Fat Burners

What is IO Genix Thermo R8?

IO Genix Thermo R8 is a fat burner in capsule form — that is the commercial name of the category, not a promise of results. One capsule brings together eight actives: 250 mg of taurine, 200 mg of L-carnitine tartrate, 125 mg of anhydrous caffeine, 125 mg of artichoke extract, 100 mg of guarana extract, 100 mg of green tea extract, 75 mg of L-tyrosine and 25 mg of cayenne. The bottle holds 120 of them.

That is where the product name comes from: eight ingredients, one single capsule. The format is what explains its real appeal. Buying a carnitine, a taurine, a green tea and a guarana separately means stacking four tubs and swallowing four to six capsules a day. Here everything fits into a single intake, and you know to the milligram what you are taking, because nothing is hidden behind a "proprietary blend".

Caffeine is the ingredient that really gives the formula its shape, and the figure to remember is not the one on the label line by line. There is 125 mg of anhydrous caffeine plus 22 mg supplied by the guarana extract, so 147 mg per capsule. That is the equivalent of a double espresso. Read that figure before anything else: it is the one that decides whether this product suits you or not. The rest of the Spanish range can be browsed in our IO Genix aisle, and the other products in the category in our fat burner capsules.

What does one Thermo R8 capsule contain?

Let us look at the doses honestly, because that is where the difference lies between a serious product and a window-dressing one. The 147 mg of caffeine is a genuine dose: it is what a strong cup of coffee contains, and it is enough to be felt. The 200 mg of carnitine, on the other hand, is modest: the published protocols on carnitine sit closer to 2 g a day, and here you are ten times below that. The same goes for taurine, whose 250 mg stays a long way from the 1 to 3 g used in the performance literature.

That is not a criticism of the product, it is a reading of what it is: a formula built around caffeine, with plants and amino acids in support. If your aim is a straightforward dose of carnitine or of taurine on its own, take them separately — you will find them in our taurine aisle.

A word on the regulatory framework, because it is stricter than the fat burner aisle would have you believe. No health claim is authorised in Europe for caffeine, green tea, guarana, carnitine or cayenne with a view to weight loss or energy expenditure. The dossiers submitted were rejected. So we describe the composition and the usage, without announcing any effect on body fat. No fat burner has ever made anyone lose a gram if their diet did not change.

The artichoke extract is standardised to 3 mg of cynarin, and the green tea extract to 50% polyphenols of which 30% catechins — two declared standardisations, which remains rare in this aisle, where "green tea extract" is often written without saying what it contains.

Ingredients list

Taurine, L-carnitine tartrate, anhydrous caffeine, dry artichoke extract (Cynara scolymus L.), dry guarana extract (Paullinia cupana Kunth.), dry green tea extract (Camellia sinensis L. Kuntze), L-tyrosine, cayenne powder (Capsicum frutescens L.). Other components: anti-caking agent (magnesium stearate), rice flour. Capsule shell: GELATINE, colouring.

Made in a facility that handles GLUTEN, MILK, EGG, SOYA, NUTS and FISH.

How do you take Thermo R8?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: in the morning on waking on non-training days, or 30 minutes before the session on training days. Frequency: one intake a day only, never after 16:00. Duration: the manufacturer recommends a course of one to two months, followed by a two-week break.

The "never after 16:00" instruction is not decorative. Caffeine has a half-life of several hours: a capsule taken at 18:00 before an evening session will still leave a notable amount of caffeine in your blood at bedtime. And shortened sleep does more damage to a cutting phase than any fat burner can make up for. If you consistently train in the evening, this is not the right product.

The two-week break has a precise reason: caffeine tolerance sets in fast, within two to three weeks for most people. Beyond that point, the same capsule does very little. The break resets the counter. It is an instruction few manufacturers write down, and this one is worth following.

One capsule a day, not two. The threshold of 400 mg of caffeine a day set by the European Food Safety Authority for a healthy adult is quickly reached once you add the morning coffee, the afternoon tea and a pre-workout. Do the arithmetic before doubling the dose. If you already take a caffeinated pre-workout, space the two intakes out or choose a stimulant-free version.

The product fits without overlap alongside a protein and a multivitamin complex, neither of which supplies any caffeine.

Who is Thermo R8 for, and who is it not for?

It suits an adult who tolerates caffeine well, who trains in the morning or in the early afternoon, and who is already in a calorie deficit. That last condition is not a turn of phrase: it is the deficit that makes you lose fat, and no capsule will change that if the plate does not follow.

It is not suitable if you are sensitive to stimulants, if you have high blood pressure or cardiovascular disorders, if you are on medication without having discussed it with your doctor, or if you sleep badly. It is not recommended for children, adolescents, pregnant women or breastfeeding women — 147 mg of caffeine per intake is already half the daily reference figure set for pregnancy.

The capsule shell is made of gelatine: the product is therefore suitable neither for vegetarians nor for vegans. People with allergies should read the facility statement above carefully.

What you should not expect from it. It does not make you lose weight. It does not target one area of the body. It does not make up for a diet that exceeds your needs. What you will actually feel is the effect of the caffeine: more alertness, a session that starts more easily, sometimes a slightly smaller appetite in the late morning. That is already useful, and it is all that can honestly be said about it. Any question about a treatment, a medical condition or significant weight loss is a matter for your doctor or your pharmacist.

Thermo R8 or a caffeine-free fat burner?

That is the real question to ask in this aisle, and it is settled in a minute.

If you cope with caffeine and you train before 16:00, Thermo R8 is coherent: 147 mg per capsule, eight actives, one single intake. You have nothing to stack alongside it.

If you are sensitive to stimulants, if you train in the evening, or if you already drink three coffees a day, take the other route. Our caffeine-free fat burner aisle brings together formulas built on carnitine, chromium or plant extracts, with no stimulant. They do not deliver the kick of Thermo R8 — that is precisely the point — and they can be taken at any hour, including the evening, without touching your sleep.

The choice is therefore settled not on the supposed effectiveness of one or the other, but on your tolerance and on the timing of your sessions. For a powder to be mixed rather than a capsule, our fat burner powder aisle offers a third option, often more heavily dosed in carnitine. And if your overall aim is structured weight loss, the whole weight loss aisle is worth a look before you choose.

Frequently asked questions

How much caffeine is in one Thermo R8 capsule?

147 mg in total: 125 mg of anhydrous caffeine plus 22 mg supplied by the guarana extract. That is the equivalent of a double espresso. This figure is the most important one on the label, and it has to be added to your coffee and your pre-workout to work out your total for the day.

How long does one bottle last?

The bottle holds 120 capsules and the dose is one capsule a day, which comes to 120 days. Since the manufacturer recommends courses of one to two months separated by two-week breaks, one bottle covers two to four full courses in practice.

Can it be taken before an evening session?

No, and that is the product's main limitation. The manufacturer sets the cut-off at 16:00. With 147 mg of caffeine and a half-life of several hours, an intake late in the day degrades your sleep. If you train in the evening, turn to a stimulant-free formula.

Should you take breaks between courses?

Yes. The manufacturer sets out a course of one to two months, then two weeks off. The reason is simple: caffeine tolerance sets in within two to three weeks, and without a break the same capsule ends up doing nothing. Starting again after the break restores your sensitivity.

Are the capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No. The shell is gelatine, of animal origin. There is no plant-based version of this reference. The eight actives themselves pose no problem, but the capsule that holds them does.

Is the carnitine dose high enough?

200 mg per capsule is a supporting dose, not a main one. The published protocols on L-carnitine use more like 2 g a day. If carnitine is your objective, take it as a standalone product and consider Thermo R8 for what it is: a formula built around caffeine.

Does this product make you lose weight?

