Universal Nutrition Lava Review – If Only the Taste is as Good as The Rest of It

Maybe you’re on the lookout for a good post-workout supplement which has a bit of everything.

And we mean everything, folks.

Universal Nutrition LAVA could be the supplement you will end up buying.

It has a lot of promise. Try 5.5 grams of creatine monohydrate, 2.5 grams of glutamine, and 32 grams of whey protein, for starters.

That should be enough to whet your appetite for this review.

About Universal Nutrition LAVA

Universal Nutrition LAVA is “the undisputed king of all post-training shakes,” per its official website. Formula notes:

• Great combination of ingredients. Creatine monohydrate, glutamine, taurine, dextrose, maltodextrin, and whey protein.
• GlycoCarb Complex. Helps maintain healthy insulin and glucose levels after training.
• 5.5 grams of creatine monohydrate per serving. One of the highest creatine levels for a post-workout.

Feel the Post-Workout Explosion

Heaps of today’s bodybuilding supplements feature a name which connotes explosion.

Take, N.O.-Xplode and Grenade Hydra 6 Protein, for example. These catchy names pique consumers’ interest, to say the least.

Perhaps it’s time we include Universal Nutrition LAVA in the discussion.

Take your post-workout results to the next level with Universal Nutrition LAVA.

Granted, this supplement’s name does not have the oomph of the two others. Nonetheless, it grabs you. It just does.

If you ask us, the name “LAVA” suggests a gradual post-workout effect which demolishes fatigue and catabolism.

Let’s hope this product lives up to that.

According to the manufacturer’s official website, Universal Nutrition LAVA is “the undisputed king of all post-training shakes.”

The company bases its claim on Universal Nutrition LAVA’s three main ingredients: creatine monohydrate, glutamine, and taurine.

This supplement has an impressive 5.5 grams of creatine monohydrate per serving.

We’ve seen many post-workouts, believe us. Some big-name products such as BSN R3BUILD EDGE have five grams of creatine per serving.

For its part, Universal Nutrition LAVA goes the extra mile.

Hey, we’re confident 5.5 grams of creatine per serving will help increase your muscle mass and athletic performance. 

Plus, recent research suggests creatine helps regulate blood sugar levels, boost heart health, and increase metabolic expenditure. 

Awesome.

Next up is 2.5 grams of l-glutamine per serving.

It comes as no surprise this versatile amino acid – the most abundant – is in most workout supplements: it helps preserve muscle mass, increase human growth hormone (HGH) levels, and boost the immune system.

In addition, glutamine helps amp up post-workout recovery. No wonder guys from the Golden Era of Bodybuilding raved about it.

Universal Nutrition LAVA’s third main ingredient is 1.2 grams of taurine per serving.

Just so you know, taurine is a conditionally essential amino acid which helps increase exercise endurance, ward off fatigue, protect red blood cells from oxidative stress, and regulate cholesterol levels. 

Don’t forget, taurine also helps regulate blood pressure levels and improve cardiovascular health. 

All in all, Universal Nutrition LAVA’s creatine monohydrate, glutamine, and taurine components make up a potent combination. We believe this combo will help take your workouts to the next level. 

On the other hand, one thing which sets Universal LAVA apart from the rest of the field is its GlycoCarb Complex, comprised of dextrose, glucose polymers, and maltodextrin). 

The folks at Universal Nutrition realize you use up your glycogen stores after a hard workout, which is why they formulated a top-notch carb blend.

The first component, dextrose, is a fast-absorbing simple sugar which helps replenish your depleted glycogen stores. It is also known for its ability to create an insulin spike as soon as you consume it.

Insulin is an anabolic hormone which helps your muscles absorb key nutrients such as glucose and amino acids. We can sum up its value after a grueling training session: irreplaceable.

For their part, glucose polymers are extended chains of glucose which help increase energy levels. We like their inclusion in Universal Nutrition LAVA’s GlycoCarb Complex.

The third component of this complex is maltodextrin, a complex carbohydrate derived from corn, rice, or potato starch.

Many post-workout supplements have maltodextrin, which metabolizes slower than dextrose. The advantage: you won’t experience a sudden crash of insulin and glucose because of the slow absorption.

