Rebuild Strength, explained
Rebuild Strength is a chocolate recovery shake with 25g of milk protein and 18g of carbohydrate per serving. It is made for people who train with weights or do other strength work.
From Herbalife, tap to play
What Rebuild Strength is
Herbalife describes Rebuild Strength as a carbohydrate and protein drink for after anaerobic exercise, the short, intense kind such as lifting weights. You mix 50g of powder with 250ml of water.
It comes as a 1kg tub of 20 servings or a box of seven 50g sachets. The recipe and label are the same in both.
Rebuild Endurance is the sister product for endurance training, with 10g of protein and 36g of carbohydrate. Rebuild Strength turns that balance round, with more protein and less carbohydrate.
It is Informed Sport certified, meaning a sample of each batch is tested for banned substances. That matters to athletes who are drug tested.
What's in it, ingredient by ingredient
Milk protein concentrate, whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate and calcium caseinate
25g of protein per servingMilk protein comes in two main families, casein and whey. Casein is the main protein in milk and is digested slowly, while whey is digested faster. Milk protein concentrate and calcium caseinate supply mostly casein, and the two whey ingredients supply whey.
All of them are complete proteins, carrying the nine essential amino acids your body cannot make. Whey has more leucine than casein or soy.
Why it's in Rebuild Strength: Herbalife formulates it with high-quality whey protein to give 25g of protein per serving.
Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass.
North American sports nutrition bodies suggest about 0.3g of protein per kg of body weight after exercise, roughly 20g for a 68kg (150lb) person. One serving gives 25g.
Fructose, sucrose and maltodextrin
18g of carbohydrate, of which 17g sugars, per servingFructose and sucrose are both sugars, and sucrose is the everyday sugar in your cupboard. Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate made from starch.
Because fructose and sucrose are added, most of the 17g of sugars count as free sugars. The NHS suggests adults have no more than 30g of free sugars a day.
Why it's in Rebuild Strength: Herbalife adds specially selected carbohydrates to help you recover after anaerobic exercise.
Carbohydrates contribute to the recovery of normal muscle function (contraction) after highly intensive and/or long-lasting physical exercise leading to muscle fatigue and the depletion of glycogen stores in skeletal muscle.
The claim only applies when carbohydrates from all food and drink reach 4g per kg of body weight. They need to be taken in doses within the first 4 hours, and no later than 6 hours, after very hard exercise. For a 70kg person that is 280g, so one shake's 18g is a small part.
L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine (BCAAs)
2,367mg leucine, 1,410mg valine and 1,377mg isoleucine per serving, as listed on the labelLeucine, isoleucine and valine are three of the nine essential amino acids. They are called branched-chain amino acids, or BCAAs, because of the branched shape of their molecules.
BCAAs make up about a quarter of the amino acids in foods with complete protein, such as milk, eggs and meat. So a milk-based protein shake is naturally rich in them, and Herbalife adds more on top.
Why it's in Rebuild Strength: Herbalife formulates the shake with added BCAAs. The label lists the total of each per serving, about 5.2g of the three together.
The US National Institutes of Health reports no safety concerns for BCAA supplements at 20g a day or less for up to six weeks. One serving lists about 5.2g.
L-glutamine
1,700mg per servingGlutamine is the most common amino acid in your muscles and blood. Your body makes it, mainly from the BCAAs, so it is not one of the essential nine.
Adults typically eat about 3 to 6g of glutamine a day in protein foods. One serving of Rebuild Strength lists 1.7g.
Why it's in Rebuild Strength: Herbalife formulates the shake with added L-glutamine.
Ferric pyrophosphate (iron)
6.3mg per serving (45% NRV)Ferric pyrophosphate is a form of iron used to fortify foods. Men need about 8.7mg of iron a day and women aged 19 to 49 need about 14.8mg.
One serving gives 6.3mg, about 70% of a man's daily need or over 40% of a younger woman's.
Why it's in Rebuild Strength: Herbalife adds iron as one of the key micronutrients in the formula.
Iron contributes to normal formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin.
The NHS says 17mg or less a day of iron from supplements is unlikely to cause harm. Count the 6.3mg here alongside any iron tablets or fortified products you take.
Sodium L-ascorbate (vitamin C)
80mg per serving (100% NRV)Sodium L-ascorbate is a form of vitamin C. Adults need 40mg of vitamin C a day, and the body cannot store it, so it is needed daily.
One serving gives 80mg, twice the daily need.
Why it's in Rebuild Strength: Herbalife makes the shake high in vitamin C as part of its micronutrient blend.
Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
The NHS says more than 1,000mg of vitamin C a day can cause stomach pain. One serving is well below that.
B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, B6, B12, biotin, pantothenic acid) and vitamin E
38% NRV each per servingThe label lists six B vitamins and vitamin E. Each serving gives 38% of the reference intake of every one of them, comfortably above the 15% source level.
Why it's in Rebuild Strength: They complete the shake's vitamin blend.