No, and no product in this aisle does. No weight-loss claim is authorised in Europe for caffeine, green tea, guarana or carnitine. Losing body fat comes from a calorie deficit and physical activity. This type of formula supports an approach already in place, it does not replace it.

Where can you buy IO Genix Thermo R8?

The 120-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 on which we always ask the same question before selling it: what time do you train, and how many coffees do you drink a day. The two answers are almost always enough to point someone either to this one or to a stimulant-free formula. The whole category can be browsed in our fat burners aisle.

What is JNX Sports The Ripper?

The Ripper is a powder to be mixed with water from the fat burners category, sold in a tub and dosed at 5 g per serving. It comes as a fruity drink to be made up in the morning, rather than a capsule to swallow. That is a genuine practical difference: you drink 180 to 250 ml of flavoured water, which often replaces the wake-up coffee.

Its formula is built around two blends named by the manufacturer. The first, Extreme Muscle Fuel Blend, weighs 2,500 mg and brings together beta-alanine, guarana extract, raspberry ketones and anhydrous caffeine. The second, Ripper Shred Matrix, weighs 1,450 mg and gathers taurine, acetyl L-carnitine, green coffee extract, green tea extract, cinnamon bark extract and olive leaf extract standardised to 40% oleuropein. To these are added vitamin C, vitamin B5, vitamin B12 and chromium picolinate.

The flavours listed: Blue Raspberry, Lime, Pineapple, Red Grape, Watermelon, Fruit Punch, Raspberry Lemonade and Peach Mango. The product belongs to our fat burner powder and weight loss sections.

What does a 5 g serving contain?

This table has to be read for what it is. Only one active ingredient in this formula is quantified individually: caffeine, at 200 mg per serving. Everything else is published as a proprietary blend — you know the total weight of the two blends and the list of what they contain, but not the breakdown. It is therefore impossible to know how much beta-alanine, carnitine or green tea extract you are actually taking. That is the manufacturer's right, it is also the product's limitation, and we would rather write it down than work around it.

The same goes for the vitamins and the chromium: their amounts do not appear in the labelling data available to us. Yet a nutrition or health claim can only be used if the product provides at least 15% of the nutrient reference value per serving. Without figures, that threshold cannot be checked, and we will therefore make no claim for the vitamin C, the B5, the B12 or the chromium in this formula.

That leaves the figure that really counts. 200 mg of caffeine is the equivalent of two to three espressos in a single glass. That is a straightforward dose, at the level of a full pre-workout, and it is what you will feel. For reference, EFSA considers that a single intake of 200 mg and a total of 400 mg per day raise no safety concern in healthy adults. You are exactly at the single-intake limit — hence the importance of what follows.

Finally, 10 kcal per serving and 1 g of carbohydrate: the drink is nutritionally neutral. It does not break a fast in the caloric sense of the term and slots into a calorie-restricted diet without a second thought.

How should The Ripper be taken?

Dose: 5 g, i.e. one scoop. Liquid: 180 to 250 ml of well-chilled water. Timing: 15 to 30 minutes before breakfast, or 30 to 45 minutes before the session. Frequency: 1 serving per day, 2 at most for regular users, the second 5 to 6 hours after the first and never after 16:00. Duration: cycles of 60 days at most, followed by 2 to 4 weeks off. The tub covers 30 days at one serving per day.

Start with a single serving for two days, long enough to gauge your tolerance. This is not a token precaution: with 200 mg of caffeine in one go, a body unused to it may react with trembling, a racing heart or nausea. If that happens to you, half a scoop will do perfectly well, and you will lose nothing.

Use well-chilled water: it dissolves better and the taste is markedly more pleasant. Start at 180 ml and go up to 250 ml if the flavour seems too concentrated to you. Drink immediately after making it up.

The 16:00 rule is not negotiable. Caffeine has a half-life of several hours: a serving taken at 17:00 is still working at midnight, and degraded sleep largely cancels out whatever you hoped to gain during the day. Finally, drink enough water throughout the day, and do not combine this product with a caffeinated pre-workout booster: you would double the dose without noticing.

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

It is aimed at healthy adults over 18, used to stimulants, and running a calorie deficit. Outside that framework, it serves no purpose.

The manufacturer does not advise it for pregnant and breastfeeding women, nor in cases of high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, psychological disorders, or liver or kidney disorders. It also states that it should not be combined with alcohol or with other stimulants. These statements are not a matter of style: at 200 mg of caffeine per serving, they exist for a reason.

Two expected effects, worth knowing about before they take you by surprise. Beta-alanine causes passing skin tingling — paraesthesia — on the face, the neck or the forearms. It is unpleasant the first time, harmless, and it fades. Caffeine, for its part, can cause nervousness, restlessness and insomnia, especially if you add coffee on top during the same day.

As for allergens, none is an ingredient, but the product is made in a facility that handles PEANUTS, TREE NUTS, MILK, EGG, WHEAT, CRUSTACEANS, FISH and SOYA. In the event of a severe allergy to any of them, refrain.

What you should not expect from it, and this is the most important paragraph on this page: this product does not make you lose weight. "Fat burner" is a commercial category name, not a promise of an effect, and no weight-loss claim is authorised for the ingredients in this formula. What caffeine does is make you more alert and more inclined to train. The rest — the calorie deficit — is your work, and without it this tub will be of no use at all.

The Ripper or a caffeine-free burner?

That is the real decision in this category, and it does not depend on the formula but on your day. The question to ask yourself is simple: how much caffeine do you already consume, and at what time do you train?

A product from our caffeine-free fat burner section is the better choice in three very common cases. If you already drink three or four coffees during the day — add them up, you will be surprised by the total. If you train in the evening, because no adjustment of timing will make 200 mg of caffeine compatible with a 20:00 session. And if you are simply sensitive: palpitations, clammy hands, anxiety. In those situations the stimulant-free option is objectively better, and we would rather tell you so than sell you this one.

The Ripper keeps two clear advantages. The drink format first: 5 g in a large glass of cold water is more pleasant than a handful of capsules and it contributes to morning hydration. Then the straightforward caffeine dose: if you are looking for a kick before a fasted session, 200 mg does the job without needing a pre-workout on top. If you would still rather have the capsule format, the whole capsule burners section answers the same intention.

Frequently asked questions

How much caffeine is in one serving, and can two be taken?

200 mg per 5 g serving. Two servings come to 400 mg, the daily total that EFSA considers to raise no safety concern in healthy adults — but on condition that you drink nothing else caffeinated alongside. The manufacturer caps it at two servings per day, the second 5 to 6 hours after the first and never after 16:00.

Why are the ingredient doses not stated?

Because the manufacturer publishes them as proprietary blends: 2,500 mg for the first, 1,450 mg for the second, without detailing the share of each ingredient. Only the caffeine is quantified separately. You therefore cannot compare item by item with a product that does set out its own amounts.

Where does the tingling after taking it come from?

From the beta-alanine. It is a known effect, called paraesthesia: a pins-and-needles sensation on the face, the neck or the arms, appearing 15 to 20 minutes after taking it and lasting half an hour. It is harmless and it lessens with habit. Taking the serving with a little food often eases the sensation.

Can it be taken on an empty stomach in the morning?

Yes, that is the way of using it chosen by the manufacturer: 15 to 30 minutes before breakfast. At 10 kcal, the drink weighs nothing. Just be aware that 200 mg of caffeine on an empty stomach hits harder and sometimes sits less well — if you feel nauseous, take it after a few mouthfuls.

Can it be combined with a pre-workout?

No, not on the same day and above all not a few hours apart. Most pre-workouts contain 150 to 300 mg of caffeine; by combining them, you would go well beyond the 400 mg daily figure. Choose one or the other. The same care applies to a tea, a soft drink or a coffee taken straight afterwards.

