Before you spend your hard-earned money on any protein supplements, you need to make sure that what you’re purchasing is worth the cost. In this Legion Casein+ review, I’m going to be reviewing one of the best casein protein powder options on the market to help you decide if it’s worth the higher-than-average price tag.
Legion Athletics has a reputation for creating high-quality products with label transparency and science-backed ingredients, and their casein is no different, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for everyone. Let’s take a closer look and see if Legion Casein+ is the right protein powder to add to your supplement stack.
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.
Honest Reviews from Certified Professionals Who Love Protein
Here at Garage Gym Reviews, we’re all about trust and honesty. We have hands-on experience with virtually every product we write about, and our testers include certified personal trainers, nutrition coaches, dietitians, and Olympic athletes. Supplements we cover are also evaluated by registered dietitians and nutritionists.
We’ve tested over 100 protein powders, scoring each one based on the following categories:
- Price per serving
- Formulation
- Taste
- Solubility
- Side effects
- Third-party testing
- Customer service
- Customer reviews
We love protein shakes, and more importantly, we love testing and analyzing the most popular protein powders on the market to find the best of the best. Our goal is to help you make informed decisions with your fitness and nutrition purchases.
Legion Casein+ Protein Powder
Legion Athletics Casein+ Protein Powder
Product Highlights
- Milk-derived casein protein powder
- Thick texture
- 5 flavor options
- Sourced from grass-fed cattle
- 25 g protein per serving
- 5 grams of BCAAs and 11.4 grams of EAAs per serving
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Sourced from grass-fed cattle
- 100% micellar casein
- Tasty flavor options
- Smooth, rich, creamy texture
- Analyzed for purity and potency in an ISO 17025 accredited lab
- 0g added sugar
- Includes BCAAs and EAAs
- Subscribe-and-save option
Cons
- Casein protein is significantly thicker than whey
- Casein can cause bloating and gas, especially upon initial use
- Takes quite a bit of shaking to get rid of all clumps
Bottom Line
Legion Athletics Casein+ Protein Powder comes in several delicious flavors, and we’re fans of the Banana Cream Pie. Casein can be consumed as a shake, or with less water, like a pudding. This protein has 25 grams of protein per 110-calorie serving.
A Quick Look at Legion Casein+
Legion Casein+ protein powder is a 100% pure micellar casein protein powder, sourced from Truly Grass Fed™ milk from Irish dairy farms and made with no added sugar, artificial ingredients, or cheap fillers.
Casein protein is a slow-digesting protein that’s perfect for use before bed, or when you’re going to go a long time between meals. Compared to whey protein, casein digests very slowly. This means you’ll experience a slow and steady release of amino acids into your bloodstream.
In the bodybuilding and fitness communities, casein has a reputation for being the slow-digesting, pre-bed protein, while whey protein powder is often used for post-workout shakes, but research shows that both are beneficial1 and can help improve muscle recovery and increase muscle protein synthesis.
The company behind Casein+, Legion Athletics, was founded by best-selling author Mike Matthews and is known for producing high-quality supplements with full clinical dosing, transparent labels, and no artificial sweeteners, colors, or other fillers.
Production standards are very high, as their formulas are manufactured in the USA in NSF-certified, FDA-inspected, cGMP-compliant facilities. In other words, they take safety and purity very seriously.
Many of their products have been independently tested by Labdoor to prove they don’t contain any banned ingredients, and other Legion products we’ve tested, like Pulse and Whey+, have scored well with our grading criteria.
RELATED: Legion Pulse Pre-Workout Review
Before You Buy
- If you’ve never tried casein protein, know that it’s often very thick and clumpy, and may cause more bloating and digestive challenges than whey protein if you’re sensitive to dairy.
- Legion has an incredible return policy, offering a full refund on your first order if you’re not satisfied, and you don’t even need to return the protein.
- Casein protein is often used as a meal replacement shake or taken as protein before bed, due to its slower digestion speed.
Is Legion Casein+ Worth It?
