IO Genix

What is IO Genix Melatonin 1 mg?

IO Genix Melatonin 1 mg is a single-ingredient supplement: one tablet supplies 1 mg of melatonin, with no added plant extracts, no added vitamins, no complex. The bottle holds 100 tablets, which is more than three months at one intake a day.

Melatonin is a hormone the body produces itself, secreted by the pineal gland as light levels fall. It does not bring on sleep as such: it tells the body that night is beginning, and it is that signal which triggers falling asleep. The distinction matters, and it explains everything about how the product is used.

It is also the only ingredient in the whole sleep category that holds a health claim authorised in Europe, which makes it a case apart. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix section.

What does a Melatonin tablet contain?

1 mg is not a cut-price dose: it is precisely the dose that counts. The claim authorised in Europe is specific and worth quoting as it stands: melatonin contributes to the reduction of time taken to fall asleep, and that effect is obtained by consuming 1 mg shortly before bedtime. A second claim exists for jet lag: melatonin contributes to the alleviation of subjective feelings of jet lag, with at least 0.5 mg taken on the first day of travel, close to bedtime, and on the following days after arrival.

In other words, this tablet delivers the exact amount on which the approved dossier rests. That matters because the customer's instinct is often to look for the highest dose: with melatonin, going up to 5 or 10 mg improves nothing and increases the risk of lingering drowsiness the next morning. In France, the ceiling permitted in a food supplement is in any case 2 mg a day.

The second thing this product has going for it is its short formula. Many references in the category pair melatonin with five or six plants, none of which holds a claim, which pads out the label without adding anything demonstrable. Here you have one active, three bulking agents, one anti-caking agent. You know exactly what you are taking, and you can combine it with something else without any risk of overlap.

The formula contains no artificial colouring, no preservative and no animal gelatine. The manufacturer does, however, flag possible traces of gluten depending on manufacturing conditions.

Ingredients list

Bulking agents: calcium phosphate, microcrystalline cellulose; melatonin 1 mg; bulking agent: hydroxypropyl methylcellulose; anti-caking agent: magnesium salts of fatty acids. No artificial colouring, no preservative, no animal gelatine. May contain traces of GLUTEN depending on manufacturing conditions.

How should you take Melatonin 1 mg?

Dose: 1 tablet. Liquid: a large glass of water, 250 ml. Timing: 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime. Frequency: one intake a day. Duration: occasional or short-term use; beyond four weeks, the manufacturer asks that you seek the advice of a healthcare professional.

The timing of the intake is the decisive parameter, far more than the dose. Melatonin acts as a time signal: taken too early, it brings your night forward and wakes you at four in the morning; taken in bed, it has no time to do its job. Thirty to sixty minutes before lights out is the right window.

Switch off the screens after taking it. This is not a comfort tip: blue light suppresses the natural secretion of melatonin, and looking at your phone during the hour that follows amounts to cancelling out part of what the tablet has just delivered. It is by far the most common mistake, and it explains the majority of disappointed reports.

Avoid alcohol and caffeine in the evening for the same reason. A coffee at 17:00 is still active at 23:00, and no tablet makes up for that. If you train late, look at your pre-workout first: that is often where the cause lies.

The manufacturer suggests pairing the intake with magnesium or a ZMA, magnesium contributing to the normal functioning of the nervous system. It is a coherent pairing, provided you do not start everything on the same evening: add one product at a time, a fortnight apart, otherwise you will never know which one is working.

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

It suits an adult whose problem is specifically falling asleep: difficulty dropping off, shifted hours, coming back from a trip, a change in work pattern. On that ground it is the only ingredient in the category with an approved dossier, and that is reason enough to start with it.

The list of situations in which it is not advised is a long one, and it is drawn from the French public health recommendations as much as from the manufacturer. Melatonin is not advised for pregnant or breastfeeding women, for children and adolescents, for people with epilepsy, asthma, an inflammatory or autoimmune disease, or for those with mood, behavioural or personality disorders. It is also not advised for people on medication, in which case a doctor's advice is essential before taking any.

One safety point the manufacturer does not spell out: do not drive and do not operate machinery in the hours after taking it. Melatonin can cause drowsiness, and that is precisely the intended effect. This recommendation appears in the French public health opinions and is worth repeating.

What you should not expect from it: this is not a sleeping pill. It reduces the time it takes to fall asleep; it does not increase how long you sleep, it does not improve sleep quality, and it does not treat established insomnia. Insomnia lasting more than three weeks calls for a medical consultation, not a bottle of tablets. That is the most useful thing we can write on this page.

Melatonin or magnesium in the evening?

Both are sold for the same moment of the day and yet they answer distinct needs.

Magnesium works on physiological ground: it contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system, to energy-yielding metabolism and to normal muscle function. It is taken every day, over several weeks, and its value lies in correcting an insufficient intake — something common among athletes who sweat a great deal. It is the better choice if you get night cramps, if your diet is low in magnesium, or if you are after an underlying effect.

Melatonin corrects no intake: it sends a time signal, on an occasional basis, that same evening. It is the better choice if your problem is how long it takes you to drop off, if you are crossing time zones, or if your rhythm has shifted after a run of late nights. It is of no use at all, on the other hand, if you fall asleep quickly but sleep badly.

Two other options exist, with no authorised claim but with different rationales: GABA, an amino acid taken in the evening, and ashwagandha, a plant extract used in courses lasting several months. Neither can lay claim to any effect, and that is worth knowing before you compare labels.

Frequently asked questions

Why only 1 mg?

Because that is the amount on which the claim authorised in Europe rests: melatonin contributes to the reduction of time taken to fall asleep, through the consumption of 1 mg shortly before bedtime. Going higher does not improve the effect and increases the risk of drowsiness the next day. In France, the ceiling in a food supplement is 2 mg a day.

How long before going to bed?

Thirty to sixty minutes. Taken in bed, melatonin has no time to act; taken two hours beforehand, it shifts the night and causes an early waking. This window is the most important parameter of the product, more so than the dose.

Can it be taken every evening?

The manufacturer intends it for occasional or short-term use, and asks that you seek the advice of a healthcare professional beyond four weeks. That is not an excessive precaution: beyond a month of sleep difficulties, the question is no longer about the supplement but about the cause, and it is one for a doctor.

Can you become dependent on it?

Melatonin does not create physical dependence in the way some sleep medicines do. The risk is more psychological: that of no longer going to bed without it. That is one more reason to use it over short periods and to work on your hours and your light exposure alongside it.

Can you drive after taking it?

No. Melatonin can cause drowsiness, which is the intended effect but remains incompatible with driving or operating machinery. Take it once you are home, when the evening is over.

Is this product suitable for vegetarians?

Yes. The formula contains no animal gelatine and is limited to melatonin and a few bulking agents of mineral or plant origin. The only thing to watch is the traces of gluten flagged by the manufacturer depending on manufacturing conditions.

How long does a bottle last?

More than three months at one tablet a day, the bottle containing 100. Given the recommended use — occasional, or over a few weeks — a bottle actually covers several separate episodes across the year.

Where can you buy IO Genix Melatonin 1 mg?

The bottle of 100 tablets 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 sleep product we recommend first, and often the only one: when one ingredient has an approved claim and the others have none, you may as well start with that one. The rest of the category can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix MAP EAA?

This is a powdered essential amino acid drink mix, with a serving of 12.6 g, or three scoops. The flavours we stock: Lemon, Raspberry, Pomme Verte and Ice The Peach.

What sets it apart is the sourcing of three of its amino acids: the leucine, valine and isoleucine are Kyowa Quality®, a designation from the Japanese manufacturer Kyowa Hakko, which produces its amino acids by fermentation. Naming the raw-material supplier rather than simply writing “amino acids” is something few brands in the EAA aisle bother to do, and it at least lets you know what you are buying.

Added to this are 35 mg of AstraGin®, a blend of astragalus and Panax notoginseng extracts, and 2.8 mg of vitamin B6. The rest is citric acid, silicon dioxide, flavouring, sucralose and acesulfame K. The manufacturer declares the formula sugar-free, fat-free and lactose-free, and of plant origin. The full Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix aisle.

What is in a 12.6 g serving?

The manufacturer publishes neither an energy value, nor macronutrients, nor salt, nor the number of servings per tub — divide the weight printed on the packaging by 12.6 g to work it out.

One gap deserves to be flagged rather than glossed over: the lysine content is not quantified, even though it appears third in the ingredients list. Since descending order is mandatory, that means it weighs more than the isoleucine, so more than 1,334 mg — but we cannot give a precise figure. Adding up the eight quantified amino acids gives 8,468 mg; with the lysine, the total comfortably exceeds 9.8 g.

The headline figure remains 2,400 mg of leucine per serving, with a leucine-isoleucine-valine ratio close to 2:1:1.3. That is a sound dose, in the upper half of the category. Note that tryptophan is genuinely present at 134 mg and histidine at 466 mg: these are the two amino acids that budget formulas most often “forget”, because they are expensive.

As for what we can state, the framework is clear: no health claim is authorised in Europe for free amino acids, nor for astragalus, nor for notoginseng. The improved-absorption percentages that circulate about AstraGin® cannot be repeated, and we will not repeat them. The only usable wording comes from the vitamin B6, at 200% of the NRV: vitamin B6 contributes to normal protein and glycogen metabolism, to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, and to normal energy-yielding metabolism. Our vitamin B aisle offers dedicated products if that is your main requirement.

How do you take MAP EAA?

Serving: 12.6 g, or three scoops. Liquid: 200 to 250 ml of cold water. Timing: 30 minutes before the session, or sipped during training. Frequency: one serving a day, without exceeding 12.6 g. Duration: ongoing, as no fixed course is set.

Two hundred and fifty millilitres for 12.6 g makes for a tight dilution. A free-form amino acid powder is acidic and concentrated; if your first attempt tastes harsh, go up to 400 ml before drawing any conclusions about the flavour. Use cold water: it dissolves less well when warm.

The manufacturer gives one unusual and relevant instruction: avoid taking it at the same time as complete proteins. The reasoning is competition between amino acids for intestinal transport — a whey shake taken at the same moment puts everything on the same transporters. Leave an hour between them if you take both.

The most relevant use remains during the session, sip by sip: that is where a clear drink beats a milky shake, and it gets you drinking at the same time. Thirty minutes beforehand also works if you train fasted.

Close the tub carefully and store it somewhere cool and dry: these powders draw in moisture and clump.