How long does a tub last, and should a break be taken?

The manufacturer states 30 days of daily use per tub, at one serving per day. It recommends cycles of 60 days at most followed by 2 to 4 weeks off. That break has a real point: tolerance to caffeine sets in quickly, and it is stopping that resets it, not raising the dose.

Does this product cause weight loss on its own?

No. No weight-loss claim is authorised for these ingredients, and we will make none. What causes fat loss is a calorie deficit held over time. A stimulant can help you train when motivation is lacking — that is a helping hand, not a mechanism.

Where can I buy JNX Sports The Ripper?

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

This is exactly the kind of product where a two-minute conversation prevents a bad purchase. At our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the first question asked is never "which flavour?" but "how many coffees a day, and at what time do you train?". Depending on the answer, we point you either to this tub or to a stimulant-free version. The full section can be browsed in our sports nutrition.

What is IO Genix's Caffeine 200 mg?

It is anhydrous caffeine in capsules, dosed at 200 mg per unit, in a bottle of 100. A single active ingredient, no flavouring, no sweetener, no blend: it is the simplest product in the whole stimulant aisle.

Two hundred milligrams is the equivalent of two to three espressos. The difference with coffee comes down to three things: the dose is identical from one capsule to the next, it travels in a pocket, and it requires neither finding a machine nor drinking anything. For a session at 6:00 in the morning or a competition in a car park, those are three real advantages.

The rest of the composition takes three lines: magnesium carbonate as a bulking agent, magnesium stearate as an anti-caking agent, and a gelatine capsule coloured with calcium carbonate and sodium starch octenyl succinate. As the shell is made of gelatine, the product is not suitable for vegetarians. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix aisle.

What does one capsule contain?

* No NRV is established for caffeine. Other components: bulking agent (magnesium carbonate), capsule (gelatine, colours: calcium carbonate and sodium starch octenyl succinate), anti-caking agent (magnesium stearate). Pack size: 100 capsules. Traces of GLUTEN, MILK, EGG, SOYA, SULPHITES, FISH, MOLLUSCS and CRUSTACEANS are possible depending on manufacturing conditions.

The framework needs setting out straight away, because it is what determines how the product is used. EFSA considers that a single intake of 200 mg of caffeine raises no safety concern in healthy adults, and takes 400 mg as the benchmark for the whole day, from all sources combined. One capsule therefore puts you exactly on the single-intake limit — and if you drink coffee alongside it, the total climbs fast.

A concrete calculation, because it often changes the advice: one capsule in the morning, two coffees during the day and a 200 mg pre-workout already adds up to 550 to 600 mg. You are above the daily benchmark without having given it a single thought.

On the effects, let us be precise: caffeine has no authorised health claim in Europe. Not on alertness, not on endurance, not on weight loss. We can therefore promise you nothing, and we will not. What we can describe: a molecule, a dose, an equivalent in cups of coffee, and a protocol for use. The rest you already know from experience — you have all drunk a coffee.

How should Caffeine 200 mg be taken?

Dose: 1 capsule, i.e. 200 mg. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: 30 to 45 minutes before physical or mental effort, in the morning or in the early afternoon. Frequency: one intake a day, never after 15:00. Duration: cycling advised, 5 days on for 2 days off, or 3 weeks for 1 week off.

If you have never taken caffeine in this form, start with half a capsule. The manufacturer recommends it, and it is good advice: the capsule opens, the powder can be divided, and one session will tell you whether 100 mg is enough for you. Two hundred milligrams at once, on an empty stomach, does not go the same way for everybody.

The 15:00 rule is the one that matters most, and it is stricter here than on many products: the manufacturer asks that no caffeine be taken in the 6 hours before bedtime. The half-life of the molecule is around five hours in an average adult, more in some people. A capsule at 18:00 still means a hundred milligrams or so in circulation at midnight.

Cycling is not a whim either. Tolerance to caffeine sets in within a few weeks, and the doses then have to go up to recover the same sensation — which is neither desirable nor sustainable. Five days on for two days off is enough to maintain sensitivity.

Two practical remarks. The manufacturer advises increasing water intake to 2 or 3 litres a day during use, caffeine having a mild diuretic effect. And it advises against taking it at the same time as other stimulants — tea, coffee, guarana — which amounts to repeating the daily total calculation.

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

It is for adults only, and suits those who tolerate caffeine well and want a precise, portable dose with no taste and no preparation. It is also the most economical format in the category: 100 capsules, i.e. more than three months at one intake a day, for the price of a few energy drinks.

The manufacturer is categorical about the contraindications, and we repeat them as they stand. This product is not advised for children or for pregnant and breastfeeding women, and is ruled out in the case of a heart condition, high blood pressure, an anxiety disorder, insomnia or hypersensitivity to caffeine. If any of those apply to you, this product is not for you, and that is not negotiable.

It is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans: the shell is made of gelatine. Nor is it suitable if you train in the evening, for the sleep reasons set out above.

The possible side effects are well known and the manufacturer lists them: nervousness, irritability, palpitations, headaches, digestive upset. They appear mainly in people who are not used to it or at cumulative doses. That is precisely why the trial half-capsule makes sense.

What not to expect from it: nothing more than a well-measured coffee. Caffeine does not make up for a short night, it masks it — and the sleep debt itself remains entirely. Nor does it make you lose weight, whatever the label on half of the fat burners aisle may say. What it does do is make a session easier to get started, which is already something.

Caffeine on its own or a complete pre-workout?

That is the real choice, and the answer depends on what you are trying to achieve.

A complete pre-workout provides, on top of the caffeine, pump and endurance ingredients: citrulline at 4 or 6 g, beta-alanine at 3.2 g, often tyrosine or betaine. It is the better choice if you want the complete formula without having to put anything together yourself, and if the sensation of a pump is part of what you are looking for. Its drawback: you pay for the whole thing, including the ingredients you have no interest in, and you do not choose the caffeine dose.

Caffeine on its own does exactly the opposite. You know what you are taking to the milligram, you adjust in half-capsules, and you can combine it with whatever you want — citrulline on its own, beta-alanine on its own, or nothing at all. At 100 capsules a bottle, it is also by far the cheapest option per session. It is the rational choice if you already know what works for you.

And if you train in the evening, neither suits: a caffeine-free pre-workout is what to turn to, even if it means losing that kick. On this point, a night's sleep is worth more than a good session.

Frequently asked questions

How many coffees does 200 mg correspond to?

Two to three espressos, according to the manufacturer. It is an average equivalent: the content of a coffee varies a great deal with the grind, the machine and the volume. The useful benchmark is EFSA's — 200 mg in a single intake, 400 mg over the day from all sources combined.

Can the capsule be opened to take half a dose?

Yes, and it is even what the manufacturer advises for a first trial. The capsule opens, the powder can be divided. The taste of pure caffeine is extremely bitter: better to close the half back inside the capsule and swallow it than to put it on your tongue.

How late in the day can it be taken?

The manufacturer asks that none be consumed in the 6 hours before bedtime, and in practice that you stay before 15:00. That is consistent with the half-life of the molecule, around five hours in an average adult — and a good deal more in some people. An evening intake costs a night.

Why take breaks?

Because tolerance sets in quickly: after two to three weeks of daily use, the same dose no longer produces the same effect. The manufacturer advises 5 days on for 2 days off, or 3 weeks for 1 week. That is what allows you to keep one capsule effective without raising the doses.

Are the capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No. The shell is made of gelatine, of animal origin. The manufacturer also reports possible traces of gluten, milk, egg, soya, sulphites, fish, molluscs and crustaceans depending on manufacturing conditions.

Can it be combined with a pre-workout?

