PVL ISO CLEAAR: A Clear Protein Drink Built Around LEUVATE+™

Some days you want more protein but not another thick shake. PVL ISO CLEAAR is the answer, a clear, juice-like protein with 20g protein and 80 calories, headlined by LEUVATE+™ making its commercial debut.

PVL has just launched ISO CLEAAR, a dairy-free protein powder built to drink like juice instead of a shake. Each 26g scoop delivers 20g of protein and amino acids for 80 calories with zero sugar (sweetened with sucralose and stevia leaf extract, rounded out with monk fruit and natural flavors), and the formula ships in three flavors at launch: Blue Slushie, Summer Peach, and Grape Refresher.

Not Your Average Protein... Not Your Average Clear Protein

Where a typical protein shake leans on a thick, creamy mouthfeel, ISO CLEAAR mixes clear in cold water, with no blender or shaker required.

PVL (Pure Vita Labs) is a sibling brand to Mutant under Fit Foods Ltd., the company Jim McMahon built starting in 1996. We covered plenty of that history in our podcast with Jim, and ISO CLEAAR is his team's newest project: a lighter, grab-and-go protein option meant to sit alongside a shake, not replace one.

Headlined by LEUVATE+™

The headline ingredient is LEUVATE+™, and ISO CLEAAR is the first commercial product to use it. Developed by Dr. Daniel Traylor, a protein and amino acid researcher at DePaul University, LEUVATE+™ is a blend of essential amino acids designed to spike blood amino acid levels fast, well before the whole protein in the formula finishes digesting. PVL pairs it with a second amino acid blend (CEAAs), a 12g dairy-free protein base, and four supporting vitamins to round out the formula.

McMahon is upfront that ISO CLEAAR isn't trying to out-EAA a full whey protein serving. He frames it as an additional way to hit a protein target on days when a heavy shake doesn't sound appealing, not a replacement for one. We get into this phenomenally unique product below, but first, check prices and US availability using PricePlow:

PVL ISO CLEAAR Nutrition Facts

• Calories - 80

• Total Fat - 0g

• Total Carbohydrate - 0g

  • Total Sugars - 0g

• Protein - 20g (12g whole protein + 8g free-form amino acids)

• Vitamins and Minerals

  • Sodium - 120mg (5% DV)

  • Potassium - 50mg (1% DV)

  • Vitamin C - 100mg (111% DV)

  • Vitamin B6 - 2mg (118% DV)

  • Vitamin B12 - 2mcg (83% DV)

  • Vitamin D3 - 20mcg / 800IU (100% DV)

PVL ISO CLEAAR Ingredients

Each 26g scoop provides the following. The 20g protein count splits into 12g of whole protein and 8g of free-form amino acids, and that 8g breaks down into two named blends: LEUVATE+™ and CEAAs (conditionally essential amino acids).

• LEUVATE+™ - 4,365mg

  LEUVATE+™ is the initial reason that drew us to ISO CLEAAR. It's a blend of the nine essential amino acids (EAAs), led by a heavy dose of leucine, and it's making its commercial debut in this formula. LEUVATE+™ was developed by Dr. Daniel Traylor, a protein and amino acid researcher at DePaul University who has spent close to 15 years studying how different protein sources and amino acid forms show up in the bloodstream after you eat them.

  The core idea behind LEUVATE+™ is speed.

  Whole protein, whether it's whey, casein, or the collagen and plant blend in ISO CLEAAR, has to be broken down by digestive enzymes before its amino acids reach the bloodstream. Free-form amino acids skip that step. Traylor's research group has repeatedly shown that leucine-enriched EAA blends raise blood leucine and total EAA levels faster and higher than intact protein alone, in both younger and older adults.^[1] In a head-to-head comparison of whey, casein, and a whey-casein blend, free amino acid exposure tracked closely with digestion speed, with whey and blended proteins releasing amino acids faster than casein alone.^[2] Similar leucine-enriched blends have also boosted muscle protein synthesis rates during resistance training^[3] and increased amino acid availability after a low-protein breakfast in older adults.^[4]

  PVL's marketing goes further than any of that, crediting LEUVATE+™ with initiating muscle protein synthesis about three times faster than protein alone, and citing gram-for-gram comparisons against whey (4.5x), milk (5.6x), egg (7.1x), and beef isolate protein (11.9x), plus a claim that one dose adds the equivalent of at least 13g of extra protein. PVL attributes these specific figures to 15 studies from Traylor's research program. Our own research pulled up 8 of those (all cited on the LEUVATE+ website), and all of them support the general premise, faster aminoacidemia from free-form leucine-enriched EAAs, without independently confirming the exact multipliers above.

  

  What are the EAAs?

  On this label, LEUVATE+™ supplies all nine EAAs:

  1. Leucine (1,530mg)
  2. Valine (1,000mg)
  3. Isoleucine (500mg)
  4. Lysine (800mg, as the HCl form)
  5. Threonine (370mg)
  6. Phenylalanine (75mg)
  7. Methionine (70mg)
  8. Histidine (20mg)
  9. Tryptophan (20mg).