That’s the key, folks. Universal Nutrition LAVA’s GlycoCarb Complex’s dextrose and maltodextrin components complement each other in this regard – expect your insulin and glucose levels to remain stable longer during the post-anabolic workout window. 

What does all that translate to?

Speedier recovery and more muscle growth, of course.

Speaking of muscle growth, Universal Nutrition LAVA has 32 grams of ultra-filtered whey protein per serving (12.8 grams per scoop).

Its whey protein “is rich in whey peptides, alpha lactalbumin, immunoglobulins, glycomacropeptides (GMPs), bovine serum albumin (BSA), lactoperidoxase, and lactoferrin,” per the manufacturer’s official website.

Translation: more health benefits in the forms of a stronger immune system and better anti-bacterial properties, among others. 

So, with Universal Nutrition LAVA, you not only get to grow and repair muscle tissue, and speed up recovery, you also reap other health benefits.

Need evidence?

“To the basic formula, we’ve added key vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and phosphate co-factors such as chromium picolinate, Vitamins C and E, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus, to name a few,” per its official website.

Universal Nutrition LAVA is loaded, folks.

Let’s check out the formula ingredients:

• Calories, 278: A typical post-workout without protein and carb components have around 10-100 calories. Universal Nutrition LAVA has a high caloric content at 278 per serving (per 2.5 scoops). It also has 22 grams of fat per serving. If you want a low-calorie post-workout, this is not the product for you.
• Total fat, 2.4 g: Universal Nutrition LAVA’s overall fat content is low at four percent of the daily value. It’s saturated fat content (seven percent of the daily value) is slightly higher, but it doesn’t pose as a health threat.
• Total carbohydrate, 32 g: This product is a somewhat high-carb supplement because of its GlycoCarb Complex. Its 11 percent daily value for carbs isn’t exorbitant. However, the 22 grams of sugar per serving is. If you’re monitoring your sugar intake, best to steer clear.
• Protein, 32 g: Universal Nutrition LAVA’s protein content trumps the likes of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey (24 grams per serving), a major player in the bodybuilding supplement industry. Hey, who’s going to gripe about 64 percent of the daily value for protein? We sure won’t.
• Vitamin C (as ascorbic acid), 60 mg: Universal Nutrition LAVA provides your body with an astonishing 100 percent of the daily value for Vitamin C, which helps regulate blood pressure levels, ward off free radicals and the common cold, and boost cardiovascular health. When you take Universal Nutrition LAVA, you can afford to ditch your regular Vitamin C supplement.
• Vitamin E (as D-Alpha Tocopheryl), 30 IU: This product is also a tremendous source of Vitamin E at 100 percent of the daily value. This vitamin helps ward off free radicals, improve cardiovascular health, and boost hair and skin health. Plus, Vitamin E is known for its anti-aging effects.
• Niacin (as niacinamide), 20 mg: Universal Nutrition LAVA is also teeming with niacin, a.k.a. Vitamin B3, which helps boost cardiovascular health and regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels. You can’t ask for anything more at a whopping 100 percent of the daily value for this nutrient, which is common among post-workouts.
• Phosphorus, 250 mg: This supplement may not have as much phosphorus as the three preceding nutrients, but it is still a significant source, nonetheless. Phosphorus helps improve bone health, detoxify the body, utilize nutrient absorption, improve digestion, and boost energy levels – all important post-workout benefits. Awesome.
• Magnesium (as magnesium oxide), 200 mg: If you want to increase your energy levels and improve digestion and sleep quality, you should up your magnesium intake. Universal Nutrition LAVA has 50 percent of the daily value for magnesium, which is high.
• Sodium, 180 mg: Universal Nutrition LAVA does not go overboard on its sodium content at just eight percent of the daily value. Still, those who are monitoring their sodium intake should try limiting themselves to five percent of the daily value at most.
• Potassium, 360 mg: This mineral helps boost cardiovascular health and regulate sodium levels in the body. At 10 percent of the daily value for this nutrient, Universal Nutrition LAVA is a decent – not great – source of potassium.