Technically yes, but you have to do the arithmetic. Most pre-workouts contain 150 to 350 mg of caffeine per serving: added to the 200 mg of a capsule, you exceed EFSA's daily benchmark in a single intake. The manufacturer does in fact explicitly advise against combining it with other stimulants.

How long does a bottle last?

More than three months at one capsule a day, the bottle holding 100. With the advised cycling — five days out of seven — reckon on four to five months. It is one of the most favourable dose-to-price ratios in the whole shop.

Where can you buy IO Genix Caffeine 200 mg?

The bottle of 100 capsules can be ordered from this page, and we ship anywhere in France and Europe. It is a product that covers a whole quarter of a year with a single bottle: few items in the catalogue can say as much.

At the counter in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is the product we suggest to those who come in looking for a complete pre-workout without realising that what they like in it is essentially the caffeine. The test is simple: try a capsule on its own for two weeks, and you will know. The rest of the stimulants and pre-training formulas can be compared in our sports nutrition selection.

What is Animal Cuts by Universal Nutrition?

Animal Cuts is a food supplement supplied as 42 individual sachets, each sachet containing several capsules to be taken together. It is the long-standing format of Universal Nutrition's Animal range: one sachet a day, nothing to measure out, nothing to weigh.

The phrase "thermogenic fat burner" that appears in its name is a commercial category label, not a promise of any effect. We come back to this further down, because it is the most important point on this page. The product belongs to our fat burners range, and more specifically to capsule fat burners. Universal Nutrition is an American brand whose range we stock in our Universal Nutrition section.

What does a sachet of Animal Cuts contain?

The formula is organised into eight complexes, for a stated total of more than 8,500 mg of active ingredients per sachet. Four of them are quantified on the label:

• Thermogenic complex: 200 mg of anhydrous caffeine, guarana, yerba mate, kola nut;
• Stimulant complex: 750 mg — tyrosine, choline bitartrate, gotu kola;
• Diuretic complex: 800 mg — nettle root, dandelion root;
• Nootropic complex: 500 mg, and the so-called thyroid complex: 350 mg — L-tyrosine, olive leaf extract.

The other three — a metabolic complex based on green, oolong, white and black tea extracts; a cortisol-inhibiting complex containing SerinAid and ashwagandha; a bioavailability complex with Bioperine — are not quantified ingredient by ingredient. That is a genuine limitation: without doses, no serious comparison with another product is possible, and we will not fill the gap with an estimate.

Two points about the composition to be aware of before buying. The excipients include bovine gelatine: the product is suitable neither for vegetarians, nor for vegans, nor for anyone who avoids beef. And the labelling data we hold lists colourings under their American names (FD&C Red #40, Blue #1, Yellow #5 and #6) as well as titanium dioxide: these are North American labelling conventions, and the composition of a version intended for the European market may differ. Read the list printed on the tub you receive, it is the one that counts.

The exact number of capsules per sachet does not appear in the data available to us; we would rather flag that than put forward a figure.

How do you take Animal Cuts?

The manufacturer's protocol is precise. 1 sachet a day, on waking, with a light meal and 250 ml of water. Advanced users may move up to 2 sachets a day, the second 4 to 6 hours after the first. In every case, nothing after 15:00, since the caffeine content disrupts sleep when taken late.

The course is organised into cycles of 3 weeks on followed by 1 week off. The 42-sachet format therefore covers two complete cycles at one sachet a day. Always start with a single daily sachet, even if you are aiming for the advanced protocol: it is the only way to assess your tolerance.

The caffeine arithmetic is worth setting out. One sachet provides 200 mg, exactly the single-dose intake that EFSA considers safe for a healthy adult. At two sachets you are at 400 mg for that day alone, which is the daily reference total, without counting coffee, tea or any pre-workout. The diuretic complex also means drinking more than usual during the course.

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

The product is intended for healthy adults who are used to stimulants. The list of situations that rule it out is long and deserves to be read in full.

It is not suitable for the under-18s, for pregnant or breastfeeding women, nor in cases of heart disorders, high blood pressure, thyroid disorders, diabetes, liver or kidney disease, nor while on antidepressant treatment. The name of the "thyroid complex" should mislead no one: it is a commercial designation, and a thyroid that is not working properly is precisely a contraindication. If in doubt, or if you are on any current treatment, medical advice is essential before starting.

On allergens and composition, the manufacturer flags possible traces of soya and the presence of bovine gelatine. The effects reported are those of a stimulant product: increased sweating, palpitations, anxiety, disturbed sleep when taken late. Stop using it if you experience an adverse effect and speak to a healthcare professional.

That leaves what you should not expect from it, and this is the most important point: no slimming, fat-loss or weight-control claim is authorised in Europe for this type of formula. So you will read no promise here of cutting, definition or kilos lost. What changes body composition is a calorie deficit sustained over time, protein intake, training and sleep; a supplement replaces none of the four, here as throughout our weight loss range. What this product does provide can be described without ambiguity: a quantified dose of caffeine, plant extracts, a format that avoids juggling several tubs, and a cycling protocol written by the manufacturer.

Animal Cuts or a caffeine-free fat burner?

The difference comes down first to caffeine, and the choice depends on how your day actually runs, not on the formula. A product from our caffeine-free fat burner range is the better choice if you already drink coffee, if you take a stimulant pre-workout, if you train late in the day, or if you tolerate stimulants poorly. It is also the only workable option for anyone who has to keep an eye on their blood pressure.

Animal Cuts is the better choice if you are starting from zero where stimulants are concerned, if you prefer a single sachet in the morning to a pile of tubs to manage, and if the cycled protocol suits you. Its all-in-one format is its real advantage: it avoids the stacking of supplements that nobody really keeps track of taking.

There is a third route, and it is often the right one: take no stimulant at all and put the budget into your daily protein intake, the item that changes the most during a calorie deficit.

Frequently asked questions

How many sachets of Animal Cuts a day?

One sachet a day on waking, with a light meal and 250 ml of water. The advanced protocol allows a second sachet 4 to 6 hours later, but at two sachets you reach 400 mg of caffeine over the day from this product alone. Start with one, whatever your experience.

How long does a box of 42 sachets last?

Forty-two days at one sachet a day, that is two complete three-week cycles separated by a week off. At two sachets a day, the box lasts three weeks, in other words a single cycle. The cost-per-day calculation doubles depending on which protocol you follow.

Does Animal Cuts make you lose weight?

No, and nobody can claim it does: no weight-loss claim is authorised for this type of product in Europe. A change in body composition comes from a calorie deficit, protein intake, training and sleep. A supplement is no substitute for any of the four.

Is the product suitable for vegetarians?

No. The capsules contain bovine gelatine, which rules out vegetarian and vegan diets as well as anyone who does not eat beef. The manufacturer also flags possible traces of soya. If that is a deal-breaker for you, look instead at a powder form or a vegetable capsule.

Should you take it on non-training days?

Yes, the manufacturer's protocol is daily throughout the three weeks of the cycle, training or not, since it is taken on waking rather than before the session. That is a difference from a pre-workout, which is kept for training days. Do not combine the two on the same day without having added up your total caffeine.

Why do you need to drink more during the course?

Because the formula contains an 800 mg diuretic complex based on nettle and dandelion root, and caffeine pushes in the same direction. The manufacturer stresses increased hydration throughout the cycle. If you train in hot weather, give some thought to your electrolytes as well.

Can it be combined with a pre-workout?

That is not advised on the same day without doing the arithmetic. One sachet already provides 200 mg of caffeine, and most boosters contain as much, if not more. EFSA takes 400 mg a day as the reference total for a healthy adult, coffee and tea included. Beyond that, adverse effects increase with nothing gained in return.

Where can you buy Animal Cuts 42 packs?

