitive performance and supporting mental health. 

Creatine monohydrate is one of the most thoroughly studied sports supplements and its safety and effectiveness has been well documented. 

Creatine monohydrate should be taken daily over a long term period (at least 4 weeks) before you really start to see its full benefit. A typical long-term dose of creatine is 0.03g per kg of body weight daily. This works out to be 2.5g of creatine for a 180lb individual. 

That being said, it is widely accepted that a dose of 5g of creatine monohydrate daily is safe and effective for the benefits mentioned above. 

HMB (Beta-Hydroxy Beta-Methylbutyrate)

HMB is a compound that the body produces naturally when it breaks down the amino acid, leucine. 

Supplementing with HMB helps reduce muscle breakdown, which makes it a great supplement to take if you’re currently eating in a calorie deficit and want to preserve as much of your muscle mass as possible. 

Additional research shows that HMB has the potential to increase muscle mass, especially when paired with resistance training. These effects are amplified even more when HMB is paired with creatine. 

The combination of HMB and Creatine Monohydrate has shown to be more effective in increasing athletic performance and improving body composition than either supplement taken individually.

Some studies have used daily doses of HMB as low as 1g daily, but the vast majority of studies that showed HMB to be effective have used a dose of 3g of HMB daily. 

BioPerine® 

BioPerine is the patented name for Piperine, or black pepper extract. 

BioPerine has been shown to increase nutrient absorption by up to 30%. It is added to this product to help with the absorption of the other ingredients. 

A typical dose of BioPerine is between 5mg and 10mg daily.

Citric Acid

Citric acid is an organic acid found naturally in citrus fruits like oranges and lemons. 

In supplements and food products, it can function as a preservative or a way of adding flavor (especially tartness). 

Citric acid can also help powders dissolve better in water, and may contribute to better taste, mixability, and shelf life of Transparent Labs’ Creatine HMB. 

Malic Acid

Malic acid is very similar in function to citric acid. The only significant difference between the two is that malic acid comes from fruits like apples, pears, and grapes. 

Highlights: What I Liked

The use of high quality and all-natural ingredients

Transparent Labs remains committed to quality by using patented and well-researched ingredients. This provides a level of reassurance that your supplement will actually deliver on its advertised benefits. 

Transparent Labs also avoids the use of artificial flavors, colors, and sweeteners in their products. 

HMB on its own notoriously does not taste good, so it’s impressive that Transparent Labs has a good tasting product while using natural sweeteners. 

A great formula for supporting physical health and body composition

Both creatine and HMB on their own have solid research backing them for boosting performance and improving body composition.

When paired together, the research is clear that these benefits are amplified even more. 

Creatine HMB is a science-backed formula to boost your athletic performance, strength, and lean muscle mass.

Reasonably Priced

Creatine monohydrate on its own isn’t expensive and can be purchased in bulk for as little as 5 cents per serving, but the smaller sized containers available at most retailers cost around $0.20 per 5g serving. 

Since MyHMB® is a patented and high quality form of HMB, it is slightly more expensive than plain HMB. A 1.5g dose of myHMB is available for around $0.70 per serving.

Transparent Labs Creatine HMB combo costs between $1.50 and $1.66 per serving. 

While this is a fair bit more expensive per serving than buying the two products independently, Transparent Labs offers the convenience of having both products pre-mixed, and each batch is third-party tested with the test results publicly available. 

When we consider the use of high quality, third-party tested ingredients plus the fact that the product is available in 13 different naturally sweetened flavor varieties and contains additional ingredients like BioPerine® to boost the absorption and effectiveness of the product, Transparent Labs’ CreatineHMB comes out at a very fair price. 

Drawbacks: What I Didn’t Like

I wish there was a higher dose of HMB per serving.

Virtually every article that I found pertaining to HMB and athletic performance used a dose of 3g daily over the long term. 

Even the website for the patented form of HMB used in Transparent Labs’ formula indicates a dose of at least 2.5g daily. 

Transparent Labs’ Creatine HMB only has 1.5g of myHMB® per serving, falling short of clinical dosing standards. 

While this product still definitely delivers in increasing strength and supporting increasing lean muscle mass, this dosage falls short.

When I compared this to other brands who use MyHMB®, like ATP Labs MyoPrime, they also only use 1.5g of MyHMB®. It’s possible that these brands have access to research or intel that I don’t, which is what has encouraged them to use the lower dose. 

Key Criteria: How Does It Stack Up?

Nutrition Label Transparency

Our rating: 5/5

Transparent Labs is always committed to transparency, as their brand name implies. The labeling does not use any proprietary blends and you can clearly see the exact dosages of every ingredient used in the product. 

Quality Ingredients

Our rating: 5/5

Transparent Labs uses high quality, science-backed ingredients in their formula. Their use of patented ingredients adds an extra level of reassurance about the quality, safety, and effectiveness of their products. 

Creatine monohydrate is one of the most studied sports supplements available with a proven track record of safety and effectiveness. 

In order for products to get a patent, they have to have clear, peer-reviewed research showing that the product is safe and effective. Transparent Labs uses a patented form of HMB called myHMB®, so you know  your product is well-researched.  

Clinical Doses

Our rating: 3.5/5

Transparent Labs does use a clinically effective dose of creatine monohydrate in their formula (5g). Unfortunately, their 1.5g dose of myHMB® is half of what is recommended through research and from the HMB manufacturer themselves. 