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

It is aimed at people who train fasted or a long way from a meal, those who cannot handle a milky shake during exercise, and those who want an identified raw material rather than an anonymous “amino acid blend”. As the formula is of plant origin and lactose-free, it suits dairy-free diets.

The list of contraindications here is longer than on an ordinary EAA, and we reproduce it in full because it is surprising. The manufacturer rules the product out for pregnant or breastfeeding women, for under-18s, for women with a personal or family history of breast cancer, and for anyone on antidiabetic medication without medical advice. Those last two are unusual on an amino acid powder; if they apply to you, the question is one for your doctor, not for a product page.

Traces of NUTS, PEANUT, EGGS, MILK, FISH and SOYA are possible, as the product is made in a facility that handles these allergens. Do not exceed 12.6 g per day.

It is less suitable if you want to compare down to the gram: the missing lysine content makes it impossible to calculate the exact total. It also contains sucralose and acesulfame K.

What you should not expect from it: an EAA is not a replacement for a protein intake. Roughly 10 g of amino acids is not worth 25 g of complete protein, and the cost per gram is far higher. If your daily intake is already adequate, this product will add nothing measurable.

MAP EAA or a whey isolate?

This is the comparison that decides it, and it turns on use rather than quality.

A whey isolate delivers 25 to 27 g of complete protein per serving, of which roughly 2.5 to 3 g is leucine — as much as this EAA, if not more — at an incomparably lower cost per gram. It is the better choice in the vast majority of cases: a thin breakfast, a snack, after the session. If you are only going to buy one product, buy that one, and our protein aisle covers every variant.

MAP EAA wins on one specific front, and it is its own: the training drink. Clear, tart, free of lactose and fat, it goes down where no shake would. It also wins for those who train fasted early in the morning, when a complete protein sits heavily on the stomach.

One last option exists and costs less: our BCAA aisle delivers only three of the nine amino acids. The saving is real, and so is the trade-off — an incomplete profile stays incomplete, and that is precisely what a complete EAA like this one puts right.

Frequently asked questions

What is Kyowa Quality®?

It is the trade designation for amino acids produced by the Japanese manufacturer Kyowa Hakko, by fermentation. Here it applies to the leucine, valine and isoleucine. Mentioning it commits the brand to a specific origin rather than to an adjective: we report this information as the manufacturer publishes it.

How much lysine is in a serving?

The manufacturer does not quantify it, and we will not invent it. It appears third in the ingredients list, which is ordered by descending weight: it therefore weighs more than the isoleucine, so more than 1,334 mg. The label on the tub you receive is the authority.

Why avoid taking it with a protein?

This is a manufacturer's instruction, and it rests on competition between amino acids for intestinal transport: a whey shake taken at the same moment saturates the same pathways. In practice, leave an hour between them if you take both on the same day.

What is AstraGin® for?

It is a blend of astragalus and Panax notoginseng extracts, dosed at 35 mg. As no health claim is authorised in Europe for these plants, we cannot state anything about its effect. We mention it because it appears on the label, and because it partly explains this product's unusual contraindications.

Why so many contraindications on a simple EAA?

The manufacturer rules out, among others, women with a history of breast cancer and anyone on antidiabetic medication without medical advice. These do not appear on a conventional EAA and are probably linked to the plant extracts in the formula. We reproduce them as they stand: if they apply to you, seek advice before buying.

How many servings are in a tub?

The net weight of the packaging is not included in the labelling data supplied, so we cannot calculate it. Divide the weight printed on the packaging by 12.6 g, which is the reference serving behind every figure on this page.

Is the formula suitable for vegans?

The manufacturer states a plant origin for the amino acids and a lactose-free formula, which is consistent with production by fermentation. Do note, however, the possible traces of milk, eggs and fish declared on the label, as the facility handles these allergens.

Where can you buy IO Genix MAP EAA Kyowa?

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

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a label we read line by line with the customer, because it is at once very detailed on eight amino acids and silent on the ninth. Knowing how to spot that sort of detail is what lets you genuinely compare two tubs. The rest of the amino acids can be compared in our sports nutrition aisle.

What is IO Genix Glycine?

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

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

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

What does a serving of Glycine contain?

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

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

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

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

Ingredients list

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

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

How do you take Glycine?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Glycine or collagen — which should you choose?

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

Is this the same thing as the wisteria plant?

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

How much per day?

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

Does glycine have a taste?

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

Is it suitable for vegans?

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

Can it be taken continuously?

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

Does it interact with any medication?

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

Can it be mixed with a protein?

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

Where can you buy IO Genix Glycine?

The powder can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we often sell to vegan customers who came in looking for collagen and left with something else: when a dietary constraint closes one door, you may as well open another rather than sell at any cost. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Berberine Complex?

IO Genix Berberine Complex is a capsule supplement combining just two ingredients: a Berberis vulgaris root extract standardised to 97% berberine, and chromium in picolinate form. The bottle holds 60 capsules, i.e. a 30-day course at two capsules a day.

Berberine is a plant-derived alkaloid, recognisable by its bright yellow colour, found in the bark and roots of barberry. The plant was long used as a dye before finding a place in traditional herbal medicine, in China as in India. It is now one of the most debated plant extracts in the field of metabolism.

The second ingredient, chromium, is a trace element that the diet supplies in very small amounts, mainly through wholegrain cereals, meat and pulses. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix section, and the other products in the category in our berberine section.

What does a dose of Berberine Complex contain?

This is better said plainly than glossed over: the manufacturer publishes the standardisation of the extract, but neither the amount of extract nor the amount of chromium per capsule. We are not going to invent them. Standardisation to 97% berberine is a useful quality indicator — it points to a very concentrated extract, where many products settle for 5 or 10% — but a percentage without milligrams does not let you work out the dose you are actually swallowing. The label on the bottle you receive is what counts, and that is where you should look.

That gap has a direct bearing on what we can write about the chromium. The two wordings authorised in Europe for this trace element are “chromium contributes to the maintenance of normal blood glucose levels” and “chromium contributes to normal macronutrient metabolism”. They apply only above a minimum threshold per portion, and without a published amount, we cannot verify that the threshold is met. So we are reproducing what the manufacturer puts on its label, without adopting it as our own.

For berberine itself, the position is simpler and clearer: no health claim is authorised in Europe for this molecule. Not for blood glucose, not for weight, not for cholesterol, not for digestive transit. Plenty is written about this extract; none of it may appear on a French product page, and none of it is a substitute for medical advice.

Ingredients list

Berberis vulgaris root extract (97% berberine), chromium picolinate, capsule (GELATINE), anti-caking agent (magnesium salts of fatty acids). The capsules are declared free from titanium dioxide.

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

How do you take Berberine Complex?

Dose: 2 capsules. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: in the morning, preferably with breakfast. Frequency: one serving a day, do not exceed it. Duration: the manufacturer recommends a course of at least one month, which is exactly what one bottle covers.

Do not take it on an empty stomach. The manufacturer says so, and it is a comfort instruction that genuinely matters here: berberine is poorly tolerated on an empty stomach by a lot of people, with nausea or digestive discomfort as a result. Taken with breakfast, the problem usually disappears.

If you still feel some digestive discomfort in the first few days, take one capsule instead of two for a week before moving up to the full dose. That works better than stopping after three days and concluding that the product does not suit you.

One month is the stated minimum duration, and it is also the length of time one bottle covers. An active ingredient of this kind cannot be judged over a week. That said, do not run courses back to back indefinitely without speaking to a healthcare professional: we return to this in the next section, and it is the most important point on this page.

This product combines without overlap with a multivitamin, an omega 3 or a standardised turmeric. Introduce it on its own, without changing anything else at the same time: that is the only way to know how well you tolerate it.

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

The manufacturer is unusually explicit on this point, and its list deserves to be read before purchase rather than after. The product is for healthy adults only. It is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, not permitted for children or adolescents, and requires medical advice for people with diabetes who are on medication, in cases of liver or heart disorders, and for anyone following a course of medication.

The words “course of medication” are not a turn of phrase, and this is the point we explain to every customer at the counter. Berberine acts on liver enzymes and on intestinal transporters involved in the metabolism of a great many medicines. In practical terms, it can alter the blood concentration of a treatment taken at the same time, in either direction. This is not a matter of dosage or excessive caution: if you are taking any medicine at all, that question is one for your doctor or your pharmacist before you open the bottle.

The product contains gelatine: it is suitable for neither vegetarians nor vegans. It may also contain traces of gluten, nuts, egg, milk, fish and soya.

What you should not expect from it: it is not a treatment, and it replaces none. Nor is it a weight-loss product — if that is your goal, a calorie deficit and physical activity do the work, and our weight loss section or our caffeine-free fat burners answer a different logic. No capsule makes up for a diet that is not on track.

Berberine or chromium alone — do you need both?

The question is worth asking since this product combines the two, and it helps to know what each one actually brings.

Chromium is a nutrient in the strict sense, with a defined European reference value and two authorised claims. It is a regulated, well-understood ingredient, with no particular grey areas at the doses usually found in supplements. It is also present in most complete multivitamins, often at a comparable level — check your label before adding more, as doubling up achieves nothing.

Berberine belongs to another category: it is a concentrated plant extract, with no authorised claim, documented drug interactions and real contraindications. That is also what makes this product distinctive: an extract standardised to 97% is no trivial ingredient, and that is precisely why it comes with so many warnings.

If you are simply looking to cover your trace element intake, a complete multivitamin is more rational and cheaper. If it is the Berberis vulgaris extract that interests you specifically, then this product makes sense — provided you have read the list of contraindications and, if you are taking any medication at all, have discussed it with a healthcare professional.

Frequently asked questions

What does “standardised to 97% berberine” mean?

It indicates the berberine content of the root extract used: in 100 mg of extract, 97 mg are berberine. It is a very concentrated extract. One caveat, though: that percentage does not tell you how many milligrams of extract a capsule contains, information the manufacturer does not publish.

Should it be taken with food or away from meals?

With food, and preferably at breakfast. The manufacturer explicitly recommends avoiding it on an empty stomach in order to improve tolerance. It is a piece of advice that makes a real difference: on an empty stomach, berberine causes nausea or digestive discomfort in some people.

Can it be taken alongside medication?

Not without medical advice. The manufacturer explicitly asks for it, and the reason is a serious one: berberine can alter the way the body metabolises many medicines, and therefore their concentration in the blood. Put the question to your doctor or your pharmacist before you open the bottle.

How long does a bottle last?

