Muscle building supplements are aplenty in the marketplace today. To find the best one takes time and research. So, welcome  to this review of the MusclePharm Combat Power Time Release Protein powder product.

As you know, there are may protein powder products on the market today with all of them touting theirs as the best whey protein powder.

Who has the best product? Which protein supplement product surpasses the others in taste, consistency, price and actual results?

Let’s now get into this offering by MusclePharm (MP) and their Combat Power Time Release Protein supplement.

Respected Maker of Muscle Building Supplements

MusclePharm is a Colorado-based supplement company that focuses on sports nutrition supplements (although they do offer a multivitamin). It was started in 2008 by former NFL player Brad Pyatt and literally just four years later MusclePharm was named “Brand of the Year.” This is quite an accomplishment in the ruggedly competitive bodybuilding supplement market.

Their supplement line is for amateur but professional athletes as well. Some of the celebrity endorsers are Arnold Schwarzenegger, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, Laron Landry, Cory Gregory, and Chady Dunmore.

The name of “Arnold Schwarzenegger” is especially interesting as Schwarzenegger was one of the premier bodybuilders in his day and is a world famous actor and former governor of California. They are also the official sponsor of the UFC or the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which is quite popular in the US.

Product Quality

Regarding their product line, MusclePharm, says that all products are created using “a six-stage research process at the MusclePharm Sports Science Center & Research Center in Denver, Colorado.”

Moreover, they asserts that their products are only sold once their products have undergone a lengthy development process involving highly experienced scientists as well as other nutritional experts. Once the product is ready for manufacture, the company outsources the quality-control certification of the product.

This will change however going into 2014 as of Nov. 13, 2013, MusclePharm announced the purchase of almost all of the assets of BioZone Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Besides the cost savings of internal, quality-control testing, MusclePharma wants to explore the Biozone “patented QuSomes® technology [that] enhances the absorption of topical and other drugs. MusclePharm is evaluating the QuSomes® technology in connection with nutritional supplements to determine if the combination of QuSomes® and nutritional supplements will enhance the absorption and speed of delivery of several MusclePharm products.”

This appears to be a good business decision by MusclePharm.

Getting back to the Combat Power protein supplement, the product comes in seven flavors and in four-, five- and two-pound canister options.

You also get 25 grams of highly assimilable protein powder per scoop with each serving giving, on average, 130 calories with 15 of those calories coming from fat.

Moreover, according to MusclePharm, “Combat Powder® is precision-engineered with whey protein concentrates, hydrolysates and isolates, egg albumen, micellar casein.”

One particular thing of note is that it combines whey protein isolates, micellar casein and partially hydrolyzed, faster-absorbing peptides to increase assimilation (this is where the rubber meets the road with most supplements as they simply are not that well assimilated).

The combining of micellar casein (derived from cow’s milk), which gives slow digestion and thus maximizes absorption, with whey protein isolates is uncommon in the protein powder space. Most sell a separate casein protein powder, including MusclePharm. To combine them, though, shows, I think, MusclePharm’s commitment to maximum absorption.

They also include a full complement of BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) and L-Glutamine. They assert that the BCAAs l-leucine, l-isoleucine, and l-valine maintain, repair and build muscle tissue. L-leucine has been suggested to support protein synthesis and muscle growth. L-Glutamine has been surmised to support healthy immune systems.”

This is one of the most full-figured muscle building supplements on the market and certainly for a protein supplement. Many are looking to produce the best whey protein powder and it seems MusclePharm is serious about it.

How Much Should You Expect to Pay for Good Muscle Building Supplements?

Good muscle building supplement products are not cheap, but if you look around, you can get a good deal. The two-pound goes from $24 to $35. The four-pound option can be found from $39.59 to $44.99 (the $44.99 option offered free shipping, though, so it’s a better deal.

All of these deals are offered on Amazon.com, which has some of the best prices available due to the fact that many vendors are competing head to head. If you go to this page here, you’ll see what I mean.

