Transformation is a protein brand that contains a variety of different protein types. It also contains other active ingredients like MCT oil, probiotics and digestive enzymes. The brand describes their protein powder as “the perfect fuel for total body recovery.”
But do these extra ingredients actually make Transformation protein powder more effective than other brands? Are there any questionable filler ingredients? How does the price compare to other protein powders?
In this article we’ll answer these questions and more as we review every ingredient in Transformation protein powder, share a real user review, and provide a comparison to another leading protein powder brand. We’ll also highlight a concerning ingredient discrepancy between the brand’s website and Amazon listing.
Ingredient Analysis
The first ingredient in Transformation protein powder, as would be expected, is a protein blend. This blend contains pea protein, hydrolyzed collagen, egg white protein and pumpkin seed protein.
Transformation highlights that their protein powder contains all nine essential amino acids, and this is a good thing, but so do the vast majority of protein powders (including standard whey protein).
This product provides 30 grams (g) of protein per serving which is an effective dose for muscle growth and post-workout recovery. A 2013 medical review established 20 g as the minimum effective post-workout protein dose to optimize muscle protein synthesis rates.
Transformation protein powder contains a number of active ingredients besides protein that seem unnecessary in our opinion. Ingredients like MCT oil, a “digestive blend” and a “fiber blend.” MCT oil and fiber supplementation may be effective for weight loss, but we don’t understand why they would be included in a protein formulation.
We haven’t come across any medical evidence that individuals without digestive disorders benefit from digestive enzyme supplementation, so we don’t understand why Transformation contains digestive enzymes like alpha amylase and protease.
This supplement also contains two ingredients we recommend avoiding.
Carrageenan is a thickening ingredient derived from seaweed that has been shown in animal studies to cause gut dysfunction. The study authors of the linked study concluded that “the widespread use of carrageenan in the Western diet should be reconsidered” given the animal data. Again, we have no idea why this would be included in a protein powder, as protein typically doesn’t require additional thickening agents.
Natural flavors is a broad term that can refer to any number of flavoring agents. While we consider “natural flavors” to be safer than “artificial flavors” we don’t recommend supplements containing either. As we referenced in our Colon Broom review article, there are medical studies suggesting that some of the chemical compounds used in natural flavoring agents may be best avoided.
Transformation protein powder may be effective for muscle synthesis and recovery because it contains an effective protein dose, but we don’t recommend the product overall due to the questionable additive ingredients.
Real Person Tries Transformation Protein
A YouTube review of Transformation protein powder published by a channel called “Fitness & Finance” reviews the taste of the product, gives a live product demonstration while making a protein shake, and explains whether they recommend the product overall:
Different Ingredients Listed on Amazon
There is a discrepancy between the ingredients listed on the Transformation website and on Amazon.
The Amazon ingredients list, shown above, does not list carrageenan or natural flavor.
We very strongly urge Transformation to update both ingredient listings to whichever is accurate, and we suggest that consumers avoid this brand entirely until they do so.
It’s unacceptable and a consumer safety issue to have ingredient discrepancies across sales channels, because consumers may be allergic or sensitive to one ingredient. Without the accurate ingredient list being published, a consumer may ingest an ingredient they didn’t expect when reviewing the product.
Where to Buy Transformation for the Best Price
Transformation Protein is currently only sold on Amazon and the brand's website. Here's a price breakdown for a one-time purchase at the time of updating this article:
Brand website: $69.95 (free shipping, link)
Amazon: $69.95 (free shipping, link to official Amazon listing)
Both retailers have the same one-time purchase price, but the brand's website has a slightly better offer on subscription purchases (15% vs. 10%).
Our Clean Protein Picks
Bulletproof Collagen Protein is our top overall protein powder pick, and costs only $1.32 per serving at the time of updating this article.
The main reason is its formulation: Bulletproof's protein powder only contains one single ingredient: collagen protein sourced from grass-fed animals.
As the core structural protein in skin, supplemental collagen is clinically shown to reduce visible signs of skin aging like wrinkles, which is a secondary benefit not offered by other types of protein like whey protein.
Promix Whey Protein is our top whey protein powder, and costs only $0.93 per serving at the time of updating this article when you purchase the 5 pound bag.
This brand uses grass-fed whey protein and no sweeteners or flavoring additives. Whey protein is a "complete" protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids.
Complement Organic Protein is our top vegan protein powder.
The only ingredients in this protein powder are a blend of nutritious plant proteins: organic yellow pea protein, organic pumpkin seed protein, organic almond protein, organic sunflower seed protein and organic chia seed protein.
All three of the products mentioned in this section are entirely free of additive ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy or unsafe.
Transformation Protein Real Customer Reviews
Transformation’s protein powder is sold on Amazon which is a more objective resource for customer reviews than a brand’s website in our opinion.
The product has been reviewed over 800 times, and has an average review rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars at the time of writing this article.
The top positive review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Hans Arbelaez” who claims that the product tastes good and causes fat loss:
“I love the flavor of this protein, chocolate, vanilla, and now vanilla ice cream, all are great taste, I keep burning fat while it makes me keep my proteins levels very good, I drink two scoops every day mixing with 30 calories almond milk and taste great”
The top negative review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “Cindy Sigmund” who is upset that the carrageenan caused side effects:
“Beware! This ‘healthy’ shake contains Carrageenan. I used it for two weeks and could not figure out what was causing my terrible gastrointestinal distress as I thought I was consuming a healthy shake for my lunch each day. I became suspicious of the shakes since it was the only change I made to my diet recently. I found carrageenan in the ingredient list but didn't know what it was. I was shocked and angered at what I found. This cheap filler has been proven to cause gastrointestinal distress and inflammation.”