• Dairy-Free Protein Blend (Beef Protein Isolate, Fermented Pea Protein Isolate, Fava Protein) - 12g

  ISO CLEAAR's whole protein comes from three dairy-free sources: Beef Protein Isolate (itself a blend of bovine collagen peptide and bone broth protein), Fermented Pea Protein Isolate, and Fava Protein. None of them are whey or casein, which is what makes the dairy-free claim possible without falling back on soy.

  Collagen-based proteins like the beef isolate here are unusual among protein sources. They're rich in glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, but by PDCAAS scoring standards, collagen protein is technically an incomplete protein source because it's missing tryptophan entirely.^[5] That's a big part of why the added EAAs matter here. LEUVATE+™ and the CEAA blend below fill in exactly the gaps a collagen-forward protein source leaves open, including that missing tryptophan. Collagen peptides also have their own supporting research for recovery and body composition, including a resistance training study in older men that found greater gains in fat-free mass and quadriceps strength with collagen peptides than with training alone.^[6]

  Fermented pea protein isolate contributes a plant-based amino acid profile that's held up well against whey in training studies, including one showing comparable gains in muscle thickness during resistance training.^[7] Fava protein rounds out the blend as a second legume-derived source, adding further amino acid diversity to the mix.

• CEAAs (Conditionally Essential Amino Acids) - 3,635mg

  Alongside LEUVATE+™, ISO CLEAAR adds a second amino acid blend labeled CEAAs, short for conditionally essential amino acids:

  

  • Glycine (1,500mg),
  • L-Glutamine (1,500mg),
  • L-Arginine (320mg, as the HCl form), and
  • L-Alanine (315mg).

  These four aren't essential in the strict sense, since the body can make all of them, but demand for each can outpace the body's own production during training, illness, or higher protein intake, which is the usual argument for supplementing them.

  Diving into Glycine

  Glycine is the best-researched of the four here, and it's a fitting pairing with the collagen in this formula's protein blend, since glycine makes up roughly a third of collagen's amino acid content. Vitamin C-enriched gelatin, a food source of glycine and collagen-derived amino acids, taken before exercise has been shown to roughly double a marker of collagen synthesis over the following three days.^[8] Beyond connective tissue, glycine is also a building block for glutathione, the body's main antioxidant, and researchers have documented a wide range of downstream effects from supplemental glycine across immune, metabolic, and sleep-related outcomes.^[9]

  Boosting Glutamine, Arginine, and Alanine Numbers

  Without dairy or muscle meat, there are just a few more amino acid gaps to boost. In response, glutamine, arginine, and alanine round out the blend.

  • Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid in the body and a preferred fuel source for immune cells and the gut lining.
  • Arginine is a precursor to nitric oxide, the signaling molecule involved in blood flow.
  • Alanine (not to be confused with the unrelated compound beta-alanine) plays a central role in the glucose-alanine cycle, shuttling nitrogen from muscle to the liver during exercise.

  All three are common, well-tolerated additions to amino acid blends like this one.

• Vitamin C - 100mg (111% DV)

  

  At 100mg per scoop (111% DV), Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) covers more than a full day's requirement in a single serving. It's best known as an antioxidant, but its role as an enzyme cofactor is arguably more relevant here. Vitamin C is required for the enzymes that stabilize collagen's triple-helix structure, which makes it a natural pairing with the collagen-derived protein in this formula.

  Vitamin C is also one of the more heavily studied vitamins for immune support. A 2023 meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials found that vitamin C supplementation at 200mg per day or higher significantly reduced the severity of common cold symptoms, though the effect on total cold duration was more modest.^[10] ISO CLEAAR's 100mg dose is half that threshold, so think of it as a solid daily top-up alongside food sources rather than a cold-fighting dose on its own.

• Vitamin B6 - 2mg (118% DV)

  Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine HCl) shows up at 2mg per scoop, or 118% DV. In its active coenzyme form (pyridoxal-5'-phosphate, or PLP), B6 supports more than 100 enzymatic reactions in the body, many of them centered on amino acid metabolism. Transamination, the process that shuffles amino groups between amino acids, depends on PLP, which makes B6 a logical fit for a formula built around 8g of added free-form amino acids.

  B6 also plays a role in energy metabolism, helping convert stored glycogen to usable glucose, and in the synthesis of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. At 2mg, ISO CLEAAR's dose sits well within the range considered safe for daily use, far below the intake levels associated with nerve-related side effects that show up only with long-term, high-dose supplementation that we like to stay away from. Less is sometimes more.