30 days, at two capsules a day for 60 capsules. That is also the minimum course length the manufacturer recommends, which makes the arithmetic simple: one bottle equals one course. Do not run months back to back without speaking to a healthcare professional.

Are these capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No. The shell is made of gelatine, which is of animal origin. The manufacturer does state, however, that the capsules contain no titanium dioxide, which is useful information for anyone watching additives, but which changes nothing about the vegetarian question.

Does berberine make you lose weight?

No claim of that kind is authorised in Europe for berberine, and we will not be writing one. This product is not a fat burner and replaces neither a calorie deficit nor regular physical activity. If weight loss is your goal, start with those two levers.

Can it be taken if you are diabetic?

Not without prior medical advice. The manufacturer states it in black and white for people with diabetes who are on medication, and it is an instruction to take seriously. That conversation belongs to your own doctor, who knows your treatment and your follow-up.

Where can you buy IO Genix Berberine Complex?

The 60-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is one of the few products we sometimes refuse to sell on the spot: when a customer tells us they are on medication, we would rather they came back after speaking to their pharmacist. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Turmeric Curcumin?

IO Genix Turmeric Curcumin is a turmeric-based food supplement, supplied in vegetable capsules. The bottle holds 60 of them, or thirty days at the stated dosage. It belongs to the brand's Healthy Series range, the one that brings together general nutrition products rather than those intended for training.

The formula combines two patented ingredients. Cursol® is a dry root extract of Curcuma longa, standardised in curcuminoids. BioPerine® is a black pepper fruit extract standardised to 95% piperine, present at 5 mg per two capsules. Piperine is added for a specific reason: curcumin is poorly soluble in water and heavily metabolised by the liver, and pairing it with black pepper is the most common way of limiting that loss.

The rest of the composition is short: a vegetable capsule of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and plant-derived magnesium stearate as an anti-caking agent. The product is vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free and non-GMO. You will find it in our turmeric range, alongside the other forms available.

What do two capsules contain?

One piece of information is missing, and it matters: the manufacturer does not publish the curcuminoid content of its extract. The label states an extract “standardised in curcuminoids” without giving the percentage. We will not guess it on their behalf. In practice, this means you cannot make a figure-for-figure comparison with an extract stating, say, 95% curcuminoids. If that level of precision matters to you, ask for it before buying, here as anywhere else.

What can be said, on the other hand: 500 mg of extract a day places the product in the low-to-mid range of market dosages, and the addition of 5 mg of piperine matches what is usually used in formulas combining the two. The 60-capsule, 30-day format is simple to keep track of, which is no small thing for a product taken daily.

One regulatory point few product pages own up to: no health claim is currently authorised in Europe for turmeric, curcumin or piperine. The applications submitted to the European authorities did not result in authorised wordings. So we describe the composition, the traditional use and the precautions — not effects. Any product page promising you an anti-inflammatory action is telling you something the regulations do not allow anyone to assert.

How do you take Turmeric Curcumin?

The five parameters are given by the manufacturer. Dose: 2 capsules a day, never more. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: with meals, one capsule in the morning and one in the evening. Frequency: two spread-out intakes a day. Duration: a course of 2 to 3 months, not exceeding 3 consecutive months, followed by a one-month break.

Two practical instructions really count here. Taking it with a meal is not a formality: curcuminoids are fat-soluble, and the presence of fat in the stomach changes what becomes of them. A normally composed meal is enough, there is no need to add anything. And do not take it on an empty stomach: turmeric irritates sensitive stomachs.

If the product is new to you, start with a single capsule for the first few days to check digestive tolerance, then move up to two. Stop if digestive upset persists. And drink enough across the day, 1.5 to 2 litres, which holds true for any daily supplementation.

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

It is aimed at adults who want to bring turmeric into their daily routine without going through the spice in the kitchen, and who prefer a measured capsule to a spoonful of powder about which nothing is known. The 30-day format suits a first course well.

The list of contraindications is longer than for most products in this range, and it needs reading. The product is contraindicated in pregnant or breastfeeding women, in people on anticoagulants because of a risk of interaction, in case of gallstones or obstruction of the bile ducts, and in case of active peptic ulcer. Three situations call for prior medical advice: anticoagulant treatment, antidiabetic treatment — with closer blood glucose monitoring —, and ongoing chemotherapy, where oncological advice is required. These are not precautions for form's sake: turmeric stimulates the emptying of the gallbladder and piperine alters the metabolism of many medicines.

What you should not expect from it: it is neither a painkiller, nor a treatment, nor a substitute for medical care. If something has been hurting for weeks, the answer lies with your doctor, not in a bottle. Nor does turmeric replace a varied diet, and its value is not measured over a few days.

Turmeric or omega 3?

The two products are often bought by the same people, for the same vague reasons of general well-being. They do not, however, have the same status, and we may as well say so plainly.

Omega 3, for its part, does have claims authorised by European regulation: EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart from 250 mg a day, and DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal brain function and normal vision at the same dose. These are approved wordings, with figures attached. If you want a product whose effects are recognised by the European framework, that is the one to take, not turmeric.

Turmeric keeps its value on other ground: a very long-standing traditional use, excellent tolerance in most people outside the contraindications listed above, and a format that is simple to keep up over three months. Many people do pair it with other supplements from the glucosamine or collagen range — bearing in mind that none of those three has an authorised joint claim in Europe. We would rather tell you that once and for all than hint at it seven times.

Frequently asked questions

Why add black pepper to turmeric?

Because curcumin is poorly absorbed and rapidly transformed by the liver. Piperine, extracted from black pepper and present here at 5 mg per two capsules as BioPerine® standardised to 95%, is the ingredient most commonly paired with it to limit that elimination. It is a classic formulation choice, not an invention of the brand.

What is the curcuminoid content of the extract?

The manufacturer does not publish it. The label mentions a Cursol® extract standardised in curcuminoids, with no percentage. We flag that absence rather than put forward a figure: without it, comparison with another extract is not possible.

How long does one bottle last?

Thirty days. The bottle contains 60 vegetable capsules and the dosage is two a day. For a three-month course, then, allow three bottles, with a one-month break before starting again.

Can it be taken with an anticoagulant?

No, not without medical advice. The manufacturer lists anticoagulants among the contraindications and requires a prior consultation. The same caution applies to antidiabetic treatments, which call for closer blood glucose monitoring. Put the question to your doctor or pharmacist before opening the bottle.

Should it be taken with a meal or on an empty stomach?

With a meal, every time. Curcuminoids are fat-soluble and the meal provides the fat that goes with their absorption. Taking it on an empty stomach is advised against by the manufacturer, which links it to a risk of gastric irritation.

Are the capsules vegan?

Yes. The shell is hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, a plant cellulose, with no animal gelatine. The product is also gluten-free, lactose-free and non-GMO, and the anti-caking agent used is a plant-derived magnesium stearate.

Can it be taken all year round?

The manufacturer does not recommend it: it sets a limit of 3 consecutive months, followed by a one-month break. If you are looking for a product designed for continuous use, turn instead to a complex from the multivitamins range.

Where can you buy IO Genix Turmeric Curcumin?

The 60-capsule bottle can be ordered on this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is a product we are happy to sell, provided the question of current treatments has been put: with turmeric, the list of interactions is real, and a product page is no substitute for thirty seconds of conversation.

Our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, stocks the whole IO Genix range, including the Healthy Series references that are rarely seen elsewhere.

What is IO Genix PreWork NOSTIM?

IO Genix PreWork NOSTIM is a complete caffeine-free pre-workout powder, dosed at 16 g per serving. “NOSTIM” means exactly what it says: no central nervous system stimulant in the formula, no caffeine, no synephrine, no yohimbine.

What sets it apart from most stimulant-free products is that it doesn't stop at the pump. The formula packs in 4 g of beta-alanine, 3 g of creatine monohydrate, 3 g of AAKG, taurine, tyrosine, four vitamins and 375 mg of magnesium. That's a 16 g serving, two to three times the weight of a conventional pre-workout, and you can see it in the shaker.

The flavours listed are Raspberry Lemonade and Watermelon. The number of servings per tub is not published by the manufacturer in the information available to us. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix section.

What does a 16 g serving contain?

The per 100 g values are calculated from the manufacturer's declaration for a 16 g serving. The “protein” line corresponds to the free amino acids in the formula, counted here by the manufacturer.

4 g of beta-alanine is at the top end of the market and it deserves an explanation that changes how you use the product. Beta-alanine does not act when you take it: it gradually raises muscle carnosine stores, which takes several weeks of daily intake. A pre-workout taken three times a week never gets you to that level. If that is the effect you are after, you need to top up on non-training days with beta-alanine on its own. The immediate effect, on the other hand, is guaranteed: tingling in the face and forearms within about fifteen minutes. It is harmless and it fades as you get used to it.

The same remark applies to the 3 g of creatine monohydrate. It is a decent dose — the useful range runs from 3 to 5 g — but creatine works by saturating the muscle, which means taking it daily, rest days included. Taken only before training, it never fills the tank completely. That is not a flaw in the product, it is a limitation of the format.

The 375 mg of magnesium covers 100% of the reference value, and magnesium contributes to normal muscle function, to the normal functioning of the nervous system and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. It is the only active in the formula that carries a claim of any use here. One caution though: 375 mg in one go is a high amount for a single serving, and magnesium has a well-known laxative effect above 300 mg. If you are already taking magnesium elsewhere, count it in.

The 3 g of AAKG provides arginine bound to ketoglutarate. The effective arginine content is not published, and neither arginine, nor beta-alanine, nor taurine, nor tyrosine holds an authorised claim in Europe. Creatine does hold one, from 3 g per day, but it assumes daily intake, which this product alone does not allow. Vitamins B1, B3, B6 and C, at 100% of their reference value, contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

Ingredients list

Beta-alanine, AAKG (arginine alpha-ketoglutarate), creatine monohydrate, L-taurine, L-tyrosine, magnesium (bisglycinate), natural flavourings, acidity regulator (citric acid), vitamins B1, B3 and B6, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), BioPerine® (black pepper extract standardised to 95% piperine), sweetener (sucralose), anti-caking agent (silicon dioxide). May contain traces of GLUTEN, MILK, EGG, SOYA and NUTS. Made in a facility that handles these allergens.

How do you take PreWork NOSTIM?

Serving: 16 g. Liquid: 200 to 250 ml of cold water. Timing: 30 minutes before training. Frequency: one serving on each training day. Duration: no break period needed, as the absence of stimulants rules out any build-up of tolerance.

