IO Genix

What is IO Genix Super Omega 3 Luxury?

IO Genix Super Omega 3 Luxury is a concentrated fish oil in softgel capsules. One 1.42 g softgel provides 1,000 mg of fish oil, of which 500 mg is EPA and 250 mg is DHA. The oil comes from wild anchovies from the South Pacific and the bottle contains 120 softgels.

The figure that matters is not the oil content but that of the two fatty acids it contains. Plenty of products advertise "1,000 mg of omega 3" without stating the EPA and DHA share, which may amount to no more than 300 mg in total. Here, the concentration is stated outright: 50% EPA, 25% DHA, i.e. 750 mg of useful fatty acids per capsule. That is this product's main selling point.

EPA and DHA are the two long-chain omega 3 fatty acids, which the body is very poor at making from plant sources. They come essentially from oily fish — sardine, mackerel, herring, anchovy. The rest of the Spanish range sits in our IO Genix section, and the other products in the category in our omega 3 section.

What does one Super Omega 3 Luxury softgel contain?

A single softgel is enough to meet the thresholds for three health claims authorised in Europe, and that is rare. With 750 mg of EPA and DHA combined, the 250 mg per day condition is comfortably exceeded: EPA and DHA contribute to normal heart function. And with exactly 250 mg of DHA, the two claims specific to that fatty acid are met as well: DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal brain function and DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal vision. These are the exact wordings of the European framework, and they are enough: there is no need to invent others.

The two-to-one ratio between EPA and DHA is a common formulation choice for oils intended for general use. Some products favour DHA instead — that is the case with oils aimed at pregnant women. Here, the balance is even-handed, with EPA in the lead.

One technical point deserves an explanation, because it determines how the product should be taken: the oil is in ethyl ester form. This is the form that results from the concentration process needed to reach 75% EPA and DHA — a crude fish oil contains three to four times less. In return, this form is absorbed markedly better in the presence of dietary fat. That is the technical reason behind the instruction to take it with food, and it is no minor detail.

The manufacturer states two traceability details that we reproduce as they stand: the oil is derived from wild anchovies from the South Pacific and concentrated by molecular distillation. A tocopherol blend, i.e. natural vitamin E, acts as an antioxidant to prevent the oil going rancid.

Ingredients list

Concentrated FISH oil (ethyl esters, 50% EPA and 25% DHA, from anchovies), softgel shell (bovine GELATINE, humectant: vegetable glycerine, purified water), antioxidant (tocopherol blend).

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

How do you take Super Omega 3 Luxury?

Dose: 1 to 4 softgels a day depending on your dietary intake. Fluid: a large glass of water. Timing: with main meals, never on an empty stomach. Frequency: spread across one or two meals. Duration: continuous supplementation, with no set course or break.

Taking it with a meal is the single most important instruction on this page, for two distinct reasons. The first is technical: the ethyl ester form is absorbed far better alongside dietary fats. The second is practical: on an empty stomach, fish oil frequently causes fishy repeats, and that is the main reason people give up on this type of supplement.

The manufacturer recommends building up gradually: one softgel a day for the first week, then increasing as needed. That is sound advice, and it lets you spot any digestive intolerance before you reach four capsules.

How do you choose your dose? The criterion is simple: how much oily fish you eat. If you have it twice a week, one softgel a day tops up your intake nicely. If you never eat it, two to four softgels are more warranted. The manufacturer sets the ceiling at four a day, i.e. 3,000 mg of EPA and DHA combined — well below the 5 g per day threshold set at European level.

This is not a course-based product: omega 3 intake is built up over time, and taking it daily on an ongoing basis makes more sense than a six-week course. Expect several weeks before supplementation shows up in the body's parameters.

If the softgels are hard to swallow, the manufacturer suggests putting them in the fridge for thirty minutes: they firm up slightly and go down more easily. Do not chew them and do not open them. The product combines without overlap with a vitamin D, a multivitamin or a standardised turmeric, and it in fact supplies the fatty base that improves their absorption.

Who is Super Omega 3 Luxury for, and who is it not for?

It suits anyone whose diet provides little oily fish, which is the case for a large share of the French population. It is probably the best-justified supplement in this whole catalogue: it fills a genuine dietary gap and it carries authorised health claims, two conditions few products meet at once.

It is obviously not suitable for anyone allergic to fish, since the oil is derived from anchovies. Nor is it suitable for vegetarians or vegans: the oil is of marine origin and the softgel shell is bovine gelatine. An algae oil would then be the only alternative genuinely providing EPA and DHA.

Two medical precautions are worth reading carefully. The manufacturer asks you to consult a healthcare professional if you are taking anticoagulants, and advises against the product if you have surgery scheduled, stopping two weeks beforehand. This second instruction is specific and rarely mentioned: make a note of it if an operation is planned, including a major tooth extraction.

The product is presented as suitable for adults and children over 6 years of age. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should consult a doctor before use — a European claim does indeed exist regarding maternal DHA intake, but it is subject to specific intake conditions that call for professional advice.

What not to expect from it: this is not a sports performance product, it will neither build muscle nor shed fat. You will feel nothing when you take it, and that is normal. Nor is it a treatment: any question about cholesterol, blood pressure or a blood panel is one for your doctor.

Fish oil or plant-based omega 3?

This is the question that comes up most often in this section, and the answer is more clear-cut than people assume.

Plant sources — linseed oil, walnuts, rapeseed, chia seeds — provide ALA, a short-chain omega 3. The body can convert it into EPA and then DHA, but that conversion rate is low, particularly for DHA. In other words, an ALA intake does not replace a direct intake of EPA and DHA, and the European claims do not in fact cover the same functions.

Fish oil delivers the two long-chain fatty acids directly, at the dose and in the ratio stated on the label. It is the most direct route, the best documented and the cheapest per milligram of EPA and DHA.

The only truly equivalent alternative for a vegan diet is algae oil, which provides DHA — and sometimes EPA — without going through fish. It costs more, but it is the only solution that holds up. To round out a routine, a vitamin D is taken with the same meal and benefits from the same fatty base, as does a vitamin E. And if what you are after is an antioxidant in its own right rather than a fatty acid, our coenzyme Q10 section answers a different need.

Frequently asked questions

How much EPA and DHA per capsule?

500 mg of EPA and 250 mg of DHA, i.e. 750 mg of useful fatty acids per 1,000 mg of oil. That is a 75% concentration, far above that of a crude fish oil. A single softgel is enough to meet the thresholds of the European claims on heart function, brain function and vision.

Why take them with a meal?

For two reasons. The ethyl ester form is absorbed markedly better in the presence of dietary fat. And on an empty stomach, fish oil often causes fishy repeats, unpleasant enough to make people abandon the course.

How many softgels a day?

One to four depending on your oily fish intake. One a day if you eat it twice a week; two to four if you never eat it. The manufacturer sets the ceiling at four, i.e. 3,000 mg of EPA and DHA, well below the 5 g per day threshold set at European level.

Should you stop before an operation?

The manufacturer asks for it explicitly: stop two weeks before scheduled surgery. This instruction also applies if you are on anticoagulant medication, in which case medical advice is needed before you even start.

Are these capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No, on two counts: the oil comes from anchovies and the softgel shell is bovine gelatine. For a vegan diet, only an algae oil genuinely provides EPA and DHA.

Is there a fishy taste?

That is the classic complaint about this category, and it almost always comes from taking them on an empty stomach. With a meal, the phenomenon disappears in the vast majority of cases. The tocopherol blend in the formula also limits the oil going rancid.

Do you need to take breaks?

No. Unlike most products in this section, omega 3 is taken continuously: it fills a dietary gap that does not itself take a break. The 120-softgel bottle covers thirty days at the maximum dose, and four months at one softgel a day.

Where to buy IO Genix Super Omega 3 Luxury?

The 120-softgel 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 we recommend first when a customer asks where to start: the question "how many times a week do you eat oily fish?" almost always settles it. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Whey 80 Professional?

IO Genix Whey 80 Professional is a powdered whey concentrate made by IO Genix, a Spanish brand. Its raw material is a whey protein concentrate obtained by cross-flow ultrafiltration, sold under the Lactomin® ingredient brand. "Whey 80" refers to the protein content: the powder is standardised at 82% protein, a high figure for a concentrate, where the market standard sits between 70 and 80%.

The formula does not stop at the concentrate. It is completed by added L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine — the three branched-chain amino acids — in an 8:1:1 ratio that heavily favours leucine, by a five-enzyme complex sold under the name DigeZyme® (amylase, protease, lactase, lipase, cellulase), and by vitamin B6 in the form of pyridoxine hydrochloride. The rest comes down to three lines: soya lecithin as an emulsifier, flavourings, sucralose.

The flavours listed: Chocolat intense, Vanille, Petit Yogurt Fraise-Banane, ChokoKrac, White Choco-Rings, Stracciatella, Frapuccino, Pistachio Ice Cream, Dubai Chocolate, Peanut Butter Cookies and Choco Milk Bar.

What does a serving of Whey 80 Professional contain?

The serving is 30 g, or one scoop. It provides 24.6 g of protein, 1.3 g of carbohydrate, 1.0 g of fat, 7.2 g of BCAAs at an 8:1:1 ratio and 5.6 g of glutamic acid. Scaled to 100 g of powder, that gives 82 g of protein, 4.3 g of carbohydrate, 3.3 g of fat, 24 g of BCAAs and 18.7 g of glutamic acid — a column calculated from the values declared for 30 g, as the manufacturer does not publish a 100 g column. The full table can be found in the nutritional values tab.

Three figures are missing, and we are not going to invent them. The energy value is not published: there are neither kilojoules nor kilocalories in the data supplied by the manufacturer. Nor are the regulatory lines "of which saturates", "of which sugars", "fibre" and "salt". Finally, the vitamin B6 content is not quantified: the label states an enriched dose without giving the microgram figure. Without a quantity, the threshold of 15% of the nutrient reference value per portion cannot be verified, and no claim can be made about this vitamin. We would rather set that down in black and white than copy out an unverifiable promise.

What can be verified, on the other hand, is solid. With 24.6 g of protein in a 30 g serving, the product comfortably exceeds the regulatory threshold for the "high in protein" nutrition claim. There are three authorised health claims for protein, and they are the only ones we will make: protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass, to the maintenance of muscle mass and to the maintenance of normal bones.

Is the full amino acid profile published?

No. The manufacturer does not release a detailed amino-acid-by-amino-acid profile for this product. The only quantified data we have are the total of the three branched-chain amino acids — 7.2 g per serving, 24 g per 100 g — and glutamic acid, at 5.6 g per serving and 18.7 g per 100 g.

Some retailers nonetheless publish a table of eighteen amino acids for this product. These are average whey concentrate profiles taken from the general literature, not values analysed on the batches actually sold. We will not reproduce them: eighteen estimated figures are more misleading than one honest line. What can be said about the 8:1:1 ratio is, by contrast, factual: whey naturally provides a ratio close to 2:1:1, and the leucine share here is boosted by the direct addition of L-leucine, which appears second in the ingredients list. The BCAA aisle lets you compare with amino acids taken separately.

How do you prepare Whey 80 Professional?

Mix 30 g of powder, or one level scoop, into 200 to 250 ml of cold liquid: water, skimmed milk or a plant-based drink. Shake for about fifteen seconds. The manufacturer gives one volume figure and one only — don't go looking for another.

The number of servings should be set by your total protein intake, not by a protocol: one to three servings a day depending on what your diet already covers. The most common times are after training and as a snack between meals. There is no thirty-minute window to respect: what determines the result is total protein across twenty-four hours, not the timing of a shaker. Take it when it genuinely fills a gap.

The manufacturer gives no course duration, and there is no reason to set one: a protein powder is a food, not an active ingredient to be cycled. Reseal the tub after each use and store it in a cool, dry place away from light. At 30 g per serving, a kilo of powder covers around thirty servings; refer to the capacity stated on the packaging for your size.

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

It suits anyone looking for a high protein content without moving up to an isolate: 82% for a concentrate is the top of the category, at a price per gram of protein that remains that of a concentrate. It also suits mass gain, where servings are multiplied and that gap becomes decisive.

The product contains MILK and SOYA. It may contain traces of GLUTEN (wheat and oats), EGGS and FISH. A diagnosed cow's milk protein allergy is a contraindication. The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women and does not intend it for children. If you are on medical treatment, seek a doctor's advice before use; any kidney or liver condition calls for the same consultation.

Here is what not to expect from it, and it is the point on which rival product pages stay silent. A whey concentrate retains more lactose than an isolate: that is the very definition of concentration, and the presence of lactase in the enzyme complex does not change the composition of the powder. If shakers sit heavily with you, the problem will not be solved here. No digestive claim is authorised for an enzyme complex in any case, and we make none; digestive enzymes can be described, not promised. Finally, no recovery claim exists for protein under European regulations: drinking a whey after training is a habit, not an effect demonstrated by the label.

