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MYPROTEIN Lean Muscle Bundle Review
This article will summarize what the package includes, how I personally take all of the ingredients, how they stack up in price, what the ingredients are and how they help your goals. This is to help you in your strength development to lift stronger based on my own experience and to help you decide for the right stack to fuel your goals. Always consult your doctor when in doubt about your diet.
What is in the package ?
The MYPROTEIN lean muscle bundle consists of several products out of the MYPROTEIN range
- Impact Whey Protein 2.5kg
- Creatine Monohydrate 250 grams
- BCAA 4:1:1 250 grams
- CLA 180 Softgels
- Alpha Men Supervitamin 120 Tablets
As it comes in a package i personally find it to be at an attractive price for a supplement stack which is designed to help you for at least a month. The packaging of the produce is very handy, as you can reseal the bags and all the spoons come with the several bags which will arrive in your shipment.
For 63.59€ I would have trouble to find a pack from optimum nutrition with the same range of ingredients, as my local stores like Hollands & Barrets and the local protein shop stock whey tubs in the range of 20 - 40€ which already would bring me near to this tag to be able to get the same value.
I will not go into the detail of comparing whether or not the optimum nutrition range is of higher quality for having more of the relevant ingredients per scoop as I firstly want to focus on covering all of the details of this package compared to what you should take in during a day. A comparison of the product will be discussed in a later post specifically, for now just remember that MYPROTEIN is not the only source for these supplements.
What is Whey Protein?
Whey is a by-product that is produced when milk is being curdled and strained especially in the production of casein and cheese. So wherever there is a lof of cheese being produced, there will be a lot of Whey. This leaves me to think, why there are not many bodybuilders who claim international fame from Switzerland. Probably because they prefer the cheese over the whey.
Whey contains lactose, so if you are lactose intolerant it is a product you should avoid. The uses of Whey are several. It can be used as a drink, flour substitute or to produce ricotta. It is also used in the production of Rivella and last, but not least, is popular as a food supplement for bodybuilders, powerlifters and crossfitters.
The Whey Protein mainly consists of Alpha lactalbumin and Beta lactoglubin. Alpha lactalbumin can be found in almost all mammals and Beta lactoglobin builds the major whey protein of cows and sheep milk.
The side effects are negligble as they only include bloating & cramps. Basically anything you would expect if you overeat some certain piece of food.
In a nutshell this means for you that whey itself is a byproduct of a very common process that has been around for centuries as cheese and milk curdling has been around for quite a while without killing people or them having some wierd twitch attack because of whey consumption.
What does whey do for you ?
If you are a type 2 diabetic whey can help you to release more insulin and become healthier. Apart from this studies have shown that whey helps to reduce bodyfat in a significant manner while maintaining muscle tissue and reduce hunger by suppressing ghrelin. Ghrelin is known to be the hunger hormone, so basically the less ghrelin there is in your body, the less hungry you are. It gets even better as whey also seems to reduce your levels of stress.
The effect you might care most about as a reader of my blog is that whey will help you to build muslce mass and be stronger. As it comes fairly cheap and can be easily supplemented into any diet, this is an all around win in my book as it even seems to fight cancer. As my family has a long history of cancer related deaths (including my mother), I'll take that benefit too. For here rest assured that you will need protein to get stronger and whey is a source which will help you to fuel the extra protein intake you need. Please see whey as it is, a supplement, not a replacement, of the proteins you will get through consuming meat or other protein sources as part of a balanced diet.
How much whey do you get in this bundle ?
In this bundle you will get 2.5kg of protein or 2500 grams. One serving is 25g so the bundle provides you with roughly a 100 servings. In the case you are taking this two times a day it will last you for 50 days or roughly two months.
I personally like the fact, that the MYPROTEIN website actually claims that this will last you for a month, while, if taken like prescribed, you are actually closer to two months. That is how you exceed the client's expectations, create good value for money and use good marketing. I appreciate that coming from a sales and marketing background.
Each spoonful gives 21g out of 25g of what you bought, whey protein, according to the manufacturer's label. There are no fillers in this product except the sugars and salt which will give it some taste.
