In the Czech Republic, the USN brand is not one of the best known manufacturers of supplements, but in the world it ranks among the absolute top. Ultimate Sports Nutrition has everything from premium proteins, creatine and supercharged to protein bars and high-protein milk drinks. After more than twenty years on the market, this is simply a proven brand that garners a ton of positive reviews with each new product. So we decided it was high time we shone some light on it too. So in today's review, we're going to take a look at the brand's flagship product: the USN BlueLab 100% Whey Premium Protein. How did we like this protein? And does its composition give it a chance to compete with the best proteins that are much more popular in our country?
Content of the review
At the outset, I will mention that there are quite a few whey protein variants in the USN repertoire (concentrates, isolates, hydrolysates, various combinations), but also the proponents of vegetable proteins will find their own. USN also offers pea proteins or plant-based products containing a combination of several plant protein sources.
Ingredients that won't disappoint
BlueLab products are specific because they have been created in collaboration with customers. In fact, USN has been tweaking the formulas based on their feedback until they have achieved absolute perfection. Or so the company tries to present it. What is the reality? BlueLab 100% Whey Premium Protein is a combination of whey concentrate, isolate and hydrolysate. This makes it continuously absorbable, plus it fits into pretty much any situation. One scoop (34 grams) contains 24 grams of protein, 2.3 grams of carbohydrates and 1.8 grams of fat. These are fairly decent values, but it should be added that you can find relatively enough whey concentrates on the market that contain a higher amount of protein.
In addition to the protein sources, there is also cocoa powder (chocolate flavourda), flavouring, sodium chloride, sucralose, guar and xanthan gum and pH-stable lactase in the form of ToleraseTM. At the same time, the complete spectrum of amino acids and the transparent overview of their content should be appreciated. In the end, we have to evaluate the composition positively. It is not a miracle that is unrivalled on the market, but at the same time you will certainly not go wrong with this protein.
Easy preparation and pleasant taste
Good taste and smooth solubility are probably the most important things when using protein for a long time. Fortunately, in this case, there is nothing to worry about. The manufacturer recommends to mix one scoop in 150-200 ml of water. However, I used 250 ml of water, as that is the amount we taste all proteins in for review purposes. BlueLab 100% Whey Premium Protein has a slightly "creamier" consistency, but it doesn't make any lumps and dissolves without a problem. Still, I think 150-200 ml of water would be a bit too little. As far as taste is concerned, there is nothing to complain about.
We were provided with the chocolate flavour for review and it really didn't disappoint. Chocolate, in short, is a safe bet and rarely does a manufacturer manage to really mess it up. The flavor is not artificial, which was a pleasant surprise for me, given the use of a combination of whey concentrate with isolate and hydrolyzateI had slight doubts and was worried that the final taste would be too much influenced by the typical artificial aftertaste of isolates and hydrolysates. But there is nothing to criticise in this respect either.
Easy digestibility
BlueLab 100% Whey Premium Protein does not contain any probiotics, as is often the case with whey concentrates, but there is still the polysaccharide inulin, which acts as a prebiotic, and the enzyme lactase. The latter is very beneficial in the process of digesting lactose, which is of course especially appreciated by people who are lactose intolerant. From my own experience, I can say that there is certainly nothing to fault the manufacturers in terms of digestion.
Unreasonably high price
Although the whey isolate and hydrolysate content did not make a huge difference to the overallm protein content, you will definitely feel their presence as soon as you look at the price tag of this product. In fact, compared to the competition, you'll have to pay quite a bit more. And frankly, I don't think that such a high price corresponds to the overall quality of the product. This is especially true in a situation where there are products like Czech Virus Pure Elite CFM or Scitec 100% Whey Professional available on the market for a much lower price. ranked at the top of our big comparison of the best whey proteins.
Evaluation at the end
I've wanted to try USN BlueLab 100% Whey Premium Protein for a long time, but to be honest I expected a bit more from it. In terms of composition, it doesn't lag behind the competition, but at the same time it doesn't surpass it either. The same could basically be said about all other aspects except the price. It is the only one that is above average, but unfortunately in a bad way. All things considered, I think this protein definitely has its place on the market (and the USN brand as a whole is definitely worth is worth trying), but it still lacks something to be considered a market leader. But that doesn't change the fact that if you decide to give it a chance, you won't be disappointed.
For today's review, that's all from us. If you have any questions or perhaps want to talk to us about your experience with USN products, feel free to get in touch in the comments.
Comparison with competitors
Other expert reviews
- GymBeam [review]: low quality protein True Whey, Just Whey
- Biotech Iso Whey Zero [review]: the best isolate on the market?
- Scitec 100% Whey Professional [review]: one of the most popular proteins
- Nutrend Protein [review]: just another lure for money?
- Optimum Nutrition Whey Gold Standard [review]: the gold standard among whey proteins