Transparent Labs has quite the assortment of workout supplements, including many different pre-workout options. And, among these many pre-workouts, two of the most popular are Transparent Labs Bulk and Transparent Labs Lean.
Wondering which pre-workout is best? If so, continue reading the rest of this comparison of Transparent Labs Bulk vs. Lean to see which pre-workout is the right choice for you.
About Transparent Labs Bulk and Lean
We said we’d get going on this comparison, but hold your horses for a sec!
First, we want to go over each of these products individually to give you a general overview. And if you’ve looked at these supps already, this will be a nice reminder of what they offer.
Transparent Labs Bulk
Bulk is definitely one of Transparent Labs’ more popular pre-workouts. It is a pretty dense formula with over 20g of ingredients. Bulk is advertised as one of the leading pre-workouts out there, filled with effective doses of evidence-based ingredients.
Citrulline, beta-alanine, betaine, BCAAs, and theanine are just a few of the many ingredients in here. It’s ultimately designed to help you dominate your workouts so you can achieve as much lean muscle as possible.
Transparent Labs Lean
In the other corner, we have Lean, which is yet another highly popular Transparent Labs supplement. Lean is designed to be the premier cutting pre-workout supplement for athletes looking to get lean and shredded.
It features many similar ingredients as Bulk, including citrulline and beta-alanine, but also ingredients other ingredients to target stubborn fat, such as chromium. Ultimately, you’re getting 15g of 21 ingredients for total workout power.
Transparent Labs Bulk vs. Lean: Comparison
With that info ingrained into your brain, we’re now ready to get going on the actual comparison of Transparent Labs Bulk vs. Lean.
In the following sections, we’ll go over the ingredient formulas, dosing, aspects of safety and quality, pricing, ratings/reviews, benefits, and other key factors. This will help to make a decision on which pre-workout is king (or might it depend on your goals?).
We also have a table listed in the next section to give you a snapshot look at some of the key similarities and differences between Transparent Labs Bulk and Lean.
Comparison Table
| Product: | Bulk | Lean |
| Citrulline | 6,000mg | 6,000mg |
| Beta-Alanine | 4,000mg | 2,000mg |
| BCAA 2:1:1 | 4,000mg | 2,500mg |
| BetaPure | 2,500mg | 1,500mg |
| Vitamin B6 and B12 | Yes | No |
| Zinc | 30mg | 30mg |
| Anabolic Hormone Support | Yes (vitamin D3, boron) | No (besides zinc) |
| Thyroid Support Minerals | No | Yes (iodine, copper, chromium) |
| Theanine/Caffeine | 360mg/180mg | 360mg/180mg |
| Tyrosine | 1,000mg | None |
| Choline Source | AlphaSize | Choline bitartrate |
| Fat Loss Ingredients | No | Yes (carnitine, chromium) |
| Regular Price (30 Servings) | $49.99 | $49.99 |
| Return Policy | 30 Days | 30 Days |
Transparent Labs Bulk vs. Lean: Supplement Formulation
A critical part of this comparison is taking a look at the ingredients and dosages of the Bulk and Lean formulas.
There are many similarities, but also a number of important differences to keep in mind, so we’ll go over all of that.
Citrulline Malate
One of the similarities between Bulk and Lean is that they both have 6,000mg of citrulline malate. And it’s known that citrulline malate can increase blood flow and oxygen to the muscle, plus provide energy, and reduce fatigue. So, both Bulk and Lean have a solid ingredient here.
Beta-Alanine
Both Bulk and Lean also have beta-alanine, which can increase muscle carnosine stores. And this helps to reduce lactic acid build-up, delay fatigue, and improve high-intensity exercise.
However, Bulk has 4,000mg whereas Lean only has 2,000mg, so Bulk is more in the clinical range.
BCAA 2:1:1
Transparent Labs Bulk and Lean also have BCAAs in a 2:1:1 ratio for leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These can sometimes help reduce muscle fatigue and improve performance, especially in longer workouts.
Again, Bulk has the higher dosage, with 4,000mg, compared to 2,500mg in Lean.
BetaPure
Yet another ingredient in both Bulk and Lean is BetaPure, which is a trademarked form of betaine anhydrous.
