Products

What is TBJP Hydration?

TrainedByJP Hydration is a powdered electrolyte drink, to be diluted, dosed at 10 g per serving. It combines three mineral sources — potassium citrate, magnesium citrate and Himalayan pink salt — with 3 g of taurine, an unusually high amount for this type of product.

The principle behind an electrolyte drink is simple: sweat does not just make you lose water, it also carries away sodium, potassium, magnesium and chloride. Drinking plain water after a very sweaty session restores the volume but not the composition. That is what this type of formula sets out to put right.

The flavours listed: Melon & Apple, Pineapple & Strawberry and Pink Lemonade. The number of servings per tub is not published by the manufacturer in the information available to us; the packaging carries it. The rest of the range appears in our TrainedByJP aisle.

What does a 10 g serving contain?

One important caveat has to be set out right away. The manufacturer declares the weight of the salts, not the amount of mineral they provide. 1,160 mg of potassium citrate is not 1,160 mg of potassium: the citrate accounts for most of the mass. The same goes for the magnesium and for the sodium. Yet on an electrolyte drink, it is precisely these elemental values that let you compare one product with another, and they are not published. We are not going to recalculate them in the manufacturer's place: it is a point we have raised, and the label on the tub you receive is what counts. Nor are the energy values disclosed.

That said, what is quantified is worth pausing over. 3 g of taurine per serving is a straightforward dose: that is three times what a can of energy drink contains, and more than most hydration drinks on the market, which often settle for 500 mg to 1 g. Taurine plays a part in the osmotic balance of the muscle cell, that is to say in how much water it holds — which is consistent with the product's positioning. The taurine aisle offers it on its own if you want to add some to another base.

The choice of citrate forms for the potassium and the magnesium is likewise sensible. Citrate is highly soluble, which is essential in a drink, and it is better tolerated digestively than the oxide. On a powder meant to be drunk during exercise, that is not a cosmetic detail.

The 1,000 mg of fructo-oligosaccharides are more debatable in this context: these are prebiotic fibres, which ferment in the colon. At 1 g per serving the effect stays mild, but it is an ingredient you would happily do without in a drink taken during an intense session, particularly if you have a sensitive stomach.

Lastly, no health claim is authorised for taurine, watermelon extract or FOS. Magnesium does have one, provided it is present in a significant amount — which the absence of an elemental value makes impossible to verify here.

Ingredients list

Taurine, acidity regulator (citric acid), tripotassium citrate, fructo-oligosaccharides, watermelon extract 5:1, magnesium citrate, Himalayan pink salt, acidity regulator (malic acid), flavouring, tricalcium phosphate, anti-caking agent (silicon dioxide), sweetener (sucralose). Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Made in a factory that handles MILK, EGGS, SOYA and GLUTEN.

How do you take TBJP Hydration?

Dose: one scoop, i.e. 10 g. Liquid: 250 to 350 ml of cool water. Timing: before the session, during training, or straight afterwards. Frequency: one serving per session. Duration: there is no notion of a course here, use is tied to training.

The volume of liquid given produces a fairly concentrated, acidic drink, citric acid and malic acid being at the top of the list after taurine. If you drink it during exercise, go up to 500 ml instead: the drink goes down better, it hydrates more, and a less concentrated solution sits more lightly on the stomach when your heart is pounding.

The best slot depends on your situation. As a precaution, a diluted serving drunk in the hour before a session in a hot gym prepares you better than a glass of water downed in the changing room. During exercise, sip it across the whole session rather than swallowing it in one go. Afterwards, taking it mainly serves to restore what has been lost through sweat.

The product does not provide carbohydrate in any useful amount, which is a deliberate choice. For a long session you therefore need to add an energy source: a cream of rice beforehand, or a carbohydrate powder during. In the same way, if you are after an amino acid intake, it pairs happily with EAAs in the same shaker.

A practical point: the powder is hygroscopic, as all electrolyte salts are. Reseal the tub properly and keep it dry, otherwise it will set into a solid block within a few weeks.

Who is this formula suitable for, and who is it not suitable for?

It suits someone who sweats a lot: training in a gym without air conditioning, sessions of over an hour, endurance sports, or simply summer in the south of France. It is in these situations that mineral losses become real and that an electrolyte drink is of measurable use.

It also suits those looking for a sugar-free drink for training: the sweetness comes from sucralose, and the formula provides no carbohydrate.

It is compatible with vegetarian and vegan diets, which the manufacturer states explicitly. On the other hand, it is made in a factory that handles milk, eggs, soya and gluten: in the case of a severe allergy, that point alone rules it out.

It suits you less well if you have a sensitive stomach during exercise, because of the 1 g of fructo-oligosaccharides and the acidity of the drink. Nor is it suitable if you are on a low-potassium diet or taking a treatment that acts on blood potassium: in that case the question is one for your doctor, and the absence of published elemental values makes it all the more necessary to show him or her the label.

What not to expect from it: an electrolyte drink does not improve performance in someone who is properly hydrated. It makes up for losses, it does not create an advantage. If your sessions last forty minutes in an air-conditioned gym, a glass of water does the same job for nothing. And it does not rule out cramp in any guaranteed way: cramp has multiple causes, and putting it down to electrolytes alone is a convenient simplification that we will not be repeating.

Electrolyte drink or a course of magnesium?

Both contain magnesium and yet they are made for opposite situations.

A magnesium supplement is taken every day, at a known dose, over several weeks, to correct an insufficient intake. It is the better choice if you get night cramps, if your diet is low in magnesium, or if you are after an underlying effect. It carries an authorised claim: magnesium contributes to normal muscle function, to the normal functioning of the nervous system and to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

TBJP Hydration answers a different logic: a one-off serving, around the session, with sodium and potassium that the daily supplement does not provide. It is the better choice if your problem is sweat, heat or the length of your sessions. It is not a background product, and it does not replace a course.

There is nothing to stop you combining the two: magnesium in the evening, the electrolyte drink at training. They overlap only very partially. The full aisle can be compared in our sports nutrition section.

Frequently asked questions

How much sodium and potassium per serving?

The manufacturer does not publish the elemental mineral amounts, only the weight of the salts: 1,160 mg of potassium citrate, 465 mg of magnesium citrate, 450 mg of pink salt and 100 mg of sodium chloride. Yet it is the elemental values that let you compare two products. The label on the tub you receive is the only reference.

Why 3 g of taurine in a hydration drink?

Because taurine plays a part in the osmotic balance of the muscle cell, and therefore in the water it holds. That is consistent with the aim of the product. 3 g is a straightforward dose: three times what a can of energy drink contains, and well above most competing formulas.

Is there any caffeine?

No, none at all. The formula contains no stimulant and can therefore be used at any time of day, including for an evening session. Taurine has no stimulant effect in itself, contrary to a widespread idea born of its presence in energy drinks.

Does the product provide carbohydrate?

Not in any useful amount. This is an electrolyte formula, not an energy drink. For a long session you need to add a separate carbohydrate source. The sweetness comes from sucralose, with no significant calorie contribution.

Is it suitable for vegans?

Yes, the manufacturer states so explicitly, and no ingredient on the list is of animal origin. The point to watch concerns the production factory, which handles milk, eggs, soya and gluten — which is a matter of cross-contamination and not of the formula.

Does it prevent cramp?

Nobody can guarantee that, and no claim of that kind is authorised. Cramp during exercise has multiple causes: neuromuscular fatigue, dehydration, mineral losses, unsuitable training. Restoring lost electrolytes is reasonable; promising that cramp will disappear is not.

How much water should you use?

The manufacturer gives 250 to 350 ml for one scoop. In practice, 400 to 500 ml produce a less acidic drink, more pleasant to sip and more hydrating — which remains the primary aim. Adjust it to the length of the session and the ambient heat.

Where can you buy TBJP Hydration?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product with a very pronounced season: between June and September, in a region where people train at 30 degrees, it makes sense in a way nobody argues with. In January, in an air-conditioned gym, far less so. The other training drinks can be compared in our BCAA aisle.

What is TrainedByJP Iron?

TrainedByJP Iron is an iron supplement in vegetable capsules, sold in a bottle of 60 units. The mineral is provided as iron bisglycinate — the iron is chelated to two molecules of glycine, an amino acid. It is the best-tolerated form from a digestive point of view, and on a mineral as notorious for its side effects as iron, that is not a matter of comfort alone: it is often what decides whether a course is seen through or abandoned after ten days.

The formula is minimalist: iron bisglycinate, a hypromellose capsule shell, anti-caking agents. Nothing else. The manufacturer declares it free from gluten, lactose, soya, artificial colours and preservatives, and suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets. The brand's full range is in the TrainedByJP aisle.

One word straight away, because it shapes this whole page: iron is not a supplement you take “just in case”. It is the only common mineral in this aisle where an excess is genuinely a problem, and the first thing to do is not to open this bottle but to ask for a ferritin test.

What is in one capsule?

The bottle contains 60 capsules: two months at one capsule a day, one month at two.

The line that counts is the second one. 112 mg of bisglycinate amounts to only 20 mg of elemental iron, the rest of the weight being the glycine the mineral is bound to. That is the rule for every chelated form, and it is the first source of error when comparing two bottles: always compare milligrams of elemental iron, never milligrams of salt.

Those 20 mg cover 143% of the nutrient reference value, set at 14 mg. That is a corrective dose, not a maintenance one — designed to rebuild low stores, not to top up an already adequate diet. In someone whose ferritin is normal, this dose brings nothing and the surplus iron has no active route out: the body stores it.

Iron is, on the other hand, a mineral with solidly established claims. We can write, using the exact wordings of the European regulation, that iron contributes to normal formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin, to normal oxygen transport in the body, to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to the normal function of the immune system and to normal cognitive function. It is these mechanisms that explain why an iron deficiency shows up first as breathlessness and fatigue on exertion.

How do you take TrainedByJP Iron?

Dose: 1 to 2 capsules a day. Liquid: a glass of water. Timing: whenever suits you — with meals or away from them, since bisglycinate does not irritate the stomach the way ferrous salts do. Frequency: 1 intake, or 2 split between morning and evening if you take two capsules. Duration: 8 to 12 weeks at the very least to rebuild ferritin stores, with a blood test every 2 to 3 months.

Freedom over timing is the real advantage of bisglycinate. A standard iron sulphate has to be taken on an empty stomach to be absorbed, which causes precisely the nausea and cramps that make people give up on a course. Here, you can take it with a meal if that suits you better.

Two rules on combinations, however, apply to every form of iron. Avoid taking it at the same time as tea, coffee, dairy products, calcium or zinc: tannins and these minerals reduce iron absorption, sometimes considerably. Leave two hours between them. Conversely, vitamin C improves the absorption of non-haem iron: a glass of citrus juice or a few berries at the time you take it are a useful and free habit.

