Products

What is IO Genix GABA Professional?

IO Genix GABA Professional is a single-ingredient supplement: 750 mg of gamma-aminobutyric acid per capsule, with no secondary active, no added vitamin, no blend. The bottle contains 60 capsules for a net weight of 52 g, that is two months at the recommended dose of one capsule a day. You will find it alongside the brand's other products in our IO Genix section, and alongside products of the same family in our GABA section.

GABA is a molecule the body produces itself. It is an amino acid that acts as a messenger between nerve cells, and its function in the central nervous system is well described: it tempers the activity of neurons rather than exciting it. So much for the physiology, which is not disputed.

What is disputed is the fate of GABA swallowed in capsule form. The blood-brain barrier, which filters what enters the brain, lets this molecule through poorly, and the literature has not settled the question of oral GABA. We would rather say so from the outset: this product is a simple ingredient, correctly dosed, whose expected effects rest on debated data. That is a piece of information that ought to appear on every page of this kind and almost never does.

What is in one GABA Professional capsule?

750 mg per capsule is a serious dose. Many “relaxation” formulas sold in pharmacies or supermarkets combine a dozen ingredients at 50 or 100 mg each, which allows a long list to be printed on the packaging without any active reaching a useful amount. Here it is the opposite: a single ingredient, at an amount that matches the one used in the published work on the subject, generally between 100 mg and 800 mg per serving.

That is also what makes the product legible. You know exactly what you are taking, you can adjust it, and you can combine it with something else without fearing a hidden duplicate. A multi-ingredient formula never allows that.

A regulatory clarification, which belongs here and nowhere else on the page: GABA has no authorised health claim in Europe. Not on stress, not on sleep, not on relaxation, not on recovery. That does not mean the molecule does nothing; it means no dossier has been validated, and no seller has the right to promise you a result. The former description on this page announced a reduction in stress and an improvement in sleep quality: those wordings were not compliant and have been removed.

Finally, one piece of data is missing and we will not reconstruct it: the detailed composition of the capsule shell and the excipients is not published by IO Genix in the information available to us, and neither is the allergen declaration. The label on the bottle you receive is authoritative on both points, and it is the one to read if you are vegetarian or allergic.

How do you take GABA Professional?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a large glass of water, 250 ml. When: in the evening, away from meals — allow at least two hours after dinner. How often: one intake a day. Duration: the manufacturer recommends a one-month course, which can be repeated.

Taking it away from meals is not a detail. GABA is an amino acid, and it competes with the amino acids from the meal for the same intestinal transporters. A capsule swallowed in the middle of a protein-rich dinner ends up competing with several tens of grams of protein. On an empty stomach, it has a clear run.

If you are starting out, keep the intake at the same time for two weeks before judging. That is the only way to assess a product in this category honestly, where individual variability is enormous and expectation plays a real part. Some people describe a sensation of warmth or tingling in the minutes following the intake; it is described in the literature, it is transient, and it foretells nothing.

GABA combines without difficulty with magnesium taken in the evening, or with a ZMA if you already have one. Stacking three or four “evening” products at the same time, on the other hand, makes it impossible to know what is working: add them one at a time, a fortnight apart.

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

It is aimed at an adult who wants to try a single, properly dosed ingredient without going through a compound formula in which they will never know which element is acting. That is the profile of the customer who has already tried a multi-plant complex and wants to isolate one variable.

It is not suitable for pregnant and breastfeeding women without medical advice, nor for children under 12. The manufacturer is explicit on both points.

The most important point concerns medication: combination with sedatives, hypnotics or anxiolytics should be avoided without medical supervision, as those medicines act precisely on GABA receptors. The manufacturer also requires a medical consultation in cases of bipolar disorder. These are not precautions for form's sake: if you are on medication of that family, speak to your doctor or pharmacist before buying, not after.

What not to expect from it: it is not a sleeping pill, and it must not be bought as one. Nor is it a treatment for anxiety — no food supplement is, and lasting distress calls for a consultation, not a bottle. Finally, if your sleep is deteriorating because of a training session at 21:00, a screen at midnight or a coffee at 17:00, no product will make up for it: the cause lies elsewhere, and it can be fixed for free.

GABA or glycine in the evening?

That is the most relevant trade-off, because both are simple amino acids, dosed on their own, and sold for the same moment of the day.

Glycine has a practical advantage in its favour: it is a powder, you dose it freely, and the amounts used are higher, of the order of 3 g. It crosses the blood-brain barrier without argument, which is not the case for GABA, and it has a slightly sweet taste that mixes with anything. It is the better choice if you prefer a powder to a capsule, if you want to adjust your dose to the gram, or if you are looking for the better documented of the two ingredients.

GABA keeps the advantage of being simple to use: one capsule, no taste, nothing to weigh, portable anywhere. And its 750 mg dose places it at the top end of what is available, whereas many competing products stop at 200 mg.

Two other options exist depending on what you are really looking for. If the problem is falling asleep, melatonin is the only ingredient in this family with an authorised claim in Europe — it contributes to the reduction of time taken to fall asleep, at 1 mg before bedtime. If the problem is the mental load of a demanding period, ashwagandha follows the logic of a course rather than a one-off intake.

Frequently asked questions

Does GABA help you sleep?

No claim of that kind is authorised in Europe, so we will not write it. What is established is the role of GABA as an inhibitory messenger in the central nervous system. What is not established is what becomes of a swallowed dose. If your objective is explicitly falling asleep, melatonin is the only ingredient with a validated dossier.

How long does a bottle last?

Sixty days at one capsule a day. The manufacturer recommends a repeatable one-month course, which means a bottle covers two courses with a break in the middle, or a continuous two-month course depending on how you organise it.

Should it be taken on an empty stomach?

Away from meals, yes, ideally two hours after dinner. GABA is an amino acid and ends up competing with those from the meal for intestinal absorption. It is not an absolute requirement, but it is the only way to get the most out of a capsule.

Can it be combined with melatonin?

No known interaction stands in the way, and the combination is common. One practical piece of advice all the same: introduce the two a fortnight apart. Taken together from the first evening, you will never know which of the two is acting, and you will go on buying both for years.

Is it suitable for vegetarians?

The manufacturer does not publish the nature of the capsule shell in the information available to us. We therefore cannot state it. The label on the bottle specifies whether it is a vegetable capsule or a gelatine one: that is what to read before the first intake.

Do you feel anything when you take it?

Some people describe a sensation of warmth or tingling in the minutes that follow, sometimes slight breathlessness. It is documented, harmless, and generally fades after a few days. Many others feel nothing at all, which is no more abnormal.

Can you take two capsules?

The manufacturer recommends one capsule a day and states that the recommended dose should not be exceeded. At 750 mg, one capsule already sits in the upper part of the amounts studied. Doubling would bring nothing demonstrated and would fall outside the conditions of use defined by the manufacturer.

Where to buy GABA Professional?

It 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 sell only after asking two questions first: what time do you go to bed, and what time do you have your last coffee. It often happens that the answer makes the purchase pointless, and we say so. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Glucosamine Complex?

IO Genix Glucosamine Complex is a joint supplement in capsules. A four-capsule serving supplies 1,000 mg of glucosamine sulphate, 500 mg of chondroitin sulphate and 500 mg of MSM, with bromelain on top of that. The 120-capsule box covers a 30-day course.

These three actives belong to the same family of use and are almost always found together. Glucosamine and chondroitin are natural constituents of cartilage: the first is an amino sugar, the second a long carbohydrate chain that holds water in cartilage tissue. MSM, or methylsulfonylmethane, is an organic sulphur compound.

The manufacturer states the origin of each raw material, which is both useful and rare: the glucosamine is of marine origin, the chondroitin of avian origin, and the MSM is synthetic. For some customers those three pieces of information settle the purchase, and we come back to them. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix aisle, and the other products in the category in our glucosamine aisle.

What does one serving of Glucosamine Complex contain?

1,000 mg of glucosamine a day is a serious dose, clearly stated, which is not all that common in this aisle. Many joint complexes advertise a long list of ingredients without giving a single milligram, or bundle everything into a “proprietary complex” that cannot be assessed. Here, three of the four actives are quantified to the milligram.

The fourth is not, and we flag it rather than pass over it in silence: the bromelain dose is not published by the manufacturer, who refers you to the label. We are not going to invent it. It is the only missing figure on this page, but it matters, because bromelain is not a neutral ingredient.

We have to be blunt on the regulatory side, because this is the aisle where the most is written: no health claim is authorised in Europe for glucosamine, chondroitin or MSM. Not for the joints, not for cartilage, not for suppleness, not for ease of movement. They are natural constituents of cartilage — that is a fact of biology, not a promise of effect — and the European Union has approved no dossier for oral supplementation. So we describe the composition and the precautions, without announcing a result.

If your goal concerns the joints, note that one ingredient in this field does have authorised claims: vitamin D, which contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and to normal muscle function. It is a route worth taking seriously, in our vitamin D aisle, and it costs a great deal less. A properly dosed magnesium also contributes to normal muscle function.

Ingredients list

Glucosamine sulphate (CRUSTACEANS), chondroitin sulphate, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), coating agents (GELATINE, colours: calcium carbonate and starch sodium octenyl succinate), bromelain, anti-caking agent (silicon dioxide).

Contains CRUSTACEANS. May contain traces of GLUTEN, EGGS, MILK and SOYA.

How do you take Glucosamine Complex?

Dose: 4 capsules. Liquid: a glass of water. Timing: in the morning, with breakfast. Frequency: a single serving a day, all four capsules together. Duration: a course of 30 days minimum, repeated as needed.

The four capsules are taken all at once, and that is a deliberate choice by the manufacturer. The argument is not pharmacological, it is practical: a single morning serving is infinitely easier to keep up over a month than four servings spread across the day. On a product that gives nothing in under several weeks, consistency beats theory.

Take them with the meal rather than on an empty stomach. Four capsules in an empty stomach cause digestive discomfort in some people, and the meal settles that. If swallowing four capsules in one go is a problem for you, take them one by one with a few sips of water in between.

Thirty days is the stated minimum and it is also what one box covers. This kind of product can never be judged in a week, and you need to know that before you buy: if you expect a result on day three, you will be disappointed and you will have drawn a conclusion from nothing.

The product combines without overlap with collagen, an omega 3 or a standardised turmeric, which are the usual companions in this aisle. Add them one at a time, a fortnight apart, rather than all on the same morning.

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

It is aimed at a healthy adult, a long-standing athlete or not, who wants to support a practice that is demanding on the joints: running, racquet sports, combat sports, heavy loads in the gym. It fits into an approach in which suitable physical activity remains the first lever.

The list of people affected by a contraindication is longer here than elsewhere, and it rests on an official opinion. The manufacturer repeats the recommendations issued by ANSES in 2019 concerning supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin: they are not advised for people with asthma, people on anticoagulants, people with diabetes and those with a cardiovascular risk. This is not a token precaution, it is an alert from the national nutrivigilance system, and it deserves to be followed.

The product contains crustaceans, the glucosamine being of marine origin: it is absolutely ruled out in cases of allergy to crustaceans or seafood. The chondroitin is of avian origin and the capsules are made of gelatine: this complex is therefore suitable neither for vegetarians, nor for vegans, nor for a diet that excludes certain meats.

The manufacturer also advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women and asks that it be kept out of reach of children. The presence of bromelain adds a reason for caution in cases of anticoagulant treatment, and a possibility of a reaction in people allergic to pineapple or latex.

What not to expect from it: it is not a treatment, it cures nothing and it replaces no medical care. Joint pain that persists, that wakes you at night or that limits a movement is a matter for a doctor. A supplement can accompany; it does not diagnose.

Glucosamine or collagen for the joints?

The two products end up in the same basket, and it is better to understand what separates them before taking both.

Collagen is a structural protein, supplied in peptide form. It has two practical advantages over this complex: it is taken as a powder, which avoids four capsules a day, and it contains neither crustaceans nor gelatine in its standard marine or bovine versions. Like glucosamine, it has no authorised health claim in Europe for this use.

Glucosamine combined with chondroitin and MSM is the oldest and most studied approach in the aisle. It is also the one that comes with the greatest number of precautions, as the list above shows. If none of those situations applies to you, it is a coherent and clearly dosed choice.

Our position at the counter is a simple one: start with just one of the two, stick with it for thirty days, and judge after that. Stacking collagen, glucosamine, turmeric and omega 3 from day one is expensive and teaches you nothing about what works for you.

Frequently asked questions

Why four capsules at once?

Because the full daily dose — 1,000 mg of glucosamine, 500 mg of chondroitin, 500 mg of MSM — requires that volume, and because a single morning serving is far easier to keep up over a month than four spread-out servings. Take them with breakfast, never on an empty stomach.

Does this product contain crustaceans?

Yes. The glucosamine is of marine origin and the product declares crustaceans as an allergen. It is therefore absolutely ruled out in cases of allergy to crustaceans or seafood, with no possible exception.

Is it suitable for vegetarians?

No, and on three counts at once: the glucosamine is of marine origin, the chondroitin of avian origin, and the capsule shell is made of gelatine. Only the MSM, being synthetic, raises no question from that point of view.

What does ANSES say about glucosamine?

In an opinion issued in 2019, the agency advised against supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin for people with asthma, on anticoagulants, with diabetes or presenting a cardiovascular risk. The manufacturer repeats that recommendation on its labelling, and we reproduce it here.

How long before judging?

Thirty days at the very least, which is exactly what one box covers. Nothing can be concluded in a week with this kind of product. Note what you observe in your everyday movements rather than in a vague sensation: it is the only usable benchmark.

Can it be combined with collagen?

Nothing about the composition stands in the way, as the two do not act on the same molecules. We would nonetheless advise starting with a single product and sticking with it for a full month. Two new things introduced on the same day will teach you nothing about which one suits you.

Is there a risk with an anticoagulant?

Yes, and on two counts: ANSES advises against glucosamine and chondroitin for people on anticoagulants, and the bromelain in the formula is the subject of documented interactions with those same treatments. If this applies to you, the question is settled with your doctor before you buy.

Where can you buy IO Genix Glucosamine Complex?

The 120-capsule box can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. In the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is one of the products we take the most time over: three questions — crustacean allergy, anticoagulant treatment, asthma — are usually enough to tell whether it belongs in the customer's bag. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Glutamine Kyowa?

IO Genix Glutamine Kyowa is an L-glutamine powder dosed at 5 g per scoop, to which 1.4 mg of vitamin B6 is added. It comes in 300 g and 500 g, in an unflavoured or raspberry version.

Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in muscle and in plasma. The body makes it itself, which makes it a non-essential amino acid in the strict sense, but the rate at which it is used up rises during periods of sustained training, calorie restriction or physiological stress. That is where the question of an additional intake arises.

The Kyowa Quality mention refers to the raw material, produced by Japan's Kyowa Hakko from a plant-based fermentation. It is an indication of origin and process, not a particular biological property: the molecule obtained is the same as that of any other glutamine. What the label guarantees is traceability and process control, which is no small thing on an amino acid produced in very large volumes. The rest of the range appears in our IO Genix aisle.

What is in a 5 g serving?

The per-100 g values are calculated from the manufacturer's declaration for a 5 g serving. One inconsistency deserves to be flagged rather than glossed over: the data sheet states 0 g of carbohydrate while the ingredients list mentions maltodextrin, which is one. The amount is in all likelihood small, but we do not know it and will not reconstruct it. The label on the tub you receive is the authority.

5 g per serving is the reference amount, and it is the one used in most of the published work on glutamine. Few products go below it, but many sell 3 g scoops that then have to be doubled, which completely changes the real cost per serving. Always check the weight of the scoop before comparing two tubs.

The number of servings depends on the size, and there is a clarification to make here too. The manufacturer states 100 servings per container, which corresponds to the 500 g size. The 300 g size contains 60, at 5 g per serving. The larger size therefore works out cheaper per serving, but is only worth it if you keep it up.

Vitamin B6 at 1.4 mg covers the European reference value exactly. It is not there by chance: it contributes to normal protein and glycogen metabolism, to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. It is the only ingredient in this tub to carry authorised claims. If it is this vitamin that interests you in its own right, our vitamin B aisle offers it dosed separately.

A regulatory clarification belongs here: L-glutamine has no authorised health claim in Europe. Not on recovery, not on immunity, not on the gut lining. The former description on this page claimed that supplementation sped up recovery and maintained immune function: that wording was not compliant and has been removed.

Ingredients list

L-glutamine (Kyowa Quality), maltodextrin, acidity regulator (citric acid), flavouring, sweeteners (sucralose and acesulfame K) and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride). The unflavoured version contains neither flavouring nor sweetener. May contain traces of GLUTEN, EGGS, FISH, SOYA and MILK.

How do you take Glutamine Kyowa?

