Sports Nutrition Guide

What is Now Foods' Boron 3 mg?

Now Foods Boron 3 mg is a boron food supplement in vegetable capsules, dosed at 3 mg per serving and sold in a bottle of 100 capsules. The boron is supplied as Bororganic Glycine from Albion™, in other words chelated to glycine — the same family of forms as the magnesium or zinc bisglycinates.

The formula is short, and that is its main merit: chelated boron, rice flour as an excipient, a hypromellose capsule, stearic acid of plant origin and a little non-GMO maltodextrin. No flavouring, no colouring, no preservative. The manufacturer states production in Canada and a vegan, gluten-free composition.

Boron is a trace element found in fruit, vegetables and nuts. It is not a common nutrient in the sports aisle, and there is one thing to know from the outset that shapes this entire page: boron has neither a nutrient reference value nor an authorised health claim in Europe. We will therefore attribute none to it. The American manufacturer's full range can be found in the Now Foods aisle.

What does one capsule contain?

One line in this table deserves an explanation, because it often causes confusion: the 3 mg refer to elemental boron, and not to the weight of the salt. The manufacturer does in fact state the equivalent, 30 mg of sodium borate. That is the first reflex to have with any chelated form — compare elements, never salts.

On the amount itself: 3 mg a day is a cautious dose. By way of a benchmark, EFSA sets 10 mg a day as the tolerable upper safety limit for adults, from all sources combined. You are therefore at less than a third of that ceiling, which leaves room for the boron supplied by food. It is a formulation choice we find sensible: many products on the market go up to 6 or 10 mg with no justification.

And now the point you will read almost nowhere else. No health claim is authorised in Europe for boron, and no nutrient reference value has been established. In practice, that means we have no right — and no basis — to assert anything at all about bones, joints, hormones or testosterone. You will find those assertions all over the internet; they rest on no opinion from any European health authority. What we can describe is factual: a trace element, a chelated form, a dose, a format.

How should Boron 3 mg be taken?

Dose: 1 capsule a day. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: with a meal, breakfast or lunch. Frequency: 1 serving a day, not to be exceeded. Duration: the manufacturer advises continuous use of at least 3 months, with a one-week break every six months if you wish.

Take the capsule with a meal rather than on an empty stomach: it is a matter of digestive comfort, as some people tolerate trace elements poorly on an empty stomach. A glass of water is enough, and the capsule goes down without difficulty.

The bottle of 100 capsules covers more than three months at one serving a day — it is a format that lasts, and the arithmetic is easy to do. Do not exceed one capsule a day: that is the recommended daily dose given on the label, and there is nothing to suggest that going beyond it is of any use.

Do not count on feeling anything. A trace element at 3 mg produces no sensation, and that is normal. If you are after an effect you can feel session after session, this bottle is not where you will find it — look instead towards the pre-workouts, which operate in a completely different register.

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

It is aimed at adults. As the capsule is made of hypromellose, a plant cellulose, and the composition contains no ingredient of animal origin, it is suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets. The manufacturer also declares it gluten-free and GMO-free.

The manufacturer advises against it for under-18s and asks pregnant and breastfeeding women to consult a healthcare professional before use. Two warnings deserve careful reading. First, in the case of kidney disorders: boron is eliminated by the kidney, and it can accumulate when the kidney is not working properly — medical supervision is then necessary. Second, in the case of hormonal or anticoagulant treatment, the manufacturer recommends prior medical advice. It also advises against taking sulphur or selenium supplements at high doses at the same time.

The product contains no major allergen, but it is manufactured in a facility that also handles WHEAT, MILK, EGGS, SOYA, FISH, CRUSTACEANS, NUTS and SESAME, with possible traces.

What not to expect from it, and we should be direct: it is not a testosterone booster. You will read that promise more or less everywhere about boron; it rests on no claim authorised in Europe, and we will not repeat it. Nor is it a joint product, nor a performance product, nor a substitute for a diet rich in fruit and vegetables — which remains the primary source of boron.

Boron or zinc?

This is the comparison that makes the most sense, because these two minerals are bought for the same reason by a good share of customers, and because the answer is clear-cut.

Zinc is the better choice, and by a long way, if your motivation is hormonal. The reason is simple and verifiable: zinc has an authorised health claim in Europe — it contributes to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood — where boron has none. It is not a matter of taste or brand, it is a difference in regulatory status, based on EFSA's examination of the scientific data. For an equivalent budget, a well-dosed zinc answers that expectation better. Zinc also benefits from other solid claims, on immunity and protein synthesis.

Boron keeps two situations for itself, and they are honest ones. The first: you already cover your zinc — through a multivitamin or a ZMA — and you certainly do not want to add more, the safety limit being quickly reached. Boron competes with nothing and stacks with no risk of exceeding a limit. The second: your diet is very low in fruit, vegetables and nuts, which are its main sources. In those two cases, 3 mg a day in a short, clean formula is defensible. Outside them, start with zinc and vitamin D.

Frequently asked questions

Does boron increase testosterone?

No health claim is authorised in Europe for boron, on this point as on any other, and we will therefore make none. It is the most widespread assertion about it on the internet, and that is precisely why we prefer to be explicit. If that is your objective, zinc is the only mineral in the aisle to carry an authorised claim on testosterone.

Is 3 mg a day a lot?

No, it is a cautious dose. EFSA sets 10 mg a day as the tolerable upper safety limit in adults, from all sources combined. At 3 mg, there is still room for the boron supplied by your diet. Do not exceed the daily capsule: there is nothing to suggest that taking more is of any use.

