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In this Jacked Factory Growth Surge review, we had GGR staff writer Matt Dustin test it out to see what the fuss is about. A great supplement designed for post-workout recovery, it can be taken on its own or blended with your whey protein powder for the ultimate post workout muscle builder cocktail.
RELATED: Best Muscle Recovery Supplements
Post-workout supplements are less common than pre-workout supplements, but some avid weightlifters swear by its addition to their stack due to the claim that it’s the “ultimate muscle building supplement.” This is because it contains key ingredients purported to reduce muscle soreness. So, we decided to try it to test out the effects for ourselves.
Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider. GGR also recommends choosing a product that has been third-party tested for quality.
Pre or Post Workout, We Know Our Supplements
In terms of fitness and nutrition, each member of our expert team has a wealth of knowledge and experience that they bring to each product review. Our goal is to help you make the best decision for yourself and your fitness journey by sharing both the positive and the negative aspects of supplements and equipment we test and review.
From the newest creatine brands to the best pre-workout supplements, our team of registered dietitians, certified personal trainers, and competitive athletes has tested and reviewed it all.
GGR staff writer Matt Dustin, a Corrective Exercise Specialist and Precision Nutrition Level 1 Nutrition Coach, took Jacked Factory Growth Surge every day for a week and rated it on a scale of 1 to 5 for a variety of categories, including:
- Price per serving
- Formulation
- Third-party testing
- Customer ratings
- Taste
- Solubility
Jacked Factory Growth Surge
Jacked Factory Growth Surge
Product Highlights
- Designed to build muscle and reduce fat
- Three key ingredients: Creatine Monohydrate, Betaine Anhydrous, L-Carnitine L-Tartrate
- The ingredients aide in muscle recovery, muscle building, and are formulated to reduce recovery time and soreness
- Also contains BioPerine, which is said to improve absorption
- Made in a cGMP-certified facility
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Creatine monohydrate is scientifically shown to improve muscle growth
- Tastes good, particularly Cherry Limeade
- Mixes well
- Can be used for recovery and muscle growth
- Overwhelmingly positive reviews
- Subscribe-and-save options
Cons
- Contains sucralose, which can cause digestive issues for some
- No protein
- Some notice a slight aftertaste
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a post-workout drink that tastes good and is designed to promote muscle growth and recovery, Growth Surge could be a good option.
A Quick Look at Jacked Factory Growth Surge
Based in Santa Monica, California, Jacked Factory started up in 2015 with filler-free supplements that are made in the USA. You may be familiar with Jacked Factory’s pre-workout Nitrosurge, which consistently ranks in the 10 top-selling pre-workout supplements on Amazon. The company also offers BCAA supplements, fat burners, and health supplements like greens powder.
Before You Buy
- If you want to take advantage of the 90-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked, you’ll want to order from Jacked Factory directly.
- This product is not an ideal choice for creatine loading given that it contains the minimum effective dose.
- Taking Growth Surge with a carb source may enhance its effectiveness.
Is Jacked Factory Growth Surge Worth It?
Post-workout supplements aren’t entirely necessary when a solid carb source and some whey protein will usually do the trick for muscle recovery. However, for those who are fans of creatine or just want a little extra to help with muscle soreness, a post-workout supplement may help. That said, the price isn’t too high at around $1 per serving, but it depends on what value you place on a post-workout supplement.
Great for:
- People who want to build a comprehensive supplement stack for performance
- Those looking for a creatine supplement with some extra recovery ingredients included
- Individuals looking for a great-tasting creatine/recovery supplement
Not recommended for:
- Those intending to start a creatine loading phase
- People who avoid artificially sweetened supplements
- Individuals with a limited supplement budget
Jacked Factory Growth Surge Specs
| Price per serving | $1.05 |
| Serving size | 1 scoop (10 g) |
| Flavors | Black Cherry, Blue Raspberry, Blueberry Lemonade, Cherry Limeade, Fruit Punch, Grape, Sour Peach Rings, Strawberry Lemonade, Swoleberry, Watermelon, Unflavored |
| Type of creatine | Creatine monohydrate |
| Other notable ingredients | Betaine anhydrous, l-carnitine-l-tartrate, bioperine |
Experience Using Jacked Factory Growth Surge
Our tester, GGR staff writer Matt Dustin, CES, PN1-NC, took an unconventional approach to supplementing with Growth Surge post workout. “I’ve been taking one scoop a day for the past week,” Matt reports. “It’s marketed as a post-workout, but the main ingredient is creatine, so on non-workout days I just take it in the morning.”
Price Per Serving
This post workout muscle builder comes out to be a little over a dollar per serving, which isn’t super cheap for a relatively optional type of supplement. It is also important to note that if you take multiple supplements including a pre-workout, whey protein powder, or other daily supplements, it’s another thing to factor into your supplement budget.