Serving: one level scoop, or 5 g. Liquid: 300 ml of water or fruit juice. Timing: straight after training, or before bed on rest days. Frequency: one serving per training day; the manufacturer describes a more intensive protocol of three servings spread across non-training days. Duration: no set course length, use is ongoing.

One serving a day covers what the vast majority of trainees need. The three-serving protocol is aimed at high training volumes, and you should be clear about what it represents: 15 g of free amino acid a day, every day. If you are starting out, begin with one serving and see.

The powder dissolves well but stays slightly tart on the palate in the raspberry version. Fruit juice masks that tartness better than water does, with no downside. The unflavoured version, for its part, mixes into anything — into a protein shake, into porridge, into a fruit purée — and it is often the more practical choice for everyday use.

Avoid mixing it into a hot drink: glutamine is not very stable in solution when heated. A shake made up in the morning for the afternoon is no problem; a cup of boiling tea is.

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

It suits someone on a high training volume, someone in a prolonged calorie deficit, or someone stringing sessions together without a genuine rest day. Those are the situations in which the body's use of glutamine rises the most.

The manufacturer does not recommend it for pregnant and breastfeeding women and restricts it to adults over 18. It also asks that you seek the advice of a healthcare professional in cases of liver or kidney disorders, or if you are on medication: that is a sensible precaution, since amino acid metabolism runs through the liver and the kidneys.

It is not for you if your daily protein intake is already high. This is the least commercial truth on this page: a 30 g whey isolate shake already supplies roughly 1.5 to 2 g of glutamine, and a diet providing 150 g of protein a day supplies several grams. In that context, the additional intake is marginal, and the literature on the benefits of supplementation in a well-fed athlete is far from convincing.

What you should not expect from it: this is not a product that drives progress. It does not build muscle, it does not replace a protein, and you will feel nothing when you take it. It is a comfort supplement, to consider once the rest is already in place, not before. If you have any medical doubt, ask your doctor or your pharmacist.

Glutamine or EAAs after training?

Both are taken at the same moment and compete for the same budget, so we may as well put the question plainly.

An EAA supplies all nine essential amino acids, including the leucine that triggers protein synthesis. In terms of building muscle, there is no comparison: it is the better choice if you train fasted, if your protein intake is low, or if you want a single product after the session. It costs more per serving, and it has a stronger taste.

Glutamine does not play in that category. Its value lies elsewhere: it is a non-essential amino acid, heavily used during periods of heavy load, and its use has more to do with recovery comfort than with performance. It is the better choice if your diet already comfortably covers your protein needs and you are looking to top up on one specific point, or if you cope badly with complex formulas.

If your budget allows only one product, buy the protein or the essential amino acids before the glutamine. That is the logical order, and we say so over the counter just as we do here.

Frequently asked questions

How many servings are in a tub?

Sixty for the 300 g size, one hundred for the 500 g size, at 5 g per serving. The manufacturer quotes the figure of 100 servings without specifying which size it refers to: it corresponds to the 500 g. The larger size works out cheaper per serving if you keep it up.

What is the difference between the unflavoured and raspberry versions?

The active ingredient make-up is identical. The raspberry version additionally contains a flavouring, an acidity regulator and sweeteners; the unflavoured version contains none. The unflavoured one mixes into anything without disturbing the taste, the raspberry one is more pleasant drunk on its own. That is the only deciding factor.

When should you take it?

Straight after training on session days, before bed on rest days. Timing matters less than consistency: glutamine acts on a body pool that rebuilds slowly, not on a one-off peak. One serving a day at a set time is worth more than three irregular ones.

Should you take it if you already use whey?

The benefit becomes slight. A 30 g whey serving already supplies a far from negligible share of glutamine, and a protein-rich diet supplies several grams a day. Supplementation still makes sense during a period of unusual load or a marked calorie deficit, less so in an ordinary situation.

Can it be mixed into a hot drink?

Better to avoid it. Glutamine is not very stable in solution at high temperature and partly degrades. Mixing it into cold or lukewarm water, or into a juice, poses no problem at all, including when made up a few hours in advance.

Is glutamine suitable for vegans?

The Kyowa Quality raw material is obtained by fermentation of plant origin, with no animal input, as the manufacturer states. The point to watch is the declared manufacturing traces — gluten, eggs, fish, soya and milk — which come from the production environment and not from the formula.

Why is there vitamin B6 in a glutamine?

Because B6 is involved in amino acid metabolism, and because it is the only ingredient in this tub for which a claim is authorised in Europe. At 1.4 mg, it covers the daily reference value exactly. If you already take a multivitamin, be aware that stacking the two carries no risk at this level.

Where can you buy IO Genix Glutamine Kyowa?

The sizes and versions 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 deliberately place at the end of our advice: when someone comes in looking for glutamine and is not yet hitting their protein quota, we show them the other aisle first. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition aisle.

What is IO Genix Glycine?

IO Genix Glycine is a pure L-glycine powder. Half a level scoop provides 3 g of glycine, and the manufacturer sets the daily intake at 6 g split into two servings. There is nothing else in the tub: no flavouring, no sweetener, no bulking agent.

One point needs clearing up first, because it causes constant confusion in search engines: the glycine we are talking about here has nothing to do with the climbing plant of the same name. It is an amino acid, the smallest and simplest of the twenty that make up the body's proteins. It is described as non-essential because the body can produce it itself, from serine.

Glycine is particularly abundant in one specific tissue: collagen is roughly one third glycine, which makes it the most heavily represented amino acid in skin, tendons and cartilage. In dietary terms, it is found mainly in the cuts that are rich in connective tissue — skin, bones, cartilage — which is precisely what modern eating habits have stopped including. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix aisle, and the full category in our L-glycine aisle.

What does a serving of Glycine contain?

100% glycine is literally all this tub contains, and that is the strongest argument for this format. On an aisle where fifteen-ingredient formulas are the norm, a product whose ingredient list runs to three words lets you know exactly what you are swallowing and adjust the dose to the gram.

Two features of the product are worth knowing before you buy. The first: the glycine is obtained by plant fermentation, which makes this powder suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets — an exception on an aisle largely dominated by gelatine. The second: it is declared gluten-free by the manufacturer, although traces from the production facility remain possible.

One regulatory point needs to be clear: no health claim is authorised in Europe for glycine. Not for sleep, not for recovery, not for skin, not for joints. It is an amino acid abundantly present in collagen — that is a fact of biochemistry, not a promise — and the European Union has approved no dossier for oral supplementation. We describe the molecule, its place in the body and how to use it, without announcing any result.

Data missing from the manufacturer's file: the net weight of the tub, and therefore the number of servings, are not disclosed. We will not infer them. The net content is shown on the packaging you receive.

Ingredients list

Pure L-glycine (100%). Produced by plant fermentation. No additives, no colourings, no preservatives.

May contain traces of GLUTEN (wheat and oats), NUTS, PEANUTS, EGGS, MILK, FISH and SOYA.

How do you take Glycine?

Dose: 3 g, or roughly half a 5 ml spoon. Liquid: 200 to 250 ml of water, fruit juice or plant-based drink. Timing: in the morning on waking, and 30 minutes before bed. Frequency: two servings a day, 6 g in total. Duration: daily use is possible with no time limit, provided the doses are respected.

The most useful quirk of this powder is its taste: glycine is naturally sweet. That is not a turn of phrase — its name comes from the Greek glykys, meaning sweet. In practice, it dissolves into a coffee, a tea or a herbal infusion and sweetens them slightly, without adding sugar in the nutritional sense. It is a simple way of fitting both daily servings in without thinking about them.

It dissolves very well in water, with no lumps, which is not true of every powdered amino acid. It also goes into a smoothie, a protein shake or a yoghurt without any difficulty.

The evening serving, thirty minutes before bed, is the one the manufacturer recommends. It is the easier of the two to keep up over time for a practical reason: it is a fixed point in the day, unlike waking up, which varies.

Do not exceed 6 g per day. This product can be taken continuously, with no imposed cycle or break, which sets it apart from most references on this aisle. It combines without overlap with magnesium, collagen or taurine, and it often turns up in the same baskets as melatonin.

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

It is of interest first of all to those whose diet contains little connective tissue — which today means more or less everyone, since consumption of bone broth, skin and cartilage has fallen away very sharply. It also suits those looking for a simple, unflavoured active ingredient to slot into an already busy routine.

Its composition makes it one of the few products in the range suitable for vegans, since it is obtained by plant fermentation and there is no capsule or animal-derived shell involved. That is a genuine argument on an aisle where the question comes up with every product.

One contraindication deserves particular attention, and it is an unusual one. The manufacturer states that this product should not be used by anyone under treatment for mental health disorders, specifying that it could reduce the effectiveness of that treatment. This is not a generic form of words: it targets a specific situation, and if it applies to you, the question goes to your doctor or pharmacist before any purchase — never after.

The product is also not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women and must be kept out of the reach of children. It may contain traces of gluten, nuts, peanuts, eggs, milk, fish and soya.

What not to expect from it: this is not a sleeping pill, not an anxiolytic and not a performance product. You will not feel anything spectacular, and an amino acid that produced a clear effect within the hour would in fact be cause for concern. Nor is it a protein: 6 g a day replaces no shake, and a single isolated amino acid does not build muscle.

Glycine or collagen — which should you choose?

The question is more relevant than it looks, since glycine accounts for roughly one third of collagen.

Powdered collagen provides peptides, that is, protein fragments containing glycine but also proline and hydroxyproline. It is taken at much higher doses, typically 10 g a day, and costs considerably more per gram. Like glycine, it has no health claim authorised in Europe for this use. Its marine and bovine versions are not suitable for vegans.

Glycine on its own is the simplest option, the cheapest, and the only one compatible with a vegan diet. You get one specific amino acid, at a known dose, without the other components of collagen. It is the right choice if that particular molecule is what interests you, and if you want to set your own intake.

For end-of-day routines, this aisle offers other approaches unrelated to this one: magnesium, which does have authorised claims and contributes in particular to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, or ZMA formulas. These follow different logics, and it is better to try one at a time.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the same thing as the wisteria plant?

No, no connection at all. The climbing plant called glycine in French is an ornamental plant, and some of its parts are toxic. The product sold here is an amino acid, L-glycine, one of the twenty building blocks of the body's proteins. The confusion comes purely from the shared name.

How much per day?

6 g in total, in two 3 g servings: one in the morning, one thirty minutes before bed. A 3 g dose corresponds to roughly half a 5 ml spoon. Do not exceed the daily dose stated by the manufacturer.

Does glycine have a taste?

Yes, and that is its strong point: it is naturally sweet, its name coming from the Greek for “sweet”. It can therefore be used to lightly sweeten a coffee, a tea or a herbal infusion, without adding sugar in the nutritional sense or any notable calories.

Is it suitable for vegans?

Yes. The glycine here is obtained by plant fermentation, the powder involves no animal-derived shell, and the manufacturer declares it suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets. That is a welcome exception in a range largely dominated by gelatine.

Can it be taken continuously?

The manufacturer says so: daily use is possible with no time limit, provided the recommended doses are respected. It is one of the few products on this aisle that imposes no cycle, no break and no fixed course.

Does it interact with any medication?

The manufacturer explicitly asks that this product not be used by anyone under treatment for mental health disorders, stating that it could reduce the effectiveness of that treatment. If this applies to you, the question is one for your doctor. For any other medication, seeking the opinion of a healthcare professional remains the right course.

Can it be mixed with a protein?

Yes, easily and with no known interaction. It dissolves well and its slightly sweet taste goes unnoticed in a flavoured shake. Bear in mind, though, that 3 g of glycine does not add meaningfully to your protein intake: these are two different uses.

Where can you buy IO Genix Glycine?

The powder 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 often sell to vegan customers who came in looking for collagen and left with something else: when a dietary constraint closes one door, you may as well open another rather than sell at any cost. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is the IO Genix 1.9 L water bottle?

The IO Genix water bottle is a 1.9-litre sports bottle in matt black food-grade plastic, fitted with a handle and a metal screw cap. It belongs to our accessories section and is not a foodstuff: there are therefore no nutritional values or ingredients to declare.

The size is what defines it. At 1.9 litres, it does not slip into a bag pocket: this is a bottle you set down beside the bench and fill once for the whole session, or even for half the day. It is the format that has replaced repeated trips to the water fountain, and it is also the simplest way to know how much you have actually drunk.

The wide opening is the second technical point. It lets you add a powder by hand without a funnel and, above all, pass a brush inside to clean the bottom — something no narrow-necked bottle really allows. The rest of the brand's accessories can be found in our IO Genix section.

How do the technical specifications measure up?

Two points deserve comment, because they make the difference in day-to-day use.

The metal screw cap is the choice that sets this bottle apart from flip-top models. A flip-top always ends up leaking: the spring loosens, the seal warps, and the bottle empties into your gym bag. A screw cap with a gasket holds up over time, at the cost of one extra movement every time you drink. On a bottle of almost two litres carried full, that is the right trade-off.

The BPA- and DEHP-free claim refers to two compounds whose use in food-contact materials is regulated in Europe. The manufacturer also states compliance with EC Regulation 1935/2004, the reference text on materials intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. This is regulatory compliance, not a quality label: it is expected of any product sold legally, and it is good that it is stated.

A word about the hydration figures you come across everywhere on this type of page. The former description on this page claimed that you should drink “1 litre per hour of exercise” and that “performance declines from 1% dehydration onwards”. We have removed those statements, which are not universal rules: requirements vary enormously with temperature, intensity and the individual. The benchmark we can honestly quote is the EFSA one: around 2 litres of water a day for a woman and 2.5 litres for a man, from all sources combined, to be increased in hot weather or with physical activity. A 1.9-litre bottle therefore covers most of that baseline on its own.

How should you use and look after the bottle?

Before first use: wash in warm soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Filling: through the wide opening, with cold or room-temperature water. Closing: screw the cap on firmly before carrying it anywhere. After each use: rinse, wash in warm soapy water, and leave to air-dry, open.

Drying it open is the only real maintenance rule. A bottle closed while still damp develops a smell within three days, and once it has set in it is irreversible. Stand it upside down with the cap off to one side and the problem never arises.

Never pour boiling liquid into it: the plastic warps and the bottle loses its seal. Cold or room-temperature water only. Nor should you use it for anything other than drinks, which seems obvious but is set out explicitly in the manufacturer's instructions.

If you mix protein in it, rinse it immediately after drinking rather than once you are home: milk and whey dried at the bottom of a warm bottle are far harder to shift, and that is where the wide opening really comes into its own.

Finally, avoid leaving it in the sun in a car. Prolonged heat tires the plastic and the cap gasket, and lukewarm water has never made anyone want to drink.

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

It suits anyone who trains for a long time, who wants to keep track of what they drink over a session or a day, and who has had enough of interrupting their work to go and refill a 700 ml shaker. It suits particularly well those who dilute their BCAAs or their electrolytes for the whole session: two litres is the volume that lets you sip from start to finish.

It also works as a desk bottle, which is a more frequent use than people think: filled in the morning, it makes visible what has been drunk by 16:00.

It is not for you if you are looking for a container to carry on a bike or slip into a compact rucksack: 1.9 litres weighs almost two kilos once full, and the format is bulky. For that use, a classic 600 to 700 ml shaker remains far better suited.

Nor is it for you if you want to put hot drinks in it: this is not an insulated flask, and the plastic is not designed for that.

What not to expect from it: a bottle does not magically make you drink more. What it really changes is visibility — seeing that a litre is left at 15:00 is a far more effective reminder than good intentions. That is also why large formats work better than small ones for people who forget to drink.

Large bottle or classic shaker?

The two complement each other more than they replace each other, and many of our customers have both.

A 600 to 700 ml shaker, with its mesh or ball, is made for mixing a thick powder and drinking it straight away. It is the tool for whey after the session and for creatine in the morning: small, portable, quick to wash. Its weakness is volume: it forces three refills over a long session, and nobody really does that.

The 1.9-litre bottle does not mix as well — no mesh, and the volume is too large to shake a thick powder effectively. It does, on the other hand, settle the question of hydration over a session or a day once and for all, and it suits powders that dissolve on their own very well: electrolytes, amino acids, flavourings.

The most effective combination is therefore both together: the shaker for protein, the bottle for everything else. The full range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

Frequently asked questions

What is the exact capacity?

1.9 litres. It is a format designed to cover a whole session, or even half a working day, without having to refill it. Full, it weighs almost two kilos: that is worth bearing in mind if you have to carry it for a long time.

Can you put hot drinks in it?

No. The plastic is not designed for that and warps on contact with a boiling liquid, which compromises the seal of the cap. Cold or room-temperature water only, and it is not an insulated flask.

Is the cap really leak-proof?

