Sports Nutrition Guide

What is Applied Nutrition's ABE Pre Workout?

Applied Nutrition ABE — short for All Black Everything — is a powdered pre-workout sold in a 375 g tub, that is 30 servings of 12.5 g. The British brand has turned it into its best-selling line, and it is probably the most recognisable pre-workout on the shelf, thanks to its boldly pitched flavours.

The formula is built around four actives with stated amounts: 4 g of citrulline malate 2:1, 3.25 g of creatine monohydrate, 2 g of beta-alanine and 200 mg of anhydrous caffeine. To these are added 200 mg of taurine, VitaCholine™ choline, niacin and vitamin B12. All of it sugar-free, sweetened with sucralose.

The flavours on offer run from Fruit Punch to Cherry-Cola by way of Candy Ice Blast, Sour Gummy Bear and Slush Puppie. The product sits in our pre-workouts and Applied Nutrition sections.

What does a 12.5 g serving contain?

Three dosages are missing — choline, niacin, vitamin B12 — and we are not going to invent them. The manufacturer does not publish the energy value or the macronutrient breakdown per serving either. That is a shame, because the rest of the label is precise to the milligram.

The 200 mg of caffeine define where the product sits, and it is an intelligent choice. It corresponds exactly to the benchmark EFSA uses for a single serving that raises no safety concern in healthy adults — whereas many competitors climb to 350 or 400 mg. In practice, you get a genuine stimulant effect without hitting your daily ceiling first thing in the morning.

The 3.25 g of creatine monohydrate exceed the 3 g per day threshold above which European regulations authorise the claim: creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise. Read it carefully, though: that claim assumes a daily intake, and this product is only taken on training days. The 4 g of citrulline malate sit within the useful range without being remarkable. For citrulline, beta-alanine and taurine, no claim is authorised in Europe; for niacin, B12 and choline, approved wordings do exist, but since the dosages are not published we cannot verify that they reach the required thresholds.

How should you dose ABE Pre Workout?

Serving: 1 scoop of 12.5 g, one serving per day only. Liquid: 250 ml of cold water. Timing: 15 minutes before the session. Frequency: one serving per training day. Duration: in cycles of 6 to 8 weeks, followed by a break of 1 to 2 weeks.

New users start with a half serving of 6.25 g for the first seven days, as the manufacturer advises. At 200 mg of caffeine this is not essential for everyone, but it is the right way to find out your tolerance without ruining a session.

The manufacturer recommends taking it on an empty stomach or two hours after your last meal, and advises against taking it in the evening. Bear in mind that the stimulant effect stays noticeable for several hours: at 200 mg, a serving taken at 17:00 can still get in the way of falling asleep for anyone sensitive. For late sessions, the caffeine-free pre-workout section exists for exactly that.

Expect tingling within a quarter of an hour of taking it: that is the 2 g of beta-alanine, the sensation lasts around twenty minutes and has no consequences.

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

It is probably the pre-workout we most readily recommend for a first experience of the category. The dosages are serious without being extreme, the caffeine is at a sensible level, and the flavours are markedly more pleasant than the shelf average — a criterion that matters more than people admit when it comes to finishing a 375 g tub.

The restrictions are standard but real. High caffeine content: not recommended for children or for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Do not exceed one serving per day. Consult a healthcare professional if you have a known or suspected health condition, or if you are taking medication. The product contains no major allergen in its recipe, but it is manufactured in a facility that handles MILK, SOYA, EGGS, FISH, CELERY and CEREALS CONTAINING GLUTEN.

One thing to check before buying: if you already take creatine separately, the 3.25 g provided here are added on top on training days. That is not dangerous, it is simply money spent twice.

What you should not expect from it: strength or muscle. A pre-workout acts on alertness, focus and perceived effort. Creatine, for its part, works over weeks and only if taken every day — which this product does not allow for. And 200 mg of caffeine will not make up for a four-hour night.

ABE or a pre-workout with 400 mg of caffeine?

The question comes up often, and the answer has less to do with potency than with the way you train.

A heavily dosed pre-workout, at 350 or 400 mg of caffeine, earns its place in one specific case: two or three heavy sessions a week, for someone already well used to stimulants, who wants a pronounced effect and accepts not taking it the rest of the time. Those formulas also often list higher amounts of citrulline, sometimes 8 or 12 g. On that ground ABE is outdone, and there is no point pretending otherwise.

ABE wins on consistency. At 200 mg of caffeine, you can use it four or five times a week without sending your daily intake through the roof, which is impossible with a 400 mg formula. It also wins on the presence of creatine at a full dose, a rarity in this category, and on the flavours — a tub of pre-workout whose taste you tire of ends up at the back of a cupboard, whatever its dosages. If you want to avoid doubling up on creatine, a product from the creatine-free pre-workout section will suit you better.

Frequently asked questions

How many servings are in the 375 g tub?

Thirty servings of 12.5 g. At four sessions a week, one tub covers a little over seven weeks — that is, the 6 to 8 week cycle the manufacturer recommends before the break.

Is 200 mg of caffeine a lot?

It is the equivalent of two espressos, and it corresponds exactly to EFSA's benchmark for a single serving in healthy adults. It is an unapologetic but measured dosage: enough to be felt, low enough not to mortgage the rest of your day.

Should you take creatine alongside it?

If you want the benefit of creatine, yes: it requires a daily intake, rest days included, whereas ABE is only taken before sessions. The 3.25 g in here are a bonus on training days, not a complete supplementation.

Why are some dosages not stated?

VitaCholine™ choline, niacin and vitamin B12 appear in the ingredient list with no quantity published in the data available to us. We flag that rather than estimate it. The four main actives, on the other hand, are given to the milligram.

Which flavour should you choose?

Fruit Punch and Bubble Gum are the safest bets; Cherry-Cola and Candy Ice Blast the most unusual; Sour Gummy Bear and Baddy-Berry the sharpest. This is the section with the widest range of tastes, and it is worth switching from one tub to the next.

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

Yes, the manufacturer even recommends it: on an empty stomach or two hours after your last meal. The effect comes on faster. If you are sensitive to stimulants, taking it on a stomach that is not completely empty remains more comfortable the first time.

Is the tingling normal?

Yes, it comes from the 2 g of beta-alanine. It appears within a quarter of an hour, affects the face and the forearms, lasts around twenty minutes and is harmless. At 2 g the intensity stays moderate compared with formulas that put in 3 or 6 g.

Where can you buy Applied Nutrition ABE Pre Workout?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is the most requested pre-workout in our catalogue, and the only one where people regularly ask us to recommend the flavour rather than the formula.

In our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the flavours are lined up on the shelf — that is still the best way to choose. The rest of the pre-training range can be compared from sports nutrition.

What is Sinob Honest Whey 1 kg?

Sinob Honest Whey is a whey concentrate in a 1 kg pouch, supplemented with a share of isolate. The composition stated by the manufacturer is precise: 81.9% whey protein concentrate and 12.5% isolate, the remainder being the flavouring, the sweeteners and the colouring. It is an everyday whey.

What sets the German brand Sinob apart comes down to two points, and they are the only verifiable ones. The first: the manufacturer names its raw material supplier, the Irish dairy company Volac, where almost the whole of the category simply writes "whey". The second: it states that it prints on each pack a serial number specific to the batch. A claim that a buyer can trace back to a specific batch is no longer a marketing statement — it is the difference between the two that makes the product interesting.

The flavours listed here, from Vanilla Ice Cream to Cinnamon Rice Pudding, including an Unflavoured version with no flavouring or sweetener.

What does a 30 g serving of Honest Whey contain?

The reference serving is 30 g, that is two scoops. It provides 22 to 23 g of protein depending on the flavour, for 110 to 120 kcal, 1 to 2 g of carbohydrate and 1 to 1.5 g of fat. The 1 kg pouch covers about 33 servings.

Related to 100 g of powder, that places the product at around 74 to 77 g of protein. That is less than a pure isolate, and that is normal: a concentrate retains a share of lactose and fat, which gives it its texture and its price. A level shown as 90% on a whey at this price should raise doubts, not reassure.

The manufacturer also states more than 6 g of BCAAs and more than 13 g of essential amino acids per 30 g serving. We report these while attributing them to the manufacturer. We do not, however, publish a detailed amino acid profile, a "per 100 g" column, or a line for "of which sugars", "fibre" or "salt": these data do not appear in what has been passed on to us. The applicable regulatory wording is this one: proteins contribute to a growth in and the maintenance of muscle mass.

How do you prepare Sinob Honest Whey?

The manufacturer indicates 30 g in 250 to 300 ml of cold water or milk, shaken for 20 seconds in a shaker. One to three servings per day depending on the gap between your dietary intake and your target. No course duration is indicated, and there is no reason to set one.

Water gives a light drink, milk a denser texture and a higher calorie contribution — useful during mass gain, to be avoided if you are watching your calories. The timing of the serving is secondary: after the session, at breakfast or between two meals, it is the day's protein total that determines the result.

The powder withstands cooking and works in a porridge, in pancakes or in fromage blanc. The Unflavoured version lends itself best to this: with no flavouring or sweetener, it is the only one you can sweeten yourself or add to a savoury preparation.

Who is Honest Whey suitable for, and who is it not suitable for?

It suits anyone who wants to know where what they are buying comes from without paying the price of an isolate, and anyone who quickly tires of a flavour: the choice of flavours here is wider than with most brands.

The product contains MILK, and therefore lactose, and SOYA in the form of lecithin. Traces of GLUTEN, EGGS, CRUSTACEANS, NUTS and LUPIN are possible. The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women, children, adolescents and people under medical treatment, and refers you to a doctor in case of doubt.

It is not suitable if you digest lactose poorly: the 12.5% of isolate changes almost nothing, the bulk of the formula remains a concentrate. In that case, turn to a whey isolate. Nor is it suitable if you are looking for as much protein as possible per serving, or if you are sensitive to soya. Finally, it is neither a weight loss product nor a meal replacement: it provides protein, and nothing else.

Sinob Honest Whey or ESN Designer Whey?

Both are German blends of concentrate and isolate, in the same price range. The choice comes down to three concrete points.

Density: 22 to 23 g of protein per 30 g serving with Sinob, against 23 to 25 g with ESN. The gap is real but modest — about two grams, that is less than a mouthful of chicken breast. Traceability: Sinob names its raw material supplier and numbers its batches, ESN does not. If this criterion matters to you, there is no debate. The choice of flavours: broader with Sinob, with an Unflavoured version that the ESN range does not offer here.

ESN remains the better choice if you count your grams as closely as possible and if you prefer a distinctly dessert-like profile. Sinob wins on transparency, on the number of flavours and on the 1 kg pouch format, easier to store than a rigid tub. In both cases, do the calculation that settles it: price, divided by the weight in kilos, divided by the protein level per 100 g.

Frequently asked questions

What is the serial number printed on the pouch for?

It identifies the production batch your pouch belongs to, and makes it possible to link a specific pack to a specific production run — which makes a check or a complaint possible. Few brands in the category go that far.

How many servings does the 1 kg pouch contain?

About 33 servings of 30 g. At one serving a day, that covers a month. At two servings on training days, reckon on three weeks. The pouch reseals and should be kept dry, away from heat and light.

Why is the protein level lower than on an isolate?

Because the formula is 81.9% based on a concentrate, which keeps a share of lactose and fat. An isolate takes filtration further and exceeds 85 g of protein per 100 g, but costs more. At 74-77 g per 100 g, Honest Whey sits within the normal range for a well-made concentrate.

What is the Unflavoured version like?

It contains neither flavouring nor sweetener: it is whey powder, with the slightly milky taste that goes with it. It appeals to two profiles, those who cannot tolerate sweeteners and those who cook with their whey and want to control the sugar or the cocoa themselves.

Can it be mixed with milk?

Yes, unlike a clear whey. Milk gives a thicker texture and adds calories, which is useful during a weight gain period and a nuisance during a restriction period. With water, reckon on 250 to 300 ml; with milk, stay closer to 250 ml, as the drink is already dense.

What is Volac, and why mention it?

It is the whey supplier named by the manufacturer, an Irish dairy company. Mentioning it does not mechanically improve the product, but it commits the brand to a specific origin rather than to an adjective. We report this information as the manufacturer publishes it.

Does it contain gluten?

Gluten is not an ingredient, but traces are possible owing to manufacture in a shared facility, in the same way as eggs, crustaceans, nuts and lupin. In case of coeliac disease, this product is not indicated.

Where to buy Sinob Honest Whey 1 kg?

The flavours can be ordered on this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. In our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, you can see the pouch, read the label and the batch number before buying — it is the only way to check for yourself what this page states.

The rest of the protein section can be compared in our sports nutrition, and the supplements taken alongside in the creatine monohydrate collection.

What is Sinob's Juiced BCAA?