Formulation
Growth Surge post workout is free of proprietary blends, which allows us to see how much of each of the key ingredients it includes. When you add up the grams in the scoop size, there’s a lot of assurance that there are minimal fillers:
Creatine monohydrate (3 grams): Most people already know about this muscle building supplement. The dosage may seem lower than what you’re used to, but not to worry. Though most creatine supplements contain 5 grams, studies have shown that the optimal dose is somewhere between 3 to 5 grams of creatine per day1 to support lean muscle growth.
RELATED: Creatine Monohydrate Dosage
Betaine anhydrous (2.5 grams): There has been some evidence to suggest that supplementing with betaine anhydrous for 15 straight days can help improve muscular endurance2 as well as the quality of repetitions performed.
L-carnitine-l-tartrate (2 grams): According to some studies3, carnitine is known to help boost athletic performance, decrease fatigue in the lean muscle, and promote muscle recovery.
BioPerine Black Pepper Fruit Extract (5 milligrams): Black pepper extract, also known as bioperine, has become a common ingredient in sports nutrition supplements because it may boost the absorption4 of natural compounds found in such supplements, such as creatine.
It should be known that Growth Surge is sweetened with sucralose, also known as Splenda, which is an artificial sweetener. However, it contains no fillers or dyes and gets its colors from natural sources, such as beetroot powder.
The formulation for this post-workout supplement is decent, but we do wish there were other compounds that may be useful to take post-workout, like electrolytes to help with hydration or branched-chain amino acids.
Taste and Solubility
Matt tried the grape flavor and rated it a very strong 5 out of 5. “Zero creatine or supplement taste at all,” Matt reports. “It tasted like grape Kool-Aid to me; very refreshing in cold water. I’d drink this anytime honestly for the taste. I also gave some to my girlfriend who doesn’t like supplements and she loved it, she couldn’t taste anything but the grape flavor.”
RELATED: Best-Tasting Protein Powder
Matt rated the solubility a 4 out of 5. “There are small floaties that settle to the bottom pretty quickly, but I think this is normal with creatine monohydrate. Hardly noticeable at all unless I’m staring into the liquid.” However, you may need to be quick with drinking it, according to Matt. “I basically give it an aggressive stir, and then chug it before everything sinks to the bottom.”
Side Effects
We gave Growth Surge a 5 out of 5 in this category based on Matt’s feedback. He says, “No side effects! I’ve been taking creatine for years, though, so I didn’t notice anything different, but I may have if I was just starting creatine.”
Third-Party Testing
Although Jacked Factory Growth Surge is manufactured in a cGMP-compliant, FDA-registered facility, it has not been tested for banned substances or purity by an accredited third-party lab recognized by sporting bodies at this time.
Jacked Factory Growth Surge vs Legion Recharge
Legion Recharge
Legion Recharge
Product Highlights
- Nature-based post-workout drink designed to improve recovery and increase muscle growth
- Contains 5 grams of micronized creatine, 2.1 grams of L-carnitine L-tartrate, 10.5 milligrams of corosolic acid
- Research-backed levels of ingredients
- Made in a cGMP, FDA-inspected, and NSF-certified facility
- Money-back guarantee
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Great customer service
- Money-back guarantee
- Can view actual lab results
- All natural
- No added sugar
- Subscribe and save 10%
Cons
- Stevia flavor is too sweet for some
- Unflavored is actually sweetened
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for an all-natural post-workout supplement that is made of research-backed ingredients, Recharge post-workout supplement is one worth considering. Its taste and positive impact on performance is appreciated by the vast majority of users.
Given that we’ve tried a similar post-workout supplement in the past, Legion Recharge, we wanted to compare it to Growth Surge post workout. Both have l-carnitine, creatine, minimal fillers, and are colored with natural compounds like beetroot powder. However, only Legion’s Recharge is sweetened naturally with stevia, rather than sucralose.
Recharge also contains corosolic acid, which may enhance insulin signaling, which can boost post-workout nutrient absorption5 given that insulin’s job is to shuttle nutrients into the body’s tissues, including lean muscle. Finally, Recharge contains the maximum efficacious dose of creatine monohydrate of 5 grams per serving at almost an identical price per serving.
Read our full Legion Recharge review to learn more.
| Jacked Factory Growth Surge | Legion Recharge | |
| Price per serving | $1.05 | $1.06 |
| Serving size | 1 scoop (10 g) | 1 scoop (8.75 g) |
| Flavors | Black Cherry, Blue Raspberry, Blueberry Lemonade, Cherry Limeade, Fruit Punch, Grape, Sour Peach Rings, Strawberry Lemonade, Swoleberry, Watermelon, Unflavored | Strawberry Lemonade, Arctic Blast, Fruit Punch, Sour Candy, Unflavored, Watermelon |
| Type of creatine | Creatine monohydrate | Micronized creatine monohydrate |
| Creatine Dosage | 3 g | 5 g |
| Other notable ingredients | Betaine anhydrous, l-carnitine-l-tartrate, bioperine | L-carnitine-l-tartrate, corosolic acid |
Customer Experience
When ordering from Amazon, their standard return policy applies. Due to the nature of the supplement, returns and refunds are generally not allowed for dietary supplements. If you need assistance with another customer service question, you can contact Amazon via chat, telephone, or e-mail.