As for duration, do not think in days. Rebuilding ferritin stores takes weeks, and fatigue linked to a deficiency is not corrected in three doses. The manufacturer speaks of 8 to 12 weeks minimum: that is realistic. And have another test done — it is the only way to know whether the course is doing anything and when to stop it.

Who is this iron for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at adults whose iron status is low, which mainly concerns four profiles: women with heavy periods, people following a vegetarian or vegan diet, high-volume endurance athletes, and anyone whose blood test has shown low ferritin. It suits vegetarian and vegan diets, the capsule being made of hypromellose.

It is not advised in cases of haemochromatosis, a genetic iron overload disorder, or in cases of thalassaemia or another disorder of iron metabolism. These contraindications are not theoretical: in someone affected, iron supplementation makes matters worse. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should consult a healthcare professional before use.

Keep this bottle out of reach of children, and not merely as a matter of principle. Accidental ingestion of iron tablets is one of the most serious paediatric poisonings, and a handful of capsules is enough in a young child. It is the most important warning on this page.

What you should not expect from it. This is not a product for general tiredness. Iron only reduces fatigue when that fatigue is caused by an iron deficiency — otherwise you are supplementing with no benefit and you are accumulating. Nor is it a performance product: in an athlete whose ferritin is normal, adding 20 mg of iron a day improves nothing. Do not start prolonged supplementation without a blood test — ferritin and serum iron — and discuss it with your doctor. It is the most useful advice we can give on this product, even if it delays the sale.

A dedicated iron or a multivitamin?

The question is worth asking, but it does not arise in the same way depending on who you are — and that is what most product pages forget to say.

If you are an adult man with no medical condition, the answer is simple: neither one nor the other. Most multivitamins aimed at men deliberately contain no iron, precisely because a man with no regular blood loss almost never runs short and accumulates the surplus. That is not an oversight by the manufacturers, it is a considered formulation choice, and it applies to you too.

If you are a menstruating woman, a vegan or an endurance athlete, the comparison becomes a real one. A multivitamin containing iron generally provides 7 to 14 mg, that is a maintenance dose: it is the right choice if your ferritin is normal and you simply want to secure your intake alongside the vitamins. Dedicated iron at 20 mg is the right choice in the opposite case — a documented deficiency to correct, over a two- to three-month course, with a blood test to confirm it. You also gain in clarity: a single line to keep an eye on, and no zinc or calcium in the same capsule competing for absorption. When in doubt, it is the blood test that settles it, not the product page.

Frequently asked questions

Should you have a blood test before taking it?

Yes, and it is the most important recommendation on this page. A ferritin and serum iron test tells you whether you are genuinely short of iron. Supplementing without a deficiency brings no benefit and exposes you to accumulation, since the body has no active mechanism for removing the excess. The manufacturer recommends this test before any prolonged supplementation.

Why does 112 mg of bisglycinate amount to only 20 mg of iron?

Because chelation adds the weight of the two glycine molecules the iron is bound to. Only elemental iron counts. That is the figure to compare from one label to another: a bottle stating “112 mg of iron bisglycinate” is not stating 112 mg of iron, and a great many buyers are caught out by it.

Does bisglycinate cause digestive trouble like other forms of iron?

Far less. Chelation to glycine limits the gastric irritation and constipation associated with standard ferrous salts, and allows it to be taken with meals. It is not an absolute guarantee — some discomfort remains possible — but it is the most tangible difference between the two forms, and often the one that makes a three-month course possible.

Can it be taken with coffee or tea?

No, or rather not at the same time. The tannins in tea and coffee markedly reduce iron absorption. Leave at least two hours between them. The same applies to dairy products, calcium and zinc. Conversely, some vitamin C at the time you take it improves it.

One or two capsules a day?

The manufacturer leaves the choice between 1 and 2, that is 20 or 40 mg of elemental iron. Start with one: that is already 143% of the reference value. Two capsules are for an established deficiency and should be decided with a doctor, splitting them between morning and evening rather than taking them in one go.

How long does a bottle of 60 capsules last?

Two months at one capsule a day, one month at two. Since the minimum recommended course is 8 to 12 weeks, count on one to two bottles for a full course at the single dose. Store it cool and dry, away from light — and out of reach of children.

Are the capsules suitable for vegans?

Yes. The shell is made of hypromellose, a plant cellulose, and the formula contains no ingredient of animal origin. That is consistent with the profile of the users concerned: iron of plant origin, known as non-haem iron, is less well absorbed than iron from meat, which makes vegan diets one of the cases where the question of iron genuinely arises — just as the question of plant proteins does.

Where can you buy TrainedByJP Iron?

It can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe.

If there is one product in the aisle for which we would sometimes rather send you to your doctor than take your money, this is it. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the question asked at the counter is always the same: have you had your ferritin measured? When the answer is no, the right course of action starts with a blood test, not with a bottle. The rest of the minerals and vitamins can be compared in our sports nutrition selection.

What is TrainedByJP MPS MAX?

MPS MAX is a powder to drink during training, with a serving of 22 g. It combines three things you rarely find together: 10 g of free essential amino acids, 2.5 g of PeptoPro® (hydrolysed casein) and 2.5 g of hydrolysed whey protein. The flavours listed: Blackcurrant Squash, Peached Ice Tea and Sunny Orange.

On top of that come four trademarked ingredients: Peak O2® at 1 g, a blend of five mushrooms (cordyceps, reishi, king trumpet, shiitake and lion's mane); Velositol®, an amylopectin-chromium complex; Aquamin®, minerals derived from marine algae; and AstraGin®, a blend of astragalus and Panax notoginseng extracts. The rest is maltodextrin, citric acid, trisodium citrate, flavouring, sucralose and beta-carotene as a colouring.

It is a dense formula, and it is also a formula you need to know how to read. Below we set out what the manufacturer puts a figure on and what it does not, because the gap matters. The full range sits in our TrainedByJP aisle, and the category as a whole in EAA.

What does a 22 g serving contain?

What is missing has to be said plainly, because it is substantial. The manufacturer publishes no energy value, no macronutrients and no salt figure for this product, and does not break the 10 g of essential amino acids down amino acid by amino acid: it states only that leucine is the largest share. Nor does it put a figure on the Velositol®, the Aquamin® or the AstraGin®. The direct consequence: no magnesium, calcium or chromium content can be declared, and so no regulatory wording can be used for those minerals. On a product positioned like this one, that is a shortcoming, and we will not fill it in with figures found elsewhere.

What can be said with confidence comes down to two points. The first: 15 g of protein material in 22 g of powder, between the free amino acids and the two hydrolysates. That is a straightforward dose for a training drink, and clearly above an ordinary EAA that stops at the amino acids alone.

The second: pairing free amino acids with hydrolysates is rare, and there is logic to it. Free amino acids have no digestion to go through; a hydrolysate is a protein already broken down into short peptides. Both therefore go through without sitting heavily on the stomach, which is exactly what you ask of a drink taken between two sets.

A regulatory framing to close, and it is a necessary one: no health claim is authorised in Europe for free amino acids, nor for the Peak O2® mushrooms, nor for astragalus. So you will read here no promise of amplified protein synthesis, no quantified performance, no percentage improvement. Those figures do circulate about this product; they cannot be repeated, and we will not repeat them.

How do you take MPS MAX?

Serving: 22 g, that is one scoop. Liquid: 200 to 600 ml of water depending on how concentrated you want the taste. Timing: from 15 minutes before the session, then throughout the session. Frequency: one serving per training session. Duration: continuous, as no cycling is required.

The liquid range is wide, and that is deliberate: at 200 ml you get a very concentrated drink, at 600 ml a light one you can sip over an hour and a half. Our advice is to aim for the top of the range: the point of a training drink is as much to get you drinking as to supply amino acids, and 500 ml worked through over a session beats 200 ml downed in one go.

The manufacturer's protocol is precise on one point: start 15 minutes before rather than at the first exercise, and keep going throughout. For a session longer than 90 minutes, it recommends saving the whole serving for intra-workout.

A common-sense remark that holds for this whole category: if you have eaten a full meal one to two hours before the session, an amino acid drink during the effort is of little use. The amino acids from that meal are still circulating. This product makes sense when you train fasted, early in the morning, or a long way from any meal — not stacked on top of an already well-filled day.

Who is MPS MAX for, and who is it not for?

It is intended for adults engaged in intense physical activity, those are the manufacturer's terms, and it targets long or fasted sessions in particular. The liquid, tangy, non-heavy format is its real argument: nobody downs a whey shake between two sets of squats.

It contains MILK, twice over: PeptoPro® is a hydrolysed casein and the second hydrolysate comes from whey. The product is made in a facility that handles MILK, SOYA, EGGS and GLUTEN, and traces of NUTS, CRUSTACEANS and PEANUTS are possible. It is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women and must be kept out of reach of children. If you are on medical treatment, the manufacturer asks that you seek professional advice beforehand.

So it suits neither vegans nor people allergic to milk proteins — unlike a BCAA or an EAA made of free amino acids alone, which are often vegan. That is the price of the two hydrolysates.

What you should not expect from it: a shortcut. Fifteen grams of protein material during the session do not make up for a day at 90 g of protein, and no trademarked ingredient replaces a sound daily total. Nor can we assert anything about the mushrooms, the astragalus or the chromium in this formula: with no published contents and no authorised claim, there is nothing honest to say about them. What you are buying that can be verified is a training drink very well supplied with amino acids and easy to digest.

MPS MAX or a hydrolysed whey?

Both target the same moment of the day and are digested quickly. The choice comes down to texture and to price.

A hydrolysed whey supplies 22 to 25 g of complete protein per serving, at a far lower cost per gram of protein. It is the better choice if your aim is to add protein around training and you tolerate a milky shake. Its drawback lies in the taste, frankly bitter with a pure hydrolysate, and in the texture, which goes down badly mid-session.

MPS MAX wins on that precise point, and that is its reason for existing: it is a clear, fruity drink you can sip during the effort, where no shake would go down. It also wins on leucine, the largest share of the 10 g of free amino acids. It loses clearly on price per gram of protein, and on dosage transparency.

If your need is more about slow release outside training, it is the casein aisle that answers it, not this one. And if what you are after above all is replacing sweat losses on long sessions, our electrolytes will do it better and for far less — since the marine minerals in this formula carry no figures, they cannot be counted as an intake.

Frequently asked questions

How much of each amino acid is in the 10 g?

The manufacturer does not publish the breakdown in the data available to us: it states only that leucine is the predominant amino acid. We will not complete that table with unverified values. If the breakdown matters to you, the label on the tub you receive is what counts.

What is the difference from a standard EAA?

A standard EAA stops at free amino acids. This one adds 5 g of hydrolysates — casein and whey — that is, short peptides on top of the isolated amino acids. It is more complete and more expensive, and it brings milk into the formula, which rules out vegans.

How much water should you use?

From 200 to 600 ml, depending on how concentrated a taste you can handle. Our advice: aim for 500 ml. A training drink is there as much to get you drinking as to supply amino acids, and regular sips over an hour beat a concentrated glass downed at the start of the session.

