We all need to consume protein on a daily basis, whether we like it or not. It’s one of the three macronutrients that the body uses for energy in the form of calories. Not only that, but it plays a large role in the proper growth, development, and repair of muscle and tissue inside the body.
In an ideal world, your diet — which consists of the food you eat and beverages you drink — will include all the protein your body needs each day. Unfortunately, many people struggle to get enough protein through their diet and require the help of supplements.
The good news is there are a wide range of protein supplements out there that can help you achieve your daily goals. The bad news is there’s also a lot of protein supplements out there that fall short of expectation and only make your nutritional goals harder to obtain.
Today, we’ll be reviewing a protein supplement line called Frog Fuel. We’ll take a look at what’s expected from it, as well as the formulas to determine whether or not it’s worth the monthly investment. Without further ado, let’s get started with this Frog Fuel review!
What Is Frog Fuel?
Frog Fuel is a liquid protein shot that makes protein consumption quick and easy. It’s brought to you by OP2 LABS, a company founded by two former Navy SEALs — Alexander Kunz and Jeff Byers. It’s the same company that brings you the ProT Gold liquid protein drink.
In Frog Fuel, they have a unique formula that’s trusted by over 4,000 medical facilities. It allows for complete protein nutrition while also being proven to help heal twice as fast as other protein supplements. That means Frog Fuel comes with high expectations in the consumer market.
The good news is the two founders have a very skilled and talented group of professionals working behind them to make their supplement better. This includes Michael Janke, a former member of SEAL Team 6, and Daniel Weinand, someone who helped co-found the Shopify platform.
There are four different formulas included in the Frog Fuel line — Frog Fuel Power Protein, Frog Fuel Power Protein Energized, Frog Fuel Ultra, and Frog Fuel Ultra Energized. While they each contain protein at their core, they each come with unique outside benefits that enhance your day-to-day routine.
For example, the main difference between Frog Fuel Power Protein and Frog Fuel Power Protein Energized is the addition of caffeine. Each formula is different, so you’ll have to find the one that fits your lifestyle and helps you reach your goals the best.
Before we take a look at those formulas, let’s learn a little bit more about the importance of protein, why they use Nano-Hydrolyzed Collagen Protein, and whether or not you need caffeine to go with your protein supplement. Let’s see what we can learn!
Why Does The Body Need Protein?
Protein is one of three macronutrients we must consume on a daily basis. For every gram of protein you eat, you’re consuming around 4 calories. That’s compared to 4 calories for every gram of carbohydrates and a whopping 9 calories per gram of fat.
Protein is essential to the growth, development, and repair of the muscle and tissue found inside the body. It also helps protect your body’s lean muscle mass and provides a source of energy throughout the day. Without protein, your body will grow weaker and weaker every day.
Many of us receive protein through the various meats, poultry, eggs, milk, fish, cheese, beans, nuts, lentils, soy, and seeds. As you can see, that list includes both animal-based protein (which is a complete protein source) and plant-based protein (which is an incomplete protein source).
What Is A Complete Protein?
All protein is made up of amino acids — also known as the building blocks of protein. Amino acids can be categorized as essential or non-essential. Essential amino acids are those that the body can’t produce by itself, while non-essential amino acids are produced by the body.
There are nine essential amino acids that make up protein, which includes histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. There are also 11 non-essential amino acids, which include alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine, and tyrosine.
A complete protein source is one that contains all nine essential amino acids, whether or not it includes any non-essential amino acids. For example, all animal-based protein is considered a complete protein, but plant-based protein is not.
That doesn’t mean the plant-based protein is bad. Oftentimes, it just means several different plant-based protein sources need to be consumed in order to consume all nine essential amino acids. It’s a little more complex than animal-based protein, but it’s not impossible.
Is Nano-Hydrolyzed Collagen Protein Healthy For You?
Nano-Hydrolyzed Collagen Protein is trademarked by the good folks at OP2 LABS, the company that brings you Frog Fuel. Hydrolyzed collagen is also known as collagen peptides, and it’s currently starting to create trends in the supplement community with products like LiveWell Collagen, Physicians Choice Collagen Peptides, and Orgain Collagen Peptides.
First of all, we need to understand what collagen is. Collagen is an animal-based protein source that’s produced naturally in the human body. In fact, it is the most abundant protein found in the body. It makes up a large amount of our bones, muscles, ligaments, skin, and tendons to provide our body with structure, integrity, and elasticity.
As we grow older, collagen production is reduced, and we start to notice the effects of low collagen levels in the body. It makes us feel weak and causes our skin to wrinkle and sag.