Why is there no % NRV on the label?

Because no nutrient reference value has been established for boron at European level. Without an NRV, no percentage can be calculated, and the label therefore carries a statement of absence rather than a figure. It is not an oversight by the manufacturer, it is the rule.

How long does the bottle of 100 capsules last?

A little over three months at one capsule a day. That corresponds exactly to the period of continuous use advised by the manufacturer. Keep it tightly closed, cool, dry and away from light.

Can it be combined with other minerals?

Yes with most of them: boron does not compete for absorption with zinc, magnesium or calcium, unlike those minerals do among themselves. The manufacturer does, however, recommend avoiding sulphur or selenium supplements at high doses at the same time.

Are the capsules suitable for vegans?

Yes. The shell is made of hypromellose, a plant cellulose, and the stearic acid used is of plant origin. No ingredient of animal origin goes into the composition. What remains are the possible traces linked to the production facility, to be considered if your requirement also covers cross-contamination.

Is medical advice needed before taking it?

In three cases, yes, and the manufacturer says so: in the case of a kidney disorder, of hormonal treatment, or of anticoagulant treatment. As boron is eliminated by the kidney, impaired kidney function can lead to its accumulation. Outside those situations, and in adults, one daily capsule with a meal raises no particular question.

Where can you buy Now Foods Boron 3 mg?

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

Boron is one of the few products for which we often begin with an awkward question at the counter of our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier: who told you about it, and what for? Nine times out of ten the answer points back to a hormonal promise with no regulatory basis whatsoever, and nine times out of ten we steer people towards something else. It sells less, it helps more. The full aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

What is 5150 Legendary by 5% Nutrition?

5% Nutrition Rich Piana 5150 Legendary is a powdered pre-workout, created by the brand founded by American bodybuilder Rich Piana. The tub holds 30 servings of 12.5 g. The name refers to the California police code 5150; the brand makes no secret of its intentions, and the formula lives up to them.

What sets this product apart from most others is its multi-source caffeine complex: caffeine anhydrous, dicaffeine malate, green tea extract, yerba mate extract, guarana extract standardised to 22 %, green coffee extract and gotu kola extract. The total exceeds 400 mg per serving. Alongside that, the formula delivers citrulline, beta-alanine, taurine, N-acetyl-L-tyrosine, choline, Cocoabuterol® (a patented cocoa extract), huperzine A and two B vitamins.

The flavours available: Green Apple, Blue Ice, Tropical, Wildberry, Raspberry Mojito and Citrus Mango. The product joins our boosters range, in the most heavily dosed category of all.

What is in a 12.5 g serving?

Unlike many competitors, almost everything here is quantified, and that is the first point in the product's favour. Only the split between the seven caffeine sources stays inside a proprietary blend: you know the total exceeds 400 mg, not how it breaks down. The "of which sugars" line is not declared either.

The 400 mg of caffeine deserve to be faced squarely. EFSA considers that 400 mg spread across the whole day raises no safety concern in healthy adults, and sets 200 mg as the reference for a single intake. One serving of 5150 therefore takes you to your daily ceiling in one go. This is a product for users already accustomed to stimulants, and the manufacturer says so itself.

On everything else, the dosing is serious: 4 g of citrulline and 2.5 g of beta-alanine sit within the ranges genuinely used, where many formulas make do with a pinch just to be able to print it on the label. The 1,000 µg of vitamin B12 represent 40,000 % of the NRV: enormous on paper, with no known risk for this water-soluble vitamin, but with no demonstrated benefit at that level either. The authorised wordings that apply are these: niacin and vitamin B12 contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to normal energy-yielding metabolism. For citrulline, beta-alanine, taurine, tyrosine, choline, Cocoabuterol® and huperzine A, no claim is authorised in Europe.

How should 5150 Legendary be dosed?

Serving: 1 scoop of 12.5 g, never more than one a day. Liquid: 200 to 300 ml of cold water. Timing: 20 to 30 minutes before the session, ideally on an empty stomach or at least two hours after the last meal. Frequency: the manufacturer recommends keeping it to 2 or 3 sessions a week, no more. Duration: a 6 to 8 week period, followed by a compulsory 2 to 3 week break.

If you are not used to stimulants, start with half a scoop for the first three sessions. This is not a formality: at 400 mg of caffeine, misjudging your tolerance means shaking, a racing heart rate and a wasted session.

Three further instructions. Do not take it within 6 hours of going to bed. No other source of caffeine or stimulants on the same day — coffee, tea, energy drinks, thermogenic fat burners. And increase your water intake by at least 500 ml on the days you use it: the formula increases sweating.

Save it for the sessions that warrant it — legs, back, training that runs beyond 75 minutes. Used five times a week, it loses its edge within three weeks and you will have no headroom left to go up.

Who is this pre-workout for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at trained adults who already have a high tolerance to stimulants, for heavy morning or midday sessions. As a first experience of the category, avoid it without hesitation: start at 150 or 200 mg of caffeine.

The restrictions are explicit. Strictly not recommended for under-18s, pregnant or breastfeeding women. Medical advice is mandatory in cases of cardiovascular disorders, high blood pressure, diabetes or anxiety disorders. The possible effects listed by the manufacturer are the tingling associated with beta-alanine, an increased heart rate, sweating and restlessness; stop using it if the discomfort persists. The product is made in a facility that also handles MILK, EGGS, SOYA, NUTS and FISH, and may contain traces of them. Shelf life 24 months in the original packaging.

