Iso Optima is a protein supplement that uses 100% whey protein isolate. Using whey protein is an excellent way to support muscle growth and recovery. When you have very little time to plan out meals, or even do the long and boring research, protein powders are a great way to get an effective and efficient workout. In this article, we will explain the ins and outs of Iso Optima and give you inside on why it didn’t make it on to our top list of protein powders.
The Company
Iso Optima is brought to us by the company NutraKey, with a goal to provide athletes and bodybuilders a way to get a great product with the best ingredients. If you would like to find out more on NutraKey you can visit their website here. I, unfortunately, wasn’t able to find a contact number or an address for NutraKey, but they do have an email system if you have any questions or concerns.
How Does It Work? What Are The Benefits?
Iso Optima uses one of the best whey proteins out there. Whey Protein Isolate is a protein powder that can be digested easily, so that while you’re working out, or after you’re done working out, the nutrients can be delivered to your muscles at a much faster rate. Another positive about using whey isolate is that it usually contains fewer calories, fat, sugars, and carbs.
Iso Optima can be purchased in a couple different flavors such as Cookies and Cream, Chocolate Swirl, White Chocolate Macadamia, and Cake Batter. They have two different sized bags as well which are 5 lbs and 2 lbs.
When taking Iso Optima the benefits that you may experience are as follows…
- Lean muscle is increased
- Recovery time is reduced between workouts
- Good source of nutrients
ISO Optima Ingredients
When you’re in the hunt for a protein powder, you need to pay close attention to the source of protein that the product is providing you. With so many protein blends on the market, it can difficult to decide which is best. From our experience, whey protein is going to be the best type of protein you can buy. Whey is loaded with nutrients, amino acids, and can be easily digested.
If you see a product that utilizes a combo of multiple sources of protein, you are going to want to stay away from that. Iso Optima uses purely whey protein isolate, which is the second best type of protein you can ingest, next to whey protein hydrolysate.
The reason hydrolysate sits at the top, is because the process that the whey protein goes through allows the protein to be broken down prior to mixing, making it way easier to digest, and does so in the fastest manner possible.
Branched Chained Amino Acids or otherwise known as BCAAs are a very important part of any protein powder supplement. The main three aminos are L-Valine, L-Isoleucine, and L-Leucine, and can be found abundantly in higher quality proteins. If the product you are taking doesn’t use a quality source of protein, then they often have to add BCAAs additionally in order to make up for the protein.
If a company does add BCAAs to their product, then they are basically tricking you into thinking that the product is better than it actually is. The adding of BCAAs is called spiking. This process is done by tossing in the branched chained amino acids prior to the nitrogen test, and in turn, making it seem like there is more protein per serving than there actually is.
Don’t get me wrong, BCAAs are an excellent source of energy and can help with muscle recovery, but using a better protein source will provide you with a better muscle building blend, and still provide sufficient amounts of amino acids and nutrients.
Below, you will find the nutritional information for a single serving of Iso Optima…
- Fat: 0 gram
- Calories: 110
- Cholesterol: Less than 5 milligrams
- Potassium: 150 milligrams
- Sodium: 150 milligrams
- Protein: 25 grams
- Carbs: 1 gram
Having a product that is low in calories, and also has no fat is promising. The amount of protein per serving sits at 25, which is average for a protein powder, but keeping out the things that are unnecessary like carbohydrates, or cholesterol can really be a plus.
Pros
- Flavor selection is decent
- Low in Carbohydrates
- Low in Calories
- Contains zero fat
Cons
- Can be expensive
- Taste is average at best
- Doesn’t contain the best protein source
In Conclusion
Let me be straight up, Iso Optima is pricey for an average protein powder blend. If you want to pay more money for a product that won’t give you the results like a protein powder that uses whey protein hydrolysate, by all means, go ahead. I can tell you, that’s not what you want. We recommend that you read our top list of protein powders, to get a better idea of what you’re missing.