I Tried Every Transparent Labs Supplement: Here’s My Rankings

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If you’ve seen any of my reviews, then it will be no surprise to you that I have come to love Transparent Labs for their quality products.  

I’ve previously tested all their pre-workouts and protein powders and have talked about them extensively on our YouTube channel.   

But this article seeks to do much more.   

I’ve now bought and tested every product that Transparent Labs sells, from their fat burners to their hydration packs, to their protein bars, which all told is 19 different products.  

And today, I’m doing a tier list ranking of them.  

Despite loving their pre-workout and protein powders, there are definitely some products I disliked and probably wouldn’t recommend for most people.  

In terms of my testing process: 

I tested each product for several weeks to get its full experience, using the products at different times of the day and using the products in different ways. 

I evaluated their effectiveness, as well as criteria like taste, mixability, cost, and whether there is scientific evidence to support the formula and ingredients used.

So, after almost half a year of testing, I bring you the ultimate Transparent Labs Supplements Tier list.

The Tiers

Here’s a quick guide to my five pre-workout tiers, from best to worst.

1. King of Gains– This top tier is reserved for the best of the best. This is the elite tier of products that deliver fantastic results without negative side effects and have earned permanent spots on my shelf. These are products that I am happy to spend money on, and I would happily buy them for others, too!
   
   
2. Supplement Paradise– This tier of products are excellent in virtually every aspect: quality, dosing, taste, and effectiveness. However, some tiny tweaks could be made to optimize these products.  That said, if you find yourself owning one of these products, you can consider your money well spent.
   
   
3. Middle of The Stack – This is your supplement middle ground. These products are reliable and generally do what they are supposed to without negative side effects. They may not rank 5/5 across every category, but they are usually really good in a few key categories. They are dependable products that find a happy middle ground between quality, effectiveness, and value.
   
   
4. Rough Reps – This tier includes good products, but have a few red flags that are keeping them out of the higher tiers. This includes formulas that fall short of adequate dosing for key ingredients or have significant negative side effects (like nausea, stomach upset, or extreme crashes). These are products that I wouldn’t necessarily throw in the garbage, but I wouldn’t want to pay for either.
   
   
5. Hang Up The Scooper – This bottom tier is reserved for the few products I wouldn’t go out of my way to spend money on. They fall short in various categories, or have some characteristics that are so off-putting that it makes it difficult for me to justify recommending them. In some cases, the use for this product might be so specific that it appeals to a very specific niche. 

Note: If you want to use any of these products, it’d be appreciated if you use my affiliate links below.  Not only did this video take almost 6 months to make, there was an incredible cost to producing it.  Using these affiliate links means I can recoup some of the costs and continue to produce videos like it.  There’s no additional cost to you, and it really supports my efforts.   

The Rankings

1. Body Recomp

Tier:  Middle of the Stack*

As far as fat-burning supplements go, there’s a lot that I love about Transparent Labs Body Recomp. 

One of the biggest features for me is that it is a lower-caffeine formula, with 125mg per serving (or a total of 250mg daily). This allows you to safely pair it with other caffeine sources, like coffee or a pre-workout supplement, while staying within a safe daily limit. 

Other comparable fat-burning supplements have upwards of 600mg per daily dose, exceeding the FDA’s recommended safe upper limit of 400mg daily. This also makes for an increased risk of side effects like upset stomach or anxiety.

Three key ingredients in Body Recomp are patented ingredients, which adds an extra level of reassurance that the products have been proven effective in clinical trials. 

The combination of Green Tea Leaf Extract, Natural Caffeine, and Theanine provides a nice, clean energy with no jitteriness or anxiety, at least, that was my experience when I tried it. 

The other key ingredient is a patented one called ForsLean®, which has been shown in several clinical trials to be safe and effective for reducing fat mass.

I had good results when taking Body Recomp – I lost 3.5 pounds of fat mass in 3 weeks and felt like I had fewer cravings and a reduced overall appetite. I also ramped up my training and nutrition alongside the supplement, though. 

When paired with diet and exercise, Body Recomp makes a great addition to support fat loss goals. But my reason for placing it in the middle of the road is exactly that – it’s dependent on your goals. 

