Phase 8 protein powder by MuscleTech is an excellent, high-quality protein powder. The following Phase 8 review will look at the ingredients, effectiveness and overall value of this product.
Phase 8could be perfect for you depending on what your goals are. If you have read some of my reviews already, you know that I believe that there are “perfect products” but sometimes your perfect product may be different than someone else’s. This one has some unique qualities about it that may be intriguing to you depending on what you want to achieve.
MuscleTech Company Profile
MuscleTech is one of my favorite sports nutrition companies because of how many products they have available. Additionally, its the wide range of people these products are targeting. What I mean by that is MuscleTech has created a product to match every potential goal somebody interested in nutritional supplements could have (gaining weight, losing weight, meal replacements, lean muscle mass, etc.).
Being an athlete myself, their Performance Series is probably my favorite series of products they have created. Their Essential Series is also tremendous. Read on to find out what makes Phase 8 in our opinion one of their best products.
MuscleTech Phase 8 Ingredients
Here are the primary MuscleTech Phase 8 ingredients:
- Whey protein concentrate
- Calcium caseinate
- Hydrolyzed whey protein isolate
- Milk protein concentrate
- Micellar casein
- Whey protein isolate
The nutrition label on Phase 8 is overall very impressive. It would have been ranked higher if it weren’t for one major issue: the protein blend. The protein blend is extremely unpure. You want the list of ingredients in the protein blend to be as short as possible, and ideally you only want to see whey protein isolate and whey protein hydrolysate.
Among these types of protein are whey protein concentrate, calcium caseinate, hydrolyzed whey protein isolate, milk protein concentrate, micellar casein, and whey protein isolate. Many people think that more types of protein is a good thing…that is dead wrong. Multiple types of protein is a bad thing. Like I said before, you only want whey protein isolate and whey protein hydrolysate. You want to steer clear of a protein blend as messy as this one.
With that said, Phase 8 protein powder contains 4.6 grams of branched chain amino acids and 2.2 grams of Glutamine per serving, which makes for an excellent formula that can continue to feed your recovering muscles for as long as eight hours after consumption.
It contains 150 calories in every serving, which can be viewed as slightly high, but it depends on what you are attempting to accomplish. Some people need more calories than others. Cholesterol is one of the lowest I have ever seen at 5 milligrams per serving. The sodium level, at 120 milligrams per serving, is unfortunately pretty high. Excessive sodium can lead to fat gain so this is something you want to watch out for.
However, Phase 8 only contains two grams of fat in every serving, and no sugar. There are 7 grams of carbohydrates in every serving, which is pretty high. Depending on what you’re looking to accomplish, this many carbs may be a bad thing for you. Overall, Phase 8 consists of a very solid formula. There is no need to take it on faith, take a peek at the facts and see for yourself if Phase 8 is the right protein powder for you.
Effectiveness
Our team has tested tons of protein powders and found this one to be one of the most effective. We don’t take products for an extended period of time unless they are consistently producing the desired results, and Phase 8 was certainly delivering results.
We have also read several other reviews on the product without being able to find any negative ones. The facts themselves should allow you to see how much potential this product really has. A product with nearly 5 grams of branched chain amino acids in every serving is likely going to be an effective product, considering how effective BCAAs can be in assisting muscle recovery and growth. They have also added glutamine due to its amazing ability to potentially speed up the recovery process and really maximize your results.
Taste
Not surprisingly, Phase 8 tastes amazing. The question you should ask yourself as far as taste goes is, “why does it taste good?” Sometimes the reasons for the way it tastes are not good. Sodium is one of the biggest factors in making a protein powder taste really good, but sodium is terrible for you.
Some companies will put a lot of sodium in the product to make it taste good, and Phase 8 is an example of one of those products. Though 120 milligrams is not the highest we’ve seen, it’s definitely excessive. You have to decide for yourself whether its worth taking a less nutritious product because it tastes better than healthier options. Keep in mind, there are a few very nutritious products out there that still taste great. If you really value taste and are not as worried about the sodium count, I would highly recommend this product.
The Pros
- 4.6 grams of BCAAs in every serving
- Extended release formula
- Fantastic taste
- Low fat
- No sugar
- Added glutamine
The Cons
- High sodium count
- Slightly high calorie count
- 7 grams of carbohydrates per serving
Is MuscleTech Phase 8 Protein Powder good or Bad? our Conclusion
Overall, Phase 8 is in our opinion a fantastic product. Like I said before, it is better for some people than others. I would recommend this product to athletes or those in need of some extra carbs and calories.