What you should not expect from it: strength or muscle. A pre-workout acts on alertness, focus and perceived effort. It makes up neither for insufficient sleep nor for food intake that is too low — and at this level of caffeine, using it to mask chronic fatigue is precisely the wrong idea.

5150 Legendary or a caffeine-free booster?

The choice does not come down to the quality of the formulas but to your tolerance and to the time of day you train.

A caffeine-free booster is the better choice in three clear cases. You train after 18:00: 400 mg of caffeine at that hour costs you a night's sleep, and sleep weighs more heavily on progress than any pre-workout. You train four to six times a week: 5150 is designed for 2 to 3 weekly sessions, so you will need a solution for the other days anyway. Or you have anxiety, high blood pressure, palpitations — in which case the question does not even arise.

5150 keeps the advantage on the sessions where you want everything: it combines serious doses of citrulline at 4 g and beta-alanine at 2.5 g with a stimulant load few products reach. Non-stimulant formulas often supply just as much citrulline, sometimes more, but nothing on the nervous side. Plenty of users end up with both tubs in the cupboard, alternating according to the session. If you would rather build your own, taurine and B vitamins are also available separately.

Frequently asked questions

How many servings are in a tub?

Thirty servings of 12.5 g. At the recommended use of 2 or 3 sessions a week, one tub covers roughly ten to fifteen weeks — breaks included, since the manufacturer requires 2 to 3 weeks off every 6 to 8 weeks.

Why seven different caffeine sources?

The sources do not all behave in the same way: caffeine anhydrous is absorbed quickly, dicaffeine malate and the plant extracts more slowly. The idea is to spread the effect across the length of the session rather than produce a single peak. The exact split between the seven is not published by the brand.

Is 400 mg of caffeine dangerous?

In a healthy adult who is used to it, EFSA puts at 400 mg the daily intake that raises no safety concern — but spread across the day, not in a single intake. Here it all arrives at once, which explains the manufacturer's warning and the recommendation to start with half a serving. Anyone affected by the contraindications listed above should abstain.

Should it be taken on an empty stomach?

The manufacturer recommends it, or at least two hours after the last meal. In practice, on an empty stomach the effect arrives faster and harder — which is not always what you want the first time. If you are sensitive, take it on a stomach that is not empty for your first session.

What are Cocoabuterol® and huperzine A?

Cocoabuterol® is a patented extract of cocoa (Theobroma cacao), present at 50 mg. Huperzine A is an alkaloid extracted from Huperzia serrata, dosed at 300 µg. No health claim is authorised in Europe for either of them: we mention them because they appear on the label with a precise dose, which is already better than the average for the category.

Can it be combined with a fat burner?

No. The manufacturer explicitly asks that it not be combined with other sources of caffeine or stimulants, and a thermogenic fat burner typically supplies a further 200 to 400 mg. Stacking them would take you well beyond any safety reference.

Is the 40,000 % NRV of vitamin B12 a problem?

Vitamin B12 is water-soluble and no upper safe limit has been established for it: the excess is excreted. The figure impresses more than it worries. You simply should not read a proportional benefit into it — 1,000 µg do not deliver 400 times more than a normal dose.

Where can you buy 5150 Legendary by 5% Nutrition?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. This is a product we do not put in just anyone's hands: the question of stimulant tolerance comes before the question of flavour.

In our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we often advise starting with half a serving and keeping this tub for two heavy sessions a week — that is the use it was built for. The brand's full range can be found in the 5% Nutrition collection.

What is IO Genix Luxury GH Night Recovery?

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

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

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

What does a serving of Luxury GH Night Recovery contain?

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

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

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

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

Ingredients list

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

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

How do you take Luxury GH Night Recovery?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Complete complex or melatonin on its own?

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

How much melatonin is there per serving?

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

Can you drive after taking it?

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

Does this product increase growth hormone?

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

Why five capsules?

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

Are these capsules suitable for vegans?

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

What does ANSES say about melatonin?

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

Can it be combined with another evening supplement?

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

Where can you buy IO Genix Luxury GH Night Recovery?

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

What is IO Genix Beta Alanine Professional?

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

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

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

What does a serving of Beta Alanine Professional contain?

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

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

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

Ingredients list

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

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

How do you take Beta Alanine Professional?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

Why does beta-alanine make your skin tingle?

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

Do you need to take it on rest days?

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

How long before you notice anything?

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

How many servings in a tub?

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

Can it be mixed with a pre-workout?

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

Is the taste unpleasant?

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

Is this product a doping agent?

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

Where can you buy IO Genix Beta Alanine Professional?

The 100-serving tub can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is a product we rarely sell on its own: it almost always turns up as a second supplement, after creatine, bought by someone who has been training long enough to know where their sets give out. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix PreWork NOSTIM?

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

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

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

What does a 16 g serving contain?

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

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

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

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

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

Ingredients list

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

How do you take PreWork NOSTIM?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PreWork NOSTIM or a caffeinated pre-workout?

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

Why do I get tingling after taking it?

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

Can you take it in the evening?

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

Should you take extra creatine?

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

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

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

How long before training should you take it?

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

Do you need to take breaks from it?

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

Does the product contain sugar?

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

Where can you buy IO Genix PreWork NOSTIM?

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

What is IO Genix Creatine Tablets?

It is creatine monohydrate in tablet form, dosed at 1,000 mg per unit, giving 3 g for the daily serving of three tablets. The manufacturer states a tub of 150 tablets, which covers 50 days at that dosage.