Pre-workouts often include this to increase strength and reduce fatigue since betaine can increase muscle cell hydration, performance, and even creatine synthesis.
But Bulk has a more well-researched dosage of 2,500mg compared to just 1,500mg in Transparent Labs Lean.
Overall, those first four are what I would call the “main staples.” But let’s take a look at the other relevant ingredients, as there are many.
Vitamins and Minerals
Transparent Labs Bulk and Lean have vitamin and mineral formulations, but their makeup is quite different. And you can tell that they serve different purposes.
In Bulk, there is very high doses of B6 and B12 (likely for increased energy). And they also have high amounts of vitamin D3 and zinc for testosterone and hormonal support. Boron is included in a moderate dosage for the same reason.
And they also have a small amount of sodium and potassium to help replenish electrolytes.
In Lean, they actually don’t have any vitamins. Rather, they included minerals specifically designed to target thyroid health, metabolism, and fat loss support.
They have a hefty dose of iodine and selenium for thyroid and metabolic support. Plus, they include zinc, copper, and chromium for additional hormonal support and metabolic health.
So, really the only similarity between these two is the inclusion of zinc, and they both have 30mg of it.
Caffeine/Stimulants
Transparent Labs also crafted Bulk and Lean with caffeine and other stimulants.
Both Bulk and Lean have 180mg of caffeine and 50mg of theobromine. And these can increase energy, alertness, and mood, while also stimulating greater physical performance, such as strength and endurance.
These supps also have Infinergy, which is a form of dicaffeine malate. But the dose is slightly higher in Lean (40mg) compared to Bulk (30mg), so you might get a little bit more stimulation from Lean.
Nootropics and Similar Ingredients
There are also other ingredients in Transparent Labs Lean and Bulk for cognition and focus.
One similarity is that they both have 360mg of theanine, an amino acid that can help increase focus, alertness, and concentration without anxiety. And this means that both have a theanine to caffeine ratio of 2:1, which is well-supported by research for cognitive enhancement.
However, Transparent Labs Bulk also includes 1,000mg of tyrosine, which can help decrease stress and improve cognition during stressful exercise. But this isn’t in Lean.
Choline Sources
Also, Transparent Labs put choline in both Bulk and Lean, just with different sources.
Choline can sometimes be beneficial because it increases acetylcholine, which is needed for focus and cognition as well as muscle contractions.
In Bulk, you’ll get 300mg of AlphaSize Alpha GPC, which is in some research linked to increased power, strength, and focus.
And in Lean, there’s 500mg of choline bitartrate, which is also known for enhancing focus. But it seems to cross the blood-brain barrier less efficiently compared to Alpha-GPC.
Other Formulation Differences
Lastly, I’ll go over some other key differences between Bulk and Lean.
First, Bulk has taurine, which isn’t found in Lean. But Lean has carnitine, which isn’t found in Bulk.
Taurine can be beneficial since it is involved in energy metabolism, muscle contractions, and even in reducing inflammation. So, it’s primarily used as a workout enhancer.
On the contrary, carnitine is often used as a weight loss compound since it can help shuttle fatty acids into the cells for energy.
So, you can see probably why they chose these different ingredients.
Absorption
Lastly, both Lean and Bulk have ingredients to enhance absorption, but they’re different.
In Bulk, there is 25mg of Astragin, and in Lean, there is 5mg of BioPerine.
Both are certainly well-researched and can increase the effectiveness of the other ingredients by increasing their absorption and bioavailability.
Transparent Labs Bulk vs. Lean: Benefits
There are a few similar benefits between Transparent Labs Bulk and Lean, but we also want to note some key differences too based on the formulation.
As far as similarities, both Bulk and Lean may deliver the following benefits:
- Increased energy
- Better pumps
- More focus
- Greater strength
- Improved endurance
However, Bulk is more likely to deliver these unique benefits:
- Overall, more noticeable benefits for strength, power, etc. (higher doses)
- Testosterone and hormonal support
- Probably more noticeable for fatigue reduction
But Lean may have some of its own unique benefits too, including:
- Fat loss
- Metabolism support
- Thyroid support
Transparent Labs Bulk vs. Lean: Customer Feedback and Reviews
On the Transparent Labs website, Bulk has a 4.7/5 rating, and Lean has a 4.6/5 rating.
