Unbiased Built With Science Whey Protein Review

Welcome to my Built With Science Whey Protein Review. If you’ve been searching for the perfect protein powder, you’ve likely come across Built With Science’s Beyond Pure 100% Whey Isolate. 

But is it truly the high-quality product it claims to be?

In this review, I’ll peel back the layers of sleek marketing to reveal why this protein powder might not be worth your investment. From questionable amino spiking practices to its dubious inability to be sold in Canada, we’ll dive deep into the facts and figures. Grab your protein shaker, and let’s get into the nitty-gritty details of what you’re getting with Built With Science Whey Protein.

🌟 As a certified expert in strength conditioning (NSCA) and nutrition (Precision Nutrition, CISSN), I bring a hands-on, unbiased approach to my protein reviews. My insights come from personal use, not just research, ensuring you get real-world feedback on each product.

👥 I choose products for review based on your requests, their relevance, and my genuine interest. Brand sponsorships don’t influence this review, allowing me to maintain impartiality.

💼 Transparency matters to me. I purchased this protein powder with my own money, underscoring my commitment to providing you with an honest and unbiased review. 

Rest assured, I focus on providing clear, honest reviews to help you make informed decisions. This review of Built With Science Whey Protein is no exception, offering you a comprehensive understanding of the product.

📖 Built With Science Whey Protein Review Details

Built With Science Whey Protein, Beyond Pure 100% Whey Isolate, appears to be a high-quality protein powder, making such claims and statements. This is evident in its sleek packaging, bold claims, and use of scientific-sounding terms.

• The product boasts 29 grams of protein per serving, a significant amount that can help meet your daily protein needs. However, the quality of this protein could be better.
• Whey Protein Isolate is the main ingredients
• Minimal ingredient profile, less than four total ingredients
• High protein-to-calorie ratio
• Offering less than 2 grams of carbs and less than 1 gram of fat

Reading those statements, examining the nutrition facts, and finally examining the amino acid profile screams “high-quality.” Unfortunately, the claims made with Built With Science Whey fall apart. 

• 3rd party lab tested
• 3 grams of leucine
• Can only be purchased in the USA (website statement)

I have supporting evidence that Beyond Pure 100% Whey Isolate is an amino-spiked protein. And finally, this protein powder could not be sold in Canada due to “misinformation” being shared about this product.

A “proud Canadian brand” that their product can not be sold in Canada. However, the supplement regulations are lower in the US, so a Canadian brand can try to pass a “high-quality” protein powder. 

Roll up your sleeves because this Built With Science Protein Powder review was fun to write. 

🏋️‍♂️ Is Built With Science Protein Powder a Meal Replacement or Post Workout Shake?

Examining the ingredient list and container, it is constantly advertised that Built With Science Protein Powder is best utilized as a post-workout shake. If you are sensitive to lactose, don’t take it as a pre-workout. You will feel uncomfortably bloated. 

 💪 How Much Built With Science Whey Protein Should I Take After A Workout?

Research shares that you should aim for 25 grams of protein with up to 3 grams of leucine post-workout to stimulate MPS. Here is what we know about Built With Science Whey Protein: 29 grams of protein with 3.18 grams of leucine. It should be one scoop, right… RIGHT?

I firmly believe that Built With Science uses a whey distributor that artificially uses amino spiking to inflate the amino acid profile. If you purchase Built With Science, I recommend the following recommendations. 

Mix Built With Science Whey Protein with high-protein skim milk. Leucine information shared by the USDA states that one cup of skim milk offers 8 grams of protein with .8 grams of leucine. Or just use a cup of Skim Fairlife milk. You will surely exceed the 25 grams of protein with 3 grams of leucine. 

🛒 Where to Buy Built With Science Whey

You can only purchase Built With Science Whey directly from their website. That is precisely what I did. If you’re trying to make a decision, here are the potential pros of purchasing from the site

• 90-Day Money-Back Guarantee (not salty about this)
• Free S&H over $150
• Exclusive discounts if you provide an email
• S&S is 15% off, and bulk order discounts are available

Here’s the price comparison for buying one-off versus the S&S

• Full Price: $64.98, 30 servings, $2.17 per serving 
• S&S: $55.23, 30 servings, $1.84 per serving

💸 Does BuiltWithScience Offer A Money-Back Guarantee? 