Most of the research looking at HMB for increasing athletic performance and improving body composition uses a dose of at least 3g daily. With only 1.5g, Transparent Labs falls shy of clinical dose standards for that key ingredient. 

Taste

Our rating: 4/5

I personally tried the Hawaiian Splash flavor of Creatine HMB. It was more sour than I expected, but with 13 different flavor varieties it is very likely that you will find a flavor that you enjoy. 

Both creatine and HMB don’t have a very pleasant taste on their own. HMB specifically has a very bitter taste. As such, it can be difficult to mask these unpleasant flavors. 

The use of citric acid and malic acid add a level of tartness or sourness that can help cover up the naturally bitter flavors. 

When mixed with the recommended 250ml of water, I found the taste way too sour for my liking. I diluted with a bit of extra water, though, and was able to enjoy the fruity flavors much more. 

Mixability

Our rating: 4.5/5

Transparent Labs Creatine HMB dissolved almost entirely with very little sediment resting on the bottom. 

It is common for creatine supplements to have a little bit of undissolved powder left at the bottom of the cup. 

I find this is easily mitigated by gently swirling your cup before each sip to redistribute the undissolved bits. 

Cost

Our rating: 3.5/5

Transparent Labs Creatine HMB is available for between $1.50 and $1.66 per serving. This is more expensive than buying each ingredient individually, but the cost is justified when you consider key features of the blended product. 

While the cost per serving is more expensive than if you were to buy each product unflavored on their own, there’s something to be said about having a product that has been flavored and combined for convenience. 

With Transparent Labs, you also get the added security of a product that uses high quality ingredients and has publicly disclosed testing results. 

These security and quality measures help to justify the slightly higher cost of Transparent labs Creatine HMB. 

Who is Transparent Labs Creatine HMB For?

Transparent Labs Creatine HMB is an excellent option for: 

• Anybody looking to increase their strength

• Those in a calorie surplus or bulking phase who want to increase muscle mass

• Individuals in a calorie deficit or cutting phase who want to retain as much of their lean mass as possible

• Individuals recovering from injury/surgery/illness or who cannot be as active as they would like to be and want to prevent muscle breakdown

Who Should NOT Take Transparent Labs Mass Gainers?

You should pass on Transparent Labs Creatine HMB if:

• You have a liver or kidney disorder (unless under the guidance of a medical professional)

• You are pregnant or breastfeeding (due to a lack of research on these populations)

Customer Reviews

On the Transparent Labs website, Creatine HMB has a nearly perfect score at 4.75/5 based on more than 2900 reviews. This is a great sample size, but is likely a bit biased since individuals who shop directly from a company’s website are more likely to already be fans of the company or product compared to those who shop from third-party retailers. 

The negative reviews mostly pertained to customers not liking the taste of the product, or having issues with the tubs arriving damaged. 

There are several customers who note that the flavors are quite sour, which is something that I addressed above. Raw HMB powder has a taste described as sour, bitter, and chemically. 

I have tried other Creatine HMB combo products that taste nowhere near as good as the Transparent Labs one does, but there is only so much a company can do when they use natural flavors and sweeteners. 

On Amazon.com, Transparent Labs Creatine HMB has a 4.4 out of 5 star rating with 1455 reviews. 

Of these reviews, 76% were 5 star ratings and 10% were 4 stars. Only 14% of all reviews rated this product as 3 stars or less. 

The negative reviews on Amazon.com were much the same as those on the Transparent Labs website. Individuals were dissatisfied with the flavor or had issues with shipping/delivery. 

On the positive side, customers praise the great quality of Transparent Labs Creatine HMB and there are a lot of positive reviews about how effective it was for increasing strength and muscle mass. 

A few individuals reported some bloating or stomach discomfort from taking this product, but that’s an issue with any kind of creatine monohydrate and isn’t necessarily indicative of anything wrong with the Transparent Labs product, specifically. 

Where To Buy

Your best bet for purchasing Transparent Labs Creatine HMB is to go directly from the Transparent Labs website where you can take advantage of their subscribe and save feature and are more likely to find sales and promotions. 

You can also find Transparent Labs Creatine HMB at online retailers like Amazon and The Vitamin Shoppe. These other retailers, however, don’t have the full line up of flavours available. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Where Is Transparent Labs Creatine HMB Made?

Transparent Labs Creatine HMB is made in the United States. 

What Is Transparent Lab’s Shipping Policy?

As per their website, any orders placed Sunday through Thursday are shipped on the following business day. All orders placed Friday through Saturday ship on the following Monday. 

Standard shipping is the default method, at 5-7 business days for Domestic orders and 14-21 business days for International orders. 

There is free shipping within the USA on orders over $99. 

What Is Transparent Lab’s Return Policy?

If you are unsatisfied with your product, Transparent Labs offers a full refund or store credit for the item’s value within 45 days of delivery. This applies to products purchased directly from Transparent Labs and may not apply to third party retailers. 

You can reach out to the support team at support@transparentlabs.com to initiate your refund or store credit. 

Is Transparent Labs Creatine HMB Gluten Free?

Yes, Transparent Labs Creatine HMB is gluten free. 

Are there any side effects?

I did not personally experience any negative side effects from Transparent Labs Creatine HMB. Some individuals report digestive upset or light nausea when taking creatine monohydrate. It is important to stay adequately hydrated throughout the day while taking a creatine supplement to avoid any potential negative side effects.

How To Contact Transparent Labs?

You can contact Transparent Labs by email at support@transparentlabs.com or by phone at 1-866-324-9557. You can also reach out via the virtual chat line on their website.

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