Sinob Juiced BCAA is a branched-chain amino acid drink powder, flavoured and with no added sugar. A 7 g serving provides 5 g of BCAAs in a 2:1:1 ratio, plus L-tyrosine and vitamin B6. The 500 g tub covers roughly 70 servings, from cola to iced peach tea.

BCAAs are three essential amino acids — leucine, isoleucine, valine — whose particularity is that they are branched, hence the name. They are among the nine amino acids the body cannot make and which therefore have to come from food. At a 2:1:1 ratio, a 5 g serving provides 2.5 g of leucine, 1.25 g of isoleucine and 1.25 g of valine.

This product is first and foremost a training drink. That is what explains the work put into the flavours — from cola to iced peach tea — and into solubility. A drink you finish during the session is worth more than an austere powder left at the bottom of the shaker. The rest of the German brand's range can be browsed in our Sinob aisle, and the other products in the category in our BCAA aisle.

What is in a serving of Juiced BCAA?

5 g of BCAAs per serving is a sound and honest dose for this format, in the upper range of the training drinks on the market. The 2:1:1 ratio is the most common and the most studied; the 8:1:1 or 10:1:1 ratios put forward by some brands mainly amount to loading up on leucine, which has never been shown to bring any advantage.

Two figures are missing from the manufacturer's documentation, and they are not trivial ones: the exact amounts of L-tyrosine and vitamin B6. We are not going to invent them. It also means we cannot say whether the vitamin B6 content reaches the threshold that would allow a nutrition claim to be made — so we refrain, rather than implying otherwise. The values appear on the packaging as supplied.

On the substance, one thing has to be said that few sellers in this aisle own up to: no health claim is authorised in Europe for BCAAs. None on recovery, none on performance, none on muscle protection. And the state of knowledge has moved on: in someone whose daily protein intake is sufficient, adding isolated BCAAs does not bring much, because three amino acids are not enough to build muscle — you need nine. That is precisely what brought EAAs to the fore.

So in which case does this product still make full sense? When it plays the part of a drink: drinking during a long session, hydrating with a pleasant taste and zero sugar, getting through a fasted session in the morning. That is a real use, and it does not need to be dressed up as a physiological promise.

Ingredients list

BCAA 2:1:1 blend (L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-valine), acidifier (citric acid), maltodextrin, L-tyrosine, flavourings, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin), sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame K), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride). Colours according to flavour: natural food colours (hibiscus, beetroot, chlorophyll), caramel for the iced tea flavours.

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

How do you take Juiced BCAA?

Serving: 7 g, that is one heaped scoop; 10 g per hour on long efforts. Liquid: 250 ml of cold water. Timing: 30 minutes before the session, during training, straight after, or between two meals. Frequency: one serving per session; two to three in a heavy training phase. Duration: no set course.

It dissolves instantly and that is a genuine strength on this type of product: flavoured amino acid powders often tend to foam or to leave a deposit. Shake vigorously, drink it cold — the manufacturer recommends it, and that is indeed where the flavours come across best.

You can adjust the volume of water to the intensity of taste you want: 250 ml gives a bold drink, 400 to 500 ml a lighter one to sip through a long session. That is the main adjustment available to you and nobody will make it for you.

The most defensible time to take it is during training, precisely because that is where its function as a drink makes full sense. For an early-morning fasted session, taking it before the effort also has a logic to it. Taking it after the session on top of a protein shake, on the other hand, is redundant: your whey already contains the same amino acids, and the other six with them.

The product combines without difficulty with creatine monohydrate, a pre-workout or a carbohydrate source during the effort. On long sessions and in hot weather, add electrolytes: this formula provides no sodium.

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

It suits anyone looking for a pleasant training drink, with no sugar and no notable calories, and an amino acid intake into the bargain. The choice of flavours lets you switch around without tiring of it, which counts for more than people think on a product drunk four times a week.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women, for children and for people on medication, with prior medical advice in the last case. People with allergies should note the possible traces of milk, soya, gluten, crustaceans and eggs.

The formula contains sucralose and acesulfame K. If you avoid artificial sweeteners, this product is not for you. Also worth noting: the manufacturer asks that the tub be finished within three months of opening, which is shorter than for most powders.

What you should not expect from it, and this is the point on which we are most blunt. It does not replace a protein: three amino acids do not build muscle, you need nine. It does not “protect” muscle during the effort — that wording is not authorised and rests on nothing solid in someone who eats enough. It provides no energy and contains no stimulant. If your daily protein intake is already adequate, this product is a pleasant drink, not a lever for progress.

BCAA or EAA?

That is the question that really counts in this aisle, and the answer has changed in recent years.

BCAAs provide three essential amino acids out of nine. Leucine, the main one of the three, acts as a trigger in protein synthesis — but starting a building site without delivering the materials builds nothing. That is the most accurate image, and it explains why BCAAs on their own have lost ground.

EAAs provide all nine essential amino acids, BCAAs included. At a comparable price, they do everything BCAAs do and the rest besides. If your aim is nutritional rather than a matter of taste, our EAA aisle is where you should go, and we say so even when it means selling something other than what the customer came in for.

In which case do BCAAs remain a good choice? When you take them for what they are here: a training drink with a worked-on flavour, zero sugar, that gets you drinking during the session. That is a legitimate use. And if your priority is muscle mass, the answer is neither BCAAs nor EAAs but a complete protein, the only category in this aisle with authorised claims on muscle.

Frequently asked questions

How many BCAAs per serving?

5 g for a 7 g serving, at a 2:1:1 ratio, that is 2.5 g of leucine, 1.25 g of isoleucine and 1.25 g of valine according to the stated ratio. That is a straightforward dose for a training drink, in the upper range of the market.

Which flavours are available?

The flavours available: iced peach tea, mango, melon, green apple, iced lemon tea, cola and cherry. It is one of the product's strong points: on a drink consumed several times a week, being able to alternate avoids the weariness that leaves a tub half full.

BCAA or EAA, which should you choose?

EAAs provide all nine essential amino acids, BCAAs included, and are therefore more complete at a similar price. Choose BCAAs if what you want first of all is a pleasant, sugar-free training drink; choose EAAs if your aim is nutritional.

Is the 2:1:1 ratio the right one?

It is the most studied and the most common ratio, and it roughly matches the natural proportions of these three amino acids in dietary proteins. The 8:1:1 or 10:1:1 ratios do nothing but load up on leucine, with no demonstrated advantage. Do not pay more for a bigger number.

Should you take it after the session?

If you already take a protein after training, it is redundant: your whey contains the same amino acids and the other six. The most coherent use of this product is during the session, as a drink, or before a fasted workout.

How many servings are there in the tub?

Roughly 70 servings of 7 g in the 500 g tub. At four sessions a week, that comes to more than four months. One caveat though: the manufacturer asks that the tub be finished within three months of opening.

Are there any calories or sugar?

The formula is sweetened with sucralose and acesulfame K, with no added sugar; it contains a small amount of maltodextrin as a carrier. The calorie contribution remains marginal, which makes it a drink compatible with a cutting phase, unlike a carbohydrate drink.

Where can you buy Sinob's Juiced BCAA?

The 500 g tub can be ordered from this page, in one of the flavours available, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the question we ask first is a simple one: are you looking for a drink for your sessions, or for an amino acid intake? Depending on the answer, we bring out this tub or a tub of EAAs, and that is not the same advice. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

What is Sinob's Juiced EAA?

Sinob Juiced EAA is a powdered drink that brings together all nine essential amino acids. A 15 g serving provides 12 g of amino acids for 50 kcal, including 3 g of leucine, and neither carbohydrates nor fat. The 450 g tub covers 30 servings.

The essential amino acids are the nine the body cannot make for itself: leucine, isoleucine, valine, lysine, threonine, phenylalanine, methionine, histidine and tryptophan. All of them must therefore come from the diet. The first three make up the BCAAs, far better known, but it really is the nine that count.

That is the fundamental difference with a BCAA product, and it is easy to state: you do not build a protein with three bricks out of nine. An EAA formula supplies the full set. The rest of the German range can be browsed in our Sinob aisle, and the other products in the category in our EAA aisle.

What does a serving of Juiced EAA contain?

12 g of amino acids for 50 kcal is a ratio few products reach, and it is what justifies the price of this category. Relative to energy, protein here accounts for almost the whole of the calorie content. At that level an authorised claim becomes usable: protein contributes to a growth in and the maintenance of muscle mass, and to the maintenance of normal bones. These are the official wordings of the European framework, and they apply here because the product comfortably exceeds the required threshold.

It is, as it happens, the only solid regulatory argument in this entire aisle, and it is worth knowing: BCAAs on their own are not entitled to it. No claim is authorised for branched-chain amino acids taken in isolation. An EAA product with a proper protein content, on the other hand, falls within the scope of the protein claims. The difference is not commercial, it is regulatory.

The 3 g of leucine per serving is the second figure to look at. Leucine acts as a trigger in protein synthesis, and the research places the useful threshold at around 2.5 to 3 g per intake. You are there.

Data missing from the manufacturer's file: leucine alone is quantified. The amounts of the other eight essential amino acids are not disclosed, even though the order of the ingredients list allows their ranking to be guessed. We will not estimate them; the full profile appears on the packaging as supplied.

A small formulation curiosity: the list includes a black pepper extract, an ingredient usually employed as an absorption aid. Its amount is not disclosed either.

Ingredients list

Acidity regulator (citric acid), L-leucine, L-lysine, L-valine, L-isoleucine, L-lysine hydrochloride, L-threonine, L-phenylalanine, dextrose, flavouring, L-methionine, L-tryptophan, L-histidine, emulsifier (sunflower lecithins), maltodextrin, sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame K), black pepper extract.

Manufactured in a facility that also handles MILK, EGGS, GLUTEN, SOYA, PEANUTS, NUTS, FISH and CRUSTACEANS.

How should Juiced EAA be taken?

Serving: 15 g, i.e. one scoop. Liquid: 300 to 500 ml of cold water. Timing: 30 minutes before the session, during training, or just after. Frequency: one serving around training; two during a calorie deficit. Duration: no set course.

Shake for around twenty seconds: it dissolves instantly and without lumps. Drink it straight away. The volume of water is your adjustment variable: 300 ml gives a drink with a strong taste, 500 ml a lighter one, better suited to a long session you sip your way through.

The most defensible time to take it is around training, and particularly if you train fasted in the morning or a long way from your last meal. In that case, a serving 30 minutes beforehand delivers the nine amino acids at the moment the body has nothing else available, and free amino acids reach the bloodstream quickly, faster than a protein that has to be digested.

During a calorie deficit, the manufacturer suggests two servings a day. That is consistent: when food intake drops, the 50 kcal of a serving represent a near-zero energy cost for a genuine amino acid intake.

If, on the other hand, you already take a protein shake straight after the session, adding an EAA one brings nothing. A whey contains the nine essential amino acids and the other eleven. Choose one or the other depending on the moment, not both one after the other. This product does, however, combine without redundancy with creatine monohydrate, with electrolytes on long sessions, or with a carbohydrate source during exercise.

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

It is aimed first and foremost at three profiles: those who train fasted, those in a calorie deficit who watch every calorie, and those who digest protein powder badly during exercise. In those three cases, a free amino acid drink at 50 kcal does a job that no whey does as well.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women, for children and for people on medical treatment, with prior medical advice in the latter case. The facility statement is broad — milk, eggs, gluten, soya, peanuts, nuts, fish and crustaceans — and should be read carefully by anyone with an allergy.

The formula contains sucralose and acesulfame K. If you avoid artificial sweeteners, look elsewhere.

What not to expect from it. It is not a meal replacement: 50 kcal feed nobody. It is not a stimulant, there is no caffeine and nothing else stimulating in it. And above all, it is not a protein replacement: 12 g of essential amino acids are useful, but 25 g of complete protein costs less and covers more needs. If your daily protein intake is already adequate and you do not train fasted, this product will mainly be a pleasant drink.

EAA or whey isolate?

This is the real comparison to make before buying, and it turns out differently depending on the time of day.

A whey isolate provides 25 g of complete protein per serving, with the nine essential amino acids and the eleven non-essential ones, at a markedly lower cost per gram of protein. On purely nutritional grounds, it wins every time. If your objective is to cover your daily protein needs, our whey isolate aisle is where to go, without hesitation.

EAAs have two precise advantages, and only two. The first is lightness: 50 kcal against 110 to 120 for a serving of whey, which genuinely counts when you are cutting. The second is digestion: free amino acids require no digestive work, which makes them drinkable during exercise where a milky shake sits heavily on the stomach.

When is whey clearly the better choice? After the session, at breakfast, in a yoghurt, or as soon as budget comes into play. And compared with a BCAA product, this one is more complete for a similar price: that is the comparison that turns most clearly in its favour.