Whey 80 Professional or a whey isolate?

This is the only trade-off that really matters on this page, and it does not fall the same way for everyone.

A whey isolate is the better choice in three clear situations. If you digest lactose poorly: filtration pushes the protein content beyond 85 to 90% and removes most of the residual lactose, which a concentrate does not. If you are counting every gram at the end of a cutting phase: 1.3 g of carbohydrate and 1.0 g of fat per serving here, against figures often below 1 g on an isolate. And if you want the maximum protein per serving for the same volume. On those three points, the concentrate loses.

Whey 80 Professional wins on the ratio between protein content and price. At 82%, it sits halfway between an ordinary concentrate and an isolate, while still being priced like a concentrate. It also wins on texture: the lactose and residual fat fractions give a rounder, less watery shake, which many people prefer. The calculation that settles it is always the same: price of the tub, divided by its weight in kilos, divided by the protein content per 100 g. Do it on both sides. All the families can be compared from the protein aisle.

Frequently asked questions

How many shakes a day can you take?

One to three 30 g servings, or 24.6 to 73.8 g of protein provided by the powder. The right number is the one that complements your diet, not a fixed figure: if your meals already cover your needs, one shake is enough. Increase your water intake when you increase your protein intake.

What exactly does the 8:1:1 ratio mean?

Eight parts leucine to one of isoleucine and one of valine. Whey naturally provides around 2:1:1; here, L-leucine is added in second position in the ingredients list to bring the ratio up to 8:1:1. That gives 7.2 g of BCAAs per serving, most of it as leucine.

What is the energy value of a serving?

It is not published by the manufacturer, and we are not going to calculate it on their behalf. The certain values are 24.6 g of protein, 1.3 g of carbohydrate and 1.0 g of fat per 30 g. If you keep a precise calorie count, apply your own coefficients to those three lines rather than relying on a figure copied from elsewhere.

Is this whey suitable if you are lactose intolerant?

Not necessarily. It is a concentrate, so richer in lactose than an isolate, and the enzyme complex that comes with it does not alter that composition. If you have confirmed intolerance, an isolate is the more cautious choice. If you have a cow's milk protein allergy, no whey is suitable: filtration removes the lactose, not the proteins.

Which flavour should you choose?

Chocolat intense and Vanille remain the safe bets if you plan to drink it every day and mix it with other things. Frapuccino, Pistachio Ice Cream and Dubai Chocolate are more pronounced profiles: pleasant now and again, more tiring over a whole tub. Nutritional values may vary slightly from one flavour to another.

Can you cook with it?

Yes. A whey concentrate stands up to cooking better than a plain isolate: it works in pancakes, cakes or creams. It thickens with heat and can turn rubbery if cooking is prolonged, so cut the times compared with a classic recipe and pair it with a carbohydrate source such as cream of rice.

Should you take it on non-training days?

If your diet does not cover your needs that day, yes: your weekly protein total matters more than how it is split between training days and rest days. Conversely, a shake added to days that are already well covered adds nothing but an expense.

Where to buy IO Genix Whey 80 Professional?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. A whey is chosen on three figures — the protein content per 100 g, the price per kilo and the serving size — and it is a calculation we are happy to run through with you in our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, tub in hand, rather than leaving you to compare two photographed labels.

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

What is IO Genix Vit D3 K2?

It is a supplement that combines two fat-soluble vitamins in a single plant-based capsule: 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 and 200 µg of vitamin K2 in MK-7 form. The bottle contains 60 capsules, which is two months at one capsule a day.

The formula is pared back to the strict essentials: maltodextrin as a bulking agent, the two vitamins, and a hydroxypropyl methylcellulose shell. The latter is of plant origin, which sets this product apart from most vitamin D products on the market, often sold as bovine gelatine softgels.

Pairing D3 with K2 has become a standard in the vitamin D aisle, and the logic behind it is simple: vitamin D increases calcium absorption, vitamin K plays a part in its use in bone. Both carry authorised claims relating to bones, and that is what justifies bringing them together. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix aisle.

What does one capsule contain?

Other components: maltodextrin (bulking agent), plant-based capsule (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose). NRV within the meaning of Regulation 1169/2011: 5 µg for vitamin D, 75 µg for vitamin K. The percentages above are calculated from these values, as the manufacturer does not publish them in the data provided.

Let us start with vitamin D, and say things as they are. 50 µg per capsule is ten times the nutrient reference value. The figure looks striking, but there is an explanation for it: the European NRV of 5 µg is a very low floor, and the EFSA sets 100 µg a day as the tolerable upper intake level in adults. One capsule therefore represents half that ceiling — a straightforward dose, common on this type of product, and one that stays within bounds provided you do not stack sources.

That is precisely the point to watch. If you already take a multivitamin, cod liver oil or a bone complex, add up the micrograms before adding this capsule. Vitamin D is fat-soluble: it is stored in the body, unlike vitamin C.

The authorised claims are precise, and they are more than enough on their own: vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones, to the maintenance of normal muscle function, to the normal function of the immune system, and to the normal absorption and utilisation of calcium and phosphorus. As for the second: vitamin K contributes to normal blood clotting and to the maintenance of normal bones.

On the MK-7 form, a word of honesty. It is a long-chain menaquinone, known for staying in the body longer than MK-4. We will stop there: claiming a quantified superiority would require a source we do not have, and 200 µg is a high dose for this vitamin — which is also what makes the warning about anticoagulants so important.

How should you take Vit D3 K2?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: during a meal containing fat, preferably in the morning or at midday. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: continuous use is possible, particularly during periods of low sunlight.

The fatty meal is not a detail. D3 and K2 are both fat-soluble: swallowed on an empty stomach with a glass of water, part of the intake is lost. A breakfast with eggs, a few almonds, a drizzle of oil or simply a full-fat yoghurt is enough to change that. It is the most rewarding move on this whole page.

On the time of year, the manufacturer is right to insist: it is from October to April that the question really arises in France. Winter sunshine does not allow synthesis in the skin, and that is where the 60-capsule bottle makes sense — two months, to be repeated two or three times over the cold season.

Two useful combinations to know about. Magnesium is involved in vitamin D metabolism, and a proper calcium intake from food — dairy products, green vegetables, mineral waters — makes more sense than the capsule taken on its own. Zinc, for its part, can be taken at another time of day without interference.

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

It suits adults living in a country with little winter sunshine, those who work indoors, people with darker skin who synthesise less vitamin D, and indoor athletes. As the capsule is plant-based, it is suitable for vegetarians; note, however, that vitamin D3 is most often of animal origin, and the manufacturer does not specify its source.

It is not advised for people on anticoagulant treatment — warfarin, vitamin K antagonists — without prior medical advice. This is not a token precaution: vitamin K is directly involved in clotting, and these treatments act on precisely that pathway. If this concerns you, speak to your doctor before opening the bottle, not afterwards.

The manufacturer also states that it is not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women, or for children, or for people on medical treatment without supervision. Traces of GLUTEN (wheat, oats), NUTS, PEANUTS, EGGS, MILK, SULPHITES, FISH and SOYA are possible.

What you should not expect from it. It is not a stimulant: you will feel nothing, and that is normal. Nor is it a product to take blindly over several years — vitamin D status can be measured in a laboratory, and if you supplement all year round, a blood test is the right way to know where you stand. Lastly, it is not a performance product: correcting a low status restores normal muscle function, it does not create extra strength in someone whose status is already adequate.

Vitamin D3 K2 or a multivitamin?

This is the choice that faces more or less everyone in autumn, and it is settled on the dose.

A multivitamin provides vitamin D, but rarely more than 5 to 25 µg, among twenty other nutrients. It is the better choice if your diet is irregular and you want broad cover without having to think about it: B vitamins, vitamin C, trace elements, everything is covered by a single capsule. Its weakness on this particular point: the vitamin D dose is often too low to count for much in the depths of winter, and vitamin K is almost always absent from it.

Vit D3 K2 does the opposite: two vitamins, at a straightforward dose, nothing else. It is the better choice if your need has been identified — a low blood test, a winter without sun, an indoor job — and if you want to manage that one line precisely. It is also the only one of the two that provides K2, which is absent from very nearly every multivitamin.

The trap to avoid is always the same: taking both without counting. A multivitamin at 25 µg plus this capsule at 50 µg is 75 µg a day, still under the ceiling of 100 µg, but adding a fortified fish oil would tip the total over. Do the sum once and it will serve you all winter.

Frequently asked questions

Is 2,000 IU a day too much?

That is 50 µg, half the tolerable upper intake level of 100 µg a day set by the EFSA in adults. It is a high dose relative to the European reference value, which is only 5 µg, but it stays within bounds as long as you do not combine several sources. The only way the question is really settled is with a blood test.

Why combine K2 with D3?

Because both vitamins carry an authorised claim on the maintenance of normal bones, and they act at different stages: D promotes calcium absorption, K plays a part in its use. That is the logic of the combination, and it is sound. We will not go beyond what the authorised wordings allow us to state.

Should it be taken in the morning or in the evening?

The manufacturer advises the morning or midday, with a meal containing fat. What matters is the fatty meal, not the hour: these are two fat-soluble vitamins, and taking them on an empty stomach appreciably reduces absorption. Choose the meal at which you eat the least lightly.

Can it be taken with an anticoagulant?

Not without medical advice. That is the manufacturer's explicit warning, and it concerns vitamin K, which is involved in blood clotting — the very pathway on which vitamin K antagonists act. This question is one for your doctor, who alone knows your treatment and how well balanced it is.

How long does a bottle last?

Two months, at the rate of one capsule a day for 60 capsules. Over a winter season from October to April, allow three bottles to cover the full period. It is the format that best matches seasonal use rather than continuous supplementation.

Is the capsule suitable for vegetarians?

The shell, yes: it is made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, a modified cellulose of plant origin. The manufacturer does not, however, specify the origin of the vitamin D3 itself, which is most often derived from lanolin commercially. If this point is decisive for you, check with the brand before buying.

Can it be taken all year round?

The manufacturer allows it and recommends it above all during periods of low sun exposure. Our position is more cautious: with a continuous intake of 50 µg a day for twelve months, a vitamin D blood test is the only serious way to know whether you are at the right level. In summer, sun exposure is often enough.

Where can you buy IO Genix Vit D3 K2?

The 60-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is one of the least expensive products in the aisle, and one of the few whose usefulness in winter is beyond argument at our latitudes.

At the counter in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the question we always ask about this product comes down to three words: what else are you taking? Many people do not realise that their multivitamin already contains some, and the sum changes the advice. The rest of the vitamins and minerals can be browsed in our sports nutrition aisle.

What is IO Genix DAA?

IO Genix DAA is a single-ingredient supplement, supplied as capsules dosed at 1,000 mg of D-aspartic acid. The daily serving is three capsules, that is 3,000 mg, and the bottle covers 30 servings.

D-aspartic acid is an amino acid, the D-enantiomer of aspartic acid. It is sold in the commercial category of testosterone boosters, and that is why it appears in our catalogue, alongside tribulus terrestris and fenugreek.

The formula contains nothing beyond the active, a coating agent — the gelatine of the capsule shell — and magnesium stearate as an anti-caking agent. No flavouring, no filler, no proprietary blend: you know exactly what you are swallowing, and that is this product's main merit. The rest of the range is in the IO Genix section.

What does a 3-capsule serving contain?

The bottle holds 30 servings, that is one month at one serving a day. The values above are those published by the manufacturer; it gives no kilojoule equivalent, no “sugars” line and no “fibre” line, and we will not work them out on its behalf.

The 3,000 mg a day matches the dose settled on by very nearly every product in this category. It is neither a timid dose nor an extravagant one: it is the market standard, and it has the merit of being reached in a single serving rather than spread across the day.

Now comes the passage this page will not sidestep. D-aspartic acid holds no authorised health claim in Europe, and no nutrient reference value has been set for it. In very practical terms, that means we will write no promise here about testosterone, strength, muscle mass or libido. “Testosterone booster” is the trade name of a shelf, not an effect demonstrated and validated by a health authority. What we can describe is factual: an amino acid, a dose, a dosage form, a way of taking it.

We will add something you will not often read: on this molecule, the published results are contradictory, and there is no consensus that would justify a promise. If you buy this product, buy it knowing that.

How do you take DAA?

Dose: 3 capsules, that is 3,000 mg. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: in the morning on an empty stomach, or spread across the three meals. Frequency: 1 serving a day. Duration: a cycle of 8 to 12 weeks, followed by 2 to 4 weeks off.

The manufacturer offers two schedules. The first, and the simplest: the three capsules together, in the morning on an empty stomach, with a large glass of water. The second, if a single serving sits badly with you: one capsule at breakfast, one at lunch, one at dinner. Both are acceptable — choose the one you will stick to.

