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The supplement market is filled with brands that promote products with hidden proprietary formulas. Proprietary formulas are products that hide the dose of each ingredient, meaning you’re unable to determine beforehand whether their products are effective since most of the results you may get from supplements are dose-dependent.
Transparent Labs sells a treasure trove of supplements, including protein powders, protein bars, fat burners, nootropics, multivitamins, creatine, pre-workouts, and much more. Unlike most brands, none of their products contain proprietary formulas, so you’re able to accurately judge their value beforehand and confirm whether they’re effective
Transparent Labs calls Growth a versatile muscle-builder formula, and this is because it contains a sole ingredient called phosphatidic acid, which they claim can amplify muscle growth and boost athletic performance by dynamically targeting intracellular and intercellular signaling pathways.
Main Takeaways
- Phosphatidic acid in Transparent Labs’ Growth supplement is aimed at muscle building through mTOR activation. Early studies show potential for muscle growth and strength improvement, but with small sample sizes, the evidence is not strong.
- There are alternatives such as creatine that have way more solid evidence to support their efficacy in muscle gains and performance.
- Growth is priced at $57.99 for 30 servings ($1.93 per serving). This is considered high, especially given that phosphatidic acid can be derived from inexpensive sources like soybeans.
What Is Phosphatidic Acid?
Phosphatidic acid is a type of lipid that is often derived from lecithin, which can be found in many foods, including soybeans and egg yolk.
According to Transparent Labs, Growth is suitable for vegans, which means the phosphatidic acid has been extracted from a plant-based source. Soybeans are the most likely source.
One of the most relevant functions of the PA is that it is a well-known activator of mTOR, a signaling protein that plays a role in the regulation of protein synthesis.
mTOR Activation
To make a new protein, the message encoded in the DNA has to be transcribed into messenger RNA (mRNA), which is then transported out of the nucleus into the cytosol of the cell to be read by ribosomes. These agents bind to and scan the mRNA sequence as they assemble individual amino acids into polypeptides that form the full protein.
This process uses a lot of cellular resources in terms of energy and nutrients, which is why cells resist creating new proteins and only do so under certain conditions. [1]
mTOR is very useful because it integrates signals in terms of energy balance and nutrient availability, working as a vital control point in the signaling network that regulates protein synthesis. This process determines whether a cell is in a catabolic (breaking down cells) or an anabolic (building cells) state. [2]
Since mTOR is a central point for protein synthesis and is required for building new muscles, supplement companies (Transparent Labs included) have used the term “mTOR” activating to market their products, namely Growth.
However, any supplement (i.e: protein powder) that contains leucine or other amino acids can be considered an mTOR activator. Just because a specific component is able to switch on anabolic signaling (the process of building new cells), it does not necessarily translate to more protein synthesis. [3]
Effects of Phosphatidic Acid on Muscle Growth & Exercise
One of the first studies done on PA (Phosphatidic Acid) showed it enhanced mTOR activation and the anabolic effects of resistance training and contributed to muscle accretion over time. [4]
In fact, the results of the study revealed that the effect of soy-derived PA was superior to egg-derived PA by about 400% at stimulating mTOR activation, and they also noted that the subjects taking PA significantly increased lean body mass (2.4 kg); cross-sectional area (1.2 kg), and also experienced an increase in leg press strength (+51.9 kg) over placebo.
In another study of well-trained men, those who took 750 mg of soy-derived PA for 8 weeks saw a 3.4% greater increase in their strength in the back squat and 2.5% greater increases in lean body mass than the subjects who didn’t take it. [5]
A follow-up study also using 750 mg of soy-derived PA showed that PA increased muscle size and lean body mass, as well as maximal strength. [6]
However, it’s also important to mention that these studies are still preliminary as they’re conducted with very small sample sizes and they haven’t achieved statistical significance, so it’s impossible to take a definitive stance no matter how promising the results may be.
How Much Does Growth Cost?
Growth comes with 30 servings and it costs $57.99, which is equivalent to $1.93 per serving, a price that is very steep considering the supplement contains an ingredient that can be extracted from soybeans, a rather inexpensive source.
Does It Actually Promote Muscle Growth?
According to preliminary evidence, Growth should be capable of increasing muscle growth and positively impacting exercise performance, namely in terms of maximal strength.
However, it’s difficult to confirm whether these results would actually occur for everyone given that the studies have been conducted with a very small number of subjects.
Frankly, instead of investing in phosphatidic acid, I think you would be better off taking a protein powder, bcaas, or creatine, both of which have a lot more solid evidence when it comes to increasing muscle gains and performance.Â
However, if you still want to try out Growth, you’re free to find it available on Transparent Labs’ official website.
Medical Disclaimer: The content on this website is meant to be informative, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The content of our articles is not intended for use in the diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. It’s always best to speak with your doctor or a certified medical professional before making any changes to your lifestyle, diet, exercise routine, or trying a new supplement.
References:
1. Buttgereit F, Brand MD. A hierarchy of ATP-consuming processes in mammalian cells. Biochem J. 1995 Nov 15.
2. Liu GY, Sabatini DM. mTOR at the nexus of nutrition, growth, ageing and disease. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2020 Apr.
3. Greenhaff PL, Karagounis LG, Peirce N, Simpson EJ, Hazell M, Layfield R, Wackerhage H, Smith K, Atherton P, Selby A, Rennie MJ. Disassociation between the effects of amino acids and insulin on signaling, ubiquitin ligases, and protein turnover in human muscle. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2008 Sep.
4. Joy JM, Gundermann DM, Lowery RP, et al. Phosphatidic acid enhances mTOR signaling and resistance exercise induced hypertrophy. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2014;11:29. Published 2014 Jun 16.
5. Hoffman, J.R., Stout, J.R., Williams, D.R. et al. Efficacy of phosphatidic acid ingestion on lean body mass, muscle thickness and strength gains in resistance-trained men. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 9, 47 (2012).
