Cellucor Cor-Performance Whey has 25 grams of protein per serving, 4 grams of carbs, 1.5 grams of fat, and 120 calories. This incorporates digestive enzymes to promote protein synthesis and is based on their COR-Performance Whey Protein Matrix (Whey Protein Isolate and Whey Protein Concentrate).
However, this is primarily a whey protein supplement, with no creatine, glutamine, pre-workout energy boost, or BCAAs included. So, how does it stack up against an all-in-one muscle builder like Six Star 100% Whey?
In this review, Cor-Performance Whey will be compared to two top-rated whey protein powders: Six Star 100 percent Whey and MusclePharm Combat. Ingredients, doses, pricing, cost per serving, and user comments are all included to help you determine if Cor-Performance is the ideal protein powder for your fitness and diet objectives.
As part of a full-strength, muscle-building, and recovery stack, we’ve also included suggestions for the finest BCAA, pre-workout, creatine, weight reduction, and nitric oxide supplements to pair with Cor-Performance.
About Cellucor?
Since 2002, Cellucor has been providing sports nutrition supplements under the Chrome Series and COR-PerformanceTM Series brand names. The C4 pre-workout energy booster, which is now available as a powder and a ‘on-the-go’ energy and performance enhancer, is one of their most popular products (2,600+ reviews on Amazon). However, they provide a wide selection of goods to meet particular training goals, including muscle building, weight reduction, sports, and endurance.
Many of their products feature ‘blends,’ which are unique combinations of substances. Their Explosive Energy Blend (energy and performance), CreacarbTM Blend (mass gainer), and Gainer Proprietary Blend are all part of this (COR-Performance Gainer protein, for bulking and recovery).
However, understanding what’s in each of these mixes and how they’re mixed with other important nutrients like protein and carbohydrates isn’t always straightforward.
Benefits Of Cellucor Whey Protein
Protein drinks have been a mainstay among bodybuilders since the 1950sfooter, as increased protein consumption has invaded gyms all over the world. The industry-recognized this as a huge chance to promote whey as a high-protein supplement, and the rest, as they say, is history. Whey protein has been extensively researched in the scientific community due to its quantity and favorable nutritional profile, and the results are readily available in the literature. Let’s look at some of the advantages of whey protein.
When whey protein is used with a calorie-restricted diet, it has been shown to reduce total fat mass in many trials. In a double-blind research including 31 women over the age of 60, the group supplemented with whey lost an average of 8% of their total body weight, which was nearly double that of the control group. On closer examination, the proportion of total fat loss in the whey group was similarly greater.
While whey consumption has been found to aid in the retention of hard-earned muscle mass, it has also been shown to promote muscle growth directly. A research published in 2004 followed a group of healthy people aged 18 to 29 years old. After resistance exercise (weight lifting), the participants were given casein, whey, or a placebo one hour later. During the first 300 minutes after an exercise, the whey and casein groups exhibited favorable signals of increased muscle protein synthesis, which was three times greater than the placebo group. While all three groups eventually achieved the same level later in the day, the brief window of increased muscle-building potential is a noteworthy discovery for anybody looking to optimize the benefits of their weight exercise.
In addition to its effects on body composition, whey protein has been shown to offer advantages for those with high cholesterol levels. In a double-blind trial using whey supplementation, 70 individuals’ cholesterol levels were evaluated in a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition. Over the course of a 12-week trial, the group that consumed 27 grams of protein from whey daily had lower LDL and total cholesterol than the control group who did not eat additional protein in their diets.
Whey supplementation has also been linked to a reduction in appetite. Protein, in general, is highly filling and gives the body the energy it needs to function. Whey protein is a handy way to meet your macronutrient goals in meals that are deficient in protein.
While the judgment is still out on how much protein the average person needs, anecdotal data has always backed the concept of eating more protein. Personally, I’ve had great success with 1 gram per pound of bodyweight for both sports recovery and muscle growth, but bear in mind that research has proven that doses between 0.4 and 0.7 grams are sufficient for general health and muscle building.