Regarding the reference intake do not sweat it too much that you will be getting 84% of the daily intake against an average adult. If you train hard 4 - 6 times a week, you are not on average adult anymore. Look around in your local gym. How many adults do 100kg squats and deadlifts for repetitions ? Definitely not the average adults.
Still do not overdo it. If you shit bricks and fart like a mule all day, maybe your protein intake is a bit off. There is such a thing as a saturation point for each individual. If you pass it with your daily intake you will waste money out of your wallet and time sitting on the toilet. This saturation point is highly depending on you as an individual. The stronger and bigger you are, the more protein you can take, as a rule of thumb. Also if you change to a higher protein intake do it slowly and let your body get used to the new habits to avoid stomach pain or other side effects.
What is creatine monohydrate ?
Creatine was first discovered in the 1800s by the french scientist Michel Chevreu and is a natural occurring nitrogenaous acid found in the skeletal muscle of vertebrae. Most of it is stored in the skeletal muscle and is made of amino acids L-arginine, glycine, and L-methionine. This process is mainly performed in the kidneys which also leads to controversy around creatine as a supplement in sports.
During the 1970 researchers first discovered that creatine might have benefits for performance and muscle gains and in th 1990 the sports industry took this as a reason to create a product which by now has found its way into the mainstream. Creatine comes in many forms. The most tested and therefore safest option is Creatine monohydrate in powder form.¹ ² ³
As creatine has a wide use amongst professionals, binds water in the muscle and its by-product when processed in the kidneys is creatinine it has been used as a scapegoat for injuries. However when the correct dosage is taken the only side effects seem to bloating, going back to farting like a mule as mentioned before in this article. Also claims that creatine gives you "roid rage" do not hold true under scrutiny. As a side note, there are products out there under that very label. I would be careful to put anything in my body which tries to sell more by playing on a concept that put people into the grave by being murdered and becoming suicidal. I think it is bad taste to name your product in such a way, but that is just me.
Use of creatine is not recommended for minors as the effects on growth especially during puberty have not been studied extensively. I've discussed my thoughts in weight training for teenagers, which usually comes in pack with requests for supplements, separately.
What does creatine do for you ?
Creatine helps to fasten the process and store more ATP in your muscles. ATP is the first and most important source of energy for your muscles to perform. The benefits you will see are increased muscle endurance, power and strength.
Furthermore creatine will bind water in your muscles making them look bigger and fast tracking protein synthesis. It can also buffer lactic acid build up in muscles which means the muscles are less likely to fail. The higher the concentration of lactic acid in your body, the more exhausted you are.
In addition creatine is also used in studies to tread Parkinson's disease and heart diseases.
The research if creatine works for the individual is a mixed bag as some individuals seem to respond to it better than others. So all of the stated benefits might not apply to you as an individual.
I have used creatine when I did Judo to go from the under 73 kilogram weight class up to the under 81 kilogram weight class in two months. I am currently using it to fuel my goals around getting to a 200kg squat with the Jim Wendler 5/3/1 program.
How much creatine do you get in this bundle ?
This bundle provides you with 50 servings of 5g creatine monohydrate. If taken as prescribed it depends on how often you train a week how long this will last.
Based on the nature of creatine monohydrate and how it supports your muscle functions it is best taken directly before and after workout, because otherwise the only effect you will achieve is binding water in your muscles.
This means if you train 4 times a week you will go through 40 grams of creatine monohydrate and what is provided in this bundle will last you for 6 weeks and one more serving. If you were to train 3 days a week this window would prolong to 8 weeks and one serving.
Further point to take care of is that creatine can be taken in cycles and with or without a preloading phase. Your body goes through 2 grams of creatine a day normally. You can bring the overall concentration in your body up to about 120 grams in your entire body. Some people do a pre load phase in the first week by taking in 20 grams of creatine a day to get to this level. Others do not do this and also cycle off creatine every 8 - 12 weeks to take a break and the go back on creatine. Here you have to experiment what is best for your body and your budget.
What are BCAAs ?