It is a metal screw cap with a gasket, which holds up far better over time than a flip-top system. You simply need to screw it on firmly before laying the bottle down in a bag. A dry or damaged gasket always ends up leaking: check it from time to time.

How do you clean it properly?

In warm soapy water after each use, then air-dry it open and standing upside down. The wide opening lets you get a brush right to the bottom, which is essential if you regularly mix protein in it. A bottle closed while damp takes on a smell within a few days.

Can you mix a protein shake in it?

Yes, the wide opening makes it easy to add the powder. The result will be less smooth than with a mesh shaker, however: the volume is too large to shake effectively. It does suit powders that dissolve on their own very well, though, such as electrolytes or amino acids.

Is it dishwasher-safe?

The manufacturer does not say so in the information available to us, and we will not claim it. The heat of an intensive cycle tires plastics and matt coatings. Washing by hand in warm water remains the safe option, and it takes a minute.

What material is the bottle made from?

From a food-grade plastic declared free from BPA and DEHP, with a stainless metal cap and a reinforced plastic handle. The manufacturer states compliance with EC Regulation 1935/2004 on materials in contact with foodstuffs. It does not specify the exact type of polymer.

Where can you buy the IO Genix bottle?

It can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is the accessory we sell most between May and September: in a gym where it is twenty-eight degrees, the large bottle is no longer a gadget, and it is often the best buy of the season for a minimal outlay.

What is IO Genix HMB 1000 mg?

IO Genix HMB 1000 mg is a single-ingredient supplement in capsule form. Each capsule provides 1,000 mg of HMB, and the daily dose of three capsules provides 3 g. The bottle holds 90 capsules, which is exactly 30 days' worth.

HMB, or beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate, is not an amino acid but a metabolite: it is what the body makes from leucine, one of the three branched-chain amino acids. Around 5% of the leucine you consume is converted into HMB, which means you would have to swallow a considerable quantity of leucine to reach 3 g of HMB from food alone.

That arithmetic constraint is what explains the existence of this product. An HMB supplement delivers the metabolite directly, at the intended dose, without going through the conversion. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix aisle, and the amino acids it derives from in our BCAA aisle.

What does a serving of HMB contain?

3 g a day is the reference dose for this molecule, and the format matches it exactly. Three capsules, thirty days, one bottle: there is nothing to work out and nothing to split by hand. That is a consistency you do not always find on this aisle, where plenty of bottles run out after eighteen days at the stated dosage.

The capsule contains nothing beyond the HMB and an anti-caking agent. The manufacturer specifies that the molecule is in its free form, known as the acid form, rather than as a calcium salt. That piece of compositional information is useful to anyone comparing two products; we pass it on as it stands, without drawing from it any efficacy argument that nothing would support.

In regulatory terms the position is clear-cut: no health claim is authorised in Europe for HMB. Not for muscle mass, not for recovery, not for preserving muscle during a deficit. The role of HMB as a metabolite of leucine is a fact of biochemistry; what supplementation produces in a trained adult is another question, and reported results vary considerably depending on the population studied. So we describe the molecule and its dosage, without any promise attached to a figure.

Finally, one point the manufacturer flags and that matters: this product may duplicate another supplement containing HMB or leucine. Plenty of amino acid formulas already contain some. Read your labels before stacking.

Ingredients list

Hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB), coating agent (GELATINE), anti-caking agent (magnesium stearate). No added sugar, no sweetener, no preservative, no colouring, no lactose.

May contain traces of GLUTEN, EGGS, MILK, FISH and SOYA.

How do you take HMB 1000 mg?

Dose: 3 capsules a day, i.e. 3 g of HMB. Liquid: a large glass of water with each serving. Timing: split into two servings, one of them around training. Frequency: every day, rest days included. Duration: a course of 8 to 12 weeks, with an optional two-week break.

One clarification is needed, because the manufacturer's documentation offers two different splits. One puts two capsules in the morning and one after training; the other one capsule before the session and two after. The total is the same either way: 3 g a day. We go with the version that is easiest to stick to — two capsules in the morning, one after the session — because over twelve weeks it is consistency that decides the outcome, not the detail of the split.

Take the capsules with a large glass of water, preferably with a meal. The manufacturer also recommends leaving about two hours between an HMB serving and a creatine serving. That instruction is easy to follow in practice: creatine sits happily in the evening, HMB in the morning and around the session.

Rest days count as much as any other. As with most background supplements, the point is not to prime a session but to maintain a steady intake. Skipping weekends means lengthening the course without realising it.

The manufacturer puts the course at between 8 and 12 weeks, with an optional two-week break. Since one bottle covers thirty days, reckon on three bottles for a full course. This product logically sits alongside an adequate protein intake: it replaces neither a protein nor essential amino acids, it comes after them. Anyone looking for strength first will do better to look at creatine monohydrate, whose regulatory dossier is on an altogether firmer footing.

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

It is aimed at an adult in regular physical training, and more precisely at two points in a training journey: a phase of prolonged calorie deficit, where the aim is to preserve lean mass, and a return after a long lay-off. Those are the two situations in which it is most often recommended.

It is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans: the capsules are made of gelatine. Nor is it suitable for children or adolescents, whom the manufacturer explicitly excludes, or for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

One contraindication deserves careful reading: in cases of liver or kidney disease, the manufacturer asks that you consult a doctor before use. That is a serious precaution and not a stock phrase, on a molecule taken at 3 g a day for several weeks. The same goes for anyone on medical treatment.

The product may contain traces of gluten, eggs, milk, fish and soya.

What not to expect from it: this is not a product with a noticeable effect, you will feel nothing when you take it, and that is normal. It is not a fat burner, not a stimulant, and it does not build mass on its own. Above all, it in no way makes up for an insufficient protein intake: if your diet does not meet your protein needs, that is where to act first, and no capsule will let you off doing so.

HMB or EAA — which comes first?

Both touch on the same subject — amino acids and muscle — but they do not answer the same need, and the order matters.

EAAs provide the nine essential amino acids, that is, the ones the body cannot make itself. They fill a genuine gap when protein intake is low, during fasted training, or in people whose diet contains little animal protein. If your daily protein total is inadequate, that is where to start — or more simply with a protein powder, which is cheaper per gram.

HMB only makes sense after that. It fills no nutritional gap: it is a metabolite, not an essential nutrient, and it is only of interest to someone whose diet is already sound. Taking it while eating 80 g of protein a day at 85 kg is putting a second coat of paint on a wall that has had no first coat.

During a cutting phase, it logically complements a strategy built first on protein and a controlled calorie deficit — not on the capsules in our weight loss aisle. When bulking, it is the calorie total that decides, as our mass gain aisle sets out.

Frequently asked questions

How many capsules a day?

Three, i.e. 3 g of HMB, split into two servings. The 90-capsule bottle therefore covers exactly thirty days. Do not exceed this daily dose, and take account of any HMB present in your other supplements.

Should you take it on rest days?

Yes. HMB is not a session product but a background supplement, whose value rests on a steady intake over several weeks. On days without training, simply spread the three capsules across the day.

Why leave a gap before creatine?

The manufacturer recommends an interval of about two hours between the two. In practice this poses no difficulty: creatine sits happily in the evening and HMB in the morning and around the session. There is no incompatibility, merely an instruction to space them out.

Are these capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No. The shell is made of gelatine, which is of animal origin. That is a common limitation across this range, and there is no plant-based version of this particular reference.

Can it be taken with BCAAs or EAAs?

Yes, but check your labels. The manufacturer explicitly flags a risk of duplication with other supplements containing HMB or leucine. Plenty of amino acid formulas contain some, and stacking will bring you nothing extra.

How long before you can judge?

The manufacturer puts the course at between 8 and 12 weeks. That is also the order of magnitude on which a supplement of this kind is judged: nothing is settled in three weeks. Reckon on three bottles to see a full course through.

Does HMB build muscle?

No claim of that kind is authorised in Europe for HMB, and we are not going to write one. It is a metabolite of leucine, whose value depends entirely on the context: diet, training, phase of the programme. It builds nothing on its own.

Where can you buy IO Genix HMB 1000 mg?

The 90-capsule 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 sell first: the question always comes before the purchase, and it is a simple one — how much protein do you eat a day? For as long as the answer is vague, this bottle can wait. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Hydra Train?

IO Genix Hydra Train is a powder for dilution that combines two approaches rarely brought together: an electrolyte drink and an amino acid supply. A 6.5 g serving provides 2 g of alanyl-glutamine blend, 1 g of taurine, 1 g of D-ribose and 1 g of coconut water powder, with zinc, magnesium, sodium and chloride to round it off.

The daily amount set by the manufacturer is two servings, that is 13 g per day. This is worth noting straight away, because every figure on the label exists in two versions depending on whether you are talking about one serving or the full day.

The flavours listed: Mango and Cherry-Cola. The number of servings per tub is not published by the manufacturer in the information available to us. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix section.

What does a 6.5 g serving contain?

The manufacturer does not publish the energy values or the macronutrients of its product in the information available to us.

The most important figure in this table is not an amino acid, it is the zinc. At two servings a day you reach 15 mg, which is 150% of the reference value — and that is exactly the daily ceiling set in France for food supplements. The direct and very practical consequence: if you already take a zinc supplement, a ZMA or a multivitamin, you will go over that ceiling without noticing. This is not a detail, and nobody flags it on this kind of product.

The alanyl-glutamine blend is where the formula is genuinely original. Free glutamine is not very stable in solution; combined with alanine, it forms a dipeptide that holds up better in a liquid and therefore lends itself to a drink prepared in advance. It is a technical choice consistent with the intended use — a bottle you sip over an hour — rather than a marketing argument. Our glutamine section offers the free form for those who prefer it.

The 100 mg of magnesium per day covers a quarter of the reference value, which allows an authorised claim: magnesium contributes to normal muscle function, to electrolyte balance and to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Zinc, at 15 mg, contributes to normal protein synthesis and to the normal function of the immune system. These are the only two ingredients in the formula that carry claims: neither taurine, nor glutamine, nor D-ribose, nor coconut water has any.

One point of composition to know before buying: the formula contains the colours E110 and E122, for which a regulatory statement applies — “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children”. The manufacturer displays it, and that is to its credit. If azo dyes bother you, that is a legitimate reason to choose otherwise.

Ingredients list

Taurine, D-RIBOSE® powder, coconut water powder (Cocos nucifera L.), alanyl-glutamine blend (L-alanine and L-glutamine KYOWA QUALITY®), anti-caking agent (silicon dioxide), sodium chloride, flavouring, acidity regulator (citric acid), zinc picolinate, magnesium DL-malate PAUL LOHMANN®, sweeteners (sucralose and acesulfame K) and colours (E110, E122). May contain traces of GLUTEN (WHEAT, OATS), NUTS, PEANUTS, EGGS, MILK, FISH and SOYA.

How do you take Hydra Train?

Serving: one scoop, that is 6.5 g. Liquid: around 400 ml of water. Timing: one serving in the morning, one during training. Frequency: two servings a day, without exceeding 13 g. Duration: the manufacturer explicitly limits consumption to a few weeks or a few months.

The stated 400 ml is not a suggestion: at that volume the drink stays light and is easy to sip without sitting heavily, which is exactly the use intended during a session. More concentrated, it turns acidic and becomes less pleasant to drink over time.

The two slots, morning and training, follow a logic. In the morning, the serving acts as a baseline intake; during the session, it makes up for sweat losses as they occur. If you are not training that day, a single serving is more than enough — and it halves your zinc intake, which is rather a good thing.

Never exceed 13 g per day. The manufacturer states this, and the reason is the zinc: at three servings you would be at 22.5 mg a day, well above the French ceiling for a food supplement. This is not a commercial constraint, it is a safety marker.

The drink can be prepared well in advance, which is precisely the point of the alanyl-glutamine dipeptide: a bottle filled in the morning will keep until the evening session without the glutamine degrading the way the free form would.

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

It suits someone who trains for a long time or in the heat, and who wants a single drink rather than two: electrolytes and amino acids in the same shaker. That is a real gain in simplicity for anyone already stacking three products around a session.

The product is for adults only. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should consult a healthcare professional before any use. The manufacturer also specifies that consumption should be limited to a few weeks or a few months — a rare and honest statement, consistent with the daily zinc load.

It is not for you if you already take zinc elsewhere, for the reason explained above. Nor is it for you if you avoid azo dyes: E110 and E122 are present, along with the regulatory statement that goes with them. Finally, it is made in a facility handling gluten, nuts, peanuts, eggs, milk, fish and soya: in the case of a severe allergy, that alone rules it out.

What not to expect from it: this is not an energy drink. It does not provide carbohydrates in any useful amount, and over a long session you need to add a source of energy alongside it. Nor is it a substitute for EAA: 2 g of glutamine and 2 g of alanine a day do not cover the spectrum of essential amino acids and do not have the same effect on protein synthesis.

Hydra Train or a plain electrolyte drink?

The question comes up because the product costs more than a standard electrolyte formula.

A plain electrolyte drink focuses on sodium, potassium and magnesium. It is the better choice if your problem is strictly sweat: sessions in a hot gym, endurance sports, summer. It costs less per serving, it can be taken without any limit on duration, and it provides neither zinc nor amino acids that you may not need.

Hydra Train adds a layer: amino acids, D-ribose, zinc at a proper dose. It is the better choice if you are looking to consolidate several products into one, and if you accept the constraint of the zinc ceiling. Its other strength is the alanyl-glutamine dipeptide, more stable in solution than free glutamine — which genuinely matters for a drink prepared in advance.

If it is taurine alone that interests you, our taurine section offers it dosed separately, and pairing it with magnesium as a course often works out cheaper for a comparable result.

Frequently asked questions

How many servings per day?

Two, that is 13 g in total, and the manufacturer asks that you do not exceed this amount. The reason is the zinc: two servings provide 15 mg, which is the French daily ceiling for a food supplement. A third serving would take you above it.

Can it be taken alongside another zinc supplement?

No, not without doing the arithmetic. Two servings already take up all the available room. If you take a ZMA, a multivitamin or a standalone zinc, cut down to one serving a day or space the intakes out. Excess zinc over a long period ends up degrading copper status.

What is the alanyl-glutamine blend?

It is a dipeptide, that is two amino acids bonded together: L-alanine and L-glutamine. That bond makes glutamine far more stable in solution than its free form, which degrades in a liquid. It is what allows the drink to be prepared in advance without losing the ingredient.

Does the product contain carbohydrates?

The manufacturer does not publish energy values or macronutrients. Given the composition, the carbohydrate content is very low: this is not an energy drink. For a long session, you need to add a separate source of carbohydrates.

Why are there colours in the formula?

For the colour of the flavours. These are E110 and E122, two azo dyes authorised in Europe but subject to a mandatory statement regarding activity and attention in children. The manufacturer displays it. If these additives bother you, that is an entirely reasonable basis for choosing otherwise.

Can it be taken continuously all year round?

No, the manufacturer explicitly limits consumption to a few weeks or a few months. That is a rare and coherent statement: at 15 mg of zinc a day without a break, a regular pause is more sensible than permanent use.

Is it suitable for vegetarians?

No ingredient on the list is of animal origin, glutamine and alanine being obtained by fermentation. The manufacturer does not, however, explicitly claim vegetarian status, and the production facility handles milk, eggs and fish. The label on the tub you receive is what counts.

Where can you buy IO Genix Hydra Train?

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 in front of which we always ask what else the customer is taking: with a formula providing 15 mg of zinc a day, the question is far from trivial, and it sometimes changes the answer. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix's IO Burner?

IO Burner is a thermogenic complex in vegetable capsules. One capsule, which is the complete daily dose, brings 200 mg of caffeine, 20 mg of p-synephrine, 200 mg of green tea extract including 100 mg of EGCG, 25 µg of chromium and 0.56 mg of phenylcapsaicin. Six actives, every one of them stated to the milligram.

This is a stimulant product, and it should be called by its name in the first line. The 200 mg of caffeine per capsule correspond to about two espressos swallowed in one go. It is not a harmless supplement you add absent-mindedly to a routine: it is the most loaded product in this whole aisle, and it needs to be read before it is bought.

The formula combines three sources of caffeine — anhydrous caffeine, green tea and guarana — a bitter orange extract standardised in synephrine, a derivative of chilli capsaicin and a trace element. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix aisle, and the other references in the category in our fat burner capsules aisle.

What does one IO Burner capsule contain?

This table is the product's best argument, and not for the reason you might think. What sets it apart is not the strength of its formula, it is the fact that every active is detailed down to the second decimal place, caffeine content broken down by source included. Many fat burners announce a "thermogenic complex" without giving a single milligram, which makes any comparison impossible. Here, you know exactly what you are swallowing.

