Transparent Labs is a newer company but they have taken the supplement industry by storm, quickly skyrocketing to the top of many “best product” lists.
They focus on making high-quality effective products, you won’t find any underdosed prop blends here. What you will find are serious products designed to get results.
Transparent Labs PreSeries Bulk is a balanced pre-workout formula that offers the extra kick of a testosterone-boosting complex.
PreSeries Bulk is one of several targeted pre-workouts by Transparent Labs. Their products feature extreme full disclosure labeling, clinical dosing, and use only effective ingredients.
It’s nearest competitors are NutraBio Pre Extreme and Kaged Muscle PreKaged, but neither have the test boosting complex PreSeries Bulk has. They compete well in terms of full disclosure labeling and clinical dosing. Also, they do have some muscle building ingredients, but it’s the test complex that sets Bulk apart.
- Fully Transparent Label
- Effectively Dosed
- Clinically Proven Ingredients Only
- Exclusive Testosterone Boosting Complex
- All Natural
- May Be Too Pricey For Some Users
- High Beta Alanine Dosage May Cause Excessive “Flushing” For Some Users
A pre-workout is a great addition to any serious training program. The best pre-workouts provide energy and focus so you can train your hardest and zone into the task at hand. They promote endurance, improve performance, and stimulate a good pump.
There’s a pre-workout for everybody, some are high in stimulants and others have no stims at all.
If you’re a bodybuilder, strength trainer, or athlete, a balanced pre-workout can make a noticeable difference in your workout intensity and overall performance.
Simply put, if you use a pre-workout, you will have a better training session.
Pre-workouts are best used by experienced trainers. There’s a wide range of choices, but younger athletes and casual exercisers do not absolutely need to use one.
Younger athletes can do well just drinking water or a sports drink when they train.
The casual exerciser can certainly use one if they want. Or, they can have a cup of coffee before they train. They should still use water or a sports drink to support hydration.
Here’s what you should consider before buying a pre-workout:
- Do I Need More Energy When I Work Out – A stim-based pre-workout will contain caffeine and other stimulants which can make a big difference in your training energy and intensity. If you find it hard to get through a workout and don’t mind stims, a pre-workout can take your training to the next level.
- Do I Want Stims Or No Stims – As noted above, a stim-based pre-workout can provide a lot of training energy as well as an ability to train with greater intensity. However, not everyone wants caffeine and other stims. If you are sensitive to stimulants, there are stim-free pre-workouts available. These products will target the pump and, depending on the formula, increase focus.
- Do I Want More Motivation To Work Out – The best pre-workouts will help stimulate motivation and concentration. This means you will have more desire to train as well as have a better mind-muscle connection.
- Do I Need More Endurance When I Work Out – Most pre-workouts contain ingredients that can improve overall training endurance. This means you can get more reps and ultimately a few more sets than you could without it. If you find it hard to hit your prescribed number of reps and sets, a pre-workout can make a big difference.
- Do I Want A Good Pump – A good pump is a holy grail for most bodybuilders. Almost all pre-workouts stimulate a good pump, whether that has stims or not. A pump isn’t merely cosmetic, it also helps transport nutrients to the working muscles and is thought to stimulate muscle growth.