Frequently asked questions

How many amino acids per serving?

12 g of essential amino acids in a 15 g serving, including 3 g of leucine, with 50 kcal, zero carbohydrate and zero fat. Leucine is the only amino acid quantified by the manufacturer; the amounts of the other eight are not disclosed.

What is the difference with BCAAs?

BCAAs provide only three essential amino acids out of nine. EAAs provide them all. The difference is regulatory too: no claim exists for BCAAs, whereas a product high in protein such as this one comes under the authorised protein claims.

Which flavours are available?

The flavours available: mango-passion fruit, lime, orange, iced peach tea, iced lemon tea, cherry and forest fruits. On a product consumed several times a week, being able to alternate avoids the tub abandoned half full.

Can EAAs replace your protein?

No, not on cost. A whey provides 25 g of complete protein at a far lower cost per gram. EAAs are justified by how light they are in calories and by their immediate digestion, not as a daily substitute for a protein powder.

Can they be taken fasted?

Yes, and it is even one of their best uses. Free amino acids require no digestive work and reach the bloodstream quickly. A serving 30 minutes before a fasted morning session is the most coherent use of this product.

How many servings in the tub?

30 servings of 15 g in the 450 g tub. At four sessions a week, that comes to a little under two months. It is a more modest pack than a tub of BCAAs, the serving here being twice as heavy.

Are there any calories or sugar?

50 kcal per serving, zero carbohydrate and zero fat declared. The powder is sweetened with sucralose and acesulfame K, with a small amount of dextrose and maltodextrin as carriers. It is compatible with a calorie deficit.

Where can you buy Sinob's Juiced EAA?

The 450 g tub can be ordered from this page, in one of the flavours available, and we ship anywhere in France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is the product we redirect most customers to when they come in looking for BCAAs: at a similar price, nine amino acids are worth more than three, and the question is settled in one sentence. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

What is IO Genix's Chromium Picolinate?

IO Genix Chromium Picolinate is a single-ingredient supplement. One capsule provides 200 µg of elemental chromium, in picolinate form. The bottle contains 100 capsules, i.e. more than three months of daily use.

Chromium is a trace element, that is to say a mineral the body needs only in minute quantities — a few tens of micrograms a day. Food provides it, chiefly through meat, wholegrain cereals, tree nuts and green vegetables, but the levels vary a great deal from one food to another and from one soil to another.

The picolinate form refers to chromium bound to picolinic acid. It is the most widespread form in food supplements, chosen for its stability. The rest of the Spanish range appears in our IO Genix section. The catalogue's other trace elements can be found in our zinc and iron sections.

What does a capsule of Chromium Picolinate contain?

The nutrient reference value for chromium is set at 40 µg per day at European level. One capsule provides 200 µg: five times the daily reference, and that is a figure to face squarely rather than turn into a selling point. A high dose is not automatically a better product, particularly for a trace element whose requirements are counted in tens of micrograms.

Two claims are authorised in Europe for this trace element, and they are worded exactly like this: chromium contributes to normal macronutrient metabolism, and chromium contributes to the maintenance of normal blood glucose levels. The threshold for being allowed to state them is comfortably met here. Note the word “normal”, which is not decorative: it refers to the workings of a healthy body, not to the correction of a disorder.

A nuance few product pages give, and one that nonetheless decides the purchase: chromium deficiency is rare on an ordinary Western diet. A supplement makes sense if your diet is heavily processed, very low in wholegrain cereals, or if a healthcare professional has advised it. It makes a good deal less sense if you already take a complete multivitamin, which almost always contains chromium — check your label before stacking.

The manufacturer also asks you to consult a doctor before use and states that the product is not suitable for pregnant and breastfeeding women, children or people on medical treatment. Requiring medical advice is unusual for a simple trace element: it is explained by the dose level, and it deserves to be followed.

Ingredients list

Bulking agent (microcrystalline cellulose), GELATINE (capsule shell), anti-caking agents (magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide), chromium picolinate. The exact composition of the shell appears on the label of the bottle you receive.

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

How do you take Chromium Picolinate?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a glass of water. Timing: with a meal, never on an empty stomach. Frequency: one dose a day, never exceeded. Duration: a review after three months, with a one-month break possible before resuming.

Taking it with a meal serves two distinct purposes. The first is comfort: on an empty stomach, a concentrated trace element can cause stomach discomfort. The second is consistency: since chromium is involved in macronutrient metabolism, taking it at the moment those macronutrients arrive is logical.

The manufacturer recommends avoiding taking it at the same time as coffee or tea and leaving an hour between the two. Tannins and caffeine can interfere with the absorption of several minerals. If your breakfast is a strong coffee, move the capsule to lunch: it is simpler than clock-watching.

One capsule a day, at a set time, never exceeded. The 100-capsule bottle covers more than three months, which corresponds exactly to the period after which the manufacturer suggests taking stock. A one-month break is then possible before resuming.

This product combines without redundancy with an omega 3 or a magnesium. It does, on the other hand, duplicate most multivitamins and the berberine formulas that already include chromium in their composition: read the labels before stacking.

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

It is aimed at a healthy adult whose diet is low in chromium sources, or someone a healthcare professional has advised to take a targeted supply. It is a product with a very short formula, which remains a good criterion: one ingredient, one dose, one capsule.

The manufacturer is explicit about the exclusions and its list is stricter than average: the product is for adults only, and it is not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women, for children, or for people on medical treatment. It asks you to seek a doctor's advice before use and to stop immediately and consult a doctor if any adverse effect occurs.

One situation calls for particular care: if you are being monitored for disturbed blood glucose or are on antidiabetic treatment, this product is not something to improvise with. The fact that a claim mentions the maintenance of normal blood glucose levels does not mean a supplement has a place alongside a course of treatment — quite the opposite, and the question belongs to your doctor.

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

What not to expect from it: it is not an appetite suppressant, it is not a fat burner, and it is not a weight-loss product, whatever you may read. No weight-control claim is authorised for chromium in Europe. If that is your goal, our weight loss section and, above all, your everyday diet will do the work.

Chromium on its own or a multivitamin, which should you choose?

This is the only real question to ask yourself before buying this product, and the answer depends on what you already take.

A complete multivitamin almost always contains chromium, often at a level close to the reference value, alongside twenty other micronutrients. If you are simply looking to cover your overall intake, that is more rational, cheaper overall, and it saves you adding one more capsule to your morning routine.

Chromium on its own, at 200 µg, answers a different logic: a targeted and deliberately high supply of a single element. That only makes sense if you know precisely why you are taking it — professional advice, a diet identified as low in chromium — and not simply because the words blood glucose appear somewhere on the label.

Watch out for stacking, which is the most frequent mistake in this category: multivitamins, capsule fat burners and metabolic complexes each contain chromium. Three products taken together can add up intakes without anyone noticing. If you already take a caffeine-free fat burner or a complex, read its composition again before adding this one.

Frequently asked questions

Is 200 µg a lot?

It is five times the European nutrient reference value, which is set at 40 µg per day. It is a deliberately high dose. The manufacturer does in fact ask for medical advice before use and forbids exceeding the daily dose, which is consistent with that level of intake.

Should you take it with a meal or on an empty stomach?

With a meal. On an empty stomach, a concentrated trace element can cause stomach discomfort, and the manufacturer explicitly recommends avoiding that situation. Taking it during a meal is also more consistent with chromium's role in macronutrient metabolism.

Why avoid coffee when you take it?

Because caffeine and the tannins in tea can interfere with the absorption of several minerals. The manufacturer recommends leaving an hour between the two. In practice, the simplest thing is to move the capsule to lunch rather than slotting it between two morning coffees.

Does chromium make you lose weight?

No, and no weight-control claim is authorised for chromium in Europe. The only two permitted wordings concern normal macronutrient metabolism and the maintenance of normal blood glucose levels, in a healthy person. This is not a slimming product.

How long does a bottle last?

More than three months: 100 capsules, one a day. That is also the period after which the manufacturer suggests taking stock, before a possible one-month break. A bottle therefore corresponds exactly to one review period.

Are these capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No. The shell is gelatine, of animal origin. It is a common limitation across this range, and it is all the more regrettable given that vegetarian diets are sometimes listed among those that provide less chromium.

Can you take it alongside a multivitamin?

You can, but it is rarely useful, and it requires doing the sums. Most complete multivitamins already contain chromium. Adding two sources together without looking at the labels is the surest way to exceed, without knowing it, an intake the manufacturer specifically asks you not to exceed.

Where can you buy IO Genix's Chromium Picolinate?

The 100-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 selling this one: nine times out of ten a multivitamin is already in use and the question of stacking comes before the question of buying. The rest of the category can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Oat Flour?

IO Genix Farine d'Avoine is a powder made from micronised oat flakes — that is, ground extremely finely so that they dissolve in a liquid without cooking. Per 100 g, it provides 376 kcal, 61 g of carbohydrate of which only 1.3 g is sugars, 13 g of protein and 9.7 g of fibre. The flavours on offer run from chocolate brownie to pistachio, alongside an unflavoured version.

It is a food, not a supplement built around an isolated active: what you are buying is oats, put into a format you can drink from a shaker. Its appeal lies entirely in convenience. Where a porridge calls for a pan and ten minutes, one scoop in 250 ml of milk delivers the same intake in thirty seconds.

Oats are the most interesting cereal for a sportsperson's breakfast for one simple reason: they combine slow-digesting carbohydrate, a protein share that is unusual for a cereal, and a high fibre content. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix aisle, and the other products in the category in our oat flour aisle.

What does a serving of Oat Flour contain?

Two lines in this table deserve to be read together: 61 g of carbohydrate and 1.3 g of sugars. It is that ratio which sets an oat flour apart from an off-the-shelf chocolate powder, where the proportions are often reversed. With 1.3 g of sugars per 100 g, this product meets the European criterion for the low in sugars claim. The brownie or pistachio taste therefore comes from the flavourings and sweeteners, not from added sugar.

The fibre content is the other strong figure. At 9.7 g per 100 g, the product clears the threshold that allows it to be described as high in fibre under European regulations. A 30 g serving provides 2.9 g of it, which is far from trivial given that average intake in France remains below the recommendations.

The 13 g of protein per 100 g is also worth flagging: it is markedly more than rice or wheat flour. A 30 g serving provides 3.9 g, which does not make this powder a protein source, but which usefully adds to the shake if you mix it with a protein.

A point of honesty about what we cannot write. Oats contain beta-glucans, a soluble fibre that benefits from authorised claims in Europe. But those claims require a minimum quantity of beta-glucans per portion, and the manufacturer does not publish the beta-glucan content of this powder. We therefore cannot repeat them, and we are not going to invent them.

Ingredients list

Unflavoured: micronised oat flakes.

Flavoured versions: micronised oat flakes, natural flavourings, sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame potassium, steviol glycosides).

Chocolate versions: micronised oat flakes, cocoa powder, flavourings, sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame potassium, steviol glycosides).

May contain GLUTEN through cross-contamination. May contain traces of EGGS, MILK, NUTS and SOYA.

How do you use Oat Flour?

Serving: 30 g, or one scoop; 40 to 50 g when bulking. Liquid: 200 to 300 ml of water, milk or plant-based drink. Timing: at breakfast, one to two hours before training, or as a snack. Frequency: one to three servings a day depending on your goal. Duration: it is a food, there is no course to follow.

Shake it vigorously, and preferably in a shaker rather than stirring with a spoon. Micronisation makes things much easier, but a flour is still a flour: pour the liquid in first, the powder second, and shake immediately. That is the only way to avoid lumps.

The choice of liquid completely changes the result. With water, you stay at 113 kcal for a fluid texture. With milk, count on around a hundred extra calories, more protein and a distinctly creamier consistency — that is what we recommend for a proper breakfast. With a plant-based drink, the result sits somewhere in between.

It lends itself very well to cooking, unlike many powders in this aisle: pancakes, crêpes, muffins, overnight cold porridge. It can replace part of the ordinary flour in a recipe, bearing in mind that it does not rise like wheat flour and gives denser results. Ready-made protein pancakes remain simpler if you have no time to weigh things out.

For pre-training use, allow one to two hours before the session: this is slow-digesting carbohydrate, and 2.9 g of fibre per serving is not something to take just before going for a run. If you are after carbohydrate to take during exercise, maltodextrin is where to turn, not here.

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

It suits anyone who cannot face a solid breakfast in the morning, anyone short of time, anyone looking for quality carbohydrate while bulking, and anyone wanting to break out of the bread-and-sugary-cereal routine. It is probably the best value-for-interest product in the whole range.

It is not suitable for people who are gluten intolerant or coeliac. Oats do not contain gluten naturally, but the manufacturer explicitly flags a possible presence of gluten through cross-contamination: this product is not certified gluten-free, and that distinction is decisive in this particular case. It may also contain traces of eggs, milk, nuts and soya.