BuiltWithScience offers a supposed 100% 90-day money-back guarantee, similar to what Nutricost did three years ago. Do you think I got my money back? NOPE (I’m not salty.)

Value: 1 out of 10. Built With Science Whey Protein falls short. Despite its seemingly robust amino acid profile and money-back offer, it’s essential to be cautious. The product’s quality does not match its claims, with evidence suggesting amino spiking at the whey distributor. 

⚛️ Is Built With Science Protein Powder Amino Spiked?

Every bag of Built With Science Protein Powder has an amino acid profile. It’s even shared on the website. It’s constantly shared, “3rd party lab tested.” However, here is the kicker.

When examining the amino acid profile, you will see that Built With Science Protein Powder has 3.183 grams of leucine. Leucine is the most critical BCAA in stimulating MPS. At first glance, you may think, “Wow! This protein is great.” 

Then, you start digging into the research on leucine and whey protein powders. This PEScience article commonly touts protein powders’ 10% average leucine content. Another protein brand, ENU, also shares this information.

What does the research share? The International Society of Sports Nutrition shares in this article,

Comparison of the quality of whey and casein reveal that these two proteins routinely contain the highest leucine content of all other protein sources at 11% and 9.3%, respectively…In general, the proteins with the greatest leucine content include dairy (9–11%).

“International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise”

Where does Built With Science Protein Powder leucine content stand? It stands at 10.98% 

Leucine per content is odd. The other issue I have with Built With Science Whey is the BCAA content. It offers 6.8 grams of BCAA per serving, which is high. 

It’s time to do a protein comparison!

Built With Science Whey Protein Whey Amino Acid Comparison

Let’s compare Built With Science Whey Protein to known certified protein brands with similar amino acid profiles: Antler Farms New Zealand Whey Protein Isolate, Pure Choice Farms Cold Filtered Isolate, AGN Roots Grass Fed Whey, and Nutricost Whey Isolate. 

Why Nutricost? Built With Science sources their whey from the same distributor that Nutricost uses.

	Built With Science	Nutricost	Antler Farms	AGN Roots	Pure Choice Farms
Leucine	3.183 grams	2.747 grams	4.0 grams	3.1 grams	3.1 grams
Total BCAAs	6.8 grams	5.7 grams	7.0 grams	6.5 grams	6.4 grams
Protein Type	Isolate	Isolate	Isolate	Isolate	Isolate
Serving Size	36 grams	37 grams	30 grams	29 grams	32 grams
Protein per Serving	29 grams	30 grams	26 grams	25 grams	28 grams
Where is protein sourced?	Claimed New Zealand (false)	Who knows	New Zealand	Ireland	Wisconsin
Percent Protein per serving	81%	81%	87%	86%	88%
Certification	None	None	New Zealand Government	Truly Grass Fed AWA Informed-Sport Informed-Protein	Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board/Wisconsin Whey

I have the following reviews for honest, high-quality protein powders

• Antler Farms Whey Protein Isolate review
• AGN Roots Grass Fed Whey Protein review
• Pure Choice Farms Protein review

🔍 How to Tell If A Protein Powder Is Amino Spiked

The BYU article “Amino Acids as Alternatives to Emulsifying Salts in Processed Cheese Analogues” highlights the potential of amino acids like aspartic acid, cysteine, and glutamic acid as substitutes for traditional emulsifying salts in cheese. This shift aligns with clean-labeling trends and reduces sodium content, promoting healthier food options.

A similar approach in the protein supplement industry is known as “amino spiking” or “nitrogen spiking,” where companies add free-form amino acids to protein products. This practice can misleadingly inflate the protein content measured by nitrogen-based tests, suggesting a higher protein content than the product provides for complete proteins.

Some companies use this tactic to reduce costs while appearing to provide a high-protein product. Consumers looking to purchase genuine whey protein products should be wary of this practice. They can look for third-party testing and certification to ensure their purchases’ protein content and quality match the labeling and marketing claims.

I firmly believe that BuiltWithScience is knowingly purchasing protein powder from the same distributor as Nutricost and charging a premium for its whey protein. How do I know?

I contacted BuiltWithScience!

Built With Science shared that they imported their whey from New Zealand. It’s not. When I asked who did the amino acid profile, I found that it was one of the three testing companies that Nutricost uses. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. 