What is PeptoPro®?

It is the trade name of a hydrolysed casein, that is, a milk protein pre-cut into short peptides. The stated benefit is faster digestion than an ordinary casein, which is consistent with use during effort. We are describing the ingredient, as no claim is authorised for it.

Does the product contain usable electrolytes?

The formula contains Aquamin®, minerals derived from marine algae, but the manufacturer does not publish the contents. Without figures, we can declare neither magnesium nor calcium, nor use any regulatory wording. If mineral hydration is your goal, take a dedicated electrolyte product.

Is it suitable for vegetarians or vegans?

For vegetarians yes, for vegans no: the formula contains two milk proteins. It is also made in a facility that handles soya, eggs and gluten, with possible traces of nuts, crustaceans and peanuts.

Should you take it on non-training days?

The manufacturer does not provide for that: the protocol is set around the session, from 15 minutes before. On rest days, ordinary protein intake does the same job for far less. This product answers a digestion constraint during effort, not a permanent need.

Where to buy TrainedByJP MPS MAX?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is a product for the seasoned: it assumes the rest of your diet is already in place.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the kind of label we read line by line with the customer, because it mixes very precise doses with trademarked ingredients whose quantity is not given. Knowing how to tell the two apart is what stops you paying for a name. The rest of the amino acids can be compared in our sports nutrition aisle.

What is TrainedByJP OH Mega V?

TrainedByJP OH Mega V is a flaxseed oil in plant-based softgel capsules. Three capsules provide 3,000 mg of flaxseed oil, of which 1,650 mg is alpha-linolenic acid — the plant-derived omega-3 — along with 450 mg of oleic acid and 300 mg of linoleic acid. The bottle holds 180 softgels, which is 60 servings.

Flaxseed oil is one of the plant sources most concentrated in alpha-linolenic acid, often shortened to ALA. It is a short-chain fatty acid that the body cannot make and which therefore has to come from food: on that basis it is described as essential, in the same way as linoleic acid from the omega-6 family.

This product answers a precise need: supplying omega-3 without going through fish. That is what appeals to vegans, vegetarians and anyone allergic to marine products. The capsules are plant-based, made from tapioca starch and glycerine, with no gelatine. The rest of the British range can be browsed in our TrainedByJP section, and the other products in the category in our omega 3 section.

What does one serving of OH Mega V contain?

The figure to hold on to is the one for the full daily dose: 3,300 mg of alpha-linolenic acid across six capsules. It matters because a European claim is attached to it and its condition is a precise one: alpha-linolenic acid contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels, provided an intake of 2 g a day. At six capsules you are comfortably above that; at three capsules only, you are below it and the claim no longer applies. This is the kind of detail that decides whether a product is genuinely worth it, and it is almost never explained.

Now for the most important thing on this page, and it does not work in favour of the sale. Alpha-linolenic acid is not equivalent to EPA and DHA, the two long-chain omega-3s found in fish. The body can convert ALA into EPA and then into DHA, but that conversion rate is low, particularly for DHA. In other words, a flaxseed oil, however well dosed, does not replace a fish oil for the functions that depend specifically on EPA and DHA — heart function, brain function, vision. Those three claims apply only to EPA and DHA, never to ALA.

That does not disqualify the product: ALA has its own claim, its own nutritional value, and for a vegan diet there are not ten solutions to choose from. But you need to know what you are buying. For anyone genuinely after EPA and DHA without fish, the only equivalent route is algae oil.

A word on the ratio in the formula: 1,650 mg of omega-3 to 300 mg of omega-6, roughly five to one in favour of omega-3. That is the reverse of the profile of the usual Western diet, which is heavily dominated by omega-6.

Ingredients list

Flaxseed oil, tapioca starch, glycerine, purified water. No animal gelatine, no dairy, no artificial colouring.

Made in a facility that handles CELERY, CRUSTACEANS, FISH, MILK, MUSTARD, PEANUTS, SOYA, GLUTEN, EGG, LUPIN, MOLLUSCS, NUTS, SESAME and SULPHUR DIOXIDE. The manufacturer specifies that the absence of gluten is not certified, although no gluten goes into the raw materials.

How do you take OH Mega V?

Dose: 6 capsules a day, in two servings of 3. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: with meals, 3 in the morning and 3 in the evening. Frequency: two servings daily. Duration: 8 to 12 weeks minimum according to the manufacturer, then continuous use.

Six capsules a day is a lot, and it is this product's main constraint. Better to know it before buying: if you already struggle to swallow one capsule in the morning, six spread across the day will take real discipline. The 180-softgel bottle then covers only one month, where many customers imagine three. That is a direct consequence of the dose needed to reach the 2 g of ALA a day.

Taking them with a meal is not optional. Fatty acids need bile in order to be absorbed, and bile is only released in the presence of fatty foods. A capsule swallowed on an empty stomach with a glass of water loses part of its value.

Do not open the capsules and do not pierce them. Flaxseed oil is one of the most fragile oils there is: it oxidises very quickly on contact with air and light, and an oxidised oil no longer delivers what it promises. That is also why the bottle should be kept somewhere cool, dry and away from light, and why it is best closed carefully.

The manufacturer suggests pairing this product with a source of vitamin E, which protects fatty acids from oxidation. It also combines without overlap with a vitamin D, taken at the same fatty meal, and sits well alongside a plant protein in a routine free of animal products.

Who is OH Mega V for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at vegans, vegetarians and people allergic to fish and shellfish, for whom marine oils are ruled out. It is also an option for anyone who cannot tolerate the taste or the repeats that come with fish oil capsules: here, the problem does not arise.

It is not advised for people on anticoagulant treatment — warfarin, aspirin — without medical advice, nor for those with a clotting disorder. That is an explicit warning from the manufacturer, and it holds for every oil rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids at these doses. If this applies to you, the question is one for your doctor before you buy.

It is not advised for pregnant and breastfeeding women without the advice of a healthcare professional. The facility statement is very broad and should be read carefully by anyone with allergies.

What not to expect from it. It does not replace a fish oil for the functions linked to EPA and DHA: heart, brain, vision. It will neither make you lose weight nor build muscle. You will feel nothing when you take it, and that is normal. And it does not make up for a diet with no quality vegetable oils in it: a tablespoon of rapeseed or flaxseed oil over raw vegetables remains an excellent idea, and costs a great deal less.

Plant omega 3 or fish oil?

This is the decisive comparison in this aisle, and it deserves a straight answer rather than a sales argument.

A fish oil supplies EPA and DHA directly, the two long-chain fatty acids carrying the most interesting claims: heart function, brain function, vision. It is the most direct route and the cheapest per milligram of useful fatty acid. If you eat fish, or have nothing against it, a concentrated marine oil will be more direct and cheaper per milligram of useful fatty acid.

Flaxseed oil supplies ALA, which the body converts poorly into EPA and very poorly into DHA. It has a claim of its own, on blood cholesterol, from 2 g a day. It is perfectly legitimate — it simply is not playing on the same ground.

When is it the better choice? When fish is ruled out: a vegan diet, an allergy to marine products, or a refusal of animal oils. In that specific case it is one of the few serious options, and a dose of 3,300 mg of ALA a day is a real dose. For a broader micronutrient intake, our multivitamins section answers another question, and our spirulina section a third one again.

Frequently asked questions

How much omega-3 a day does this product give?

1,650 mg of alpha-linolenic acid across three capsules, that is 3,300 mg at the full dose of six capsules. That figure matters: the European claim on the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels assumes 2 g of ALA a day, which only the full dose reaches.

Is it equivalent to a fish oil?

No, and that is the most important point on this page. Flaxseed oil supplies ALA, which the body converts poorly into EPA and very poorly into DHA. The claims on heart, brain and visual function apply only to EPA and DHA. For a genuine plant equivalent, only algae oil will do.

Why six capsules a day?

Because that quantity is what it takes to reach a meaningful ALA dose. It is the product's main constraint, and it also explains why a bottle of 180 softgels covers only one month. Three in the morning and three in the evening, with meals.

Do they have to be taken with a meal?

Yes. Fatty acids need bile in order to be absorbed, and bile is only released in the presence of food. Taking them on an empty stomach with a plain glass of water markedly reduces the return. Breakfast in the morning and dinner in the evening work perfectly well.

Are these capsules suitable for vegans?

Yes, entirely. The oil comes from flaxseed and the shell is made of tapioca starch, glycerine and water, with no animal gelatine. That is in fact the main audience this product is aimed at.

Is there a fishy taste?

No, and that is a genuine argument in its favour. The complaint most often levelled at fish oil capsules — the fishy repeats, especially on an empty stomach — does not apply here. Flaxseed oil has no marine taste at all.

How long does one bottle last?

180 softgels at six a day: one month exactly. Since the manufacturer recommends a course of 8 to 12 weeks minimum, reckon on two to three bottles for a full course. That is a budget best anticipated at the first purchase.

Where can you buy TrainedByJP OH Mega V?

The bottle of 180 softgels can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we sell this product on one condition: that the customer knows a flaxseed oil is not a fish oil. Those who rule out fish leave with it; the others often leave with something else, and that is exactly as it should be. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

What is TrainedByJP Pycnogenol 100 mg?

TrainedByJP Pycnogenol 100 mg is a maritime pine bark extract in capsule form. One capsule supplies 100 mg of Pycnogenol®, a patented extract, alongside just two excipients: microcrystalline cellulose and magnesium stearate. The dose is one capsule a day, taken with a meal.

Pycnogenol® is extracted from the bark of the French maritime pine, Pinus pinaster, which grows in the Landes region among other places. This is not a generic plant extract: it is a patented, standardised raw material produced under a registered process, which makes it one of the most studied plant extracts on the supplement market.

Its richness comes down to a family of molecules, the oligomeric proanthocyanidins, often shortened to OPCs. These are polyphenols also found in grape seed and in the skins of red berries, but here they are concentrated and standardised. The rest of the British range can be browsed in our TrainedByJP section, and the other antioxidants in our catalogue in the coenzyme Q10 section.

What does a Pycnogenol capsule contain?

100 mg per capsule is a straightforward dose for this extract, and it matches what is used in most of the published work on this raw material, which most often sits between 50 and 200 mg a day. You are in the middle of the range, with a single, simple daily intake.

The formula is short, and that is an argument in itself: the active, a bulking agent, an anti-caking agent. Nothing else. In a category dominated by twelve-ingredient complexes, a three-line list lets you know exactly what you are swallowing and rule out any overlap with your other supplements.

On the regulatory side we need to be perfectly clear, because this is one of those products about which you can read absolutely anything: no health claim is authorised in Europe for Pycnogenol® or for maritime pine bark extract. None on circulation, none on joints, none on skin, none on cognitive function, none on sports recovery. The dossiers submitted did not go through. So what we are describing is a patented plant extract, its dose and how to use it — nothing more, and you should be wary of any seller who goes further.

