Cytosport Muscle Milk Review: Can You Lose Weight & Gain Lean Muscle With Muscle Milk Protein Powder & Other Types?

Find out why the Muscle Milk brand remains so popular even among pros in the protein supplement industry after all these years.

Since the founding of Cytosport in 1998, this provider of protein-enhanced solutions has gone on to create range of products such as Monster Milk and Cytomax.

But their widely acknowledged top brand remains Muscle Milk series of products, which is trusted by many fitness buffs.

The list of noted athletes who are associated with Muscle Milk is quite impressive: Stephen Curry. Clay Matthews. Sara Hall. Ryan Hall. Mauricio Mendez. Noah Syndergaard. Julie Ertz. Corey Seager. Zach Ertz.

The company has partnered not just with world-class athletes, but also with historic athletic programs and elite training facilities.

These partnerships have kept the company always making sure that their products are free from any banned substances.

So how good is Muscle Milk?

This Muscle Milk review will give you a closer look at their range of products.

So What Exactly Is Muscle Milk?

Simply, is the premiere line of protein supplements from CytoSport.

They’re available in various nutrient formulas as well as in different forms.

You can take the protein supplement in powder form, in ready-made drinks, or as protein bars.

What really differentiates Muscle Milk is that it uses only high quality ingredients in all its products, which explains why their prices while still reasonable are also somewhat higher than other brands.

These products are also certified free of all banned substances.

This is another reason why so many pro athletes associate their names with this brand.

It’s a favorite among many collegiate athletes for this reason as well.

These premium protein solutions can be used in a myriad of ways:

• Weight gain or for weight loss

You can use this for weight gain or for weight loss. It all depends on how you use the Muscle Milk product with your diet and workout regimen.

• Good to combine with calorie diet

If you’re using this to gain weight, then you take this in addition to your high calorie diet.

You’re best served with the products that offer the most number of Muscle Milk calories, such as the Gainer with 650 calories.

• Meal replacements

You can take other products with lower calorie content and then use them as meal replacements.

Since a regular meal has at least 600 to 850 calories, this meal replacement can cut down your calorie intake significantly.

• Many use as quick breakfast

If you’re running late, you can use these as your breakfast option which you can take along on the way to work or school.

It’s better than nothing, and also better and healthier than other protein drinks out there.

• Great pre workout supplement

The Muscle Milk whey protein can fuel your workout when you take this before your gym session. You can take this and use the energy to really work out hard and intensely.

• Always work as post workout and recovery

You can take it after your workout as it’s very effective in promoting workout recovery.

This is especially true with the Cytosport 100% whey protein powder as this is fast absorbing and your muscles immediately get the protein they need.

• Far better than junk foods

If you’re looking for a snack, this qualifies as a healthy alternative to junk food.

You can control the calorie and nutrient content, and they can make you feel full. Plenty of these products offer a long list of vitamins and minerals.

• Take before sleep wake up fitter

You can also take this right before you sleep so that your muscles have slow-absorbing protein to use through the night.

Without protein in your body, your muscles don’t get the protein they need.

• And… good for your kids too

Some picky eaters (especially children) may not be getting enough nutrients or calories with their meals.

But both children and adults often love the taste of Muscle Milk products.

7 Outstanding Muscle Milk Products

You can’t just say that you need to get Muscle Milk.

It’s a line of products, so that you’re able to pick a specific protein solution that closely matches your particular needs and circumstances.

They do have many things in common.

They’re all made with high quality ingredients, and they’ve been NSF-certified as free of banned substances. ⁽¹⁾

So to be able to pick one over another, here’s an overview of the products.

1.  Genuine Protein Powder (Order it: AMAZON)

Since this is a powder, it’s quite versatile.

You can mix this with water or milk, or add the powder to your shakes, smoothies, or recipes. Each serving takes 2 scoops of the powder.

This Muscle Milk powder can be used to fuel your workouts, or to help you recover after a workout.

As a post-workout drink, it should be consumed about 30 to 60 minutes after the workout so you can feed your muscles with the protein they need to rebuild.