200 mg of caffeine is the benchmark to keep in mind. EFSA considers that single intakes of 200 mg of caffeine do not raise safety concerns for a healthy adult. You are therefore at exactly that level, in one capsule. That is also what explains the manufacturer's instruction: never on an empty stomach, never two capsules, and pay attention to everything else you drink during the day.

Only one ingredient in this formula has authorised claims in Europe: chromium, which contributes to the maintenance of normal blood glucose levels and to normal macronutrient metabolism. At 25 µg, or 62 % of the reference value, the threshold is met. For all the others — caffeine, synephrine, green tea, EGCG, guarana, phenylcapsaicin — no health claim is authorised, neither on fat burning, nor on metabolism, nor on thermogenesis. The term "fat burner" here is a commercial category name, not a promise of effect, and we will not make it say any more than that.

Missing from the manufacturer's file: the number of capsules per bottle is not communicated. We will not infer it; it appears on the packaging.

Ingredients list

Dry fruit extract of Citrus aurantium L. standardised to 6 % synephrine, green tea leaf extract (Camellia sinensis O. Ktze) standardised to 50 % EGCG, vegetable capsule (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose), anhydrous caffeine, dry guarana seed extract (Paullinia cupana) standardised to 22 % caffeine, anti-caking agents (magnesium silicate, magnesium salts of fatty acids), AXIVITE microencapsulated phenylcapsaicin (cellulose, modified maize starch, phenylcapsaicin 1 %, anthocyanins, water), chromium picolinate.

May contain traces of GLUTEN (wheat and oats), NUTS, PEANUTS, EGGS, MILK, FISH, SULPHITES and SOYA. The capsule is vegetable: the product is suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.

How do you take IO Burner?

Dose: 1 capsule, and one only. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: before the session on training days, during the morning on rest days. Frequency: one intake a day, never two. Duration: the manufacturer sets no course length; taking a regular break remains good practice with a caffeinated product.

"Never on an empty stomach" is the most important instruction on this page, and the manufacturer writes it out in full. 200 mg of caffeine and a bitter orange extract in an empty stomach is the recipe for palpitations, nausea and feeling faint at the start of a session. Take the capsule with a meal or a snack, without exception.

The second point is stacking, and it is the one people forget. Count everything you consume during the day: a coffee in the morning, a tea in the afternoon, a pre-workout before the session, an energy drink at the end of the day. Added to this capsule, you very quickly go past what is comfortable. The manufacturer also asks that you do not consume other green tea products on the same day, and points out that daily EGCG intake should not reach 800 mg.

Do not take it late in the day. Caffeine has a half-life of several hours: a capsule taken at five in the afternoon is still felt at bedtime, and degraded sleep cancels out everything you were trying to achieve.

If you are sensitive to stimulants or have never taken this type of product, caution says to start differently. A stimulant-free fat burner lets you gauge your tolerance without landing on 200 mg on day one.

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

It is aimed at a healthy adult, used to caffeine, engaged in a calorie deficit and regular physical activity. It is a support product, in a setting where the diet is already doing the work.

The list of exclusions is long, and the manufacturer sets it out itself in unusually firm terms. The product is strictly not recommended for children, for adolescents under 18, or for pregnant or breastfeeding women. It requires a medical consultation in case of concurrent medication. Two ceilings are restated: daily EGCG intake must not reach 800 mg, and phenylcapsaicin from supplements is limited to 2.5 mg per day.

One point deserves to be known and is rarely mentioned: ANSES, the French food safety agency, has called for vigilance over supplements containing synephrine, particularly when it is combined with caffeine and consumed alongside intense physical exercise. This product combines precisely those two. That is not a reason to give up if you are in good health and stick to the dose; it is a reason not to improvise, never to double the intake, and to abstain in case of cardiovascular disorder, high blood pressure or ongoing treatment.

The capsule is vegetable, which makes the product compatible with vegetarian and vegan diets — an exception in this range. It may contain traces of gluten, nuts, peanuts, eggs, milk, fish, sulphites and soya.

What not to expect from it: this product does not make you lose weight. No capsule creates a calorie deficit, and no weight-loss claim is authorised for its ingredients. What you will feel is the effect of 200 mg of caffeine: alertness and a sense of energy. That is real, it is useful for getting through a session during a period of restriction, and it replaces neither the plate nor the training, as our weight loss aisle points out.

Fat burner with or without caffeine: how to choose

This is the only trade-off that really matters in this aisle, and it depends not on your goal but on your day.

A caffeinated fat burner like this one has a noticeable effect: alertness, energy, appetite often somewhat blunted. That feeling is what explains its success, and it is real. It suits you if you drink little coffee otherwise, if you train in the morning or early afternoon, and if you tolerate stimulants well.

A caffeine-free fat burner is not felt. It becomes the obvious choice if you already drink three coffees a day, if you train in the evening, if your sleep is fragile, or if stimulants give you palpitations. It is not a lesser product: it is the right product for a different context.

Finally, watch out for a very common overlap: most pre-workout boosters also contain 150 to 300 mg of caffeine. Taking both on the same day means doubling the dose without realising it. If your booster is already caffeinated, choose a caffeine-free booster or give up one of the two. And check for chromium in your other supplements, since this capsule already brings 62 % of the daily reference.

Frequently asked questions

How much caffeine is in one capsule?

200 mg in total, split between 162 mg of anhydrous caffeine, 22 mg from guarana and 16 mg from green tea. That is the equivalent of about two espressos swallowed at once. EFSA considers that single intakes of 200 mg do not raise concerns for a healthy adult.

Why should it never be taken on an empty stomach?

Because the manufacturer writes it explicitly, and because such a load of caffeine and bitter orange extract in an empty stomach frequently causes nausea, palpitations or faintness. Always take it with a meal or a snack.

Does this product make you lose weight?

No, and no weight-loss claim is authorised in Europe for its ingredients. Only chromium has claims, covering the maintenance of normal blood glucose levels and macronutrient metabolism. The rest is a stimulant that accompanies an effort, without ever replacing it.

Can it be combined with a pre-workout?

That is the overlap to avoid. Most pre-workouts already contain 150 to 300 mg of caffeine: added to the 200 mg in this capsule, you reach levels that are no longer comfortable at all. Choose one or the other, or switch to a caffeine-free version.

Is it suitable for vegetarians?

Yes. The capsule is vegetable, made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and no ingredient in the formula is of animal origin. It is one of the few products in this range in that position, most using gelatine.

What does ANSES say about synephrine?

The agency has called for caution regarding supplements containing synephrine, particularly when it is combined with caffeine and consumed during intense physical exercise. This product combines precisely those two: stick strictly to the dose and abstain in case of cardiovascular disorder.

What time of day should it be taken?

Before the session on training days, during the morning on rest days. Never late in the day: caffeine stays active for several hours, and degraded sleep cancels the benefit you were seeking during a calorie deficit.

Where to buy IO Genix IO Burner

The bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. In the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product we talk about the longest: the first question is never the customer's goal, but how many coffees they drink in a day. The answer is often enough to decide between this one and a caffeine-free version. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Iso Clear?

IO Genix Iso Clear, also sold as IsoZero Clear, is a whey protein isolate formulated to give a clear, fruity drink rather than a creamy shake. That is the principle behind clear whey: the protein stays dissolved in an acidic medium, and the result drinks like a lemonade.

The raw material is Lacprodan® Clearshake, a whey isolate from the Danish supplier Arla, which accounts for 96.82 % of the formula in the Strawberry flavour. The rest fits into five lines: flavouring, citric acid as an acidity regulator, sucralose and acesulfame K as sweeteners, azorubine as a colour, and pyridoxine hydrochloride for the vitamin B6.

The flavours available: Blueberry, Iced Peach, Piña Colada, Strawberry Mojito, Watermelon and Raspberry. The register is that of a summer drink, not a milky dessert. The product also sits in our whey isolate and IO Genix ranges.

What does a 30 g serving contain?

* Column calculated from the values declared for 30 g, as the manufacturer does not publish a per-100 g column. The figures correspond to the Strawberry flavour and may vary slightly from one flavour to another. One inconsistency worth flagging: the manufacturer declares 0.5 mg of vitamin B6 per serving and states 118 % of the NRV. Yet the European nutrient reference value for vitamin B6 is 1.4 mg: 0.5 mg represents roughly 36 % of it. We reproduce the amount exactly as declared and flag the discrepancy rather than settling it on the brand's behalf. Dietary fibre is not declared.

The figure that matters is 26 g of protein for 105 kcal. Referred back to the powder, that gives 86.6 % protein, which is the top of the range for a clear whey — many stop at around 80 %. Put another way, a 30 g serving delivers as much protein as a 33 g serving of standard whey, without the fat or the lactose.

A word on a claim doing the rounds that needs correcting: this product is not "zero sugar, zero fat". It contains 0.06 g of sugars and 0.03 g of fat per serving. These are negligible amounts over the course of a day, and the product comfortably meets the regulatory thresholds allowing the "high protein" and "low fat" statements — but zero means zero, and that is not the case here. The claims authorised for protein are precise: it contributes to a growth in muscle mass, to the maintenance of muscle mass and to the maintenance of normal bones. Vitamin B6 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism. There is no recovery claim for protein, contrary to what you read everywhere.

How do you prepare Iso Clear?

Serving: 30 g. Liquid: 250 ml of cold water. When: after training, or as a snack between meals. How often: 1 to 2 servings a day depending on your protein requirements. How long: no limit — it is a protein, and it can be used for as long as your diet needs it.

Method matters more here than with other products. Pour the water in first, then the powder, shake, then let the foam settle for about thirty seconds before drinking: whey proteins are surface-active and stabilise the bubbles. The more you shake, the longer the foam holds.

Two things you must never do with a clear whey. Never mix it with milk: the acidity destabilises the casein, and the mixture curdles and turns grainy. And never cook with it: a clear whey coagulates with heat and has no business in a pancake. For cooking, keep a whey concentrate. Served very cold, with crushed ice, it is noticeably better.

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

The strongest use case is this one: you can no longer face milky shakes. Digestive heaviness, the taste of vanilla every single day, or simply a summer session after which nothing creamy will go down. A protein you do not drink is of no use to anyone, and that is exactly where this format earns its place. During a cutting phase, 105 kcal a serving is also hard to beat.

It is not suitable in several cases. The product contains MILK and may contain traces of NUTS, EGGS, FISH and SOYA. In the event of a diagnosed cow's milk protein allergy it is contraindicated: filtration removes the lactose, not the proteins. It is not recommended for children or pregnant women. The colour azorubine also carries the following mandatory statement: may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.

What you should not expect from it: anything more than any other protein. A clear isolate is neither better nor less well absorbed than a standard isolate, and the 26 g of protein do exactly the same job. The difference is one of comfort, not of performance. And it is not a slimming product: it helps you hold a deficit, and it is the deficit that does the work.

Iso Clear or a standard whey isolate?

Both start from the same raw material. What separates them is the formulation and the use you will make of it.

A standard whey isolate wins in three situations. You take two or three servings a day: the price per kilo of protein becomes decisive, and the standard isolate is almost always better placed. You cook with your powder: a clear whey coagulates, a standard whey does not. You want a creamy drink that keeps you going between two meals: a clear whey, by design, does not satisfy in the same way. On those three points, Iso Clear loses.

Iso Clear wins when the drink itself is the problem. Difficulty digesting milky shakes, weariness of the milky taste, the urge for a cold, tangy drink at the end of a session. It also wins on protein density: 86.6 % puts this product above the average for its category. The calculation that settles it is the same on both sides: price of the tub, divided by its weight in kilos, divided by the protein content per 100 g. Do it before you buy. All the families can be compared in the protein range.

Frequently asked questions

How many servings are there in a tub?

The net weight of the tub does not appear in the data supplied by the manufacturer, so we cannot calculate the exact number of servings. What we do know for certain: the reference serving weighs 30 g and provides 26 g of protein. Divide the weight shown on the packaging by 30 to get the count.

Can it be mixed with milk?

No. The acidity of the formula makes the casein in milk flocculate: the mixture curdles and turns grainy. Use cold water, 250 ml per 30 g serving. That is a constraint of every product in this category, not a fault of this one.

Does it contain lactose?

Very little. The filtration process removes most of the lactose and the fat, which explains the 0.36 g of carbohydrate per serving. Many people who struggle with a whey concentrate tolerate it without difficulty. Take care not to confuse this with milk protein allergy, which rules the product out.

Why does the stated vitamin B6 percentage not add up?

The manufacturer declares 0.5 mg per serving and states 118 % of the NRV, which is inconsistent with the European reference value of 1.4 mg. We flag the discrepancy rather than correcting it ourselves. In any case, vitamin B6 is not the reason to buy this product.

How do you avoid the foam?

Pour the water in before the powder, shake moderately, then let it stand for thirty seconds. Taking the metal whisk out of the shaker helps a great deal. Made in advance and left in the fridge for an hour, the drink is more pleasant and completely clear.

Can it be used in baking?

No. A clear whey coagulates when cooked and gives a rubbery texture. For pancakes, cookies or protein cakes, you need a whey concentrate or a casein from the casein range.

Does the composition change from one flavour to another?

Yes, slightly. The published values correspond to the Strawberry flavour, where the isolate accounts for 96.82 % of the formula and the protein concentration reaches 86.6 %. The manufacturer indicates a content of around 86 % depending on the flavour. The colour used also varies from one flavour to the next.

Where can you buy IO Genix Iso Clear?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship anywhere in France and Europe. With a tangy drink, flavour remains the one criterion no product page can replace: it is the kind of product you choose better by talking to someone who has drunk it.

Our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, keeps the full range in stock. If you are looking instead for an amino acid drink to sip during training, take a look at the EAA range.

What is IO Genix Isolate Professional?

IO Genix Isolate Professional is a powdered whey isolate, available in 1 kg and 2 kg, from intense chocolate to pistachio. It is produced by IO Genix, a Spanish brand.

Its raw material is a whey protein isolate obtained by cross-flow microfiltration, the process the acronym CFM refers to, sold under the ingredient brand PROMIKO®. This is a mechanical membrane filtration carried out cold, not an ion exchange. In the Chocolat intense flavour, this isolate accounts for 86.91% of the recipe according to the manufacturer's ingredient list.

One point deserves to be settled straight away, because the confusion appeared on this page and is found elsewhere in the sector: 86.91% is the share of the isolate ingredient in the formula, not the protein content of the powder. The latter is declared at 83.1%. Both figures are correct; they simply do not measure the same thing.

The formula is completed with milk proteins, fat-reduced cocoa powder in the chocolate flavours, yoghurt powder, flavourings, two sweeteners (sucralose and acesulfame K), vitamin B6, soya lecithin as an emulsifier and a complex of five enzymes sold under the name DigeZyme®: amylase, protease, lactase, lipase, cellulase.

What does a 30 g serving of Isolate Professional contain?

The reference serving is 30 g. In the Chocolat intense flavour, it provides 25 g of protein for 114 kcal, 1.9 g of carbohydrate of which 0.6 g sugars, 0.6 g of fat of which 0.3 g saturates and 0.03 g of salt. To this are added 0.5 mg of vitamin B6, or 36% of the nutrient reference value, and 30 mg of DigeZyme® complex. The details appear in the nutritional values tab, which takes precedence over everything this page says.

The declared protein content is 83.1%, the level expected of a flavoured isolate: the cocoa, the yoghurt powder and the flavourings take up space in the powder and bring the percentage down. It is the 0.6 g of fat and the 0.6 g of sugars per serving that stand out, and that is precisely what you are buying when you pay for an isolate rather than a concentrate.

The 1 kg tub covers 33 servings and the 2 kg one 66 servings. These are divisions we make here: the manufacturer does not publish a number of servings.

What we cannot give you, for want of having it: the value in kilojoules, the regulatory "per 100 g" column, the fibre content, the residual lactose content and a detailed amino acid profile. None of these data are passed on to us, and we will not reconstruct them from literature averages: an estimate presented as a measurement remains an invention.

Two regulatory wordings can be used here, and they are the only ones. Proteins contribute to a growth in and the maintenance of muscle mass. And, as the vitamin B6 content exceeds 15% of the NRV per serving, vitamin B6 contributes to normal protein and glycogen metabolism. The enzyme complex, for its part, can be described but nothing can be promised of it: no digestive claim is authorised in Europe for this type of ingredient, and you will read none here.

How do you prepare IO Genix Isolate Professional?

The manufacturer indicates 30 g of powder, that is one scoop, in 250 to 300 ml of cold water or plant-based drink, shaken for about fifteen seconds. Only one volume figure is given, and that is the one.

Allow one to three servings per day, depending on the gap between what your meals already cover and your protein target. No course duration is indicated by the manufacturer, and there is no reason to set one: a protein powder is a food, not an active ingredient to be cycled.