What we can honestly say is that this is a standardised extract, produced under a registered process, which guarantees a consistent composition from one batch to the next. In a plant-extract category where standardisation is often vague or absent, that is a genuine reference point, and it is what explains the price.

Missing from the manufacturer's documentation: the number of capsules per bottle is not disclosed, which makes it impossible to work out how long a course will last. We are not going to estimate it; the information is on the packaging you receive.

Ingredients list

Pycnogenol® (maritime pine bark extract), microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate. No animal gelatine, no artificial colouring, no preservative. Suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.

Made in a facility that handles CELERY, CRUSTACEANS, FISH, MILK, MUSTARD, PEANUTS, SOYA, GLUTEN, EGG, LUPIN, MOLLUSCS, TREE NUTS, SESAME and SULPHUR DIOXIDE. The manufacturer specifies that the absence of gluten is not certified, although no gluten goes into the raw materials.

How should you take Pycnogenol?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: during a meal. Frequency: one intake a day. Duration: 8 to 12 weeks minimum according to the manufacturer, taken continuously every day.

Taking it with a meal improves the absorption of polyphenols, particularly when fats are present, and that is the manufacturer's instruction. A normal meal containing a drizzle of oil, a few almonds or a little cheese is more than enough. It is not a heavy constraint, and it costs nothing.

The time of day does not matter: lunch or dinner work equally well. What counts is consistency, and taking the capsule with the same meal every day is the simplest way not to forget it.

Duration is the decisive parameter with this extract. The manufacturer specifies 8 to 12 weeks minimum, and is right to say so: polyphenols produce nothing in three days, and a two-week course gives you strictly no basis for forming an opinion. Plan your purchase accordingly, bearing in mind that the number of capsules per bottle is not disclosed.

One point worth knowing: the manufacturer advises spacing it apart from any vitamin C. The two are taken separately rather than at the same time. In practice, vitamin C in the morning and Pycnogenol at lunch settles the matter. Taking them separately is enough to follow this instruction. This extract combines without any overlap with an omega 3 or a turmeric, taken with the same fat-containing meal.

Who is Pycnogenol for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at an adult who is specifically looking for this patented extract, usually because they have heard about it or because a healthcare professional suggested it. This is not an entry-level product or an impulse buy: it is an expensive extract, with a precise dose and a short formula, meant for someone who knows what they are buying.

It is not advised for people on anticoagulant treatment without medical advice. The manufacturer flags this explicitly because of a possible interaction, and the same warning comes up on most polyphenol-rich extracts. If this applies to you, the question is one for your doctor before you buy.

It is for adults only, and not advised for pregnant or breastfeeding women without the advice of a healthcare professional. The facility statement is unusually broad — fourteen allergens — and should be read carefully by anyone with an allergy. The manufacturer also states that neither gluten-free status nor halal status is certified.

What you should not expect from it, and this is what nobody writes in this category. You will feel nothing when you take it. This product cures nothing, treats nothing and holds no health claim in Europe. It does not improve sports performance, does not build muscle and does not burn fat. Nor does it replace a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, which naturally supplies polyphenols in abundance and for far less money.

Pycnogenol or another antioxidant?

The antioxidant category is a broad one and the products in it are not in the same price bracket.

Pycnogenol® is a patented, standardised extract, and that is what explains its cost. You are paying for consistency of composition from batch to batch and for the documentation that comes with the raw material. That is a legitimate argument for anyone who wants to know precisely what they are taking, but it is not an efficacy argument — no claim supports one.

Against it, vitamin C and vitamin E have a decisive regulatory advantage: each holds an authorised claim on the protection of cells from oxidative stress. For the same budget, they offer something this extract cannot: a framework.

When does Pycnogenol remain the right choice? When this precise raw material is what you are after, for reasons of your own, and when standardisation matters to you. If your goal is more general, our NAC section or our multivitamins section answer other needs, often for less.

Frequently asked questions

How much Pycnogenol is there per capsule?

100 mg of patented maritime pine bark extract. That is a dose sitting in the middle of the range used in the published work on this raw material, which most often runs from 50 to 200 mg a day. A single capsule a day is therefore enough.

Does Pycnogenol have proven effects?

No health claim is authorised in Europe for this extract, none on circulation, none on joints, none on skin, none on cognitive function. We sell a patented, standardised raw material without attributing any effect to it. Be wary of any site promising otherwise.

Where does this extract come from?

From the bark of the maritime pine, Pinus pinaster, a species that grows in the Landes region among other places. Pycnogenol® is a patented raw material, produced under a registered process, which guarantees a consistent composition from one batch to the next — a rare reference point in the plant-extract category.

Should it be taken with a meal?

Yes, the manufacturer recommends it: polyphenols are better absorbed when fats are present. A drizzle of oil, a few almonds or a little cheese in the same meal is enough. The time of day, on the other hand, does not matter.

Can it be combined with vitamin C?

The manufacturer advises separating the two intakes rather than taking them at the same time. In practice, vitamin C in the morning and Pycnogenol at lunch settles the matter with no particular effort.

Can it be taken alongside anticoagulants?

Not without medical advice. The manufacturer flags a possible interaction, as with most polyphenol-rich extracts. If you are on anticoagulant treatment, speak to your doctor before buying rather than after.

How many capsules are there per bottle?

The manufacturer does not disclose it, and we are not going to invent it. It is a missing piece of information, all the more so as it determines how you work out an 8 to 12 week course. It appears on the packaging of the product you will receive.

Where can you buy TrainedByJP Pycnogenol?

The bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we never push: the customers who ask for it generally know why they want it, and those who are discovering the name usually leave with a vitamin C, which costs ten times less and does have a regulatory framework behind it. The rest of the category can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

What is TrainedByJP Sustain?

Sustain is a powdered exercise drink, to be sipped during training, supplied in a 1.8 kg tub, or 60 servings of 30 g. The flavours we stock: Orange & Mango and Berry Burst.

What sets it apart is the carbohydrate make-up, which the manufacturer calls the Tri-Carb Complex: 25 g of carbohydrate per serving, split across three sources with different absorption rates — cyclic dextrin, palatinose and fructose. The idea is to spread the intake over time rather than concentrate it on a single pathway.

Added to this are a coconut water powder, glycerol monostearate and Himalayan pink salt. The product contains no stimulants: this is not a pre-workout, it is fuel. The rest of the British range can be found in our TrainedByJP aisle.

What is in a 30 g serving?

* Column calculated from the 30 g serving declared by the manufacturer. The energy value is given only in kilocalories and only approximately, and the full nutrition table — fat, protein, salt, sugars — is not published. We will not invent it.

The figure that shapes the product is the 25 g of carbohydrate per 30 g of powder. In other words, more than 83% of the sachet is fuel, which leaves little room for anything else — flavouring, citric acid, beetroot colouring, sucralose. That is consistent with an exercise product.

The split is worth pausing on, because it is what you are buying. Cyclic dextrin empties from the stomach quickly and supplies energy without heaviness. Palatinose, or isomaltulose, is a slow-absorbing sugar that spreads the intake out. Fructose, finally, uses a different intestinal transporter from glucose: combining the two makes it possible in practice to absorb more carbohydrate per hour than with a single source. That is the real technical argument behind this formula, and it stands up.

What we cannot assess: the amounts of coconut water, glycerol and pink salt are not published. On an exercise drink, sodium content is nonetheless the second most important piece of information after the carbohydrate — it is what decides whether the product covers your sweat losses. Without that figure, we cannot tell you whether you need to add electrolytes alongside it. The manufacturer suggests as much itself, depending on the heat and how heavily you sweat, which suggests the intake stays modest.

How do you use Sustain?

Serving: 30 g. Liquid: 750 ml of cold water. Timing: during the session, starting 15 to 20 minutes after it begins. Frequency: one bottle per long session. Duration: none, this is an exercise food.

The 750 ml volume is not merely indicative: it is what makes this product a bottle rather than a shake. You sip it in small mouthfuls across the whole session, and it is that way of drinking it that lets you take on 25 g of carbohydrate without digestive discomfort. Downed in one go, the same liquid would cause problems.

The manufacturer gives three specific protocols. Sessions of more than 90 minutes: continuous consumption in small sips. High-intensity training: start 15 to 20 minutes after the session begins. Endurance sports: spread it across the full duration of the effort.

One instruction to respect: take Sustain separately from your EAAs or your protein. The manufacturer says so, and it is justified — a carbohydrate drink and an amino acid drink in the same bottle do not digest as well as you would hope. If you take EAAs during exercise, alternate rather than mix.

The 1.8 kg tub covers 60 servings. At three long sessions a week, that works out at around five months. Store dry, and close it properly.

Who is Sustain for, and who is it not for?

It suits efforts that last, first and foremost: a long bike ride, a run of more than an hour and a half, trail running, a high-volume strength session, a team sport with two training slots. That is where 25 g of carbohydrate during exercise genuinely changes something. The fact that it contains no stimulants also makes it usable in the evening, unlike a pre-workout.

It contains GLUTEN, the barley starch being the source. That is a decisive piece of information and one rarely highlighted in this category: people with coeliac disease must avoid it. The product is also made in a facility that handles milk, soya and eggs.

It is not recommended for children, or for pregnant and breastfeeding women. The manufacturer also urges caution in cases of diabetes or disordered carbohydrate metabolism: that makes sense for a drink delivering 25 g of carbohydrate in one go, and this question is one for your doctor.

It is not for a session of less than an hour. For an ordinary weights session, your glycogen stores are more than enough, and drinking 100 kcal during training simply adds 100 kcal to your day. Nor is it for you if you are in a strict calorie deficit, for the same reason.

What you should not expect from it: any kick. With no caffeine and no stimulants, you will feel nothing immediate — what you should notice is not falling apart in the second hour. This is a product judged on the end of the effort, not on the first ten minutes.

Sustain or cyclic dextrin on its own?

That is the real trade-off, and it turns on price as much as on the formula.

Cyclic dextrin bought on its own costs distinctly less per gram of carbohydrate, and it is the best-established exercise carbohydrate in the category: rapid gastric emptying, very good digestive tolerance, no pronounced sweetness. It is the better choice if you want to control your own dose, if you prefer a single-ingredient product, or if budget matters — you can add your own salt and your own electrolytes for a few pence.

Sustain brings two things a dextrin on its own does not have. The first: fructose, which uses a separate intestinal transporter and allows more carbohydrate to be absorbed per hour over a long effort. The second: palatinose, which spreads the intake and avoids the spike-then-slump. Add the taste, the coconut water and the salt, and you have a ready-made drink, which a plain powder is not.

If your effort lasts less than an hour and a half, the gap between the two will not show, and maltodextrin or waxy maize will do the job for far less. Beyond two hours, the multi-source formula comes into its own.

Frequently asked questions

Why three different carbohydrate sources?