In a targeted fat loss phase, Body Comp may rank higher on this list. If you are in a muscle or strength-building phase, however, then Growth or Build will take over the higher spots (which I’ll explain later). 

2. Cyclic Dextrin

Tier:  Rough Reps

Cyclic Dextrin™, also known as cluster dextrin, is a unique carbohydrate from corn starch. 

The big feature of cyclic dextrin is that its unique composition makes it easier to digest than other forms of carbohydrates. This allows you to fuel your performance and recovery without the risk of negative gastrointestinal side effects. 

There’s a lot of positive research showing how Cyclic Dextrin can improve endurance, athletic performance, and recovery, and it’s no surprise that Transparent Labs has chosen a high-quality, patented form for their product.

The reason Cluster Dextrin falls into the Rough Reps category is because of its narrower niche. 

It’s not until we get into the more elite category of athletes that quick-acting carbohydrate supplements become more important. Most of the research around cyclic dextrin has been focused on high-performance endurance athletes like swimmers and cyclists.

That’s not to say that everyone can’t benefit from a high-quality carb supplement, but the majority of the population can easily meet their energy and recovery needs by having a higher-carb post-workout snack or meal.

Fortunately for me, I began testing this product while I was ramping up my half-marathon training, and my running duration was starting to stretch out to be around an hour at a time. 

I tried two different ways: by taking this about fifteen minutes before my run like a pre-workout supplement or having it mixed with Transparent Labs Intra while I was running. 

I had really great sustained energy with both strategies and zero stomach discomfort. I also had a lower RPE while running, meaning that I felt like I had to work less hard than usual to maintain the same speed. 

This isn’t a product I’d use every day and it’s probably not required if you are not training competitively or never train for longer than an hour or so at a time. 

As a personal note: I love carb supplements like these for youth athletes. It gives them a better performance boost than most pre-workout supplements, and it keeps them away from stimulants. 

The powder is unflavored and doesn’t have a significant taste. It also dissolves completely to the point of being transparent, which makes it easy to add to any pre-workout or intra-workout routine you already have. 

3. Growth

Tier:  Middle of the Stack

Growth was a product that was brand new to me as both an athlete and a coach, having been unaware of Mediator® prior to trying this. 

Mediator® is a patented form of a molecule called phosphatidic acid. Phosphatidic Acid plays a key role in protein synthesis and muscle growth, with Mediator® specifically being scientifically proven to increase strength, muscle mass, and fat loss when paired with resistance training.  

Transparent Labs Growth is unflavored (though not tasteless), and the scoop is quite smal,l so I added it into my pre-workout on training days or my greens on non-training days and didn’t really notice it.

I thought I was being strategic, testing a product for muscle growth during December when my calorie intake was bound to be higher than normal with the holiday season. Unfortunately, my training frequency and intensity took a bit of a hit and I was much less consistent than I would have hoped. Even still, I noticed that from the start to the end of the month, I had maintained all of my former strength, and my muscle mass hadn’t taken a significant hit (as per my at-home body fat analyzer, which can’t be totally trusted as a reliable source). 

The other thing, unfortunately, is that fat loss supplements can usually be assessed more quickly than muscle growth supplements. It’s perfectly reasonable to lose around 1lb or more per week, but you would be hard pressed to gain one pound of muscle mass in one month’s time. 

As such, it can be harder to gauge just how effective muscle growth supplements are. 

Before trying this supplement, I considered Creatine and HMB to be the “Holy Grail” of muscle-building supplements, but I am really looking forward to taking Growth for a few more months with a more dialed-in training and nutrition program to see just how significant of an impact this can really have.   

Worth noting: Growth is technically unflavored, but it is FAR from tasteless. I was able to disguise the taste when mixing it with things like the Greens or protein, which have a stronger taste. This is definitely a product you are going to want to mix with something else.

For now, it sits firmly in the middle of the stack. I’d try it if your training is super consistent, your nutrition is already dialed, and you have muscle-building goals.  But wiithout these other variables perfect, Growth won’t be worthwhile. 