Cycling is the most important part of the directions, and it is also the part people skip most readily. 8 to 12 weeks, then 2 to 4 weeks off. Do not carry on indefinitely: the manufacturer does not provide for continuous use, and nothing justifies turning it into a permanent supplement.

One practical point to finish: do not stack this product with another so-called hormonal supplement. The manufacturer explicitly recommends against taking it at the same time as other boosters of this kind, and adding up poorly characterised products has never improved a result. Pairing it with a protein, a multivitamin or creatine, on the other hand, poses no known problem. Increase your water intake during the course.

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

It is aimed at the trained adult man whose diet, sleep and training volume are already in place. That is the only context in which trying it makes sense: a supplement whose effect is not established has no chance of making up for missing fundamentals.

The capsule shell is made of gelatine. This product is therefore suitable for neither vegetarians nor vegans. That is the first thing to check, and it often goes unnoticed on an amino acid capsule.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women and prohibits it for minors under 18. Traces of GLUTEN (wheat, oats), EGGS, MILK, FISH and SOYA are possible. If you are under medical treatment or in any particular situation, seek the advice of a healthcare professional before use.

What you should not expect from it, and let us say it plainly: if your testosterone level really is low, it is not a bottle of supplements that will settle the matter, it is a doctor. A blood test costs little and says what no product page can say. Nor is it a mass-gain product, or a strength product, or a substitute for a proper night's sleep — which, for its part, does have a documented effect on hormones.

DAA or creatine?

This is the most useful comparison we can make, because these two products are often bought by the same person, with the same intention: to make progress. And on that ground, the answer is clear-cut.

Creatine monohydrate is the best choice, no argument, if you are only going to take one. It is the best-documented supplement on the entire sports shelf, its effects on strength and power are solidly established, it costs little per day, and it is taken with no cycle and no set time. DAA, for its part, has no authorised claim and contradictory data. For the same budget, the comparison is not even open to debate.

DAA keeps a place, provided you are honest about what that place is. You already take creatine, your diet and your sleep are in order, and you want to try a hormonal angle without setting off with poorly identified products: in that precise case, a single active at 3,000 mg in a filler-free formula is the most transparent thing on this shelf. Zinc, moreover, remains the only mineral carrying an authorised claim on this subject — it contributes to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood — and it costs less. If you are not taking any yet, start there, possibly by way of an evening ZMA.

Frequently asked questions

Does DAA raise testosterone?

No health claim is authorised in Europe for D-aspartic acid, so we will make none. The published results on this molecule are contradictory and do not allow any conclusion. If your concern is hormonal, a blood test and a doctor's opinion are worth more than any supplement.

How many capsules a day, and when?

Three capsules, that is 3,000 mg, preferably in the morning on an empty stomach with a large glass of water. If a single serving bothers you, spread them across the three meals — the manufacturer explicitly allows it. Do not exceed three capsules a day.

Why do you have to cycle it, and for how long?

The manufacturer settles on cycles of 8 to 12 weeks followed by 2 to 4 weeks off, and does not provide for continuous use. A 30-serving bottle covers one month: count on two to three bottles for a full cycle. Observing the break is part of the protocol, it is not an optional extra.

Are the capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No. The shell is gelatine, of animal origin. That is a deal-breaker for a vegetarian or vegan diet, and there is no alternative version of this product. Check it before ordering: on an amino acid capsule, it does not spring to mind.

Can it be combined with creatine or with a booster?

With creatine, a protein or a multivitamin, there is no known problem: there is neither a shared ingredient nor any identified interaction. With another so-called hormonal product, on the other hand, the manufacturer recommends refraining. Stacking poorly characterised actives does not multiply the effects, it only multiplies the unknowns.

Does the product have a taste?

The question does not arise: these are capsules to be swallowed, not a powder to be mixed. That is in fact an advantage with this kind of active — D-aspartic acid powder has a very unpleasant sour, bitter taste, which the shell removes entirely.

What exactly does one capsule contain?

1,000 mg of D-aspartic acid, the gelatine shell and a trace of magnesium stearate as an anti-caking agent. Nothing else: no flavouring, no colouring, no bulking filler. On a shelf where proprietary blends are the rule, this transparency is the product's real argument.

Where can you buy IO Genix DAA?

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

The hormonal booster shelf is the one where the gap between the promises read on the internet and what the regulations say is widest. At our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we prefer to lay things out plainly before the purchase: what the product contains, what no authority permits anyone to say about it, and what you need to have in place before even considering it. The rest of the shelf 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 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 Cyclic Dextrin?

IO Genix Cyclic Dextrin is a carbohydrate powder designed to be drunk during exercise. A 25 g serving provides 24 g of carbohydrate for 95 kcal, with zero sugar. It is mixed into 400 to 500 ml of water and sipped steadily.

Highly branched cyclic dextrin, often sold under the Cluster Dextrin name, is a carbohydrate made from maize starch by an enzymatic process that yields very large, heavily branched molecules. It is not a sugar: the “of which sugars” line in the table reads 0 g, which is rare for a fast-acting carbohydrate source.

Its interesting property is a physical one. A cyclic dextrin solution has a low osmolality despite a high carbohydrate concentration, because the molecules are few in number but very large. In practice, it leaves the stomach quickly and feels less heavy than a drink loaded with simple sugars. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix aisle, and the other products in the category in our cyclic dextrin aisle.

What is in a serving of Cyclic Dextrin?

The per 100 g column is calculated from the per-serving values published by the manufacturer.

24 g of carbohydrate without a single gram of sugar is the figure that justifies the price of this kind of powder. A conventional sports drink based on simple sugars would give you the same energy with 20 g of sugars and, for a great many people, a heavy stomach after forty minutes. Here that line of the table reads zero, and that is what changes the experience on long sessions.

One point about the composition has to be flagged plainly, because the manufacturer's documentation contradicts itself. Some of its material presents the product as a single-ingredient powder; its ingredient list, however, declares two sweeteners, sucralose and acesulfame K. We go by the ingredient list, which is the reference document where composition is concerned. The powder is therefore slightly sweet to the taste, without providing sugars in the nutritional sense. If a complete absence of sweeteners matters to you, the label on the tub you receive is the authority.

Missing from the manufacturer's file: the net weight of the tub and the number of servings are not disclosed. We will not infer them. No health claim is authorised in Europe for cyclic dextrin either: we describe its physical properties and its composition, without attributing any quantified performance effect to it.

Ingredient list

Cluster Dextrin (highly branched dextrin), sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame K).

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

How do you take Cyclic Dextrin?

Serving: 25 g. Liquid: 400 to 500 ml of cool water. Timing: 15 to 30 minutes before exercise, during exercise, or within the 30 minutes that follow. Frequency: one serving per hour of exercise in endurance sports. Duration: as needed, with no course to complete.

The volume of water is the parameter that decides everything here. 25 g in 500 ml gives a light drink that goes down effortlessly. The same 25 g in 250 ml gives a solution twice as concentrated, which cancels out the very advantage of the product and causes exactly the heaviness you were trying to avoid. If you take away only one instruction from this page, make it that one.

Sip small amounts every fifteen to twenty minutes rather than drinking it in one go. That holds for every sports drink, and particularly for this one, whose point is to deliver a steady supply over time.

The powder dissolves very easily, even in cold water, with no lumps and no foam. A simple shaker is enough; make your bottle up before you set off rather than attempting to mix it on the move.

It combines perfectly with an electrolyte powder in the same bottle — carbohydrate and minerals then cover both needs of a long session — and with EAAs if your last meal was a while ago. After exercise, it pairs without difficulty with a protein.

A word on the hourly amount, because the question comes up often: the manufacturer allows for one serving per hour of exercise in endurance sports, which puts the intake at around 24 g of carbohydrate per hour. That is a cautious, well-tolerated level. Experienced cyclists and trail runners often go higher, but that is built up gradually in training, never on race day: the stomach is trained like everything else.

Finally, cool water is preferable to lukewarm water, not for any physiological reason but because a lukewarm drink quickly becomes sickly after an hour of exercise. It is the kind of detail that decides whether the bottle is finished or abandoned half full.

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

It is aimed first at efforts that last: cycling, trail running, long-distance running, swimming, combat sports, back-to-back CrossFit sessions, weight training sessions running well beyond the hour. Below sixty minutes of exercise, taking carbohydrate during the session does little for someone who has eaten normally beforehand.

It suits stomachs that are sensitive during exercise particularly well, the ones that tolerate neither gels nor very sweet drinks. That is in fact its whole reason for existing, and the only argument on which it genuinely stands apart from an ordinary maltodextrin.

The manufacturer advises against it for children, adolescents and pregnant or breastfeeding women, and asks that the recommended daily dose not be exceeded. The product may contain traces of gluten, eggs, milk, fish and soya.

What not to expect from it: this is carbohydrate, nothing else. It has no stimulant effect, does not replace electrolytes in a sweaty session, and provides no amino acids. Nor does it make you lose weight — it adds 95 kcal to your day, which is its function. If you are in a calorie deficit and your session lasts forty minutes, this product is working against you.

Cyclic dextrin or maltodextrin, which should you choose?

Both are carbohydrates derived from starch, both serve the same purpose, and there is a real difference between them — a more modest one, however, than the market would have you believe.

Maltodextrin is markedly cheaper per kilo and perfectly effective at rebuilding stores after exercise. If your use is recovery, or if you are adding carbohydrate to a mass gainer, it does the job and there is no reason to pay more.

Cyclic dextrin stands out during exercise, thanks to its low osmolality: it leaves the stomach faster and sits more lightly. It is the better choice if you have already experienced heaviness or digestive discomfort with a carbohydrate drink, and on efforts lasting several hours where you have to drink regularly.

There is a third route, waxy maize, halfway between the two in price as in behaviour. And for a short session, the most honest answer is that none of the three is necessary: a decent meal two hours beforehand is enough.

One last criterion often settles the matter between them, and it has nothing technical about it: taste. Pure maltodextrin is slightly sweet and neutral; this cyclic dextrin, sweetened, goes down better for many people over the course of a long ride. Over three hours on the bike, drinking something you can stomach counts for more than the finer points of the molecule.

Frequently asked questions

How much carbohydrate is in a serving?

24 g of carbohydrate for 95 kcal, in a 25 g serving. What makes it distinctive is the “of which sugars” line, which reads 0 g: the energy comes from a complex carbohydrate rather than from simple sugars, which changes how the drink is tolerated during exercise.

Why mix it into 400 to 500 ml?

Because that is the volume that gives the drink a concentration close to that of the body's own fluids, the condition for it to leave the stomach quickly. One serving in 250 ml cancels out that advantage and brings the product back down to the level of an ordinary sugary drink.

Does it contain sweeteners?

Yes. The ingredient list declares sucralose and acesulfame K, even though other parts of the manufacturer's documentation present the powder as a single-ingredient product. We go by the ingredient list. Neither of these two sweeteners provides calories or appears in the sugars line.

Can you take it after training?

Yes, within the 30 minutes that follow, as the manufacturer allows. For that particular use, however, a far cheaper maltodextrin will do the same job: the advantage of cyclic dextrin plays out during exercise, not after it.

Is it suitable for weight training sessions?

On long, intense sessions, yes, drunk during the session. On an hour-long session for someone who ate two hours beforehand, the intake is superfluous and simply adds 95 kcal. The criterion is how long the effort actually lasts, not the discipline.

Is it suitable for vegans?

No ingredient of animal origin appears in the list: the dextrin comes from maize starch and both sweeteners are synthetic. The manufacturer does not, however, claim vegan status, and the product may contain traces of milk and eggs from the production facility.

Can it be mixed with other powders?

Without difficulty, with electrolytes or amino acids in the same bottle. Just avoid adding a protein to it if you intend to drink it during exercise: the mixture becomes thick and loses the whole digestive tolerance advantage that justifies the purchase.

Where can you buy IO Genix Cyclic Dextrin?

The powder can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we always ask the same question before recommending it: how long does your session last? Under an hour, we point the customer back towards their plate rather than towards this tub. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix WaxyMaze?

IO Genix WaxyMaze is a carbohydrate powder for mixing with water, made from waxy maize starch. A 75 g serving provides 74 g of carbohydrate for 297 kcal, of which 0 g sugars, and 0.5 mg of vitamin B1. It dissolves in 500 to 700 ml of water and is drunk during or after exercise.

Waxy maize — waxy maize in English — is a variety of maize whose starch consists almost entirely of amylopectin, the branched fraction of starch. Ordinary starch contains around a quarter amylose, the linear fraction, which digests more slowly. It is this botanical peculiarity, and nothing else, that explains how the product behaves in the body.