The only problem with normal collagen is how difficult it is for the body to absorb. That’s where hydrolyzed collagen comes into play. Since the collagen molecules are broken down into smaller molecules, the body can easily absorb them and enjoy the benefits.
How Much Caffeine Is Too Much Per Day?
It doesn’t matter what your diet consists of; chances are you consume a fair amount of caffeine each day. It’s in a lot of your favorite snacks and beverages, including chocolate, coffee, tea, soda, and energy drinks. In many cases, it’s one of the first things your body processes each day.
Much like anything, caffeine isn’t harmful when taken in moderation. Unfortunately, most people don’t moderate their caffeine intake, and it causes a wide range of health issues as a result. For example, caffeine is considered a drug, and the body can develop an addiction to it.
As we learn more about the Frog Fuel supplement collection, you’ll learn that some of their formulas contain caffeine.Since we already consume caffeine in high amounts, it’s best to avoid it in any supplement you take — especially if it’s a daily supplement like Frog Fuel.
If you’re wondering how much caffeine is too much caffeine, most medical professionals and researchers recommend limiting your daily intake to 400mg. For comparison, an 8oz cup of coffee has about 100mg of caffeine, tea has around 30-50mg, and soda has around 25mg.
Anything more than 400mg is pushing it, even for healthy individuals. As we go over the formulas for Frog Fuel, make sure you’re not putting your body in a difficult position with too much caffeine each day.
Breaking Down The Frog Fuel Collection
Now that we’ve learned a little background behind the Frog Fuel Collection and some of the things you should consider before purchasing it, we can start to deep-dive into the formulas they offer. This is where we finally get to see what makes this collection so popular today.
There are four different formulas in the collection — Frog Fuel Power Protein, Frog Fuel Power Protein Energized, Frog Fuel Ultra, and Frog Fuel Ultra Energized. While they all focus on protein content, they each have a unique amino acid profile and caffeine content.
Let’s learn what sets each formula apart as we break them down one-by-one.
Frog Fuel Power Protein
The first formula we’re going to talk about is the Frog Fuel Power Protein. It contains 15 grams of nano-hydrolyzed collagen protein per serving, as well as 60 calories, 51mg of sodium, and 9mg of potassium. To many people’s surprise, there are 0 grams of carbs in this liquid shot.
One of the great things about this product is it only takes 15 minutes for the body to digest the protein — which is 4-times faster than Whey Isolate. It also helps heal the body up to 2-times faster and helps to maintain Nitrogen balance in the body.
With no sugar, fat, gluten, lactose, banned substances, GMOs, or artificial flavors, you can trust this formula from top to bottom. It even contains a total of 22 amino acids, including the nine essential ones — which make this a complete protein source.
Here’s a look at the amino acid profile (g/100g of protein):
- Alanine – 10.9g
- Arginine – 8.7g
- Aspartic Acid – 6.5g
- Cysteine – 0.2g
- Glutamic Acid – 11.2g
- Glutamine – 0.5g
- Glycine – 26.3g
- Histidine – 1.4g
- Hydroxylysine – 0.7g
- Hydroxyproline – 12.9g
- Isoleucine – 1.5g
- Leucine – 3.3g
- Lysine – 4.2g
- Methionine – 1.3g
- Phenylalanine – 2.4g
- Proline – 15.0g
- Serine – 3.6g
- Threonine – 3.3g
- Tryptophan – 0.9g
- Tyrosine – 0.3g
- Valine – 2.7g
Each box of Frog Fuel Power Protein contains 24 packets of liquid protein shots — with each packet containing 30mL of liquid. You can purchase one box for $48, which comes out to $2 per packet. You can also save 12% on your order by subscribing to a monthly or weekly delivery.
Frog Fuel Power Protein Energized
Moving on to the next formula, you’ll come to find that it’s very similar to the one we just discussed. This one is called Frog Fuel Power Protein Energized, and it actually contains the same amino acid profile as Frog Fuel Power Protein — all 22 amino acids, complete protein.
Not only that, but it also contains the same 60 calories, 15 grams of protein, 51mg of sodium, and 9mg of potassium. The only difference is it adds 80mg of caffeine into each serving, which gives your body an energized boost along with the healing power of protein.
While 80mg of caffeine is more than safe, you should always weigh that against the amount of caffeine you already consume each day. If you’re already consuming around 300mg per day, you should consider cutting back on your caffeine intake before taking Frog Fuel Power Protein Energized.
The good news is the caffeine won’t cost you any more than the Frog Fuel Power Protein. Each box comes with 24 packets and will cost you a total of $48 — or $2 per packet. You can also save 12% by subscribing to a monthly or weekly delivery.
