Is Transparent Labs BULK Black underdosed?

• Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxal-5-Phosphate)Per scoop 5 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Not graded: a vitamin or mineral. We grade a pre-workout’s ingredients against exercise studies; vitamins and minerals are graded only on their own supplement pages.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• Vitamin B12 (as Methylcobalamin)Per scoop 100 mcgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Not graded: a vitamin or mineral. We grade a pre-workout’s ingredients against exercise studies; vitamins and minerals are graded only on their own supplement pages.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• Zinc (as Zinc Chelate)Per scoop 10 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Not graded: a vitamin or mineral. We grade a pre-workout’s ingredients against exercise studies; vitamins and minerals are graded only on their own supplement pages.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• SodiumLabel: Sodium (as Himalayan Rock Salt)Per scoop 180 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Contains 180 mg. Not graded: on its own the sodium in a serving says little, because what counts is the drink it makes. Electrolyte products are judged on the sodium per litre once mixed as the label directs (0.5–0.7 g per litre, AIS).

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• Potassium (as Potassium Chloride)Per scoop 130 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Not graded: a vitamin or mineral. We grade a pre-workout’s ingredients against exercise studies; vitamins and minerals are graded only on their own supplement pages.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• L-CitrullineLabel: Citrulline Malate 2:1Per scoop 5.33 gStudies 4–5.33 gEffective doseEvidence: Weak

  Contains 5.33 g; studies use 4–5.33 g.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

  ASSUMPTION: "2:1" is read as a weight ratio (2 parts L-citrulline to 1 part malic acid), so 2/3 of the stated weight is counted as L-citrulline. Applied only when the label does not state the citrulline amount itself. If 2:1 were a molar ratio the share would be about 72% (2 x 175.19 / (2 x 175.19 + 134.09)); the weight reading gives the lower citrulline figure.

• Beta-AlaninePer scoop 4 gStudies 3.2–6.4 g/dayEffective doseEvidence: Strong

  Contains 4 g; studies use 3.2–6.4 g/day.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• Betaine AnhydrousLabel: Betaine Anhydrous (BetaPure™)Per scoop 2.5 gStudies 2.5 g/dayEffective doseEvidence: Moderate

  Contains 2.5 g; studies use 2.5 g/day.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• TaurinePer scoop 1.3 gStudies 1–6 gEffective doseEvidence: Moderate

  Contains 1.3 g; studies use 1–6 g.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• L-TyrosinePer scoop 1 gStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Contains 1 g. Not graded: a 2023 meta-analysis found no effect on endurance; its evidence is for focus under stress, at about 150 mg per kg of bodyweight.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• AlphaSize® Alpha GPC 50%Per scoop 300 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Not graded: the label gives it in a form or blend we can't turn into a dose (no stated ratio or amount), so it isn't counted. See the methodology.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• CaffeineLabel: Natural Caffeine (from Green Coffee Bean (Coffea robusta) (fruit)); Infinergy™ (DiCaffeine Malate)Per scoop 275 mgStudies 3–6 mg/kgEffective doseEvidence: Strong

  Contains 275 mg (3.7 mg/kg at 75 kg); studies use 3–6 mg/kg.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• L-TheaninePer scoop 200 mgStudies 100–200 mgEffective doseEvidence: Weak

  Contains 200 mg; studies use 100–200 mg.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• TheobrominePer scoop 100 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Contains 100 mg. Not graded: there is no peer-reviewed exercise trial, and 100–400 mg did not change mood or alertness in human studies.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• SenActiv™ (Panax notoginseng (root), Rosa roxburghii (fruit))Per scoop 50 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Not graded: we have no research dose for it from exercise studies.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• BioPerine (black pepper extract)Label: Bioperine® (Black Pepper Extract) (Piper nigrum) (fruit)Per scoop 5 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Contains 5 mg. Not graded: added to help the body absorb other ingredients; it has no dose of its own to judge.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

• Boron (as Boron Citrate)Per scoop 3 mgStudies Not setNot gradedEvidence: Not graded

  Not graded: a vitamin or mineral. We grade a pre-workout’s ingredients against exercise studies; vitamins and minerals are graded only on their own supplement pages.

  We're checking this amount against the label: the source prints it in an unusual unit.

Use “Check it for your dose” to see this table for your own scoops and bodyweight. Only caffeine is dosed per kilogram in the studies we cite; the other research doses are fixed amounts, so your weight doesn't change them.

How many scoops would it take?

To reach the low end of the research dose for each underdosed ingredient.

Taking more doesn't fix this product. Reaching those doses means more than 400 mg of caffeine from the scoops alone, above the FDA's 400 mg daily reference for most adults, before any coffee.

Where the reference doses come from

1. Beta-Alanine, 3.2–6.4 g/day: Harris et al., 2006Hobson et al., 2012Trexler et al., 2015.
2. Betaine Anhydrous, 2.5 g/day: Cholewa et al., 2013Hoffman et al., 2009Zawieja et al., 2024.
3. Caffeine, 3–6 mg/kg: Guest et al., 2021.
4. L-Citrulline, 4–5.33 g: Gough et al., 2021Vårvik et al., 2021.
5. L-Theanine, 100–200 mg: Owen et al., 2008Payne et al., 2025.
6. Taurine, 1–6 g: Deng et al., 2025Waldron et al., 2018.
7. Daily caffeine reference, 400 mg: US FDA, Spilling the Beans.

Assumptions used on this page: ASSUMPTION: "2:1" is read as a weight ratio (2 parts L-citrulline to 1 part malic acid), so 2/3 of the stated weight is counted as L-citrulline. Applied only when the label does not state the citrulline amount itself. If 2:1 were a molar ratio the share would be about 72% (2 x 175.19 / (2 x 175.19 + 134.09)); the weight reading gives the lower citrulline figure.

Methodology 1.11. Read the full methodology or the corrections log.