In concrete terms, you are dealing with a high-glycaemic-index carbohydrate source, with no sugar in the nutritional sense of the word, and no pronounced sweet taste. It is fuel, not a drink for pleasure. The rest of the Spanish range can be browsed in our IO Genix aisle, and the other products in the category in our waxy maize aisle.

What does a serving of WaxyMaze contain?

The line to look at is the sugars: 74 g of carbohydrate, of which 0 g sugars. That is what sets a starch powder apart from a conventional energy drink, where most of the carbohydrate is sucrose or glucose. Here, it all comes from a branched starch. The energy arrives quickly, but it does not arrive as sugar, and the cloying feeling typical of very sweet drinks does not occur.

The vitamin B1 is not there for show: it is the vitamin involved in carbohydrate metabolism, and thiamine contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism — that is the authorised wording. At 0.5 mg per serving, i.e. 45% of the reference value, the amount is enough to be declared.

One point we want to state plainly, because it changes how this product should be used: it contains no sodium. The table shows 0 g of salt. So this is not a complete sports drink: on a long ride or in hot weather, you will be short of the electrolytes you lose through sweat. Plan for those separately — our electrolytes aisle exists for that. A carbohydrate powder on its own is no substitute for a properly formulated isotonic drink.

Something else that cannot be asserted is that this powder clears the stomach faster than any other: that is the classic marketing argument for waxy maize, it has not been validated at European level and we will not repeat it. What is true and verifiable is the composition: a branched starch, high glycaemic index, no sugar.

Data missing from the manufacturer's file: the net weight of the tub, and therefore the number of servings, is not disclosed, any more than the stated origin of the flavouring. We will not infer them; the net content is shown on the packaging you receive.

Ingredients list

Modified starch, flavouring, acidity regulator (citric acid), sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame K), vitamin B1 (thiamine hydrochloride).

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

How do you take WaxyMaze?

Serving: 75 g. Liquid: 500 to 700 ml of water. Timing: 30 minutes before exercise, sipped during exercise, or immediately afterwards. Frequency: one serving per session, depending on duration and intensity. Duration: no course to follow, it is a product used occasionally around training.

The dilution volume is the most important parameter, and it is the one people get wrong most often. A 75 g serving in 300 ml gives a very concentrated drink, hard to swallow during exercise and sometimes heavy on the stomach. The 500 to 700 ml specified by the manufacturer are not a suggestion: they correspond to a concentration the digestive tract will accept under exertion. If you have to carry less liquid, cut the powder, not the water.

Adjust the concentration to the outside temperature — an endurance habit that few people apply. In cold weather you sweat less and can go more concentrated: the manufacturer mentions 60 to 80 g per litre. In hot weather, what you mainly need is to drink: drop to 20 to 40 g per litre and increase the volume.

In weight training, the 75 g serving in 500 ml during the session makes sense on long, high-volume workouts. On an hour of strength work it is probably superfluous: over that duration your glycogen stores are enough, and another 297 kcal in the day is not neutral if you are watching your weight.

For recovery, the classic combination remains carbohydrate plus protein. A serving of WaxyMaze with a scoop of protein within the thirty minutes after the session covers both needs at once, and it is also the basis of a self-made mass gain shake, often cheaper than a ready-made gainer.

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

It suits an endurance athlete on efforts of more than an hour, a weight trainer on long sessions, and anyone looking to increase their daily calorie intake without going through bulky foods.

It is not for you if your goal is weight loss. This is the point on which we regularly turn down sales in the shop: 297 kcal in a drink is the equivalent of a light meal, and drinking your calories is the quickest way to derail a deficit. During a cutting phase, this product only makes sense on very long sessions, and even then.

It is not recommended for children, adolescents, pregnant women or breastfeeding women. People with diabetes or with a blood-sugar regulation disorder should seek their doctor's advice before using a high-glycaemic-index powder: that is not a token precaution.

The formula contains sucralose and acesulfame K. If you avoid artificial sweeteners, this product is not for you. Anyone with allergies should take account of the traces of gluten, milk, egg and soya.

What not to expect from it: this is not a performance product with an immediate effect. You will not be stronger after drinking it. It supplies fuel, which is only of interest if the effort actually consumes it. On an hour-long session for someone who eats properly, the usefulness is slight.

WaxyMaze or cyclic dextrin?

The two powders occupy the same place in the carbohydrate aisle, and the choice comes down to two simple criteria.

WaxyMaze is an amylopectin derived from waxy maize. It is the most economical option per gram of carbohydrate, it mixes properly and it suits the majority of uses: post-session refuelling, a drink for long training sessions, extra calories during mass gain.

Cyclic dextrin is a starch processed differently, whose main quality is digestive comfort at high concentration. If you have ever had a heavy stomach from a carbohydrate powder during exercise, that is the parameter that matters to you, and our cyclic dextrin aisle is the right place. The trade-off is that it costs considerably more.

That leaves maltodextrin, the oldest and cheapest of the three, perfectly valid for recovery when digestive tolerance is not an issue. To sum up: maltodextrin if budget comes first, WaxyMaze for a good compromise, cyclic dextrin if your stomach has already let you down mid-race.

Frequently asked questions

How much carbohydrate in a serving?

74 g of carbohydrate for 297 kcal, of which 0 g sugars. All of it comes from waxy maize starch, rich in amylopectin. That is the carbohydrate equivalent of roughly 100 g of dry pasta, in liquid form and with no bulk in the stomach.

Does it taste sweet?

Not very. The product contains no sugars, only sucralose and acesulfame K in small amounts, plus an acidity regulator. The resulting drink stays light in taste, which is an advantage on long efforts where very sweet drinks end up becoming sickly.

Do you need to add electrolytes?

Yes, as soon as the effort drags on and you are sweating. The nutrition table shows 0 g of salt: this powder supplies fuel, not minerals. On a long ride or in hot weather, add an electrolyte product or a pinch of salt to your bottle.

Before, during or after training?

All three are provided for, but the most worthwhile use is during efforts of more than sixty minutes and immediately after an intense session. Before exercise, taking it 30 minutes beforehand works; on a short session, by contrast, the intake is of little interest.

Can it be mixed with a protein?

Yes, and it is in fact the most common pairing for recovery: carbohydrate and protein in the same shaker after the session. It is also the basis of a home-made gainer, generally cheaper and more adjustable than a ready-made mass gain product.

How much water per serving?

500 to 700 ml for 75 g of powder. Below 500 ml, the drink becomes concentrated and sits heavily on the stomach during exercise. In hot weather, increase the volume further or cut the powder: it is digestive comfort that decides, not the theoretical serving.

Does this product make you put on weight?

It provides 297 kcal per serving, so yes, if you add it to a diet that already covers your needs. That is precisely its value during mass gain and its main drawback during a cutting phase. Use it according to your goal, not out of habit.

Where can you buy IO Genix WaxyMaze?

The tub can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is a product we recommend mainly to cyclists and trail runners, and one we frankly advise against for anyone trying to lose weight: drinking 300 kcal is the most discreet way of sabotaging a deficit. The full aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

What is IO Genix CLA PRO?

It is safflower oil in soft capsules, with a daily dose of four capsules providing 4,000 mg of oil, standardised to 80% conjugated linoleic acid. The bottle covers 25 servings.

Conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, is a fatty acid from the omega-6 family, found naturally in small amounts in dairy products and ruminant meat. Here it is extracted from safflower seeds (Carthamus tinctorius L.).

The formula fits into two lines: safflower oil and a shell made of gelatine, glycerine and water. Because the capsule is made of gelatine, the product is suitable neither for vegetarians nor for vegans. It joins our capsule fat burners and IO Genix aisles.

What does a four-capsule dose contain?

* Columns calculated from the values declared for four capsules and from the 80% standardisation stated by the manufacturer. Pack size: 25 doses, i.e. 100 capsules. The split between the two CLA isomers — c9,t11 and t10,c12 — is not published; nor is the “of which saturates” line, nor the kilojoules.

The calculation that matters, and that nobody makes: 4,000 mg of oil standardised to 80% gives 3,200 mg of CLA, not 4,000. That is the difference between the weight of the oil and the weight of the active molecule, and it is the only figure to compare from one product to another. Plenty of labels display the big number hoping you will mistake it for the other one.

The 80% standardisation is a sound level for this category; oils at 60% or 70% do exist, and a bottle that is cheaper per litre may turn out to be dearer per gram of CLA. Always do the multiplication before comparing two prices.

Now for the essential point, and we will be categorical: no health claim is authorised in Europe for conjugated linoleic acid. Not on body composition, not on fat, not on weight, not on the maintenance of muscle mass. So you will read no promise of that kind here, not even in a roundabout form. The “fat burner” label that appears on our aisles is a commercial category name, not a description of an effect, and that is a distinction we are keen to state clearly.

What we can describe: a vegetable oil, a standardisation, a daily dose, a format, a usage protocol and some precautions. That is little, and it is honest.

How do you take CLA PRO?

Dose: 4 capsules a day. Liquid: a glass of water. Timing: 2 capsules at lunch and 2 at dinner. Frequency: two split servings. Duration: 8 to 12 weeks at a minimum, taken continuously.

The “with meals” instruction is not optional, unlike with many supplements. This is an oil: its absorption depends on fat being present in the digestive tract at the same time. Four capsules swallowed on an empty stomach with a glass of water means part of the product will do nothing at all.

Splitting it into two servings follows the same logic and improves tolerance: four soft capsules in one go sit heavily on some stomachs. If you get oily repeats, take them in the middle of the meal rather than at the start.

On duration, the manufacturer settles on 8 to 12 weeks minimum, and explicitly pairs this product with a balanced reduced-calorie diet and regular training. We are happy to repeat that detail, because it says the essential thing: this bottle does nothing on its own. If the calorie deficit is not in place, the question does not even arise.

The product combines without difficulty with a protein or a multivitamin. As a bottle covers 25 days, allow three to four of them to complete the recommended duration.

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

It is aimed at adults engaged in a structured weight loss approach, with a calorie deficit and training in place. It is a stimulant-free supplement, which makes it compatible with an evening serving and with late training — that is its real advantage over most products in the aisle.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women and rules it out for the under-18s. It asks that you consult a healthcare professional in the event of a metabolic disorder, diabetes or drug treatment: that last precaution deserves careful reading. Traces of GLUTEN (wheat and oats), EGG, MILK, FISH and SOYA are possible.

It is suitable neither for vegetarians nor for vegans, as the capsule is made of gelatine. It is less suitable if you are looking for a noticeable effect: there is nothing to feel, no kick and no warmth, unlike a caffeinated thermogenic.

What you should not expect from it, and this is the most useful point on this page: this product does not make you lose weight. No claim exists, which means no European authority has validated any effect for this molecule. Nor does it preserve muscle mass during a diet: on that front, it is your protein intake and your resistance training that do the work. And 36 kcal per dose really are 36 kcal added to your day.

CLA or a thermogenic fat burner?

The two sit in the same aisle and the question comes up on every sale. Let us set out the common ground first: neither CLA nor the plant extracts in thermogenics hold an authorised health claim in Europe for weight loss. Deciding on the basis of promises therefore makes no sense here.

A thermogenic fat burner is generally built on caffeine, possibly combined with green tea or synephrine. It can be felt — alertness, warmth, a relative appetite curb — which explains its success. Its drawbacks are well known: it cannot be taken in the evening, tolerance builds up, and it adds to the coffee you drink during the day.

CLA does exactly the opposite: no stimulant, no sensation, no timing constraint. It is the right choice if you are sensitive to caffeine, if you train in the evening, or if you already take a caffeinated pre-workout. Our caffeine-free fat burner aisle brings together the other options of this kind.

One last frank word: if you have to choose a single supplement during a deficit, it is neither of these two. It is a protein, because it helps you hold your intake when the calories go down, and its wording on the maintenance of muscle mass is authorised. The omega 3 aisle usefully rounds out the picture on the fatty acid side.

Frequently asked questions

How much actual CLA in a dose?

3,200 mg. The four-capsule dose provides 4,000 mg of safflower oil standardised to 80%, which gives 3,200 mg of conjugated linoleic acid. That is the figure to compare from one product to another, and not the weight of oil, which tells you nothing on its own.

Does CLA make you lose weight?

No health claim is authorised in Europe for conjugated linoleic acid, not on weight, not on fat, not on body composition. We therefore cannot promise anything, and we will not do so. The manufacturer itself pairs this product with a reduced-calorie diet and regular training.

Why does it have to be taken with meals?

Because this is an oil: its absorption depends on fat being present in the digestive tract at the same time. Four capsules swallowed on an empty stomach with a glass of water means part of the product is wasted. It is the most common mistake with this type of soft capsule.

How long does a bottle last?