I’ve discovered that when I achieve the 1 gram per pound of bodyweight mark, I’m less sore during the week and feel better in the gym overall. Your results may vary, and it’s absolutely worth experimenting with; just remember that extra protein is never a bad thing. While calorie restriction is probably to blame for the bulk of the weight reduction, the test group’s enhanced lean body mass retention is absolutely amazing. While many dieters depend exclusively on the scale for confirmation, body composition (e.g., muscle-to-fat ratio) should be considered when evaluating a diet’s success. This study shows that using whey in their daily nutrition is one proven strategy to appear better when attempting to reduce weight.
Ingredients And Efficacy
Each serving size consists of a 35-gram scoop with 130 calories and 25 grams of protein right from the beginning. According to the label, for most of the tastes, the overall protein level is 77 percent of the total calories. Now I’ll have to admit that this price is a little lower than I’d like for a high-quality protein supplement. My minimum objective for total protein in a product containing whey protein isolate is 80%, since this ensures that more of my money is spent on muscle-building macronutrients rather than fillers and flavorings.
Now that whey protein isolate is stated first on the label, it’s a good indication, but the split between the high-quality “isolate” and the lower-quality “concentrate” is unknown. Based on the somewhat lower protein composition of the product, one can only conclude that the split is less than ideal when compared to comparable goods in the same price range. The protein level of their Whipped Vanilla flavor is 83 percent, thus the problem is most likely related to the extra sugar in the other varieties. Again, this is not a good indicator because your money should be spent on protein rather than inexpensive flavoring.
The lack of an amino acid profile on the label is another disadvantage of this protein. The highly anabolic amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and valine (branched-chain amino acids or BCAAs) are a significant advantage of incorporating whey protein isolate in a mix, since most premium whey protein supplements indicate the quantities of each individual amino acid contained in a scoop.
While I’m confident that BCAAs are included in this blend, I’d like to suggest a product that clearly states the quantities on the label. The disadvantages of leaving this off the label include that it exposes your product to quality control issues as well as protein “spiking,” which is when less anabolic amino acids are added to increase the overall protein level. I wouldn’t recommend that a firm like Cellucor use cheap filler in their product, but I am unhappy in how they forgot to convey this crucial information.
As previously stated, Cor-Performance Whey has a very high carbohydrate content. Many of their tastes have 5 grams of carbs per scoop, which is more than 60% higher than comparable protein supplements in this price range. While I can’t speak for everyone, I’d rather spend my money on high-quality protein than sugar and flavoring.
Cellucor’s choice to incorporate a range of digestive enzymes in Cor-Performance Whey is a positive indication. This inclusion assures that you will have little to no difficulty digesting this product and that the bioavailability of its components will be maximized. There was no bloating in my experience with this product, and I felt completely at ease at the gym when I added a serving to my pre-workout smoothie. Cellucor isn’t the first firm to include digestive enzymes in whey supplements, and I hope this trend continues.
If you have a little lactose sensitivity, this product may be gentle enough on your system to create no issues. Obtain a sample beforehand, but I don’t anticipate any problems.
Texture & Taste
The molten chocolate flavor of this product reminded me of the richness of molten chocolate pudding. It had a smooth and creamy texture, however it was a touch less so when we tried it with water. In water, it did, however, retain the deep chocolate taste.
This product combines well in both milk and water with no grittiness. This surprised me because the package doesn’t include any of the additives I’d expect to see to make mixing simpler.
Flavors
Cor-Performance Whey comes in the following flavors:
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- Chocolate Peanut Butter
- Red Velvet
- Strawberry Milkshake
- Cookies’ n Cream
- Peanut Butter Marshmallow
- Cinnamon Swirl
- Whipped Vanilla
- Molten Chocolate
Thanks to a few samples sent my way, I was able to try a variety of tastes, all of which were delicious and easy to swallow. My favorite taste was Chocolate Peanut Butter, but the Whipped Vanilla is a better choice. Their vanilla flavor has a few fewer calories than the others, which can be overly sweet at times, and it’s quite flexible in the kitchen. Cellucor’s vanilla flavour was milder than other firms’ and generally quite nice.
Sucralose and acesulfame potassium are the main flavoring ingredients in Cor-Performance Whey. Cinnamon Swirl, Molten Chocolate, Strawberry Milkshake, and Whipped Vanilla are the gluten-free tastes. Each of the flavors I tried blended smoothly in water and stayed put for a long time. There should be no problems with any of the flavors.