Formula Analysis

After sorting through everything, we say Universal Nutrition LAVA packs a powerful, post-workout wallop.

Let us count the ways, folks:

• 5.5 grams of creatine monohydrate per serving
• 2.5 grams of glutamine per serving
• 1.2 grams of taurine per serving
• 32 grams of protein per serving
• Heaps of vitamins for more health benefits

Wow.

Like we said, 5.5 grams of creatine per serving will help you reap its full benefits: increased muscle mass, athletic performance, and increased muscle protein synthesis. 

Now, imagine better muscle preservation and increased human growth hormone levels with glutamine.

Next, visualize yourself with increased endurance and better tolerance against fatigue because of Universal Nutrition LAVA’s taurine component.

Then believe you will recover faster due to its GlycoCarb Complex.

Top all of that off with a hefty 32 grams of ultra-filtered whey protein per serving with all the immune-system-boosting benefits.

Unbelievable.

We also like the fact this product is low in fats and high in many different vitamins.

Plus, we love the transparency: the manufacturer reveals the precise amounts of each ingredient.

However, a few things raised our eyebrows.

For starters, it’s the high calorie content. Granted, Universal Nutrition LAVA is not a mass gainer, but it has a high calorie content for a post-workout supplement.

Next, this product is high in sugar at 22 grams per serving.

Speaking of sugar, Universal Nutrition LAVA contains aspartame, a highly-scrutinized artificial sweetener which has been linked to several serious side effects.

Not good.

Another thing caught our eye: carmine, a red food coloring in Universal Nutrition LAVA.

“Carminic acid” is a substance found in high concentration in cochineal insects” and “mixed with aluminum or calcium salts to make carmine dye,” per GentleWorld.org.

It’s also been linked to certain side effects such as allergies and asthma, per the same source.

Memo to the manufacturer: you could have used a natural food coloring with health benefits such as red beet powder instead.

As a parting shot, the real spoiler of this product is the taste – it’s by far one of the more mediocre-tasting post-workouts we’ve ever tried. Other consumers have the same sentiment.

Perhaps a new flavor should be in the offing here?

Universal Nutrition LAVA Benefits

Universal Nutrition LAVA has the following benefits, per its official website:

• 5.5 grams of creatine monohydrate per serving
• Helps increase strength and muscle mass
• Boosts energy levels
• Helps increase creatine uptake

We agree with these claims. Although it’s not a perfect product, Universal Nutrition LAVA can help you achieve – and even conquer – your post-workout goals.

Who Takes It?

Universal Nutrition LAVA is intended for healthy and active individuals who are at least 18 years of age and who want to increase strength, muscle mass, and endurance. It’s also ideal for people who want to shorten recovery time and achieve their regular fitness goals.

Any Side Effects?

Although Universal Nutrition LAVA has no glaring side effects, individuals who are monitoring their sugar intake should be wary of its 22 grams of sugar per serving. We advise them to consult a physician before purchasing this product.

Please also note the possible side effects of aspartame and carmine, as we previously stated.

Universal Nutrition LAVA Summary

Pros

• Great combination of ingredients. Creatine monohydrate, glutamine, taurine, dextrose, maltodextrin, and whey protein.
• 5.5 grams of creatine monohydrate per serving. Helps increase muscle mass and athletic performance.
• 2.5 grams of glutamine per serving. Helps preserve muscle mass and increase human growth hormone levels.
• 1.2 grams of taurine per serving. Versatile post-workout ingredient which helps boost cardiovascular health.
• 32 grams of protein per serving. One of the highest among post-workout supplements.
• GlycoCarb Complex. Combination of fast- and slow-acting carbs helps maintain healthy insulin and glucose levels.
• Good transparency. Manufacturer divulges all ingredient amounts.

Cons

• Dirty ingredients. Try including aspartame and carmine in your hit list, folks.
• Taste. Mediocre at best.
• Somewhat expensive price. $48.95 for a 2.75-lb. container.

Pricing & Buying Info

• 1 1.85-lb. container (10-Day Supply): $35.50
• 1 2.75-lb. container (15-Day Supply): $48.95
• Available online and in retail