Even though the amino acid analysis was conducted in 2023 by MÉRIEUX NUTRISCIENCES. (You see the Nutri- prefix?) MÉRIEUX NUTRISCIENCES purchased one of Nutricost’s 3rd party labs, Dyad Labs. I firmly believe that Merieux is fully aware of the amino spiked whey used in Beyond Pure 100% Whey Isolate. 

📜 Is Built With Science Whey Protein 3rd Party Tested?

Even though you see three badges: 3rd Party Lab Tested, cGMP, and “A Proudly Canadian Brand.” However, Built With Science Whey has not been tested for banned or illegal substances. 

If you’ve visited the BuiltWithScience protein page, you will notice “Currently only available within the United States.” Here is why it’s odd to see “A Proud Canadian Brand” advertising only available in the United States. The regulations for supplements are less restricted in the United States than in Canada. This is why you see the banner: only available in the United States.

I’ll show you the billing statement I received. For the record, I still haven’t received my “100% money-back guarantee.” I’m not salty…

Amino Spiking: 1 out of 10. No nitrogen components and recovery blends with Beyond Pure 100% Isolate. However, amino spiking happens during whey processing. Instead of using salt, amino acids are used to inflate the amino acid profile. 

⚠️ What is Amino Spiked Protein?

If you’re wondering which protein powders are amino-spiked. As discussed in this review, the following protein powders are amino-spiked due to falsifying their amino acid profiles or knowingly purchasing amino-spiked whey.

• Bum and Raw Protein Powders
• Pure Protein Powder review
• Does Rule 1 Amino spike? (All Rule 1 protein powders)
• Is Jacked Factory good? (All dairy-based Jacked Factory powders)
• PEScience Select Protein review

🥤 How to Mix Built With Science Whey

Built With Science Whey shows a pictograph showing different ways to mix their whey: shaker bottle or blender. They even share the versatility that Built With Science Whey can easily mix with food items. I’m not testing that, just a shaker. 

Directions when using a shaker

• 6–10 ounces of water, milk, or your favorite beverage
• One scoop
• Cover and shake for 10 seconds

A quick shake later, I was happily surprised. It wasn’t a wholly instantiated shake. Some cake bits were found on the shaker walls, but just a couple of clumps. And a couple of clumps in the shake when drinking.

⚖️ Does Built With Science Whey Protein Come With A Scoop?

Yes, Built With Science Whey Protein comes with a scoop. The scoop is on par for what is considered a serving. 

Shakability Test: 9 out of 10, Not a 100% blend. I had some protein cake bits in my shake and on the shaker wall. 

📋 What Ingredients Are In Built With Science Whey?

What’s impressive about Built With Science Whey is the minimal ingredient profile, regardless of which flavor you select. Protein and flavoring, that is it. Here are the ingredients found in Caramel. 

• Whey Protein Isolate: Promotes muscle growth and recovery and has high bioavailability.
• Natural Caramel Flavor: Improves taste without artificial additives.
• Stevia Extract: Adds sweetness without extra calories.
• Salt: Balances electrolytes and enhances the overall taste.

🌍Does Built With Science Protein Powder Use Imported Whey?

This is another major concert about Built With Science Protein powder. The label screams internationally sourced protein powder. There should be two indicators that this protein powder is internationally sourced: cGMP badge.

Unfortunately, the bag does not include the “Made in America with international and domestic ingredients” tag. When I contacted BuiltWithScience about utilizing the 90-Day Money-Back Guarantee (I am still not salty about not getting my money back), the representative shared that their protein is sourced from New Zealand. 

Newsflash: Built With Science Whey is not sourced from New Zealand. It’s a mystery protein powder sourcing game. If we are to play this game, it’s the usual heavy hitters: China, Brazil, and India. Why not Europe? The majority of the countries have banned the use of antibiotics and milk-producing hormones. 

Ingredients List: 8 out of 10. Impressive and minimal ingredient profile. However, the issue is where is the country of origin for Built With Sciences Isolate? Minus one for internationally sourced and another loss of points for the rep needing to be more knowledgeable and provide better information. 

🥗 What Are The Nutrition Facts for Built With Science Whey?

The nutrition facts for Built With Science Whey are taken from their newest flavor, Salted Caramel.