The manufacturer carries the usual food supplement wording on its label: product not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women, children or people on medical treatment, with medical advice recommended before use. We reproduce it as it stands, without interpreting it, while pointing out that what we have here is micronised oat flakes — in other words, a cereal.

The 2.9 g of fibre per serving is an asset but can trouble a sensitive gut if you go from none to three servings overnight. Build up gradually.

What not to expect from it: it is not a protein, and 3.9 g per serving replaces no shake. Nor is it a slimming product — 113 kcal a serving are calories like any others, simply good-quality ones. And if your goal is mass gain, this powder contributes to it but does not replace a complete gainer.

Oat flour or cream of rice — which to choose?

Both occupy the same place in an eating plan and are separated by three specific criteria.

Cream of rice is more digestible, almost fibre-free, and better suited to just before or just after training, when a light stomach is preferable. It is also naturally gluten-free, which settles the question once and for all for anyone intolerant. Its texture is smoother and more neutral.

Oat flour provides more fibre, slightly more protein, and slower digestion. It is the better choice for breakfast and for snacks that have to last several hours. On the other hand it has a coarser texture, which not everyone enjoys.

The third criterion is taste, and it often settles matters: the choice of flavours here is wider than it generally is in cream of rice. On a product eaten every morning, palate fatigue is a real issue. A spoonful of peanut butter in the bowl solves the problem for both, as it happens.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories are in a serving?

113 kcal per 30 g made up with water, with 18.3 g of carbohydrate, 3.9 g of protein and 2.9 g of fibre. With semi-skimmed milk, count on around a hundred extra calories and a markedly higher protein intake.

Does it contain gluten?

Oats do not contain it naturally, but the manufacturer flags a possible presence of gluten through cross-contamination. This product is therefore not suitable for coeliacs or for strictly intolerant people. If you need a guaranteed gluten-free option, cream of rice is the right choice.

Is there any added sugar?

No. The table shows 1.3 g of sugars per 100 g, which corresponds to the sugars naturally present in oats. The taste of the flavoured versions comes from the flavourings and from three sweeteners: sucralose, acesulfame potassium and steviol glycosides.

Can you bake with it?

Yes, and it is in fact one of its best uses: pancakes, crêpes, muffins. Bear in mind that it does not rise like wheat flour and gives denser results. Replacing half the flour in a recipe is a good starting point.

Which flavours are available?

The range includes an unflavoured version, flavoured versions and chocolate versions. The list that is actually available is the set of variants offered on this page: that is what counts, since deliveries do not always cover the whole range.

Can you mix it with a protein?

Yes, and that is the most common use: 30 g of oat flour with 25 g of protein makes a complete breakfast in a single shaker. The mix is thicker, so add 50 ml more liquid than usual.

How much when bulking?

The manufacturer suggests 50 g per serving and two to three servings a day in that case, against 30 g in the morning and before the session for maintenance. Build up gradually: jumping straight to an extra 9 g of fibre a day makes itself felt on your digestion.

Where to buy IO Genix Farine d'Avoine?

The various flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is the first product we suggest to anyone who tells us they cannot swallow a thing before eleven in the morning: drinking your breakfast still works better than skipping the meal while promising yourself you will do better tomorrow. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Cream of Rice?

IO Genix Crème de Riz is a pre-cooked rice flour, ground to a fine powder and designed to be reconstituted with hot water. It belongs to the family of instant carbohydrate sources, alongside oat flour and sweet potato flour.

The composition of the unflavoured version comes down to three words: pre-cooked rice flour. The flavoured versions add flavourings and three sweeteners — sucralose, acesulfame potassium and steviol glycosides. The chocolate flavours contain cocoa powder, and the Caramel Salé version contains sodium chloride. It is a short list, and on this type of product that is exactly what you want.

The flavours listed — Chokokrac, Black Cookies, Caramel Salé, Marie Cookies, Chocolat Peanut Butter, Rochello, Stracciatella, Praliné, Nutchoc, Crema Rica Cookies, Chocolat Amazonico, White Choco Rings, Dubai Chocolate — plus an unflavoured version, with no flavouring or sweetener, to cook with as you see fit. The product joins our cream of rice and IO Genix aisles.

What does a serving of cream of rice contain?

* Columns calculated from the values declared per 100 g, as the manufacturer does not publish a per-serving column. The energy value is given in kilocalories only, with no kilojoule equivalent, and fibre is not declared. The manufacturer also mentions the presence of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium and iron without publishing the amounts: without figures, no nutrition or health claim can be made for these nutrients, and so we will not make one.

The figure that defines the product is the ratio of 77 g of carbohydrate to just 0.3 g of sugars per 100 g. In other words, almost all of the carbohydrate content is starch. That is what sets a cream of rice apart from a maltodextrin or a sugary gainer: you get the energy without the simple-sugar load, in a preparation you can drink.

A second useful point: 8.4 g of protein per 100 g. It is not a protein source and should not be treated as one — but it beats pure maltodextrin, which provides none at all. Finally, 2.7 g of fat and 0.4 g of salt per 100 g: two low values, consistent with a cereal flour.

How do you prepare cream of rice?

Serving: 30 to 50 g depending on the occasion. Liquid: 200 ml of hot water per 50 g, adjusted to the consistency you want. Timing: 45 to 60 minutes before training, or immediately after, or at breakfast. Frequency: 1 to 3 servings a day depending on your goal. Duration: none, it is a food.

Preparation is the product's real selling point: tip in 50 g, or one and a half scoops, into 200 ml of hot water, stir, and the cream is ready in thirty seconds. No pan, no cooking, no washing-up. Add water if you want it runnier, or cut it back for a thick, spoonable texture.

The guidelines by situation, as the manufacturer gives them: 30 to 40 g 45 to 60 minutes before training; 40 to 50 g immediately after; 30 g at breakfast, with fruit; 30 g as a snack between meals. For mass gain, count on 50 g per serving across two to three servings a day; when cutting, 30 g around training only.

Two combinations that work. With a protein, in a ratio of 40 g of cream to 25 g of powder: it is the easiest post-training shake to put together. And in cooking, in pancakes, crêpes or bowl cakes, where the unflavoured version gives you the most freedom. A plant-based milk in place of water changes the texture completely.

Who is cream of rice for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed first at those who struggle to eat enough carbohydrate: limited appetite, short days, sessions close to mealtimes. Drinking 183 kcal of carbohydrate is far easier than getting through the equivalent in cooked rice. It also suits those who digest a solid meal poorly before training: a liquid texture goes down better than a plate an hour before a session.

The manufacturer states that the product is not suitable for pregnant women, breastfeeding women, children or people on medical treatment, and advises consulting a doctor before use. It may contain traces of EGGS, MILK, FISH and SOYA. Store it in a dry place away from light. If you experience any adverse effect, stop and seek advice.

Here is what not to expect from it. It is not a protein source: 4.2 g in a 50 g serving does not count towards a protein total. Nor is it a weight-loss product — 183 kcal a serving is energy, and energy that is easy to swallow, which is precisely the opposite of what you want in a strict deficit. And there is nothing magical about rice flour: it is ground, pre-cooked rice. Its value lies in convenience, not in any nutritional superiority over a bowl of rice.

Cream of rice or maltodextrin?

Both are powdered carbohydrate sources, and we are often asked which to choose. The answer depends on the time of day.

Maltodextrin is the better choice during and immediately after exercise, particularly in endurance sports. It dissolves in cold water, can be drunk from a bottle, and its rapid absorption is precisely what is asked of it. On that ground, cream of rice cannot replace it: it is thick, it is prepared with hot water, and you cannot drink it while pedalling.

Cream of rice wins everywhere else. Its profile is that of a food rather than a sugar: 77 g of carbohydrate of which only 0.3 g is sugars, against a maltodextrin made up of rapidly absorbed carbohydrate. It fills you up, it has flavour, it can be cooked with, and it provides 8.4 g of protein per 100 g. For breakfast, a snack, or the pre-training meal, this is the one to reach for. The other options in the aisle — waxy maize, cyclic dextrin — sit on the maltodextrin side, not the food side.

Frequently asked questions

Hot water or cold?

Hot water, 200 ml per 50 g. The flour is pre-cooked, which lets it thicken as soon as it meets heat — allow thirty seconds of stirring. With cold water, the texture stays grainy and far less pleasant.

How many servings are there in a bag?

The net weight of the packaging does not appear in the data supplied by the manufacturer, so we cannot work it out. Divide the weight stated on the packaging by 50 g, or by 30 g depending on your usual serving.

Does the unflavoured version have any taste?

Very little: it is pre-cooked rice flour, with no flavouring or sweetener. That is a drawback if you drink it on its own, and an advantage if you cook with it — it imposes no flavour on your preparations, and you control the sweetness.

Can you mix it with whey?

Yes, and it is in fact the most common use. The manufacturer suggests 40 g of cream to 25 g of protein. Make the cream up with hot water first, let it cool for a minute, then add the protein: poured into a scalding liquid, a whey can curdle.

How much should you take before training?

30 to 40 g, 45 to 60 minutes before the session, according to the manufacturer's guidelines. That works out at 110 to 146 kcal and 23 to 31 g of carbohydrate. Beyond that, and especially less than an hour before exercise, the volume can become uncomfortable.

Does it contain gluten?

Rice flour does not contain any naturally. The manufacturer does not, however, claim a "gluten-free" designation in the data available to us, and flags possible traces of eggs, milk, fish and soya. If you have coeliac disease, check the label on the bag.

Is it suitable when cutting?

Yes, provided you keep the dose in check. The manufacturer recommends 30 g around training only, or 110 kcal. In its favour: 0.3 g of sugars per 100 g and a filling texture. Against it: this is liquid energy, easy to consume without noticing.

Where to buy IO Genix Crème de Riz?

All the available flavours can be ordered from this page, including the unflavoured version. We ship throughout France and Europe.

This is a product that is better chosen in store than online, because the difference in taste between a Stracciatella and a Chocolat Amazonico cannot be guessed from a photo. Our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, stocks them all, and it is the moment to leave with two different bags rather than two of the same.

What is Sinob All Day Every Day?

Sinob All Day Every Day is a multivitamin packaged in daily sachets. Each sachet contains eight units — tablets, capsules and softgels — to be taken all at once. The box holds 30 of them, a full month.

The format is what really sets this product apart. Rather than a bottle you dip into, Sinob has prepared the doses in advance: you open a sachet, you swallow the contents, and that is that. For someone taking five different supplements and ending up forgetting two out of three, that detail changes more than any formulation argument. It is also the easiest format to take away with you. The rest of the German range can be found in our Sinob section.

The contents, for their part, go beyond the standard multivitamin: on top of the vitamin and mineral base, Sinob adds omega-3 in softgels, coenzyme Q10 and a joint complex built on glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM. In a single intake, it is the equivalent of three or four separate bottles.

What does a daily sachet contain?

We have to be clear here on a point that shapes how the whole of this page should be read: Sinob does not publish the quantities of its active ingredients in the information available to us. So we list what is declared present, and we write “not disclosed” wherever the figure is missing, rather than borrowing values found elsewhere.

This absence of figures has a direct consequence and it needs to be understood: without a declared quantity, no health claim can be made. A claim authorised in Europe is only valid from a significant quantity of the nutrient concerned. As long as Sinob does not publish its dosages, nobody — neither the brand nor us — can write that this product contributes to anything at all. That is the real weakness of this reference, and it has nothing to do with the quality of what is in the sachet.

A second inconsistency deserves flagging. The old description announced “12 vitamins” and then listed thirteen: A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B8, B9, B12, C, D, E and K. We do not know which one is surplus, and we will not decide in the manufacturer's place. Likewise, of the eight minerals announced, only calcium, magnesium and zinc are named.

What is certain, on the other hand, are the allergens, because they are declared: the sachet contains CRUSTACEANS, glucosamine being of marine origin, and GELATINE, which makes up the shell of at least one of the capsules. Those two statements rule the product out immediately for a share of buyers, and it is better to read them here than after delivery.

Declared ingredients list

Maltodextrose, glucosamine sulphate (from CRUSTACEANS), chondroitin sulphate, capsule (GELATINE), methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C), chelated minerals, vitamins, omega-3, coenzyme Q10. The manufacturer specifies that the detailed composition should be checked on the product's official labelling. Traces of other allergens are not ruled out depending on the formulation.

How do you take All Day Every Day?

Serving: one full sachet, that is eight units. Liquid: a large glass of water, 300 ml. Timing: in the morning, with breakfast. Frequency: one intake a day, never two. Duration: a box covers 30 days; use can be continuous or in repeated courses.