BCAA is the abbreviation for Branched Chain Amino Acids. The most commonly relate to leucine, isoleucine and valine. These BCAAs can not be produced by the body, but are important in the process of exercising and releasing power. Therefore you have to eat them via meat (see the pattern emerging here). In total there are roughly 20 BCAAs of which roughly 8 - 10 can be produced by your body.
They are thought to have a role in regulating protein synthesis, especially leucine. BCAAs are the building blocks of muscle tissue, red blood cells and other molecules to support live. Unlike creatine BCAAs are not processed by the kidneys, so no risk (even it is minimal with creatine) of affecting your internal organs.
What do BCAAs do for you ?
BCAAs help you with muscle protein synthesis. A good analogy to think of that if you have builders working on a site to create your house, you want to ensure that they have ll the material they need to build already there, rather than delivering it late. Keeping a steady supply of BCAAs ensures this, when your muscles go to work in the gym.
If you are a vegetarian or aging you might get all the BCAAs for a healthy lifestyle through your daily diet and you can supplement by taking them in powder form through this bundle. Furthermore it will help you to decrease fatigue in your muscles.
How many BCAAs do you get in this bundle ?
In this package you get 500g of BCAAs in the ideal ratio of 4:1:1 in favour of Leucine. Taken two times a day as recommended this means you have 100 servings which last you for 50 days. Ideal dosage is 4 - 8 grams before and after a work out which is covered form the lower end of the spectrum with the MYPROTEIN servings.
For beginners and people focused on strength gains this shall be enough. For completions sake however, if you were to go into professional bodybuilding be aware that these three amino acids will dominate others when being put in the system at the same time.
For the best results you might want to combine BCAAs with Vitamin B12, Chromium, Zinc / Vitamin B6 and Blotin. These are not part of this bundle and only recommended if you have very specific goals and want understand how these substances interact with each other (so basically if you do not want to flex on stage, maybe keep it simple and stick to what is described in this post and part of the lean muscle package).
What is Alpha Men supervitamin ?
Alpha Men is the multivitamin of MYProtein which provides a blend of vitamins to the individuals apart from the protein synthesis parts of this bundle already mentioned.
What does Alpha men supervitamin do for you ?
It provides you with the following ingredients:
Vitamin A is important for growth and development, maintenance of the immune system and good vision.
Main known function is to be an antioxidant. A deficiency of Vitamin E leads to impairment of the immune system.
Regulates the binding of calcium to proteins to form bones and are tied to the blood regulation system of the body.
Vitamin C defeciency leads to scurvy. It also play the role of being a highly effective antioxidant.
Thiamine plays a central role in the production of DNA and RNA, a constant process which takes place in our cells and keeps the relevant information for protein synthesis.
Riboflavin supports the transportation of electrons in the body and the catabolism of fatty acids.
Plays a role in the metabolism of glucose (sugar), fat and alcohol.
Has a special importance in the entire stack as it directly influences the reactions for the BCAAs.
Folic Acid actively supports the process of cell division.
Is involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids and has a special role for strength training amongst the B vitamins like B6 & B7.
Plays also a key role in the metabolism of lipids, proteins and carbohydrates.
Vitamin B5 is an essential nutrient and is required to synthesize coenzyme-A.
Calcium plays an important role to build stronger and denser bones. About 99% of the calcium in your body is stored in your bones. In combination with Vitamin K and proteins, you will be able to reap the full benefits for your body.
Phosphorus is an essential part of all organic life as it is one of the building blocks of DNA and RNA. It is also used to transport cellular energy in the form of ATP. We have already discussed that creatine also influences this process and is part of this supplement stack.
Zinc is believed to have antioxidant properties to protect against ageing of the skin and body. Studies for these effects are not conclusive.
Copper is a vehicle in biological electron and oxygen transport in the blood.
Manganese is necessary for development, metabolism and the antioxidant system.
- Selenium
Antioxidant
- Chromium
- Molybdenum
- Korean Ginseng Extract
Is said to have effects as an aphrodisiac and meant to be energizing, although not clinically proven.
Produced by bees to feed their larvae. Good to have it in there but also not conclusive such as ginseng.