Serving size 36 grams

Calories 130

• Total Fat .5g
• Sodium 260mg
• Total Carbohydrates 2g
  • Dietary Fiber 0g
  • Total Sugars 1g
• 29 grams of muscle-building protein

🍗 What Percent Protein Does Built With Science Whey Protein Offer per Serving?

Here are the percentages for each flavor Built With Science Whey Protein offers.

• Salted Caramel: 29 grams of protein / 36 grams serving = 81%
• French Vanilla: 29 grams of protein / 36 grams serving = 81%
• Dutch Chocolate: 29 grams of protein / 36 grams serving = 81%

🍨 Is Built With Science Whey Lactose Free?

BuiltWithScience does not claim that Beyond Pure 100% Whey is low in lactose, which is good. After drinking one shake, my stomach became bloated. Don’t drink this as a pre-workout shake. 

The bloating you will feel when drinking Beyond Pure 100% Whey is noticeable. 

Nutrition Facts: 5 out of 10. I would score Built With Science an 8. Here’s my problem: they are knowingly using a whey distributor, enriching the amino acid profile. This, in turn, makes Built With Science Whey a “high-quality” protein powder. There’s a reason why this Canadian company is selling their protein in the USA… Canada won’t let them sell it in Canada. 

👌Does Built With Science Whey Protein Taste Good?

If you’ve been a long-time reader of my reviews, you already know my rule: if a protein company shows a flavor in food form, it needs to taste like the picture. Here’s the other issue with my taste pallet: stevia. Too much of it gives me a sweet, medicinal aftertaste. 

How does Built With Science Protein, a protein powder with stevia, taste? The salted caramel flavor presents a unique profile. 

At first sip, it delivers a promising wave of warm, gooey caramel. However, the experience is quickly overshadowed by an overwhelming taste of stevia, giving it a sweet, medicinal aftertaste that lingers. This stevia presence significantly impacts the overall enjoyment, making the flavor somewhat inconsistent.

It’s like going to a party; everyone knows they are expecting that one annoying acquaintance to make a drunk appearance and change the party’s vibe. 

While I could finish a 30-serving container, it’s not a flavor I would eagerly purchase again. It’s a decent option for those who enjoy a strong stevia flavor but fall short of being a standout in the protein powder market.

⭐️ Amazon, Built With Science Protein Powder Review

Built with Science Protein Powder can not be purchased from Amazon.

Flavor: 7.5 out of 10. I purchased Built With Science Protein Powder because I was targeted on social media. I can say no to a lot of questionable protein powders. However, I only purchased Built With Science Whey because of Salted Caramel.  Thirty servings will feel like an eternity, but one bag of salted caramel is enough to say, No mas.

🏁Is Built With Science Legit?

After reading some of Built With Science’s blog posts, I found their information legit. I didn’t purchase their workout programs. That’s not what I do; I critique another coach for their training protocols. I train my clients that I deem fit so they perform at a high level during their workout and perform ADL (activities of daily living) the other 23 hours.

I have no affiliation with Built With Science. The company targeted me with their social media to purchase Beyond Pure 100% Whey Isolate.  The irony of writing this unbiased Built With Science Whey Protein review is BultWithScience creates blog articles to educate fitness goers. 

The worst part is that they have an article examining the biggest supplement scams and which protein powder is the best. The author of both articles, Jeremy Ethier, provides sound and solid information to help fitness goers “become the best version of themselves.”

Now, here we are. I have their protein powder, Beyond Pure 100% Whey Isolate. The irony of this situation is that Jeremy discusses amino spiking with protein supplements. Providing tips to identify potential amino acid spiked protein. Then, low and behold, here’s my protein supplement, Beyond Pure 100% Whey Isolate. Here’s a direct quote from the article, 

“In addition, look for brands that fully disclose the amino acid profile of their protein. This helps indicate that they’re fully transparent about their product’s specific amino acid content. And are, therefore, less likely to have spiked it.

Case in point? Our Built With Science Isolate Whey Protein Powder delivers 29 eye-watering grams of 100% whey isolate protein per scoop — and we’re not afraid to reveal its typical amino acid profile (because we have nothing to hide).”

Best Protein Powder with Amino Acids (Good vs Bad Protein Powder), December 19, 2020

BuiltWithScience does what PEScience does: create information in the reader’s best interest. In turn, they need to be more direct and provide a false sense of security by offering a subpar product. 