Benefits:

• It offers a massive dose of 32g of high quality protein, scoring 1.0 (the highest score) on the PDCAAS. ⁽²⁾

• The protein is a combination of whey concentrate, milk isolate, and calcium sodium caseinate.

• It provides all 9 essential amino acids, so you don’t need to add another protein supplement to get missing amino acids.

• It can be used as a pre- or post-workout drink, or as a snack between meals. You can also take before bedtime so your muscles continue to feed on protein while you sleep.

• You can take this on top of your meals to gain bulk.

• You can take this as a meal replacement every now and then to help you lose weight.

• It offers 8 vitamins and minerals: magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and D.

• It comes in 10 flavors: Banana Crème, Cake Batter, Chocolate, Cookies ‘N Crème, Peanut Butter Chocolate, Real Chocolate, Strawberries ‘N Crème, Strawberry Banana, Vanilla, Vanilla Crème.

• Its soy and gluten-free.

• It can suit most people with lactose issues.

Pros

• Mix it with low-fat milk and it sure tastes like a real milkshake.
• The amount of protein is huge.
• It has both fast- and slow-absorbing protein
• It can be used for both muscle building and for weight loss.
• It’s a great source of fiber.
• You have lots of terrific flavors to choose from.
• This can be used with water, milk, or food recipes like pancakes.
• It uses only high quality products.
• It’s free of soy and gluten.

Cons

• It still contains ingredients that come from milk and soy.
• It’s been made in a plant that processes eggs, wheat, soy, and milk.
• It contains sucralose.

2.  Muscle Milk Gainer  (Order it: AMAZON)

How do you gain bulk to replace your skinny frame?

You need massive doses of calories, so that you consume more calories than you burn off.

To make sure that your weight gain includes muscles, you also need to work out while you consume lots of protein.

You can do all that with the Muscle Milk Gainer.

Benefits

• These needs are all met with the Gainer, as you get a tremendously huge serving of 650 calories per drink. You also get 80 calories from fat, in addition to 32g of protein, 109g of carbs, and 9g of total fat.

• The proteins here are a mix of fast- and slow-absorbing proteins. This means that when you consume the drink, you can immediately get the proteins for your muscles to use, while your muscles also get protein throughout the day.

• This is why the optimum time to take this is after a workout. However, it can be taken before a workout as well so that you have fuel for your exertions.

• The proteins derived from milk qualify as complete proteins, as they deliver all the essential amino acids in the required amounts. These proteins actually offer up to 18 different amino acids all in all.

• This also comes with a very long list of vitamins and minerals in the contents. We’ve counted more than 20 of them on the label.

• With this much calories, you can also use this as a protein-rich meal replacement. It works very well as a snack, as it makes you feel full.

• Available flavors include Chocolate, Cookies ‘N Crème, and Muscle Milk Gainer Vanilla.

Pros

• It offers lots of protein, carbs, and calories.
• You can really gain bulk with this.
• It can be taken with water, milk, or with your pancake recipes.
• The proteins and the ingredients are all high quality.
• The proteins include slow- and fast-absorbing proteins.
• It tastes better than most gainers.
• Lots of anorexic people have gained weight with this.

Cons

• You need 4 scoops of this for a single serving, so mixing it with water and milk can be a problem without a blender.

3.  Muscle Milk Original Shake  (Order it: AMAZON)
Cytosport gained prominence with their original Muscle Milk so many people still get the Original Shake version.

It’s just that good.

Benefits

• This is a ready-made drink, so you won’t have to prepare it in a blender.

• It’s available in 5 flavors: Banana Crème, Chocolate, Cookies ‘N Crème, Strawberries ‘N Crème, and Vanilla Crème.

• With its 320 calories, you can use this to gain weight. You can just take this in addition to your meals.

• Yet it also works as a meal replacement, and that amount of calories is also less than what you’d get from a regular meal. So if you’re trying to lose weight, this can be useful as well.

• You get a very long list of vitamins and minerals in the contents. We counted 20 of them here, including calcium (35% of your DV), iron (35%) and vitamins A, C, D, E, B6, and B12.

• It’s free of gluten.

• Even admitted lactose intolerant consumers say they’re able to drink this.

