One of Dymatize Nutrition’s latest offerings is ISO 100. It’s a hydrolyzed whey protein isolate (WPI) which the company claims has the highest actual percentage of WPI in its class.
Before I give you my review of this latest product, I want to give you some background on the company itself and also a very basic crash course on Hydrolyzed whey Proteins.
The Company
The Dymatize brand name has been synonymous with high quality supplements since the company was founded nearly 20 years ago. In that time, they have constantly been at the forefront of research and development with one goal in mind.
To provide the highest quality supplements at reasonable prices, enabling athletes to reach their goals.
As a regular user of Dymatize’s Elite series, I can tell you without hesitation, that they deliver on their promises.
There could be many reasons for their success and the quality of their products, but in a nutshell it’s down to two words. “In House.”
Every stage of the manufacturing process is done in Dymatize’s own, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities with no outsourcing. All of the production equipment and eight, yes 8 separate labs (3 research and development labs, four quality control labs and their own flavor lab, more about that in a moment) are all located at their own plant.
The facilities are NSF GMP Certified for Sport® as well as FDA inspected, giving us peace of mind when considering a purchase of their supplements.
It’s this type of transparency that first attracted me to Dymatize. Other companies tend to be very secretive whereas Dymatize proudly show us what they do and how they do it so well.
Hydrolyzed Whey Protein Isolates
Hydrolyzed WPIs, also called Hydro-lysates are whey protein that has been processed with acid conditions and / or high temperatures to isolate the protein. It’s one of the easiest ways to purify whey protein, removing most of the fats and lactose.
During this process small peptides or bonds that link the amino acids are formed. This makes hydrolyzed whey protein easy for your body to absorb making it a perfect post workout recovery drink. These types of supplements have a higher percentage (90-100%) of protein than Whey Protein Concentrates (70-80%).
On the down side, the proteins become denatured during this type of manufacturing process, reducing the effectiveness of the protein supplement.
Many researchers believe that what is lost due to denaturing of the proteins, is made up for by a higher protein content, while others believe the oxidation of amino acids due to the processing makes them an ineffective supplement.
In reality the jury is still out until further research can give a definitive answer about the effects of the process, amino oxidation and absorption rates.
The Product
ISO 100 is a Hydrolyzed WPI. It gets its name from the fact it is made using 100% Isolate, not concentrate. The actual protein content in each serving is around 90% with flavors and other ingredients making up the other 10%.
Nutritional Info
The Macro-nutrient breakdown for ISO 100 is:
Serving size: 28.3gm (1 scoop)
Calories: 100
Calories from Fat: 0
Total Fat: 0gm
Carbs: 1.5gm
Sugars: 0gm
Protein: 24-25gm (Depends on flavor)
This final figure (24gm Protein) is disappointing in a product that promotes itself as having the highest content in its class. There are other WPIs with the same or slightly higher protein content. Their own Elite Isolate (as used by the author) contains 24gm / serve.
BCAAs
The people at Dymatize haven’t added BCAAs to ISO 100. Instead relying on the naturally occurring content in the whey protein itself. The breakdown and function of each one is:
Isoleucine 1,975mg
A precursor for glutamine and alanine which we need during intense physical activity like weight training. It’s also used as a fuel source by muscle cells and preserves others such as glycogen. Isoleucine is also important for protein synthesis and has anabolic and anti-catabolic properties, increasing endurance while reducing fatigue and muscle tissue break-down
Leucine 2,825mg
It helps to maintain the nitrogen balance in our body and supplies energy to the body during our workouts. By doing this, it conserves glycogen used for muscle contraction. It also increases alertness and focus during your workout. It is one of the most important amino acids for protein synthesis. Low levels of Leucine mean your body won’t be able to convert protein for building and repairing muscle tissue efficiently.
Valine 1,850mg
Essential for the growth and repair of tissue, Valine is another amino acid that helps to maintain the nitrogen balance in your body. It can also be used as a source of energy for muscle tissue during exercise, again preserving your body’s glucose stores.
Taste
If you’ve read our other reviews, you may recall that I’m not one who is overly picky when it comes to the taste of my supplements. However if I was going to judge supplements purely on taste, Dymatize and especially ISO 100 are the champions.
I mentioned earlier that one of the 8 labs at their facilities is a flavor lab. Where most companies cut costs and buy a finished flavor from outside sources, Dymatize actually make and test their own flavors. This ethic has really paid off for the company. All 6 of the flavors they offer, have a rating of 8.7 – 9.2 from Bodybuilding.com registered users, with Gourmet Vanilla the most popular. Banana and Chocolate weren’t far behind.
Being a closet Chocaholic, I tried the Gourmet Chocolate flavor and have to give it 2 thumbs up.
Mix-ability
Being instantized and Hydrolyzed with no fats or lactose, ISO 100 mixes really well with no clumping or gritty sediment. I used my old low tech shaker bottle and had no problems at all. It was very smooth and creamy mixed in both water and skim milk.
Cost
This could be the one sticking point for ISO 100. It IS quite expensive compared to some other comparable WPIs on the market. Currently it is available in 1.6lb, 3lb and 5lb tubs and also in a 10 serving pack. The recommended retails are $47, $74, $85 and $24 respectively.
This puts it in the high end of the market. At the time of writing this review, Bodybuilding.com had the best prices of $28, $49, $67.44 and $14 respectively. This brought the cost down to about mid range until you factor in 2 -3 serves per day.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- + Company has a long history of quality supplements.
- + Made from 100% Isolate.
- + Low carbohydrate profile.
- + 0 fat.
- + Good BCAA profile.
- + Excellent taste.
- + Excellent mix-ability.
- + Made completely in house under strict controls (no outsourcing / potential contamination).
Cons
- – It is expensive.
- – Has a similar actual protein content as cheaper alternatives.
Recommendation
For taste, mix-ability and smoothness, you’ll go a long way to find a better WPI than this one. You also have peace of mind about the quality controls in place during manufacture.
However, when it comes to price and actual protein content, there are competitors and even their own products that offer the same amount of protein per serve for a much lower price.
I’ll recommend it for those who have the budget and also for those who want a product from a trusted and proven company. For now though, I’ll stick with my Dymatize Elite at only two thirds of the cost.