Do These Muscle Building Supplements Have a Product Guarantee?

Yes and no. MusclePharm guarantees product quality but you cannot find it on their website. If you buy it through Amazon, however, you get the protection getting your money back if you are not satisfied. You can read more about Amazon’s guarantee here.

Consumer Reviews

As of this writing, there are 237 reviews for just one vendor for the MusclePharm Combat Power whey protein product with an average score on Amazon of 4.5 out of 5.0. Anything four or better is highly desirable and indicative of quality. On another popular fitness website, MusclePharm Combat Power has been reviewed an astonishing 2,144 times for an average of 9.2 out of 10. Clearly this is a quality muscle building supplement.

Also, this product won the Bodybuilding.com brand of the year for whey protein supplements, which is quite prestigious.

Here are a few testimonials for your perusal:

Works Well
By Lue on January 2, 2013
Flavor Name: Cookies and Cream
Size Name: 4 Pound

Now this is some decent tasting protein! If anything its too sweet which is different from my usual complaint about protein shakes. Usually they taste like chalk or nothing at all. This one doesn’t have that problem. I am in my bulk up face but at the same time am trying to minimize the amount of fat I gain in the process. MusclePharm has always been good with keeping the fat and sugar to a minimum. I’ve mixing Citrulline Malate in my pre-workout shake for the last month. If you’ve ever taken any kind of Nitric Oxide Booster, this stuff will put them to shame – (Primaforce Citrulline Malate 200 Grams + FREE Beta Alanine 250 Grams Powder).

One thing to be aware of if you plan on mixing this stuff in a shaker, it won’t fully mix. It tastes good but you need a blender unless you want to be swallowing bits of grainy powder. But that is the case for most proteins so I won’t dock any points for that.

Flavor Reviews
By Mailani R. DeYoung on June 11, 2013
Flavor Name: Triple BerrySize
Name: 4 Pound Amazon Verified Purchase

I love MusclePharm combat powder. I’ve tried 5 of the flavors so far and here’s my list from best to worst flavors so far. 1. Banana creme (delicious!) 2. Vanilla (tastes like vanilla cake) 3. Chocolate (basic and good) 4. Triple berry(smells bad in powder, tastes like strawberry quick when mixed) 5. Orange creme (ick all around).

Muscle Pharm Combat, Cookies and Cream
By Beverly A. Todd on August 18, 2013
Flavor Name: Cookies and Cream
Size 4 Pound Amazon Verified Purchase

My son is on a health kick and he had a sample of this protein drink and loved it. I bought him this very large container and it was a really happy moment for him. Great price and fast delivery.

Any Customer Complaints? No unbiased review would deliberately omit the negatives of a product. Most protein powders have a problem with producing flatulence. This one doesn’t have it as much as some of the others as it has partially hydrolyzed whey protein (basically pre-digest) peptides that facilitates rapid absorption into the duodenum. You might get some, though.

MusclePharm also gives an allergen warning on the product saying, “This Product Contains Milk And Soy. This Product Was Produced In A Facility That May Also Process Ingredients Containing Milk, Egg, Soybeans, Shellfish, Fish, Tree Nuts, And Peanuts.”

So, if you have an allergy to any of those foods, you should consult with your doctor first before using it.

Where Can I Buy It?

You can buy MusclePharm Combat at Amazon.com for $42.99 up to $55.66. You can buy the chocolate flavored one here or by clicking on the MusclePharm Combat canister graphic to the left. You can buy the banana cream one here, and the orange cream one here, the cookies & cream here.

Or, alternatively, you can view all of your options here for your perusal.

There are many places on the Internet to buy, but Amazon tends to offer the lowest prices along with free shipping with some outlets. But you are free to choose who you buy from.

I hope this article on the MusclePharm Combat Power protein product has been helpful to you.  One thing for sure is that the MusclePharm product line is one of the better muscle building supplements and line out there.

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