You can order it on this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this product prompts the most useful conversation in the range: what actually happens over a day — how many coffees, what time the session is, what the protein intake is — counts for far more than the choice between two fat burner brands. The whole range is brought together in our sports nutrition section.

Caffeine reference: EFSA.

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 Steelfit Abs of Steel?

It is a cosmetic cream for external use, in a 237 ml bottle, to be massaged into the abdominal area. It is not a food supplement: it is not swallowed, it is applied, and it falls under cosmetic product regulations.

Its formula is built around the CoAxel™ complex, which combines three cosmetic ingredients: carnitine, coenzyme A and caffeine. To these are added a Bupleurum falcatum root extract, two warming compounds — methyl nicotinate and benzyl nicotinate — and aloe vera juice powder.

One thing has to be said before anything else, and we are putting it at the top rather than at the bottom: no cream makes you lose abdominal fat. Targeted slimming of an area through the skin has not been demonstrated, and fat distribution cannot be steered locally. What this product delivers is an immediate warming sensation and a cosmetic effect on the appearance of the skin. Abdominal definition, for its part, remains the result of a calorie deficit and regular training. The brand's full range is in our SteelFit aisle.

What is in the formula?

No content levels are published for these actives: cosmetic regulations do not require a dosage on the label, only an INCI list ordered by decreasing weight. We therefore cannot tell you how much caffeine or carnitine one application contains, and we are not going to invent it.

What the INCI list does let you read, on the other hand, is instructive. The first four ingredients are water, soybean oil, propylene glycol and PEG-40 stearate: this is a classic cream base. The actives put forward — carnitine, nicotinates, bupleurum, caffeine — come after the fragrance, which tells you where their proportion sits. Aloe vera and coenzyme A appear right at the end of the list. This is neither a flaw nor a deception — it is how a cream normally works — but it is information the marketing label does not give.

The two ingredients whose effect is immediately noticeable are the nicotinates. They are the ones that produce the warmth and the slight reddening felt on application, through superficial skin vasodilation. This sensation is temporary and expected: it does not mean that fat is being melted away.

Finally, the formula contains five fragrance allergens subject to mandatory declaration under European regulations: linalool, alpha-isomethyl ionone, citronellol, benzyl salicylate and benzyl benzoate. It also contains soybean oil, in second position on the list.

How do you apply Abs of Steel?

Amount: a generous amount. Area: abdomen, obliques and serratus muscles. Action: massage in firmly until fully absorbed. Timing: 15 minutes before the session, and in the evening after showering or before going to bed. Frequency: two applications a day.

Three practical precautions really count. Let it dry completely before putting on clothing: the product stains, and that also goes for bed linen in the evening. Never apply it to the face or the neck, or near the eyes. And wash your hands after massaging it in, otherwise you will carry the nicotinates to places you do not want them.

On the warming sensation: it comes on within seconds, it is sometimes sharp, and it fades within a few minutes. Slight reddening is possible. Test the product on a small area before the first full application — it is the only way to know how your skin reacts, and it takes five minutes.

A 237 ml bottle at two applications a day lasts several weeks, the actual duration depending entirely on how much you apply. Store it away from heat and direct light.

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

It suits those who are already following a structured weight loss approach and who are looking for one more ritual, with an immediate sensation. It is also a product people appreciate before a session: the warmth on application has a motivating side that nobody disputes, even though it has no effect on fat.

It is for external use only. Avoid contact with the eyes. Do not apply to irritated or broken skin, or after recent waxing or shaving: nicotinates on weakened skin cause a distinctly more unpleasant sensation. If a skin reaction occurs, stop using it and consult a healthcare professional. Keep out of reach of children.

It is not for you if you are sensitive to fragrances — five fragrance allergens are declared — nor if you are allergic to soya, soybean oil being the second ingredient on the list. Nor is it for very reactive skin: the heat from the nicotinates is not trivial.

What you should not expect from it, and this is the most useful point on this page: it does not make you slimmer, it does not burn fat, and it does not carve out abs. No cream does, whatever the brand and whatever the price. The warmth you feel is skin vasodilation, not lipolysis. We sell this product for what it is — a pleasant cosmetic with an effect on the appearance of the skin — and not for what this aisle generally promises.

A cream or a supplement to swallow?

The question comes up in this aisle, and it deserves a clear answer. Let us start with what they have in common: neither cosmetic creams nor the supplements known as “fat burners” have an authorised claim on fat loss in Europe. Neither of the two will make you slimmer in place of a calorie deficit.

A product from our fat burners or fat burner capsules aisle works orally, with real constraints: timing, total caffeine to keep an eye on, cardiovascular contraindications. It does, on the other hand, have a noticeable systemic effect, which a cream never will.

The cream does exactly the opposite: no internal contraindications, no total to calculate, no interaction with any medication since it is not swallowed. That is its real advantage, and it is no small thing for anyone who does not want to add capsules to their day. If you are sensitive to caffeine, our caffeine-free fat burner aisle is the oral equivalent of that same logic.

And if you are only going to add one thing during a period of deficit, our answer is always the same: a protein. It is the only product in the whole shop with an authorised wording mentioning the maintenance of muscle mass, and that is precisely what is at stake when calories go down.

Frequently asked questions

Does this cream make you lose abdominal fat?

No. Targeted slimming of an area through the skin has not been demonstrated, and fat distribution cannot be steered locally. It is a cosmetic product: what it delivers is a warming sensation and an effect on the appearance of the skin. Abdominal definition comes from a calorie deficit and from training.

Why does it get so warm?

Because of methyl nicotinate and benzyl nicotinate, two compounds that cause superficial skin vasodilation. The warmth and the slight reddening are expected and temporary, and fade within a few minutes. This sensation does not mean that fat is being used up.

How much caffeine does it contain?

The content is not published: cosmetic regulations do not require a dosage on the label, only an INCI list ordered by decreasing weight. Caffeine appears there after the fragrance, which gives you its order of magnitude. We are not going to give a figure we do not have.

Can it be applied to the face or the neck?

No, the manufacturer expressly rules it out. Nicotinates on thin skin or near the eyes cause a far more intense and unpleasant sensation. The cream is intended for the abdomen, the obliques and the serratus muscles, and for nothing else.

Does it stain clothing?

Yes, if it is not completely dry. The formula contains colourants (CI 42090, CI 16035, CI 19140). Massage until fully absorbed and let it dry before getting dressed — the instruction applies to bed linen too for the evening application.

Does it contain allergens?

Yes, five fragrance allergens subject to mandatory declaration: linalool, alpha-isomethyl ionone, citronellol, benzyl salicylate and benzyl benzoate. It also contains soybean oil, the second ingredient on the list. To be avoided if you are sensitive to fragrances or allergic to soya.

Can it be used at the same time as a fat burner supplement?

Nothing stands in the way: the cream is for external use and does not count towards your stimulant intake. Simply bear in mind that neither of the two has an authorised claim on fat loss, and that adding together two products with no recognised effect does not create one.

Where can you buy Steelfit Abs of Steel?

The 237 ml bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is a supporting product: it has its place alongside a programme, never instead of one.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the aisle where we spend the most time putting things back the right way round. We are happy to sell this cream, provided the customer knows exactly what they are buying: a sensation, a ritual, a cosmetic. Nobody should find out afterwards that a pot of cream does not replace three months of deficit.

What is IO Genix Synephrine?

It is a single-ingredient supplement, in capsules, containing 330 mg of bitter orange dry extract (Citrus aurantium L.) standardised to 6%, that is 19.8 mg of p-synephrine per capsule. The bottle of 100 capsules, 58 g net, covers more than three months at one capsule a day.

P-synephrine is a molecule found naturally in the bitter orange fruit. To give a sense of scale: the manufacturer states that one litre of bitter orange juice contains between 15 and 27 mg of it, where a capsule delivers 19.8 mg in standardised form. That is the most useful comparison for understanding what you are buying.