The timing is a matter of convenience: after the session, at breakfast or as a snack. There is no thirty-minute window to respect — it is the twenty-four-hour protein total that determines the result, not the timing of the shaker.

An isolate dissolves quickly and gives a more fluid drink than a concentrate. It can be cooked with, but withstands long cooking less well, where it tends to dry out: add it at the end of preparation. A wide-mouth shaker, in our accessories, limits lumps; for a more substantial snack, pair it with a carbohydrate source such as cream of rice.

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

It is aimed at three profiles. Those who digest a whey concentrate poorly and are looking for a more filtered powder. Those counting carbohydrates and fat at the end of a cutting phase, where 1.9 g and 0.6 g per serving change the day's calculation. And those taking two to three servings daily, for whom the 2 kg format brings down the price per gram of protein.

The product contains MILK and SOYA. It may contain traces of EGGS, GLUTEN and NUTS owing to shared manufacturing methods. A diagnosed allergy to cow's milk proteins contraindicates it: filtration removes lactose, never the proteins. The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women. In the event of medical treatment or kidney or liver disorder, the question is one for your doctor or your pharmacist, not for a product page.

What should not be expected of it. It is not a lactose-free product: the residual content is not quantified by the manufacturer, and the presence of lactase in the enzyme complex does not change the composition of the powder. Nor is it a weight loss product: it provides a lot of protein for few calories, which helps to maintain a deficit, but it is the deficit that produces the result. Finally, it does not build muscle on its own, without training or sufficient calorie intake.

Isolate Professional or IO Genix Whey 80 Professional?

This is the trade-off that matters on this page, and it is settled in favour of the concentrate more often than one might think.

The Whey 80 Professional, from the same brand, contains 82% protein and provides 24.6 g per 30 g serving, against 25 g and 83.1% here. The gap comes down to four tenths of a gram of protein per serving. The concentrate, on the other hand, provides 7.2 g of BCAAs at an 8:1:1 ratio, obtained by directly adding L-leucine, which the isolate does not do. On the price per gram of protein, it wins almost every time.

The isolate retains three real advantages, and at least one of them must apply to you to justify the price difference. First, the fat: 0.6 g per serving against 1.0 g. Then a more thorough filtration, hence less residual lactose — the point that matters if shakers sit heavily with you. Finally the 2 kg format, which the Whey 80 does not offer. Note in passing that on carbohydrates the ranking is reversed: 1.9 g here against 1.3 g for the concentrate, because of the cocoa and the yoghurt powder.

If none of these three points speaks to you, take the concentrate. That is what our protein section already says, and we are not changing our minds because the isolate sells for more.

Frequently asked questions

Why 83.1% protein and not 86.91%?

Because the two figures do not measure the same thing. 86.91% is the proportion of the PROMIKO® isolate ingredient in the recipe for the Chocolat intense flavour, as it appears in the ingredient list. 83.1% is the protein content of the finished powder, that is 25 g for a 30 g serving. It is this second figure that is used to compare two proteins with one another.

Should you take the 1 kg or the 2 kg?

The 1 kg covers 33 servings of 30 g, the 2 kg covers 66. At one serving a day, the first lasts a month; at two servings daily, the second lasts barely longer. The 2 kg format lowers the price per gram of protein, provided you keep the same flavour to the end — which not everyone can put up with.

What is the DigeZyme® complex in the formula for?

It brings together five enzymes: amylase, protease, lactase, lipase and cellulase, at 30 mg per serving. We limit ourselves to this description. No digestive claim is authorised in Europe for an enzyme complex in a food, and we will therefore attribute no effect to it, whatever other product pages may say.

How much lactose is left in a serving?

We do not know: the manufacturer does not quantify the residual lactose content, and we will not put forward an invented value. What can be said is that the serving provides 1.9 g of carbohydrate in total, of which 0.6 g sugars. In case of severe intolerance, ask for the batch's technical data sheet before buying.

Which flavours are available?

Chocolat intense, Milkshake Vanille, Strawberry Cream, Original Black Cookies, Cookies & Cream, Bombon Rocher, Chocolate Amazonico, ChokoKrac, Peanut Butter & Cookies and Salted Caramel. The register is that of the milk dessert. Each exists in 1 kg and in 2 kg.

Are the nutritional values identical across all flavours?

No. The figures published here correspond to the Chocolat intense flavour, whose recipe contains fat-reduced cocoa. Flavours without cocoa show slightly different values, particularly on carbohydrates. The label on the tub you receive takes precedence over the one on this page.

Do you have an isolate without sweeteners?

Yes. This one contains sucralose and acesulfame K. If you are looking for an ingredient list without sweeteners or emulsifiers, look at the whey from Protéalpes, produced in France: three ingredients per flavour, a lower protein level for that very reason, and a smaller format. It is not the same product nor the same price per kilo.

Where to buy IO Genix Isolate Professional?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, in 1 kg as well as 2 kg, and we ship throughout France and Europe. The choice of format is rarely made well on a screen: in our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we set the 1 kg and the 2 kg side by side and we work out the price per gram of protein in front of you, isolate against concentrate.

The rest of the section can be browsed from our sports nutrition.

What is IO Genix Isoluxe CFM?

IO Genix Isoluxe CFM is a whey isolate sold in 500 g and 1.5 kg tubs, with a 30 g serving size. Its base is not a single isolate but a pairing of two raw materials the manufacturer names explicitly: Isolac®, a microfiltered whey isolate, and Optipep®, a hydrolysed isolate. The manufacturer states that Isolac® comes from grass-fed cows' milk; we report that claim exactly as it publishes it, without verifying it ourselves.

Three ingredients round out the formula, and each deserves a sentence. A DigeZyme® enzyme complex combining amylase, protease, lactase, lipase and cellulase. A strain of Bacillus coagulans, marketed under the name LactoSpore®. And a natural sweetener, steviol glycosides from stevia — a rare choice in this category, where sucralose dominates.

The flavours listed in 500 g, including an unflavoured Natural version: Chocolate Hazelnut, Strawberry, Bourbon Vanilla, Greek Yoghurt and Blueberry, Dark Chocolate-Coconut, Banana-Pineapple, Peanut Butter, Intense Chocolate and Natural. The 1.5 kg format carries the same list. The rest of the range sits in the IO Genix section.

What does a 30 g serving contain?

* Column calculated from the per-100 g values, as the manufacturer publishes no per-serving column.

Let us be blunt: this table is not precise enough for a product positioned this way. The manufacturer publishes thresholds and a range — "more than 85 g", "less than 5 g", "370 to 380 kcal" — where the labelling on a premium isolate ought to give exact figures. It publishes no "of which saturates" line, no "of which sugars" line and no kilojoule equivalent. And it advertises a full amino acid profile without publishing a single figure from it, which is especially unfortunate on an isolate: that is precisely the data that would justify the price gap with a concentrate. We will not fill any of those boxes with an estimate.

That said, what the threshold guarantees remains solid. More than 85 g of protein per 100 g is squarely isolate territory: a concentrate tops out at around 75 to 80 g. Translated into a serving, that works out at more than 25.5 g of protein for roughly 112 kcal, with less than a gram and a half of carbohydrate and three tenths of a gram of fat. Protein here supplies more than 90% of the product's energy, which qualifies it for the "high protein" nutrition claim, and the applicable regulatory wording is this one: protein contributes to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass.

On the two "bonus" ingredients, let us be clear. No digestive claim is authorised in Europe for an enzyme complex such as DigeZyme®, and no health claim is authorised for a culture such as Bacillus coagulans — the very term "probiotic" is regulated. So we describe their presence, not an effect. Factually: the lactase in the complex is the enzyme that breaks down lactose, which makes sense in a dairy protein. What difference that makes for you, only trying it will tell.

How do you prepare Isoluxe CFM?

Dose: 30 g, i.e. one scoop. Liquid: 200 to 250 ml, ideally very cold water. Timing: after training, on waking, between meals, or at bedtime in a reduced serving. Frequency: 1 to 3 servings a day depending on your needs. Duration: ongoing, no course is required.

Shake vigorously for 20 to 30 seconds in a shaker. The tip that makes the biggest difference to the result: use very cold water, or add two ice cubes. An isolate dissolves better cold, and the fine texture that is its whole appeal disappears in a lukewarm liquid.

The powder also blends very well into pancakes, porridge or a smoothie bowl. The Natural flavour, with no flavouring or sweetener, is the one best suited to that: it imposes nothing on your recipes and leaves you in control of the sweetening. If you are cooking with heat, add the powder at the end — poured into a boiling liquid, protein coagulates.

On format: the 500 g tub covers roughly 16 servings, the 1.5 kg one covers 50. The small format is the right choice for trying a flavour; the large one becomes worthwhile once you have made up your mind, and it brings the cost per serving down. As for when to take it, do not overthink it: what counts is your protein total across the twenty-four hours, not the quarter of an hour after your last set.

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

It targets three specific situations. A strict cutting phase, where every gram of carbohydrate and fat counts. Difficulty digesting dairy proteins, an isolate containing markedly less lactose than a concentrate. And a demand for texture: an isolate gives a thin, fluid drink, where a concentrate stays thicker.

The product contains MILK proteins, and traces of SOYA are possible — the emulsifier is sunflower or soya lecithin depending on the batch. The manufacturer declares it gluten free, advises against it for anyone allergic to milk proteins, and asks pregnant or breastfeeding women to consult a healthcare professional.

It is not for you if your budget is tight: at comparable protein quality, a whey concentrate costs appreciably less per serving, and we set out that trade-off just below. Nor is it for you if you are allergic — rather than merely intolerant — to milk proteins: filtration removes the lactose, not the proteins. Finally, if you want to know precisely what your leucine or BCAA intake is, the absence of a published amino acid profile is a real obstacle.

What not to expect from it: this is neither a weight-loss product, nor a meal replacement, nor a performance product. It is a very clean protein source, and the word "luxury" in the trade name denotes a positioning, not a nutritional property.

Isoluxe CFM or a whey concentrate?

This is the central trade-off in the protein category, and it comes down to three grams.

Here, more than 25.5 g of protein per 30 g serving, less than 1.5 g of carbohydrate, less than 0.3 g of fat. On a decent whey concentrate, reckon on 22 to 23 g of protein, 4 to 5 g of carbohydrate and roughly 1 g of fat for the same serving. The real gap is therefore two to three grams of protein per shake — the equivalent of half an egg white — for an appreciably higher price per serving.

Whey concentrate is the better choice for most people: if your aim is to hit your daily protein total and you digest lactose without trouble, it does the same job for less. We say so plainly, even though it is not the product on this page.

Isoluxe is the better choice in three cases where the gap genuinely pays off. In a strict cutting phase, where 3 g of carbohydrate saved per shake, multiplied by three servings a day, eventually adds up. In cases of digestive discomfort with a concentrate, where the reduced lactose content makes a tangible difference. And if texture matters to you — an isolate is drunk, a concentrate is almost chewed. If you want to go further still on absorption speed, look at the hydrolysed wheys, of which the Optipep® present here is precisely an example.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Isolac® and Optipep®?

They are two distinct raw materials. Isolac® is a whey isolate obtained by microfiltration; Optipep® is a hydrolysed isolate, whose protein chains have been pre-cut. The manufacturer does not publish the proportion of each in the formula, which makes any numerical conclusion impossible. We report their presence, not a ranking.

How many servings in each format?

Roughly 16 servings of 30 g in the 500 g tub, and 50 in the 1.5 kg one. The small format is the right choice for trying a flavour without committing; the large one brings the cost per serving down once you know which one suits you. Note that the 1.5 kg is not available in every flavour.

Why are the nutritional values given as thresholds?

Because the manufacturer publishes "more than 85 g of protein", "less than 5 g of carbohydrate" rather than exact figures. It is a common practice but a poor one on a product of this standing, and we would rather flag it than gloss over it. The values printed on the tub you receive are the ones that apply.

Is the sweetener stevia?

Yes, these are steviol glycosides from stevia, not sucralose or acesulfame K. It is a rare choice in this category. Be aware that stevia leaves a liquorice note on the finish, very noticeable on mild flavours such as vanilla and much less so on chocolate ones.

Is this isolate suitable for people who are lactose intolerant?

An isolate contains markedly less lactose than a concentrate, which is enough for most mild intolerances. The manufacturer does not, however, publish a figure for lactose content, and the lactase in the DigeZyme® complex allows no promises: no digestive claim is authorised for this type of ingredient. If you are allergic to milk proteins, the product should be ruled out.

What is the Natural flavour like?

It contains neither flavouring nor sweetener: it is raw isolate, with a faintly milky, neutral taste. It appeals to two profiles — those who cannot tolerate stevia, and those who cook with their protein and want to control the sweetening themselves. It is only available in the 500 g format.

What is the Bacillus coagulans in the formula for?

It is a spore-forming bacterial strain, added under the name LactoSpore®. As no health claim is authorised in Europe for this type of culture, we will not attribute one to it. If cultures interest you in their own right, our probiotic section offers dedicated products, dosed and presented for that purpose.

Where to buy IO Genix Isoluxe CFM?

Both formats and the full flavour line-up can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe.

A 1.5 kg tub of isolate is a real outlay, and it is exactly the kind of purchase where two minutes of conversation heads off a disappointment. At our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the question we ask is not "isolate or concentrate?" but "what brought you to isolate in the first place?". Depending on whether the answer is about digestion, about a cutting phase or about plain habit, the product we recommend is not the same. The full category can be compared in our proteins and in our sports nutrition sections.

What is IO Genix Life Hair?

IO Genix Life Hair is a capsule supplement aimed at hair, skin and nails. A four-capsule serving delivers 2,500 mg of VERISOL collagen, combined with vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, biotin, zinc, selenium and a saw palmetto extract. The 120-capsule box covers 30 days.

The mention VERISOL denotes a collagen hydrolysed into bioactive peptides, produced by a specialist German manufacturer. Hydrolysis consists of cutting the collagen protein into much shorter fragments, which makes it soluble and absorbable. It is the standard process behind every collagen sold as a food supplement.

What sets this product apart from a plain collagen is the assembly: eight ingredients accompany the collagen, several of them nutrients with a precise regulatory framework. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix section, and the other forms of collagen in our collagen section.

What does a serving of Life Hair contain?

This table has a lot of blank cells, and that is the main reservation to raise about this product. Only the collagen carries a figure: 2,500 mg per serving, a value consistent with what is expected of a collagen in capsule form. The other eight ingredients are named but their dosages are not published by the manufacturer, who refers you to the labelling. We are not going to invent them.

That absence is not trivial, because it bears precisely on the most tightly regulated ingredients in the formula. Zinc, selenium and biotin all three have claims authorised in Europe relating to the maintenance of normal hair, and vitamin C to normal collagen formation. But those claims can only be made above a threshold of 15% of the nutrient reference value per daily serving. Without the dosages, we cannot verify that this threshold is reached, and we will therefore not be taking on any of those claims ourselves. The label on the box you receive carries them if they apply: that is what to read.

For the collagen itself, the situation is simpler: no health claim is authorised in Europe for collagen, in any form whatsoever. Not for skin, not for hair, not for nails, not for joints. Collagen is indeed the main structural protein of those tissues — that is a fact of biology — but the effect of oral supplementation has no validated dossier at European level.

Finally, the saw palmetto extract deserves a mention. It is a plant traditionally associated with men's health, and its presence partly explains the product's positioning. No claim is authorised for it either, and its dosage is not published.

Ingredients list

VERISOL collagen, coating agent (GELATINE), dry saw palmetto extract (Serenoa repens), bulking agent (microcrystalline cellulose), vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), zinc picolinate, anti-caking agent (silicon dioxide), vitamin B3 (nicotinamide), vitamin A (retinyl acetate), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), D-biotin, sodium selenite.

May contain traces of GLUTEN, EGGS, MILK, FISH and SOYA.

How do you take Life Hair?

Serving: 4 capsules a day. Liquid: a glass of water with each serving. Timing: 2 capsules at breakfast, 2 capsules at lunch. Frequency: two servings a day. Duration: a course of 30 days minimum, repeatable.

Splitting it into two servings is not an affectation. Four capsules at once is a lot for a stomach, and spreading them across two meals makes the course markedly easier to keep up over thirty days. It is also the split the manufacturer settles on.

Taking it with a meal has a concrete justification: the formula contains vitamin A, which needs fat to be properly absorbed. A breakfast and a lunch containing a minimum of fat are more than enough.

Thirty days is the minimum, and that is exactly what one box covers. On hair and nails, one simple biological reality has to be borne in mind: a nail takes several months to renew itself completely, and hair grows about one centimetre a month. No supplement can therefore produce a visible effect in two weeks, whatever its composition. It is a course to be judged over several months, or not at all.