• Vitamin B12 - 2mcg (83% DV)

  At 2mcg (83% DV), ISO CLEAAR uses Vitamin B12 in its methylcobalamin form, one of four forms available in supplements, besting the common cyanocobalamin form. Research on bioavailability across these forms is mixed. Methylcobalamin and cyanocobalamin appear to be absorbed and used similarly for most people, with dosing frequency mattering more than the specific form chosen.^[11]

  

  B12 is essential for red blood cell formation, nervous system maintenance, and DNA synthesis, and it works alongside B6 in amino acid and homocysteine metabolism. A randomized trial combining B1, B2, B6, and B12 in healthy adults found improvements in exercise time to exhaustion and reduced blood lactate after 28 days of supplementation, though that result reflects the full B-complex rather than B12 on its own.^[12]

• Vitamin D3 - 20mcg (800 IU / 100% DV)

  Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) rounds out the formula at 20mcg, or 800 IU (100% DV), a dose backed by a solid amount of clinical research, but not a mega-dose which can cause calcium-driven side effects. In a year-long, placebo-controlled trial in postmenopausal women, this exact dose (800 IU per day) improved measures of muscle function, including a sit-to-stand test, compared to placebo, alongside benefits to calcium absorption and bone mineral density.^[13]

  Beyond bone and muscle, vitamin D3 also plays a well-documented role in immune function, and it's one of the vitamins most commonly under-consumed relative to recommended intakes, especially in northern climates like PVL's home base of Canada. An 800 IU dose in a daily protein drink is a reasonable way to help close that gap without needing a separate supplement.

Flavors Available

ISO CLEAAR launches in three flavors right out of the gate: Blue Slushie, Summer Peach, and Grape Refresher, each in 650g tubs good for 25 servings.

Here's an up-to-date list of all PVL ISO CLEAAR flavors:

How to Use

• When to take it: Anytime. PVL frames ISO CLEAAR as a flexible option for post-workout, between meals, or whenever a lighter protein drink sounds better than a heavy shake.
• With or without food: Mix 1 scoop with cold water and shake, stir, or even spoon-stir, since there's no powder clumping to fight. No blender or shaker cup required.
• Other notes: Because 8g of the 20g protein count comes from free-form amino acids rather than whole protein, treat ISO CLEAAR as an addition to your regular protein intake rather than a one-to-one replacement for a full protein shake.

Stacks Well With

• Mutant Mind FK: A nootropic-driven pre-workout from PVL's sibling brand, Mutant. It covers focus and energy for the session while ISO CLEAAR handles protein and aminos afterward.
• Mutant Big Greens: A greens formula that covers the fruit and vegetable side of the diet that ISO CLEAAR doesn't touch, since this is a protein and amino acid product, not a multivitamin or greens blend.
• Mutant Creatine Bytz: Fit Foods' chewable creatine, mentioned briefly in our podcast with Jim McMahon. Creatine and protein cover different jobs, cellular energy versus amino acid supply, so they stack cleanly with no overlap.

Who It's For

• Dairy-free and lactose-intolerant consumers: ISO CLEAAR skips whey and casein entirely in favor of beef, pea, and fava protein sources.
• Anyone who finds shakes too heavy: If a thick, creamy protein shake feels like a chore to get down, especially in hot weather or right after training, ISO CLEAAR's thinner, juice-like format is built specifically for that complaint.
• People already hitting their protein targets who want more from their aminos: Jim McMahon has been clear that ISO CLEAAR isn't pitched as beating a full whey protein serving on total EAA content. It's aimed at people who want a fast-absorbing amino boost on top of what they're already eating, not a replacement for their primary protein source.
• Fasted training: This makes sense during fasted training situations, where you want a full spectrum of amino acids in the bloodstream as soon as possible to prevent muscle catabolization.

Conclusion: A Different Kind of Protein Break

Jim McMahon, Founder and CEO of Fit Foods Ltd., traces his nearly 40-year supplement industry journey from introducing whey protein to Canada in 1993 to building Mutant into a 200,000-square-foot global manufacturing operation, on Episode #215 of the PricePlow Podcast.

PVL built ISO CLEAAR around a simple idea. Some days, you want to up your protein, but you don't want another shake. Other days, you want some amino acid speed before you really start eating. Three flavors, 20g of protein and aminos, and 80 calories with zero sugar get you there, and the clear, juice-like format is the whole point of the product.

The big story is of course LEUVATE+™, since ISO CLEAAR marks its first appearance in a commercial product. Whether the specific 4.5x-to-11.9x comparisons PVL is citing hold up as more research comes out, the underlying idea, that free-form EAAs reach the bloodstream faster than intact protein, has a real base of published research behind it, including several of Dr. Traylor's own studies.

Jim McMahon has also been upfront that this isn't a whey-killer, and that framing is worth taking at face value. He also went on the record explaining how further whey protein price increases were coming, so it makes sense that he's trying to offer alternatives. ISO CLEAAR reads as an addition to a protein routine rather than a replacement for one, and PVL says it's just the first of several protein products in the pipeline.

Check PricePlow for ISO CLEAAR pricing and availability across all three flavors, and sign up for PVL and Mutant brand alerts to catch the next launch as soon as it's announced.