The composition runs to three lines: creatine monohydrate, plant-based coating agents made from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and an anti-caking agent consisting of magnesium salts of vegetable fatty acids. No sweetener, no colouring, no preservative. As the coating is of plant origin, the product is suitable for vegetarians and vegans — which is not a given in this category.

The whole difference from a powder comes down to the format, and that is the only subject of this page: same molecule, same daily dose, no shaker to wash. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix section.

What does a three-tablet serving contain?

* Column calculated from the values declared for three tablets. ** No NRV is established for creatine. Other components: plant-based coating agents (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose), anti-caking agent (magnesium salts of vegetable fatty acids).

The figure to remember is the 3 g of creatine a day, and there is nothing arbitrary about it. It is exactly the amount on which the health claims authorised in Europe for creatine are conditional — one of the few sports nutrition molecules to have any, and the only one in this section. This product hits the dose precisely, no more, no less.

The two authorised wordings are the following, and we reproduce them word for word: creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise — the claim applies only to a daily intake of 3 g, and to adults performing high-intensity exercise. Second wording: daily creatine consumption can enhance the effect of resistance training on muscle strength in adults over the age of 55 years, under the same condition of 3 g a day and combined with resistance training.

That is what makes this product different from very nearly everything else sold in a sports nutrition shop: there is a validated claim, a conditional dose, and the product meets it. On every other product page, we spend our time explaining that no claim exists. Here, one does.

One reservation about the leaflet, however. The manufacturer mentions a 5-day “priming phase” at 4 tablets a day. Let us be clear: 4 g a day is not a loading phase. The loading protocols described in the literature rely on far higher doses over five to seven days. Four grams is only one gram more than the maintenance dose, and it does not meaningfully change how fast you saturate. Stay at 3 g a day: that is the dose that carries the claim, and saturation is reached in three to four weeks in any case.

How should you take the creatine tablets?

Dose: 3 tablets, i.e. 3 g. Liquid: a glass of water per serving. Timing: with meals, or spread across the day. Frequency: one serving a day, every day. Duration: continuous use, with the manufacturer suggesting 8 to 12 weeks followed by a 2 to 4 week break if you wish.

The most important point comes down to two words: every day, rest days included. Creatine works by gradually saturating the muscle, not through an immediate effect. Skipping the days you do not train amounts to never reaching the plateau, and it is the most common mistake made with this molecule.

The timing of the serving, on the other hand, does not matter. The manufacturer suggests spreading the tablets out — one at breakfast, one before the session, one after — but you can just as well swallow them together. What counts is the daily total maintained over weeks. Pick the pattern you will not forget.

Two practical remarks. The manufacturer advises keeping fluid intake high, 2.5 to 3 litres a day: creatine increases intracellular water retention, and drinking enough is not optional. And it is a reminder not to exceed 3 g a day, which is consistent with the reference dose.

The tub of 150 tablets covers 50 days at three tablets a day. For continuous use, then, expect one and a half to two tubs a quarter.

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

It suits those who travel, move around for work or train outdoors — a tub of tablets slips into a bag, a powder does not. It also suits those who cannot stand the gritty texture of powdered creatine in a glass of water, which is a more common reason for giving up than people think. And it suits vegetarians and vegans, the coating being of plant origin.

The product is not recommended for children under 12. Pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as people on medical treatment should seek the advice of a healthcare professional before use. Traces of GLUTEN, MILK, EGGS, SOY and FISH are possible, as the product is made in a facility that uses those allergens.

It is not for you if the price per gram is your main criterion. That is the honest limitation of this format: three tablets to swallow every day cost distinctly more than 3 g of powder measured out with a scoop. You are paying for the tabletting, and it is worth knowing before you buy.

What not to expect from it: nothing immediate. Creatine is not something you feel on the first day or in the first week — it needs three to four weeks of daily use to saturate the muscle. Nor is it a weight-loss product: intracellular water retention often adds one to two kilos on the scales at the start, which is normal and has nothing to do with fat. And it replaces neither the training nor the protein in your day.

Creatine tablets or powder?

That is the only trade-off that matters here, and it is not a technical one: it is the same molecule on both sides.

Powdered creatine monohydrate is by far the cheaper per gram. Over a year of daily use, the gap with a tablet format runs into tens of euros. It also lets you adjust the dose to a tenth of a gram, and tip it into a protein shaker without a second thought. It is the rational choice if you train at home or in a gym with a settled routine — and our Creapure section brings together the powders whose raw material is identified.

The tablet format wins on one front only, but it is a real one: adherence. With a molecule whose entire effect rests on an unbroken daily serving, the best product is the one you will actually take every day, including when travelling, on holiday, or on a Sunday morning with no shaker to hand. A tub in a bag beats a powder left at home.

A final word on the other forms in the section. Creatine HCL and Kre-Alkalyn are sold at a higher price on the grounds of better solubility or stability. Fundamentally, monohydrate remains the reference form, and it is the one the claims authorised at 3 g a day apply to. Paying more for another form is only worth it if you tolerate monohydrate badly.

Frequently asked questions

Why exactly 3 g a day?

Because that is the dose on which the health claims authorised in Europe for creatine are conditional. Below it, the claim no longer applies; above it, nothing indicates any further benefit. Three 1,000 mg tablets therefore land exactly on the right value, and the manufacturer asks you not to exceed it.

Do you need a loading phase?

No, and certainly not the one described in the leaflet. The manufacturer mentions 4 tablets a day for 5 days: four grams is not a loading phase in the sense of the published protocols, which rely on far higher doses. Stay at 3 g a day; muscle saturation is reached in three to four weeks in any case.

Should you take it on rest days?