4. Post

Tier:  Middle of the Stack

The more I tried Transparent Labs Post, and learned about the patented ingredients, the more it grew on me. 

Six out of the seven key ingredients in Post are patented or trademarked. This is significant because in order for a company to get a patent, they have to have high quality research proving that it actually provides the benefits that it claims to. Having a product packed full of these ingredients to support recovery, strength, and protein synthesis means this product is a powerhouse that delivers on its promises.

That being said – I still think that for the general population, if you focus on adequate hydration and protein intake, you will get more than enough to help fuel recovery and muscle growth. For individuals who are just starting on their journeys, who exercise at a low to moderate intensity, or are just training to improve general health and fitness, a product like Post probably isn’t necessary. 

For athletes wanting to take their recovery, performance, and body composition goals to the next level, though, Transparent Labs Post is a great addition. 

I had the Black Cherry flavor, which was good but very strong tasting. Transparent Labs recommends mixing the product with 16-20oz of water after your workout which is too much for me, personally. Especially if I also want to have a protein shake or post-workout snack. I felt like this was too much volume. 

The other thing I struggle with is that Post has a clinical dose of beta-alanine in it. Beta-alanine is an amazing supplement and incredible for performance and recovery, but it’s the ingredient in pre-workout that gives you tingles. I don’t love this feeling, and I definitely don’t like it AFTER my workout. That’s my personal bias, though. 

To Post’s credit, I felt like my muscle soreness was greatly reduced when I used Post consistently. I also had much better recovery between workouts, which allowed me to train full body or similar muscle groups on back-to-back days. 

5. Intra

Tier:  Middle of the Stack

Intra is a blend of amino acids, including your 9 essential amino acids. Also in the formula is coconut water powder and two patented ingredients called elevATP® and Astragin™.  These amino acids and electrolytes help fuel athletic performance and recovery, and the addition of the two patented ingredients supports athletic endurance and stamina. 

Intra became a regular part of my training regimen, especially once my training runs started stretching beyond 5km. The patented ingredient, elevATP ® is a stamina and endurance powerhouse, and I found that when drinking Intra, I was able to push through the “wall” that I would hit around the 30-minute mark of my run. 

At first, I found the taste a bit bitter (I had the strawberry lemonade flavor), but I grew to really enjoy the flavor, especially when mixed with ice water (the colder, the better). 

Intra uses almost exclusively patented/trademarked ingredients, which adds a level of certainty that the product is effective since supplement companies are required to use the same doses of patented ingredients that have been used in research.

Intra does a lot that’s really great and to be honest, there isn’t really anything to dislike about the product. I’ve thrown it in the middle of the stack, but that’s because I gave elevated status to the pre-workout Bulk and the electrolyte formula, Hydrate. If you are already taking a pre-workout and an electrolyte, then Intra might not provide significant additional benefit. 

That being said, if you are looking for a way to increase your performance without using pre-workout, then Intra is a great way to naturally boost muscle energy and performance. 

Furthermore, if you are looking to increase muscle mass and reduce fat mass, then this low-calorie formula with amino acids and betaine can be a worthwhile addition to your training plan.

6. Creatine + HMB

Tier:  King of Gains

My personal bias might be showing a bit here, but I consider a Creatine + HMB combo to be the holy grail of supplements. 

Creatine is one of the most widely researched sport supplements and is proven to be beneficial for increasing strength and muscle mass, and is now being studied in the realm of mental health, cognitive function, and bone mineral density. 

HMB has been widely studied and is shown to have a positive effect on strength and muscle mass, especially when paired with resistance training. These effects are further amplified when HMB is paired with creatine monohydrate. HMB is also particularly effective if your protein intake falls below ideal levels. 

Now, HMB doesn’t taste good. It’s extremely bitter (to me, at least) and while the Creatine HMB combo from Transparent Labs is flavored, the bitterness definitely still shines through. For what it’s worth, I have used a Creatine HMB combo from a different company and the taste issues persist, so it’s not exclusive to Transparent Labs. 

Because of the extensive research around it, creatine monohydrate will always be in the King of Gains category for me. Transparent Labs pairs theirs with HMB to really help you take your strength and muscle gains to the next level, and have also added ingredients like malic acid and Bioperine® to increase the absorption of these ingredients.  