Twenty-five days, at four capsules a day. As the manufacturer recommends 8 to 12 weeks minimum, allow three to four bottles to complete the protocol it advises.

Are the capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No. The shell is a soft capsule made of gelatine, glycerine and water, of animal origin. The contents, on the other hand, are indeed a vegetable oil obtained from safflower seeds: it is the shell alone that is the problem, and that is a point rarely highlighted.

Can it be taken in the evening?

Yes, and that is in fact the manufacturer's protocol: two capsules at lunch and two at dinner. The formula contains no stimulant, which makes it compatible with a late serving — unlike a caffeinated fat burner. That is its main practical advantage.

Can it be combined with a caffeinated fat burner?

Nothing stands in the way as far as the formulas are concerned, as the two share no ingredient. Simply bear in mind that neither of them holds an authorised claim, and that stacking two products with no recognised effect does not create an effect. The calorie deficit remains the only documented lever.

Where to buy IO Genix CLA PRO?

The bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. Over a recommended duration of 8 to 12 weeks, it is better to order several bottles in advance than to run out halfway through.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is an aisle where we systematically start by talking about something other than the product: what do you eat, and for how long have you been eating it? Until that answer is satisfactory, no capsule will change anything, and we would rather say so across the counter than take the money. The rest of the aisle can be compared in our sports nutrition section.

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 Probiotic Mix?

It is a supplement of live cultures in vegetable capsules, with a daily serving of two capsules. It supplies a complex of 15 strains weighing 66.6 mg, to which are added 200 mg of inulin, a fibre extracted from chicory root. The box of 60 capsules covers 30 days.

The principle combines two things: live cultures on one side, a fibre taken to go with them on the other. The full composition runs to six lines: microcrystalline cellulose as a bulking agent, inulin powder, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose for the capsule, the culture blend, magnesium stearate and silicon dioxide as anti-caking agents.

As the capsule is vegetable rather than gelatine, the formula is suitable for vegetarians and vegans. The manufacturer declares it free from artificial preservatives and colourings. The product joins our probiotic and IO Genix ranges.

What does a two-capsule serving contain?

Pack size: 60 vegetable capsules, that is 30 servings.

We have to stop squarely at the two “not disclosed” lines, because they concern what matters most. On a product based on live cultures, the figure that counts is the number of colony-forming units — the CFU — per serving, and it does not appear in the labelling data available to us. The 66.6 mg quoted refers to a weight of powder, which tells you nothing: two products of the same weight can differ by a factor of a hundred in CFU. Nor is the precise list of the fifteen strains published.

We will not fill these two gaps with figures found elsewhere. In practical terms, that means you cannot compare this product with another on what determines its value, and it is a limitation worth knowing about before buying. Read the box you receive: if the CFU figure is on it, that is the value that counts.

What can be said with confidence concerns the inulin. 200 mg of a fibre derived from chicory is a modest dose — for scale, a portion of artichoke or onion supplies several grams. Its presence here follows a formulation logic, not a nutritional one: at this dose, it does not count towards your fibre intake.

One regulatory point, and it is a clear one: no health claim has been authorised in Europe for probiotics, nor for inulin at this dose. So you will read nothing here about digestion, immunity, gut comfort or nutrient absorption. This is not excessive caution on our part: it is the state of the law, and the reason why the word “probiotic” is itself regulated. What we are describing is a composition, a dose, a format and a protocol for use.

How do you take Probiotic Mix?

Serving: 2 capsules. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: in the morning on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before breakfast. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: a course of 30 days minimum, ideally 3 months.

The instruction “on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before” is the manufacturer's and follows a simple logic: the stomach is then less acidic than in the middle of digestion. Thirty minutes before breakfast is an easy slot to keep to — put the box next to the coffee machine.

Three useful adjustments, given by the manufacturer. If you have a sensitive gut, start with a single capsule for a few days before moving to two: some digestive adjustment over the first few days is normal. During a course of antibiotic treatment, leave a minimum of two to three hours between doses. And if you are travelling or radically changing your diet, it advises starting a week beforehand.

On duration, do not judge in three days. The manufacturer settles on thirty days as a minimum and three months as the target. That is consistent with the fact that no acute effect is expected, or can be claimed, on this type of product.

One last point of common sense: a diet that genuinely supplies fibre — vegetables, pulses, wholegrains from the oat flour range — will weigh more than 200 mg of inulin in a capsule. The supplement goes alongside a diet, it does not replace it.

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

It is aimed at adults, and is of particular interest to those coming off a course of antibiotics, those changing their diet or their country, and athletes with high calorie intakes. The two-capsules-in-the-morning format is easy to keep up over three months.

Two precautions really do matter. Immunocompromised people must seek medical advice before taking it: that is not a formality on a product based on live micro-organisms. Pregnant or breastfeeding women and people with an intestinal condition should also seek advice. Traces of GLUTEN, EGG, MILK, FISH and SOYA are possible.

It suits you less well if you are looking to compare doses precisely: with no CFU count and no published strain list, an honest comparison with another product is impossible. That is the real limitation of this product, and we would rather put it in writing.

What you should not expect from it: it is not a treatment, and it is not a product for which any effect can be promised. No claim is authorised, which means no European authority has validated an effect for this category. If you have persistent digestive problems, the right course is a doctor, not a box of capsules. Nor is it a performance product or a digestive aid for over-generous meals.

Probiotic Mix or digestive enzymes?

The two sit on the same shelf and yet follow different logics. Let us say it straight away: neither probiotics nor digestive enzymes have an authorised health claim in Europe. Deciding on the basis of promises therefore makes no sense, and what remains is to compare what is comparable.

Our digestive enzymes products supply enzymes — amylase, protease, lipase, lactase — intended to accompany a specific meal. They are taken at the moment of eating, as a one-off, and their use is occasional. That is what most people choose when their discomfort is linked to an identified type of meal.

Probiotic Mix follows a background logic: a daily serving on an empty stomach, over one to three months. It is a course product, not a mealtime one. If your concern is transit rather than digestion, be aware that a form such as the citrate in the magnesium range acts on that point far more directly and far more cheaply. And if you digest dairy shakes badly, the solution is often to change protein rather than to add a supplement on top. A multivitamin, for its part, plays no role in this area.

Frequently asked questions

How many CFU per serving?

The manufacturer does not publish this figure in the labelling data available to us, and we will not invent it. It is nevertheless the only value that allows two products of this type to be compared: the 66.6 mg quoted refers to a weight of powder, not to a quantity of micro-organisms. Check the box you receive.

What exactly are the 15 strains?

The detailed list does not appear in our labelling data either. We will not repeat the strain names circulating about this product without being able to verify them: on a supplement based on micro-organisms, a strain is designated by its genus, its species and its identifier, not by a general family.

Does it really have to be taken on an empty stomach?

That is what the manufacturer settles on: in the morning, 30 minutes before breakfast, the stomach being less acidic then than in the middle of digestion. It is an easy instruction to follow and it costs nothing. If it inconveniences you, consistency over three months counts for more than the exact time of the dose.

Can it be taken during a course of antibiotics?

The manufacturer asks that doses be spaced by a minimum of two to three hours. That is the usual precaution on this type of product. For anything concerning your treatment itself, the question is one for your doctor or your pharmacist, not for a product page.

Are the capsules suitable for vegans?

Yes. The shell is made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, of plant origin, and not of animal gelatine. The manufacturer also states a formula free from artificial preservatives and colourings. Do note, however, the possible traces of milk, egg and fish flagged on the label.

How long does a box last?

Thirty days, at two capsules a day for 60 capsules. The manufacturer settles on thirty days as a minimum and three months as a full course: so count on three boxes to see through what it recommends.

Why do you say nothing about the effects?

Because no health claim has been authorised in Europe for probiotics. Writing that this product improves digestion, immunity or gut comfort would be an offence, whatever the literature you may read elsewhere. We would rather tell you what the capsule contains and what we do not know.

Where to buy IO Genix Probiotic Mix?

The box of 60 capsules can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. If you are aiming for the three-month course the manufacturer advises, take three at once: interruption is the first enemy of this type of product.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a range where we talk more about what the label does not say than about what it displays. Looking for the “CFU” line on a box of live cultures is the most useful reflex we can pass on to a customer, and it holds for every brand on the market. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix's Magnesium Citrate?

It is a magnesium supplement in tablet form, dosed at 375 mg of magnesium per two tablets, which is exactly 100% of the nutrient reference value. The bottle holds 60, covering 30 days at the recommended dose.

The composition fits in two lines: magnesium citrate and silicon dioxide as an anti-caking agent. No colouring, no preservative, no sweetener. It is a formula with no dressing up, and on a mineral that is rather good news: you are paying for the magnesium, not the coating.

Citrate is a salt of magnesium and citric acid. It stands apart from the other forms in this section on two counts, one good and one to be aware of: it is well absorbed, and it speeds up transit. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix section.

What is in a two-tablet dose?

* Column calculated from the value declared for two tablets. Other components: magnesium citrate, anti-caking agent (silicon dioxide). NRV for magnesium within the meaning of Regulation 1169/2011: 375 mg. Packaging: 60 tablets, i.e. 30 doses.

Here is a case where the figure calls for a frank explanation, because it is higher than what you usually see. 375 mg of magnesium in a single dose is 100% of the European reference value — and it is also above the 250 mg a day that EFSA sets as the safety limit for magnesium supplied by supplements. These two benchmarks do not say the same thing and are often confused: the NRV is a labelling reference, the EFSA limit a threshold of digestive tolerance.

In practice that means two things. First, a single tablet, at 187.5 mg, stays within bounds and already covers half the reference value — a perfectly sensible option, and often the right one. Second, if you take both tablets and you are also taking a multivitamin or a ZMA containing magnesium, do the sum: stacking is the real trap with this mineral.

On what magnesium does, European regulation is precise and generous: magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue, to the normal functioning of the nervous system, to normal muscle function, to electrolyte balance, to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to normal psychological function, to the maintenance of normal bones and to normal protein synthesis. Those are the exact wordings, and they are enough.

A final word on what you will not see here: the weight of the citrate salt is not published, only elemental magnesium. That is the right way to do it, and it deserves credit — plenty of labels display the big salt figure in the hope that it will be mistaken for the mineral.

How do you take Magnesium Citrate?

Dose: 2 tablets, or 1 to start with. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: 30 minutes before bed. Frequency: once a day. Duration: a 30-day course, repeatable as needed.

Our advice, and it differs slightly from the label: start with a single tablet for a week. Citrate speeds up transit, that is its signature, and 375 mg all at once causes loose stools in some people from day one. At 187.5 mg tolerance is much better, and you can then see whether you need the second.

If you do take both tablets, split them — one at midday, one in the evening. That improves digestive tolerance more reliably than any change of form, and absorption is slightly better for it.

Three combination instructions given by the manufacturer, and they are sound. Leave two hours between this and any calcium, iron or zinc you take: these minerals compete for the same transporters. Avoid very high-fibre meals at the same time, since phytates reduce absorption. And drink enough throughout the course.

On the time of day, the manufacturer settles on the evening. That is a convenient habit rather than a necessity: magnesium has no acute effect, and what counts over thirty days is not forgetting it. Take it whenever you will remember.

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

It suits those who want a straightforward dose and a simple product, with no additives and no capsule, and those whose transit is on the slow side — the accelerating effect of citrate then becomes an advantage rather than a drawback. It also suits people who sweat a lot or who are in a prolonged calorie deficit, two situations in which intake drops.

It is not recommended in cases of severe renal insufficiency: that is the contraindication carried by the manufacturer, and it is essential. The kidney is the route by which magnesium is eliminated; when it works poorly, magnesium accumulates. If you are on medical treatment, consult a healthcare professional — magnesium notably interferes with the absorption of thyroid hormones, of certain antibiotics and of bisphosphonates taken at the same time. Traces of gluten, egg, milk, fish and soya are possible.

It is not for you if you have a sensitive gut or an already rapid transit. That is the real limit of this form, and we would rather say so before purchase than after: at 375 mg of citrate, digestive discomfort is common. In that case a bisglycinate will suit you far better.

What not to expect from it. It is not a sleeping aid: the evening dose is a habit, not a demonstrated effect, and no claim about sleep is authorised. If your problem is falling asleep, our melatonin section answers the question better. Nor is it a treatment for exercise cramps: those come down first of all to hydration and sodium losses, which our electrolytes cover. And it is not a performance product: securing an intake is not the same as moving heavier loads.

Magnesium citrate or bisglycinate?

This is the only trade-off that really matters in this section, and it is not settled on absorption — both forms are properly absorbed — but on transit and on price.

Bisglycinate is magnesium chelated to two glycine molecules. It is the best-tolerated form in the magnesium section, the one that causes the fewest loose stools, and it is the better choice if your gut is sensitive, if you have tolerated a magnesium badly in the past, or if you are planning a long course. Its drawback: the salt weighs a lot for little mineral, which means multiplying the capsules, and it costs considerably more per milligram of elemental magnesium.