Pros

• You have plenty of flavors to choose from, and many find a favorite among them.
• Numerous lactose-intolerant users say that they can drink this without a problem.
• Many of those who have digestive problems with other protein drinks say they didn’t have trouble with this one.
• It offers a large amount of calories and plenty of proteins.
• The fats are greater than the carb content, which may fit with keto diets.
• It can be taken before or after a workout, or as a meal or snack.
• It contains vitamins A and C which are antioxidants.
• This can also promote strong bones with its Vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium.
• It combines fast-acting and slow-absorbing proteins.

Cons:

• It’s not for those who are avoiding calories with their snacks.
• It contains 320mg of sodium.

4.  Muscle Milk Protein Bar  (Order it: AMAZON)

Sometimes you’d rather eat something instead of drink it, which is why lots of people take their protein bars along to the gym or while hiking and cycling.

It’s just easier that way.

But what makes the Muscle Milk Protein Bar special?

It’s popular because of so many reasons, starting with its crunchy yet creamy texture combines delightfully with the soft whipped layer.

Here are some other reasons why so many people go for it:

• These Muscle Milk protein bars come in several tasty flavors that can really tickle your taste buds. Other protein bars are barely tolerable, but many find these just as delicious as the unhealthy candy bars.

• You get as much as 15g of protein in just a single bar. Many of its competitors offer less than 10g of protein for each bar.

• With two flavors (Chocolate Peanut Butter and Blueberry Waffle Cone), you even get 20g of protein. Active people need more protein, so if you’re always hiking or cycling you need to maintain your protein levels.

• The calorie content is enormous at 190 (with some at 230 and 250 calories). If you wish to feel full or you’re planning to bulk up, this can certainly help. It also works as a healthy snack, and it keeps you away from unhealthy snack options.

• The sugar levels are acceptable ranging from 4 to 9g. The 20g protein bars only have 2 to 5g sugars. Many people really want to lower their sugar intake, and low amounts of sugar can also help your oral health.

• The dietary fibers measure 5 to 6g, with the 20g-protein versions going up to 9g of fiber.

• It contains potassium, calcium, and iron.

• It’s kosher, gluten-free, and suited for most lactose-intolerant people.

Pros

• You can easily find a protein bar flavor that delights your taste buds.
• It has no gluten and no artificial flavors.
• The protein content is massive, compared to the amount of protein in other bars.
• It works great as a snack, and some even use it as breakfast on the go. Some even use it as a meal replacement every now and then.
• It doesn’t have much sugar.
• It provides sustained energy for your athletic pursuits.
• It helps to build lean muscle.
• It can help with your workout recovery.

Cons

• There’s no low-calorie option.
• The Muscle Milk nutritional information can change from one flavor to another. This is also a good thing, but it can be confusing.

5.  Muscle Milk Pro Series  (Order it: AMAZON)

When you’re aiming to build truly massive muscles, you also need a tremendous amount of protein.

You may also need massive protein supplements if you’re especially active yet your diet doesn’t have a lot of meat and protein either.

So you can turn to the Muscle Milk Pro Series for your protein needs. This won’t disappoint you, as it offers 50g of proteins per serving!

Benefits

• You only get 3 to 4g of sugar.
• If you’re looking to bulk up, then its 310 to 320 calories will certainly add to your calorie intake each day.
• It can work as a meal replacement or as a snack. It makes you feel full without the calories that you normally get from a regular meal, so you can limit your calorie intake.
• It offers up to 20 vitamins and minerals. That makes it a very healthy drink.

Pros

• You can use this to bulk up.
• If you use this to replace a meal, you can lose weight.
• It offers a very long list of vitamins and minerals.
• It’s gluten free.
• It’s been certified for sport with no banned substances.
• It only takes 2 scoops for each serving, so it’s not as difficult to mix as the ones that require 4 scoops.

Cons

• There are only 2 flavors: Intense Vanilla and Knockout Chocolate. Granted, these are very tasty flavors, but it would have been nice to have more option.

6.  Muscle Milk Protein Powder  (Order it: AMAZON)
Sometimes you just want pure whey protein so you can feed your muscles the protein they need quickly.

Muscle Milk isn’t limited to offering both whey and casein blends in their products, as this is 100% whey.