Yes, absolutely. That is in fact the most important point. Creatine works by gradual saturation, not through an immediate effect around the session. Skipping the days you do not train stops you reaching and holding the plateau, and it is the most widespread mistake with this molecule.

How long before you feel anything?

Three to four weeks of daily use at 3 g. There is nothing to feel in the first few days, and that is normal — unlike a stimulant, creatine produces no acute effect. What you should notice afterwards is one or two extra reps on your heavy sets.

Does creatine make you put on weight?

One to two kilos on the scales in the first weeks, yes, and that is water held inside the muscle cells, not fat. It is a known and expected mechanism. If that figure bothers you, be aware that it corresponds to no gain in body fat whatsoever.

Are the tablets suitable for vegans?

Yes. The coating agents are based on hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, of plant origin, and the anti-caking agent consists of magnesium salts of vegetable fatty acids. No animal gelatine goes into the composition. Traces of allergens remain possible because of the manufacturing facility.

How many tablets in a tub?

One hundred and fifty, according to the manufacturer, i.e. 50 days at three tablets a day. For continuous use, expect two tubs a quarter. That is the parameter to build into your budget before comparing with a powder, whose price per gram is structurally lower.

Where can you buy IO Genix Creatine Tablets?

The tub can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. This is the creatine for people on the move: three tablets in a pocket, and the course carries on even in the week you are away from home.

At the counter in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we always ask the same question before recommending this format over a powder: where do you take your creatine at the weekend? When the answer is “nowhere, I forget”, the tablets are well worth the extra cost. The rest of the section can be compared in our sports nutrition range.

What is Raw Nutrition Pre Extreme?

Raw Nutrition Pre Extreme is a pre-workout powder whose serving weighs 12 g and delivers 400 mg of caffeine. Raw Nutrition is an American brand whose formulas are developed with bodybuilder Chris Bumstead; this one is squarely positioned on the stimulation side rather than the pump side.

Six active ingredients make up the formula, all quantified to the milligram: 3.5 g of CarnoSyn® beta-alanine, 2.5 g of citrulline malate, 1.5 g of L-tyrosine, 1.5 g of agmatine sulphate, 1 g of anhydrous betaine and 500 mg of NitroRocket®, a patented rocket extract (Eruca sativa). No proprietary blend.

The flavours on offer: Fruit Burst, Tropical Paradise and Kiwi Blueberry. The formulation is declared GMO-free, aspartame-free and free from artificial colourings. The product joins our pre-workouts and Raw Nutrition sections.

What does a 12 g serving contain?

Everything is quantified, with the exception of the “of which sugars” line. The manufacturer does not publish the net weight of the tub: we cannot state the number of servings, so divide the weight on the packaging by 12 g.

The 400 mg of caffeine in a 12 g scoop represents a rare density: as much as formulas two to three times bulkier. EFSA takes 400 mg as the total daily intake that does not raise safety concerns for a healthy adult, and 200 mg for a single dose. So in one single scoop you are at your ceiling for the day — morning coffee not included.

Two honest remarks about the rest of the formula. The 2.5 g of citrulline malate is a modest dose: this product is not built around the pump, and if that is what you are after, look elsewhere. And the 1 g of betaine stays below the threshold of 1.5 g per day above which European regulation permits the claim on homocysteine metabolism — so we cannot invoke it here. On the other hand, the 3.5 g of CarnoSyn® beta-alanine, a patented raw material, is a serious dose. For citrulline, agmatine, tyrosine and rocket extract, no claim exists in Europe.

How should you dose Pre Extreme?

Serving: 1 scoop of 12 g, without exceeding one per day. Liquid: 250 to 300 ml of cold water. Timing: 30 to 45 minutes before training. Frequency: occasional use, depending on how intense the sessions are. Duration: breaks of 1 to 2 weeks every 8 weeks.

Start with half a scoop if you are not used to heavily dosed formulas. At 400 mg of caffeine in 12 g of powder, misjudging it is costly: shakes, racing heart, session ruined.

The timing instruction is stricter here than on most products: nothing after 14:00 according to the manufacturer, and no consumption within the 6 hours before bedtime. At 400 mg, that is not an excessive precaution. Avoid any other source of caffeine on the same day.

The manufacturer suggests a light carbohydrate-rich snack 60 to 90 minutes before taking it, and increased hydration during the session. Expect tingling from the 3.5 g of beta-alanine: face and extremities, 15 to 30 minutes, harmless.

Who is this pre-workout for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at experienced adults who are well used to stimulants, for weight training, CrossFit or combat sports sessions scheduled in the morning or early afternoon. It is a high-intensity product, to be kept for the sessions that warrant it.

The restrictions are explicit. High caffeine content: not recommended for children or for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Not advised for people sensitive to stimulants, or with cardiovascular disorders, high blood pressure or anxiety disorders. Consult a healthcare professional before use if you are on any medication. Do not exceed one scoop per day. The product may contain traces of MILK, SOYA and GLUTEN. Keeps for 24 months in the closed original packaging.

What you should not expect from it. First, a marked pump: with 2.5 g of citrulline malate, that is not what the formula is aiming at, and it would be dishonest to let you think otherwise. Then strength or muscle: a pre-workout acts on alertness and on perceived effort. And finally, catching up on sleep — at 400 mg of caffeine, using this product to make up for short nights is the surest way to string together more bad ones.

Pre Extreme or a pump-focused pre-workout?

Both carry the same shelf label but do not do the same job, and the choice comes down to what you are really looking to feel.