The meal is not optional here. The sachet contains omega-3 in softgels, coenzyme Q10 and several vitamins that are only absorbed properly in the presence of fat. A breakfast with eggs, a full-fat yoghurt or a handful of almonds makes a real difference compared with a black coffee downed standing up.

Eight units in one go can be a problem for some stomachs, especially if breakfast is light. Nothing stops you splitting the sachet in two, half at breakfast and half at lunch: the composition does not change, only the digestive load is spread out. That is what we systematically advise anyone who is not used to swallowing tablets.

Do not stack it with other supplements containing the same elements. That is the most important rule with a product this broad: if you already take vitamin D, omega 3 or zinc alongside it, you are adding up without knowing it, and the absence of published dosages makes the sum impossible to work out. A product of this kind is taken on its own, or with supplements whose contents you know precisely.

Who is All Day Every Day for, and who is it not for?

It suits someone who wants to simplify a routine that has become unmanageable, who travels often, or who has never managed to keep to a regular intake with separate bottles. On that ground, the sachet format is genuinely superior, and that is reason enough to choose it.

It is not for people who are allergic to crustaceans: the glucosamine comes from them, and that is a firm contraindication, not a precaution. Nor is it for vegetarians or vegans, because of the gelatine and the omega-3.

Three situations call for medical advice before any intake, and the manufacturer cites them explicitly: anticoagulant treatment, because of the chondroitin and the omega-3, which both interfere with clotting; kidney failure; pregnancy or breastfeeding. These are not decorative statements: the first, in particular, concerns a great many people and is settled in one sentence with your doctor.

What not to expect from it: this is not insurance against a poor diet. No sachet replaces vegetables, fish and sleep. Nor is it a product whose effect you feel — if you feel something within the week, it is probably not this. And without published dosages, there is no way to know whether a given element is present in a useful or a token amount. For an identified need, a targeted product with figures on the label remains more rational.

A daily sachet or separate supplements?

This is the underlying choice, and it sets two equally defensible approaches against each other.

The sachet wins on adherence, and adherence is the single biggest factor in how well any supplement works. A product taken every day for three months does more than a very well dosed product taken three times a week. It also wins on overall price: buying a multivitamin, omega-3, a coenzyme Q10 and a joint complex separately costs more than the box.

Separate supplements win on everything else. You know each dosage, you adjust what needs adjusting, you drop what you do not need, and you do not pay for a joint complex if your joints are fine. It is the better choice if you know precisely what you are looking for: in that case, a glucosamine dosed at 1,500 mg will do more than an unknown quantity buried in a sachet, and a vitamin C at 500 mg is a figure you can check.

Our position over the counter is simple: the sachet is the right product for someone who takes nothing and wants to start without complicating their life. Separate bottles are the right choice for someone who can read a label and wants to steer their intakes.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a box last?

Thirty days, at one sachet a day. Each sachet contains eight units between tablets, capsules and softgels. The format is calibrated for a one-month course, which matches the most common buying rhythm for this kind of product.

Can the sachet be split into two intakes?

Yes, with no drawback. Eight units in one go sit heavily on a stomach that is not used to it, especially if breakfast is light. Half in the morning and half at lunch changes nothing about the composition and clearly improves digestive comfort.

Is the product suitable for vegetarians?

No. Two ingredients rule it out: the gelatine in the shell of at least one capsule, and the omega-3, which is of marine origin. Glucosamine, sourced from crustaceans, adds to the list. For a vegetarian or vegan profile, you need to turn to references formulated specifically for that.

Why are the dosages not stated?

Because the manufacturer does not publish them in the information available to us. We would rather write that than borrow unsourced figures. The consequence is real: without a declared quantity, no health claim can be made for the vitamins and minerals in this formula, even though they are indeed present. The label on the box you receive is what counts.

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

Without any difficulty, these are categories that do not overlap. What you should avoid, though, is stacking it with another product containing vitamins or minerals: the sum becomes impossible to calculate, and some elements such as zinc or vitamin A have daily limits that are best not crossed blindly.

Does it contain caffeine or a stimulant?

No, none at all. It is a baseline supplement, taken in the morning for the day, with no perceptible effect and no impact on sleep. There is nothing to stop you taking it at breakfast even if you train in the evening.

What should you do if you are on anticoagulant treatment?

Ask your doctor's advice before buying. Chondroitin and omega-3 both influence clotting, and the manufacturer explicitly flags this interaction. It is not an automatic contraindication, but it is a question for the doctor, not the retailer.

Where can you buy Sinob All Day Every Day?

The box of 30 sachets can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product we suggest to those who admit to having three half-used bottles in a cupboard since last winter: the best supplement is still the one you actually take. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is DailyLife's GoNuts spread?

DailyLife GoNuts is a cocoa-hazelnut spread reformulated to be high in protein and very low in sugars. Per 100 g it provides 25 g of protein and less than 1 g of sugars. The jar holds 350 g.

DailyLife is an Italian brand specialising in reformulated snack products — the idea is not to invent a new food, but to take a product everyone already knows and change its nutritional profile. Here the benchmark is obvious: a classic spread contains around 55 g of sugars per 100 g and 6 g of protein. The ratio is reversed.

What makes that possible is replacing the sugar with maltitol and adding whey protein. It is a deliberate formulation choice, with its advantages and its limits, and we set out both further down. The rest of the brand can be browsed in our DailyLife section, and the other spreads and nut butters in our peanut butter section.

What is in GoNuts?

25 g of protein per 100 g is a quarter of the jar. That is what genuinely sets this product apart from an ordinary spread, and the figure is accurate. In practice a generous slice takes about 20 g of product, so 5 g of protein: a worthwhile top-up at breakfast, not a main source. Do not count on it to cover your needs for the day.

We have to be blunt about what the manufacturer does not publish: fat, energy value and fibre do not appear in the data available to us. That is awkward on a high-fat product, and we would rather write it than line up a figure found elsewhere. Refer to the table printed on the jar you receive. What the ingredients list does tell us, on the other hand, is that two oils are present — shea and sunflower — and that there is no palm oil.

The point that deserves the most attention is maltitol. It is the first ingredient on the list: it is what replaces the sugar and what explains the “less than 1 g of sugars” line. Maltitol is a polyol; it does not count as sugar in regulatory terms, but it still provides calories and it is poorly tolerated in large amounts. The manufacturer flags it itself: excessive consumption may have laxative effects. That is not boilerplate, it is the reality of this family of sweeteners — and it is why we talk about slices of bread rather than one spoonful after another.

On the regulatory side, one point worth knowing: the wording “source of protein” is a controlled nutrition claim, which a product may carry as soon as 12% of its energy value comes from protein. No promise of results, on the other hand, is permitted. This product is a reformulated spread: pleasant, higher in protein than most, and nothing more.

Ingredients list

Sweetener: maltitol, whey protein (MILK), shea oil, low-fat cocoa powder, sunflower oil, milk powder, SOYA flour, emulsifier: SOYA lecithin, flavouring.

Allergens: MILK and SOYA. May contain traces of NUTS. No palm oil, no added sugars. Excessive consumption may have laxative effects.

How do you eat GoNuts?

Serving: 15 to 20 g at breakfast, 10 to 15 g as a snack. Base: wholemeal bread, crispbread, or as a recipe ingredient. Timing: morning or snack. Frequency: one to two servings a day. Duration: no notion of a course, it is a food.

Stir the jar before first use. The oil naturally rises to the surface during storage, as it does in any nut butter without a stabilising additive. One turn of a knife and the texture is even again. Without that, the first slice is oily and the bottom of the jar turns dry.

It cooks as well as it spreads. A spoonful in fromage blanc, in a bowlcake, in a protein pancake batter or as a muffin topping: that is often where it is at its most interesting, because it brings the cocoa-hazelnut flavour without the usual sugar load.

Keep the quantities sensible, and not for diet reasons. Maltitol is well tolerated in small servings and much less so when you get through half the jar in front of a film. Start with a 15 g serving to see how you tolerate it, since digestive sensitivity to polyols varies enormously from one person to another.

One last thing, and it is an obvious point that deserves writing down: this is not a main protein source. It rounds out a breakfast, it does not replace one. If your goal is protein intake, a scoop of protein powder does the job far more efficiently.

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

It is aimed at someone who likes spreads and is looking to cut the sugars in their breakfast without giving up the taste. It is a substitute product, and it is well designed for that. It also suits people who make their own snacks and want a low-sugar cocoa-hazelnut ingredient.

It is not suitable for people allergic to milk or soya, both of which are in the recipe. Traces of nuts are possible: if your allergy is severe, bear that in mind. Nor is it suitable for vegan diets, since the whey protein and the milk powder are dairy-derived.

It should be avoided if you digest polyols badly. Maltitol causes bloating and intestinal discomfort in some people, and the tolerance threshold varies a great deal. If you already know that chewing gum and “sugar-free” products upset you, this product will upset you too. With children, adjust the servings.

What not to expect from it. It does not make you lose weight, it replaces no meal and it is not a food supplement despite the 25 g of protein on the label. It remains a treat food, higher in protein and far less sugary than a classic spread — that is already reason enough to choose it, and no other is needed.

Protein spread or peanut butter?

That is the real trade-off in this section, and it is settled on composition more than on taste.

A pure peanut butter contains a single ingredient: peanuts. No sweetener, no emulsifier, no flavouring. It provides around 25 g of protein per 100 g, exactly the same order of magnitude as here, with higher fat but entirely plant-based and unprocessed. If your criterion is the simplicity of the ingredients list, our peanut butter section wins hands down.

GoNuts wins on cocoa-hazelnut flavour and on texture. A peanut butter, however good, does not replace a chocolate spread for someone who grew up with one. That is the need this product addresses, and answering it with a lecture about natural products has never convinced anyone at the counter.

A third option, often the smartest one: if it is the sugar that bothers you on your morning toast, a zero-sugar jam brings the fruit flavour with no fat at all, and combines very well with a nut butter. And if you are simply after a sweet snack that fits in a bag, protein bars answer that need better than a 350 g jar.

Frequently asked questions

How much protein in one slice?

About 5 g for a 20 g serving, on the basis of 25 g of protein per 100 g. That is a reasonable top-up at breakfast, not a main source. For comparison, a standard scoop of protein powder provides five times as much.

Why so little sugar?

Because the sugar is replaced by maltitol, a polyol that does not count as sugar in regulatory terms. It still provides calories and can cause digestive discomfort in large amounts. That is the accepted trade-off of this type of recipe.

Does the product contain palm oil?

No. The two fats in the recipe are shea oil and sunflower oil. It is a point on which the formulation stands clearly apart from classic spreads, almost all of which rely on palm oil.

What are the allergens?

Milk, through the whey protein and the milk powder, and soya, present as flour and as lecithin. The manufacturer also flags possible traces of nuts. The product is therefore unsuitable both for people allergic to milk or soya and for vegan diets.

What is the energy value per 100 g?

The manufacturer does not disclose it in the data available to us, any more than the fat or fibre content. We are not going to invent it. Refer to the nutrition table printed on the jar you receive: it is the only reliable source on this point.

Why does it need stirring before use?

Because the oil rises to the surface during storage, the recipe containing no heavy stabiliser. One turn of a knife is enough to restore an even texture. Without that, the first slice is greasy and the bottom of the jar ends up dry and compact.

Can it be heated or cooked with?

Yes, it works well in a bowlcake, in pancakes or in muffins, and that is often its best use. Add it towards the end of the preparation or as a topping: long cooking at high temperature degrades the cocoa flavour and hardens the texture.

Where to buy DailyLife GoNuts?

The 350 g jar can be ordered from this page, and we ship anywhere in France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is a product we happily suggest to anyone who wants to lighten their breakfast without giving it up — but we always mention the maltitol, because tolerance varies and it is better to know beforehand than afterwards. The rest of our snack ideas can be browsed in the protein snack section.

What is IO Genix Vitamin B Complex?

IO Genix Vitamin B Complex is a B-group vitamin complex in tablet form. One tablet brings together all eight B vitamins, plus 50 mg of inositol and 50 mg of choline bitartrate. The bottle holds 60 tablets, and the intended dose is one tablet a day: two months of use per bottle.

The B vitamins form a group of eight molecules that have little in common chemically, but that are all involved in turning nutrients into energy the cell can use. That is the historical reason for grouping them under a single letter, and it is also why they are so often sold together rather than one by one.

The tablet format changes one concrete thing compared with capsules: it makes it possible to fit ten ingredients into a single unit to swallow. On a complex of this size, a capsule would have called for two or three doses a day. The rest of the Spanish range can be browsed in our IO Genix aisle, and the other products in the category in our vitamin B aisle.

What does one Vitamin B Complex tablet contain?