Benefits

• It contains 25g per serving and each serving is only a single scoop.
• It contains both Cytosport whey isolate and concentrate.
• It only contains 2g of sugar.
• It’s low fat at 1.5g fat.
• It’s gluten-free.
• It’s NSF-certified “safe for sport” as it is free of banned substances.

Pros

• It only has 130 calories, which is certainly different from the other calorie-heavy Muscle Milk products.
• It’s pure whey protein, so you rapidly get your muscles the protein they need.
• Athletes can use this with no worries.
• It contains calcium, iron, phosphorus, and magnesium.
• It also contains 5.5g of BCAAs, which help with workout recovery.
• It mixes very easily, since it only needs a scoop per serving.

Cons

• You can only pick from 2 flavors: Muscle Milk Chocolate and Vanilla.
• It doesn’t contain dietary fibers.

7.  Light Ready-to-Drink Shake  (Order it: AMAZON)
You may despair at how so many of the Muscle Milk products contain so many calories.

Aren’t there any low-cal options? Now there is, with the Light Ready to Drink Shake. This not a powder either, so Muscle Milk can really limit the calories.

Benefits

• This contains just 100 calories. The Muscle Milk 100 calories work well as a snack for those who are trying to lose weight and control their calorie intake. It works as a breakfast as well.

• You still get a massive amount of protein at 20g. Many bars offer less than 10g of protein.

• If you’re still not convinced at how healthy this is, take a look at the 20 vitamins and minerals it contains per bar.

• It contains zero sugar and 1g fat.

Pros

• It’s a low-cal option, and you’ll find a lot of Muscle Milk Protein Shake review articles extolling how this can help with weight loss.
• The protein is high yet the sugar and fat content is low.
• You get plenty of vitamins and minerals.
• It doesn’t need to be refrigerated until you open it, and the cap is resealable.
• The bottle is recyclable too.
• It’s gluten-free.
• It should be okay for most people with lactose intolerance.
• It curbs hunger pangs in between meals without the need to consume too many calories with your snacks.

Cons

• You can only choose between 2 flavors: Chocolate and Vanilla Crème.

Muscle Milk Nutrition Facts

Here are some Muscle Milk nutrition facts you should really keep in mind:

• To bulk up

A lot of people want to get bigger because they’re skinny, and some parents offer Muscle Milk to their kids so they aren’t as scrawny.

With Muscle Milk weight gain is a lot easier.

Remember that the first rule of bulking up is to consume more calories than you’re able to burn off, and Muscle Milk has a lot of products that are laden with calories.

Some have 300 or even 650 calories! They can certainly help.

• To lose weight

If you also use Muscle Milk right, you can use it to lose weight. With weight loss, the goal is to have your calorie intake lower than the amount of calories your body burns off.

Without the calories, your body is forced to burn off fat instead.

This means you need to limit the calorie content of your meals.

Some Muscle Milk products can act as occasional meal replacements so that you only get a few hundred calories instead of 600 calories or more per meal.

With Muscle Milk, you can get adequate proteins, vitamins, and minerals and still limit your calorie intake.

• Versatile diets

Muscle Milk has a range of products that can satisfy many types of diets.

There are high-cal and low cal options, along high-carb and low-carb options. There are products with very low fats and sugars.

• No allergies

Allergies are also taken seriously here.

That’s why these are all gluten-free, and many are free of soy.

Many of the products also have their lactose content reduced to less than 1g so that even the lactose-intolerant can enjoy these.

• No banned substances

Muscle Milk is also very much aware of the importance of avoiding banned substances. These substances are unhealthy, regardless of how they may help you lose weight or gain muscle.

This is why Muscle Milk doesn’t just say that their products are free of banned substances.

They have a recognized organization certify that they’re free of banned substances.

This is why lots of pros have their names associated with Muscle Milk.

This is also why Muscle Milk works with many famed collegiate athletic programs all over the US. The college athletes can benefit from Muscle Milk without being banned.

The Most Popular Flavors

• Muscle Milk Chocolate. This is one of the more popular flavors, and many count it as their favorite. After all, it’s hard to find someone who hates chocolate, and Muscle Milk offers a great version of this flavor.