Start with a half serving of 8 g for three to five sessions. The manufacturer recommends it and it is right to: 4 g of beta-alanine in one go, in someone who has never taken any, produces tingling pronounced enough to be alarming. And 375 mg of magnesium in one go, on a stomach that isn't used to it, can cut a leg session short for all the wrong reasons.

The liquid volume given, 200 to 250 ml, makes for a fairly concentrated drink. Nothing stops you going up to 400 ml if you prefer, and it is easier on the stomach that way. Do avoid taking it straight after a high-fibre meal, which slows absorption of the whole thing.

The real appeal of the product is about timing. With no caffeine, it works just as well at 20:00 as at 8:00, with no consequences for falling asleep. That is why we regularly recommend it to people who only have an evening slot to train and who have ended up giving up on conventional pre-workouts.

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

It suits anyone who trains late, anyone sensitive to caffeine, anyone who wants a break from stimulants without losing the pre-session ritual, and anyone who would rather have a single product than three tubs to measure out separately.

It is not for you if you are looking for energy or alertness: with no stimulant there is no kick, and disappointed feedback almost always comes from that. Nor is it for you if you already take creatine daily — you would be doubling up for nothing — or if you already take 300 mg of magnesium elsewhere.

The product is made in a facility that handles gluten, milk, egg, soya and nuts: with a severe allergy, that point alone rules it out. Like any product in this category, it is for adults only, not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, and calls for advice from a healthcare professional if you are on medication or have a known condition. If you are subject to anti-doping testing, check the batch status with your federation.

What you should not expect from it: the 4 g of beta-alanine will only deliver its full effect if you take it every day, training or not, for several weeks. The same goes for the creatine. Used only on training days, this product works mainly as a preparation and comfort drink — which is still useful, but it is not what the sum of the stated doses promises.

PreWork NOSTIM or a caffeinated pre-workout?

The difference is clear-cut and comes down to what time you train.

A caffeinated pre-workout acts on alertness, focus and perceived effort. It is the better choice for a heavy session, a morning workout, or a day when motivation is missing. Its downside is well known: caffeine stays active for five to six hours, and a session at 19:00 is paid for at night. It also forces you to cycle, since tolerance sets in within a few weeks.

NOSTIM does not do that job. It supplies substrates — beta-alanine, creatine, arginine, magnesium — rather than a nervous signal. It is the better choice for evening sessions, for periods when you want to cut back on caffeine, and for someone who trains every day and cannot cycle a stimulant. It also has an advantage that is rarely pointed out: no break is needed, so you can use it all year round without losing the effect.

There is a third route if you already take your creatine separately: creatine-free pre-workouts avoid the overlap. And if it is arginine alone that interests you, our L-arginine section offers it at a serious dose.

Frequently asked questions

Why do I get tingling after taking it?

That's the beta-alanine, and at 4 g per serving the sensation is pronounced. It affects the face, the scalp and the forearms, appears within ten to fifteen minutes and lasts about half an hour. It is harmless, well documented, and it fades as the body gets used to it. Starting on a half serving is enough to tame it.

Can you take it in the evening?

Yes, that is the whole point of it. No stimulant goes into the formula, so it has no bearing on falling asleep. It is the only type of pre-workout we recommend for a session at 20:00 or 21:00.

Should you take extra creatine?

If you want the full benefit of creatine, yes. It works by saturating the muscle, which means taking it daily, rest days included. The 3 g in here is only enough if you train every day. Otherwise, top up with 3 g on non-training days.

Is 375 mg of magnesium too much for a single serving?

It is a high amount for a single intake. Magnesium has a well-known laxative effect above 300 mg taken at once, and not everyone reacts the same way. That is one more reason to start with a half serving, and not to stack it with another magnesium supplement on the same day.

How long before training should you take it?

Thirty minutes. That is longer than for a product aimed purely at the pump, because the whole thing needs time to be absorbed. Taking it five minutes before you start amounts to training while you digest.

Do you need to take breaks from it?

No, and that is a genuine advantage. The cycles imposed on conventional pre-workouts exist to restore caffeine sensitivity. With no stimulant, that problem doesn't arise: you can use it continuously for as long as you keep training.

Does the product contain sugar?

Very little: 3.1 g of carbohydrate per serving, for 52 kcal in total. The sweetness comes from sucralose. It is a negligible load, even during a calorie deficit, and it does not interfere with fasted training.

Where can you buy IO Genix PreWork NOSTIM?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product we put in the hands of people who train after work and who describe broken nights since they went back on a pre-workout: the problem rarely comes from the training itself. The rest of the pre-workout section can be browsed in our sports nutrition range.

What is IO Genix Maca Plus?

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

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

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

What does one capsule contain?

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

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

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

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

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

How do you take Maca Plus?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Maca Plus or a tribulus?

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

Is 750 mg of maca a lot?

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

Why do you not talk about the effects of maca?

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

Is zinc as oxide a good choice?

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

How long does a tub last?

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

Can it be taken in the evening?

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

Are the capsules suitable for vegans?

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

How long before you notice anything?

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

Where can you buy IO Genix Maca Plus?

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

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

What is IO Genix HMB 1000 mg?

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

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

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

What does a serving of HMB contain?

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

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

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

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

Ingredients list

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

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

How do you take HMB 1000 mg?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HMB or EAA — which comes first?

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

How many capsules a day?

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

Should you take it on rest days?

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

Why leave a gap before creatine?

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

Are these capsules suitable for vegetarians?

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

Can it be taken with BCAAs or EAAs?

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

How long before you can judge?

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

Does HMB build muscle?

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

Where can you buy IO Genix HMB 1000 mg?

The 90-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we never sell first: the question always comes before the purchase, and it is a simple one — how much protein do you eat a day? For as long as the answer is vague, this bottle can wait. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Beta Alanine Professional?

IO Genix Beta Alanine Professional is a single-ingredient powder: 3 g of beta-alanine per serving, and nothing else. No flavouring, no sweetener, no colouring, no bulking agent. The manufacturer states 100 servings per tub, i.e. 300 g of powder and more than three months of daily use.

Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning the body can make it itself. Its value in sports nutrition comes down to another compound: combined with histidine, it forms carnosine, a dipeptide found in muscle. It is beta-alanine availability that limits how much carnosine muscle can store, and that is why it is taken as a powder rather than hoped for from the diet.

In practice, this product belongs to the same family as creatine: a baseline active, inexpensive, taken every day for several weeks, with nothing to feel at the moment you take it. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix aisle, and the other products in the category in our beta-alanine aisle.

What does a serving of Beta Alanine Professional contain?

3 g per serving is the dose that makes sense, and it was not picked at random. The published protocols for this molecule sit around 3 to 6 g a day, often split across the day. Plenty of pre-workouts on the market advertise it proudly on the label and then put in 800 mg or 1.6 g, buried in a fifteen-ingredient formula. Here, one serving of bare powder gives you the full amount, and you know exactly what you are swallowing.

The complete absence of additives has a practical consequence worth knowing before you order: pure beta-alanine has a tart, slightly metallic taste. Diluted in 250 ml of water it goes down without pleasure but without difficulty. If taste matters to you, mix it into a flavoured drink or into your usual booster rather than into plain water.

A word on the regulatory side, because it needs to be clear: no health claim is authorised in Europe for beta-alanine. Not for endurance, not for fatigue, not for performance. So we describe the molecule, its known biochemical role and its dosage — we promise no quantified result. The previous version of this page quoted percentage increases in carnosine and delays in fatigue: those figures could not be sourced and they have been removed.

Ingredients list

Beta-alanine (3,000 mg per serving). Single-component formula, with no additive, no sweetener, no colouring.

May contain traces of GLUTEN, MILK, EGGS, SOYA and FISH. The manufacturer states that production takes place in a facility that handles these allergens.

How do you take Beta Alanine Professional?

Serving: 3 g, i.e. one level scoop. Liquid: 200 to 250 ml of water. Timing: 30 to 45 minutes before training. Frequency: once a day, rest days included. Duration: four weeks minimum, eight to sixteen weeks for a full course, with a break possible afterwards.

Two things matter above all. First: taking it every day counts for more than the time of day you take it. Unlike a stimulant, this molecule does nothing in the hour that follows. What is being built up are the muscle stores, day after day, and they build up on the days you do not train too. Skipping rest days simply drags the course out for nothing.

Second: four weeks is a minimum, not a target. The manufacturer states that the bulk of it happens between eight and twelve weeks of consistent use. A 100-serving tub covers more than three months: that is precisely the timescale on which this type of product is judged. Buy one for a two-week trial and you are wasting your money.

The powder dissolves easily in water at room temperature. It combines without difficulty with creatine monohydrate, with citrulline or with a pre-workout you already use, provided you check that the latter does not already contain some: stacking is the leading cause of unexpected tingling.

Who is beta-alanine for, and who is it not for?

It is of interest first and foremost to those whose efforts last between thirty seconds and a few minutes at high intensity: long sets in weight training, CrossFit, combat sports, swimming, middle-distance running, repeated sprints. That is the effort format in which muscle carnosine plays its buffering role. On sets of three heavy reps or over a marathon, by contrast, the effort format is not that one.

The point to know before buying is paraesthesia. The manufacturer flags it explicitly: taking it causes temporary skin tingling, mainly on the face, ears and extremities, which fades within fifteen to thirty minutes. It is neither an allergy nor a sign of intolerance, and it carries no known danger. But it is disconcerting the first time, and some people never get used to it. If the sensation bothers you, split the serving into two 1.5 g doses across the day: it drops off markedly.

The manufacturer does not recommend the product for children under 12, asks pregnant and breastfeeding women to seek the advice of a healthcare professional, and invites anyone on medical treatment to consult a doctor. Do not exceed 3 g a day. The product may contain traces of gluten, milk, eggs, soya and fish.

What not to expect from it: it is not a stimulant, it gives neither energy nor focus, and it does not replace a caffeine-free booster if alertness is what you are after. It does not build mass, it does not burn fat, and it will not make up for a shaky training programme or five hours of sleep.

Beta-alanine or creatine, which should you start with?

This is the question we are asked most often about this aisle, and the answer is clear-cut.

If you are only going to take one, take creatine monohydrate. It is the best-documented molecule in the whole of sports nutrition, it carries a claim authorised in Europe stating that creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise, it costs little, it has no noticeable side effect and it acts on a range of effort — very short, very intense efforts — that beta-alanine does not cover.