While Legion produces high-quality, third-party-tested supplements, they’re not the cheapest on the market. (We have sourced all the best deals on our Legion Athletic coupon code page, though). Before you purchase this grass-fed casein powder, you need to make sure it’s the right protein for your nutritional goals.
Great for:
- Athletes and fitness enthusiasts looking to reap the benefits of casein, including improved recovery from workouts
- Those struggling to meet their daily protein goals from whole foods
- Anyone following a low-carbohydrate, low-fat, or gluten-free diet
Not recommended for:
- Those who tend to have challenges digesting dairy products
- Anyone on a tight budget
- People who have a difficult time stomaching thicker protein shakes
Legion Casein+ Specs
| Price per serving | $1.99 |
| Serving size | 34 g |
| Type of protein | Micellar casein protein |
| Protein content | 24-26g |
| Carb content | 2-5g |
| Fat content | 0-2g |
| Notable ingredients | Micellar casein protein, natural flavor, sunflower lecithin, sea salt, stevia leaf extract |
| Flavors | Dutch Chocolate, Cinnamon Cereal, French Vanilla, Strawberry, Banana Cream Pie |
| Third-party tested? | Yes |
Experience Using Legion Casein+
When it comes to casein protein, you’ll often run into a thick, clumpy powder that can be difficult to mix in liquids. Our tester, GGR Performance Editor Anthony O’Reilly, found that Legion Casein+ mixed thoroughly with a bit of effort, and the flavor had a pleasant taste.
Because casein protein digests fairly slowly, many find that it can be very filling compared to other protein shakes. This makes casein a great option to use as a snack or before bed, similar to the best meal replacement shakes. Let’s get into the nitty gritty of our rating below.
Price Per Serving
Legion Casein+ is priced at $59.99 on both the Legion website and Amazon, though both retailers offer a 10% discount on monthly subscriptions, bringing the price down to $53.99 for the 30-serving package.
Legion also offers various bundles, where you can set up recurring orders for up to five packages at a time. This is the most affordable option, bringing the price down to $1.39 per serving, though you’ll need to have quite a large recurring order set up to get this price.
Other casein powders we’ve tested range from $0.97 per serving to $2.15 per serving, so this is closer to the higher end of the price range.
Using the standard price of $1.99 per serving, Legion Casein+ earns a 3 out of 5 rating in this category.
Formulation
The formulation is where Casein+ truly shines, scoring a 4.5 out of 5 in this category, with 24 to 26 grams of protein per serving, no artificial sweeteners or colors, and grass-fed micellar casein from Ireland as the sole protein source. There is no whey protein or any other type of protein mixed in.
Depending on the flavor you get, you may also get extra ingredients for flavoring. Chocolate uses cocoa processed with alkali, Cinnamon Cereal includes steviol glycoside and organic cinnamon, Strawberry includes non-GMO sunflower creamer, Swerve artificial sweetener, and red beet for color, and finally, Banana Cream Pie includes non-GMO sunflower creamer and monkfruit.
Legion doesn’t list any additional BCAAs in Casein+, although casein protein is naturally rich in BCAAs, as well as important minerals like calcium and potassium.
RELATED: What to Look For in Protein Powder
Taste and Solubility
Anthony O’Reilly, CPT, tested Legion Casein+ in the Banana Cream Pie flavor. Here’s what he had to say about the flavor and solubility.
“Banana Cream Pie tastes more like a slightly under-ripe banana than anything else, but it’s still really good and really thick. Casein is naturally thick, but if you put enough power behind it you can get this mixed thoroughly.”
Legion says that Dutch Chocolate is the most popular flavor, and many user reviews mention that they love the Cinnamon Cereal flavor. Most of the negative reviews mention that Strawberry isn’t a very good flavor, so you may want to avoid that one unless you can try a sample first.
We rate Casein+ a 4.5 for flavor, and a solid 5 out of 5 for solubility.