• Muscle Milk Vanilla. This is another obvious favorite, because vanilla has always been popular everywhere.

• Chocolate Mint Chip. What’s not to like about this chocolate and mint combo? It’s truly refreshing.

• Cookies ‘N Crème. Somehow it tastes like a shake from McDonalds, though of course this is much healthier.

• Peanut Butter Chocolate. This is much better for your health than actually munching on a spoonful of chocolate peanut butter.
  

FAQs – Questions & Answers:

QUE: Can Muscle Milk be used for weight loss?

Yes you can.

You can use this as a snack, and that can prevent you from further cravings of calorie-rich snacks that can prevent you from losing weight.

You can also use this as an occasional meal replacement to cut down on your calorie intake.

Remember the rule of weight loss: you have to burn off more calories than you consume.

So you need to reduce your calorie intake, but you also need to work out and be more active to burn off calories and eventually your excess fat cells.

QUE: Is Muscle Milk vegan?

Several ingredients of Muscle Milk come from milk and animal-derived sources.

So it is not vegan.

However, CytoSport has recently launched the Evolve line of plant-based protein which may comply with vegan principles.

QUE: Can Muscle Milk be used as a meal replacement?

Yes, on an occasional basis.

If you’re too much in a hurry to prepare or eat something, then Muscle Milk is certainly better than nothing.

It works as a snack too.

But it’s not meant to replace all your meals.

QUE: Is it lactose free?

The Muscle Milk Ready to Drink Shakes and Powders don’t contain enough lactose to caused problems with most people with lactose sensitivities.

However, some Muscle Milk products do contain enough lactose that they can cause problems.

So if you have lactose sensitivity, you should avoid:

• Muscle Milk Smoothie Yogurt Protein Shakes (3g lactose)
• Muscle Milk Organic Protein Shakes (1.1g)
• Muscle Milk 100% Whey Protein Powder (1.5g)
• Muscle Milk Performance Whey Protein Powder (3.2g)

QUE: Is it good for diabetics?

The best answer for this is to consult with your doctor first before you take any sort of supplement, regardless of the brand.

That’s the only way to know for sure.

QUE: Will it help me get bigger or gain weight?

Yes, though that depends on how you use it.

Gaining weight means consuming more calories than you burn off, and so you can consume MM products with more than 300 calories to add to your regular meals.

QUE: What side effects should be aware of?

If you’re allergic to milk, then you need to consider just how much lactose is contained in a particular product.

You can present allergic reactions if you’re allergic to lactose and you pick a Muscle Milk Product that has 3 grams of lactose or more.

Other possible side effects of Muscle Milk are GI issues such as abdominal cramps, nausea, and diarrhea.

These aren’t particular to Muscle Milk, however. Some people simply have this reaction to protein supplements in general.

Where Can You Purchase Them With Good Price & Discounts?

You have to go online if you want to buy these. While there’s a possibility that you can find this in a brick and mortar store, it’s not likely. If you go online, you will surely find it.

You can try websites like Walmart, GNC, and even Costco. They also offer reviews and alternative suggestions regarding other protein drinks you may want to try.

But the best of them all is Amazon.

Here you can find all the Cytosport Muscle Milk products we’ve listed, and the prices are generally more than reasonable.

The delivery is reliable, the website is secure and stable, and you can find numerous reviews.

So just head on out to Amazon and check the reviews to get a more accurate idea of which product will fit your needs.

Here’s an overview of how these products stack up:

Table of Muscle Milk Products

Conclusion

The Muscle Milk brand remains the most popular of the Cytosport supplements because they’re tasty and healthy.

They can be used for a variety of fitness goals, and athletes can improve their performance without fear of getting suspended due to banned substances.

REFERENCES:

1. http://www.nsf.org/services/by-industry/nutritional-products/certified-for-sport
2. http://foodsafety.merieuxnutrisciences.com/2016/07/08/pdcaas-whats-this-all-about/
3. https://swfas.org/top-protein-powder-for-women/
4. https://swfas.org/vega-one-one-plant-based-protein-powder-review/
5. https://swfas.org/organic-protein-powder-reviews-guide-peas-hemp/

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