Because they do not use the same pathways. Glucose and fructose travel via separate intestinal transporters, which means combining the two allows more carbohydrate to be absorbed per hour than relying on a single source. Palatinose, being slower, spreads the intake over time. Over a two-hour effort, that split has a real benefit.

Do you really need 750 ml of water?

Yes, and that is what separates an exercise drink from a shake. At 750 ml sipped across the session, the carbohydrate concentration stays low and the stomach copes. In 300 ml downed in one go, the same 25 g becomes uncomfortable during exercise.

Does it contain gluten?

Yes. The barley starch that forms the base of the cyclic dextrin supplies it, and the manufacturer declares it as an allergen. People with coeliac disease must avoid it. This is a point on which this formula differs from most cyclic dextrins in the aisle, which are usually made from maize or tapioca starch.

How many servings are in the tub?

Sixty servings of 30 g for 1.8 kg. At three long sessions a week, that covers around five months. It is a size that only makes sense if you regularly string together efforts of more than an hour and a half.

Can it be mixed with EAAs or with protein?

The manufacturer advises taking them separately. Mixing a carbohydrate drink and an amino acid source in the same bottle slows gastric emptying and increases the risk of discomfort during exercise. If you take both, alternate the mouthfuls rather than the bottles.

Does it contain enough electrolytes for a session in summer?

We cannot say: the amounts of coconut water and pink salt are not published. The manufacturer suggests adding electrolytes itself, depending on weather conditions and how heavily you sweat, which suggests the baseline intake stays modest. On a long effort in real heat, plan for a supplement.

Is it suitable for an hour-long weights session?

Not really. Over an hour of weights, your glycogen stores comfortably cover the effort, and drinking an extra 100 kcal brings nothing beyond 100 kcal. This product comes into its own beyond 90 minutes, or on continuous endurance efforts.

Where can you buy TrainedByJP Sustain?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. On a 60-serving tub, you had better be sure of the flavour: at 750 ml per session, a taste you tire of quickly becomes a problem.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we discuss by starting with one simple question: how long does your session last? Under an hour and a half, we recommend something else, and often something cheaper. The rest of the exercise carbohydrates can be compared in our sports nutrition aisle.

What is TrainedByJP Vital Support?

TrainedByJP Vital Support is a vegetable capsule complex bringing together five actives, every one of them quantified to the milligram. The bottle contains 240 capsules, or 30 servings of 8 capsules — a full month. It is a niche product, designed by British coach Jordan Peters, and it is nothing like an entry-level supplement.

The five components are astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus), N-acetylcysteine, IP6 (inositol hexaphosphate), TUDCA (tauroursodeoxycholic acid) and a maritime pine bark extract. The rest comes down to the hypromellose vegetable capsule and two anti-caking agents.

The key thing to take away first: none of these five actives carries a health claim authorised in Europe. Not for the liver, not for the kidneys, not for anything else. So what we describe here is a composition, doses and precautions — not effects. The product appears in the TrainedByJP collection.

What does a serving of 8 capsules contain?

This is a rare table in this category: all five actives are quantified, with no proprietary blend and no "complex" to hide behind. With ingredients as expensive as TUDCA, that transparency has real value — it lets you compare against another product, which most brands in this sector make impossible.

Two doses are worth putting in context. The 4,000 mg of astragalus per serving make it the main active by weight. And the 500 mg of TUDCA: this is a bile acid, one of the most expensive ingredients on the supplement market, which goes a long way towards explaining the product's price positioning. The manufacturer does not specify whether these are standardised extracts, or to what ratio, and we are not going to invent that.

Let us say it again plainly, because it is the most useful piece of information on this page: astragalus, NAC, IP6, TUDCA and pine bark have no health claim authorised under European regulations. Any product page promising you organ protection is stepping outside the legal framework. What we can say, on the other hand, is factual: TUDCA influences bile production, which is why the precautions listed below apply.

How should you take Vital Support?

Dose: 8 capsules a day, split into two servings. Liquid: a glass of water with each serving, alongside a daily fluid intake of 2.5 to 3 litres. Timing: 4 capsules on waking, on an empty stomach or with a light breakfast, and 4 capsules before bed. Frequency: two servings a day. Duration: a course of 8 to 12 weeks, as recommended by the manufacturer.

Hydration is not a cosmetic detail here: the manufacturer explicitly puts a figure on it, 2.5 to 3 litres a day, which is well above what most people drink. If you do not intend to stick to that, this product is not for you.

Eight capsules a day is a significant amount to swallow. Splitting them morning and evening is not only a question of absorption: it is also what makes taking them manageable. The evening serving is taken before bed, with a large glass of water.

The manufacturer notes that this complex can be combined with omega 3 or with a B vitamin complex. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before any use — that is the manufacturer's own recommendation, and we pass it on exactly as it stands.

Who is Vital Support right for, and who is it not right for?

This is a product for the informed user, someone who knows exactly what they are buying and why. If you are new to supplements, this is not where to start: a foundation of multivitamins or a plain N-acetylcysteine will cover more needs for far less money.

The precautions are numerous and serious. Pregnant or breastfeeding women: seek the advice of a healthcare professional before use. Anyone on medication: consult a healthcare professional, particularly in the case of liver or kidney treatment. Diagnosed liver or kidney disorders: medical consultation is mandatory before use. And one point specific to TUDCA: it influences bile production, so you should avoid the product in the case of gallstones or bile duct obstruction without medical advice.

On allergens, the list for the manufacturing site is particularly long: CELERY and CELERIAC, CRUSTACEANS, FISH, MILK, MUSTARD, PEANUTS, SOYA, GLUTEN, EGG, LUPIN and MOLLUSCS. If you have a severe allergy, take that into account.

What you should not expect from it: organ protection. No regulatory evidence allows that to be claimed, and a food supplement makes up for neither alcohol consumption, nor heavy medication, nor a medical condition. If you are worried about your liver or your kidneys, the answer is a blood test prescribed by a doctor — not a bottle of capsules.

Vital Support or NAC bought on its own?

That is the honest comparison to make, because NAC is by far the best known and most accessible of the five actives.

A NAC sold on its own is the better choice in two very common cases. First, price: N-acetylcysteine costs a fraction of this complex, and if it is NAC you are after, there is no reason to pay for four other ingredients. Second, dosing: you adjust it freely, whereas Vital Support fixes 1,200 mg within a serving that also contains 4 g of astragalus and 500 mg of TUDCA. It should be said that NAC on its own has no authorised claim in Europe either.

Vital Support keeps the advantage if it is precisely this combination that you are after. TUDCA in particular is virtually impossible to find on its own in France, and 500 mg per serving is a serious dose. Astragalus at 4 g and IP6 at 1 g round out an assembly that would be difficult and expensive to rebuild bottle by bottle. This is the product of a deliberate plan, not a top-up purchase.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a bottle last?

One month. The bottle contains 240 capsules and the daily serving is 8, which makes 30 servings. That amounts to a third of the 8 to 12-week course recommended by the manufacturer, so reckon on two to three bottles for a full course.

Do you really have to take 8 capsules a day?

Yes, that is the serving the doses in the table are based on. Cutting down to four capsules halves every intake. Splitting it into two servings, four in the morning and four in the evening, is what the manufacturer specifies.

What is TUDCA?

Tauroursodeoxycholic acid, a bile acid present here at 500 mg per serving. It influences bile production, which is what justifies the precautions regarding gallstones and bile duct obstruction. No health claim is authorised in Europe for this molecule.

Can it be taken alongside medical treatment?

Not without medical advice, and the manufacturer is categorical on this point — particularly in the case of liver or kidney treatment. If you are on any form of treatment, put the question to your doctor or pharmacist before opening the bottle.

Why do you have to drink so much water?

The manufacturer puts fluid intake at 2.5 to 3 litres a day during the course. That is an explicit instruction, not a general wellbeing recommendation: stick to it or choose another product.

Are the capsules suitable for vegetarians?

The shell is made from hypromellose, a plant cellulose, with no animal gelatine. The manufacturer does not, however, explicitly claim vegetarian or vegan certification in the data available to us, and we will not write it on their behalf.

Can it be combined with other supplements?

The manufacturer mentions that it can be combined with omega 3 or a multivitamin containing B vitamins. Just check the totals: if your multivitamin already contains NAC, as some complexes do, the amount adds up fast.

Where can you buy TrainedByJP Vital Support?

The 240-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is a product we stock because customers ask for it by name, and because the label puts a figure on all five of its actives — a criterion that matters more than the name on the box.

If you drop into our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we will read the label with you and tell you straight whether a simpler product would do the same job in your situation. It often would.

What is Universal Nutrition Animal Pak 44?

Animal Pak is a multivitamin complex sold as pre-dosed sachets: the box holds 44 of them, and each sachet brings together 11 tablets to be taken in the same serving. It is an unusual format, dating from the 1980s and virtually unchanged since — Animal Pak is one of the oldest supplements still sold in gyms.

The sachet gathers, according to the manufacturer, more than 85 active nutrients: a complete vitamin complex (A, C, D, E and the B vitamins), minerals including zinc, calcium, magnesium and selenium, amino acids, digestive enzymes, carnitine, the Spectra™ blend made up of 29 fruits, vegetables and plants, and AstraGin®.

The principle is that of a foundation: everything is assembled in advance, there is nothing to measure out in the morning. The product appears in our multivitamin and Universal Nutrition sections.

What does one Animal Pak sachet contain?

It has to be said plainly: the detailed nutritional values for this product do not appear in the data available to us. The manufacturer refers you to its official labelling. We will not reconstruct the milligrams or the % NRV figures on its behalf, and we will not repeat numbers found elsewhere that we cannot verify. That is the main limitation of this page, and it sits with the brand, not with us.

What that means for you in practice: you cannot compare Animal Pak with another multivitamin on the basis of doses, nor check whether a given nutrient reaches the threshold that would permit a claim, nor keep track of your totals if you already take other supplements. Read the label on the box when it arrives — that is what counts. If you want those figures before buying, ask us: we have the box on the shelf.

One useful detail, on the other hand, and it matters: the biotin in the formula can interfere with certain laboratory tests. If you are due to have a blood test, in particular a hormone or thyroid assay, tell your doctor and the laboratory about this supplement. This is not a trivial point: it is a known cause of distorted results.

How do you take Animal Pak?

Dose: 1 sachet, that is 11 tablets. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: at breakfast or with another meal; on a training day, about 30 minutes after the meal preceding the session. Frequency: 1 sachet a day; the manufacturer permits 2 sachets a day, morning and evening with meals, for athletes in competition or in intensive training. Duration: continuous use is possible, with no cycle or break required.

Two practical points. Eleven tablets in a single serving calls for a proper glass of water and a stomach that is not empty: fasted, many people cannot tolerate it. Spread them over five minutes rather than swallowing them all at once if this is your first box.

The manufacturer also recommends avoiding taking the sachet at the same time as a drink containing caffeine. If you take a pre-workout or a fat burner from the boosters section, leave an hour or two between them.

Who is Animal Pak for, and who is it not for?