Side Effects
Our testers didn’t notice any side effects, and on their sales page, Legion promises no bloating or stomach aches, or else they’ll refund your entire order. Because of this, we scored Casein+ a 5 out of 5 for this category.
That said, some people do experience more digestive issues than usual from casein, and while whey proteins can be a good pre-workout choice, taking casein before a workout may feel uncomfortable due to the slow digestion.
Sydney Lappe, R.D., warns that even the best casein protein powder can cause digestive issues because, unlike whey protein, not all casein protein is processed to remove most of the lactose.
Third-Party Testing
Casein+ gets a perfect 5 out of 5 score here, since it’s third-party tested via NSF in an ISO 17025-accredited lab, which is the gold standard for third-party testing. Several of their formulas are also tested on Labdoor, an independent testing company, and all have passed for label accuracy claims. Labdoor hasn’t tested Casein+ yet, but so far, Legion seems to be very trustworthy and passes independent testing.
GGR has, however, had Legion Casein+ tested by Ellipse Analytics, a third-party accredited lab that analyzed more than 150 protein powder samples for heavy metals, label accuracy and purity, and pesticides. Overall, Legion ranked in the top 50% of all samples, meaning it met all standards set by GGR and Ellipse (we breakdown our methodology in our Independent Supplement Testing Glossary).
Comparison to Transparent Labs Casein
Transparent Labs Casein
Transparent Labs Casein Protein
Product Highlights
- 100% grass-fed casein protein
- 3rd-party lab tested
- Chocolate flavor
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Subscribe and save 10%
- No artificial sweeteners, coloring, or preservatives
- 3rd-party lab tested
- Transparent ingredients
- Extremely positive reviews on taste
- More delicious and less clumpy than other casein protein powders, according to our product tester
Cons
- Only available in 1 flavor
- May be sold out
- Comparably expensive
- Limited reviews
Bottom Line
Transparent Labs Casein Protein provides 25 grams of protein per scoop and is extremely popular among users. Unfortunately, it may be sold out when you try to buy it, but you can sign up to be notified when it is available again.
Another popular casein option is Transparent Labs Casein. They have the same price per serving and similar protein content, though Transparent Labs Casein only comes in one flavor— chocolate.
In terms of protein content and ingredients, these two products are nearly identical. If you prefer more flavors, Legion Casein+ is the better choice, and if you’re trying to limit your calories, Transparent Labs Casein has the slight edge, with only 120 calories per serving, while Legion ranges from 110 to 140 calories per serving depending on the flavor.
| Legion Casein+ | Transparent Labs Casein | |
| Price per serving | $1.99 | $1.99 |
| Serving Size | 34 g | 35 g |
| Type of Protein | Micellar casein protein | Instantized micellar casein protein |
| Protein Content | 24-26 g | 25 g |
| Carb Content | 2-5 g | 4 g |
| Fat Content | 0-2 g | 0.5 g |
| Total Calories | 110-140 calories | 120 calories |
| Notable Ingredients | Micellar casein protein, natural flavor, sunflower lecithin, sea salt, stevia leaf extract | Instantized micellar casein protein, cocoa powder, natural flavor, Himalayan rock salt, stevia extract |
| Flavors | Dutch Chocolate, Cinnamon Cereal, French Vanilla, Strawberry, Banana Cream Pie | Chocolate |
| Third-Party Tested? | Yes | Yes |
Customer Experience
One of Legion’s strongest selling points is its return policy. They offer a hassle-free, 100% money-back guarantee on your first order, and you don’t even have to return the product if you don’t like it, they’ll simply refund your order.
They do say that if you ordered multiple products, they may request you return the products to receive your refund, but they’ll cover all shipping costs. Customer support is very easy to reach, with a phone number, text support, email support, and a live chat option on their website.
The only negative note from our testers is that the website has quite a few annoying ads and pop-ups, which takes away half a point from the customer experience for a final rating of 4.5.
Ordering Legion Casein+
Legion also sells Casein+ in a three-, four-, or five-pack, which allows you to save an additional 10 to 20% when ordering in bulk. You can also set up recurring orders for these discount packages in 30-, 60-, or 90-day intervals, which increases your savings to 20 to 30%.
