Pro Blend - Protein Powders

Pro Blend
(Human Development Technologies)

Many advocate using "blended" proteins (i.e. mixtures of several kinds of proteins). The reason for this concerns the different rates at which proteins are digested. Whey (a milk protein) is digested rather quickly; egg is digested at a moderate pace, casein (another milk protein) is digested very slowly. Therefore, the idea behind using a blended protein is the body will receive a continual supply of amino acids over a period of time.

But, as with individual proteins, the quality and ingredients vary among different blended proteins. They also differ greatly in price. However, HDT's Pro Blend is one of the better such proteins available. It contains four different types of whey proteins (concentrate, micro ultra filtered isolate, ion exchanged isolate, and hydrolyzed), along with egg white protein and micellar casein. The hydrolyzed whey is absorbed the quickest, then the whey isolates, then the whey concentrate, then the egg white, and slowest of all is the micellar casein. There is thus a good mixture, which would provide a steady supply of amino acids over a period of several hours. And Pro Blend is relatively inexpensive as compared to other blended proteins.

Apparently, HDT is in the process of changing the formula somewhat. The new version now uses the above mentioned micellar casein rather than the calcium caseinate that was used in older versions. The micellar casein is more readily digested than the calcium caseinate, so this is a good change.

HDT is also in the process of changing the sweeteners used for the Pro Blend. Older versions are sweetened with stevia and acesulfame potassium. Stevia is a natural and safe non-caloric sweetener. But acesulfame (pronounced "ace-SUL-fame") is an artificial sweetener. It appears to be safe based on a limited number of studies and given that no adverse effects have yet to be reported from it, but further studies and long term-usage needs to be done to say for sure. However, newer versions of Pro Blend are now sweetened with sucrolose instead of the stevia and acesulfame. Sucrolose is an artificial sweetener, but it is probably the safest such sweetener available. Therefore, it is good that HDT is replacing the acesulfame with sucrolose. But still, sucrolose is artificial, so it makes me uncomfortable.

The new versions of Pro Blend are also enhanced with additional L-glutamine and the branch chain amino acids (L-isoleucine, L-leucine, L-valine). These amino acids are especially important in muscle repair and growth. So this is an additional plus.

However, Pro Blend contains artificial flavorings. These I could do without, but most any blended protein on the market contains them as well, so they are hard to avoid in this case. And it does give the Pro Blend an excellent taste. And at least it doesn't contain artificial colorings. And Pro Blend mixes easily without a blender.

I used Pro Blend for a while, but later switched to a different blended protein, wanting to avoid the artificial flavorings and even the sucrolose.

Being a blended protein or high quality proteins could qualify this protein for five stars, but the presence of artificial sweeteners (even if it is one that is supposed to be safe) and artificial colorings drops it to four stars. However, this product is no longer available. In fact, it looks like HDT is out of business. But the above info about the benefit of blended proteins still holds. Therefore, I am leaving the review up, with an encouraged to the reader red my other protein powder reviews for other options for a blended protein.

The above article was posted on this site May 9, 2004.
It was last updated June 21, 2017.

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