Citrate, the form on this page, does exactly the opposite. It reaches 375 mg in just two tablets and costs far less. Its accelerating effect on transit is a real drawback for some and an advantage for others — if you tend towards constipation, this is the form you want, and nobody is going to say so on your behalf.

The practical advice: start with citrate, at one tablet. It is cheaper, and within a week you will know whether you tolerate it. If the answer is no, move to bisglycinate without hesitating. And if your needs also cover zinc, a ZMA brings the two minerals together in one dose, at the cost of absorption competition between them. The vitamin D section usefully rounds the whole thing out in winter.

Frequently asked questions

375 mg a day, isn't that too much?

It is 100% of the nutrient reference value, but above the 250 mg a day that EFSA sets as the limit for magnesium supplied by supplements. A single tablet, at 187.5 mg, stays under that threshold and already covers half the reference. Start there, and only add the second if you tolerate it well.

Why does citrate cause loose stools?

Because it exerts an osmotic effect in the gut: it draws water into the intestinal lumen and speeds up transit. That is not a manufacturing fault, it is a property of the form, known and predictable. It eases off if you split the dose and take the tablets during a meal.

Should it be taken on an empty stomach or with food?

The manufacturer advises an empty stomach for absorption, and avoiding very high-fibre meals. In practice, if taking it on an empty stomach gives you loose stools, take the tablets in the middle of a light meal: you will lose a little on absorption, and you will get through the thirty-day course.

How long does a bottle last?

Thirty days at two tablets a day, sixty if you take only one. The manufacturer settles on a repeatable thirty-day course; with a mineral you have to think in weeks, since no effect shows up within a few days.

Does magnesium help you sleep?

No claim of that kind is authorised, and we are not going to make one. The permitted wordings speak of normal functioning of the nervous system and normal psychological function, which is not a sedative effect. The evening dose recommended by the manufacturer is a matter of habit, not of demonstration.

Can it be combined with a multivitamin?

Yes, but do the sum first. Most multivitamins already contain 50 to 100 mg of magnesium, and many ZMAs provide 150 to 450 mg. Stacking two sources takes you easily beyond EFSA's 250 mg limit, with digestive discomfort as the only result.

Is the product suitable for vegetarians?

These are tablets, not capsules: there is therefore no gelatine shell. The composition consists only of magnesium citrate and silicon dioxide, two ingredients of non-animal origin. The manufacturer does, however, flag possible traces of egg, milk and fish linked to manufacturing.

Where to buy IO Genix Magnesium Citrate?

The 60-tablet bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship anywhere in France and Europe. One bottle covers a full month's course, which makes it one of the simplest ways to secure a magnesium intake.

At the Vendargues counter, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the question we always ask in this section is not remotely technical: how is your transit? That is what decides between a citrate and a bisglycinate, far more than any absorption argument. The rest of the minerals 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 Crealuxe Creapure®?

Crealuxe is IO Genix's premium creatine: a micronised creatine monohydrate whose raw material carries the Creapure® label, produced by AlzChem at its site in Trostberg, Bavaria. The ingredient list for the unflavoured version fits on one line — Creapure®, nothing else. The rest of the range sits in our IO Genix aisle.

Exactly what the label guarantees — origin, a dedicated production line, batch-by-batch control of synthesis by-products — is explained on our Creapure page. It is the same for every product that carries it: what sets Crealuxe apart is decided elsewhere, on packaging and particle size.

Two things are unique to it in our range. It is the only labelled creatine we stock in 250 g as well as 500 g, which lets you try it without committing to a full tub. And it is the only one available in a flavoured version, Raspberry, alongside the unflavoured one.

What does a 3 g serving of Crealuxe contain?

The label is stated for 3 g, that is 3 000 mg of Creapure® creatine monohydrate. It then spells out what most brands quietly leave unsaid: of those 3 000 mg, 2 640 mg are creatine proper, the remainder being water of crystallisation. The information is honest, and it holds true for every monohydrate.

Three grams a day is the amount underpinning the claim authorised in the European Union: creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise. We will go no further than that, as no other claim is admissible for this molecule.

Reckon on 83 servings in the 250 g tub and 166 servings in the 500 g one. That is the only calculation worth doing when comparing two creatines: the listed price divided by the real number of servings, having checked that the reference serving is the same on both sides.

How should you take Crealuxe, and which size should you choose?

The manufacturer specifies 3 g mixed into 100 ml of liquid, once a day. Watch the scoop: 3 g corresponds to three quarters of the scoop supplied, not a full one. That is the practical trap with this product, and it easily amounts to a 25 % difference over a year's consumption. A kitchen scale settles the question in a single weighing.

Timing barely matters: creatine works through gradual saturation, not through a spike in the blood. What counts is consistency, rest days included. The manufacturer sets no course length; taking it continuously is the most coherent approach.

On the loading phase, our position does not change: 20 g a day for a week only brings saturation forward by two to three weeks, without changing the final level at all. It quadruples your consumption and concentrates the digestive discomfort. Start at 3 g.

As for size: the 250 g covers roughly two and a half months, the 500 g roughly five and a half. The first is for testing a flavour or for travelling, the second is the everyday size — on a product you take daily, price per serving is what decides.

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

For adults doing resistance training or a sport built on short, repeated efforts. Since creatine is obtained by chemical synthesis, with no animal-derived material, the unflavoured version is in principle suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women and asks for medical advice in cases of kidney disease. The label flags possible traces of nuts, peanuts, eggs, milk, sulphites, fish and soya: that list is broader than on many creatines and rules the product out if you are allergic to any of those foods. ANSES also advises against these supplements for anyone with impaired kidney or liver function, and supplementation raises serum creatinine — mention it to your doctor before a blood test.

What you should not expect from it: the label does not buy you a sporting result. At an equal dose, no data shows that a labelled creatine produces more strength than a decent monohydrate. Any medical question is for your doctor or your pharmacist.

Crealuxe or Sinob Core Creapure®?

Both carry the same label and contain the same raw material: the comparison is therefore not about quality, but about packaging and about how you measure your dose.

Sinob Core Creapure® comes in 500 g, with a scoop calibrated to 5 g and 100 servings stated. It is the better choice if you weigh more than 85 kg and are aiming straight for 5 g a day: one full scoop, no arithmetic, no half-scoop to judge by eye. Its label also carries a verifiable Creapure® licence number, which Crealuxe does not display.

Crealuxe is the better choice if you are aiming for 3 g, if you want a small size to start with, or if unflavoured powder puts you off: the Raspberry version has no equivalent at Sinob. Its ingredient list explicitly states a micronised creatine, which Sinob's does not.

Frequently asked questions

Is the scoop supplied 3 g or 4 g?

Neither: the manufacturer says to fill it three quarters of the way to get 3 g. A full scoop takes you past the label dose and makes the tub disappear faster than planned. Weigh it once, note where the level sits, and you will never need to check again.

What is in the Raspberry version?

Our labelling data only describes the unflavoured version, pared down to Creapure® alone. A flavoured powder necessarily contains a flavouring and a sweetener, but we will not publish a list we have not read. If you are keeping an eye on one sweetener in particular, ask us for the exact composition before ordering.

250 g or 500 g: which one should you take?

The 250 g lasts around 83 days at 3 g, the 500 g around 166. Take the small one to try the Raspberry or for a trip away, the large one for everyday use: the price per serving is mechanically lower there.

Why does the label state 2 640 mg alongside the 3 000 mg?

Because monohydrate is a hydrated salt: one creatine molecule bound to one water molecule. Out of 3 000 mg of powder, roughly 2 640 mg is creatine, the rest being water of crystallisation. That ratio holds for every creatine monohydrate; Crealuxe simply has the candour to put it in writing.

Does the Creapure® label make this creatine more effective?

No, and nobody should let you believe otherwise. At an equal dose, nothing shows a greater gain in strength or mass than a decent monohydrate. The label is about origin and about the control of synthesis by-products, not about performance.

Can it be mixed with anything else?

Yes, with no known problematic interaction: a shaker of protein, a bowl of cream of rice, or some beta-alanine if you are working on long sets. Just avoid leaving it dissolved for several hours, as creatine degrades slowly in a warm, damp medium.

Should you drink more while supplementing?

Drink normally. Creatine draws water into the muscle cell, which explains the slight weight gain over the first few weeks, but it imposes no particular hydration protocol. In hot weather, electrolytes are the more relevant answer.

Where can you buy IO Genix Crealuxe Creapure®?

You can order it on this page, in the size and flavour of your choice, and we ship throughout France and Europe. In our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the Creapure® mention is checked by turning the tub over: it is the only reliable criterion. The full range is in our sports nutrition section.

Sources: EFSA for the authorised claims, ANSES for the opinion on food supplements intended for athletes. This information does not replace medical advice.

What is IO Genix Citrulline Malate?

IO Genix Citrulline Malate is a single-ingredient powder. One 3.8 g scoop provides 3,762 mg of citrulline D,L-malate, and the only other component is an anti-caking agent. The tub holds 79 servings, which comes to nearly three months of use at three sessions a week.

Citrulline is a non-proteinogenic amino acid, meaning it is not used to build proteins. It is found in meaningful amounts in only one everyday food: watermelon, from which it takes its name, Citrullus. You would have to eat several kilos of it to come near the dose in one scoop.

The malate form pairs citrulline with malic acid, a molecule naturally present in apples and involved in the Krebs cycle. This pairing is the most widespread one in pre-workout products. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix section, and the other products in the category in our citrulline section.

What does one serving of Citrulline Malate contain?

3,762 mg in a 3.8 g serving means the product is more than 99% citrulline malate. There is practically nothing else in the tub, and that is the main argument for this format: you are buying an active ingredient, not a blend in which it is buried. Compare that with a full pre-workout, where citrulline often heads the ingredients list but at 1 g or 1.5 g, with nothing to make that clear.

One piece of data is missing from the manufacturer's file and it matters: the ratio between citrulline and malate is not published. Products on the market are split between 1:1 and 2:1 ratios, so the amount of citrulline actually supplied is not the same from one tub to another at equal weight. We will not decide this in the manufacturer's place. The label on the tub you receive is the only reference if this point is decisive for you.

The dose also deserves an honest framing. 3.8 g per serving is a middling dose: many pre-workout formulas dose citrulline malate at between 6 and 8 g per serving. The manufacturer here allows for a single serving a day and asks that it not be exceeded, which is the instruction to follow. If you were after a higher dose, this is not the product that will give it to you, and we would rather say so before the purchase.

On the regulatory side: no health claim is authorised in Europe for citrulline or for citrulline malate. Not on pump, not on endurance, not on recovery, not on fatigue. An earlier version of this page announced a specific figure for an increase in the number of repetitions: that percentage could not be sourced as it stood and it has been removed.

Ingredients list

Citrulline D,L-malate, anti-caking agent (silicon dioxide).

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

How do you take Citrulline Malate?

Dose: 3.8 g, that is one measuring scoop. Liquid: 100 to 150 ml of cold water. Timing: 30 to 45 minutes before training, preferably on an empty stomach. Frequency: one serving a day, on training days. Duration: a continuous cycle of 8 to 12 weeks according to the manufacturer.

The volume of liquid is deliberately small here, between 100 and 150 ml. This is not a mistake: citrulline malate is decidedly sour and bitter, and diluting it further does not improve matters, it simply draws out the unpleasantness. A small amount swallowed in one go goes down better than a large glass sipped slowly.

If the taste puts you off, mix it into a juice or an already flavoured drink. In practice the most common mix remains adding it to a pre-workout booster or to a beta-alanine powder, in the same glass: the two are taken at the same moment and for complementary reasons.

Thirty to forty-five minutes before the session, on a light stomach, is the window the manufacturer has settled on. A full meal just beforehand slows absorption without preventing it: that is not a safety issue, only a question of effectiveness.

The manufacturer speaks of continuous cycles of 8 to 12 weeks. Note that 79 servings work out at about six months if you train three times a week: one tub therefore comfortably covers two full cycles. Shake vigorously; the powder dissolves well but forms clumps if you merely stir it.

A word on what to watch over those weeks, because this product is not judged on how it feels straight away. Note instead the number of repetitions you hold on your longer sets and the way you recover between two sets: these are the only usable indicators, and they call for a training log rather than an impression. Without that record, you will have no way of knowing whether the next tub is worth it.

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

It appeals to the strength trainee who puts together their own pre-workout and wants to choose every ingredient and every dose. It also appeals to those who cannot tolerate stimulants: this is a caffeine-free powder, so it can be used in the evening without any effect on sleep, unlike a full pre-workout booster.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women and rules it out for minors under 18. It asks that you consult a healthcare professional in the event of cardiovascular disorders or medical treatment. This last precaution deserves to be understood rather than copied out: citrulline acts on a pathway that touches the regulation of blood vessel diameter, and combining it with a treatment that acts on blood pressure is not a trivial matter. If this applies to you, put the question to your doctor.