The product is aimed at adults who train regularly and want a broad micronutrient foundation without having to assemble five separate bottles. The pre-dosed format is its real selling point: nothing to count, nothing to forget, 44 days of cover in one box.

The restrictions are explicit. Not to be used under the age of 18. Pregnant and breastfeeding women must consult a healthcare professional. Medical advice is mandatory if you are on any current treatment, particularly anticoagulants. The product contains MILK and SOYA and may contain traces of NUTS: these allergens are in the recipe, not merely in the factory. Store the box in a cool, dry place, out of the reach of children, and do not exceed the recommended daily dose.

What not to expect from it. First, an effect on performance: a multivitamin fills gaps in intake, it adds nothing to an already sound nutritional status. Second, a substitute for a diet: 85 nutrients in a sachet do not replace vegetables on a plate, and the Spectra™ blend of powdered fruit and vegetables is not the equivalent of the fruit and vegetables themselves. Finally, an answer to lasting fatigue — that calls for a blood panel and a doctor, not a sachet.

Animal Pak or a multivitamin with a fully disclosed formula?

That is the real trade-off, and it comes down to one word: transparency.

A multivitamin with a fully published formula — such as those in the Nutriting section — wins on three concrete points. You know exactly how many milligrams of each nutrient you are taking, which lets you check your totals against your other supplements. You can verify whether a nutrient reaches the 15% NRV threshold that permits European claims. And you can compare two products figure by figure before buying. On a supplement taken every day for years, that is not a specialist's quibble: it is the only way to know what you are doing.

Animal Pak keeps two genuine advantages. The first is breadth: more than 85 actives, including enzymes, amino acids and a plant blend that very few multivitamins offer. The second is the pre-dosed format, which settles the question of sticking to it better than any argument — one sachet, one glass of water, done. If you would rather target one or two nutrients than a complex, the zinc, magnesium and omega 3 sections let you build a routine to measure, often for less.

Frequently asked questions

Do you really have to swallow 11 tablets?

Yes, a full sachet is the serving the formula is designed around. Taking half a sachet halves every intake. With a large glass of water and a meal in your stomach, it goes down better than you might imagine; fasted, it is distinctly harder.

How long does a box of 44 sachets last?

Forty-four days at one sachet a day, that is a little over six weeks. At two sachets a day — the use the manufacturer reserves for athletes in intensive preparation — the box lasts twenty-two days.

Where can you find the exact doses?

On the official labelling of the box. They do not appear in the data the manufacturer has supplied to us, and we would rather say so than put forward values we have not verified. If you want those figures before ordering, contact us: we have the product on the shelf.

Can it be taken all year round?

The manufacturer presents it as a foundation supplement suitable for continuous use, with no cycle or break. That said, if you already take other supplements, review your totals once a year — above all for the fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E, which accumulate.

Why avoid coffee at the time of taking it?

The manufacturer explicitly recommends it. In practice, leave one to two hours between the serving and your coffee, your tea or your pre-workout. The sachet is taken with a meal anyway, which generally settles the matter.

Does the product contain allergens?

Yes. It contains milk and soya, present in the recipe, and may contain traces of nuts. That is a real point to watch, more significant here than with many other supplements where those allergens are only factory traces.

Should you tell your doctor before a blood test?

Yes, and this is a genuine recommendation, not a formality. The biotin in the formula can distort certain laboratory assays, in particular thyroid and hormone ones. Mention that you are taking the product before any test, and ask whether you should stop it for a few days.

Where can you buy Animal Pak 44?

The 44-sachet box can be ordered on this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is a historic product, still much in demand, and that is why we stock it — while stating honestly that its technical data sheet is less legible than those of more recent complexes.

In Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the box is on the shelf and the label can be read together: that is the best way to check the doses that interest you before buying. The rest of the section can be browsed from sports nutrition.

What is Viking Power's Leviathan Hardcore PWO?

Viking Power Leviathan Hardcore PWO is a powdered pre-workout whose serving weighs 33 g. That unusual format — three times that of a conventional booster — is no gimmick: it matches the quantity of actives genuinely present in the formula, starting with 12 g of citrulline.

The composition covers four areas. The pump, with citrulline. Endurance, with 6 g of beta-alanine. The stimulant side, with 400 mg of caffeine split between anhydrous caffeine and guarana extract, plus 2 g of tyrosine. And a cognitive side that is considerably fuller than average: lion's mane extract (Hericium erinaceus), phosphatidylserine, inositol, Brainberry® (aronia extract), ashwagandha. To these are added 3 g of leucine, glucuronolactone, CocoMineral™ coconut water powder and three vitamins.

The flavours on offer: Orange and Red Berries. The product joins our boosters and Viking Power sections.

What does a 33 g serving contain?

The manufacturer publishes neither an energy value, nor macronutrients, nor the net weight of the tub: it is impossible to state the number of servings, and we will not estimate it. Ashwagandha and konjac extract appear in the ingredient list without a dose.

The 12 g of citrulline is the standout figure on this label. For context, the best-dosed formulas on the market top out at around 8 g, and the aisle average sits between 2 and 6 g. The 6 g of beta-alanine is of the same order: it is double what you normally come across, and you should know that the tingling will be very pronounced.

A safety point not to be skimmed over. The 14 mg of vitamin B6 per serving exceeds the upper safe limit of 12 mg per day set by EFSA for adults. That is not trivial with prolonged use: high, repeated intakes of vitamin B6 are under review by health authorities. In practice, never exceed one serving a day, do not stack it with a B-vitamin complex or a multivitamin, and do not use this product every day of the week. Vitamin C contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to the protection of cells from oxidative stress, and vitamin B12 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism: those are the authorised wordings. For citrulline, beta-alanine, leucine, tyrosine, inositol, lion's mane, phosphatidylserine, aronia and ashwagandha, no claim exists in Europe.

How should you dose Leviathan Hardcore?

Dose: 1 scoop of 33 g, never exceeding one serving a day. Liquid: 400 to 500 ml of cold water. Timing: 20 to 30 minutes before training. Frequency: one serving per training day. Duration: the manufacturer gives no cycling advice — for our part we recommend not making daily use of it, because of the vitamin B6 dose.

The manufacturer is explicit and so are we: if this product is new to you, or if you are sensitive to stimulants, start with a half serving of 16.5 g. With 400 mg of caffeine and 6 g of beta-alanine in a full serving, a first attempt at the full dose is a bad idea.

The 400 to 500 ml of liquid is not negotiable either: 33 g of powder in a glass gives a thick, harsh drink that you will not finish. Expect very pronounced tingling on the face, the back of the neck and the forearms within a quarter of an hour of taking it — 6 g of beta-alanine is the top of the range, and the sensation lasts around thirty minutes.

Take no other source of caffeine on the day you use it, and avoid taking it late in the day. The caffeine-free booster section exists precisely for evening sessions.

Who is this pre-workout for, and who is it not for?

The manufacturer puts it like this: product intended for adults engaged in intense physical activity. We would add: for adults already well used to stimulants, for two or three heavy sessions a week, never as a daily product.

The restrictions are numerous. Not recommended for children or for pregnant and breastfeeding women, because of the high caffeine content. Consult a healthcare professional in case of a medical condition or if you are taking medication. The product contains phenylalanine — decisive information for people with phenylketonuria — and SOYA, in the form of lecithin present in the phosphatidylserine.

Add to that the two points already raised: 400 mg of caffeine in a single serving, double the 200 mg benchmark set by EFSA for a single intake in a healthy adult; and 14 mg of vitamin B6, above the daily limit of 12 mg. Those are two serious reasons to space out your servings.

What not to expect from it: strength or muscle. A pre-workout works on alertness and perceived effort, nothing else. Nor should you expect any perceptible effect from lion's mane, phosphatidylserine or ashwagandha during the session: these ingredients are assessed over weeks, and none of them holds a recognised claim in Europe.

Leviathan Hardcore or a lighter formula?

The real question is not whether this product is good — the doses speak for themselves — but whether it matches the way you will use it.

A lighter formula, at 150 or 200 mg of caffeine and 4 to 6 g of citrulline, is the better choice in three very common cases. You train four to six times a week: Leviathan is not designed for that frequency, neither on caffeine nor on vitamin B6. You are sensitive to stimulants. Or you are simply after a product you can take without giving it a second thought. The creatine-free pre-workout section and the non-stimulant formulas cover those needs, often for less.

Leviathan Hardcore keeps the advantage on one specific front: density. Twelve grams of citrulline and 6 g of beta-alanine in a single serving is something almost nobody does. For a leg session once a week, or for a competition, it is a product that delivers what it promises. Keep it for those occasions, and take something else the rest of the time. The whole pre-training aisle can be compared from sports nutrition.

Frequently asked questions

Why a 33 g serving?

Because the actives genuinely weigh that much: 12 g of citrulline and 6 g of beta-alanine already come to 18 g on their own, on top of which come 3 g of leucine, 2 g of tyrosine, 1.5 g of inositol and the rest. A 10 g scoop could not physically hold this formula.

Is the tingling stronger than with another pre-workout?

Yes, markedly. At 6 g of beta-alanine the paraesthesia is unmistakable: face, back of the neck, forearms, sometimes the scalp. It appears within fifteen minutes, lasts half an hour, and has no known consequence. A half serving halves it.

Can it be taken every day?

We advise against it, for two reasons backed by figures: 400 mg of caffeine per serving, and 14 mg of vitamin B6 per serving when the European safe limit is 12 mg per day. Keep this product for two or three sessions a week at most.

How many servings are there in a tub?

The net weight is not included in the data supplied by the manufacturer, so we cannot work it out. Divide the weight shown on the packaging by 33 g to obtain the number of servings.

What are lion's mane and Brainberry®?

Lion's mane is a mushroom (Hericium erinaceus), present here at 500 mg. Brainberry® is a patented extract of aronia berries, dosed at 65 mg. Neither of the two holds an authorised health claim in Europe: we describe them because they are on the label, without attributing any effect to them.

Does the product contain allergens?

It contains soya, in the form of lecithin associated with the phosphatidylserine, and phenylalanine, important information in cases of phenylketonuria. Both statements appear explicitly on the manufacturer's label.

Can it be mixed with anything else?

Avoid adding another source of caffeine or citrulline, as you would be stacking with no benefit. Unflavoured creatine, on the other hand, goes very well in the same shaker and interferes with nothing.

Where can you buy Viking Power Leviathan Hardcore?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is one of the most heavily dosed pre-workouts in our catalogue, and we present it as such: with its figures, and with its limits of use.

In our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we systematically take the time to explain the half serving before selling this product to someone who does not know it. It is the kind of formula where the first experience determines everything.

What is Viking Power Thor's Hammer?

Viking Power Thor's Hammer is a powdered pre-workout with no creatine. A 25 g serving — roughly two scoops — provides 5,000 mg of beta-alanine, 3,000 mg of AAKG, 3,000 mg of citrulline malate, 2,000 mg of taurine, 2,000 mg of betaine and 300 mg of caffeine. The tub covers 20 servings.