Most people will probably buy one package at a time, for a standard cost of $1.99 per serving. If you are willing to set up a recurring order for five bags at a time, you can get your Casein+ for $1.39 per serving.
Shipping is free, and you can order multiple supplements at once to receive a discount on your total purchase.
Customer Reviews
On Legion’s website, Legion Casein+ has a 4.4 out of 5 rating with over 1,800 verified reviews at the time of writing. On Amazon, Casein+ has a 4.2 out of 5 rating, with over 900 reviews.
Reviewers note that they enjoy the flavor, and find that Legion is very gentle on the stomach compared to other brands. The only negative feedback I could find was related to the flavor or texture, which is a matter of personal preference, and one review said scooping the powder was a bit messy.
Final Verdict of Our Legion Casein+ Review
Overall, Legion Casein+ is a fantastic casein option, made from high-quality ingredients with multiple flavor options, third-party testing, and an unbeatable refund policy. However, it’s not the cheapest formula on the market, so if you’re on a tight budget, you may wish to choose something else.
- Legion Casein+ uses grass-fed dairy to create a high-quality casein formula, though this drives up the price a bit.
- Legion has one of the best customer support experiences we’ve ever seen, offering a full refund within 365 days of purchase, and multiple ways to reach customer service. They respond to every single review on their website.
- Because casein protein digests slowly, this is a great product to use before bed, or between meals, though it’s still beneficial post-workout if you don’t like using whey protein.
Full Rating
Legion Casein+ Protein Powder
Legion Athletics Casein+ Protein Powder comes in several delicious flavors, and we’re fans of the Banana Cream Pie. Casein can be consumed as a shake, or with less water, like a pudding. This protein has 25 grams of protein per 110-calorie serving.
Product Brand: Legion Athletics
Product Currency: $
Product Price: 59.99
Product In-Stock: InStock
4.49
Legion Casein+: FAQ
What are the side effects of casein protein powder?
Casein protein is derived from dairy products, so any side effects are usually the same effects you’d experience from lactose intolerance. If you’re sensitive to dairy, you may experience stomach aches, bloating, gassiness, or diarrhea2.
Is it worth taking casein protein?
If you’re deficient in protein, casein protein powder is a great way to increase your protein intake. It’s a naturally occurring protein found in dairy products like cottage cheese or Greek yogurt, and if you don’t enjoy those foods, a casein shake could be a great alternative.
Does casein help you lose weight?
Fat loss comes from eating in a calorie deficit, which means you’re consuming fewer calories than you burn each day. Casein protein can be a part of your nutritional plan, but simply consuming casein protein doesn’t increase energy expenditure3 or cause weight loss.
Which is better, casein or whey protein?
Both are high in essential amino acids and while whey protein is often marketed as the better choice for post-workout shakes, research shows4 that both whey and casein are beneficial for recovery, despite casein having a slower digestion time.
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
- Wilborn CD, Taylor LW, Outlaw J, et al. The Effects of Pre- and Post-Exercise Whey vs. Casein Protein Consumption on Body Composition and Performance Measures in Collegiate Female Athletes. J Sports Sci Med. 2013;12(1):74-79. Published 2013 Mar 1.
- Di Rienzo T, D’Angelo G, D’Aversa F, et al. Lactose intolerance: from diagnosis to correct management. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2013;17 Suppl 2:18-25.
- Leyh SM, Willingham BD, Baur DA, Panton LB, Ormsbee MJ. Pre-sleep protein in casein supplement or whole-food form has no impact on resting energy expenditure or hunger in women. Br J Nutr. 2018;120(9):988-994. doi:10.1017/S0007114518002416
- Tipton KD, Elliott TA, Cree MG, Wolf SE, Sanford AP, Wolfe RR. Ingestion of casein and whey proteins result in muscle anabolism after resistance exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004;36(12):2073-2081. doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000147582.99810.c5