Every dosage exceeds the nutrient reference value, and that is normal on this type of product. The B vitamins are water-soluble: whatever the body does not retain leaves in the urine, which explains the comfortable safety margin they enjoy and why manufacturers do not hesitate to go up to 300 or 400% of the reference value. That said, a high dosage does not make a supplement more effective; it simply compensates for absorption that is never complete.

All eight B vitamins carry authorised claims in Europe, and there is no reason to stray from them. The broadest concern five of them: vitamins B2, B3, B6, B9 and B12 contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B8 and B12 contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism. To these are added, among others, the normal functioning of the nervous system (B1, B2, B3, B6, B8, B12) and normal red blood cell formation (B6, B12).

Two ingredients in the formula call for a word of clarification. Inositol has no authorised claim in Europe: it is present, it is not banned, but nothing can be promised about it. Choline does have authorised claims, except that they are conditional on a minimum intake these 50 mg do not reach. Put another way, those two lines fill out the label more than they change the product, and it is better to know that.

One detail of form with practical consequences: vitamin B3 is supplied as nicotinamide, not as nicotinic acid. It is the form that does not bring on the well-known hot flush with facial redness that some niacins trigger at this dosage. At 54 mg, the question would arise with the other form.

Ingredients list

Anti-caking agent (magnesium stearate), vitamin B3 (nicotinamide), inositol, choline bitartrate, pantothenic acid (calcium D-pantothenate), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B1 (thiamine hydrochloride), vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), folic acid, biotin.

Information missing from the manufacturer's file: the list of allergens present in the manufacturing plant is not disclosed for this product. We will not invent it. Please refer to the packaging you receive.

How do you take Vitamin B Complex?

Dose: 1 tablet. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: in the morning, with breakfast. Frequency: one dose a day. Duration: a course of 2 to 3 months, which can be repeated.

Taking it with food is not a precaution of principle. A B complex taken on an empty stomach fairly often brings on passing nausea, particularly at these dosages, and a full stomach settles the problem in almost every case. It is the first thing we say to a customer who comes back telling us they cannot tolerate their B complex.

Why the morning rather than the evening? Because the B vitamins are involved in cellular energy production throughout the day, and because taking them late adds nothing. There is, on the other hand, nothing against moving the dose to lunchtime if breakfast is not something you do.

One sign worth knowing about so as not to worry needlessly: riboflavin turns the urine bright yellow. It is a commonplace phenomenon, with no pathological meaning whatsoever, and it shows up as early as the first or second tablet. It simply indicates that the excess is being eliminated, which is the normal behaviour of a water-soluble vitamin.

A course of two to three months corresponds exactly to one bottle or one and a half. This complex combines without any overlap with an omega 3, a vitamin D or a magnesium — three categories that provide no B vitamins and that cover other needs.

Who is Vitamin B Complex for, and who is it not for?

It suits an adult whose diet is irregular, someone going through a busy period, and more broadly anyone looking for a broad intake rather than an isolated vitamin. The manufacturer restricts it to adults.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women must seek medical advice before taking it, and that is not a stock phrase: vitamin B9 is a nutrient whose intake during pregnancy is monitored precisely, and it must not be improvised from a general-purpose complex. The same goes if you are on medication: several B vitamins interact with common drugs, and that question is one for your doctor or pharmacist, not a shop assistant.

A point about vegan diets, because it is the most frequent reason for buying in this aisle. The 3 µg of vitamin B12 covers 120% of the reference value, which is fine for a general intake. But B12 absorption saturates quickly at each dose, and the protocols intended for strict vegan diets rest on markedly higher dosages. If you consume no animal products at all, this tablet will probably not be enough on its own: talk it over with a healthcare professional and consider a dedicated B12.

What not to expect from it: it does not give you energy in the sense of a noticeable lift. B vitamins are not stimulants, they contain no caffeine, and you will feel nothing when you take them. They take part in the reactions that release energy from food, which is a very different thing. Nor does a B complex make up for a night's sleep.

B complex or multivitamin?

The two products look alike on the shelf and yet answer two distinct logics.

A multivitamin casts a wide net: vitamins A, C, D, E, K, the eight B vitamins, plus a series of minerals such as zinc, magnesium or selenium. The price of that breadth is that each nutrient is present at a more modest dosage, often around 100% of the reference value. It is the right choice when you do not know precisely what is lacking and you want a general-purpose base: our multivitamins aisle is there for that.

A B complex does the opposite: fewer ingredients, but dosages three to four times the reference value. It is the right choice when your aim is targeted — an unbalanced diet, a diet excluding animal products, persistent tiredness already discussed with a doctor.

And it has to be said plainly: taking both at once makes little sense, since the multivitamin already contains all eight B vitamins. Choose one or the other. If your priority is antioxidant defence rather than energy metabolism, vitamin C is what to look at, with a different logic again.

Frequently asked questions

Why do the dosages exceed 300% of the NRV?

Because the B vitamins are water-soluble: the body eliminates the excess in the urine, which gives them a wide safety margin. Manufacturers therefore raise the dosages to compensate for partial absorption. It is not a guarantee of greater effectiveness, simply common practice and safe at the levels given here.

My urine is turning bright yellow, is that normal?

Yes, entirely. It is riboflavin, vitamin B2, which is naturally an intense yellow colour. The phenomenon appears with the very first tablets, has no pathological meaning and stops when you stop taking them. It simply signals that the excess is being eliminated normally.

Is this complex enough for a vegan diet?

Not necessarily. The 3 µg of B12 covers 120% of the reference value, but absorption of this vitamin saturates at each dose and the protocols intended for strict vegans use far higher dosages. Take the advice of a healthcare professional and consider a dedicated vitamin B12.

Can it be taken at the same time as a multivitamin?

It is possible but of little use: a multivitamin already contains all eight B vitamins. You would be stacking the same nutrients with no added benefit. Choose one or the other depending on whether you are after a broad base or a targeted intake of B vitamins.

What are inositol and choline for in the formula?

Inositol has no authorised claim in Europe. Choline does have them, but they assume a minimum intake that the 50 mg present here does not reach. Those two lines round out the label without genuinely changing the product's profile, and it is more honest to say so.

Does vitamin B3 cause flushing?

No, not in this form. The tablet supplies nicotinamide, not nicotinic acid. It is the latter that triggers the sensation of heat and facial redness from a few tens of milligrams upwards. With nicotinamide, the phenomenon does not occur.

How long does a bottle last?

60 tablets at one a day: two months exactly. As the course recommended by the manufacturer is two to three months, count on one bottle for a short course and one and a half for a long one.

Where can you buy IO Genix Vitamin B Complex?

The 60-tablet bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is the product we reach for when a customer is torn between eight separate bottles of B vitamins: one tablet in the morning settles the question, and the budget stays reasonable. The whole vitamin aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

What is IO Genix GABA Professional?

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

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

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

What is in one GABA Professional capsule?

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

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

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

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

How do you take GABA Professional?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GABA or glycine in the evening?

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

Does GABA help you sleep?

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

How long does a bottle last?

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

Should it be taken on an empty stomach?

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

Can it be combined with melatonin?

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

Is it suitable for vegetarians?

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

Do you feel anything when you take it?

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

Can you take two capsules?

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

Where to buy GABA Professional?

It can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we sell only after asking two questions first: what time do you go to bed, and what time do you have your last coffee. It often happens that the answer makes the purchase pointless, and we say so. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Ashwagandha KSM-66?

IO Genix Ashwagandha KSM-66 is a capsule supplement based on a dry ashwagandha root extract (Withania somnifera), standardised to 5% withanolides. The bottle holds 60 capsules for a net weight of 36 g, which is two months of use at one capsule a day.

Ashwagandha is a plant from traditional Indian medicine, grown mainly in India and in Rajasthan. Its Sanskrit name literally means “smell of horse”, in reference to that of its fresh root. It is this root, and not the leaves, that is used here — the distinction matters, as the two parts of the plant have neither the same composition nor the same regulatory framework.

The mention KSM-66 denotes a standardised root extract produced by a specialist Indian supplier. “Standardised to 5% withanolides” means that the concentration of withanolides — the plant's characteristic compounds — is guaranteed to be consistent from one batch to the next. That is genuine quality information: a raw root powder offers no guarantee of the kind. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix section, and the other products in the category in our ashwagandha section.

What does one Ashwagandha KSM-66 capsule contain?

One figure is missing, and it is the most important one: the manufacturer publishes the standardisation at 5% withanolides, but not the amount of extract per capsule. We will not invent it and we will not deduce it from the net weight, which includes the maltodextrin, the shell and the anti-caking agent. Without that value it is impossible to compare this product precisely with another extract on the market. The label on the bottle you receive is the only reliable source on this point, and that is where to look.

What can be said, on the other hand, is what the standardisation is worth. An extract standardised to 5% withanolides is a serious extract: it is the reference level for this plant, and it guarantees a consistency that raw root powders — often cheaper — never provide. You know that each capsule resembles the last, which is the basic condition for a two-month course.

On the regulatory side, we have to be blunt: no health claim is authorised in Europe for ashwagandha. Not for stress, not for tiredness, not for sleep, not for mental balance, not for performance. The term “adaptogen” itself has no European regulatory standing. A great deal is written about this plant; none of it can appear on a French product page, and we will not be writing any of it.

If your concern is tiredness, be aware that there are ingredients for which claims genuinely are authorised: magnesium and vitamin B6 contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Those are validated wordings, and you will find them in our magnesium and vitamin B sections.

Ingredients list

KSM-66 (dry ashwagandha root extract, Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal), maltodextrin, capsule (GELATINE), anti-caking agent (magnesium salts of fatty acids).

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

How do you take Ashwagandha KSM-66?

Serving: 1 capsule. Liquid: a glass of water. Timing: with a meal, morning or evening depending on your routine. Frequency: one serving a day, never more. Duration: 4 to 6 weeks minimum, 2 to 3 months for a full course.

Taking it with a meal is the only technical instruction on this page, and it is justified. A concentrated plant extract goes down better with food than on an empty stomach, and the presence of fat in the meal favours the absorption of the plant's lipophilic compounds. An extract swallowed on an empty stomach is not dangerous, it is simply less well used and sometimes less well tolerated.

Morning or evening: the manufacturer leaves the choice open. In practice, pick the moment you are sure of keeping to every day for two months. A product taken irregularly allows no conclusion at all, and that is where most courses fail — not on the dosage.

The manufacturer puts the minimum at 4 to 6 weeks and the full course at between 2 and 3 months. A 60-capsule bottle covers exactly two months: that is consistent, and it means one bottle equals one course. Do not run courses back to back indefinitely without speaking to a healthcare professional — we explain why just below.

The product does not combine with anything in particular, and that is for the best: introduce it on its own, without changing anything else at the same time. If you are already taking a ZMA or melatonin, wait a fortnight before adding anything, otherwise you will never know what is producing what.

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

It is aimed at a healthy adult who wants to try a properly standardised plant extract, in one simple daily serving. It is the most convenient format in the category: one capsule, one meal, two months.

The contraindications here are specific and they should be read before buying. The manufacturer advises against the product for pregnant and breastfeeding women without medical advice, requires a compulsory medical consultation in case of hyperthyroidism, and asks that you avoid combining it with sedatives without medical supervision. The product should be kept out of reach of children.

One further element is worth knowing, and it comes from a French authority rather than from the manufacturer. In 2024, ANSES published an opinion on food supplements containing ashwagandha and called for vigilance, notably because of cases of liver damage reported to the nutrivigilance scheme. The agency recommends avoiding the consumption of these supplements in pregnant and breastfeeding women, children and adolescents, and people with a liver or thyroid condition. That is not a reason to give up if you are in good health; it is a reason to respect the dose, not to run courses back to back without advice, and to seek medical advice at the slightest unusual sign.

The capsule is made of gelatine: this product suits neither vegetarians nor vegans. It may also contain traces of gluten, nuts, peanuts, eggs, milk, sulphites, fish and soya.

What you should not expect from it: it is neither a sleeping pill, nor an anxiolytic, nor a treatment. Anxiety that takes hold, lastingly disturbed sleep or unexplained tiredness are matters for a doctor, who will make a diagnosis where a capsule will do nothing. Nor is it a sports performance product.

Ashwagandha or magnesium, which should you choose?

The two cross paths in the same baskets, and one of them is regulated where the other is not.

Magnesium is a mineral with a defined nutrient reference value and several authorised claims, including its contribution to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to the normal functioning of the nervous system. Dietary magnesium intakes are frequently insufficient in France, which gives supplementation a clear basis. It is also the cheaper of the two, and the one whose contraindications are the lightest.

Ashwagandha belongs to another category: a concentrated plant extract, with no authorised claim, with real contraindications and a vigilance opinion from a health agency. It makes sense if it is this particular plant that interests you, with full awareness of the facts, and if none of the situations listed above applies to you.