What sets this formula apart is not some exotic ingredient: it is that every dose is published, line by line. In a category dominated by proprietary blends — one headline total, no detail — that is a choice of transparency worth pointing out, and one that finally makes comparison possible.

The flavours in the range: Strawberry Storm and Tropical Thunder. The rest of the brand can be browsed in our Viking Power section, and the other creatine-free formulas in our creatine-free pre-workout section.

What does one serving of Thor's Hammer contain?

5 g of beta-alanine in a single serving is the figure that jumps out — and you need to know what it means in practice. The usual reference dose is 3.2 g a day. At 5 g in one go, expect pronounced tingling on the face, neck and forearms, some twenty minutes after taking it. It is a normal, harmless reaction, but at this amount it is no longer discreet. Plenty of people find it unpleasant the first time.

300 mg of caffeine, on the other hand, calls for genuine caution. The European Food Safety Authority takes 200 mg as a single dose with no adverse effect in healthy adults, and 400 mg across the whole day. One serving of this product therefore puts you 50% above the single-dose benchmark, and at three quarters of the daily one — before your morning coffee.

Citrulline at 3 g is below the reference doses, and it is only honest to say so. Protocols generally work between 6 and 8 g. Here it complements the AAKG rather than playing the leading role. If it is the pump sensation that interests you above all, our citrulline section offers more forthright doses, which you could add on top of this base.

The absence of creatine is a genuine practical argument. Most pre-workouts contain 2 or 3 g of it, which creates a duplicate if you are already taking your 3 to 5 g a day separately — and it takes away control of your dose. Here the question does not arise: you manage your creatine separately, every day, training or not.

On the regulatory side, there is nothing to claim: no health claim is authorised in Europe for caffeine, beta-alanine, arginine, citrulline, taurine, betaine, carnitine, tyrosine or glycine. We describe ingredients and their exact amounts, never promised effects.

Ingredients list

Beta-alanine, L-arginine alpha-ketoglutarate, L-citrulline-dl-malate, acidity regulators (malic acid, sodium bicarbonate), taurine, betaine, maltodextrin, acetyl-L-carnitine, L-tyrosine, glycine, flavouring, anti-caking agents (tricalcium phosphate, silica), sweeteners (aspartame, acesulfame K), caffeine, glucuronolactone, colour (copper complexes of chlorophyllins), mineral (potassium chloride).

Contains phenylalanine, from the aspartame: the product is not advised for people with phenylketonuria. High caffeine content: not recommended for children or pregnant or breastfeeding women (300 mg per serving).

How should you take Thor's Hammer?

Dose: 25 g, i.e. roughly 2 scoops. Liquid: 300 to 400 ml of water. Timing: before training. Frequency: one serving per training day, with no other source of caffeine. Duration: the manufacturer presents this product as usable at every session, with no course or cycle imposed.

Start with a half serving, without exception. The manufacturer recommends it, and it is particularly justified here: between 300 mg of caffeine and 5 g of beta-alanine, two ingredients with a very pronounced immediate effect are stacked together. A half serving still means 150 mg of caffeine and 2.5 g of beta-alanine — more than enough to gauge your tolerance.

No serving in the late afternoon or the evening. At 300 mg, caffeine stays active for several hours and your night's sleep pays for it. If you train after 18:00, this is simply not the right product: our caffeine-free booster section offers the same vascular actives without the stimulant, and you will keep your sleep.

Do not combine it with any other source of caffeine on the same day. Coffee, tea, an energy can, a fat burner in capsules: it all adds up, and the margin here is very thin. That is the situation in which we see the most palpitations and ruined sessions.

Drink enough before, during and after your session. And if your training runs over an hour, an electrolyte drink or some EAAs to sip during the effort usefully cover what this product does not do: it works before the session, not during it.

Who is Thor's Hammer for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at a trained adult, used to stimulants, who wants a pre-workout with its doses on show and who manages their creatine separately. It is a product for someone who knows how to read a label and is looking for precisely that.

It is not suitable for children, nor for pregnant or breastfeeding women, nor for people sensitive to caffeine — those are the manufacturer's own warnings. It is also not advised in cases of phenylketonuria, the formula containing phenylalanine via the aspartame.

In cases of high blood pressure, heart rhythm disorders, anxiety or ongoing medical treatment, a doctor's opinion comes before the purchase. At 300 mg of caffeine per serving, that is not a token precaution. And if you already sleep badly, this product will make the problem worse rather than help you progress.

What not to expect from it. A pre-workout does not make you progress: it makes a session easier to start, and that is all. It compensates for neither poor sleep, nor inadequate eating, nor a badly built programme. And caffeine tolerance sets in fast: after a few weeks of daily use, the same dose will do very little. If you can no longer train without it, the problem is not the product.

Creatine-free pre-workout, or a complete formula?

This is the choice that shapes the whole category, and it depends entirely on what you are already taking.

A complete formula, creatine included, has simplicity on its side: one tub, one serving, everything is in there. That makes sense for someone starting out who does not want to stack products. The flaw is structural: the creatine is present at 2 or 3 g, below the 3 to 5 g a day usually recommended, and you only take it on training days — whereas it works through saturation and calls for a daily serving, weekends included.

Thor's Hammer follows the other logic: separating the stimulant from the creatine. You take your creatine every day, at the dose you want, and your pre-workout only on session days. It is more rational, and it avoids buying the same molecule twice.

That leaves a third route, the most economical: making it up yourself. A daily beta-alanine at 3.2 g, a citrulline before the session and a coffee do the same job for far less money, at the cost of three tubs instead of one and a little discipline. To compare all the formulas available, our boosters section brings them together.

Frequently asked questions

How much caffeine per serving?

300 mg for a 25 g serving, the equivalent of three to four espressos. That is well above the 200 mg benchmark set for a single dose in adults. One serving a day maximum, with no other source of caffeine at all, morning coffee included.

Why 5 g of beta-alanine?

It is a deliberately high dose, the usual benchmark being 3.2 g a day. The practical consequence is immediate: the skin tingling — face, neck, forearms — is far more pronounced than with a conventional formula. It is normal and harmless, but it is better to know in advance.

Does the product contain creatine?

No, and that is a deliberate choice by the manufacturer. It avoids the duplication if you are already taking creatine separately, and above all it leaves you in charge of your daily dose. Creatine works through saturation: it is taken every day, rest days included.

How many servings in a tub?

Twenty servings of 25 g. At four training sessions a week, that comes to five weeks. Use the two scoops indicated, or a set of scales if you want to be precise: on a product with 300 mg of caffeine, a heaped scoop is not a trivial matter.

Is the product suitable in cases of phenylketonuria?

No. The formula contains aspartame, and therefore phenylalanine, and it is explicitly not advised for people with phenylketonuria. That is an absolute contraindication, not a mere precaution.

Can it be taken every day?

The manufacturer presents it as a routine booster, usable at every session. We are more cautious: caffeine tolerance sets in fast, and a daily serving ends up producing nothing much. Keep it for the sessions that matter, and take regular breaks.

Which flavours are available?

In the range: Strawberry Storm and Tropical Thunder. The composition is identical in both, only the flavouring changes. Two scoops dissolve in 300 to 400 ml of water, or 150 to 200 ml for a half serving during your first few uses.

Where to buy Viking Power Thor's Hammer

The tub can be ordered from this page in the flavours available, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product we recommend to those who already take creatine and are tired of buying it again in every booster. We always ask two things first: how used to caffeine you are, and what time your sessions are. At 300 mg per serving, those two answers decide it. The rest of our selection can be browsed in the sports nutrition section.

What is the Warrior Crunch Bar?

The Warrior Crunch Bar is a 64 g protein bar, built in three layers: a soft centre based on milk proteins, a caramel layer, and a milk chocolate coating sweetened with maltitol that on its own accounts for 31 % of the bar's weight. Between the two, soy crispies provide the crunch that gives the product its name.

It is made by Warrior, a British brand whose other products you will find in our Warrior category. The positioning is clear and unapologetic: this is a confectionery bar, not an austere athlete's bar. It plays on texture and on sweetness, where many rivals make do with a dry coating and a compact centre.

The flavours we stock, from Cookies & Cream to Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake, taking in Fudge Brownie, Banoffee Pie, Peanut Butter Cup and Birthday Cake. The nutritional base is identical from one flavour to another; what changes is the flavouring and sometimes the presence of a colouring. The list of variants available on this page is the definitive one.

What does a 64 g bar contain?

Here is the label, including the per-100 g column, because that is the only one that lets you honestly compare two bars of different weights.

The per-100 g values are calculated from the manufacturer's label, which declares per whole bar. Warrior also states that the bar is high in fibre, without publishing a figure for the content: we will not reconstruct it.

20 g of protein is the top of the range for this category, and above all it really is 20 g: the blend combines milk proteins and hydrolysed collagen. That second source is worth flagging, because it is common in bars and rarely explained. Collagen is an incomplete protein, low in tryptophan, less effective than a milk protein for building muscle. If your priority is protein synthesis after a strength session, a shaker of whey isolate remains more effective gram for gram.

The most interesting point is the 20 g of polyols for only 2.3 g of sugars. Maltitol replaces sugar in the coating as well as in the centre. It provides around 2.4 kcal per gram instead of 4, and above all it does not raise blood glucose the way sucrose does. That is what explains how a bar this indulgent stays at 239 kcal.

The trade-off is on the fat side: 11 g, of which 6.1 g are saturates. That is a lot, and it comes from the chocolate and the palm fat. A single bar covers close to a third of the daily reference intake for saturates. It is not a manufacturing flaw, it is the price of that melting texture.

Ingredients list

Maltitol milk chocolate coating (31 %), sweetener maltitol, MILK proteins, hydrolysed collagen, SOYA crispies (SOYA protein isolate, rice flour, malted BARLEY extract, salt), humectants (glycerol, sorbitol), SOYA protein isolate, water, palm fat, condensed MILK, flavouring, emulsifiers (mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids), thickener (microcrystalline cellulose), salt, colours (plain caramel, beta-carotene). The flavourings and colours vary with the flavour.

How do you fit the Warrior Crunch Bar into your day?

Serving: one 64 g bar. Frequency: one a day, two at most if your fibre intake is already high and well tolerated. Timing: as an afternoon snack, or within the hour after training. Drink: a large glass of water, 250 to 300 ml, because polyols draw water into the gut. Duration: no notion of a course here, this is a food.

Its best use is the 16:00 slot or the journey home, when dinner is still a long way off and the real alternative is not a chicken breast but a pastry. Compared with a classic chocolate bar of the same weight, you gain a good twenty grams of protein and you divide the sugars by ten.

Before a session it is less suitable: the 11 g of fat and the polyols slow gastric emptying, and nobody enjoys lifting heavy on a full stomach. If you are looking for a quick intake before exercise, go for an easily digested simple carbohydrate such as cream of rice. After training, on the other hand, it does the job of a stopgap snack before the real meal very well.