I love this product. I tolerate the taste. I think literally every single person can benefit from taking this product. It tops the King of Gains category, easy. 

7. Hydrate

Tier:  Supplement Paradise

Hydrate is an electrolyte blend featuring patented forms of calcium and magnesium as well as iron, sodium, and potassium. Hydrate also has a clinical dose of taurine and some added coconut water and SenActiv®. This combines to make a stimulant-free performance and recovery enhancer.

Maybe it was because I was testing this product in the months leading up to Christmas, but I loved the orange cranberry flavor. Workout electrolyte supplements became a very saturated market in 2024, so it was nice to have a flavor option that was different than traditional fruit punch and blue raspberry varieties. 

Even though I had other intra-workout options available, I always found myself reaching for a scoop of Hydrate to sip on during my training. It was very refreshing and I had noticeably good recovery when taking this product. (A quick note though,I often took Hydrate and Intra together on the same day, and they no doubt worked together to support recovery). 

I think that Hydrate is a great option for everyone to add to their day-to-day routine, which is why it ranks so highly on this list. There are no cons to taking this product, and the great taste encouraged me to drink more water throughout the day whether I was training or not. The extra water intake paired with almost a gram of minerals, makes this a fantastic daily staple. 

8. Collagen

Tier:  Hang Up The Scoop

Collagen supplements are promoted a lot online for being a fountain of youth supplement that can improve the appearance health of your hair, skin, and nails and help repair the connective tissues in your joints. 

Collagen has been shown to alleviate osteoarthritis pain and can have aesthetic benefits like improving skin hydration and elasticity and reducing the signs of aging. A lot of the benefits of collagen supplements are inflated and overstated, however, and there remains a lot of research to be done to completely validate these claims. 

I am not here to tell you that your collagen supplement does or doesn’t work or that your experience with collagen is invalid. I am just being honest that there isn’t a lot of research proving its effectiveness, especially when we compare it to other supplements like creatine monohydrate. 

In fact, a lot of the benefits that collagen provides could be achieved by focusing on things like adequate hydration and increasing your total protein intake. 

If you swear by your collagen supplement (no judgement – I have a lot of friends and family members who do!) then Transparent Labs provides a good tasting, good mixing, high-quality option. 

I have tried many collagen powders in the past myself, and I will say that this is the best dissolving collagen powder I have ever used. It dissolved almost entirely in my coffee without any stirring. With a few swirls of my spoon, it was gone completely. When mixed with just water, it mixes up so entirely that it becomes translucent. 

For the reasons I just mentioned, though, save your money here and hang up the scoop. 

9. Nitric Oxide

Tier:  Rough Reps

I know I am the minority here because nitric oxide boosters are massively popular both online and among my supplement store customers. But they’re just not for me. 

Now, I say this personally as someone who doesn’t notice a significant aesthetic pump with these products. I always get better muscle pumps when I focus on hydration and adequate carb intake. But again, I am not necessarily representing the majority. 

I tried pairing Nitric Oxide with the various other Transparent Labs pre-workouts and didn’t notice any more muscle pump when I took Nitric Oxide compared to when I didn’t. 

I will say that now that my half marathon training runs are getting longer and I got a new Apple watch, so I’d like to try taking Nitric Oxide on its own to see if it has an impact on my heart rate during my runs and if it affects how quickly my heart rate returns to normal after my run. 

If you enjoy taking nitric oxide boosters and love to get great muscle pumps for your workouts, then Nitric Oxide will likely score much higher on the chart here for you. 

What I like about Transparent Labs Nitric Oxide is that it is in capsule form, making it easy to integrate into your supplement regimen. By that I mean, you don’t have to worry about flavor matching it with your other pre-workout supplements, and you don’t have to drink a ton of water to take them. 

I have dropped Nitric Oxide down to the Rough Reps category because I think that if you want to take a nitric oxide product for boosting athletic performance and muscle growth, you’d be better served by taking Transparent Labs Pump Pre-Workout. 