Citrulline malate is a combination of citrulline and malic acid. Citrulline is known to provide higher levels of arginine in the blood than arginine itself due to the fact it absorbs better. Malic acid is involved in the ATP system of energy, so by combining the two, you get increased pumps and increased muscular energy. This means improved pumps, performance, and endurance. This is not the only pump ingredient in PreSeries Bulk but it’s the main one. (1)
Beta-Alanine has become a standard ingredient in virtually every pre-workout on the market. Unfortunately, many of them underdose it. Part of the reason is that beta-alanine causes a temporary, harmless tingling effect that not everyone likes. However, it goes away quickly and shouldn’t be a reason to ineffectively dose this ingredient. Transparent Labs does not follow this trend since it’s dosed at a hefty 4g, while the clinical dose is 3.2g. So what does beta alanine do? It works indirectly by increasing levels of carnosine in the muscle cells. This in turn buffers lactic acid buildup, reduces fatigue, and extends endurance. (2)
There are 4g of BCAAs in PreSeries Bulk and they are in a ratio of 2:1:1, This means that there are 2g of leucine and 1g each of isoleucine and valine. Leucine is considered the most anabolic of any amino acid because of its role in the stimulation of protein synthesis. This process is generally thought to be directly responsible for muscle growth. The BCAAs as a complex not only promote muscle growth, they also help prevent muscle protein breakdown and support recovery. (3, 4)
Betaine is an osmolyte, which means it pulls water into the muscle cells, increasing muscle volume, or water-based pumps. Additionally, it’s believed to improve power and strength. It works synergistically with creatine, the original cell volumizer. (5)
Taurine is classified as an amino sulfonic acid. It’s found in the muscles, heart, and brain. Despite popular belief, it’s technically not a proteinogenic amino acid. While it contains an amino group, it has a sulfonic acid group. An amino acid has an amino group and a carboxyl group. Taurine helps regulate minerals and supports the CNS (or, central nervous system). It’s also an osmolyte that’s important for hydration and promotes muscle cell volume, or water-based pumps. (6, 7)
N-acetyl L-tyrosine is the acetylated version of tyrosine, an amino acid. This version has superior absorption over regular tyrosine. This ingredient improves focus and cognitive function. (8)
Choline is another ingredient that supports focus and cognitive function by enhancing acetylcholine levels in the brain. (9)
L-theanine is an amino acid that works with caffeine by helping to temper its effects. It can help decrease jitters, reduce stress, and promotes a sense of relaxation yet does not make you feel drowsy. (10)
Caffeine Anhydrous is a CNS stimulant that blocks adenosine receptors, which makes you feel drowsy. Caffeine increases energy, focus, and alertness, as well as mental performance. (11, 12)
Mucuna Pruriens supports the Testosterone Support complex in PreSeries Bulk by blocking cortisol and promoting levels of testosterone in men that may be deficient. (13)
L-Norvaline is the other nitric oxide boosting ingredient in PreSeries Bulk. It works by supporting the actions of citrulline malate and promoting longer-lasting pumps. (14)
This ingredient was the original replacement for ephedra and is also known as bitter orange. It has effects that are similar to ephedra but are milder, including energy, focus, and thermogenesis. This is one of several energy ingredients in PreSeries Bulk. (15)
Another stimulant, hordenine works synergistically with synephrine and increases energy.
Like synephrine, hordenine is similar to ephedra but does not cause hypertensive reactions. (16)
This is a patented extract of black pepper that can enhance the absorption of other nutrients.
PreSeries Bulk was designed for bodybuilders and athletes and bodybuilders that are in a bulk or muscle building phase. To support this phase, there is a Testosterone Support complex that includes the following:
Vitamin D3 supports bone health as well as healthy levels of testosterone. A deficiency in vitamin D3 can lead to lower testosterone levels.
Boron helps increase levels of free, or usable testosterone. Most of the testosterone in the body is used for other functions, but the free test is what is used for muscle growth. (17)
Zinc is an essential mineral and has a wide range of benefits, including immune system health, macronutrient metabolism, and optimal testosterone production. (18)
Some users may prefer a stim-free pre-workout or one with a lower dose of beta alanine. If you feel PreSeries Bulk is not the best choice and would like to try something different, here are some great alternatives:
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NutraBio was making products with extreme label transparency long before anybody, Transparent Labs included.
The two brands are extremely close in quality and potency, to the point that either of these companies often finds themselves 1st or 2nd on the top-rated lists.
In this case, NutraBio offers a stim-free version of their Pre formula for those users that just don’t want the stims.
Besides a lack of stims, some of the differences include an almost 8g complex of pump ingredients with 6g of pure citrulline. There’s no 50-50 blend here.