Antioxidant
Grouped with the B vitamins and supports muscle control
- Citrus Bioflavonoidis
- Ginko Biloba Extract
There are claims that Ginko Biloba enhances cognitive functions in humans. It is a possible treatment for Alzheimer's disease. An interesting anecdote is that the Ginko trees were one of the few surviving living things of the Hiroshima bombing.
Kelp are seaweeds which have high concentration of Iodine and alkali.
- Green Tea extract
- Inositol
Used to be classified as one of the B vitamins. Has importance as a structural base for phosphate in the body.
Another folklore ingredient like Ginseng
An enzyme which helps you in the processing of fats in your body
Enzyme which breaks peptide bonds.
- Nettle Leaf extract
- Grape Seed extract
- Amylase
Enzyme which helps breaking down carbohydrates.
Can be beneficial to improve your sperm quality, lower symptoms of migraine and decrease muscle breakdown.
Is said to have impact on cell walls, but studies for humans are onon conclusive yet.
If it works for Popeye, it works for you. You find Lutein in spinach and it is related to the functionalities of your eye and will prevent eye diseases.
How many vitamins do i get in this bundle ?
In this bundle you will get 120 tablets of Alpha men. As you will take 4 per day if you do it as prescribed this will last you for 30 days. The most important part of this product is the Vitamin complex, the antioxidants are nice to have and may function or not. But why not throw a bit of superstition in there, if it does no harm ? (Ginseng etc.)
I would not sweat the very high amounts of intake in relation to reference intake (5000% for Vitamin B12 for example), as this is common practice with multivitamin supplements. Just go to your local pharmacy and check the labels, if you do not believe me.
I would like to warn anyone who wants to cut bodyfat to get ripped to only live of these pills to supply themselves with vitamins and use the rest of the stack for their protein. This is the fast lane to the hospital. Still eat 4 - 6 meals a day of unprocessed food.
What is CLA ?
CLA is an abbreviation for conjugated linoleic acid and can be found in cheese, lamb, sheep and beef. It is composed of 28 isomers of linoleic acids. Current usa cases for humas are being debated and is discussed whether or not it has benefits to training. It is a case of that.
What can CLAs do for you ?
Evidence points towards that it can help against cancer and support training. However there have not been enough studies on humans being conducted to provide a solid base to prove this. For animals it works.
How many CLAs do you get in this bundle ?
You get 180 softgels which will last you 45days if taken as prescribed on the box.
MYPROTEIN perception in the market
If you dig a bit deeper, especially on reddit, you will find claims that MYPROTEIN has less of the ingredients it claims in the pouches. I am not qualified to test this or comment about this, as I am no researcher, so I will try to approach it with common sense.
If you decide to buy this bundle, be aware that MYPROTEIN flies considerably lower from a pricing perspective than the competition in the market. If you believe that they put in the same amount of functioning ingredients which cost more money into their product and sell it at a lower price (or maybe even more) you do not understand the basic principles of how the business world ticks.
If you pay low money and purchase from a company which gets their customers via discount (which works) expect their product to be of inferior quality and do not moan about it. You still get a lot of produce for your buck.
If you want to eliminate most of the doubts, go upmarket and decide for one of the pricier products. At least it is less likely that they screw you over (but not certain).
Conclusion
I personally think this is a great value for money package which provides you with necessities like whey, creatine and BCAAs to fuel your goals and nice to haves like the several plant extracts and CLAs in addition. I got two of these bundles and I am happy with my purchase. Combined with my Jim Wendler 5/3/1 program, I am constantly lifting heavier weights, so at least this is not a distractor.
Further reading
- Adidas powerlift 2 one year review
- Best knee sleeves from Rehband review
- Best lifting belt for all purposes review
- Dip belt vs Vest
- Mark bell Slingshot review
- MYPROTEIN CLA review
- Optimum Nutrition vs MYPROTEIN Whey protein
- Review of the Rogue Pylo Jump Box
- USN Protein Shaker bottle review
- What kind of power rack should I buy
- Which weightlifting shoes should I get from Adidas
- Wrist wraps for powerlifting review