A word on texture: the bar hardens in the cold. Straight out of the fridge it turns very hard and loses its appeal. Twenty minutes at room temperature, or ten seconds in the microwave, and the caramel runs again.

Who is the Warrior Crunch Bar for, and who is it not for?

It suits someone who struggles to hit their protein target over the day and has neither the time nor the inclination to make up a shaker. It also suits those keeping an eye on their sugars, since 2.3 g per bar is a very low figure for a product that tastes this sweet.

Declared allergens: milk, soya, gluten — the gluten comes from the malted barley extract in the crispies. The manufacturer also flags possible traces of nuts, eggs and peanuts. It is therefore unsuitable for people with coeliac disease, and for anyone allergic to soya or to milk proteins. Nor is it vegetarian in the strict sense, since the hydrolysed collagen is of animal origin.

The real point to watch remains digestive. 20 g of polyols in a single bar is a high dose, and the regulatory wording “excessive consumption may produce laxative effects” is not a turn of phrase. If you have never had maltitol, start with half a bar. Some people tolerate three bars a day without feeling a thing, others regret the first.

What you should not expect from it: this is not a meal replacement, and it is not a cutting product. At 239 kcal and 6.1 g of saturates, it fits into a calorie budget, it does not reduce one. Nor does it replace a complete protein source across the day. If you have any doubt related to medication, to diabetes or to a known digestive disorder, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Warrior Crunch or a protein cookie?

This is the comparison that comes up most often over the counter, because the two products occupy the same afternoon slot and cost roughly the same.

A protein cookie generally weighs 60 to 75 g, provides 15 to 20 g of protein, but keeps real sugar rather than polyols. The result: it goes higher in calories, it sits better digestively, and it can be eaten in one go without wondering whether you will regret it. It is the better choice if you have a sensitive stomach, if you are bulking and the calories are working for you, or if you dislike the aftertaste of sweeteners.

The Warrior Crunch, for its part, keeps the advantage as soon as the calorie budget is tight and sugar has to stay low. At 2.3 g of sugars and 239 kcal, it slips into a cutting day without doing any damage, which a 350 kcal cookie does not always allow. And on the enjoyment front, the triple layer clearly beats a dry compressed bar.

If neither of the two suits you, the protein snack category brings together the other formats: crisps, wafers, bake-at-home mixes.

Frequently asked questions

How much sugar does the Warrior Crunch Bar actually contain?

2.3 g per 64 g bar, or around 3.6 g per 100 g. The 20 g of polyols shown on the “carbohydrate” line are not sugars: they are bulk sweeteners, maltitol in this case, which provide less energy and do not raise blood glucose in the same way.

Do polyols cause stomach upset?

In some people, yes, especially beyond 20 g over the day. It is a well-known and harmless reaction: polyols are not completely absorbed and draw water into the gut. Start with half a bar to gauge your tolerance, and drink normally.

Does the bar contain gluten?

Yes. The soy crispies contain a malted barley extract, which makes the bar unsuitable for people with coeliac disease or gluten intolerance. The manufacturer also declares milk and soya as allergens, with possible traces of nuts, eggs and peanuts.

What is the difference between milk proteins and hydrolysed collagen?

Milk proteins provide the full set of essential amino acids. Hydrolysed collagen does not: it is very low in tryptophan and unbalanced in several others. Here it plays a role in texture as much as in content. In practical terms, the 20 g stated are not worth 20 g of protein powder for building muscle.

Can you eat one every day?

One a day poses no problem if the rest of your diet is balanced. Two start to weigh on the saturates: 12.2 g in total is more than half the daily reference intake. The limiting factor is not the protein, it is the fat.

Which flavour should you choose for a first try?

The chocolate flavours — Fudge Brownie, Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough — are the closest to classic confectionery and the least divisive. The fruity flavours, Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake above all, split opinion more: the acidity stands out more because of the sweeteners.

Does it replace a meal?

No, and it should not be used that way. One bar provides 239 kcal and no portion of vegetables, complex fibre or micronutrients in any useful amount. It replaces a snack, or a pastry. Lunch, no.

Where can you buy the Warrior Crunch Bar?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product we hand out to taste most often: with a bar, the label never tells the whole story, and two people will not have the same opinion of the same maltitol. The rest of our sweet range can be browsed in our sports nutrition category.

What is Yam Nutrition Peanut Butter Powder?

Yam Nutrition Peanut Butter en Poudre is peanut butter from which most of the fat has been removed and which has then been dried. The bag weighs 500 g and covers roughly 16 servings of 30 g. The ingredients list runs to three words: 100% roasted peanuts. No added sugar, no palm oil, no emulsifier, no preservative.

The process is mechanical: the peanuts are roasted then pressed to extract part of the oil, and the remaining cake is ground into a powder. That is what explains the product's profile — the protein and the fibre become concentrated while the fat falls away. Per 100 g of powder, 13 g of fat remain, against around fifty in a conventional peanut butter.

The product is vegan, gluten free and lactose free. It keeps at room temperature, in a dry place, with no refrigeration. You will find it in our peanut butter section, alongside the jarred versions.

What does a 30 g serving contain?

* Nutrient reference values for a typical adult (8,400 kJ / 2,000 kcal, 70 g of fat, 20 g of saturates, 260 g of carbohydrate, 90 g of sugars, 50 g of protein). The manufacturer declares sodium rather than salt: we reproduce its figure as it stands. The 12 g of sugars per 100 g occur naturally in the peanut, no sugar is added.

Three figures sum the product up. 45 g of protein per 100 g: protein accounts for close to 45% of the powder's energy, comfortably above the regulatory threshold that allows the wording “high protein”. 13 g of fibre per 100 g: here again above the 6 g threshold that allows the wording “high fibre”. And 121 kcal per 30 g serving, against roughly 190 kcal for the same amount of jarred peanut butter. That is where the whole point lies: much the same taste, a third fewer calories, and three times more protein for the same weight.

Worth noting that peanut protein is incomplete in methionine. That is not a flaw in the product, it is the nature of the legume: paired with cereals over the course of the day, the complementation takes care of itself.

How should Peanut Butter Powder be used?

The reference serving is 30 g, once or twice a day depending on your intake. There is no course and no duration: this is a food, not a supplement.

Three uses, three dilutions. As a spread: 30 g of powder and one tablespoon of water or milk, stirred until the texture is smooth. Add the liquid gradually, which is the product's only difficulty — too much water at once and the paste turns runny with no way back. In a shaker: 30 g in 250 ml of water or milk, shaken for thirty seconds. In cooking: stirred in as it is, without reconstituting, into pancakes, porridge, a bowlcake, a smoothie or a yoghurt.

The third use is the most interesting and the least known. A spoonful of powder in a preparation based on oat flour or in a protein pancake batter brings the peanut taste without the fat that weighs the cooking down. It is handier than jarred peanut butter, which sets firm and is awkward to measure out.

When cutting, or in any period when fat is being counted, the powder lets you keep that taste on the plate without blowing the calorie budget. It is the use case we see most often at the counter.

Who is it for, and who is it not for?

It suits just about everyone: athletes in a deficit, vegetarians and vegans looking for plant protein, people who like peanut butter but not its 600 kcal per 100 g.

It is not suitable in two clear cases. First, allergy: the product contains PEANUTS and may contain traces of NUTS, SOYA and SESAME. It is made in a factory that also handles eggs, milk proteins, gluten and crustacean-based ingredients. A peanut allergy contraindicates the product, no argument. Second, sensitive guts: excessive consumption may have laxative effects because of the high fibre content. The manufacturer mentions this explicitly, and 3.9 g of fibre per serving add to everything else in your day. Stick to the stated servings.

What not to expect from it: it is not a protein powder. 13.5 g per serving, against 20 to 25 g for a serving of whey, with an incomplete plant profile and 121 kcal along with it. Use it as a food you enjoy the taste of, not as your main protein source — for that, see the protein section. Nor is it a slimming product: it simply does less damage than the jarred version.

Peanut powder or jarred peanut butter?

Both have their place, and we sell both. The choice depends on what you do with it.

Jarred peanut butter wins as soon as texture and calorie density are the issue. If you are bulking and struggling to hit your calories, a spoonful of paste at 190 kcal does the job far more efficiently than reconstituted powder. It also wins on the morning slice of toast: the texture of an oil-rich paste remains superior, rehydrated powder is a little drier and slightly grainy. Nobody should tell you otherwise.

The powder wins on three fronts: calories (121 kcal against roughly 190 per 30 g), protein content (13.5 g against 7 to 8 g), and convenience in the kitchen, where it pours like a flour. When cutting, during weight loss, or whenever precise measuring is needed, it takes the advantage. The formats can be compared side by side in the aisle, and the calculation to make is a simple one: the price per 100 g of protein, not the price of the jar.

Frequently asked questions

How many servings are there in a 500 g bag?

About 16 servings of 30 g. At one serving a day, the bag covers a little over two weeks. The powder keeps at room temperature in a dry place; reseal the bag carefully after each use, moisture is its only enemy.

How much water is needed to get a paste texture back?

One tablespoon per 30 g of powder, added in two stages. Start with three quarters of it, stir, then top up if needed. Too much liquid at once gives a runny cream that can only be rescued by adding more powder.

Is there any added sugar?

No. The 12 g of sugars per 100 g are those of the peanut itself. The only declared ingredient is “100% roasted peanuts”, with no added salt either — sodium is at 0.01 g per 100 g.

Can it be used in baking?

Yes, and that is one of its best uses. It goes in dry, like a flour, into pancakes, home-made cookies, porridge or bowlcakes. Bear in mind that it absorbs liquid: adjust the hydration of your recipe slightly.

Does it taste the same as conventional peanut butter?

The roasted peanut taste is clear and very much present, but the mouthfeel differs: without the fat, the rich coating disappears and the texture is drier. Most people get used to it in two or three uses, some do not. In a shaker or a cooked preparation, the difference is no longer noticeable.

Is it suitable for vegans?

Yes. A single ingredient of plant origin, with no lactose and no gluten, which makes it a useful top-up alongside plant proteins. One reminder though: the peanut is low in methionine, so vary your sources across the day.

Can it replace a serving of protein after training?

No, not on its own. 13.5 g of incomplete plant protein per serving is half what a serving of whey supplies, with a less favourable amino acid profile. A spoonful in the shaker does, on the other hand, make the whole thing far more pleasant to drink, and that is often what it is asked to do.

Where can you buy Yam Nutrition Peanut Butter Powder?

The 500 g bag can be ordered from this page. We ship throughout France and Europe, and the product is also on the shelf in our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier — it is the kind of item that is better seen once, to grasp the format, before ordering it online.

The rest of the range can be found in the Yam Nutrition collection, and if you are looking for something to go with a snack rather than to cook with, take a look at the protein snacks.