The product combines without redundancy with an omega 3 or a B vitamin complex. Do check your other supplements before stacking, though: zinc and biotin already feature in most multivitamins, and the addition easily goes unnoticed.

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

It is aimed at an adult who wants to support a hair or skin routine with a nutritional intake, over a course of several weeks. It is a support product, not a treatment product, and that distinction changes everything about the expectations.

It suits neither vegetarians nor vegans, on two counts: collagen is a protein of animal origin, and the capsule shell is made of gelatine. There is no such thing as plant collagen, whatever some brands' marketing may say — what those are is plant complexes intended to support endogenous synthesis, which is something else.

The manufacturer advises against it for children and pregnant women and asks that it not be used in case of allergy to any of the components. The presence of a saw palmetto extract also justifies medical advice if you are on any treatment, particularly urinary or hormonal.

Additional caution is called for because of the vitamin A: it is a nutrient whose intake should not accumulate unmonitored, particularly in women who are pregnant or considering pregnancy. As the dosage is not published, that caution is all the more justified. The product may contain traces of gluten, eggs, milk, fish and soya.

What you should not expect from it: it is not a treatment for hair loss, and there is no point hoping it will be one. Sudden, diffuse or localised hair loss is a matter for a doctor or a dermatologist, who will look for a cause — iron deficiency, thyroid disorder, stress, ongoing treatment. A supplement diagnoses nothing.

Collagen capsules or collagen powder?

Both exist in our range and they do not serve the same use.

Collagen powder allows far higher doses, typically 10 g a day, against 2,500 mg here. It is simply a matter of volume: it would take sixteen capsules to reach 10 g. If your objective is the collagen itself and the quantity of it, powder is the more rational choice and often cheaper per gram.

The capsule format has other advantages: it travels, it needs neither shaker nor measuring, it has no taste — which counts, since collagen powder has a flavour not everyone appreciates. And above all, this particular product is not a collagen on its own: it is a complex, in which the collagen sits alongside eight other ingredients.

If your priority is vitamin and mineral coverage rather than collagen, a complete and well-dosed multivitamin will be more economical and more transparent about its quantities. And if you are after the intake of one specific nutrient, better to take it on its own: our zinc and vitamin C sections state their dosages in figures.

Frequently asked questions

How much collagen per day?

2,500 mg for the full four-capsule serving. That is a consistent amount for a capsule format, but markedly lower than the 10 g common to collagen powders. The choice of format therefore comes down to convenience as much as to quantity.

Why are the vitamin dosages not stated?

The manufacturer does not publish them in its documentation and refers you to the product labelling. We are not going to invent them. It is the main reservation on this page, because those dosages determine which nutrition claims apply: read the label on the box you receive.

Are these capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No, on two counts: collagen is a protein of animal origin, and the capsule shell is made of gelatine. No true collagen is plant-based, whatever commercial formulations you may come across.

How long before you see anything?

Not in a few weeks. Hair grows about one centimetre a month and a nail takes several months to renew itself completely: it is those rhythms that govern things, not the composition of the product. A thirty-day course is a start, not an assessment.

Why two servings a day?

Because four capsules at one go are hard to swallow and sit heavily on the stomach. The manufacturer therefore splits them into two capsules at breakfast and two at lunch. Taking them with a meal also makes it easier to absorb the vitamin A, which needs fat.

Can it be combined with a multivitamin?

It can, but do the sums. Zinc, selenium, biotin and B vitamins feature in most complete multivitamins, and stacking two sources adds nothing. As this product's dosages are not published, caution rather suggests choosing one or the other.

Does this product treat hair loss?

No, and no claim of that kind is authorised. Unusual hair loss has a cause that needs to be looked for — iron deficiency, thyroid disorder, treatment, significant stress — and that search belongs to a doctor. A food supplement supports, it does not cure.

Where can you buy IO Genix Life Hair?

The 120-capsule box can be ordered from this page, and we ship all over France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product in front of which we systematically temper expectations: when a customer describes recent and significant hair loss, we advise them to see a doctor first, and the box can wait. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Liquid Squeezer?

IO Genix Liquid Squeezer is a plant complex in vegetable capsules. A serving of three capsules provides 300 mg of Cactinea, 200 mg of artichoke extract, 150 mg of horsetail, 150 mg of dandelion, 100 mg of bilberry, 50 mg of bromelain and 1.4 mg of vitamin B6, which is 100% of the nutrient reference value. The bottle contains 60 capsules for a net weight of 52 g, which works out at 20 servings.

Cactinea is an extract of prickly pear fruit (Opuntia ficus-indica), a cactus grown around the Mediterranean and in the Americas. It is the central ingredient in the formula, the one that sets it apart from more conventional plant complexes, and it is dosed to the milligram — which is not all that common in this section.

The five other extracts are plants traditionally associated with the urinary and digestive systems: artichoke, field horsetail, dandelion and bilberry, plus bromelain, an enzyme extracted from pineapple. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix section.

What does a serving of Liquid Squeezer contain?

The strong point of this formula is its transparency: seven ingredients, seven doses, no “proprietary blend” hiding the quantities. You can compare this product with another line by line, which most plant complexes do not allow.

Only one ingredient in this formula holds claims authorised in Europe, and that is vitamin B6. At 1.4 mg, which is exactly 100% of the reference value, the thresholds are comfortably met: vitamin B6 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to the normal functioning of the nervous system, to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to the regulation of hormonal activity. Those are the exact wordings, and they are the only ones we will write.

For the six plant extracts, no health claim is authorised. Not for prickly pear, not for artichoke, not for horsetail, not for dandelion, not for bilberry, not for bromelain. The dossiers submitted at European level for botanicals have remained on hold, which rules out any statement of effect. The word “drainer” here is a commercial category label, not a promise: we describe what the formula contains, at what dose, and nothing more.

One point of consistency worth flagging rather than glossing over: the bottle covers 20 servings, a little under three weeks, whereas the manufacturer recommends a course of three to four weeks. So you need to plan for a second bottle to see a full course through — better to know that before ordering.

Ingredients list

Cactinea (dry extract of prickly pear fruit, Opuntia ficus-indica), dry artichoke extract (Cynara scolymus), dry horsetail extract (Equisetum arvense), dry dandelion extract (Taraxacum officinale), dry bilberry extract (Vaccinium myrtillus), bromelain (pineapple enzyme), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vegetable capsule (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose), anti-caking agent (magnesium stearate).

May contain traces of GLUTEN, MILK and EGG. The capsule is plant-based: the product is suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.

How do you take Liquid Squeezer?

Serving: 3 capsules. Liquid: at least 250 ml of water. Timing: in the morning on waking, before breakfast. Frequency: one serving per day. Duration: a course of 3 to 4 weeks, repeatable after a week's break.

Hydration is not an incidental piece of advice with this product, it is the condition of using it. The manufacturer explicitly asks you to keep up an intake of at least two litres of water a day during the course. Taking a complex of this type while drinking little is counterproductive and uncomfortable. If you are not prepared to drink more, this product is of no use to you.

Taking it in the morning on waking, before breakfast, is what the manufacturer settles on. It has an obvious practical advantage: it puts most of the effect into the day rather than the night, which avoids waking up in the small hours.

Three capsules at once with a large glass of water: take them one at a time if you find capsules hard to swallow. The manufacturer also recommends going easy on salt during the course and keeping up regular physical activity — two levers that genuinely do something, and a good deal more than a capsule does.

A course of three to four weeks, a week's break, then start again if needed. This is not a product to take continuously all year round, and the manufacturer does not envisage it that way either.

The product combines without overlap with a magnesium or an electrolyte powder if you sweat a lot. Do check your other supplements though: vitamin B6 is in almost every multivitamin, and this serving already provides 100% of the daily reference.

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

It is aimed at a healthy adult who wants to support a specific period — a phase of dietary restriction, a return to activity, a spell of hot weather — with a plant complex, over three to four weeks. It is a product for an occasional course, not for permanent use.

The contraindications here are specific and you need to read them before buying. The manufacturer advises against the product for pregnant or breastfeeding women, and for people with kidney disorders, kidney stones or prostate problems without prior medical advice. It also asks you to consult a healthcare professional if you are taking diuretics or medication for high blood pressure.

That last point is the most important on this page. Several of the plants in the formula are traditionally associated with urinary elimination; combined with a treatment that works in the same direction, they may amplify its effects, particularly on mineral balance. If you take a diuretic or an antihypertensive, the question is one for your doctor or pharmacist before you open the bottle.

The presence of bromelain adds two points to watch: interactions are described with anticoagulant treatments, and people allergic to pineapple or latex may react to it. The product may also contain traces of gluten, milk and egg. The capsules are plant-based, which makes it compatible with vegetarian and vegan diets.

What you should not expect from it: this product does not make you lose weight. It is not a fat burner, it creates no calorie deficit, and a change on the scales linked to fluid is not a loss of body fat. It replaces neither diet nor physical activity — those are the only two levers that count, as our weight loss section points out. And it treats nothing: heavy legs that settle in, oedema or unexplained weight gain are matters for a doctor.

Plant complex or fat burner, what is the difference?

The two sit side by side in the same section and are often confused, wrongly.

A fat burner in capsules relies mainly on stimulants, caffeine first among them. Its effect is noticeable — alertness, energy — and it concerns energy expenditure and tolerance to training. It disrupts sleep if taken too late and does not suit every level of sensitivity.

This complex contains no stimulant at all. That is a structural difference: you do not feel it, it does not disrupt sleep and it can be taken by someone who cannot tolerate caffeine. It is also a short-course product, whereas a fat burner is used across a whole phase. If you are looking for stimulant-free support, our caffeine-free fat burners section offers other approaches.

What the two families have in common is worth saying plainly: neither one makes you lose weight in itself. No weight-loss claim is authorised for their ingredients. What produces the result is the calorie deficit and physical activity; the rest is support.

Frequently asked questions

How many servings are there in a bottle?

20 servings: 60 capsules at three a day, for a net weight of 52 g. Since the manufacturer recommends a course of three to four weeks, one bottle does not quite cover a full course. Plan on two if you want to see it through.

Do you need to drink more during the course?

Yes, and it is a firm instruction from the manufacturer: at least two litres of water a day, on top of the 250 ml that goes with the serving. That is the condition for using this type of complex comfortably. Without it, most of the point of the product disappears.

Does this product make you lose weight?

No, and no weight-loss claim is authorised in Europe for its ingredients. A change linked to body fluids is not a loss of body fat. Only a calorie deficit and physical activity produce that result.

Can you take it alongside blood pressure medication?

Not without medical advice. The manufacturer explicitly asks you to consult a healthcare professional if you are taking diuretics or medication for high blood pressure. Several of the plants in the formula work in a neighbouring register, and combining them is not a trivial matter.

Are these capsules suitable for vegans?

Yes. The capsule is plant-based, made from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and all the actives are of plant or synthetic origin. It is one of the few products in this range that is, as most use gelatine.

What is Cactinea?

It is an extract of prickly pear fruit (Opuntia ficus-indica), dosed here at 300 mg per serving. It is the main and most distinctive ingredient in the formula. No health claim is authorised for this plant in Europe: we state its presence and its dose, without attributing any effect to it.

Is there any caffeine in it?

None. The formula contains no caffeine, no guarana, no green tea and no stimulant of any kind. It can therefore be taken by someone sensitive to stimulants, and in the morning as intended with no consequences for sleep.

Where can you buy IO Genix Liquid Squeezer?

The 60-capsule 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 always ask the same question about before selling it: how much do you drink a day? When the answer is somewhere around a litre, we suggest starting there — it costs nothing and changes a great deal more. The rest of the section can be browsed in our sports nutrition range.

What is IO Genix LIV+PRO?

IO Genix LIV+PRO is a capsule complex bringing together twelve ingredients. A two-capsule serving delivers 280 mg of milk thistle extract standardised to 80% silymarin, 200 mg of artichoke, 75 mg of choline, 75 mg of N-acetylcysteine, 50 mg of methionine, 50 mg of inositol, 20 mg of glutathione, 20 mg of S-adenosylmethionine and three B-group vitamins. The 60-capsule bottle covers 30 days.

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is the central ingredient. It is a common thistle from around the Mediterranean, whose seeds contain a group of compounds known as silymarin. Standardisation to 80% means that this concentration is guaranteed from one batch to the next, which is the best indicator of a serious plant extract.

Around it, the manufacturer has assembled artichoke in two forms — standardised extract and powder —, four sulphur-bearing or related compounds, and three B vitamins. The rest of the Spanish range appears in our IO Genix aisle, and N-acetylcysteine sold on its own in our NAC aisle.

What does a serving of LIV+PRO contain?

Twelve ingredients, twelve doses: the transparency of this formula is genuine and deserves credit. In an aisle where "liver complexes" often settle for a list with no figures, every line here is quantified, including the most modest ones. That allows an honest judgement — one that is not uniformly flattering, as what follows shows.

Milk thistle is the only ingredient genuinely dosed at the level you would expect: 280 mg of extract standardised to 80% silymarin is a substantial amount. Artichoke follows at 200 mg across both forms. The other eight actives, by contrast, are present in modest quantities: 20 mg of glutathione or 20 mg of S-adenosylmethionine are token doses compared with what you find in products that sell them on their own. That is not a flaw in itself — it is the principle behind a complex — but you should know that the formula rests on milk thistle, not on its twelve lines.

Only three ingredients carry claims authorised in Europe, and they are the B vitamins. At 40%, 50% and 39% of the reference value, the thresholds are comfortably met: thiamine contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, riboflavin contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, vitamin B6 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to the normal functioning of the nervous system. Those are the exact wordings, and they are the only ones we will write.

One case deserves explaining in detail because it is instructive. Choline does have authorised claims, including one relating to the maintenance of normal liver function. But it is subject to a threshold of 82.5 mg of choline per serving. The 75 mg listed, however, refer to choline bitartrate, a salt in which choline accounts for only around 41% of the weight: that works out at roughly 31 mg of actual choline. The threshold is therefore not met and the claim does not apply to this product. This is precisely the kind of detail nobody checks, and that we do check.

For all the others — milk thistle, silymarin, artichoke, N-acetylcysteine, methionine, inositol, glutathione, S-adenosylmethionine — no health claim is authorised in Europe. The word "detox", moreover, has no regulatory definition: it means nothing in the eyes of the law, and we will not use it as a selling point. The liver needs no product in order to do its job.

Ingredients list

Milk thistle dry extract (Silybum marianum L., 80% silymarin), GELATINE, artichoke dry extract (Cynara scolymus L., 5% cynarin), artichoke powder, choline bitartrate, N-acetylcysteine, L-methionine, inositol, reduced glutathione, S-adenosylmethionine, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, colouring.

May contain traces of GLUTEN, EGG, MILK, FISH and SOYA.

How do you take LIV+PRO?

Serving: 2 capsules. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: in the morning, on an empty stomach. Frequency: one serving a day, never more. Duration: a 30-day course, repeatable after a one-week break.

Taking it on an empty stomach is the manufacturer's instruction, and it is unusual in this aisle — most plant extracts are taken with a meal. It is explained by the wish to avoid competition with the other components of a meal. If you feel any stomach discomfort in the first few days, take the two capsules with a light breakfast rather than abandoning the course.

Two capsules in a single morning serving: it is simple, and it is the reason this format holds up well over thirty days. One bottle equals one course, which spares you the arithmetic.

The manufacturer specifies a one-week break before any repeat course. This is not a product for permanent use, and that alternation is part of the instructions, not a token precaution.

One instruction from the manufacturer deserves highlighting: do not combine this product with another complex of the same type without medical advice. Formulas in this aisle often share the same plants, and stacking two milk thistle extracts adds nothing while unknowingly multiplying the doses.

It does, on the other hand, combine without overlap with an omega 3 or a magnesium. Simply check your multivitamins: vitamins B1, B2 and B6 are almost always in them.

Who is LIV+PRO for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at a healthy adult who wants to run a one-month course built around a properly standardised milk thistle extract. That is the only use case we will describe, and it is deliberately modest.

The most important contraindication is also the most counter-intuitive: the manufacturer asks you to consult a healthcare professional in the event of liver disorders. In other words, this product is not intended for people who have a liver problem — the exact opposite of what its positioning might suggest. A liver condition, even a mild one, is a matter for a doctor and proper monitoring, never for a supplement bought on your own.

The manufacturer also advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women, asks that it be kept out of the reach of children, and that it not be combined with another product of the same type without medical advice. The dose of two capsules a day must not be exceeded.

The capsules are made of gelatine: this product is suitable for neither vegetarians nor vegans. It may contain traces of gluten, egg, milk, fish and soya.

What you should not expect from it: it is not a treatment, it repairs nothing, and it makes up for no excess. "Detox" means nothing in regulatory terms: the liver and the kidneys handle elimination on their own, and no supplement improves that work in a healthy person. If your question concerns alcohol consumption, an abnormal liver panel or a treatment you are currently on, it belongs with your doctor — and no capsule will replace the answer he or she gives you.