However, it’s unclear how many reviews these ratings are based off of.
These are also found on Amazon, with Bulk achieving a 4.2/5 rating based on 64 reviews and Lean with a 4/5 rating based on 57 reviews.
Most people liked Bulk for increasing pumps, energy, and strength. But many people said that it tasted pretty bad, especially fruit punch.
As for Lean, many people also note that it works but tastes terrible. And some people say that you need to take more than one serving to see full effects. But the reviews are still good overall.
Transparent Labs Bulk vs. Lean: Other Considerations
Beyond what we’ve talked about so far, we also wanted to list some other important considerations, including returns/refunds, taste and variety, dietary restrictions, and benefit preferences/goals.
Returns/Refunds
Bulk and Lean are made by the same company, so their Refund Policy is the same.
Essentially, you can return/exchange your order within 30 days from the delivery date. Notify support@transparentlabs.com about your return intent.
Also, the product can’t be opened if you want a full refund. Opened products may be eligible for an exchange or online store credit.
Taste and Variety
Bulk and Lean come in 10 different flavors, but they have different options.
The flavors for Bulk are:
- Sour Grape
- Watermelon
- Green Apple
- Orange
- Blue Raspberry
- Strawberry Lemonade
- Tropical Punch
- Lemon Lime
- Black Cherry
- Peach Mango
Flavors for Lean include:
- Fruit Punch
- Blue Raspberry
- Green Apple
- Orange
- Cherry Limeade
- Sour Grape
- Strawberry Lemonade
- Tropical Punch
- Watermelon
- Sour Peach
Judging by the comments I’ve seen, both don’t seem to have the best flavor and can taste pretty bad. But I’d need to see more overall reviews to make a more definitive judgment.
Dietary Restrictions and Safety
Both Transparent Labs Bulk and Lean are free from artificial sweeteners, colors, and preservatives. And they don’t have any dyes, fillers, or unnatural additives.
Both products are vegan and nut-free, but they do process these supplements in a facility that has coconuts and peanuts. (However, they use an allergen control program to sanitize and clean equipment in between allergen and non-allergen runs.
Benefit Preferences
You also want to consider your preferences and goals before deciding on Bulk vs. Lean.
Bulk is geared towards maximizing workout performance as much as possible while also offering anabolic hormonal support. Basically, Bulk is designed to help you, well, BULK!
On the other hand, Lean is designed more for milder workout performance boosts while also increasing fat loss. So yeah, it’s designed to help you get LEAN!
Transparent Labs Bulk vs. Lean: Price Value
Transparent Labs Bulk and Lean come in 30-serving containers, and they both cost $49.99 ($1.67/serving).
You also have the option on both to save 15% by choosing the Subscribe & Save option, which brings the price down to $42.49 ($1.42/serving).
Overall, Bulk has the better value because it is priced the same, yet has higher dosages of some of the top key ingredients.
Now, Lean has additional fat loss ingredients so I can see why it may also be priced the same. But the lower dosages of the other ingredients don’t really justify pricing it the same as Bulk.
Neither one has a bad value, but Bulk is the winner here.
Transparent Labs Bulk vs. Lean: Which Pre-Workout is Best?
Overall, Bulk is the most effective and applicable to a wider range of people.
This is because Bulk contains higher dosages of some of the ingredients that matter most.
However, if you want to try to maximize fat loss, then go with Lean.
But it could even be argued that Bulk would help you lose fat too by helping you get in a better workout. This is why Transparent Labs Bulk is best for MOST situations, but definitely not all.
If I had to sum it up in a few quick points, it’d be this:
- If you want to gain muscle, definitely go with Bulk
- If you’re interested just in general for getting a better workout, get Bulk
- If you really are mainly interested in fat loss with some workout benefits, get Lean
Well, that concludes this Transparent Labs Bulk vs. Lean comparison. And now you should be prepared to choose the one that’s right for you!
If you are looking to learn more, though, be sure to check out our full review of Transparent Labs Bulk here and our full review of Transparent Labs Lean here.