If you are looking for a product to support cardiovascular health and improve recovery, then Nitric Oxide might be a better option since the addition of glutathione and pine bark extract provide antioxidants and low blood pressure, respectively. 

10. Prebiotic Greens

Tier:  Middle of the Stack

As a supplement store manager, people are often surprised to hear me say that none of my products are necessary. The reality is that you CAN technically get all of your dietary and performance requirements from your diet if your nutrition is 100% on point. 

The other reality is that almost nobody’s nutrition is 100% on point. Very few of us are actually hitting all of our daily vitamin and mineral intake requirements, which makes products like these greens very valuable. 

For what it’s worth, the Transparent Labs Greens are fantastic quality and have an especially high content of sea greens like spirulina and chlorella. They’re very nutrient-rich, but also have a very distinct taste that is hard to mask, and despite Transparent Labs’ efforts, unfortunately, the sea green taste comes through very strong. 

It also doesn’t dissolve entirely, and I felt like it left a light residue in my mouth. I have had far more disgusting green products in my career, though, and I did grow accustomed to the taste and texture after a few weeks.

The addition of prebiotic fiber means this product helps digestion and can have anti-inflammatory and immunity-boosting properties. I did feel generally well with taking it and I can’t recall having any incidences of bloating or indigestion, though this isn’t necessarily the type of product where you take it and immediately notice its effects, like a pre-workout. 

I place it firmly in the middle of the rankings because I like the high-quality ingredients and formula, but a greens product, in general, might not be one that’s necessary, especially if you eat a nutrient-dense diet or take a high-quality multivitamin. 

11. 100% Pea Protein

Tier:  Hang Up The Scoop

Since I don’t have a significant dairy allergy or lactose intolerance, I usually opt for whey protein powders for their improved bioavailability, taste, texture, and flavor variety. 

However, as a supplement store manager, I have tested dozens of vegan protein powders over the past decade. 

The Pea protein offered by Transparent Labs tastes great and has one of the smoothest textures of any vegan powders that I have tried. I tried the chocolate flavor and felt like it provided a really rich, chocolatey taste without being too sweet.

Animal-based proteins, like whey, have greater bioavailability than plant proteins. That is to say, animal protein can be absorbed and used more effectively by the body. 

A big reason that whey protein usually gets recommended over plant-based proteins is that whey protein contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein, whereas some plant-based proteins do not. 

Fortunately, pea protein is one plant source that does contain all nine essential amino acids and can, therefor,e also be regarded as a complete protein. 

So, if you follow a plant-based diet or have a dairy allergy, the Pea Protein by Transparent Labs is a great tasting, high-quality option. 

For everyone else, I still suggest opting for the 100% Grass-Fed Whey for the higher absorption of amino acids and more variety. 

12. Build

Tier:  Supplement Paradise

You might notice that Transparent Labs has several products that are very similar and purported to have similar benefits. 

Build, Growth, Post, and Intra have similar ingredients and claim to support recovery and increasing muscle mass. 

Out of all of the formulas that Transparent Labs has, I think that Build has my favorite all around formula. Four out of Five ingredients are patented, with this formula having two of my favorite supplements.

PeakO2™ and elevATP®. PeakO2™  is a blend of mushrooms that helps your muscles use oxygen more efficiently, causing an overall boost to recovery and reducing lactate buildup so you can train harder for longer. 

ElevATP®, which we’ve touched on already, increases the body’s energy production and boosts overall athletic performance. 

Aside from Creatine HMB, which you know has my top-tier spot, Build is a close second in the muscle-building category. 

Build also has the advantage of being a 60-serving container costing only 83 cents per serving. The other products mentioned above cost between $1.50 and $2.00 per serving, making build a phenomenal value. 

13. 100% Grass-Fed Whey

Tier:  King of Gains

It’s impossible to please everyone, but when it comes to whey protein, Transparent Labs is as close as it gets. 

I’ve mentioned a few times that while a lot of these more exciting muscle-building supplements can be fun to experiment with and can definitely support athletic performance and muscle hypertrophy, experts agree that the most important aspect to building muscle and recovering from your workouts is adequate protein intake. 