The product may contain traces of gluten, eggs, milk, fish and soya. No ingredient of animal origin appears in the list, however.

What not to expect from it: this is not a stimulant, you will feel neither energy nor alertness. Nor is it a mass-gain or a weight-loss product. And if you are expecting a spectacular pump from the very first session, disappointment is likely: this is a background ingredient, not a piece of showmanship. Lastly, this kind of product never makes up for a badly built session or a diet that does not keep up.

Citrulline malate or pure L-citrulline?

The question comes up as soon as you compare two tubs on the shelf, and it has a clear answer.

Pure L-citrulline contains only the amino acid. At equal weight it therefore supplies more citrulline than a malate form, where part of the weight goes to malic acid. If citrulline is your only objective, that is the most direct form and the easiest to calculate.

Citrulline malate adds malic acid, which is not a mere carrier: it is an intermediate in the Krebs cycle, the cell's central energy production pathway. It is the form most used in pre-workout products, and it is the one in this tub. It is also often cheaper per total gram.

If blood flow is what interests you, be aware that L-arginine is another possible route but a less effective one taken orally: it is largely broken down before reaching the circulation, whereas citrulline escapes that first pass and is then converted into arginine. And if you want a product you can feel during the session, it is the full pre-workout formulas you should be looking at, not this powder.

Frequently asked questions

What is the citrulline to malate ratio?

The manufacturer does not publish it, and we will not guess it. Products on the market are split between 1:1 and 2:1, which changes the amount of citrulline actually supplied at equal weight. If this point is decisive for you, the label on the tub you receive is the only reliable source.

Why only 100 to 150 ml of water?

Because the powder is sour and bitter: diluting it further does not make it any better, it simply makes the unpleasantness last longer. A small amount swallowed quickly is the most comfortable solution, or a mix into a juice if the taste really bothers you.

Should it be taken on rest days?

The manufacturer allows for a serving on training days only. Unlike creatine or beta-alanine, this product is not meant to build up stores: it is taken with a specific session in view. On days without training, there is nothing to maintain.

Does it contain caffeine?

None at all. The powder contains only citrulline malate and an anti-caking agent. That is what makes it usable for an evening session without disturbing sleep, and combinable with a caffeinated pre-workout booster if you already take one.

How many servings in a tub?

79 servings of 3.8 g, measuring scoop included. At three sessions a week, that comes to about six months of use, so easily enough to run the two 8 to 12 week cycles the manufacturer suggests.

Can it be mixed with creatine?

Yes, in the same glass and with no known interaction. Creatine monohydrate and citrulline are readily taken at the same moment and do not act in the same place. Just check, if you already use a full pre-workout, that it does not itself contain citrulline: stacking the two poses no danger, but it can take you past the intended daily dose.

Is it suitable for vegans?

No ingredient of animal origin appears in the list, which is limited to citrulline malate and a mineral anti-caking agent. The manufacturer does not, however, claim a vegan status, and the product may contain traces of milk, eggs and fish linked to the production facility.

Where can you buy IO Genix Citrulline Malate?

The 79-serving tub can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product we suggest to people who come in looking for a pre-workout booster and actually describe a pump problem to us, not a lack of energy: the two needs do not call for the same tub. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Arginine Kyowa?

IO Genix Arginine Kyowa is a pure L-arginine powder. One level 3 g scoop provides 3,000 mg of L-arginine, and the only other component in the tub is an anti-caking agent. The manufacturer states 100 servings per container, which works out at roughly three months of use at one serving a day.

L-arginine is what is known as a semi-essential amino acid: the body can produce it, but not always in sufficient quantities depending on age and state of health. Food supplies it too, chiefly through meat, fish, nuts and pulses. It is also the substrate from which the body makes nitric oxide, a messenger involved in regulating the diameter of the blood vessels.

The Kyowa Quality designation on the label refers to the origin of the raw material: an amino acid produced by plant fermentation by a specialist Japanese supplier. It is a traceability claim made by the manufacturer, not a promise of efficacy — we report it as such. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix section, and the other products in the category in our L-arginine section.

What does one serving of Arginine Kyowa contain?

3 g of arginine per serving is a straightforward dose for a single-ingredient product. The most telling comparison is not with another supplement but with your plate: it takes roughly 150 g of chicken breast or a large handful of peanuts to come close to that amount. The difference is that the powder arrives on its own, without the calories and without the meal that goes with them.

The tub contains nothing beyond the amino acid and an anti-caking agent, which is both its appeal and its limitation. The appeal: you know exactly what you are taking, and you can adjust the dose to the gram. The limitation: with no flavouring and no sweetener, pure arginine tastes bitter and slightly soapy. In 200 ml of cold water it goes down; in juice, or mixed into a flavoured booster, you stop noticing it altogether.

One point needs to be clear on the regulatory side: no health claim is authorised in Europe for L-arginine. Not on circulation, not on the pump, not on growth hormone, not on the body's defences. The previous version of this page asserted several of these effects and mentioned a certification guaranteeing maximum purity: those passages have been removed. Arginine's role as a precursor of nitric oxide is an established fact of biochemistry; what oral supplementation actually produces in a healthy adult is another question, and one that has no validated answer at European level.

Ingredients list

L-arginine (Kyowa Quality), anti-caking agent (silicon dioxide).

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

How do you take Arginine Kyowa?

Serving: 3 g, that is one level measuring scoop. Liquid: 200 to 300 ml of cold water. Timing: 30 to 45 minutes before training, preferably on an empty stomach. Frequency: 1 to 2 servings a day according to the manufacturer. Duration: the manufacturer sets no fixed course length; the 100-serving tub covers more than three months at one serving a day.

Taking it away from meals is not a minor detail. The amino acids in a full meal compete with arginine for the same intestinal transporters. Taking it on a heavy stomach is not dangerous, it is simply less effective. Thirty minutes before the session, on a light stomach, is the window that makes the most sense.

Mix vigorously: the powder dissolves well but can form clumps if you only stir it with a spoon. And increase your water intake across the day, as the manufacturer recommends.

Two servings a day are possible according to the label, but start with one. At high doses and on an empty stomach, arginine causes digestive discomfort in some people — bloating, loosened transit. It is neither serious nor common at 3 g, but it is the reason it is better to build up gradually rather than starting at 6 g on day one.

It combines without difficulty with citrulline, creatine monohydrate or a beta-alanine powder, in the same glass and with no known interaction.

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

It appeals to the strength trainer who builds their own pre-workout, ingredient by ingredient, rather than buying a ready-made fifteen-component formula. That is the great advantage of this format: you choose what goes in and at what dose. It also suits anyone looking to top up a diet that is low in animal protein.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women and rules it out for under-18s. It also asks you to consult a healthcare professional in case of cardiovascular disorders, antihypertensive treatment or heart disease. That last precaution is the most important on this page: arginine acts on a pathway involved in vascular regulation, and stacking a supplement and a medicine on the same pathway is never trivial. If you are being treated for blood pressure, the question is one for your doctor, not for a retailer.

One other situation calls for caution: people who have had recurrent cold sores sometimes prefer to avoid high doses of arginine, on the basis of a known balance with another amino acid, lysine. This is not a manufacturer contraindication, it is a point to keep in mind and one you can raise with your pharmacist.

What not to expect from it: this is not a stimulant, there is no caffeine here, and you will not feel a kick. It is not a mass-gaining product — for that, it is protein and total calories that decide. And it is not a treatment, whatever the condition concerned.

Arginine or citrulline: which should you choose?

This is the most useful decision in the whole category, and the answer often comes as a surprise.

Arginine taken orally is largely broken down before it even reaches the general circulation, by an intestinal and hepatic enzyme called arginase. This is well established, and it explains why substantial doses are needed to raise blood levels.

Citrulline, on the other hand, largely escapes that first pass and is then converted into arginine in the kidney. The result is paradoxical but documented: at comparable amounts, citrulline raises blood arginine levels more than arginine itself does. If your aim is blood flow during training, citrulline is the more rational choice, and that is what we recommend in store.

Arginine keeps two advantages: it is generally cheaper per gram, and it is the form the body uses directly in the urea cycle and in several other metabolic pathways. Plenty of trainees take the two together, in fact. If what you are mainly after is a product you can feel during the session, neither one will really deliver: look instead at complete pre-workouts.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Kyowa Quality designation mean?

It indicates the origin of the raw material, an amino acid produced by plant fermentation by a Japanese supplier specialising in amino acids. The manufacturer puts it on the label as a matter of traceability. We report it as such: it is information about provenance, not a guarantee of effect.

Should it be taken on an empty stomach?

Preferably on an empty or light stomach, 30 to 45 minutes before the session. The amino acids in a full meal compete with it for the same intestinal transporters. Taking it after a large meal is not pointless, it is simply less effective.

Can you exceed 3 g a day?

The manufacturer allows up to two servings a day depending on your needs. Start with one: at high doses and on an empty stomach, arginine causes digestive discomfort in some people. Building up gradually is the right approach, and do not exceed the daily dose stated on the packaging.

Is the taste bearable?

The powder is unflavoured: it is bitter and a little soapy. In 200 ml of cold water it stays drinkable, if joyless. Mixed into juice, a flavoured drink or an already sweetened pre-workout, it disappears completely.

How many servings are in a tub?

100 servings of 3 g, scoop supplied. At one serving a day, that covers more than three months. It is one of the few products in the category whose container comfortably outlasts a standard training cycle.

Is it compatible with blood pressure medication?

That question is one for your doctor. The manufacturer explicitly asks for professional advice in case of antihypertensive treatment, cardiovascular disorder or heart disease. This is not a boilerplate precaution copied across: arginine acts on a pathway involved in vascular regulation.

Is it suitable for vegetarians?

Yes as regards the raw material, obtained by plant fermentation according to the manufacturer, and the powder has no animal casing since these are not capsules. The product may, however, contain traces of milk, egg and fish linked to the production facility.

Where can you buy IO Genix Arginine Kyowa?

The 100-serving tub can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues store, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we sell mainly to people who put together their own pre-workout, and the conversation almost always begins with an honest comparison against citrulline. The rest of the category can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Enzymes Digestives?

IO Genix Enzymes Digestives is a tablet supplement combining three contributions. One tablet contains 100 mg of DigeZyme complex, 50 mg of papain and 50 mg of bromelain. The bottle holds 60 tablets, which is two months at one tablet a day.

Digestive enzymes are proteins that cut the molecules in food into fragments small enough to be absorbed. The body produces them itself, in saliva, the stomach, the pancreas and the intestine. A supplement does not add a new function: it provides occasional reinforcement, at the time of a given meal.

The formula combines two different origins, and that is what characterises it. The DigeZyme complex brings together five enzymes of microbial origin — amylase, protease, lactase, lipase and cellulase — which cover carbohydrates, protein, lactose, fat and fibre respectively. Papain, extracted from papaya, and bromelain, extracted from pineapple, are two plant enzymes that act on protein. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix section, and the other products in the category in our digestive enzymes section.

What does one Enzymes Digestives tablet contain?

100 mg of multi-enzyme complex is still a small quantity, and that needs saying. What counts for an enzyme is in any case not its mass in milligrams but its activity, expressed in international units — FCC, DU or HUT units depending on the enzyme. Those activity values are not published by the manufacturer for this product, and we are not going to invent them. It is the most important missing figure on this page.

That absence has a direct regulatory consequence. Only one claim is authorised in Europe in this family: the one covering lactase and the improvement of lactose digestion in individuals who have difficulty digesting lactose. It is subject to a minimum activity condition per portion, expressed in units. Since the breakdown of the complex and its activity are not published, we cannot verify that the threshold is met, and we will therefore not repeat that claim. No other digestive claim exists for papain, bromelain, amylase, protease, lipase or cellulase.

The previous version of this page announced a reduction in bloating, an improvement in protein assimilation and support for lactose tolerance. None of those formulations is authorised as they stand, and they have been removed. What we can describe, on the other hand, is what each enzyme does biochemically and in which situations use makes sense.

The composition finally has one real advantage, often missing from this category: the enzymes are of microbial and plant origin, never animal. The product is therefore suitable for vegetarians, which is not the case for many enzyme supplements derived from pig pancreas.

Ingredients list

Maltodextrin (bulking agent), DigeZyme complex (amylase, protease, lactase, lipase, cellulase), papain (enzyme extracted from papaya), bromelain (enzyme extracted from pineapple).

May contain traces of GLUTEN, EGGS, MILK, FISH and SOYA. Enzymes of microbial and plant origin, with no artificial preservative.