A pump-focused pre-workout — the formulas with 6, 8 or 12 g of citrulline — is the better choice in three cases. You train in long sets and you are after that swollen-muscle sensation. You are sensitive to caffeine and you want the vascular effect without the nervous side. Or you train in the evening, in which case a product from our caffeine-free pre-workout section is the only sensible option. On citrulline dosing, Pre Extreme is clearly outmatched, and we will not claim otherwise.

Pre Extreme wins on pure stimulation and on compactness: 400 mg of caffeine and 3.5 g of beta-alanine in 12 g of powder is a density few formulas reach — many need 30 g to do as much. It also wins on transparency, with six quantified actives and a patented raw material for the beta-alanine. Keep it for two or three sessions a week, and take something else the rest of the time.

Frequently asked questions

400 mg of caffeine, is that too much?

It is the daily ceiling set by EFSA for a healthy adult — reached here in a single serving. For someone accustomed to it and with no contraindication, it is usable occasionally. For everyone else, start with half a scoop, and do not combine it with any other source of caffeine that day.

How many servings in a tub?

The net weight does not appear in the data supplied by the manufacturer, so we cannot calculate it. Divide the weight shown on the packaging by 12 g to obtain the number of servings.

Why so little citrulline?

Because the formula is not built around the pump. Raw Nutrition designed this product around stimulation and endurance under effort, and allocates its active-ingredient budget accordingly: 400 mg of caffeine and 3.5 g of beta-alanine rather than 8 g of citrulline. It is a coherent choice, provided you know what you are buying.

What is NitroRocket®?

A patented rocket extract (Eruca sativa), present at 500 mg. Rocket is naturally rich in nitrates. No health claim is authorised in Europe for this extract: we mention it because it appears on the label with a precise dose.

Can you take it late in the day?

No. The manufacturer asks you to avoid taking it after 14:00 and within the 6 hours before bedtime. That instruction is to be followed to the letter: 400 mg of caffeine at 18:00 means a sleepless night for a lot of people.

Is the tingling normal?

Yes, it comes from the 3.5 g of CarnoSyn® beta-alanine. It appears within a quarter of an hour, affects the face and the extremities, lasts 15 to 30 minutes and has no known consequences. It fades with regular use.

Does the betaine bring anything at this dose?

The gram present here stays below the threshold of 1.5 g per day required for the European claim on homocysteine metabolism. So we cannot attribute anything to it under the regulations. It is a point we would rather flag than pass over in silence.

Where can you buy Raw Nutrition Pre Extreme?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is a product we sell while always asking two questions: how used to stimulants you are, and what time you train.

Our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, keeps the range in stock, and it is the place where we will explain to you why 12 g of powder can contain as much caffeine as 30 g of another formula. The rest of the range can be compared from sports nutrition.

What is Nutriting nuCrea+ Creapure®?

Nutriting nuCrea+ is a creatine monohydrate available as a 500 g powder or a tub of 150 capsules. The raw material is Creapure®, made by the German company AlzChem and assayed at over 99.95 % creatine monohydrate.

The formula fits on one line: Creapure® creatine monohydrate, and nothing else. No sweetener, no colouring, no bulking agent, no flavouring. On a product you swallow at 3 g a day for months on end, that is exactly what you want — and it is rarer than you might think.

Nutriting is a French brand founded in 2012, known for publishing its formulas in full detail. The product is vegan, halal and kosher. You will find it in our Creapure range.

What does a 3 g serving contain?

One figure is missing for the capsule format: the dose per capsule is not disclosed in the information available to us, which makes it impossible to say how many capsules make up a 3 g serving. Please refer to the label on the tub. With the powder, on the other hand, everything is clear: 500 g divided by 3 g gives roughly 166 servings, that is more than five months at one serving a day.

The 3 g matches exactly the threshold set by European regulation for the authorised claim: creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise. It is one of the very few sports nutrition actives with an approved wording attached to it, along with a precise dose to meet — and this product meets it to the gram.

A word about Creapure®. The name refers to the origin of the raw material, not to a different chemical form: it is creatine monohydrate, like any other, produced in Germany with a stated assay above 99.95 %. What you are paying for with that label is traceability and a purity specification, not a superior molecule. Let us be blunt: a decent creatine monohydrate does the same job. What Creapure® adds is the certainty of knowing where it comes from.

How do you take nuCrea+?

Dose: 3 g a day, that is 2 scoops with the powder format. Liquid: any liquid at all — micronised creatine disperses easily. Timing: spread across meals, or after training. Frequency: one serving daily, every day, rest days included. Duration: continuously, with no time limit.

The essential point fits in one sentence: creatine is taken every day, not only on training days. It is consistency that fills the muscle stores with phosphocreatine, and the manufacturer says as much: allow at least 4 weeks of daily intake before reaching adequate saturation. Taking it three times a week gets you nowhere.

Do not look for an effect on day one, and do not be surprised to feel nothing in the first week: that is normal, that is simply how the product works. The manufacturer also suggests, to improve dissolution, mixing the powder with a spoonful of runny honey before adding warm water. If you do, drink it straight away: creatine gradually degrades in solution.

The product mixes without difficulty into a protein or a post-workout shake. Store it dry, at room temperature, tightly closed. Shelf life: 36 months in the unopened original packaging.

Who is nuCrea+ for, and who is it not for?

It suits anyone taking part in an activity that involves intense, repeated efforts: weight training, sprinting, team sports, combat sports. It is probably the supplement with the best value-for-money ratio of everything we sell, and there is no reason to be coy about it.

