{"id":557032472649,"title":"Transformation Protein Review: Are the Added Ingredients Safe?","created_at":"2022-10-08T22:58:10-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Transformation Protein Review: Are the Added Ingredients Safe?\",\n \"keywords\": \"transformation protein powder, transformation protein powder review, transformation protein powder reviews, protein transformation, transformation protein review, transformation protein reviews, transformational protein, transform protein powder, transform protein\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team reviews every ingredient in Transformation protein powder to determine if it has an effective protein dose and a healthy formulation. We highlight some questionable added ingredients and a concerning ingredient discrepancy between the brand's website and Amazon listing.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/transformation-protein-review\",\n\"author\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. 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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.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut 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?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIngredient Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Transformation_Protein_Powder_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1665284377\" alt=\"Transformation protein powder ingredients\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe first ingredient in Transformation protein powder, as would be expected, is a protein blend. This blend contains \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003epea protein\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ehydrolyzed collagen\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eegg white protein\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003epumpkin seed protein\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTransformation 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).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis product provides 30 grams (g) of protein per serving which is an effective dose for muscle growth and post-workout recovery. A 2013 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23765352\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e established 20 g as the minimum effective post-workout protein dose to optimize muscle protein synthesis rates.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTransformation protein powder contains a number of active ingredients besides protein that seem unnecessary in our opinion. Ingredients like \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eMCT oil\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe 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 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ealpha amylase\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eprotease\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis supplement also contains two ingredients we recommend avoiding.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCarrageenan\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a thickening ingredient derived from seaweed that has been shown \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC1242073\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ein animal studies\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNatural flavors\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e 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 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/colon-broom-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eColon Broom review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e article, there are medical studies suggesting that some of the chemical compounds used in natural flavoring agents may be best avoided.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTransformation 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDifferent Ingredients Listed on Amazon\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Transformation_Protein_Powder_Amazon_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1665284461\" alt=\"Transformation protein powder Amazon ingredients\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere is a discrepancy between the ingredients listed on the Transformation website and on Amazon. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe Amazon ingredients list, shown above, does not list carrageenan or natural flavor. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWe 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.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIt’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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTransformation Protein Real User Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA YouTube review of Transformation protein powder published by a channel called “Fitness \u0026amp; 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:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/AeCj1c3N3bw\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOur Clean Protein Picks\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Protein_Powder_Image_Optimized.png?v=1664075597\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/bulletproof.fdf2.net\/illuminatelabs\"\u003eBulletproof Collagen Protein\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is\u003c\/span\u003e our top protein powder.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe main reason is its formulation: \u003cstrong\u003eBulletproof's protein powder only contains one single ingredient: collagen protein sourced from grass-fed animals. No questionable additives at all.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eAs the core structural protein in skin, supplemental collagen is also\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30681787\/\"\u003eclinically shown\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eto reduce visible signs of skin aging like wrinkles, which is a secondary benefit not offered by other types of protein like milk protein.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eInterested consumers can check out Bulletproof Collagen Protein\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/bulletproof.fdf2.net\/illuminatelabs\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eto the product page on the brand's official website.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B07WV444M9?ref=t_ac_view_request_product_image\u0026amp;campaignId=amzn1.campaign.723V9LUCWNN8\u0026amp;linkCode=tr1\u0026amp;tag=illuminatelab-20\u0026amp;linkId=amzn1.campaign.723V9LUCWNN8_1693337540692\" rel=\"sponsored\"\u003eFour Sigmatic Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder\u003c\/a\u003e is our top vegan protein pick because \u003cstrong\u003eit's composed entirely of nutritious ingredients like organic chia protein powder, organic pea protein powder and is naturally sweetened with organic coconut palm sugar and organic cinnamon.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterested consumers can check out Four Sigmatic Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B07WV444M9?ref=t_ac_view_request_product_image\u0026amp;campaignId=amzn1.campaign.723V9LUCWNN8\u0026amp;linkCode=tr1\u0026amp;tag=illuminatelab-20\u0026amp;linkId=amzn1.campaign.723V9LUCWNN8_1693337540692\" rel=\"sponsored\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eto its product page on the brand's official Amazon listing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTransformation Protein Real Customer Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTransformation’s protein powder is sold on Amazon which is a more objective resource for customer reviews than a brand’s website in our opinion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe 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:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“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”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe top negative review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “Cindy Sigmund” who is upset that the carrageenan caused side effects:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“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.”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTransformation protein contains an effective protein dose, so it may be a good option for post-workout muscle synthesis. However, we don’t recommend the product overall because of two questionable filler ingredients it contains. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere is a different ingredient list on the brand’s website and on Amazon at the time of writing this article, which is absolutely inexcusable and is a consumer health and safety issue. We urge the brand to update their ingredient lists across sales channels to the current accurate list.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn our opinion, it’s more cost-effective and more logical to use a single-ingredient protein powder than one with a number of active ingredients with questionable benefits. Most people use protein powder either for convenience or for workout enhancement, so we do not understand the need for a wide range of added ingredients in a protein powder like digestive enzymes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2022-10-08T23:10:04-04:00","updated_at":"2023-09-18T00:24:00-04:00","summary_html":"We review every ingredient in Transformation protein powder to determine if it has an effective protein dose and a healthy formulation. We highlight some questionable added ingredients and a concerning ingredient discrepancy between the brand's website and Amazon listing.","template_suffix":"","handle":"transformation-protein-review","tags":"_related:protein"}

Transformation Protein Review: Are the Added Ingredients Safe?

Transformation Protein Review: Are the Added Ingredients Safe?


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Read our Editorial Guidelines to learn more about what makes our site the premier resource for online health information.

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 Review

Transformation protein powder ingredients

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.

Different Ingredients Listed on Amazon

Transformation protein powder Amazon ingredients

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.

Transformation Protein Real User Review

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:

Our Clean Protein Picks

Bulletproof Collagen Protein is our top protein powder.

The main reason is its formulation: Bulletproof's protein powder only contains one single ingredient: collagen protein sourced from grass-fed animals. No questionable additives at all.

As the core structural protein in skin, supplemental collagen is also clinically shown to reduce visible signs of skin aging like wrinkles, which is a secondary benefit not offered by other types of protein like milk protein.

Interested consumers can check out Bulletproof Collagen Protein at this link to the product page on the brand's official website.

Four Sigmatic Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder is our top vegan protein pick because it's composed entirely of nutritious ingredients like organic chia protein powder, organic pea protein powder and is naturally sweetened with organic coconut palm sugar and organic cinnamon.

Interested consumers can check out Four Sigmatic Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder at this link to its product page on the brand's official Amazon listing.

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.”

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Conclusion

Transformation protein contains an effective protein dose, so it may be a good option for post-workout muscle synthesis. However, we don’t recommend the product overall because of two questionable filler ingredients it contains. 

There is a different ingredient list on the brand’s website and on Amazon at the time of writing this article, which is absolutely inexcusable and is a consumer health and safety issue. We urge the brand to update their ingredient lists across sales channels to the current accurate list.

In our opinion, it’s more cost-effective and more logical to use a single-ingredient protein powder than one with a number of active ingredients with questionable benefits. Most people use protein powder either for convenience or for workout enhancement, so we do not understand the need for a wide range of added ingredients in a protein powder like digestive enzymes.




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