What Is Phase8?
It’s a protein blend that balances several different milk-derived proteins to create a protein source that continues to release protein over the course of eight hours. Compared to its competition, the powder has more protein and a more even distribution of that protein’s release. In addition, many competing products use protein derived from inferior sources like rice. Phase8’s extended release means that timing is not as important as it is with other protein powders, because you can drink it in the morning, eat lunch, work out, and have dinner, and all through that time the supplement will enhance building muscle.
The supplement is also known for its flavor when mixed with water or milk. Using low-fat milk is best so that you do not add too much fat unnecessarily. Phase8 is based on published scientific research that shows why this method of slowing down the rate of protein absorption supports better growth and development. It is far better to have protein that your body can absorb continually all throughout the day. Your muscles never stop needing protein, even many hours after you stop working out, because the process of rebuilding them takes time.
Manufacturer
MuscleTech is the primary brand of the company Iovate Health Sciences. The brand has been on the market in the United States since 1995. That means they have been researching and developing new supplements of all kinds for over twenty years. This stands in sharp contrast to the fly-by-night companies that pop up and sell one product for a few months, then vanish.
Iovate has partnered with the University of Toronto to create a center for sports science. That shows their dedication to putting out useful products that really do stimulate the growth of lean muscle. In addition to MuscleTech, which sells Phase8 as well as many other muscle-building supplements, Iovata also sells the leading diet pill Hydroxycut and was the first supplement company to bring a creatine-based product to market.
It is clear that Iovate are innovators in this field and that they have an established reputation for quality. Their MuscleTech brand has a well-deserved place at the front of the market in all kinds of nutritional supplements. Anyone can put some whey protein in a plastic tub and sell it online, but it takes dedication to do research about improving the human body for decades and then translate that research into products that the average person can use to their benefit.
How Phase8 Works?
The idea behind the supplement is simple, but powerful. It targets three timelines for protein release: the short term, the medium term, and the long term. Most bodybuilders know that the best time to have your body absorbing protein is right after you work out. Normally, that means you have to time your protein intake so that it starts as soon after you stop lifting as possible.
The multiple protein types within the powder release on different time scales. So the short-term protein will be absorbed as soon as your body starts to metabolize the drink. Then the medium-term protein kicks in over the next two hours, followed by the slow protein. You can drink it after a night workout and feed your muscles protein all the way through to the next morning. Depending in your needs, you can take more than one serving per day and ensure that there is always protein in your system for your body to absorb.
That is a major edge because normally, your protein intake drops off after an hour or two. That means your muscles are still in need of protein, but the only protein available is what you consume as part of your next meal. That isn’t enough if you want to get the best performance possible. If you time it right, you can keep absorbing protein even while you sleep, so there is no time wasted and your muscles continually grow.
Ingredients of Phase8
The supplement’s nutritional profile is as follows. Per one-scoop serving with 8 ounces of milk, the supplement has 26 grams of protein, 8 grams of carbs, and 1.5 grams of fats. That’s a more favorable profile than most other drinks can offer. The powder gets its long-duration protein release from a list of seven different proteins: 97 percent whey protein isolate, hydrolyzed whey protein isolate, whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, milk protein concentrate, calcium caseinate, and micellar casein.
There are other ingredients and sweeteners that give it flavor and vary for each choice among the six possible flavors in addition to the core of proteins. Each of those proteins is derived from milk, which is the best way for the human body to absorb protein. It is far superior than egg or rice-based sources for protein, which the human body does not absorb as efficiently.
So not only does Phase8 have better science backing its method compared to other protein powders, but it also simply delivers protein in a better way. The level of sweeteners in Phase8 is also lower than in other protein powder brands, although this varies depending on the flavor. Be aware that mixing it with some kind of milk will add more fat.
Advantages
The main advantage of the supplement is its excellent ability to deliver a controlled release of protein over time. It is hard to overstate just how beneficial this is. Nothing compares to having a constant absorption of protein by your muscles.
It is true that the best time for protein is when the muscles are broken down immediately after a workout, but that doesn’t mean that it is the only time. Every workout involves muscles being broken down so that they can rebuild themselves stronger next time. The muscles are better off if they can take up protein throughout the whole process of rebuilding, and that takes many hours. You can keep adding more protein to the muscles over time, so your rest periods are much more fruitful for building cycles than if you used a basic whey protein.
In addition to that, though, it is also known for its top-tier flavors. The better a shake tastes, the easier it is to drink as much of it as you need without getting slowed down by a bland or sour taste. That flavor doesn’t require stuffing the drink with sweeteners, either. This is a protein shake that you will actually want to drink, so you can work out after lunch and then treat the shake like a rewarding snack that is also healthy for you.
Certificates
Phase8 has published research backing the science that underlies its formula. A group of authors in Paris led by the researcher Magali Lacroix and featuring 9 other medical researchers found that the traditional blend of milk soluble proteins that other protein powders use is less efficient, because the protein is absorbed too quickly.