The rest of the composition fits in three lines: a gelatine capsule shell, microcrystalline cellulose as a bulking agent and magnesium stearate as an anti-caking agent. As the capsule shell is made of gelatine, the product is suitable for neither vegetarians nor vegans. It joins our fat burners in capsules and IO Genix sections.

What is in one capsule?

Other ingredients: capsule shell (gelatine), bulking agent (microcrystalline cellulose), anti-caking agent (magnesium stearate). Pack size: 100 capsules, 58 g net. No energy value is declared and, at this scale, it is negligible.

A point of vocabulary first, because it accounts for half the comparison mistakes made in this category: 330 mg is the weight of the extract, 19.8 mg the weight of the active molecule. A label that advertises “500 mg of bitter orange” without giving a standardisation figure tells you nothing at all. It is the second number you should look for, every time.

That figure of 19.8 mg is anything but arbitrary, and it is the most important point on this page. ANSES has published an opinion on food supplements intended for athletes containing synephrine and recommends not exceeding 20 mg of synephrine per day, avoiding combination with caffeine and not consuming it during intense physical exercise. This product sits just under that limit, which is to its credit — but it also means there is no margin at all: one capsule only, never two, and nothing else alongside it.

On effects, the framework is unambiguous: no health claim is authorised in Europe for synephrine or for bitter orange. Not on weight, not on fat, not on energy, not on appetite. So you will read no promise here, not even one phrased indirectly. The “fat burner” label used in our sections is a commercial category name, not a description of an effect.

How do you take Synephrine?

Dose: 1 capsule a day, never more. Liquid: a large glass of water. When: in the morning on waking. How often: one intake a day. Duration: the manufacturer sets no precise duration but recommends a periodic break.

One discrepancy has to be flagged, and we will not pass over it in silence. The manufacturer suggests taking it “before training”; the ANSES opinion, on the contrary, recommends avoiding the consumption of synephrine during intense physical exercise. Between the two, we follow ANSES: take the capsule in the morning, well away from your session. That is the advice we give over the counter, and it deliberately differs from the leaflet.

Second instruction, and this one is absolute: never combine this product with another source of caffeine or stimulant without medical advice. That includes coffee, tea, energy drinks and above all pre-workouts, which commonly contain 200 to 350 mg of caffeine. The manufacturer says so, and so does ANSES: on this point there is no debate.

The manufacturer also advises against taking it late in the day, so as not to disturb sleep. With 100 capsules in the bottle, it covers more than three months — so plan the breaks it recommends rather than running through it without interruption.

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

It is aimed at healthy adults engaged in a structured weight loss approach who want a single active ingredient with its standardisation stated. On that last point, the label is exemplary: one extract, one standardisation figure, one active molecule content.

The list of contraindications is one of the longest in the catalogue, and it needs to be read in full. The product is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, children and adolescents, people on medical treatment, or people suffering from cardiovascular disorders, hypertension, glaucoma, diabetes, prostate adenoma, depression or thyroid disorders. If any one of these applies to you, this product is not for you, and that is not negotiable.

It is suitable for neither vegetarians nor vegans, as the shell is made of gelatine. Traces of GLUTEN (wheat and oats), NUTS, PEANUT, EGG, MILK, FISH and SOYA are possible. Nor is it for you if you drink coffee during the day or already take a caffeinated pre-workout booster: stacking stimulants is precisely what the health authorities ask you to avoid.

What not to expect from it, and we will be blunt: this product does not make you lose weight. No claim exists, which means no European authority has validated any effect. Nor is it a pre-workout, or an appetite suppressant. If your calorie deficit is not in place, this bottle will change absolutely nothing.

Synephrine or a stimulant-free fat burner?

That is the real choice in this category, and it does not come down to effectiveness — neither family has an authorised claim — but to the balance between constraints and sensations.

A caffeine-free fat burner cannot be felt and imposes no constraints: no timing to respect, no stacking to watch, no cardiovascular contraindication. It is the better choice for the vast majority of people, and by far the safest. You will feel nothing at all, which is precisely the point.

Synephrine belongs to the other family, the actives with a stimulant effect, like the thermogenics in the fat burners section. It is only of interest in one specific case: you want a single active, dosed below the threshold recommended by ANSES, with no caffeine added to the formula — which leaves you in full control of your other intakes. That is a genuine advantage over a complete thermogenic in which caffeine is imposed on you.

The advice we actually give over the counter: if you drink coffee, walk on by. And if you are going to add a single supplement during a deficit, take a protein rather than a fat burner — protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass is an authorised claim, and that is what a diet really hinges on.

Frequently asked questions

Is 19.8 mg of p-synephrine a lot?

It is just under the threshold of 20 mg a day recommended by ANSES for synephrine in supplements intended for athletes. In other words: the dose is set at the maximum of what is advised, and there is no margin. One capsule a day, never two, and nothing else alongside it.

Can it be combined with a coffee or a pre-workout?

No. The manufacturer advises against it and ANSES recommends avoiding the combination of synephrine with caffeine. A pre-workout commonly delivers 200 to 350 mg of caffeine: stacking is exactly what should be avoided. On this specific point, there is no room for compromise.

Should it be taken before training?

The manufacturer suggests it, but ANSES recommends avoiding the consumption of synephrine during intense physical exercise. We follow ANSES: take the capsule in the morning, well away from your session. It is a deliberate departure from the leaflet, and we would rather explain it than keep quiet about it.

What is the difference between 330 mg and 19.8 mg?

The first figure is the weight of the plant extract, the second the weight of the p-synephrine it contains, at a standardisation of 6%. It is the second one you should compare from one product to another. A label that gives an extract weight without a standardisation figure allows no comparison at all.

How long does a bottle last?

More than three months, at one capsule a day for 100 capsules. The manufacturer recommends periodic breaks rather than uninterrupted use: plan them from the outset rather than running straight through to the last tablet.

Are the capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No, the shell is made of gelatine of animal origin. The contents, on the other hand, are indeed a plant extract of bitter orange. The manufacturer also reports possible traces of gluten, nuts, peanut, egg, milk, fish and soya.

Why are there so many contraindications?

Because synephrine is an active with a stimulant effect, structurally close to molecules that act on the cardiovascular system. The manufacturer rules out in particular cardiovascular disorders, hypertension, glaucoma, diabetes, prostate adenoma, depression and thyroid disorders. That list is not decorative: read it before buying.

Where to buy IO Genix Synephrine?

The bottle of 100 capsules can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. Three months per bottle: this is a purchase that belongs to the long run, not to a moment of impulse.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product in front of which we ask three questions before selling: do you drink coffee, are you on any medication, and what time do you train? A single wrong answer is enough to put it back on the shelf, and that happens often. The rest of the range can be compared in our sports nutrition section.

Source: ANSES.

What is Applied Nutrition Shred X?

Applied Nutrition Shred X is a powdered fat burner, to be mixed with water and drunk before training. A 10 g serving delivers 228 mg of caffeine and 450 mg of green tea extract concentrated to 95% polyphenols, alongside acetyl L-carnitine, choline bitartrate, L-theanine, L-tyrosine, taurine, gymnema sylvestre extract and vitamins C, B3, B6 and B12.

Applied Nutrition is a British brand based in Liverpool, known in France for its ABE pre-workout range. Shred X is its counterpart: the same formulation logic, but built around caffeine and green tea rather than around vascular actives. The label "fat burner" is a commercial category name, not a promise of effect — we come back to this below.

The flavours in the catalogue: Sour Gummy Bear, Strawberry Kiwi and Lemon Ice Tea. The composition is identical from one to the next. The rest of the brand can be browsed in our Applied Nutrition aisle, and the other formulas in the category in our fat burners aisle.