How do you take Enzymes Digestives?

Dose: 1 tablet. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: at the start of the main meal, the largest of the day. Frequency: one serving a day, not to be exceeded. Duration: a course of at least two months according to the manufacturer, which is exactly what one bottle covers.

“At the start of the meal” is not an approximation, it is the condition for it to work. An enzyme acts on the food present in the digestive tract: if you take it on an empty stomach, it has nothing to cut up; if you take it an hour after the meal, digestion is already well under way. The right moment is the first mouthful, or just before.

The choice of meal matters as much as the timing. One tablet a day means you have to choose: keep it for the meal that gives you trouble, generally the largest, the fattiest, or the one containing the most dairy products. A tablet with a salad is of no use.

Do not take them on an empty stomach, and do not exceed the daily dose. The manufacturer mentions a possible split serving for very large meals, but the limit of one tablet a day remains the one printed on the packaging: that is the one that takes precedence.

Two months is the period a bottle covers and the one the manufacturer suggests. In practice, many people use this type of product occasionally, on difficult meals, rather than as a continuous course — that is a perfectly legitimate use, and often a more economical one.

One practical precaution to finish: if you also take activated charcoal, leave at least two hours between the two. Charcoal binds molecules indiscriminately, including the enzymes you have just swallowed.

Who are these enzymes for, and who are they not for?

They are aimed at an adult who can identify discomfort after certain specific meals: a very rich meal, a late dinner, an indulgence, or a plate containing a lot of dairy products. They also have their place with people on a bulking plan, whose daily food volume is well above average and sometimes becomes a burden.

Two points to watch are worth knowing before you buy, and they concern the two plant enzymes. Bromelain and papain are active proteases: interactions are described with anticoagulant and antiplatelet treatments, so medical advice is needed if you take any. In addition, people allergic to pineapple, papaya or latex may react to these two ingredients — cross-allergies between latex and exotic fruits are documented.

The manufacturer does not recommend the product for pregnant and breastfeeding women without medical advice, asks people on medical treatment to consult a healthcare professional, and reminds you to keep it out of the reach of children. The product may contain traces of gluten, eggs, milk, fish and soya.

What not to expect from it: this is not a treatment, and it is not an answer to entrenched digestive problems. Pain, a lastingly disturbed transit or a severe intolerance are a matter for a doctor, who will make a diagnosis where a supplement merely accompanies. Nor is it a product that would make your protein “better absorbed” to the point of changing your results: protein digestion already works very well in a healthy person.

Digestive enzymes or a change of protein?

That is the real question to ask yourself if your discomfort appears mainly after a shake, and it is the advice we give most often over the counter.

If the bloating consistently follows your protein powder, the most likely cause is not a lack of enzymes but the lactose in a concentrate whey. In that case, switching to a whey isolate, whose lactose content is very low, or to a clear whey settles the problem at its root, and for good. A daily tablet treats the symptom; changing powder removes the cause.

Enzymes keep all their value in a different situation: when the discomfort comes from full and varied meals, and not from an identifiable product. There, no change of powder will settle anything, and reinforcement at mealtime makes sense.

Finally, if your discomfort sets in over time and does not depend on a particular meal, the answer is neither one nor the other: it is rather towards probiotics, which work over several weeks, that you should turn — and towards a doctor if the discomfort persists.

Frequently asked questions

Should they be taken before or during the meal?

At the very start of the meal, or just before. An enzyme acts on the food present in the digestive tract: taken on an empty stomach it has nothing to do, taken an hour after the meal it arrives too late. The first mouthful is the right marker.

How many tablets a day?

Just one, and that is the daily dose set by the manufacturer. So choose the meal you place it on: the largest, the fattiest, or the one containing the most dairy products. Exceeding that dose is not provided for.

Does this product help digest lactose?

The complex does contain lactase, the enzyme in question. But the only claim authorised in Europe on this point requires a minimum activity expressed in units, which the manufacturer does not publish for this formula. So we cannot state it. In cases of proven intolerance, a product whose lactase activity is quantified is a safer choice.

Is it suitable for vegetarians?

Yes. The enzymes in the complex are of microbial origin, papain comes from papaya and bromelain from pineapple. None is of animal origin, which clearly sets this product apart from enzyme supplements derived from animal pancreas.

Is there a risk with anticoagulant treatment?

Bromelain and papain are proteases for which interactions with anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents are described. If you are on such a treatment, the question goes to your doctor or your pharmacist before any purchase, and not after.

Can you be allergic to this product?

It is possible for people allergic to pineapple, papaya or latex, because of documented cross-allergies between latex and certain exotic fruits. If that applies to you, this product is not for you, whatever the dose.

How long does a bottle last?

Exactly two months: 60 tablets, one a day. That is also the length of course the manufacturer suggests. Many customers, however, use it occasionally, on difficult meals, in which case a bottle obviously lasts a good deal longer.

Where can you buy IO Genix Enzymes Digestives?

The 60-tablet bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we always start by asking after which meal the discomfort appears: when the answer is “after my shake”, we rarely sell this bottle and we advise changing protein instead. The rest of the section can be browsed in our sports nutrition range.

What is IO Genix ZMA B6?

ZMA is the generic name of a combination that has become a standard in sports nutrition: zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6, taken once in the evening. This version from IO Genix fits into one capsule a day, in a bottle of 60, i.e. two months' worth.

The forms chosen are zinc picolinate and magnesium citrate, two common and well-tolerated salts, completed by vitamin B6 in the form of pyridoxine hydrochloride. The ingredients list is short: those three actives, magnesium stearate as an anti-caking agent, and a gelatine capsule coloured with titanium dioxide.

That last point is worth reading before you buy: as the shell is gelatine, the product is not suitable for vegetarians. It is information few product pages give, and it is decisive for some buyers. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix section.

What does one capsule contain?

Other components: anti-caking agent (magnesium stearate), capsule (gelatine, colour: titanium dioxide). Negligible energy value, less than 1 kcal per capsule. NRV within the meaning of Regulation 1169/2011: 375 mg for magnesium, 10 mg for zinc, 1.4 mg for vitamin B6. Pack size: 60 capsules.

Let us start with what sets this formula apart from conventional ZMAs, because that is the point that counts at the moment of buying. Most ZMAs on the market are taken as three capsules and provide roughly 30 mg of zinc, 450 mg of magnesium and 10 mg of B6. Here, everything fits into one capsule, with doses divided by two to three. That is not a flaw: it is a choice, and it has its advantages.

The first: 15 mg of zinc stays below the safety benchmark of 25 mg a day set by EFSA, which is not the case for a ZMA at 30 mg taken continuously. The second: 150 mg of magnesium stays well below the 250 mg a day that EFSA takes as the limit for magnesium provided by supplements. This formula is therefore easier to stack with the rest of what you take, and simpler to keep up over time. One capsule instead of three also means one pill fewer to swallow.

On what these three nutrients do, the authorised wordings are precise. Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue, to the normal functioning of the nervous system, to normal muscle function, to electrolyte balance and to normal psychological function. Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood, to normal protein synthesis, to the normal function of the immune system and to the protection of cells from oxidative stress. Vitamin B6 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, to normal protein and glycogen metabolism, and to the regulation of hormonal activity.

One nuance to keep in mind: the testosterone wording speaks of maintenance of normal levels. That concerns someone whose zinc intake is insufficient, not someone whose status is already fine. Our zinc and magnesium sections let you compare the doses product by product.

How do you take ZMA B6?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: one hour before bed, on an empty stomach or at least two hours after the last meal. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: a course of 8 to 12 weeks followed by a 2-week break, or continuous use according to your needs.

The “two hours after the meal” is not an affectation. Dietary calcium — dairy products above all — competes directly with zinc for intestinal absorption. A ZMA swallowed with a bowl of fromage blanc loses part of its point. For the same reason the manufacturer advises avoiding coffee and tea in the two hours before the serving.

Two precautions on combining, and they matter. Leave at least two hours between this and any calcium or iron. And if you are on a course of antibiotics — tetracyclines, quinolones — be aware that these minerals can reduce their absorption: the manufacturer mentions it, and it is a question for your pharmacist rather than for a product page.

If taking it on an empty stomach makes you feel sick, which does happen with zinc, take the capsule during a light meal. You will lose a little on absorption, and you will see the course through — which matters more over twelve weeks.

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

It is aimed at active adults, and it suits three situations in particular: a prolonged calorie deficit, heavy sweating in training, or simply the wish to cover three micronutrients in one go in the evening. The one-capsule format makes it far easier to keep up than a three-capsule ZMA.

It is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans: the capsule is gelatine. Nor is it suitable for pregnant and breastfeeding women, or for children and adolescents — those are the statements carried by the manufacturer. In case of kidney or liver disease, or any ongoing medical treatment, consult a doctor before use. Traces of GLUTEN, EGG, MILK, FISH and SOYA are possible.

It is less suitable if you are after the doses of a conventional ZMA. At 15 mg of zinc and 150 mg of magnesium, this formula is deliberately measured: if what you need is a magnesium load, you will have to top up elsewhere, and the manufacturer provides for only one capsule a day.

What not to expect from it. It is not a sleeping pill: ZMA's reputation as a sleep aid is a stubborn one, but no claim of that kind is authorised, and “contributing to the normal functioning of the nervous system” does not mean sending you to sleep. If your problem is falling asleep, our melatonin section answers the question better, and a doctor better still if the trouble settles in. Nor is it a hormonal booster: zinc helps maintain a normal level in someone who is short of it, it does not raise it in someone who is fine.

ZMA, or magnesium and zinc separately?

That is the real trade-off, and it comes down to a problem the ZMA format cannot solve.

Zinc and magnesium compete for intestinal absorption. Bringing them together in a single capsule is convenient, but it amounts to sending them to the same transporters at the same moment. Taking a magnesium in the morning and a zinc in the evening removes the problem, and lets you choose the form of each into the bargain — a magnesium bisglycinate if your digestion is delicate, for instance, rather than a citrate.

ZMA wins on everything else, and that is no small matter. One product instead of two, one serving instead of two, one price instead of two. With a supplement taken every evening for three months, simplicity is the first factor in success: the best protocol is the one you actually follow. This one-capsule version takes that logic further than most of its competitors.

The advice we give most often: start with the ZMA. If after two months you want to fine-tune — more magnesium, another form, splitting the dose — you will know why, and you can then move to separate products. Just check that your multivitamin does not already contain zinc, otherwise you would be doubling up without knowing it.

Frequently asked questions

Why a single capsule when most ZMAs call for three?

Because the doses are more measured: 15 mg of zinc and 150 mg of magnesium, against roughly 30 mg and 450 mg in a conventional three-capsule formula. It is a choice with two concrete advantages: staying below EFSA's safety benchmarks, and having only one capsule to swallow each evening.

Does it really have to be taken on an empty stomach?

The manufacturer advises it, on an empty stomach or two hours after the last meal, to avoid dietary calcium competing with zinc absorption. In practice, if 15 mg of zinc on an empty stomach makes you feel sick, take the capsule during a light meal: you will lose a little, and you will see the course through.

Does ZMA help you sleep?

No sleep claim is authorised for these three nutrients, and we will not make one. Magnesium contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system, which is not the same thing. The evening serving is explained by absorption precautions, not by a demonstrated sedative effect.

Are the capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No. The shell is gelatine, of animal origin, and contains a colour, titanium dioxide. If you are after a formula in a vegetable capsule, several products in our zinc and magnesium sections offer one, to be taken separately.

How long does a bottle last?

Two months, at one capsule a day for 60 capsules. That corresponds almost exactly to the 8 to 12 week course advised by the manufacturer, followed by a two-week break. Allow a bottle and a half to reach the top end of that range.

Can it be combined with other supplements?

Yes, provided you space them out. Calcium and iron should be taken at least two hours apart, and the manufacturer notes that these minerals can reduce the absorption of certain antibiotics. Above all, check that you are not stacking two sources of zinc: beyond 25 mg a day on a lasting basis, the surplus serves no purpose.

Why magnesium citrate rather than a bisglycinate?

Citrate is a well-absorbed salt, cheaper than bisglycinate, with a laxative effect on transit that some people want and others put up with. Bisglycinate is the best tolerated on the shelf, but it weighs more for the same amount of elemental magnesium — hard to fit into a single capsule. That is the trade-off this format accepts. Our vitamin B section rounds out this intake if B6 is your main concern.

Where can you buy IO Genix ZMA B6?

The 60-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. Two months of use in a single bottle is one of the best dose-to-duration ratios on the shelf in this category.

At the Vendargues counter, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product where we take the time to compare labels out loud: between a three-capsule ZMA and this one with a single capsule, the difference in dosage is real, and the right choice depends entirely on what you are already taking. The rest of the minerals can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.