That study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2006, and it certifies the validity of the science behind the supplement. This is not surprising considering the time and effort that MuscleTech put into ensuring that they formulated Phase8 in accordance with medical science. Of course, the flavoring and the empahsis on protein over sugary processed carbs is also in line with what medical research believes is the most healthy way to deliver nutrition to the body and create lean muscle.
Testimonials
I started using Phase8 and I was amazed at how easy it was. I felt great and I could drink it at any point during the day, and know that it was keeping me going for eight hours afterward. I experienced terrific gains and felt like I had a ton of energy the whole time I drank it. Now it is a regular part of my diet, and I can’t imagine switching to the protein powder I was using before. – Chad S. from California
I had heard a lot about Phase8 because some of my lifting buddies were using it, but I was pretty happy with the protein I had already. But then one day my buddy convinced me to just try it out, and I loved the taste. I had gotten used to drinking a bland, chalky mix every day, but this was totally different. It blew me away with a smooth, tasty blend that I actually wanted to drink. My favorite flavor is the cookies and cream, but I also like the classic vanilla. – Olga M. from Florida
I was new to protein powder. I had just gotten started with bodybuilding because I wanted to get into seriously good shape. I was very doubtful of the whole supplement and protein scene because it seemed a little iffy and strange to me. But then someone gave me some of their Phase8 just so I could try it out. I used it for about a month and saw my performance improve noticeably. Before I used up the whole container I had already ordered a new one for myself. Now I have regular shipments coming in and I feel and look better than I have in my whole life. – Nathan N. from Texas
Money-back Guarantee
The manufacturer of this powder does not offer a money-back guarantee for the product. It is a nutritional supplement, and the researchers and scientists who created it do stand behind its efficacy. But that does not mean everyone is guaranteed to have the same results. There is a lot of variance in how closely people follow the recommended usage guidelines, how well their body responds to the protein, the quality of their workout, the quality of their diet, and so on.
A complete money-back guarantee would let people collect money from the company when the product did not fall short. This is not to undermine the quality of the powder in any way, but it is just not possible for any company to guarantee that a nutritional supplement will have a specific concrete outcome for anyone. Any company that does make that promise is overstating their claims, and you should be suspicious of them.
Shipping
Shipping for Phase8 is fairly simple to handle. The product ships in plastic containers like most other protein supplements. The size of the containers is reasonable. Generally, it comes in 2 pound or 2.5 pound containers. If you are just buying one container to try it out, then you will have no trouble ordering it and taking care of the shipping costs, because they will not be expensive.
It is generally not a great idea to order in bulk until you know exactly how much you need, because protein powder can spoil. Two pounds is light for a package, though, and furthermore the containers are hardy enough that they do not require much in the way of extra padding or care. We recommend trying one flavor at a time in a 2 or 2.5 pound container. The flavors are all good and some variety helps the shakes go down more easily.
Customer Support
The support for MuscleTech is fairly good. The one downside is that because MuscleTech is based in South Africa, the business hours are out of sync with what most people’s normal hours are in the US. But the difference is not enormous. They also have several email addresses for different inquiries.
MuscleTech is very clear about their openness to calls: they invite customer service calls, sales questions, business inquiries, and even calls asking them what to purchase. That last point is particularly helpful, because they offer a wide variety of different supplements. They might be able to suggest one that will pair well with Phase8 and can help you achieve your goals more quickly. They are friendly and helpful to any caller and can handle just about any question.
If they do not have an answer right away, they are willing to follow up with you as soon as they find it, either over the phone or by email. That is good service. It’s not likely that you will have many questions, but if you do, don’t hesitate to call them or email them and ask.
Safe & Secure Checkout
You should not be worried about the security of your financial information when you are purchasing the product. The site encrypts all of your data so that third parties cannot use it even if they somehow get access to it via a hack attack. Furthermore, the communication between your computer and the website’s servers is protected with Secure Socket Layer technology to make it nearly impossible to snoop in on your transaction. Look for the lock icon to the left of your browser’s address bar.
That, combined with seeing security certificates on the site itself, should reassure you that your information is safe. It’s clear that MuscleTech puts a significant amount of effort into making sure their buyers have a good customer experience and can feel confident about the security of their data. You should feel confident in ordering Phase8 without risking identity theft or fraud.
Phase8 Pricing
Phase8 is not particularly expensive among protein products. You can generally find it for between $12 and $12.50 a pound. That is for the smallest 2 pound container. The container sizes go up to 4.36 pounds, where the price drops to under $10 a pound. Buying in bulk provides a savings as long as you are sure that you will be able to use all of the protein before it goes bad.
It might be a good idea to get a few smaller containers of different flavors to keep things interesting. If you found one flavor that you like best, though, there is no reason not to stick with it and get a bulk order. You can get a small discount by signing up for regular shipments. If you keep your eyes open, you will also be able to scoop up occasional discounts that will shave a little more off the price of your order. In general, though, you can expect the price to be fairly steady, and that makes it easier to budget for when you are getting a new container monthly.
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