Beta-alanine works in a different window, that of efforts lasting thirty seconds to a few minutes, where creatine begins to stop contributing anything. It is the best second choice, once creatine has been in place for several months and your discipline has you spending a lot of time in that intensity zone. The two also go together perfectly well, in the same glass.

If your goal is more about the pump and training volume, neither one is the answer: it is towards citrulline and arginine that you should be looking. And if you simply want a product you can feel during the session, look at the pre-workouts — but then you are after something other than this tub.

Frequently asked questions

Why does beta-alanine make your skin tingle?

It is paraesthesia, caused by the stimulation of nerve receptors in the skin. It appears fifteen to twenty minutes after taking it, affects mainly the face, ears and hands, and disappears within half an hour. The manufacturer describes it as normal and harmless. Splitting the serving into two doses reduces it considerably.

Do you need to take it on rest days?

Yes. Beta-alanine is not taken for that day's session but to build up muscle stores that accumulate slowly. Taking it daily without exception, including on days without training, is what makes the course worthwhile.

How long before you notice anything?

Nothing in a week. The manufacturer indicates four weeks minimum and puts the bulk of it between eight and twelve weeks of consistent use. This is a baseline product: if you expect a noticeable effect from the very first session, you will be disappointed, and you will have picked the wrong aisle.

How many servings in a tub?

100 servings of 3 g, i.e. 300 g of powder and more than three months of daily use. That is consistent with the recommended course length, which is not all that common: many tubs in this aisle run out before the course has produced anything at all.

Can it be mixed with a pre-workout?

Yes, in the same glass, with no compatibility issue. Just check your pre-workout's label: many already contain beta-alanine, sometimes 1.6 g or 2 g. In that case, adjust the amount of powder so as not to exceed 3 g a day in total.

Is the taste unpleasant?

The powder has no flavouring and no sweetener: it has a tart, slightly metallic taste that nobody finds enjoyable. In 250 ml of water it remains perfectly bearable. In a flavoured drink or a juice, you barely notice it at all.

Is this product a doping agent?

No. Beta-alanine is an amino acid naturally present in food and does not appear on any list of prohibited substances. That does not exempt an athlete subject to testing from checking the status of every product they consume with their federation.

Where can you buy IO Genix Beta Alanine Professional?

The 100-serving 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 rarely sell on its own: it almost always turns up as a second supplement, after creatine, bought by someone who has been training long enough to know where their sets give out. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Shilajit 500 mg?

IO Genix Shilajit 500 mg is a shilajit extract in vegetable capsules, dosed at 500 mg per serving, of which 100 mg is fulvic acid as declared by the manufacturer. The bottle holds 60 capsules, which is two months at one a day.

Shilajit, also known as asphaltum or mumijo, is a resinous material that seeps out of high-altitude rock, chiefly in the Himalayas. It is a deposit formed over very long periods from plant matter that has decomposed and been compressed between the rocks. Its composition is therefore not a formula but a profile: humic and fulvic acids, and a range of minerals in ionic form — iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, potassium, manganese.

This product comes as a standardised extract in capsules rather than as the traditional raw resin. The difference is a practical one: resin is sticky, is measured by eye, has a pronounced earthy taste, and its concentration varies from batch to batch. A capsule always delivers the same amount. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix aisle.

What does a Shilajit capsule contain?

No nutrient reference value exists for shilajit or for fulvic acid.

100 mg of fulvic acid per capsule is the only genuinely comparable figure from one product in this category to the next. Raw shilajit circulates with widely varying contents, often undeclared, and an extract with no stated assay allows no comparison at all. Here, 100 mg for 500 mg of extract works out at a 20% assay, which sits at the upper end of what is available. It is the number to look at before any other.

The manufacturer also states that the raw material naturally contains more than 84 minerals in ionic form, along with humic acids. We report that information as it is declared, but it has to be read for what it is: no amount is published for any of these minerals. “84 elements” is a presentational argument, not a usable nutritional figure. You cannot rely on this capsule to cover a requirement for iron or zinc — for that, a properly dosed product is the only serious answer.

The regulatory clarification here is the most important thing on the whole page: no health claim is authorised at present for shilajit in the European Union. Not for energy, not for tiredness, not for testosterone, not for mitochondrial function. This product cannot claim any physiological effect, and any seller who promises you one is operating outside the legal framework. What we can tell you is what it contains and at what concentration. The rest is for you to judge.

Ingredients list

Standardised shilajit extract (Asphaltum) 500 mg of which 100 mg fulvic acid, capsule shell (vegetable hydroxypropyl methylcellulose), bulking agent (microcrystalline cellulose). Raw material of Himalayan origin. Vegetable capsules, suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets. May contain traces of GLUTEN, MILK, EGGS and SOYA. Made in a facility that uses these allergens.

How do you take Shilajit 500 mg?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a large glass of water, 250 ml. Timing: in the morning, with breakfast. Frequency: one serving a day, no more. Duration: the manufacturer recommends a continuous course of eight to twelve weeks, followed by a two- to four-week break.

Take it with breakfast rather than on an empty stomach. The manufacturer advises pairing it with a source of fat — an avocado, a few nuts, a drizzle of olive oil — which remains sensible advice for a complex plant extract. It is also the best way to avoid the stomach discomfort some people report with this kind of extract.

The manufacturer recommends not taking it at the same time as coffee or tea. The reason is a familiar one: tannins interfere with mineral absorption. On a product whose stated appeal rests partly on its mineral profile, it is worth leaving an hour between the two.

Consistency matters more than the time of day. An eight-week course means not forgetting three days out of seven; that is the usual pitfall with once-daily products, and the 60-capsule bottle is sized for two full months.

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

It is aimed at an adult curious about a traditional plant extract, who prefers a stated assay to resin bought by weight, and who accepts buying a product with no authorised claim. That is a defensible position, provided it is taken with full knowledge of the facts.

The capsules are vegetable-based, which makes the product compatible with a vegetarian or vegan diet.

It is not advised for anyone under 18, and pregnant and breastfeeding women should seek the advice of a healthcare professional. Three families of medication call for a prior medical consultation, and the manufacturer names them: antidiabetic drugs, since shilajit may influence blood sugar; antihypertensives; and anticoagulants. It also recommends stopping the product two weeks before any scheduled surgery. These precautions are not a formality: if one of them applies to you, the question is for your doctor before you buy.

One point the manufacturer does not address and that you need to know: raw, unpurified shilajit can contain heavy metals from the rock it comes from. That is the documented risk of this raw material, and it is why a purified, tested extract is not a luxury. If you buy shilajit elsewhere, as an artisanal resin with no analysis, that is the first thing you should ask the seller about.

What not to expect from it: it is not a stimulant, there is no effect to feel when you take it, and it is not a reliable source of minerals. Nor is it a hormonal product, whatever you may read elsewhere. Any health question is for your doctor or your pharmacist.

Shilajit or ashwagandha?

These are the two extracts we are most often asked to compare, because they share a traditional origin and a similar reputation.

Ashwagandha has a decisive advantage when it comes to clarity: it is a plant, its extract is assayed in withanolides, the doses used are well identified, and the available literature is far more extensive. It is the better choice if you want a documented active, if you are targeting a demanding period, and if you prefer an ingredient whose amounts can actually be discussed.

Shilajit operates on a different register. It is not a plant but a mineral and organic deposit, its composition is variable by nature, and its European regulatory status is less settled. Its interest lies in its unique profile — fulvic acid and ionic minerals — which nothing else reproduces. It is the choice of someone who wants to try precisely that, not a guaranteed effect.

If what you actually need is a micronutrient intake, neither is the right answer: a properly dosed, legible multivitamin does that job far better, and a targeted iron product resolves an identified deficiency where 84 unquantified minerals resolve nothing.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a bottle last?

Two months, at one capsule a day for 60 capsules. That matches exactly the eight-week course recommended by the manufacturer, which makes the format a coherent one: one bottle equals one complete course.

Capsules or traditional resin?

Capsules give a consistent dose, with no earthy taste and no handling. Resin, by contrast, is measured by eye, sticks to the spoon and varies from batch to batch. The only argument in favour of resin is quantity for the money; the one in favour of capsules is consistency, which matters more over a two-month course.

What is the role of fulvic acid?

It is the compound that characterises shilajit, the one used as the assay marker. Here, 100 mg for 500 mg of extract, or 20%. Since no health claim is authorised for this compound in Europe, we stick to that description: it is a marker of concentration, not a promise of effect.

Does shilajit raise testosterone?

No claim of that kind is authorised in Europe, and we will not write one. It is nonetheless the most widespread argument made about this product, including by French sellers. If that is your main goal, be aware that no food supplement can legally claim it, and that the question calls for a medical work-up.

Is this product suitable for vegans?

Yes. The shell is hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, of plant origin, and the extract itself is not of animal origin. The only point to watch is the declared manufacturing traces — gluten, milk, eggs and soya — which come from the production facility.

Can it be combined with other supplements?

Nothing about the ingredients stands in the way, and the manufacturer itself mentions combining it with an adaptogen or a multivitamin. The only practical advice is not to start everything on the same day: by adding one product at a time, a fortnight apart, you will at least know what is making a difference for you.

Should it be stopped before an operation?

Yes, the manufacturer recommends stopping two weeks before any scheduled surgery. This precaution relates to possible interactions with blood clotting and blood sugar. Always tell your anaesthetist about your food supplements, just as you would about your medicines.

Where can you buy IO Genix Shilajit?

The 60-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. In the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we always start by describing in terms of what it cannot promise: it is the only honest way to sell an ingredient with no authorised claim, and it avoids disappointment three weeks in. The other traditional extracts can be compared in our maca aisle and in the neighbouring aisles.

What is IO Genix Original Pancake?

IO Genix Original Pancake is a powdered mix for protein pancakes. A 33 g serving provides 12.2 g of protein for 121 kcal, with just 1.5 g of sugars. The powder is mixed with 70 ml of water and cooked for two to three minutes on each side. Several versions exist, one plain vanilla, the other chocolate.

The base of the recipe is oat flour, to which the manufacturer has added three different protein sources: ovalbumin, in other words egg white protein, a whey protein concentrate and micellar casein. This trio is no accident: the three proteins are not digested at the same rate, and above all they do not behave in the same way when cooked.

That is precisely what sets a good pancake mix apart from whey simply stirred into a batter: ovalbumin coagulates and provides the structure, exactly as an egg would in a conventional recipe, whereas whey on its own produces a dry, rubbery disc. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix aisle, and the other products in the category in our protein pancakes aisle.