Our advice over the counter is consistent: start with magnesium, on its own, for a month. If the need persists, ashwagandha can come afterwards. Introducing both on the same day will teach you nothing, and stacking a ZMA, a multivitamin complex and a plant extract is expensive for zero information.

Frequently asked questions

What does “standardised to 5% withanolides” mean?

That the concentration of withanolides, the root's characteristic compounds, is guaranteed to be consistent from one batch to the next. It is the reference level for this plant and a genuine mark of regularity, which raw root powders do not offer. It says nothing, however, about the amount of extract per capsule.

How much extract is there per capsule?

The manufacturer does not publish it, and we are not going to guess. The net weight of 36 g for 60 capsules includes the maltodextrin, the shell and the anti-caking agent, and therefore allows no calculation. The label on the bottle you receive is the only reference.

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

The manufacturer leaves the choice open, the only firm instruction being to take it with a meal. Settle on the moment you will keep to every day for two months: regularity counts for far more than the exact hour with this kind of course.

What does ANSES say about ashwagandha?

In an opinion published in 2024, the agency called for vigilance over supplements containing this plant, notably because of reported cases of liver damage. It advises against their consumption by pregnant and breastfeeding women, by children and adolescents, and by people with a liver or thyroid condition.

Are these capsules suitable for vegetarians?

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

How long does one bottle last?

Two months exactly: 60 capsules, one a day. That matches the full course suggested by the manufacturer, who puts the minimum at four to six weeks. One bottle therefore equals one course, which keeps the arithmetic simple.

Can it be combined with a sleeping pill or a sedative?

Not without medical supervision: the manufacturer explicitly asks that you avoid combining it with sedatives. If you are on treatment of that kind, the question is one for your doctor or your pharmacist before the purchase, not after opening the bottle.

Where can you buy IO Genix Ashwagandha KSM-66?

The 60-capsule bottle 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 take the time to explain what the regulations forbid us from promising: customers often arrive with expectations formed elsewhere, and it is better to reset them before the purchase than after. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Probiotic Mix?

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

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

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

What does a two-capsule serving contain?

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

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

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

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

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

How do you take Probiotic Mix?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Probiotic Mix or digestive enzymes?

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

How many CFU per serving?

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

What exactly are the 15 strains?

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

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

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

Can it be taken during a course of antibiotics?

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

Are the capsules suitable for vegans?

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

How long does a box last?

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

Why do you say nothing about the effects?

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

Where to buy IO Genix Probiotic Mix?

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

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

What is IO Genix Enzymes Digestives?

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

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

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

What does one Enzymes Digestives tablet contain?

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

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

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

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

Ingredients list

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

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

How do you take Enzymes Digestives?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Digestive enzymes or a change of protein?

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

Should they be taken before or during the meal?

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

How many tablets a day?

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

Does this product help digest lactose?

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

Is it suitable for vegetarians?

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

Is there a risk with anticoagulant treatment?

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

Can you be allergic to this product?

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

How long does a bottle last?

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

Where can you buy IO Genix Enzymes Digestives?

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

What is Nutriting nuSpiruline?

Nutriting nuSpiruline is organic spirulina in tablet form, with no excipients whatsoever. Each tablet weighs 500 mg and contains nothing but spirulina powder; a six-tablet dose therefore delivers 3 g of spirulina, including 1.8 g of protein and 420 mg of phycocyanins. The 500-tablet bottle covers 83 days at that dose.

Spirulina, Spirulina platensis, is not strictly speaking an alga but a filamentous cyanobacterium grown in ponds. It has long been eaten as a powder or as tablets, and its appeal lies in its density: a great deal of protein, pigments, minerals and vitamins for very little material.

What sets this product apart is what it does not contain. A conventional spirulina tablet usually includes a binder, a bulking agent, sometimes an anti-caking agent: the powder on its own compresses poorly. Here the ingredient list runs to a single line, and that means the 500 mg on the label really are 500 mg of spirulina. The rest of the range can be browsed in our Nutriting section, and the other formats in our spirulina section.

What does a dose of nuSpiruline contain?

420 mg of phycocyanins per dose: this is the line that lets you compare two spirulinas, and it is precisely the one most sellers leave off. Phycocyanin is the blue pigment characteristic of spirulina, and its content varies widely from one producer to another depending on growing conditions and, above all, on the drying temperature. The manufacturer states a minimum of 14% here and a yearly average of 17%. When a label gives no phycocyanin content at all, it is generally not because that content is high.

On protein, let us keep things in proportion. 1.8 g per dose is accurate, but it is a marginal contribution to a daily requirement counted in tens of grams. Spirulina is not a protein source in any practical sense: at 60% protein, you would have to swallow 40 g a day to come close to what a serving of protein powder provides. If your goal is protein intake, look instead at our plant proteins section — that is more honest than selling spirulina for something it is not.

On the regulatory side, let us be clear: no health claim is authorised in Europe for spirulina. Not for energy, not for immunity, not for tiredness, not for sports performance. The dossiers came to nothing. What we can describe is a composition, an origin and a process — and that is already far more than most listings in this category offer.

The manufacturer states cultivation in southern India and low-temperature drying, below 50 °C, followed by packaging in France. Drying temperature is the decisive parameter for this product: it governs how well the pigments are preserved, and therefore the phycocyanin content just discussed. The manufacturer also states a protein digestibility of 85.2%, a figure we report while attributing it to them, as we are not in a position to verify it ourselves.

Ingredients list

Spirulina powder (Spirulina platensis) from organic farming. Single ingredient.

No declared allergens. Gluten-free, lactose-free, soya-free, GMO-free, non-irradiated, free from excipients and bulking agents, free from titanium dioxide, free from colourings, free from gelatine. The formula is suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets. Worth noting for those concerned: spirulina naturally contains phenylalanine.

How should you take nuSpiruline?

Dose: 4 to 6 tablets a day. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: with meals. Frequency: two intakes, morning and midday or morning and evening. Duration: 2 to 3 months minimum; can be taken all year round.

Start low and build up gradually. Two or three tablets for the first few days, then four, then six if you wish. In some people spirulina causes short-lived digestive discomfort at the start of a course, and that is not a sign of intolerance: it is simply too abrupt a start. Six tablets straight away is the classic mistake.

Split the dose rather than swallowing it all at once. Three tablets in the morning and three at midday go down considerably better than six in one go, and it makes no difference to the daily intake. Take them during a meal, with a large glass of water.

One practical point that matters: leave a gap between spirulina and any iron supplement. The two interfere with each other, and there is no reason to swallow them together. If you are taking a course of iron, take it in the morning on an empty stomach and the spirulina with later meals. The same logic applies to calcium-rich foods and supplements.

Two to three months: that is the duration the manufacturer recommends. The 500-tablet bottle covers 83 days at six a day, so roughly one full course, and more than four months if you stay at four tablets. This is one of the rare products in this category where you do not have to reorder every thirty days.

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

It is aimed at adults who want to add a nutrient-dense food to their diet, particularly on a vegetarian or vegan diet where nutrient sources are narrower. The excipient-free tablet format also appeals to those who have never managed to swallow the powder, whose taste is decidedly pronounced.

The precautions to know before buying. The product is not recommended in cases of phenylketonuria, as spirulina naturally provides phenylalanine. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should seek advice from a healthcare professional before use. In cases of hepatitis B or C, the manufacturer recommends a liver function test beforehand. If you are on thyroid medication or have a thyroid disorder, ask your doctor for advice. For adults only.

One point few sellers mention: the vitamin B12 in spirulina is not a reliable source. It occurs in a form the human body does not use in the way it uses dietary B12. If you follow a vegan diet, do not count on spirulina to cover that requirement: this is one where you are better off turning to our vitamin B section and to a blood test.

What you should not expect from it. No claim exists for spirulina in Europe. It does not make you lose weight, does not improve performance, does not replace any treatment and does not make up for an unbalanced diet. Persistent tiredness should be investigated by a doctor, not by a course of green tablets. It is a concentrated food, taken with full knowledge of the facts.

Spirulina or a multivitamin?

The question comes up often, and it deserves a straight answer rather than a plea for all things natural.

On paper, the multivitamin wins the regulatory comparison, and by some margin. Every vitamin and every mineral in it is dosed to the milligram, with nutrient reference values shown as percentages and, above all, with authorised claims: vitamin C contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, vitamin D to the maintenance of normal bones, zinc to the normal function of the immune system. These are official wordings, and spirulina has none. Our multivitamins section follows that logic.

Spirulina belongs to a different approach: it is a food, not a formula. It provides a complex whole — pigments, protein, minerals — whose individual effects cannot be cleanly isolated, and that is exactly what those who take it are after. If you would rather add a concentrated food than a synthetic tablet, that is a coherent choice, provided you do not credit it with the virtues of a medicine.

The two are not mutually exclusive, and they overlap less than people think. A common pairing is to keep spirulina for dietary density and to deal separately with the points genuinely identified — a lack of iron, low vitamin D in winter. That works better than hoping a single product will cover everything.

Frequently asked questions

How much phycocyanin is there per tablet?

70 mg per 500 mg tablet, i.e. 420 mg for a six-tablet dose. The manufacturer states a minimum titre of 14% and a yearly average of 17%. It is the only line that allows a serious comparison between two spirulinas: when it is not shown, you do not know what you are buying.

Four or six tablets a day?

The manufacturer provides for both. Start at two or three for the first few days, move up to four, then to six if you wish. At six tablets the bottle covers 83 days; at four, more than four months. Always split the dose into two intakes with meals.

Does spirulina cover a vegan's B12 requirements?

No. The B12 in spirulina occurs in a form the human body does not use in the way it uses dietary vitamin B12. If you follow a vegan diet, that requirement must be met another way and monitored with a blood test. Do not rely on this product for it.

Is there a binder or an excipient in the tablets?

No, and that is what makes this product distinctive: there is a single ingredient, nothing but compressed organic spirulina powder. A 500 mg tablet therefore corresponds to 500 mg of spirulina, which is not the case with every brand in this category.

Can it be taken alongside a course of iron?

Better to space them out. Take the iron in the morning on an empty stomach and the spirulina with meals through the day. The same precaution applies to calcium-rich foods and supplements. This is not a contraindication, merely a question of when you take them.

Why does the drying temperature matter?

Because pigments, phycocyanin among them, cope poorly with heat. The manufacturer states drying below 50 °C, which is consistent with the contents declared. Fast industrial drying at high temperature yields a powder poorer in pigments, for an identical weight of spirulina on the label.

Is there a risk of heavy metal contamination?

That is the legitimate question in this category, since spirulina concentrates whatever is in its growing medium. The manufacturer declares an absence of heavy metals for this product. We do not have an analysis report in hand and therefore cannot assert anything beyond what they themselves state.

Where can you buy Nutriting nuSpiruline?

The 500-tablet bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product we recommend to anyone who gave up on spirulina powder because of the taste — the tablet settles the question in three seconds. What we always warn about, though, is the same thing: build up gradually, as six tablets straight away often has to be paid for the next day. The rest of our selection can be browsed in the sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix's Magnesium Citrate?

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

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

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

What is in a two-tablet dose?

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

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

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

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

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

How do you take Magnesium Citrate?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Magnesium citrate or bisglycinate?

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

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

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

Why does citrate cause loose stools?

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

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

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

How long does a bottle last?

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

Does magnesium help you sleep?

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

Can it be combined with a multivitamin?

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

Is the product suitable for vegetarians?

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

Where to buy IO Genix Magnesium Citrate?

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

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

What is IO Genix NAC600?

IO Genix NAC600 is a single-ingredient supplement. Each capsule provides 600 mg of N-acetylcysteine, and the rest of the formula comes down to the shell and an anti-caking agent. The bottle holds 60 capsules, which is two months of daily use.

N-acetylcysteine, abbreviated to NAC, is an acetylated derivative of L-cysteine, a sulphur-containing amino acid. Food supplies cysteine through animal protein, eggs, garlic and pulses. The acetylated form is more stable, which is why it is the one favoured in supplements.

Its biochemical interest rests on one precise point: cysteine is the rate-limiting amino acid in glutathione synthesis, glutathione being a tripeptide the body makes itself and one that takes part in the cellular mechanisms handling oxidative stress. Put another way, the availability of cysteine determines what the cell is able to produce. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix section, and the other products in the category in our NAC section.

What does one NAC600 capsule contain?

600 mg per capsule is the benchmark dose for this molecule, and it fits into a single serving. That is a practical detail which matters more than it seems: many products in this category require you to swallow two or three capsules to reach the same amount. Here, one capsule in the morning and the day is taken care of.

The formula is about as short as you could imagine: the active, the shell, the anti-caking agent. No colouring, no flavouring, no added sugar, no additional complex. That is a sound selection criterion, and it lets you know exactly what you are taking and at what dose.