What does a serving of Shred X contain?

Let us be blunt: the manufacturer publishes the dose of only two ingredients out of the ten or so in the formula. Caffeine and green tea extract are quantified, the rest is not. We prefer to put that in black and white rather than repeat figures seen elsewhere: without a quantity, it is impossible to say whether the acetyl L-carnitine is present at 500 mg or at 50 mg, and the difference is not trivial. That is the main criticism we make of this technical sheet.

228 mg of caffeine is a high dose for a single serving. For reference, the European food safety authority takes 200 mg as a single intake without adverse effect in a healthy adult, and 400 mg across the day. A serving of Shred X therefore already puts you slightly above the first benchmark, before your morning coffee has even been counted. That is why the manufacturer sets a limit of one serving a day, not two.

The green tea extract calls for the same vigilance. At 95% polyphenols, 450 mg of extract is a serious concentration. The manufacturer itself states not to exceed 800 mg of green tea extract a day from all sources combined: if you already take another fat burner or a green tea extract capsule, add them up before you buy.

What we can say within the regulatory framework is limited, and it is better set out plainly: vitamins B3, B6 and B12 contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, and vitamin C contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Those are the official European wordings. For caffeine, green tea, carnitine, gymnema or Pro GBB, no health claim is authorised in Europe — not on fat, not on weight, not on metabolism. No fat burner makes you lose weight, whatever its composition.

Ingredients list

Acetyl L-carnitine, citric acid (acidity regulator), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), green tea extract 95% polyphenols, choline bitartrate, L-theanine, gymnema sylvestre leaf extract (containing 75% gymnemic acids), taurine, L-tyrosine, sodium bicarbonate, anhydrous caffeine, natural flavouring, natural colouring (beetroot red), anti-caking agents (silicon dioxide, calcium silicate), Pro GBB™ (gamma-butyrobetaine ethyl ester HCl), sucralose (sweetener), vitamin B3 (nicotinamide), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin).

The manufacturer refers to the product labelling for the allergen declaration and flags the possibility of traces depending on manufacturing conditions. If you have a severe allergy, check the packaging you receive.

How do you take Shred X?

Serving: 1 level 10 g scoop. Liquid: 200 ml of cold water. Timing: 15 minutes before the session, or in the morning. Frequency: one serving a day maximum. Duration: the manufacturer sets no course length; on a product this caffeinated, a regular break remains the wisest approach.

A level scoop, not a heaped one. On a product dosed at 228 mg of caffeine, a generously filled scoop can take you 30 or 40 mg higher without your realising it. If you have kitchen scales, weigh out your 10 g the first few times: you will then know what a correct scoop looks like.

No servings late in the day. Caffeine stays active for several hours; a serving at 18:00 is paid for overnight, and lack of sleep is the best way to sabotage precisely what you are trying to achieve. If you train in the evening, this product is not the right one: our caffeine-free fat burner aisle exists for that situation.

Drink more water during the period you are taking it. Caffeine and green tea have a diuretic effect, and 200 ml of water at the time of the serving is not enough to cover the day. It is obvious advice, but it is the advice that settles most of the headaches wrongly blamed on the product.

One last point of common sense: this type of formula fits within a controlled diet and regular activity, not in their place. A serving of protein after the session and a calorie deficit held over several weeks weigh infinitely more in the result than any fat burner.

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

It is aimed at a trained adult, used to caffeine, who wants a stimulant before a session during a period when they are eating below their needs. That is where this type of product makes the most sense: it helps you get through a decent session on a day when energy is short, which is no small thing.

It is not for under-18s, nor for pregnant or breastfeeding women. It is not advised for people sensitive to caffeine, and the advice of a healthcare professional is necessary in the event of high blood pressure, heart rhythm disorders, anxiety, thyroid disorders, liver problems or ongoing medical treatment.

Do not add any other source of caffeine or green tea extract on the same day. A coffee, an energy drink, a pre-workout, a fat burner in capsules: it all adds up, and on this product the margin is already thin. The manufacturer reminds you not to exceed 800 mg of green tea extract a day from all sources combined.

What you should not expect from it. This product does not make you lose weight. No weight loss claim exists in Europe for its ingredients, and if a seller promises you one, they are stepping outside the legal framework. It does not make up for a diet in surplus, targets no area of the body, and replaces neither the calorie deficit nor the training. What it genuinely brings is alertness and perceived energy before a session — which is already an honest reason to buy it, provided you do not ask more of it. The real work is done on the plate, and our weight loss aisle brings together the products that support that approach.

Shred X in powder or a fat burner in capsules?

This is the concrete choice facing most buyers in this aisle, and it is settled on two criteria: the dose and the flexibility.

Powder lets you adjust, a capsule does not. With Shred X you can take half a scoop for the first few days to assess your tolerance at 114 mg of caffeine before moving to the full serving. That is exactly what we advise for someone who has never taken this type of product. A capsule, by contrast, is taken whole or not at all.

The capsule wins on discretion and portability. No shaker, no water to find, nothing to measure: you swallow it at the office with a glass of water. For a morning serving, outside a training context, it is often easier to keep up over time. Our fat burners in capsules aisle covers those formats, and our powdered fat burner aisle the other powders in the category.

And what if neither suits? That is the case if you train in the evening, if you tolerate stimulants poorly, or if you already take caffeine elsewhere. A caffeine-free formula settles the question without making you give up the rest. There is no point putting yourself through palpitations for a product whose effect on weight nobody can legally promise.

Frequently asked questions

How much caffeine is in one serving?

228 mg per 10 g serving, counting the green tea contribution. That is above the 200 mg benchmark taken for a single intake in an adult. One serving a day maximum, and no other source of caffeine during the day: coffee, energy drinks or pre-workouts all add up.

Which doses does the manufacturer disclose?

Only two: 228 mg of caffeine and 450 mg of green tea extract at 95% polyphenols. The quantities of acetyl L-carnitine, choline, theanine, tyrosine, gymnema and Pro GBB are not published. We do not invent them: without a figure, those ingredients cannot be compared from one brand to another.

Does this product make you lose weight?

No, and nobody can legally state that it does: no weight loss claim is authorised in Europe for these ingredients. A fat burner accompanies a calorie deficit and regular training, it does not replace them. Without those two conditions, nothing will happen.

Which flavours are available?

Sour Gummy Bear, Strawberry Kiwi and Lemon Ice Tea. The composition is identical in all three, only the flavouring changes. Each is mixed into 200 ml of cold water, which gives a short drink with a fairly concentrated taste.

Can it be taken on non-training days?

The manufacturer provides for a serving in the morning or before physical activity, without distinguishing rest days. In every case, stick to one serving a day. We would rather advise keeping it for session days: that limits caffeine tolerance building up and makes the tub last.

How many servings does a tub contain?

The manufacturer does not disclose the number of servings in the material available to us, only the serving size: 10 g. We therefore give no figure. Refer to the net weight shown on the packaging you receive and divide by ten.

Can it be combined with a pre-workout?

No. Most pre-workouts contain 200 to 350 mg of caffeine; adding the 228 mg in this serving, you would go well beyond the daily 400 mg benchmark in a single intake. Choose one or the other depending on the session, never both on the same day.

Where can you buy Applied Nutrition Shred X?

The tub can be ordered from this page in the available flavours, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we systematically advise starting at half a serving with this product: 228 mg of caffeine in one go, when you are not used to it, is distinctly noticeable. And we always ask what is already being taken alongside it, coffee included. The rest of our selection can be browsed in the sports nutrition aisle.

What is Rule One Burn?

Rule One Burn is a mix-with-water powder from the fat burners family, built around 200 mg of caffeine per serving and a series of plant extracts. The word “burner” here describes a commercial category, not a proven effect: we will come back to that further down, because it is the point most product pages in this aisle quietly skip over.