Frog Fuel Ultra
While the other two formulas were almost similar, the Frog Fuel Ultra formula is a little different. For example, it includes 1500mg of Beta-Alanine to increase your power output during a workout and 1500mg of Citrulline Malate to improve stamina and reduce inflammation.
As far as protein goes, you’ll only get 8 grams of nano-hydrolyzed collagen protein — compared to 15 in the previous formulas. You also get 72 calories, 0g fat, 20mg sodium, 50mg potassium, 10g carbs, 3g sugars, and small amounts of chloride and calcium. There are also electrolytes.
Let’s take a look at the amino acid profile (g/100g of protein), which is a little different than the previous:
- Alanine – 11.3g
- Arginine – 9.0g
- Aspartic Acid – 6.7g
- Glutamic Acid – 11.6g
- Glycine – 27.2g
- Histidine – 0.7g
- Hydroxylysine – 0.8g
- Hydroxyproline – 13.3g
- Isoleucine – 1.5g
- Leucine – 3.5g
- Lysine – 4.4g
- Methionine – 0.6g
- Phenylalanine – 2.5g
- Proline – 15.5g
- Serine – 3.7g
- Threonine – 3.4g
- Tyrosine – 0.3g
- Valine – 2.8g
Don’t worry; there’s still no fat, gluten, lactose, banned substances, GMOs, or artificial flavors with this formula. Better yet, it costs the exact same as the other formulas — coming in at $48 per box of 24 packets. You also have the option to save 12% with a subscription.
Frog Fuel Ultra Energized
Finally, we’ve come to the fourth formula included in the Frog Fuel supplement collection — Frog Fuel Ultra Energized. As you can likely imagine, the formula is very similar to that of Frog Fuel Ultra. The only difference is the 80mg of caffeine added, which gives you that much-needed energy boost.
Again, you should make sure you aren’t going over that recommended daily amount of 400mg of caffeine, especially with the amount of coffee, soda, tea, and chocolate we eat daily.
In addition to the caffeine, Frog Fuel Ultra Energized contains 72 calories, 20mg of sodium, 50mg of potassium, 10g of carbs, 3g of sugar, 8g of protein, 1,500mg of Citrulline Malate, 1,500mg of Beta-Alanine, and electrolytes in every serving. It also won’t contain fat, gluten, lactose, banned substances, GMOs, or artificial flavors.
As far as the amino acid profile, it’s no different than that of Frog Fuel Ultra (see above for more information). The price also remains the same, coming in at $48 per box of 24 packets. You can save an extra 12% by subscribing to a monthly or weekly delivery (you get to choose how often).
Frog Fuel Dosages, Packaging, And Pricing
When looking at Frog Fuel’s packaging, you can tell it’s some sort of protein/workout supplement. It uses bold colors, big block letters, and the logo of a buff frog holding a trident-looking weapon. It’s definitely designed for those that want a powerful workout.
Each box comes with its own color design. The Frog Fuel Power Protein is mostly blue, green, and gold. Frog Fuel Power Protein Energized is white/tan, black, green, and gold. Frog Fuel Ultra is blue, black, silver, and green. Frog Fuel Ultra Energized is red, white, black, and green.
The great thing about this collection is the price stays the same, no matter what formula you’re interested in. That might be a little surprising, given the differences between each formula. Even the Frog Fuel Power Protein and Frog Fuel Power Protein Energized are the same — despite one not containing caffeine.
If this is something you plan on taking every day, you should definitely take advantage of the subscription, which knocks nearly $6 off the final price. You get to choose between a monthly or weekly delivery and even get the option to choose how many months or weeks between each delivery.
Frog Fuel Pros vs. Cons
It doesn’t matter what supplement, formula, or brand you’re looking at; there are going to be pros and cons that come with any product in this industry. That’s why it’s highly important you take each formula into heavy consideration; that way you know you’re getting one that fits your lifestyle.
Since there’s a lot to unpack regarding this collection, we’re going to take a general look at the benefits and downfalls with Frog Fuel — making your life much easier when trying to decide whether or not this collection is right for you. Let’s get started with the pros first!
Pros
- Made in the USA
- Trusted by over 4,000 medical facilities as a medical food
- Heals the body up to 2x faster and is absorbed up to 4x faster than Whey Isolate
- Utilizes hydrolyzed collagen protein for fast absorption
- Available in a 1-oz liquid protein shot for easy consumption
- Power Protein contains 22 amino acids; Power Protein Energized adds caffeine
- Ultra contains Beta-Alanine, Citrulline Malate, and electrolytes; Ultra Energized adds caffeine
- No fat, gluten, lactose, banned substances, GMOs, or artificial flavoring
- Free shipping in the United States
Cons
- Shouldn’t be used as a substitute for eating, but rather in-addition to eating
- Be careful when adding 80mg of caffeine to your diet
- Can be expensive when taking multiple per day ($2 per packet)
Claims Vs. Reality
The Frog Fuel supplement collection makes a lot of claims about their formulas, most of which were discussed earlier in this review. For example, their formulas are trusted by over 4,000 medical facilities as medical food — which is enough to get most consumers interested.