On the regulatory side, we should be blunt: no health claim is authorised in Europe for N-acetylcysteine or for cysteine. Not on oxidative stress, not on the body's defences, not on the airways, not on the liver. Cysteine's role as a precursor of glutathione is an established and documented fact of biochemistry; what oral supplementation actually produces in a healthy adult is another question, and one with no validated dossier at European level. So we describe the molecule and its dose, and promise nothing.

A final word on a statement we have removed from the previous version of this page: the manufacturer referred to a pharmaceutical grade raw material. That is a phrase we cannot verify and one that has no precise definition in the food supplement framework. We are not passing it on.

Ingredients list

N-acetylcysteine (600 mg per capsule), GELATINE (capsule shell), magnesium stearate (anti-caking agent). GMO-free, no artificial colouring, no added preservative.

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

How do you take NAC600?

Serving: 1 capsule. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: in the morning on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before breakfast, or two hours after a meal. Frequency: one serving a day, not to be exceeded. Duration: a 2 to 3 month cycle, followed by a one-month break.

The instruction to avoid protein-rich meals around the time you take it is not a whim, and it deserves an explanation. N-acetylcysteine is an amino acid derivative: it uses the same intestinal transporters as the amino acids in a protein meal, and so ends up in direct competition with them. Taken with a protein shake or a plate of meat, it is absorbed far less efficiently. First thing in the morning on an empty stomach is the window that solves the problem.

If your mornings do not lend themselves to it, the two-hours-after-a-meal rule works just as well. What matters is not taking it right alongside a protein intake.

The manufacturer also recommends drinking at least two litres of water a day during the course. That is a standard instruction with sulphur compounds, and it costs nothing to follow.

Two to three months on, one month off: a bottle of 60 capsules covers two months, so one complete short cycle. This is not a product to take all year round without a break, and the manufacturer does not intend it that way.

It combines without redundancy with a vitamin C, a coenzyme Q10 or a standardised turmeric — three products from the same family of uses that do not act on the same pathways. Introduce them one at a time, a fortnight apart. A multivitamin complex can sit alongside it too, provided you check that it does not already supply cysteine.

Who is NAC600 right for, and who is it not right for?

It is aimed at a healthy adult, athletic or not, who wants a single active properly dosed rather than a twelve-line complex. That is the main appeal of this format: one ingredient, one dose, one capsule, no ambiguity.

It is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans: the shell is gelatine. That is the most frequent limitation across this range, and for some customers it decides the purchase.

The product is for adults only and must be kept out of reach of children. The manufacturer asks you to consult a healthcare professional before use if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or on medical treatment. That last situation deserves to be taken seriously: N-acetylcysteine is a molecule also used in a medical setting, and adding it to ongoing treatment is not a decision to take on your own.

It logically fits into a routine where the diet is already solid: no single active makes up for a shaky plate, and our protein section answers a far more fundamental need. A note on tolerance: at 600 mg and on an empty stomach, mild digestive discomfort is possible in the first few days for some people. It usually settles; if it persists, the two-hours-after-a-meal rule is a comfortable alternative.

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

What not to expect from it: this is not a treatment, it is not a stimulant, and you will feel nothing when you take it — which is entirely normal for this type of molecule. Nor is it a performance or a weight-loss product. Any question relating to the airways, the liver or ongoing treatment is one for your doctor or your pharmacist, never for a capsule bought on its own.

NAC or glutathione as a supplement?

The question comes up constantly, and it has a clear answer that often comes as a surprise.

Glutathione sold directly as a supplement has a known problem: it is a tripeptide, and a swallowed tripeptide is largely cut apart by digestion before it reaches the circulation. It is a little like tipping an already-built brick into a wall: it will be knocked down at the door.

N-acetylcysteine takes the opposite route: it supplies the rate-limiting material the cell uses to make its own glutathione. That is what explains why it is widely preferred at doses which, for the same amount, cost less. That is the reasoning behind this product.

If what you need is instead a short-formula antioxidant from another family, three routes exist with us: vitamin C, the simplest and the best regulated; coenzyme Q10, which acts at mitochondrial level; and standardised turmeric. None is interchangeable with the others, and it is better to try one at a time than to stack three.

Frequently asked questions

Why take it on an empty stomach?

Because N-acetylcysteine uses the same intestinal transporters as the amino acids in a protein meal and ends up competing with them. Taken with a shake or a plate of meat, it is noticeably less well absorbed. First thing in the morning, or two hours after a meal, settles the matter.

How long does a bottle last?

Two months, at one capsule a day for 60 capsules. The manufacturer recommends cycles of two to three months followed by a one-month break: a bottle therefore covers one complete short cycle, which keeps the maths simple.

Are these capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No. The shell is gelatine, of animal origin. It is the most common limitation across this range and there is no plant-based version of this particular product.

Do you need to take breaks?

The manufacturer explicitly builds them in: one month off after two to three months of use. This is not a product for permanent use, and that alternation is part of the instructions rather than an optional precaution.

Do you feel anything?

No, and you should not expect to. It is a precursor that acts at cellular level, with no associated sensation. A product in this category that delivered a noticeable effect within the hour should arouse suspicion rather than satisfaction.

Can it be taken alongside medication?

Not without medical advice. The manufacturer explicitly asks for it, and the reason is a serious one: N-acetylcysteine is also a molecule used in a medical setting. If you are on treatment, the question is one for your doctor or your pharmacist before you buy.

Is there a taste or a smell?

The capsule masks most of it, which is welcome: N-acetylcysteine is a sulphur compound with a pronounced smell in powder form. That is in fact one of the arguments for the capsule format over powder versions of the same active.

Where can you buy IO Genix NAC600?

The 60-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues store, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we are happy to sell, on one condition: that the customer accepts they will feel nothing. It is a background active, and saying so upfront heads off a good deal of disappointment ten days later. The rest of the category can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix ALC1000?

IO Genix ALC1000 is a single-ingredient supplement: one vegetable capsule provides 1,000 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine, and nothing beyond the shell. The bottle holds 60 capsules, which is two months at one serving a day. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix section.

Carnitine is a molecule the body makes for itself from two amino acids, lysine and methionine, and which the diet supplies mainly through red meat. Its physiological role is well described: it carries long-chain fatty acids across the mitochondrial membrane, where they are oxidised. That is the mechanism, and it is not disputed.

Acetyl-L-carnitine is the acetylated form of that molecule. The difference is not cosmetic: adding the acetyl group changes the way it moves around the body, and this is the form that crosses the blood-brain barrier most readily. That is why it is usually the one chosen when the aim is something other than fat metabolism alone.

What does one ALC1000 capsule contain?

The manufacturer does not publish energy values for this product, and the question makes little sense for a capsule of this size.

1,000 mg per capsule is a generous dose and it is a single serving. That is what sets this product apart from most of its category: many carnitine supplements require three or four capsules a day to reach the gram, which multiplies the chances of forgetting. Here, one capsule in the morning and it is done.

The second notable point is the brevity of the formula: one active, one vegetable shell, nothing else. No bulking agent, no colouring, no declared anti-caking agent. In a category where you find fifteen-line lists, this is a label you can read in three seconds, and that is a genuine deciding factor.

We must, however, say what the law allows us to write, because it is essential with this family of products. No health claim is authorised in Europe for carnitine, in any form whatsoever. Not on fat burning, not on energy, not on performance, not on cognitive function. The mechanism of fatty acid transport is real and taught; the effect of oral supplementation in someone who is not deficient, however, has not convinced the European assessors. So we can describe the molecule and its dose; we cannot promise you anything.

One last point on wording: the manufacturer presents the product as “100% natural”. The acetyl-L-carnitine sold commercially is obtained by synthesis or by fermentation, and that phrasing strikes us as questionable. We are not repeating it. What is true and verifiable is that there is no additive in the capsule.

Ingredient list

Acetyl-L-carnitine 1,000 mg, vegetable capsule (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose). Gluten-free, lactose-free. Suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets, as synthetic carnitine is not of animal origin.

How do you take ALC1000?

Serving: 1 capsule. Liquid: a glass of water, 200 ml is enough. Timing: in the morning on an empty stomach, or before physical activity. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: the manufacturer describes cycles of two to three months, with the option of continuous use.

Avoid taking it in the evening. The manufacturer points this out and it is the most useful piece of advice on this page: acetyl-L-carnitine can interfere with falling asleep in some users. The morning is the default slot; before training works too, provided you are not training at 21:00.

Taking it on an empty stomach is recommended in order to limit competition with the amino acids from a meal, as carnitine uses comparable transporters. It is not an absolute requirement: if an empty stomach bothers you, taking it after a light breakfast is still better than giving up.

Consistency matters more than the exact timing. The manufacturer states that the first noticeable effects, if there are any, appear after two to four weeks of continuous use. A trial of a few days allows no conclusion, in either direction.

Drink normally through the day. And be aware that this product combines without difficulty with coenzyme Q10 or with omega 3, which act on neighbouring steps of energy metabolism — with none of the three duplicating another.

Who is ALC1000 for, and who is it not for?

It suits an adult who wants to try a single active, properly dosed, without going through a combined formula in which they will never know which ingredient is doing the work. It suits vegetarians and vegans particularly well: their diet supplies very little carnitine, red meat being the main source, and that is the profile for which an extra intake makes the most sense.

The manufacturer asks that you seek the advice of a healthcare professional in the event of pregnancy, breastfeeding or ongoing medical treatment, and rules the product out in the event of hypersensitivity to any of its components. It must be kept out of reach of children.

It is not for you if you are looking for a product with an immediate effect: there is nothing to feel when you take it, and that is normal. Nor is it for you if your goal is weight loss — we come to that in the next paragraph, and it is the subject on which this category tells the most stories.

What you should not expect from it: carnitine does not melt fat away. The fact that a molecule carries fatty acids to the mitochondria does not mean that adding more speeds anything up: in someone eating a normal diet, that transport is not the limiting factor. That is precisely why no claim has been validated. Fat loss comes from a calorie deficit, and nothing else. If you buy this product thinking it will replace a deficit, you will be disappointed, and we would rather say so beforehand.

Acetyl-L-carnitine or L-carnitine tartrate?

These are the two forms found on the shelves, and they are not interchangeable.

L-carnitine tartrate is the most common form in fat burner capsules and in training drinks. It is cheaper, it dissolves well, and it is the one most often used in protocols dealing with exercise and recovery. It is the better choice if your use is strictly sporting and if you take it around your sessions.

Acetyl-L-carnitine crosses the blood-brain barrier more readily thanks to its acetyl group. It is the form chosen when the interest lies somewhere other than muscle. It costs more per gram, and it is taken as a capsule rather than a powder. It is the better choice if you want a single active, additive-free, in one daily serving.

Neither of the two has an authorised claim in Europe: on that score, they are level. The choice therefore comes down to form, dose and use, not to a promise. If your goal is to structure a calorie deficit, the weight loss section brings together all the products in that family, and the caffeine-free formulas avoid adding a stimulant to an already busy day.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference from standard L-carnitine?

Acetyl-L-carnitine carries an additional acetyl group, which changes how it moves around the body and lets it cross the blood-brain barrier more readily. L-carnitine tartrate, more common and cheaper, is the one found in fat burners and training drinks. These are two different uses for the same family of molecules.

When should you take it?

In the morning on an empty stomach, or before physical activity. Avoid taking it in the evening: the manufacturer points out that it can affect sleep in some people. As with any active with a gradual effect, the hour matters less than the consistency.

How long does a bottle last?

Two months, at one capsule a day for 60 capsules. That matches exactly the cycles of two to three months described by the manufacturer. One bottle therefore covers a full course, with nothing left over and nothing missing.

Does it make you lose weight?

No, and no claim of that kind is authorised in Europe. Carnitine carries fatty acids to the mitochondria, but that transport is not the limiting factor in someone who is properly fed. Fat loss results from a calorie deficit. This product is no substitute for it.

Is this product suitable for vegetarians?

Yes, and it is in fact the profile for which it holds the most interest. The shell is made from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, of plant origin, and the carnitine sold commercially is not of animal origin. And a vegetarian diet supplies very little carnitine, red meat being the main dietary source.

Can it be taken continuously?

The manufacturer indicates that it can, while also describing cycles of two to three months. In practice, one bottle corresponds to one cycle, and taking a break between two lets you check whether stopping changes anything — which remains the only honest way to assess a product with no authorised claim.

Are there any additives in the capsule?

None in the published information: one active and one vegetable shell, that is the whole list. The product is also declared gluten-free and lactose-free. In a category where the excipients often take up more room than the active, that is a concrete argument.

Where can you buy IO Genix ALC1000?

The bottle of 60 capsules can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we sell mainly to vegetarian customers, and rarely to those who come in looking for a fat burner: it is not one, and saying so avoids a disappointment. The rest of the category can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.