Twelve-active complex or single active?

This is the most useful trade-off when faced with this type of product, and it has no single answer.

A complex like this one has a real advantage: one serving, one bottle, one action a day. For someone who does not want to juggle four tubs, that is decisive, and the milk thistle in it is properly dosed. The flip side is that eight of its twelve lines are present in low quantities: you are paying for a list, not for twelve doses.

A single active makes the opposite choice. Our dedicated aisle offers N-acetylcysteine at doses in a completely different league from the 75 mg in this complex, and our vitamin B aisle offers properly dosed B complexes. Standardised turmeric and coenzyme Q10 answer in the same way, each on its own terms. It is more precise, more comparable from one brand to another, and often more economical if you are only after one molecule.

Our position across the counter: if you know what you are looking for, take the single active. If you simply want to run a one-month course around milk thistle without multiplying bottles, this complex does the job — provided you do not believe its twelve lines are worth twelve products.

Frequently asked questions

What does "standardised to 80% silymarin" mean?

That 80% of the extract consists of silymarin, the group of compounds characteristic of milk thistle seeds, and that this concentration is guaranteed from one batch to the next. It is the best indicator of a serious plant extract, and 280 mg at that standardisation is a substantial amount.

Why take it on an empty stomach?

That is the manufacturer's instruction, intended to avoid competition with the components of a meal. If you feel any stomach discomfort in the first few days, take the two capsules with a light breakfast: better to shift the serving than to interrupt the course.

Does this product protect the liver?

We will not write that, because no claim of that kind is authorised in Europe for its ingredients. The manufacturer in fact asks you to consult a healthcare professional in the event of liver disorders: this supplement is not intended to answer a liver problem.

Does the choline allow a claim?

Not here. Choline does have authorised claims, but they require 82.5 mg of choline per serving. The 75 mg listed refer to choline bitartrate, of which choline accounts for only around 41%: the threshold is therefore not met, and the claim does not apply.

Are these capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No. The shell is made of gelatine, of animal origin. This is a common limitation across this range, and there is no plant-based version of this product.

How long does one bottle last?

Exactly thirty days: 60 capsules, two per serving, one serving a day. The manufacturer then specifies a one-week break before any repeat course. One bottle therefore corresponds to one complete course.

Can it be combined with another liver complex?

Not without medical advice, and the manufacturer asks this explicitly. Products in this aisle often share the same plants: stacking two milk thistle extracts adds nothing and multiplies the doses without your realising it.

Where can you buy IO Genix LIV+PRO?

The 60-capsule 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 in front of which we often correct a misconception: when a customer talks to us about a blood test, we point them towards their doctor rather than towards this bottle. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Luxury 3K Kre-Alkalyn?

It is creatine in capsules, with a daily dose of four capsules providing 3,000 mg. The bottle of 120 capsules covers 30 days.

The form chosen is Kre-Alkalyn®, a creatine monohydrate whose pH has been corrected — what is known as "buffered" creatine. This has to be said plainly, because the name may lead you to believe it is something else: the active ingredient is still creatine monohydrate, the same molecule as the one sold as a powder, with a pH adjustment supposed to improve its stability.

The rest of the composition comes down to two lines: the capsule shell, made of gelatine, coloured with calcium carbonate and starch sodium octenyl succinate, and magnesium stearate as an anti-caking agent. As the capsule is made of gelatine, the product is suitable for neither vegetarians nor vegans — information rarely put forward and yet decisive. The product joins our Kre-Alkalyn creatine and IO Genix aisles.

What does a four-capsule dose contain?

* Column calculated from the value declared for four capsules. Other components: coating agents (gelatine, colours), anti-caking agent (magnesium stearate). Traces of GLUTEN, EGGS, MILK and SOYA are possible. Pack size: 120 capsules, i.e. 30 daily doses.

The figure is pitched in exactly the right place, and that is no accident. Three grams a day is precisely the threshold that unlocks the only claim authorised in Europe for creatine: creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise. That is the exact wording, and it targets repeated explosive effort — strength sets, sprints, combat sports — not endurance.

It is also the only thing we are able to state about this product, and that deserves to be said frankly. The benefits announced for the buffered form — no water retention, better digestive tolerance, effects from the very first servings, no degradation into creatinine — are claims made by the manufacturer. We have no ANSES or EFSA source establishing that a buffered creatine does better than an ordinary creatine monohydrate, and we will therefore not write it. The European claim relates, moreover, to creatine, with no distinction of form.

Two useful benchmarks for comparison. At 750 mg per capsule, it takes four capsules for one dose, where a scoop of powder is enough. And at 3 g a day, this bottle covers the maintenance dose exactly: do not add a second source of creatine on top of it, it would serve no purpose.

How should you take Luxury 3K Kre-Alkalyn?

Dose: 4 capsules, i.e. 3 g. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: after training, preferably. Frequency: one serving a day, every day, including rest days. Duration: cycles of 8 to 12 weeks.

The most important point comes down to one sentence: creatine is taken every day, not only on training days. Its effect rests on the progressive saturation of the muscle, which takes several weeks of regular intake. Taking it three times a week will never saturate anything. It is the most frequent mistake on this product, and by a long way.

The manufacturer states that no loading phase is necessary. That is true, and it is true of creatine monohydrate powder as well: loading at 20 g a day for a week brings saturation forward by a few days, without changing the final result in any way. It is therefore not an advantage specific to this form.

One instruction not to be overlooked: maintain sufficient hydration throughout the period of use. Creatine draws water into the muscle cell, and an insufficient fluid intake is the leading cause of discomfort reported on this supplement.

The timing of the serving, for its part, is secondary. After the session according to the manufacturer, but what counts is consistency over several weeks, not the hour of the day. Take the four capsules at whatever moment you will remember systematically.

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

It suits adults doing intense, short efforts: weight training, sprinting, racket or combat sports. The capsule format appeals to those who hate the taste of creatine powder, those who travel often, and those who want an identical dose from one day to the next without a scoop.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant or breastfeeding women and rules it out in children and adolescents. In the event of a kidney disorder, it asks for medical advice before use: this precaution is standard on creatine and it must be taken seriously. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose.

It is suitable for neither vegetarians nor vegans, the capsule being made of gelatine — which is particularly unfortunate, as vegetarians are precisely the people whose dietary creatine intake is the lowest. In that case, a creatine powder is then the obvious choice.

What you should not expect from it. Creatine is not a weight-loss product, and it is not a fat burner. Nor does it act on endurance: the authorised claim targets very intense, short, repeated effort. Lastly, it replaces neither protein, nor calories, nor sleep — and it does nothing at all if your training is not progressing.

Kre-Alkalyn capsules or monohydrate powder?

It is the only comparison that counts in this aisle, and we are going to make it honestly, including where it does not play in favour of this page.

Creatine monohydrate powder is by far the best-documented form, and the European claim at 3 g a day applies to it in exactly the same way. It costs a fraction of the price per gram, is measured out with a scoop, and mixes into any drink. The Creapure aisle offers the lines whose raw material is traceable. If you have never taken creatine, start there: it is cheaper and just as well established.

This capsule version wins on three practical points, and they are real. The taste: creatine powder has a gritty texture that some people cannot stand. Transport: a bottle slips into a bag, a powder does not. And the consistency of the dose: four capsules is always 3 g, where a scoop is filled by eye. On a supplement whose effectiveness depends entirely on taking it daily for weeks on end, those three arguments are not details.

The other forms in this aisle — creatine HCL in particular — follow the same commercial logic as Kre-Alkalyn®: a variant offered as better tolerated, without the health authorities having validated any superiority. They have their place if monohydrate genuinely bothers you; otherwise, the price gap is not justified. For mass gain, creatine combines without any problem with the rest of your supplements.

Frequently asked questions

Is Kre-Alkalyn® better than creatine monohydrate?

It is creatine monohydrate with a corrected pH: the active molecule is the same. We have no ANSES or EFSA source establishing any superiority, and the European claim relates to creatine with no distinction of form. What this version brings that is verifiable is the capsule format.

Is a loading phase necessary?

No, and the manufacturer says so. It is true of creatine powder as well: loading at 20 g a day brings saturation forward by a few days without changing the final result. Three grams a day continuously is enough, and it is therefore not an advantage specific to this form.

Should it be taken on rest days?

Yes, every day, and it is the most important point. Creatine's effect rests on the progressive saturation of the muscle, which takes several weeks of regular intake. Taking it only on training days will never saturate anything: it is the most common mistake.

Why four capsules for a single dose?

Because each capsule contains 750 mg and the reference dose is 3 g. It is the constraint of the capsule format: you cannot fit 3 g of powder into a single swallowable capsule. A scoop of creatine powder settles the question in one movement, at the cost of the taste.

Are the capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No, the shell is made of gelatine of animal origin. That is all the more regrettable as vegetarians are precisely the people whose dietary creatine intake is the lowest, meat being the main source. A creatine powder is then the right choice.

How long does a bottle last?

Thirty days, at the rate of four capsules a day for 120 capsules. The manufacturer advises cycles of 8 to 12 weeks: allow two to three bottles for a full cycle. Nothing obliges you to cycle creatine, but that is the protocol it sets out.

Does creatine make you gain water?

The manufacturer announces the absence of excessive water retention for this buffered form. We have no official source that would allow us to confirm it, and we will not write it as a fact. What can be said: creatine draws water into the muscle cell, which is its mode of action, and sufficient hydration remains essential.

Where can you buy IO Genix Luxury 3K Kre-Alkalyn?

The bottle of 120 capsules can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. One month per bottle, four capsules a day: it is a format that is simple to fit into a routine.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the conversation in this aisle always turns on the same question: are you really going to take it every day? If the answer depends on the taste of the powder, the capsule is worth its extra cost. If you have no problem with a scoop in a glass of water, take the monohydrate and keep the difference. The rest of the aisle can be compared in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Luxury GH Night Recovery?

IO Genix Luxury GH Night Recovery is an evening complex in vegetable capsules. A five-capsule serving brings together fourteen active ingredients, including 1.9 mg of melatonin, 1,000 mg of arginine, 500 mg of ornithine, 500 mg of lysine, 300 mg of KSM-66 ashwagandha, 250 mg of GABA, 250 mg of tryptophan and 250 mg of valerian. The 150-capsule bottle covers exactly 30 days.

This is the densest formula in the whole range, and it deserves to be read before it is bought. It combines three distinct families: amino acids, plant extracts, and three micronutrients — vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and zinc — dosed above the reference value.

Only one of these fourteen ingredients is genuinely covered by an authorised claim, and that is melatonin. We come to it in detail below. The rest of the Spanish range appears in our IO Genix department, and the other products in this category in our melatonin department.

What does a serving of Luxury GH Night Recovery contain?

The only figure that genuinely counts in regulatory terms is the 1.9 mg of melatonin. It is the only ingredient in this formula that has an authorised claim in Europe, and the threshold is met: melatonin contributes to the reduction of time taken to fall asleep, the beneficial effect being obtained with 1 mg shortly before bedtime. That is the exact wording, and it is the only one we will write about it.

Three other ingredients allow claims, and they are the micronutrients. Zinc contributes to normal macronutrient metabolism and to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood; vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to the normal functioning of the nervous system. All three exceed the reference value, so the thresholds are comfortably cleared.

For the other ten, we have to be plain: no health claim is authorised in Europe. Not for arginine, not for ornithine, not for lysine, not for GABA, not for tryptophan, not for valerian, not for ashwagandha, not for mucuna, not for phosphatidylserine, not for AstraGin. The product's name evokes growth hormone: no claim of that kind exists and we will not be making one. The arginine-ornithine-lysine trio is a classic sports nutrition combination; its presence is a fact of composition, not a promise.

A final word on mucuna, which is often passed over in silence: it is a plant whose seeds naturally contain L-dopa. That explains part of the precautions listed further down, particularly with regard to treatments acting on the nervous system.

Ingredients list

L-arginine HCl, L-ornithine HCl, L-lysine HCl, L-tryptophan, GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), common valerian extract (Valeriana officinalis), melatonin, phosphatidylserine, KSM-66 Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), AstraGin (Astragalus membranaceus, Panax notoginseng), Mucuna pruriens extract, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), zinc (picolinate), bulking agent (microcrystalline cellulose), anti-caking agent (magnesium stearate), vegetable capsule (HPMC).

May contain traces of GLUTEN, MILK, EGGS, SOYA and NUTS. The capsules are plant-based: the product is suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.

How do you take Luxury GH Night Recovery?

Dose: 5 capsules. Liquid: 200 ml of water. Timing: 30 minutes before bedtime, and only then. Frequency: one serving a day, never more. Duration: 4 weeks minimum, a continuous course of 8 to 12 weeks, with a 2-week break possible.

The most important instruction on this page is not a dose, it is a prohibition: do not drive and do not operate machinery in the four to six hours following the serving. The manufacturer states it in black and white, and it follows directly from the presence of melatonin, which can cause drowsiness. In practical terms that means: never before a journey, never before an on-call shift, never "just to test" in the early evening.

Five capsules in one go is no small thing. Take them one at a time with the 200 ml of water if you find them hard to swallow. The manufacturer recommends avoiding the serving with a heavy meal or a stimulant drink — an evening coffee would in any case cancel out part of the product.

Consistency comes first: four weeks minimum before judging, eight to twelve weeks for a full course. A 150-capsule bottle covers thirty days, so you need three of them for a complete course.

The manufacturer's supporting advice is in fact the soundest part of its leaflet: a bedroom at 18-20 °C, no screens in the hour beforehand, a quiet and dimly lit environment. These are not filler — where sleep is concerned, those levers do at least as much as the contents of the bottle, and they cost nothing.

This product does not combine with anything: it already contains ashwagandha, GABA, zinc and L-arginine. Check your other supplements before adding it to an existing routine: here, duplication is the rule rather than the exception.

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

It is aimed at a healthy adult who wants a complete evening formula in a single serving, rather than stacking four different products. That is its main selling point, and it is a real one: fourteen active ingredients in a single bottle.

The list of exclusions here is the longest in the whole range, and it needs to be read in full. The manufacturer advises against the product in cases of inflammatory or autoimmune disease, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and for the under-18s. It requires medical advice in cases of treatment with antidepressants or anticoagulants, and recommends blood glucose monitoring in people with diabetes.

These warnings largely overlap with those issued by ANSES regarding supplements containing melatonin. The agency called for vigilance and advised against their consumption in particular for pregnant and breastfeeding women, children and adolescents, people with inflammatory or autoimmune diseases, people with epilepsy, people with asthma, and people undergoing treatment. It also recommends avoiding them before any activity requiring sustained alertness. That is not a reason to give up if you are in good health, it is a reason to read this list rather than skip it.

The presence of Mucuna pruriens, a natural source of L-dopa, justifies additional caution for anyone following a neurological or psychiatric treatment. Ashwagandha likewise calls for vigilance from people with a liver or thyroid condition.

The capsules are plant-based, which makes the product compatible with vegetarian and vegan diets. It may contain traces of gluten, milk, eggs, soya and nuts.

What you should not expect from it: this is not a sleeping pill, and it is not a treatment for insomnia. It does not increase growth hormone, whatever its name may suggest. Established insomnia, unrefreshing sleep over a period of months or repeated night-time waking are matters for a doctor, who will look for a cause — sleep apnoea, anxiety, medication, lifestyle — where a capsule will do nothing.

Complete complex or melatonin on its own?

This is the question that decides it, and it is simpler than it looks.

Melatonin on its own provides the one ingredient in this formula that has an authorised claim, at a price that bears no comparison. If your problem is the time taken to fall asleep, that is the most rational choice, the clearest and the cheapest. It is also the one with the fewest ingredients to watch out for if you are on medication.

This complex has a different appeal: it brings together in one serving ingredients you would otherwise have to buy separately, and it supplies correctly dosed micronutrients along the way. It is the right choice if you wanted several of these products anyway, and if you would rather have one bottle than four.

Two other options exist, simpler still. Magnesium has authorised claims on fatigue and the nervous system, costs little and carries very few contraindications: that is often where you ought to start. And ZMA formulas offer a middle ground, with no melatonin and no plant extracts.

Frequently asked questions

How much melatonin is there per serving?

1.9 mg for the five capsules. That is above the 1 mg threshold from which the European claim applies: melatonin contributes to the reduction of time taken to fall asleep, the effect being obtained by a serving taken shortly before bedtime.

Can you drive after taking it?

No, and that is the most important instruction on this page. The manufacturer asks you not to drive or operate machinery in the four to six hours following the serving, because of the possible drowsiness. Take the product once you are settled at home, never before going anywhere.