Vitamin B6 contributes to normal protein and glycogen metabolism.
Fat-reduced cocoa powder and natural flavouring give the chocolate taste. Salt and tripotassium citrate adjust flavour and acidity, and guar gum thickens the shake. Medium chain triglycerides are a type of fat, and the shake has 1.5g of fat in total.
Reading the label
Per 50g serving (five level scoops or one sachet) mixed with 250ml of water
- Energy: 190 kcal. Just under a tenth of the 2,000 kcal reference intake for an average adult.
- Protein: 25g. Nearly half of the 55.5g a day suggested for men aged 19 to 64, and over half of the 45g suggested for women.
- Carbohydrate: 18g, of which sugars 17g. Most of these sugars are added fructose and sucrose, which count as free sugars. Adults are advised to have no more than 30g of free sugars a day.
- Salt: 0.6g. A tenth of the 6g a day adults should stay under.
- Iron: 6.3mg (45% NRV). About 70% of the 8.7mg a man needs each day.
- Vitamin C: 80mg (100% NRV). Twice the 40mg adults need each day.
- L-leucine: 2,367mg. The largest of the three BCAAs listed.
- L-glutamine: 1,700mg. About a third to a half of the 3 to 6g adults typically eat from food each day.
The %NRV column shows how much of an adult's daily reference amount one serving gives. The rules only allow a vitamin or mineral claim where a serving gives at least 15%.
The amino acid figures have no %NRV because no reference values exist for single amino acids.
How to use it
Five level scoops
Gently shake the tub, then add five level scoops (50g) to 250ml of water. With sachets, add one sachet to 250ml of water.
Shake hard
Shake vigorously until the powder is fully mixed.
Drink within 30 minutes
Herbalife's directions are to drink it within 30 minutes of finishing anaerobic activity, such as a weights session.
The tub holds 20 servings, so it covers 20 training sessions. The sachets come seven to a box, each a single serving you can take to the gym.
Have it as part of a varied, balanced diet. If you track sugar, count the 17g of free sugars in each shake.
Good to know
Who it suits
- It suits people doing strength training who want protein and some carbohydrate straight after.
- It is Informed Sport certified, so a sample of each batch has been tested for banned substances.
Check first
- It contains milk and may contain soy and egg, so it is not suitable if you are allergic to any of these.
- It is not suitable for vegans, because the protein comes from milk.
- If you take iron tablets, add the 6.3mg in each shake to your total and ask your GP if you are unsure.
- If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have a kidney condition, speak to your GP before using a high-protein sports drink.
Questions people ask
Do I need it if I don't lift weights?
It is designed for after anaerobic exercise such as weights. If you just want more protein, Protein Drink Mix may suit you better, and Rebuild Endurance is the version for endurance training.
Why does a protein shake have sugar in it?
The fructose and sucrose are the carbohydrate part of the recovery formula. They count as free sugars, so 17g a shake is worth counting if you watch your sugar.
Do I need the extra BCAAs?
Milk protein is already rich in BCAAs, which make up about a quarter of its amino acids. Herbalife adds more, and the label lists the totals so you can see exactly what you get.
What does Informed Sport certified mean?
A sample from the batch your product came from was tested by LGC's sports anti-doping lab. It was found to contain no banned substances in their screen.
Is the sachet different from the tub?
No. A sachet holds one 50g serving with exactly the same nutrition as five scoops from the tub.
Can I mix it with milk?
Herbalife's directions say water, and the label figures are for water. Milk would add its own protein, sugar and calories.
Where these facts come from
- fs_403k: Herbalife product information and label
- fs_486k: Herbalife product information and label
- label_403k: Herbalife product information and label
- label_486k: Herbalife product information and label
- fs_1436: Herbalife product information and label
- fs_441k: Herbalife product information and label
- matrix: Herbalife product information and label
- hl_carbs_article: herbalife.com/en-gb/wellness-resources/behind-the-science/why-are-carb
- bda_protein_sources: bda.uk.com/static/61ad81e4-ea30-41d3-a03717a2467754d9/Practical-guide-
- ods_exercise: ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ExerciseAndAthleticPerformance-HealthProfess
- nhs_sugar: nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/how-does-sugar-in-our-diet-affect
- nhs_salt: nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/salt-nutrition/
- nhs_iron: nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/iron/
- nhs_vitc: nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-c/
- reg_claims_annex: legislation.gov.uk/eur/2006/1924/annex
- reg_nrv_15: legislation.gov.uk/eur/2011/1169/annex/XIII
- gb_claims_register: gov.uk/government/publications/great-britain-nutrition-and-health-clai
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***Informed Sport: a sample of the batch this product came from was tested by LGC's anti-doping lab and found to contain no banned substances in its screen. Enjoy as part of a varied, balanced diet and a healthy, active lifestyle. Herbalife images and video are the property of Herbalife. Speak to your GP before changing your diet if you have a medical condition, take medication or are pregnant.