What does a serving of Original Pancake contain?

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

37% protein in the powder is the figure that changes everything. A standard supermarket pancake mix sits at around 8 to 10 g of protein per 100 g. Here you are four times higher, and the protein content of the serving — 12.2 g — accounts for roughly 40% of its total energy. That level qualifies the product for the high protein claim under European regulation, and it permits the only valid wording on the subject: protein contributes to a growth in and the maintenance of muscle mass.

The sugar line is the other pleasant surprise. 1.5 g per serving, or 4.5 g per 100 g, which places the product below the European threshold for the low in sugars claim. The flavour comes from cocoa, flavouring and sucralose, not from a load of sugar. Compare that with a ready-made supermarket pancake batter: the difference runs to several tens of grams of sugars per 100 g.

A word on what the serving actually amounts to. 33 g of powder makes a modestly sized pancake: this is a snack, not a full breakfast. For a proper meal, count on two servings, that is 66 g of powder, 24.4 g of protein and 242 kcal — which remains reasonable.

Data missing from the manufacturer's file: the net weight of the pouch and the number of servings it contains are not disclosed. We will not infer them. They appear on the packaging you receive.

Ingredients list

Oat flour (GLUTEN), ovalbumin (EGG), Lactomin whey protein concentrate (MILK), micellar casein (MILK), fructose, cocoa powder, flavouring, maltodextrin, sweetener (sucralose).

Contains GLUTEN, EGG and MILK. May contain traces of WHEAT, FISH and SOYA. The composition varies by version: the cocoa applies only to the chocolate variant. Check the label on the pouch you receive.

How do you make Original Pancake?

Dose: 33 g of powder per serving. Liquid: 70 ml of water, or a plant-based drink for extra creaminess. Cooking: 2 to 3 minutes on each side, over a medium heat, in a non-stick pan. When: breakfast, post-workout snack, or dessert. Frequency: one serving a day according to the manufacturer.

The 33 g to 70 ml ratio is tighter than it looks, and that is deliberate. A batter that is too runny spreads out, burns at the edges and stays raw in the middle: that is mistake number one with this type of mix. First blend the powder and the liquid until you have a smooth, lump-free batter, then let it rest for a minute before pouring.

The medium heat is not negotiable. A protein batter browns far faster than a conventional pancake batter, because the proteins react with the sugars as it cooks. Over a high heat you end up with a pancake that is black outside and raw inside in less than a minute. Two to three minutes per side over a medium heat, and the result is consistent.

The pan should be non-stick and barely greased. A cooking spray is more than enough and avoids adding ten grams of fat to a recipe that contains only 1.2 g.

Eat the pancake within half an hour of cooking: it dries out faster than a conventional pancake as it cools. For a topping, a zero sauce, a zero jam or a spoonful of peanut butter transforms the snack without blowing up the totals.

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

It suits anyone who wants a protein breakfast or snack that is eaten rather than drunk — and that matters, since shaker fatigue is the leading reason people abandon a nutrition plan. It also suits people in a calorie deficit who want to keep a moment of pleasure without compromising their day.

It is not suitable for people allergic to egg, to milk proteins or sensitive to gluten, and the manufacturer says so plainly. These three allergens are main ingredients, not traces: ovalbumin, whey and casein on one side, oat flour on the other. Nor, therefore, is it suitable for vegans.

The product may contain traces of wheat, fish and soya. The manufacturer points out that it must be eaten cooked — the raw batter contains ovalbumin and flour, and is not to be eaten as it is.

What not to expect from it: this is not a protein powder. 12.2 g per serving is half a standard shake, and this product does not replace one if your goal is a high protein intake. Nor is it a slimming product: 121 kcal a serving are still calories, simply better distributed than elsewhere.

Finally, a 33 g serving remains modest. If you are expecting a filling breakfast, you need two, and it is better to know that before ordering.

Pancake mix or whey in a homemade batter?

Plenty of lifters make their own batter: oat flour, whey, an egg. That is perfectly valid, and we should be honest about what the ready-made mix adds.

The homemade blend costs less per gram and lets you adjust everything. Its shortcoming is a constant one: whey on its own stands up poorly to cooking and gives a dry, elastic texture. Adding a whole egg fixes the problem but weighs the recipe down and makes the dosing hit-and-miss from one time to the next.

The ready-made mix solves exactly that point, and it is its only real argument: the ovalbumin plays the structuring role of the egg, the casein brings softness, and the result is identical every time you cook. You are paying for consistency and time saved, not for a miracle ingredient.

If you prefer the homemade version, our oat flour aisle offers the base and our protein aisle the protein part. And if all you need is a snack to take with you, protein snacks save you the frying pan.

Frequently asked questions

How much protein is in a serving?

12.2 g for 33 g of powder, that is 37% of the mix and roughly 40% of its energy content. That level qualifies the product for the “high protein” claim under European regulation, and it puts it well above an ordinary pancake mix.

Can water be replaced with milk?

Yes, and the manufacturer suggests it with a plant-based drink for extra creaminess. Do count the calories and protein of the liquid on top. Milk gives a richer batter and a softer pancake; water remains the lightest choice.

Why cook over a medium heat?

Because a protein batter browns far faster than a conventional one: the proteins react with the sugars as soon as the temperature rises. Over a high heat, the pancake blackens before it is cooked through. Two to three minutes per side over a medium heat give a consistent result.

Does this product contain gluten?

Yes, the product's oat flour is declared as containing gluten. It is therefore not suitable for coeliacs or strict intolerants. This is not a trace warning but a main ingredient.

Is it suitable for vegetarians?

Yes for vegetarians: the proteins come from egg and milk, with no meat-derived ingredient. It is not, however, suitable for vegans, for the same reason. A plant protein based mix would then be the right choice.

How many servings per pouch?

The manufacturer publishes neither the net weight nor the number of servings, and we will not invent them. The information appears on the packaging you receive. For your calculations, bear in mind that one serving is 33 g of powder.

Can the batter be made in advance?

It is not advisable. The proteins begin to alter the texture of the batter over a long rest, and the cooked result becomes inconsistent. A minute's rest is enough and improves the texture; a night in the fridge, no.

Where to buy IO Genix Original Pancake?

The versions can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, around ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product we offer to those who tell us they can no longer face shakes: chewing your protein intake does more for sticking to a nutrition plan than any formula. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is the IO Genix 1.9 L water bottle?

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

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

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

How do the technical specifications measure up?

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

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

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

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

How should you use and look after the bottle?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Large bottle or classic shaker?

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

What is the exact capacity?

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

Can you put hot drinks in it?

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

Is the cap really leak-proof?

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

How do you clean it properly?

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

Can you mix a protein shake in it?

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

Is it dishwasher-safe?

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

What material is the bottle made from?

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

Where can you buy the IO Genix bottle?

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

What is IO Genix Stay Clean?

IO Genix Stay Clean is an antioxidant complex in gastro-resistant capsules. A two-capsule serving brings together ten active ingredients, including 500 mg of Setria L-glutathione, 300 mg of N-acetylcysteine, 200 mg of S-adenosyl-L-methionine, 150 mg of microencapsulated turmeric extract, 150 mg of milk thistle extract and 50 mg of coenzyme Q10. The 60-capsule bottle covers 30 days.

Three vitamins round out the formula — vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin B2 — all three dosed at 50% of the nutrient reference value. As we shall see, they are the only ingredients in this product about which anything can be claimed.

Glutathione, the main ingredient, is a tripeptide the body makes from three amino acids, cysteine among them. The formula therefore works on two fronts at once: it supplies glutathione directly, and it also supplies N-acetylcysteine, the precursor of its synthesis. The rest of the Spanish range appears in our IO Genix section, and N-acetylcysteine sold on its own in our NAC section.

What does a serving of Stay Clean contain?

Only three ingredients allow a claim to be made, and they are the three vitamins. At 50% of the reference value each, the thresholds are comfortably cleared: vitamin C, vitamin E and riboflavin contribute to the protection of cells from oxidative stress; vitamin C and riboflavin also contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Those are the exact wordings, and they are the only ones we shall write.

For the other seven, no health claim is authorised in Europe: not for glutathione, not for N-acetylcysteine, not for S-adenosylmethionine, not for curcumin, not for milk thistle, not for coenzyme Q10. These are real ingredients, properly dosed, but their effect as supplements has no dossier approved at European level.

Two points of composition are worth spelling out, because they correct hasty readings. First, the turmeric: the 150 mg stated are of the microencapsulated extract, standardised to 26% curcumin. The amount of curcumin actually delivered is therefore in the region of 40 mg, not 150 mg. The distinction matters when comparing two products, and it deserves to be written down rather than left in the shade.

Second, the choline. It does have authorised claims, including one relating to the maintenance of normal liver function, but subject to a threshold of 82.5 mg of choline per portion. The 100 mg stated, however, refer to choline bitartrate, of which choline accounts for only about 41% by weight: that works out at roughly 41 mg of actual choline. The threshold is therefore not reached and the claim does not apply.

One technical point to finish with, and it is to the manufacturer's credit: the capsules are gastro-resistant. In a formula containing glutathione and S-adenosylmethionine, two molecules sensitive to stomach acid, that choice is not decorative.

Ingredients list

Setria L-glutathione, N-acetylcysteine, coating agent (GELATINE), S-adenosyl-L-methionine, Curcushine (Curcuma longa extract at 26% curcumin, maltodextrin, antioxidant: ascorbic acid, rosemary extract), milk thistle extract (Silybum marianum), bulking agent (microcrystalline cellulose), choline bitartrate, vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), coenzyme Q10, vitamin E (D,L-alpha-tocopheryl acetate), anti-caking agents (magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide), vitamin B2 (riboflavin).

May contain traces of GLUTEN, MILK, EGGS, SOYA and FISH. Made in a facility that handles these allergens.

How should you take Stay Clean?

Dose: 2 capsules. Liquid: a large glass of water, 300 ml. Timing: one capsule at breakfast, one at lunch, with meals. Frequency: two capsules a day, not to be exceeded. Duration: continuous use for 8 to 12 weeks.

Swallow the capsules whole, without opening or chewing them. This is not a comfort measure: the gastro-resistant coating is what allows the most fragile molecules in the formula to get past the stomach. An opened capsule loses part of its point.

Taking it with a meal follows a clear logic: the formula contains vitamin E and coenzyme Q10, two compounds that need fat to be properly absorbed. A meal containing a minimum of fat does the job.