Does this product increase growth hormone?

No claim of that kind is authorised in Europe for its ingredients, and we will not be writing one. The arginine, ornithine and lysine trio is a classic sports nutrition combination: its presence is a fact of composition, with no promise of an effect attached.

Why five capsules?

Because the formula brings together fourteen active ingredients, several of them dosed in hundreds of milligrams: that volume is needed to fit them all in. Take them one at a time with the 200 ml of water if necessary. The 150-capsule bottle corresponds exactly to thirty servings.

Are these capsules suitable for vegans?

Yes. The capsules are plant-based, made from HPMC, and no active ingredient in the formula is of animal origin. It is one of the few products in this range in that position. Traces of milk and eggs remain possible because of the production facility.

What does ANSES say about melatonin?

The agency called for vigilance over supplements containing it and advised against their consumption for pregnant and breastfeeding women, children and adolescents, people with inflammatory or autoimmune diseases, people with epilepsy, people with asthma and people undergoing treatment. It also recommends avoiding them before any activity demanding alertness.

Can it be combined with another evening supplement?

It is rarely a good idea. This formula already contains ashwagandha, GABA, zinc, vitamin B6 and arginine: most evening products would duplicate at least one of these ingredients. Check your labels before stacking.

Where can you buy IO Genix Luxury GH Night Recovery?

The 150-capsule 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 the product in front of which we read the list of contraindications out loud: it is long, it is precise, and it is better for a customer to decide against it at the counter than to discover the problem at home. The rest of the department can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Maca Plus?

IO Genix Maca Plus is a food supplement in vegetable capsules, sold in a tub of 60 capsules for a net weight of 48 g. One capsule a day, which works out at two months of use per tub.

The formula comes down to three active ingredients: 750 mg of dry maca extract (Lepidium meyenii), 10 mg of zinc and 1.4 mg of vitamin B6. The rest is the shell and the excipients: hydroxypropyl methylcellulose capsule, magnesium stearate as an anti-caking agent, microcrystalline cellulose as a bulking agent.

Maca is a root plant grown at altitude in the Andes; the manufacturer states a Peruvian origin above 3,500 metres, and we report that information as it publishes it, without having verified it ourselves. The product joins our maca and IO Genix ranges. As the capsule is plant-based rather than gelatine, the formula is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

What does one capsule contain?

Packaging: 60 capsules, 48 g net, 60 servings. NRVs within the meaning of Regulation 1169/2011: 10 mg for zinc, 1.4 mg for vitamin B6. The manufacturer publishes neither an energy value nor macronutrients per capsule — at this scale they are negligible in any case.

Let us take things in order, because this label mixes two very different registers. Zinc and vitamin B6 are the only ingredients about which anything can be claimed. At 100% of the NRV each, they comfortably exceed the 15% threshold that permits the use of the regulatory wordings. The ones that apply here: zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood, to normal fertility and reproduction, to normal protein synthesis and to the protection of cells from oxidative stress; vitamin B6 contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity, to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to normal energy-yielding metabolism.

One nuance about testosterone, because it is invariably glossed over in this category: the wording refers to the maintenance of a normal level. That concerns someone whose zinc intake is insufficient. In a man whose status is already adequate, adding zinc does not raise anything at all.

For maca, the answer is shorter: no health claim is authorised in Europe for this plant. You will therefore read no promise here about energy, libido or hormonal balance. What we can say is factual: a plant, an extract, a dose of 750 mg, a format. Note too that 750 mg refers to the weight of the extract, not of dried root — the two figures are not comparable, and that is pitfall no. 1 when comparing two maca products against each other.

Finally, one point the manufacturer does not highlight and which matters: zinc is provided here in the form of oxide. It is the least well absorbed form on the market, far behind a bisglycinate or a picolinate. If zinc is your main requirement, a dedicated product from the zinc range will serve you better.

How do you take Maca Plus?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: in the morning, with breakfast. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: a course of 8 to 12 weeks, with a one-week break every three months.

The manufacturer expressly asks that you avoid taking it in the evening, maca being described as stimulating. That is a usage instruction, not a claim: we repeat it because it appears on the leaflet and because it saves a bad night for those who are sensitive to it.

The capsule can be taken on an empty stomach or with a meal, depending on your tolerance. In practice, 10 mg of zinc on an empty stomach causes nausea in some people: if that applies to you, swallow the capsule halfway through breakfast. You will lose a little on absorption and you will stick with the course, which counts for more over ten weeks.

Two combination precautions given by the manufacturer. Do not add a second source of zinc without advice: beyond 25 mg a day on a sustained basis, the surplus serves no purpose and hinders copper absorption. So check the label of your multivitamin or your ZMA before stacking them. And space out any iron supplement, as these two minerals compete for the same intestinal transporters.

A word on the timescale: the manufacturer mentions a gradual perception over two to six weeks. This is not a product with an immediate effect, and it should not be judged after three days.

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

It is aimed at adults, and suits in particular those who want to try maca without swallowing a spoonful of earthy-tasting powder — that is the main practical advantage of the capsule format. The composition contains no ingredient of animal origin, and the manufacturer declares the absence of gluten, lactose, added sugar, artificial colours and GMOs.

It is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women or for the under-18s. In the event of hormone treatment, a thyroid disorder or a diagnosed hormonal disorder, the manufacturer asks for prior medical advice, and it flags a possible interaction with hormone replacement therapy. These are questions to settle with a doctor or a pharmacist, not with a product page. Traces of SOYA, NUTS and CELERY are possible.

It is not suitable if your real objective is to cover a zinc intake: oxide is not the right form for that. Nor is it suitable if you are already taking a zinc supplement, at the risk of doubling up without realising it.

What you should not expect from it, and this is the most useful point on this page: it is not a performance product and it is not a treatment. Maca has no authorised claim, zinc does not raise the testosterone of a man whose status is normal, and 750 mg of plant extract replaces neither sleep, nor diet, nor training. What you are buying is an intake of zinc and B6 at 100% of the NRV, alongside a traditional plant.

Maca Plus or a tribulus?

The two sit in the same category and answer the same question asked over the counter. It is worth establishing straight away: neither maca nor tribulus has an authorised health claim in Europe. Deciding on the basis of promises therefore makes no sense here, and what remains is to compare what is comparable — the composition, the format, the precautions.

Our tribulus terrestris products are generally standardised for saponins and combined with vitamin B6, with higher plant doses. Tribulus is the better choice if you are looking for a standardised extract, that is to say one whose compound content is guaranteed on the label: with a plant, that is the only serious benchmark for comparing two products.

Maca Plus wins on simplicity and on zinc. One capsule a day, two months per tub, and 100% of the NRV in zinc and B6 — the only two ingredients in the formula for which a regulatory wording exists. That is in fact what justifies the purchase, more so than the plant itself. If your concern is rather nervous fatigue or coping with stress, our ashwagandha range matches the need better, with its own contraindications — thyroid, pregnancy — to read before buying.

Frequently asked questions

Is 750 mg of maca a lot?

It is the daily dose chosen by the manufacturer, and the figure to compare from one product to another. Watch out for the pitfall: 750 mg here refers to a weight of dry extract, not of dried root. Some labels advertise several grams of root powder, which is not comparable. Always check which of the two is stated.

Why do you not talk about the effects of maca?

Because no health claim is authorised in Europe for this plant. Writing that it acts on energy, libido or hormonal balance would be an infringement, whatever the tradition surrounding it. The only wordings permitted on this page concern zinc and vitamin B6.

Is zinc as oxide a good choice?

It is the least well absorbed of the common zinc salts, far behind a bisglycinate or a picolinate. Here it provides 100% of the NRV per capsule, which remains adequate as a supporting intake. If zinc is your main objective rather than one component of the formula, choose a dedicated, better-formulated product.

How long does a tub last?

Two months, at one capsule a day for 60 capsules. That corresponds to the lower end of the 8 to 12 week course advised by the manufacturer: reckon on a tub and a half to see out the twelve weeks, then the one-week break it recommends.

Can it be taken in the evening?

The manufacturer advises against it and settles on the morning, with breakfast. It describes maca as stimulating and prefers to avoid any interference with sleep. It is a usage precaution rather than a demonstrated effect, but it costs nothing to observe and a night's sleep is worth more than a capsule.

Are the capsules suitable for vegans?

Yes. The shell is made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, a modified cellulose of plant origin, and not of bovine or porcine gelatine. No ingredient of animal origin goes into the composition. The manufacturer does, however, flag possible traces of soya, nuts and celery.

How long before you notice anything?

The manufacturer mentions a gradual perception between two and six weeks. We can neither confirm nor promise anything on that point, in the absence of an authorised claim. What we can say: this is not a product with an immediate effect, and a judgement passed after three days is worthless.

Where can you buy IO Genix Maca Plus?

The 60-capsule tub can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is a simple product, at one capsule a day, that requires no particular organisation.

At the counter in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product page we take the time to go through with the customer, because maca drags along a great many reputations that the regulations do not allow us to repeat. The conversation almost always ends on the same question: what are you already taking that contains zinc? The rest of the plants and minerals can be browsed in our vitamin B range and in our sports nutrition range.

What is IO Genix Magnesium Bisglycinate?

IO Genix Magnesium Bisglycinate is a magnesium food supplement in vegetable capsules, pairing the mineral with vitamin B6. The magnesium is supplied as the bisglycinate — a salt in which each magnesium atom is chelated to two glycine molecules — produced under the Albion® brand, an American manufacturer of chelated minerals.

The formula is short, and on this type of product that is good news: Albion® magnesium bisglycinate, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose capsule shell, two anti-caking agents (magnesium salts of fatty acids and silicon dioxide), and vitamin B6 as pyridoxine hydrochloride. No flavouring, no sweetener, no colour.

One detail is worth explaining, because it changes everything when you compare two tubs: Albion® bisglycinate is 18 % magnesium by weight. In other words, the 375 mg of salt in a capsule yields only 67.5 mg of magnesium you can actually take up. That is the rule across all chelated forms, and it is the leading source of confusion in this category. The brand's full range can be found in the IO Genix section.

What does a capsule contain?

The number of capsules per bottle does not appear in the labelling data passed on to us, and we will not invent it: refer to the packaging to work out how long a bottle lasts, at one capsule a day.

The 67.5 mg of elemental magnesium represent 18 % of the nutrient reference value, set at 375 mg. Let us be straightforward about it: this is a top-up, not the correction of a deficiency. A capsule does not make up for a diet short on green vegetables, pulses or nuts. What it does is plug an 18 % gap — which is already useful when you sweat heavily and eat tightly.

That figure of 18 % has a concrete regulatory consequence: the threshold above which a claim becomes usable is 15 % of the NRV per portion. It is cleared, but only just. We can therefore state that magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue, to normal muscle function, to the normal functioning of the nervous system, to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to electrolyte balance. These are the exact wordings from the European regulation, and there is no reason to write anything else.

The 1.4 mg of vitamin B6 cover 100 % of the NRV, which is generous for a product that does not present itself as a B complex. Vitamin B6 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to normal protein and glycogen metabolism and to the normal functioning of the nervous system. Its claims overlap with those of magnesium, which explains why the two are so often paired — you will find the same logic throughout our vitamin B section. The widespread notion that B6 “carries” magnesium into the cell, on the other hand, rests on no ANSES or EFSA source, and we will not repeat it.

How do you take IO Genix Magnesium Bisglycinate?

Serving: 1 capsule a day. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: with a meal. Frequency: 1 serving a day. Duration: the manufacturer recommends a course of 30 to 90 days, which can be repeated.

Take it with a meal rather than on an empty stomach. It is not a question of absorption but of comfort: a mineral swallowed on an empty stomach sits less well, and bisglycinate is not entirely exempt, even though it is tolerated far better than the oxide or the chloride. The manufacturer imposes no constraint on timing: morning or evening, take it whenever you will not forget it.

Magnesium produces no immediately perceptible effect. Think in weeks rather than days, and judge it over the length of the course. One practical point to finish: leave at least two hours between a dose of magnesium and a dose of zinc or iron, as these minerals compete for the same intestinal transporters. The same goes for thyroid hormones and certain antibiotics, which we come back to below.

If your requirement is higher — long training sessions, heavy sweating, a poor diet — a 67.5 mg capsule will not be enough, and it is better to know that before buying. In that case, look at the more heavily dosed formats in the magnesium section, or add electrolytes around training, which answer a different question: that of the losses through sweat during the session.

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

It is intended for adults. As the shell is vegetable cellulose and the formula contains no ingredient of animal origin, it is suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets. The capsule format, with no taste and no preparation, suits anyone who hates powders.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women and recommends seeking the advice of a healthcare professional if you are on any medication. Traces of GLUTEN, EGGS, MILK, FISH and SOYA are possible, as production takes place in a shared environment: if you are allergic to any of them, do not take it.

It is not suitable in cases of kidney failure. It is the kidney that clears magnesium; when it works poorly the mineral builds up, and any supplementation must then be decided by a doctor, not by a product page. Magnesium also interferes with the absorption of thyroid hormones, certain antibiotics and bisphosphonates taken at the same time.

What not to expect from it. It is not a sleeping aid. “Contributing to the normal functioning of the nervous system” does not mean sending you to sleep, and no sleep claim is authorised for magnesium. If your problem is falling asleep, our melatonin section answers the question better — and a doctor better still if the problem persists. Nor is it a performance product: topping up an intake does not make an athlete who is already covered improve.

Magnesium bisglycinate or ZMA?

The question comes up often, because the two products share two active ingredients out of three. A ZMA combines zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6 in a single evening dose; this one concentrates on magnesium and B6, without zinc.

ZMA is the better choice if you want to cover zinc and magnesium in one go, which is the classic case of an athlete in a prolonged calorie deficit: zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood, and that is a claim this product cannot carry since it contains none. Its weakness is structural: zinc and magnesium compete for absorption, and a single dose gives no way of separating them.

Bisglycinate on its own is the better choice in three situations. If you already take zinc elsewhere and do not want to double the dose. If you have digested another magnesium badly — bisglycinate is the best tolerated form in the category, far ahead of the oxide. And if you want fine control over your intake: at 67.5 mg per capsule, you adjust in steps rather than swallowing a 300 mg block. A final word on the citrate, the other common form: it is cheaper per milligram, but its osmotic effect makes it markedly more laxative at high doses. Bisglycinate costs more and sits better — that is the whole trade-off.

Frequently asked questions

Why do 375 mg of bisglycinate give only 67.5 mg of magnesium?

Because Albion® bisglycinate is 18 % magnesium by weight: the rest of the weight is the two glycine molecules the mineral is bound to. That is the figure to compare from one label to another. A capsule advertising “375 mg of magnesium bisglycinate” is not advertising 375 mg of magnesium, and plenty of buyers are caught out by that line.

Is one capsule a day enough?

It covers 18 % of the nutrient reference value, so it is a supporting top-up. That is enough to close a small gap, not enough to make up for a diet low in magnesium or for heavy losses through sweat. This product tops up the plate, it does not replace it.

Does bisglycinate cause loose stools?

Far less than other forms, and at 67.5 mg per capsule the risk is very low. Chelation to glycine limits the osmotic effect responsible for digestive discomfort, unlike the oxide, the hydroxide or the citrate. Taking the capsule with a meal settles the few remaining cases.

Is absorption genuinely better?

Bisglycinate is better tolerated digestively, and that is not in dispute. A quantified superiority in absorption, on the other hand, has not been established by any health authority, so you will read no multiplier here along the lines of “three times better absorbed”. What you are buying is digestive comfort and a clean form, not a figure.

Can it be taken alongside thyroid medication?

That question is one for your doctor or your pharmacist. What we can say safely: magnesium interferes with the absorption of thyroid hormones taken at the same time, which usually leads to spacing the doses several hours apart. Never alter a course of medication on your own initiative.

Can it be combined with creatine or a whey?

Yes, with no difficulty at all: there is neither a shared ingredient nor any known interaction. The only stacking to watch is that of two magnesium sources — a multivitamin and this capsule, for instance. Add up the milligrams of elemental magnesium before drawing a conclusion, bearing in mind the limit of 250 mg a day set by EFSA for supplements.

Are the capsules suitable for vegans?

Yes. The shell is hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, a vegetable cellulose, not bovine or porcine gelatine. No ingredient in the formula is of animal origin. That leaves the possible traces of milk, eggs and fish linked to the production site, to be considered if your requirement also covers cross-contamination.

Where can you buy IO Genix Magnesium Bisglycinate?

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

Magnesium is the category where people go wrong most often, and almost always in the same way: by comparing a weight of salt with a weight of mineral. Our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, exists precisely for that — putting two bottles side by side and reading together the only line that matters, the one for elemental magnesium. The rest of the everyday supplements can be found in the sports nutrition section.