What sets the formula apart is the way the caffeine is delivered. Rather than a single anhydrous caffeine, Rule One combines five sources: anhydrous caffeine, guarana, tea, coffee and a microencapsulated fraction. The release rates are not identical, which spreads out the rise and softens the come-down. It is a formulation choice you can feel in use if you cope badly with an abrupt spike. The rest of the range is in our Rule One aisle.

The flavours listed: Watermelon, Snow Cone and Peach Mango. One point to watch when reading the label: the manufacturer's documentation also describes a capsule version, with different dosages and one extra ingredient, forskholii extract. That capsule version is not the one sold on this page — here it is the powder, and it is its figures that we set out.

What does a serving of Rule One Burn contain?

The energy values are negligible, as the formula is sugar-free. The number of servings per tub is not published by the manufacturer in the information available to us.

200 mg of caffeine is exactly the threshold set by EFSA as a single dose that raises no safety concern for a healthy adult, with the recommended total daily intake staying below 400 mg. In practice, one serving is the equivalent of two short espressos. It is neither timid nor excessive: it is calibrated to work without forcing you to split the dose. What it does leave is very little room for the rest of the day. If you drink three coffees at the office, you are already at the limit before you even open the tub.

Caffeine is the only ingredient in this formula with authorised health claims in Europe, and it is worth knowing which ones: it helps to increase alertness and helps to improve concentration, at 75 mg. It also contributes to an increase in endurance performance and to a reduction in the rated perceived exertion, at 3 mg per kilogram of body weight before exercise. No claim covers weight loss or fat burning.

The 100 mg of theanine is the other good idea in the formula. This amino acid from tea, paired with caffeine, takes the edge off the jitters without reducing its effect on alertness. It is a classic pairing and one of the best documented in this aisle.

The 1,500 mg of L-carnitine tartrate is a genuine dose for this molecule. One thing has to be clear, however: carnitine has no authorised claim in Europe, and the work on oral supplementation in people who are not deficient is very mixed. The powder burners aisle lets you compare dosages from one brand to another.

Finally, Capsimax® and grains of paradise are dosed at 25 and 20 mg. These amounts match the standardised extracts used in the published protocols, but the size of the documented thermogenic effect comes to a few tens of kilocalories a day. It is real, it is measurable in a laboratory, and it is far below what a twenty-minute walk represents.

Ingredients list

Anhydrous caffeine, L-carnitine L-tartrate, tyrosine, standardised green tea leaf extract, green coffee bean extract, Capsimax® (capsicum fruit extract), grains of paradise (seed extract of Aframomum melegueta), BioPerine® (black pepper fruit extract), forskholii extract, guarana seed extract, L-theanine, ginger root extract. Other ingredients: natural and artificial flavourings, citric acid, silica, sucralose, acesulfame potassium. Manufactured in a facility that processes MILK, SOYA, EGG, FISH, CRUSTACEANS, TREE NUTS, PEANUTS and WHEAT.

How do you take Rule One Burn?

Serving: one scoop. Liquid: 250 to 300 ml of cold water. Timing: 30 minutes before training, or in the morning on an empty stomach on non-training days. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: the manufacturer recommends cyclical use, 8 to 12 weeks followed by 2 to 4 weeks off.

Start with half a serving. This is not over-caution: 200 mg in one go, in someone who does not drink coffee regularly, brings on tremors, a faster heart rate and sometimes nausea. Half a serving for three days tells you everything you need to know.

The most important rule is a matter of timing: nothing after 15:00. Caffeine has a half-life of five to six hours, which means a serving taken at 17:00 still leaves 100 mg in the blood at 23:00. The manufacturer recommends avoiding any intake in the six hours before bedtime, and that is a minimum. If the evening is the only time you can train, this is not the right product: turn instead to a caffeine-free burner.

Drink more than usual while you are on it. Caffeine increases urine output, and training does the rest. Finally, do not stack this product with a pre-session booster: most contain 150 to 300 mg, and the total goes well beyond what is reasonable in a single serving.

Who is Rule One Burn for, and who is it not for?

It suits an adult who tolerates caffeine well, who trains in the morning or in the early afternoon, and who is already in a calorie deficit — the condition without which none of this makes any sense.

It does not suit, and the manufacturer is explicit about this: pregnant and breastfeeding women, people sensitive to caffeine, or anyone with high blood pressure, heart conditions, insomnia or anxiety. These are not decorative warnings. In an anxious person, 200 mg of caffeine can turn a normal day into a difficult one.

Nor does it suit you if you are on any current medication: caffeine interacts with several families of drugs, and the question is one to put to your doctor or pharmacist before buying. The same applies to anti-doping testing: check the batch status with your federation.

What not to expect from it, and this is the most useful paragraph on this page: this product does not make you lose weight. No burner does, and no claim of that kind is authorised in Europe. What it actually does is supply energy and alertness at a point when the calorie deficit is stripping them from you, which makes sessions easier and the day less of a slog. Weight loss itself comes from the gap between what you eat and what you expend. If that gap does not exist, this tub will change precisely nothing.

Rule One Burn powder or a capsule burner?

Both exist in our range and they are not meant for the same use.

A capsule burner travels well, goes down in three seconds and splits easily: two capsules in the morning, one at midday. It is the better choice if your work takes you out and about, if you have no shaker to hand, or if you would rather spread the caffeine across the day than take it all at once.

The powder has two concrete advantages. The first is the volume of water: 300 ml swallowed along with the product is that much hydration taken as a matter of course, which counts during a cutting phase. The second is the ritual — a shaker before the session frames the training in a way a capsule does not. Its drawback: splitting a powder is less convenient.

If your aim above all is to build a calorie deficit, every product in this family can be compared in our weight loss aisle.

Frequently asked questions

How much caffeine is in one serving?

200 mg, spread across five sources: anhydrous caffeine, guarana, tea, coffee and a microencapsulated fraction. That is the equivalent of two short espressos, and it matches the highest single dose considered to raise no safety concern by EFSA in a healthy adult.

Can it be taken before an evening session?

It is not advisable. The manufacturer recommends avoiding any intake in the six hours before bedtime, and caffeine takes five to six hours for its concentration to halve. For training after 18:00, a caffeine-free burner is the consistent choice.

Should you take breaks?

The manufacturer recommends 8 to 12 weeks of use followed by 2 to 4 weeks off. The reason is simple: tolerance to caffeine sets in within a few weeks, and at high tolerance the same dose no longer does much. The break is there to restore sensitivity, not to “cleanse” anything.

Does this product make you lose weight?

No. No food supplement brings about weight loss on its own, and no claim of that kind is authorised in Europe for these ingredients. Fat loss comes from the calorie deficit. This product supplies energy and alertness during that deficit: it is a support, never the engine.

What is the difference with the capsule version?

The dosages differ: the capsule version contains more Capsimax® and grains of paradise, as well as a forskholii extract that is absent from the powder. Only the powder version is sold on this page, and it is the one the figures in the table above describe.

Can it be combined with a pre-workout?

Better not to. Most boosters contain between 150 and 300 mg of caffeine; add them together and you quickly go past 400 mg in a single serving, with a real risk of palpitations and anxiety. If you want both, choose a stimulant-free booster for the session.

Does the product contain sugars?

No, the formula is sugar-free and the sweetness comes from sucralose and acesulfame potassium. The energy values are negligible, which means it can be worked into a day of controlled intake without any calculation.

Where can you buy Rule One Burn?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we never sell a burner without raising the question of coffee: between the tub and the four espressos over the course of the day, there is always one of the two that needs cutting back. It is rarely what the customer came in for, and it is nonetheless the most useful advice we can give. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.