There’s also more leucine, a stronger focus complex, an electrolyte complex, and less beta alanine.
Pre Stm-Free uses the 3.2g clinical dose, which is used by most companies that stay with what the studies suggest.
The downside is that this product does not contain anything for testosterone, but with creatine and leucine, it’s not ignoring muscle growth.
| PreSeries Bulk | Pre Stim-Free | |
| Full Disclosure Labeling | Yes | Yes |
| Caffeine/Other Stims | Yes | No |
| BCAAs | Yes | No |
| Creatine | No | Yes, 500 mg |
| Beta Alanine | Yes | Yes, 3.2g |
| Test Complex | Yes | No |
| Leucine | Yes, 2g | Yes, 3.5g |
| Citrulline | Yes, 6g blend | Yes, pure 6g |
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Kaged Muscle is another high-quality brand that usually ranks near the top of elite supplements.
They use full disclosure labeling, although not to the extent Transparent Labs or NutraBio does. However, they will use clinically dosed ingredients.
Pre Kaged is a little different than either of the other two pre-workouts discussed so far. First, there’s only 1.6g of beta alanine for those users that just can’t handle the harmless, short-lived tingling effect.
There’s a full 6.5g of pure citrulline, the strongest dose yet.
There’s a total of 4.7g leucine, plus creatine, a strong focus blend, and a unique antioxidant blend.
There’s no stim blend, just 274mg of organic caffeine.
Pre Kaged is a good choice for users that want a low dose of beta alanine. It’s also good if you’d like to see creatine in your pre-workout and if you want a simpler stimulant approach.
Like Pre Stim-Free, there’s nothing for testosterone, but with such a high dose of leucine and creatine, muscle growth is not ignored.
| PreSeries Bulk | Pre Kaged | |
| Full Disclosure Labeling | Yes | Yes |
| Caffeine/Other Stims | Yes | Yes, just caffeine |
| BCAAs | Yes | Yes |
| Creatine | No | Yes, 1.5g |
| Beta Alanine | Yes | Yes, 1.6g |
| Test Complex | Yes | No |
| Leucine | Yes, 2g | Yes, 4.7g |
| Citrulline | Yes, 6g blend | Yes, pure 6.5g |
Transparent Labs PreSeries Bulk is one of the top pre-workouts on the market.
It does not have the doses of leucine other products have, and it does not contain creatine. Still, it does have something most other pre-workouts lack, which is a test boosting complex.
It also has a very strong 4g dose of beta alanine for impressive endurance.
If you’re looking for muscle stimulation and a good pre-workout with a solid stim/pump/focus complex, Transparent Labs PreSeries Bulk may be the best pre-workout for you.
References:
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17662090/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257613/
- Norton, L.E. & Layman, D.K. Leucine Regulates Translation Initiation of Protein Synthesis in Skeletal Muscle after Exercise. J. Nutr., 136:533S-537S, February 2006.
- Jackman SR, Witard OC, Philp A, Wallis GA, Baar K, Tipton KD. Branched-Chain Amino Acid Ingestion Stimulates Muscle Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis following Resistance Exercise in Humans. Frontiers in Physiology. 2017;8:390. doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.00390.
- NE;, C. (n.d.). Effects of Betaine on Performance and Body Composition: A Review of Recent Findings and Potential Mechanisms. Retrieved June 24, 2020, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24760587/
- https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1024/taurine
- https://www.botanical-online.com/en/natural-medicine/characteristics-properties-taurine#Taurine_as_osmolyte
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7794222/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1997116/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16930802/
- Mednick, Sara C et al; “Comparing the benefits of caffeine, naps and placebo on verbal, motor and perceptual memory.”; Behavioural brain research; vol. 193,1; 2008; 79-86; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2603066/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209050/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2816389/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14977627/
- Stohs, S. J. (2017, October). Safety, Efficacy, and Mechanistic Studies Regarding Citrus aurantium (Bitter Orange) Extract and p-Synephrine. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28752649
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21971008/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8508192/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8875519/