The manufacturer puts the course at between 8 and 12 weeks. One bottle covers thirty days, so you need to allow for two or three to see it through. With this kind of active ingredient, nothing can be judged in two weeks, and it is better to know that before buying.

The product combines without overlap with an omega 3 or a B vitamin complex, as the manufacturer suggests. On the other hand, it does duplicate several products in this category: if you already take N-acetylcysteine on its own, coenzyme Q10 or a standardised turmeric, you will find them here. Check your labels before stacking.

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

It is aimed at healthy adults who want to bring several actives from the antioxidant family into a single serving, rather than lining up four bottles on a shelf. That is its main selling point, and it is a genuine one: ten ingredients, all quantified, in two capsules.

The exclusions here are worded unusually firmly, and they need to be read. The product is not recommended for under-18s, and the manufacturer states in black and white that pregnant and breastfeeding women must not use this product — a more categorical wording than the usual “seek advice”. People on medical treatment or with liver disorders must consult a healthcare professional before use.

That last mention deserves to be understood: the formula contains milk thistle and S-adenosylmethionine, two ingredients whose place in someone with a liver condition is not something to improvise. This is not a product intended to address a liver problem — quite the opposite.

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

What you should not expect from it: you will feel nothing when you take it, and that is normal for an antioxidant formula. It is not a treatment, not a performance product, and not an answer to entrenched tiredness. The word “detox”, which products of this kind attract, has no regulatory definition: the liver and kidneys do that work on their own, and no capsule improves on it in a healthy person.

Antioxidant complex or single active?

That is the only trade-off that matters with this kind of product, and it depends on exactly what you are looking for.

This complex has one obvious advantage: ten actives, one serving, one bottle. For someone who wanted glutathione, N-acetylcysteine and coenzyme Q10 anyway, it saves three purchases and three separate intakes. The three vitamins alongside them are, moreover, the only ingredients genuinely covered by regulation, and they are properly dosed.

A single active makes the opposite choice: markedly higher doses of one molecule. Our dedicated section offers N-acetylcysteine at twice what this formula contains; our coenzyme Q10 and turmeric sections do the same in their own registers. That is more precise, easier to compare, and often cheaper if you are after a single ingredient.

Our position across the counter: if you know which of these ten actives interests you, take it on its own and properly dosed. If you want broad coverage in one serving, this complex does the job. And if your need is simply for the best-regulated antioxidants, a vitamin C and a vitamin E cost a fraction of the price and do have authorised claims.

Frequently asked questions

How much curcumin is there really?

The 150 mg stated correspond to the microencapsulated extract, standardised to 26% curcumin: that represents about 40 mg of curcumin. The distinction is essential when comparing with another product, where the 150 mg might refer to the curcumin itself.

Why gastro-resistant capsules?

Because glutathione and S-adenosylmethionine are sensitive to stomach acid. The coating delays release. It is a genuine formulation choice, and it is also why you should never open or chew the capsules.

Is this product suitable for vegetarians?

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

Does the choline allow a claim?

Not here. Choline does have authorised claims, but they require 82.5 mg of choline per portion. The 100 mg stated refer to choline bitartrate, of which choline accounts for only about 41%: the threshold is not reached.

How long does a bottle last?

Thirty days: 60 capsules, two a day. As the manufacturer recommends a course of 8 to 12 weeks, allow two to three bottles to see a full course through.

Can it be taken if you have a liver problem?

Not without medical advice, and the manufacturer asks for it explicitly. The formula contains milk thistle and S-adenosylmethionine: their place in someone with a liver condition is a matter for a doctor, not a personal choice.

Does it duplicate other supplements?

Very probably, if you already have a routine. N-acetylcysteine, coenzyme Q10, turmeric, milk thistle and vitamins C and E are among the most common supplements around. Read your labels again: stacking adds nothing and can push you over intake levels without your knowing.

Where can you buy IO Genix Stay Clean?

The 60-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we always ask to see what the customer is already taking before recommending this bottle: with a ten-ingredient complex, the risk is not a shortfall, it is repetition. The rest of the category can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Pure Tyrosine?

IO Genix Pure Tyrosine is a single-ingredient L-tyrosine powder. A 1 g serving delivers 1,000 mg of L-tyrosine at a purity above 99%, with no flavouring, no sweetener and no bulking agent. The tub holds 240 servings, which is more than six months at one serving a day.

Tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid: the body can make it itself, from another amino acid, phenylalanine. Diet supplies it in abundance, through dairy products, meat, fish, eggs, soya and nuts. Cheese is in fact its most emblematic source — the name comes from the Greek tyros, meaning cheese.

Its biochemical role is well established: tyrosine is the starting point for the synthesis of catecholamines, a family of nervous-system messengers. That is a point of biochemistry, documented and uncontested; what supplementation actually produces in an adult is another question, and we come back to it below. The powder is produced by fermentation from plant-based substrates. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix section.

What does a serving of Pure Tyrosine contain?

A purity above 99% and 240 servings in a tub: these are the two figures that define this product. The first means there is practically nothing in there but the amino acid — no bulking agent, no sweetener, no colouring. The second is remarkable: at one serving a day, a tub lasts more than six months; at the maximum dose of 2 g, it still lasts four months.

The powder is produced by biofermentation from plant-based substrates, which makes it suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets. That is a welcome exception in a category largely dominated by gelatine capsules. Its taste is neutral and it dissolves easily in cold water.

On the regulatory side, let us be clear: no health claim is authorised in Europe for L-tyrosine. Not for concentration, not for alertness, not for mood, not for performance, not for the thyroid. Tyrosine's role as a precursor of catecholamines is a point of biochemistry; what oral supplementation produces in a healthy adult has no dossier approved at European level. So we describe the molecule, its dosage and its precautions, and promise nothing.

One statement from the old product page has also been removed: it announced a quantified improvement in bioavailability when taken on an empty stomach. That percentage could not be sourced and it has no place here. The principle of taking it away from protein-rich meals still holds, and we explain it below — without any invented figure.

Ingredients list

Pure L-tyrosine (100%, levorotatory form), produced by fermentation from plant-based substrates. Purity above 99%. No bulking agent, no sweetener, no colouring, no preservative. Suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.

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

How do you take Pure Tyrosine?

Serving: 1 g, that is one measuring scoop. Liquid: 200 ml of cold water. Timing: in the morning on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before breakfast. Frequency: one to two servings a day, at least six hours apart, without exceeding 2 g. Duration: cycles of 8 to 12 weeks, with a 2 to 4 week break.

Taking it away from protein-rich meals is not a whim, and the mechanism is well understood. To cross the blood-brain barrier, tyrosine uses a transporter it shares with several other amino acids — the same ones found in a steak or a shake. Taken at the same time as a protein intake, it therefore ends up in direct competition with them. The morning, on an empty stomach, is the slot that solves the problem.

The second instruction is more imperative still: do not take the product after 16:00. The manufacturer states this explicitly, and for a common-sense reason: tyrosine can cause restlessness or insomnia in sensitive individuals. An ingredient from the wakefulness-precursor family is taken in the morning, not in the evening.

If you want to add a second serving, leave at least six hours between them and stay under 2 g a day in total. Start with 1 g for a week before going higher: that is the only way to assess your tolerance without ending up with an unexplained headache.

The powder dissolves easily in 200 ml of cold water and its taste is neutral. The manufacturer recommends cycles of 8 to 12 weeks with a 2 to 4 week break — so a 240-serving tub comfortably covers several full cycles.

It combines without overlap with a taurine, citrulline or beta-alanine powder. Do watch out, however, for stacking it with caffeinated boosters: many already contain tyrosine, often without making a point of it.

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

It appeals to the adult who builds their own routine, ingredient by ingredient, and who prefers a single active at a known dose to an opaque blend. The 240-serving format also makes it one of the longest-lasting products in the catalogue.

One contraindication here is absolute, and it must be read before any other: phenylketonuria. People with this metabolic disorder, along with those allergic to phenylalanine, must not consume this product. This is not a routine precaution, it is a formal exclusion stated by the manufacturer.

The product is also not recommended in cases of hyperthyroidism or cardiovascular disorders. The manufacturer requires medical advice for anyone treated with MAOI or tricyclic antidepressants, and asks that you avoid combining it with dopaminergic medication without medical advice. It further notes that tyrosine may potentiate the effects of thyroid treatments and stimulants. These warnings are serious and specific: if you are on any medication at all, the question goes to your doctor or your pharmacist before you buy.

It is not recommended for children under 12, and pregnant and breastfeeding women should consult a doctor. The manufacturer lists headaches, nausea, restlessness and insomnia if taken late in the day as possible effects, and recommends starting with low doses.

What not to expect from it: this is neither a stimulant, nor a treatment, nor a sports performance product. You will not find the effect of a coffee here. Nor is it a solution to persistent fatigue, to a lack of motivation or to entrenched difficulties with concentration: those situations have causes — sleep, workload, state of health — that are a matter for a doctor and not for a powder.

Tyrosine or a caffeine-free booster?

The two overlap among people looking for something other than a classic stimulant, and they do not work in the same way.

A caffeine-free booster is a complete formula, generally built around citrulline and ingredients acting on blood flow, sometimes with tyrosine among them. It is the simplest choice if you want a ready-to-use product for the session, with nothing to put together yourself.

Tyrosine on its own answers a different logic: a single amino acid, at a known dose, that you place wherever you like in the day — and in the morning in particular, entirely outside any training context. It costs far less per gram and gives you total control over what you take.

Watch out for doubling up, which is the real practical question here: many pre-workouts already contain tyrosine, sometimes at comparable doses. If you use a full pre-workout, read its label again before adding this tub, or you may exceed the 2 g daily limit without realising it.

Frequently asked questions

How many servings are there in a tub?

240 servings of 1 g, with a measuring scoop included. At one serving a day that comes to more than six months; at the maximum dose of 2 g a day, around four months. It is by far the longest-lasting pack size in this range.

Why take it on an empty stomach?

Because tyrosine shares its transporter with other amino acids: taken at the same time as a protein-rich meal or a shake, it competes directly with them. The morning, on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before breakfast, avoids the problem.

Why not take it in the evening?

The manufacturer asks that you avoid taking it after 16:00, because of the risk of restlessness or insomnia in sensitive individuals. That instruction is consistent with the nature of this amino acid: its place is the morning.

Who must absolutely not take it?