On Jacked Factory’s website, there are also plenty of options to receive customer service. Use their live chat, call 1-877-250-5237, email support@jackedfactory.com, or fill out the query form on the website.
Ordering Jacked Factory Growth Surge
When ordering from Amazon, ordering will follow the same process as any other Amazon order. When ordering directly from Jacked Factory, the payment process goes through Shopify. So, if you have information saved from ordering in the past, it should be a quick process.
Also, 3-5 day shipping within the USA is free including an extra 15% off if you opt into their Subscribe & Save program which provides automatic deliveries every 30, 45, or 60 days. International shipping is available but restricted to certain countries and priced according to location. All supplements carry Jacked Factory’s 90-day, 100% money-back guarantee, with no return required.
Customer Reviews
On the company’s product page, Growth Surge post workout holds a 4.8-star rating based on 212 reviews, with many taking their time to write a review praising the taste, solubility, and how the lack of calories helps with their fat loss goals.
On Amazon, the supplement holds a 4.5 out of 5 star rating based on the 6,445 people to write a review. Many people report that it’s a great product with great taste and they can really tell the difference in their post-workout recovery.
Final Verdict of Our Jacked Factory Growth Surge Review
When you take our tester’s experience and customer reviews into account, it seems safe to conclude that Growth Surge is a great product to help build muscle and mitigate muscle soreness. Despite the fact that it has the minimum dosage of creatine, it also contains other key ingredients that assist with the recovery of lean muscle.
Studies have also shown that these muscle building effects are enhanced6 when you take creatine with a carb source. However, as a dietitian, I can’t entirely recommend a post-workout supplement when a post-workout protein shake or a protein-rich meal will do just fine. If you’re taking it for the creatine, that’s totally fine, but just know you don’t have to take creatine post-workout to be effective.
- Reviews rave about the taste and positive effects
- Made in the USA with no fillers or dyes
- Not third-party tested
Full Rating
Jacked Factory Growth Surge
If you’re looking for a post-workout drink that tastes good and is designed to promote muscle growth and recovery, Growth Surge could be a good option.
Product Brand: Jacked Factory
Product Currency: $
Product Price: 34.99
Product In-Stock: InStock
3.5
Jacked Factory Growth Surge: FAQs
Is Jacked Factory reliable?
Though experiences may vary from person to person, Jacked Factory is a consistently popular supplement to take post-workout.
Is Growth Surge good for post workout?
Growth Surge has clinically researched ingredients relevant to post-workout recovery, so it is a great product for post workout. Customer reviews also describe positive experiences with post-workout use.
Does Growth Surge have caffeine?
Due to being a post-workout supplement, Growth Surge does not have caffeine. Jacked Factory’s pre-workout supplement Nitrosurge, however, contains 180 milligrams of caffeine anhydrous.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.
References
- Naderi A, de Oliveira EP, Ziegenfuss TN, Willems MT. Timing, Optimal Dose and Intake Duration of Dietary Supplements with Evidence-Based Use in Sports Nutrition. J Exerc Nutrition Biochem. 2016;20(4):1-12. doi:10.20463/jenb.2016.0031
- Hoffman JR, Ratamess NA, Kang J, Rashti SL, Faigenbaum AD. Effect of betaine supplementation on power performance and fatigue. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2009;6:7. Published 2009 Feb 27. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-6-7
- Koozehchian MS, Daneshfar A, Fallah E, et al. Effects of nine weeks L-Carnitine supplementation on exercise performance, anaerobic power, and exercise-induced oxidative stress in resistance-trained males. J Exerc Nutrition Biochem. 2018;22(4):7-19. doi:10.20463/jenb.2018.0026
- Khajuria A, Thusu N, Zutshi U. Piperine modulates permeability characteristics of intestine by inducing alterations in membrane dynamics: influence on brush border membrane fluidity, ultrastructure and enzyme kinetics. Phytomedicine. 2002;9(3):224-231. doi:10.1078/0944-7113-00114
- Fukushima M, Matsuyama F, Ueda N, et al. Effect of corosolic acid on postchallenge plasma glucose levels. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2006;73(2):174-177. doi:10.1016/j.diabres.2006.01.010
- Theodorou AS, Paradisis G, Smpokos E, et al. The effect of combined supplementation of carbohydrates and creatine on anaerobic performance. Biol Sport. 2017;34(2):169-175. doi:10.5114/biolsport.2017.65336
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In this Jacked Factory Growth Surge review, we had GGR staff writer Matt Dustin test it out to see what the fuss is about. A great supplement designed for post-workout recovery, it can be taken on its own or blended with your whey protein powder for the ultimate post workout muscle builder cocktail.RELATED: Best Muscle Recovery SupplementsPost-workout supplements are less common than pre-workout supplements, » Read more about: Jacked Factory Growth Surge Review (2024): The Ultimate Post-Workout Supplement? » Read more