In my experience as a personal trainer and supplement store manager, the vast majority of the population is not hitting their optimal protein intake, so a high-quality whey protein powder should be the number one product on anyone’s supplement list. 

Transparent Labs offers a high-quality, grass-fed whey isolate protein powder that is available in 14 different flavor varieties, which makes it likely that you will find a flavor that suits your taste preferences. 

(If you’re having trouble deciding a flavor, I have tested all of the flavors of Transparent Labs Whey and detailed my full experience here).

Transparent Labs Whey mixes well, tastes good, and follows suit with all Transparent Labs products for being third-party tested with no artificial flavors or colors. 

The only instance where I don’t think the Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Whey is suitable for someone is if they have a dairy allergy or follow a vegan diet (in which case, the Transparent Labs Pea Protein is the best option). 

14. Bulk

Tier: King of Gains

For me, Transparent Labs Bulk checks every single box when it comes to choosing a high-quality pre-workout. It has high-quality ingredients, no artificial flavors or colors, a reasonable amount of caffeine, and clinical doses for the key performance-enhancing ingredients. 

Bulk is reasonably priced at $1.66 per serving (similar pre-workouts cost up to $3.00 per serving) and is third-party tested and informed choice certified, the latter of which makes this pre-workout suitable for elite/drug-tested athletes.

Bulk is currently available in 9 different flavors,, making it likely that you will find at least one or two flavors you really like (my personal favorites are sour grape and strawberry lemonade). 

Transparent Labs does have other pre-workouts, like Stim-Free, Bulk Black, and Lean. The reason that Bulk takes my top spot in King of Gains is because the 200mg of caffeine is enough to provide a good energy boost, but not so much that it will affect your sleep cause jitteriness and anxiety. 

If you are extremely sensitive to caffeine, then you can substitute this pre-workout for Stim-Free, which has a virtually identical formula but has just foregone the caffeine and stimulants. 

Bulk has earned a permanent spot on my supplement shelf because I find it consistently gives me good boosts to strength and stamina, especially for my resistance training workouts. 

Take a deep dive into my full experience with Transparent Labs Bulk here. 

15. Bulk Black

Tier:  Middle of the Stack

When you compare the labels of Transparent Labs Bulk to Bulk Black, they are virtually identical. So what drops Bulk Black down multiple levels on my tiered rankings? It all comes down to versatility. 

Bulk Black contains 450mg of total stimulants with 350mg of caffeine, about double the amount of caffeine and stimulants found in the traditional bulk formula. This high amount is likely to have a negative impact on sleep quality. I would call this formula unsuitable for anyone who works out in the evenings. 

I personally did not experience negative side effects like jitteriness, anxiety, upset stomach, or a crash when using this pre-workout but the high amount of stimulants does increase the likelihood of all of these if you’re not as caffeine adapted as I am. 

Bulk Black is slightly more expensive than the other pre-workouts on this list, costing $1.83 per serving compared to $1.66. Bulk Black does have higher doses of certain ingredients though, which is what contributes to that increased cost. 

Other pre-workouts that have similar doses to Bulk Black cost $2.25 to $3.00 per serving, which still makes Bulk Black a great value for people who like high-stim formulas. 

To its credit, Bulk Black features clinically effective doses, high-quality ingredients and testing standards, and no artificial flavors or sweeteners. 

If you consider yourself a stim-junking and are looking for the highest-dosed products, then Bulk Black might take the top spot for you over Bulk, but I prefer the lower caffeine formula, which allows me to safely have an extra coffee or energy drink throughout my day while staying under the FDA’s recommendation of 400mg of caffeine daily. 

16. Stim-Free

Tier:  King of Gains

Take all of the advantages discussed with Transparent Labs Bulk that I mentioned above, and paste them here. 

Clinical doses, high-quality ingredients, a comprehensive formula which covers all aspects of athletic performance, reasonably priced, and no artificial additives. Check, check, check, check, check. 

The only difference between the two formulas is that the Stim-Free formula has removed the caffeine and nootropic ingredients which boost mental focus and has replaced them with elevATP®. This provides muscle energy and stamina in place of traditional caffeine energy.  