Value & Price
A 4 pound container of Cor-Performance Whey costs $50 ($0.93 per serving) when no discounts are offered. While this supplement is comparable to other high-quality, premium whey protein supplements, I believe the price is too costly for what you get. You may buy different protein supplements with a far higher protein profile and known individual amino acid content for the same price. If carbohydrate consumption is a concern for you, several of these items have less sugar.
The flavor is one area where Cor-Performance Whey shines; however this is most likely owing to the greater sugar level. Fortunately, Cellucor is known for offering discounts to its clients, so don’t be shocked if a coupon appears every few months that drastically decreases the price. Your mileage may vary, but if you keep an eye on these coupons, you may save a lot of money if you use this product on a regular basis. At the time of writing this review, I’m looking at a Buy One, Get One Free deal that cuts the cost per serving in half. At half the price, it’s absolutely worth it, so pay attention!
Overall Review Rating
Based on purchasing the 5 pound container of Cookies’ N’ Cream flavor at the time of writing this review, each serving of Cellucor COR-Performance Whey cost $0.74. Other tastes were pricier, costing around $60 per tub ($0.86 per serving).
To make it profitable, we believe you should buy the bigger tub, preferably for less than $50, which makes the cost per serving closer to Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey.
Because the macronutrient profiles of the two powders are so similar, price is crucial (COR-Performance has 1 g more protein and 1 g less carbs). They both use the same whey isolate and whey concentrate protein combination, but Gold Standard Whey includes whey peptides.
In reality, 25 g of protein is only found in the first generation tubs of COR-Performance Whey. The protein amount of Cellucor’s second-generation formula was reduced to 24 g, the same as Gold Standard Whey.
Overall, Cellucor has done a fantastic job of developing a high-quality protein shake that comes in a variety of flavors and container sizes. It’s a significant rival for Optimum Nutrition’s popular Gold Standard whey protein at a reasonable price (about $50 for 70 servings).
Hundreds of five-star reviews have praised the high protein content, fantastic flavor, ease with which the powder combines with milk and water, and versatility with which it may be used (used in cooking or as a standalone protein shake).
Some consumers gave lower ratings because it was difficult to mix certain flavors. Although Cookies and Creme appears to mix better than Molten Chocolate, none of the labels identify soy lecithin as an ingredient, which is commonly used to improve mixability in protein powders.
Conclusion
This product appealed to us, and it’s no wonder that Cor-performance has grown in popularity. It tastes well, performs admirably, and is reasonably priced to compete as a mid-cost powder for lean muscle growth, sports, and weight reduction. This product is great for general-purpose protein powders, and we believe it even outperforms Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard whey by a little margin.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Weight Loss Or Weight Gain?
COR-Performance Whey is a fantastic choice for anybody seeking to grow and maintain lean muscle because of its minimal carbohydrate, fat, and calorie content. It may not be enough to help you gain weight on its own with just 120 calories per serving, but it may surely help you increase your daily protein consumption.
To boost the quantity of carbohydrates and calories, combine the powder with milk or even oatmeal if you’re aiming to build size and lean muscle.
When Is The Most Appropriate Time To Take It?
Mix one or two scoops of Cellucor COR-Performance Whey Protein with 6–12 ounces of cold water or your favorite beverage. For each scoop of powder, use around 5–6 oz. of liquid.
What Flavors And Sizes Are Available?
COR-Performance Whey was offered in three sizes on the official Cellucor website: 14, 28, and 70-serving tubs. A quick check on Amazon revealed a 54-serving tub, but the 70-serving option has already replaced it, so it may not be available for much longer.
What Is Whey Protein?
Whey protein is made from the liquid by-product of the cheese-making process, whey. The method entails heating milk to a specific temperature and then adding acid to make the milk curdle. The particles, which will eventually become cheese, are separated from the liquid portion, which is referred to as whey.
Many of the beneficial components found in milk are also found in whey, as it is produced from milk. Various vitamins, proteins, and minerals are found in great quantities in this precious product, which is why it is frequently included in supplements. If you’re lactose intolerant, take attention to the sort of whey protein you’re consuming because lactose may still be present in some forms, causing an allergic response.