In addition to that, they state that their formulas are proven to boost immunity, help heal the body 2-times faster than other protein supplements, and are digested by the body 4-times faster than Whey Isolate (in under 15 minutes).
They also mention their formulas can help increase energy with caffeine, maintain Nitrogen balance, preserve muscle mass, support healthier joints, skin, bones, hair, nails, and tissue, improve stamina, reduce pain and inflammation, increase power output, improve fluid balance, and much more.
A majority of this is due to the nano-hydrolyzed collagen protein, which is easily absorbed into the body. While the protein content isn’t as heavy as other protein supplements, it comes in a 1oz liquid packet, which makes it easier to consume no matter where you are.
If you’re looking for a complete protein source, Frog Fuel Power Protein is all you’ll need. If you need a little boost with that protein, go for the Frog Fuel Power Protein Energized. If you need some extra power, stamina, and endurance, Frog Fuel Ultra is best — as well as Frog Fuel Ultra Energized for an energy boost.
Frog Fuel Alternatives
When most people begin their search for a protein supplement, they immediately turn to the same protein powder shake that’s found in every corner of every grocery store. Unfortunately, these are often hard to digest and cause a wide range of stomach issues in some people.
That’s where liquid protein shots come in handy. They’re much easier to take on a daily basis and don’t require making a shake. In fact, all you need to do is take a quick shot, and you’re all good to go.
While Frog Fuel has made a name for itself as one of the highest-reviewed liquid protein shots, it’s not the only one available on the market. To give you a little variety when searching for a protein supplement, we’re going to discuss two alternatives that should be on your radar.
Liquacel Liquid Protein
One of the things I like about Liquacel Liquid Protein is their use of hydrolyzed collagen protein, which is what makes Frog Fuel so easy to absorb. Every serving of Liquacel contains 16 grams of this protein, as well as 2.5 grams of Arginine — which is converted into nitric oxide.
They come in similar packets as Frog Fuel, but the packaging is much warmer and inviting. Each serving is just 30mL, which is equal to about 1oz of liquid protein shot. You’ll get 0 grams of fat, cholesterol, fiber, and sugar. You will, however, receive 30mg of sodium, 10mg of potassium, and 7 grams of glycerin.
Even better, it comes in five different flavors — lemonade, orange, grape, peach mango, and watermelon. You can buy one of each (5 total) for $7.99 or five of each (25 total) for $39 — which is a little cheaper than Frog Fuel. They also have ten of each (50 total) for $78.
Bariatricpal Protein & Collagen Shot
Don’t worry if you’re looking for something different. Bariatricpal Protein & Collagen Shot is designed to look like a 5-hr Energy Shot. It comes in a small bottle, though each serving is 3oz — three times that of Frog Fuel and Liquacel. There are four flavors — apple, cran grape, orange, and pink lemonade.
Each serving contains 60 calories, 0g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 35mg sodium, less than 1g of carbs, 0g fiber, 0g sugar, and 15 grams of protein (hydrolyzed collagen, whey isolate, casein isolate). It also contains additional BCAAs, sucralose, malic acid, and purified water.
You can get a variety pack, which contains one of each flavor (4 total), for $10, and a jumbo variety pack, which contains six of each flavor (24 total), for $59. If you wanted to save an extra 10% off your order, you can sign up for recurring subscription delivery.
Final Verdict: Frog Fuel Supplements
The Frog Fuel supplement collection shouldn’t be viewed as a substitute for your eating habits. In fact, you should still be making an honest effort to eat around 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day through animal-based or plant-based foods.
With that being said, some people need even more than that due to their lifestyle and daily routine. Especially for those that are active throughout the day, a little protein boost can go a long way when combined with a healthy diet — and that’s what Frog Fuel’s here for.
If you need that boost, Frog Fuel is one of the better liquid protein shots on the market. It makes getting that boost extremely easy, especially when compared to protein powder shakes. If you end up choosing one of the Energized formulas, just make sure you’re not consuming too much caffeine each day!
Even if you feel Frog Fuel isn’t for you, there are plenty more competitors and alternatives out there that might spark your interest — such as Liquacel and Bariatricpal.