Even without the caffeine, Stim-Free provides good energy, endurance, stamina, strength, muscle pump, and recovery. It’s earned a permanent spot on my supplement shelf and I use Bulk and Stim-Free interchangeably, depending on what time of day I am training. 

If you want a caffeinated pre-workout, then Bulk will take the number one spot. If you work out late in the evening or are particularly sensitive to caffeine, then Transparent Labs Stim-Free can easily substitute in that top spot. 

17. Lean

Tier:  Middle of the Stack

When comparing Lean against other pre-workouts available on the market from different brands, Lean trends near the top because it has several clinically dosed ingredients and Transparent Labs’ high-quality standards.

When we compare Lean against the Transparent Labs pre-workout lineup, however, it falls a bit further down the list. 

Where Bulk, Bulk Black, and Stim-Free are more focused on supporting strength and hypertrophy, Lean bends more towards fat metabolism and endurance. 

Seven out of the 10 ingredients are clinically dosed, but betaine, theanine, and huperzine all fall shy of clinical dose standards. 

I found Lean provided a good energy boost, but it wasn’t the same kind of dialed-in focus that I got from the Bulk pre-workouts. 

I found that when using Lean, I sweat a lot more during my workouts – likely attributed to the presence of L-carnitine and due to the fact that I was able to sustain high intensities for longer. In other words, I could work out harder and sweat more as a result. 

While Bulk and Stim-Free still take the top spot for me, I did enjoy using Lean for my HIIT and cardio-based workouts.

18. Protein Bar

Tier:  Rough Reps

There are two key factors that drop the Transparent Labs Protein bar down near the bottom category. 

The first issue is that this protein bar has a very low total protein percentage. With 15g of protein and 280 calories, the Protein+ bar is only around 21% protein. 

I recently tested six protein bars found at Trader Joe’s, and the lowest protein bar percentages fell between 20 and 25%, but the best bars were closer to 40% protein. 

Now, to Transparent Labs’ credit, the reason that the protein percentage of their bar is lower is because they stay away from using sugar alcohols which can be really hard on the gut, and opt for natural carbs sources like honey, rolled oats, and real peanut butter.

These ingredients increase the nutrient content and make for a higher-quality energy bar, but they also add a significant number of calories. I consider this a 10/10 energy bar that contains protein, but I rank it as a 4/10 protein bar. 

The other reason this bar ranks low comes down to how easy it is to use or integrate daily. 

Greens or protein powder, for example, can be taken daily at a reasonable price. Protein bars are very expensive for the amount of protein they provide. At the cheapest possible option using the discount provided through the Subscribe & Save Feature, the bars still cost $2.99 each ($3.33 otherwise). 

If this becomes a daily indulgence, you can find yourself spending $100 per month on just protein bars. 

19. Pump

Tier:  Middle of the Stack

Transparent Labs Pump is one of the newer additions to the Transparent Labs lineup, offering a great combination of caffeine-free athletic performance and muscle pump. 

If you are trying to decide between the products Nitric Oxide and Pump to boost athletic performance, I give Pump the edge. 

Pump has clinical doses of the key nitric oxide boosting ingredients like citrulline and arginine, but also features the addition of tyrosine, betaine, and glutathione. 

These last three ingredients provide increases to physical and mental performance, improvements in strength and body composition, and can amplify the effects of the other nitric oxide boosters. 

I noticed a much more significant muscle pump with this product than I did with Nitric Oxide, but this could also be because my training when using Pump had more isolation exercises targeting specific muscle groups. 

Pump does have a more significant sour and bitter taste than some of the other pre-workouts, but that’s not unexpected. A lot of pump ingredients naturally taste really sour or bitter and it can be hard to mask them unless you throw a ton of artificial sweeteners into the product, which Transparent Labs purposely doesn’t do. 

I still prefer the effects of Transparent Labs Stim-Free as a caffeine-free pre-workout, but Pump is a close runner-up that can also pair well with the other Transparent Labs pre-workouts like Bulk, Bulk Black, or Lean for those who want to take their muscle pump and performance to the next level. 

Read about my full month testing Transparent Labs Pump here

References

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