People with phenylketonuria and those allergic to phenylalanine: that is a formal exclusion. The product is also not recommended in cases of hyperthyroidism or cardiovascular disorders, and requires medical advice alongside MAOI or tricyclic antidepressants.

Is it suitable for vegans?

Yes. The tyrosine is produced by fermentation from plant-based substrates, the powder has no animal casing and the manufacturer declares it suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets. Traces of milk and eggs remain possible because of the production facility.

Does it have a taste?

The manufacturer describes it as neutral, and the powder dissolves easily in 200 ml of cold water. That is a real advantage over many powdered amino acids, whose bitterness forces you to mask the taste in a juice.

Can it be stacked with a pre-workout?

Check your pre-workout's label first: many already contain tyrosine, sometimes at several hundred milligrams. Stacking them can take you over the 2 g daily limit without your noticing. Adjust the powder dose accordingly.

Where can you buy IO Genix Pure Tyrosine?

The 240-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 a product we ask two questions about before selling it: “are you on any medication?” and “does your pre-workout already contain some?”. The two answers often decide for the customer. The rest of the section can be browsed in our sports nutrition range.

What is IO Genix Liquid Squeezer?

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

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

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

What does a serving of Liquid Squeezer contain?

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

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

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

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

Ingredients list

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

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

How do you take Liquid Squeezer?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Plant complex or fat burner, what is the difference?

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

How many servings are there in a bottle?

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

Do you need to drink more during the course?

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

Does this product make you lose weight?

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

Can you take it alongside blood pressure medication?

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

Are these capsules suitable for vegans?

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

What is Cactinea?

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

Is there any caffeine in it?

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

Where can you buy IO Genix Liquid Squeezer?

The 60-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we always ask the same question about before selling it: how much do you drink a day? When the answer is somewhere around a litre, we suggest starting there — it costs nothing and changes a great deal more. The rest of the section can be browsed in our sports nutrition range.

What is IO Genix Life Hair?

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

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

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

What does a serving of Life Hair contain?

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

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

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

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

Ingredients list

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

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

How do you take Life Hair?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Collagen capsules or collagen powder?

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

How much collagen per day?

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

Why are the vitamin dosages not stated?

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

Are these capsules suitable for vegetarians?

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

How long before you see anything?

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

Why two servings a day?

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

Can it be combined with a multivitamin?

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

Does this product treat hair loss?

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

Where can you buy IO Genix Life Hair?

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

What is IO Genix Luxury GH Night Recovery?

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

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

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

What does a serving of Luxury GH Night Recovery contain?

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

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

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

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

Ingredients list

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

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

How do you take Luxury GH Night Recovery?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Complete complex or melatonin on its own?

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

How much melatonin is there per serving?

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

Can you drive after taking it?

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

Does this product increase growth hormone?

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

Why five capsules?

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

Are these capsules suitable for vegans?

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

What does ANSES say about melatonin?

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

Can it be combined with another evening supplement?

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

Where can you buy IO Genix Luxury GH Night Recovery?

The 150-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product in front of which we read the list of contraindications out loud: it is long, it is precise, and it is better for a customer to decide against it at the counter than to discover the problem at home. The rest of the department can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Charbon Actif?

IO Genix Charbon Actif is a soft-capsule supplement combining three ingredients: activated plant charcoal, aniseed essential oil and peppermint essential oil. The daily dose of four capsules supplies 500 mg of activated charcoal, 280 mg of aniseed essential oil and 280 mg of peppermint essential oil.

Activated charcoal is not barbecue charcoal. It is a plant-based charcoal heat-treated at high temperature to develop an extreme porosity: a few grams develop an internal surface area measured in hundreds of square metres. It is that porosity which allows it to bind molecules to its surface, a physical phenomenon known as adsorption.

The two essential oils, for their part, are traditional ingredients of the digestive sphere. Aniseed (Pimpinella anisum) and peppermint (Mentha piperita) are present here at a proper dose, 280 mg each, which is far from always the case with this type of formula. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix section.

What does a dose of Charbon Actif contain?

It needs to be said plainly what these 500 mg allow and what they do not. Activated charcoal is one of the few ingredients in this category to have an authorised claim in Europe, covering the reduction of excessive flatulence after eating. But that claim comes with a precise dosage condition, expressed in grams: it assumes 1 g taken before the meal and 1 g taken shortly afterwards. With 500 mg spread across the whole day, this product sits well below that threshold, and we will therefore not repeat that claim in connection with it. This is a piece of information you will find nowhere else on this type of product page, and it changes how you choose.

The dose of the two essential oils, on the other hand, is markedly more generous than what you usually come across. 280 mg each is a genuine amount, and it is probably what gives the product its character. No health claim is authorised in Europe for aniseed or for peppermint: so we describe what the formula contains, without attributing any effect to it.

A final word on the 1.2 g of fat per dose: it comes from the sunflower oil that acts as a carrier in the soft capsules, and not from any intended nutritional contribution. At 8 kcal for the daily dose, this product weighs on no one's intake.

Ingredients list

Bulking agent (refined sunflower oil), coating agent (gelatine, humectant: glycerine), activated charcoal, aniseed essential oil (Pimpinella anisum L.), peppermint essential oil (Mentha piperita L.), emulsifier (SOYA lecithin), stabiliser (partially hydrogenated soya fat), thickeners (colloidal silica, beeswax, hydrogenated soya fat).

Contains SOYA. May contain traces of GLUTEN, MILK, EGGS and FISH. The capsules are made from bovine gelatine.

How do you take Charbon Actif?

Dose: 2 capsules per serving. Liquid: at least 250 ml of water. Timing: before a main meal, or at the moment of discomfort. Frequency: two servings a day, without exceeding 4 capsules. Duration: a two to four week course.

A clarification is needed, because the manufacturer's documentation contradicts itself on this point and we would rather flag it than copy out both instructions. On one hand it states two capsules before each main meal, on the other a daily dose not to be exceeded of four capsules. Both cannot be true at once if you eat three meals. We are keeping the lower limit, which is also the one in the nutrition declaration: four capsules a day at most, that is two servings. Spread them across the two meals that give you the most trouble.

The glass of water is not decorative. Activated charcoal needs a sufficient volume of liquid to move properly through the digestive tract, and 250 ml is a minimum, not a suggestion. Taking it with three mouthfuls of water is the surest way to create further discomfort for yourself.

Swallow the capsules whole, without crunching them: they are soft capsules and their contents are not meant to be chewed. A two to four week course gives you an honest basis for judging, and the product is then taken again in spells as needed rather than continuously all year round.

The most important instruction on this page: leave at least two hours between taking activated charcoal and taking any medicine or any other supplement. We come back to it just below.

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

It is aimed at an adult who gets bloating after meals and is looking for a comfort solution, either occasionally or over a few weeks. It can have its place before a heavy or unusual meal, rather than as routine use.

The central point to watch is the interaction with medicines. Activated charcoal binds molecules by adsorption, and it does not tell the difference between an intestinal gas and an active substance: it can reduce the absorption of a medicine taken at the same time. That applies to all treatments, including oral contraception. The manufacturer requires a minimum gap of two hours, and that instruction must be followed to the letter. If you are on long-term medication, speak to your doctor or your pharmacist before starting.

The manufacturer does not recommend it for children under 12 and asks pregnant and breastfeeding women to seek the advice of a healthcare professional. The product contains soya and the capsules are made from gelatine: it is therefore suitable neither for people allergic to soya, nor for vegetarians, nor for vegans.

One practical remark that the manufacturer mentions and that always comes as a surprise: stools turn black during the course. This is normal, harmless, and it disappears once you stop. Better to know beforehand than to start worrying on day three.

What not to expect from it: this is not a treatment, it is not a detox product — a term that means nothing in regulatory terms — and it is not a solution to persistent digestive problems. Entrenched bloating, pain or a lastingly disturbed transit are a matter for a doctor, not for a capsule.

Activated charcoal, enzymes or probiotics, which should you choose?

Three families of product compete for the same shelf, and they do not work in remotely the same way.

Activated charcoal acts physically, there and then, on whatever is in the digestive tract at the moment you take it. It is an occasional comfort product, to be taken at the moment of the problem. It changes nothing over time, and it is not designed to.

Digestive enzymes supply molecules that help break down certain nutrients. It is the more logical choice if your discomfort is linked to a particular meal or an identified food — a very rich meal, a large portion of pulses, an excess of dairy products.

Probiotics work on a different timescale: they are a long-term matter, over several weeks, and they target the balance of the microbiota rather than an immediate symptom. They are of no use for settling bloating within the hour.

One particular case is worth flagging, because we come across it often: if your bloating appears mainly after a protein shake, none of the three will address the cause. It is most often the lactose in a concentrate whey, and switching to a whey isolate or a clear whey is a more direct and less expensive answer.

Frequently asked questions

How many capsules a day at most?

Four, and that is the limit set by the manufacturer's nutrition declaration. Take them as two servings of two capsules, before the meals that trouble you most. The documentation also mentions two capsules before each main meal, but that pattern would exceed the daily dose if you eat three meals.

Why do you have to wait two hours before a medicine?

Because activated charcoal binds molecules by adsorption without distinguishing what they are. It can therefore reduce the absorption of a medicine taken at the same time, including oral contraception. The two-hour gap is a minimum, to be observed in both directions.

Do stools turn black?

Yes, in fact invariably, and it is harmless. The colour comes from the charcoal itself, which is not absorbed and ends up in the stools in its entirety. Everything returns to normal once the course is over.

Are these capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No. The soft capsules are made from gelatine, which is of animal origin. The product also contains soya in several forms, which likewise rules it out for people allergic to that allergen.

Is 500 mg enough against bloating?

It is a modest dose against the threshold adopted at European level for this type of effect, which is counted in grams and not in milligrams. The product draws its character more from its two essential oils, dosed at 280 mg each. We would rather say so than let you believe in a dose it does not have.

Can you take it every day all year round?

The manufacturer positions the product as a two to four week course, to be taken again as the periods require. Permanent use serves no purpose and complicates managing the two-hour gap with everything else you take. In spells, it is more logical and easier to stick to.

Can it be combined with other supplements?

Yes, provided you leave at least two hours between them — a supplement is a molecule like any other from the point of view of activated charcoal. In practice, take your multivitamin or your magnesium at another time of day.

Where can you buy IO Genix Charbon Actif?

The bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we always start with one simple question about: “are you on any medication?”. The answer does not rule it out, but it decides how the servings have to be organised across the day. The rest of the section can be browsed in our sports nutrition range.