The precautions are short. Pregnant and breastfeeding women: consult a healthcare professional before use. Anyone on medical treatment: ask your doctor for advice. Keep out of reach of young children. Do not exceed 3 g a day. The formula is gluten-free, free from major allergens, GMO-free, nanoparticle-free and non-irradiated: it is naturally free from MILK, EGGS, SOYA, FISH and NUTS.

What you should not expect from it. This is not an instant-energy product: nothing happens in the hour after you take it, and it is no substitute for a pre-workout. Nor is it a weight-loss product — creatine slightly increases intramuscular water retention, which can push the number on the scales up by one to two kilos in the first few weeks. That is water in the muscle, not fat, but it is worth knowing before you panic. Finally, it makes up neither for insufficient training nor for a protein intake that is too low.

nuCrea+ or a standard creatine monohydrate?

The question deserves a straight answer, because the price gap between a branded creatine and a generic one is real.

A standard creatine monohydrate remains a perfectly defensible choice. It is the same molecule, with the same authorised claim at 3 g a day, and often a markedly lower price per kilo. If your budget is tight or you get through a lot of supplements, that is where you should look first: a generic creatine taken every day beats a premium creatine bought once.

nuCrea+ brings two things. Traceability first: Creapure® is produced at a single site in Germany, with a stated assay above 99.95 %, which limits the presence of synthesis by-products. Then the cleanliness of the list: a single ingredient, no additives, no bulking agents. On a product swallowed daily for years, those two points have real value. The other forms available — creatine HCL, Kre-Alkalyn — cost more without any demonstrated benefit over monohydrate: we sell them because people ask for them, not because they perform better.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the 500 g tub last?

Around 166 servings of 3 g, that is more than five months at one serving a day. It is one of the few supplements where the cost per day is counted in pennies. With the 150-capsule format, since the dose per capsule is not disclosed, refer to the label to work out how long it will last.

Do you need a loading phase?

The manufacturer does not mention one and simply recommends 3 g a day for at least four weeks. A loading phase speeds up saturation by a few days, without changing the result after a month. At 3 g daily you will get to the same place, with less digestive discomfort.

Do you need to take breaks?

No. The manufacturer indicates continuous use with no time limit. Stopping brings muscle stores back down within a few weeks: there is nothing to gain from cycling, and it is a stubborn myth.

What sets Creapure® apart?

An origin and a specification, not a different molecule. Creapure® is manufactured by AlzChem in Germany and assayed at over 99.95 %. Chemically it is creatine monohydrate, just like any other creatine monohydrate.

Powder or capsules?

The powder works out cheaper and lets you dose to the gram. Capsules do away with dissolving and travel easily, which matters if you take your serving at work or on the move. Since the dose per capsule is not published in our data, check the tub to see how many you need to reach 3 g.

Does creatine make you put on weight?

It increases water retention inside the muscle, which often translates into an extra one to two kilos on the scales in the first few weeks. That is not fat mass, and it is not subcutaneous retention. If you track your weight closely, bear it in mind so you do not misread the curve.

Can you mix it with your protein?

Yes, without any problem at all. The manufacturer states compatibility with all proteins. A shake after your session is in fact the simplest way never to forget your serving — and forgetting is creatine's main enemy.

Where can you buy Nutriting nuCrea+ Creapure®?

Both formats, the 500 g powder and the tub of 150 capsules, can be ordered from this page. We ship throughout France and Europe.

It is the product we recommend most often in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, and for a simple reason: few supplements have effects this well established at a price this low. The rest of the range can be found in the Nutriting collection.

What is Raw Nutrition's CBUM Essential Pre Workout?

It is a powdered pre-workout booster to be mixed with liquid, dosed at one scoop of about 17 g. It carries the initials of Chris Bumstead, the athlete associated with the American brand Raw Nutrition, whose range we stock in the Raw Nutrition section.

Its distinguishing feature has less to do with its ingredient list — a conventional one — than with the way that list is published: every active is quantified individually. No "proprietary blend", no aggregate total to hide behind. You know exactly what the scoop contains, and that is still far from the norm on this shelf.

The formula combines four families. Pump actives, with 4 g of L-citrulline and 1 g of betaine. A muscle buffering active, 3.2 g of beta-alanine. Stimulation and focus actives, 200 mg of anhydrous caffeine and 1 g of L-tyrosine. And a hydration base, 1 g of taurine and 500 mg of Himalayan pink salt, rounded off with 2.4 µg of vitamin B12. This product contains no creatine, which places it in our pre workout without creatine section. The flavours stocked: Blue Raspberry, Peche Mango, Watermelon, Fruit Burst, Orange and Citrus Grapefruit.

What does a 17 g serving contain?

Add it up: 10.9 g of declared actives in a 17 g serving. The rest is citric acid, malic acid, flavourings, sucralose and anti-caking agents. A ratio of two thirds actives is respectable — and it is a calculation you simply cannot carry out on a proprietary-blend product.

4 g of citrulline is a full dose. Plenty of boosters advertise it and put in one gram, which means nothing. On this count, the product is serious. The same goes for the 3.2 g of beta-alanine: that is the amount found in formulas that actually dose it, rather than the usual decorative pinch.

The 200 mg of caffeine deserves a sentence of its own, because it is a deliberate choice. The equivalent of two espressos, where some "extreme" formulas climb to 350 or 400 mg. That dose leaves you room for a coffee during the day without going past the EFSA benchmarks, which set 200 mg in a single dose and 400 mg per day as not raising safety concerns in healthy adults. It is a strong product, not a brutal one.