Is Built With Science Protein Powder Good?

🤔 Is Built With Science Good?

Built With Science’s Beyond Pure 100% Whey Isolate might seem like a great deal at first glance, but the reality is less impressive. Here’s why:

1. Questionable Sourcing and Testing: Built With Science uses MÉRIEUX NUTRISCIENCES, the same third-party certifier as Nutricost. This raises concerns about the authenticity of their amino acid profile, suggesting potential amino spiking.
2. Inconsistent Quality Claims: The protein is marketed as high-quality, yet it’s only available in the US, possibly due to stricter regulations in Canada that it might not meet.
3. Misleading Marketing: Despite claiming to source whey from New Zealand, my investigation suggests otherwise. This kind of misrepresentation is a red flag for any supplement brand.

While it mixes well and tastes decent, these surface-level positives don’t outweigh the deeper issues. What you’re paying for might not be what you think. Consider looking elsewhere if you’re serious about your protein intake and want to avoid pitfalls.

Do you agree with my Built With Science Whey Protein review? Comment below, and let me know what I got wrong. Or do you think I’m full of conspiracy theory nonsense? 

Are you looking for more protein reviews? Here are all of JKremmer Fitness unbiased protein powder reviews. Are you looking for a protein review that I haven’t done yet? Email me at my ‘Contact Me’ page; I’ll do my best to get an unbiased review out in 4 weeks. 

🧐 Built With Science Whey Protein Powder Review Round-Up

Value: 1 out of 10
Amino Spiking: 1 out of 10
Shakability Test: 9 out of 10
Ingredients List: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 5 out of 10
Flavor: 7.5 out of 10
Overall Score 31.5/60, 53%, Don’t Buy

📑 Sources

Built With Science. (n.d.). Built with science isolate whey protein powder. https://shop.builtwithscience.com/products/whey-protein-powder

Builtwithscdev. (2023, August 24). Best Protein Powder with Amino Acids (Good vs Bad Protein Powder). Built with Science. https://builtwithscience.com/supplements/which-protein-powder-is-the-best/

Clark, B. (2021, September 3). How Much Leucine is There in Whey Protein? ENU Nutrition. https://enu-nutrition.com/blog/how-much-leucine-is-there-in-whey-protein/

Jäger, R., Kerksick, C. M., Campbell, B. I., Cribb, P. J., Wells, S. D., Skwiat, T. M., Purpura, M., Ziegenfuss, T. N., Ferrando, A. A., Arent, S. M., Smith-Ryan, A. E., Stout, J. R., Arciero, P. J., Ormsbee, M. J., Taylor, L. W., Wilborn, C. D., Kalman, D. S., Kreider, R. B., Willoughby, D. S., . . . Antonio, J. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8

Kolschowsky, C. (2022, August 3). Leucine in Your Protein – What is it and why does it matter? PEScience. https://pescience.com/blogs/articles/leucine-in-your-protein-what-is-it-and-why-does-it-matter

L, G. (2024, July 8). 3 supplement scams, exposed. Built with Science. https://builtwithscience.com/supplements/biggest-supplement-scams/

MÉRIEUX NUTRISCIENCES ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF DYAD LABS. (2021, December 10). Dyad Labs. Retrieved July 14, 2024, from https://dyadlabs.com/news/merieux-nutrisciences-announces-acquisition-of-dyad-labs/

Norton, L. (2010). Leucine is a critical factor determining protein quantity and quality of a complete meal to initiate. . . ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/43784176_Leucine_is_a_critical_factor_determining_protein_quantity_and_quality_of_a_complete_meal_to_initiate_muscle_protein_synthesis

Pack, J. (2022). Amino Acids as Alternatives to Emulsifying Salts in Processed Cheese Analogues. In https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/. BYU ScholarsArchive. Retrieved July 13, 2024, from https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=11000&context=etd

Stark, M., Lukaszuk, J., Prawitz, A., & Salacinski, A. (2012). Protein timing and its effects on muscular hypertrophy and strength in individuals engaged in weight-training. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-9-54

USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Legacy. (2018). Nutrient content in household measure. https://www.nal.usda.gov/sites/default/files/page-files/leucine.pdf