Introduction
Whey Protein Isolate products are a dime a dozen these days. It feels like a day doesn’t go by without a new company popping its head up and toting their product as the be all and end all of post workout nutrition. PVL are a somewhat specialised supplement company of which not too many people seem to be aware of. Now this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as PVL seem to be a company with a target audience most of which seem to rate their products highly. PVL Hydroflow XP3 is one of PVL’s WPI offerings which we will be looking at today. So let’s see if this baby cuts the mustard!
Ease of Mixing – 4/5
No dramas here, however it’s not exactly rocket science these days. Any supplement company worth looking sideways at today has this method down pat. So PVL have earned a feather in their cap here even if’s only a small one. 10-15 seconds in a shaker bottle w/water or non-fat milk produced a fine finish, clump and lump free.
Taste – 4/5
It seems every supplement I am intended to ingest essentially screams at me “Best Taste Around!”; and Hydroflow XP3 is no different stating “It is the first 100% whey isolate powder to actually taste not just good; but GREAT!”.
Fair enough I’ll bite PVL, but I wouldn’t say the chocolate flavour tastes great, I mean it doesn’t bring back memories of biting into a Mars bar. It does however taste highly ‘chocolately’ (forgive my English), there’s no sense of drinking water with some chocolate sprinkled on top, which many a chocolate protein powder seem to be; big plus there.
Effectiveness – 4/5
I have been testing Hydroflow XP3 in my pre and post workout shakes for the last week. Now my usual pre/post workout nutrition is:
Pre-Workout:
• 40g WPI
• 50g Waxy Maize
Post-Workout:
• 40g WPI
• 50g Waxy Maize
• 3g Creatine Monohydrate
Since using the Hydroflow XP3 in replacement to my normal WPI; I’ve noticed a reduction in DOMS (Delayed onset of muscle soreness) in addition to less bloating and gas during workouts. This is especially important on leg day! Even these small benefits have made me consider switching to Hydroflow XP3 to use as my main WPI.
Nutritional Analysis – 4/5
Unfortunately I cannot seem to pull up an amino acid content profile on Hydroflow XP3 no matter how hard I attack Google, in addition to this the company’s website is getting a major overhaul so no luck on that front.
What I can say is according to PVL’s claims on the product packaging; Hydroflow XP3’s amino acid profile is made up of approx. 48% BCAA’s (branch chain amino acids). This is an important fact to note as leucine, isoleucine and valine are believed to be the first amino acids to be used for energy during exercise, hence it makes sense to replace these amino acids as soon as possible post workout.
Value for Money – 3.5/5
Not-cheap, but not quite expensive is how I would describe Hydroflow XP3’s bang for buck. You will receive 107 (28g) servings in the 3kg tub, so you’re getting quite a lot for your money.
Overall Conclusion – 4/5
I rarely put my recommendation of a supplement in writing (as it can come back to bite you at a later date); however I have to say I’m sold on PVL Hydroflow XP3; its taste, effectiveness and pricing all seem to be on the money for me. So if you are looking to purchase a WPI that isn’t the same old stuff you’re used to using, I implore you to give it a red hot go.
You can purchase PVL Hydroflow XP3 from our supplement store!
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