One essential regulatory clarification, and it applies to almost the whole list: citrulline, beta-alanine, tyrosine, taurine and betaine have no authorised health claim in Europe. So we describe doses, not promised effects. The only usable claim here is the one for vitamin B12, at 100 % of the NRV: vitamin B12 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to the normal functioning of the nervous system.

Finally, the net weight of the tub does not appear in the data supplied to us: we cannot work out the number of servings. Divide the weight printed on the packaging by 17 g.

How do you take Essential Pre Workout?

Dose: 1 scoop of about 17 g. Liquid: 200 to 400 ml of cool water. Timing: 20 to 30 minutes before the warm-up. Frequency: training days only, 2 scoops a day at most. Duration: a 2-week break every 8 to 10 weeks of use.

Always start with a single scoop, even if you are used to boosters. Two reasons: tolerance to 200 mg of caffeine varies a great deal from person to person, and the 3.2 g of beta-alanine cause a tingling that takes you by surprise the first time. Experienced users can go up to two scoops in 400 to 500 ml of water, but that means 400 mg of caffeine — the daily ceiling, with nothing else alongside it.

Shake vigorously, ideally in a shaker with a ball: the powder dissolves well in cold water but remains acidic and concentrated. Drink it straight away. For a morning session, the manufacturer advises taking it on an empty stomach with an extra glass of water; for an afternoon workout, leave at least three hours after your last main meal.

The most useful rule is the one about frequency: training days only. Taking a booster every day, rest days included, is the surest way to build up a tolerance and feel nothing at all after a month. The two-week break every eight to ten weeks serves the same purpose. And never take it after 16:00: caffeine has a half-life of several hours, and shortened sleep costs more than a good session brings in.

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

It is aimed at adults over 18 who train during the day and want a product that is well dosed but readable. It suits someone who wants verifiable figures rather than an aggressive formula name.

The manufacturer does not recommend it for pregnant or breastfeeding women or for people sensitive to caffeine, and asks that it not be consumed after 16:00. If you are on any medical treatment, consult a doctor before use.

Two normal effects to know about before you meet them. The skin tingling — face, neck, forearms — comes from the beta-alanine, appears 15 to 20 minutes after taking it and fades within half an hour. It is harmless. Caffeine, for its part, can cause jitteriness, tremors or palpitations if you are not used to it or if you stack it with a coffee.

On allergens: the product is made in a facility that handles MILK, SOYA, EGGS and GLUTEN. The manufacturer states that it is suitable for vegetarians but not suitable for vegans — check this point if your diet requires it.

What not to expect from it: it contains no creatine, so it does not replace your creatine monohydrate, which remains the best-documented supplement for strength. It does not make you lose weight. And it will not make up for a four-hour night: a booster masks fatigue, it does not remove it.

Essential Pre Workout or citrulline on its own?

This is the honest comparison to make, because many experienced athletes end up building their own pre-workout rather than buying a ready-made formula.

Citrulline on its own is the better choice in three cases. If you want to control each component: 6 or 8 g of citrulline instead of 4, without touching the rest. If you train in the evening and want no caffeine at all — you can then pair it with a product from our caffeine-free booster section. And if you tolerate beta-alanine poorly, since the tingling puts some people off. A pure powder generally costs less per gram of active.

The complete formula is the better choice everywhere else, for a plain and decisive reason: it is prepared in one go. Measuring out four different powders every session evening is something nobody keeps up for long. It also has the merit of offering coherent doses — 4 g of citrulline and 3.2 g of beta-alanine are quantities you would have chosen yourself — and a decent taste, which pure powders do not have. If you are starting out, take the formula; if you are experienced and watchful about the price per gram, build your own.

Frequently asked questions

How much caffeine, and can you take two servings?

200 mg per scoop, the equivalent of two espressos. The manufacturer caps it at two scoops a day, that is 400 mg — the daily total that EFSA considers as not raising safety concerns in healthy adults, but only if you drink nothing else containing caffeine. In practice, one scoop is enough for the vast majority of people.

Why the tingling after taking it?

It is the beta-alanine, at 3.2 g per serving: a known effect called paraesthesia, which affects the face, the neck and the forearms 15 to 20 minutes after taking it. It is harmless and it lessens with habit. If the sensation really bothers you, mix it into 400 ml rather than 200 and drink more slowly.

Does this booster contain creatine?

No, none at all. It is a formulation choice, and it is rather good news: creatine is taken every day, rest days included, whereas a booster is only taken on training days. The two are therefore easier to manage separately — take your creatine on its own, at whatever time suits you.

What is Himalayan pink salt doing in the formula?

It provides sodium, at a level of 0.2 g of salt per serving. Sodium is one of the electrolytes lost through sweat, and its presence in a pre-workout is consistent with an intense session. Let us be clear that no health claim is authorised for pink salt as such, and that its mineral composition is in no way exceptional compared with ordinary salt.

Can you take it on an empty stomach in the morning?

Yes, that is what the manufacturer recommends for morning sessions, with an extra glass of water. At 10 kcal, the drink breaks practically nothing. Just be aware that 200 mg of caffeine on an empty stomach hits harder — if you feel nauseous, take it after a few mouthfuls of food.

How many servings are there in a tub?

The net weight of the packaging does not appear in the data supplied by the manufacturer, so we cannot calculate it without risk of error. Divide the weight printed on the packaging by 17 g, the weight of one scoop.

Is it suitable for vegans?

No. The manufacturer explicitly states that the product is suitable for vegetarians but not for vegans. It is also made in a facility that handles milk, soya, eggs and gluten: in case of severe allergy to any of them, abstain.

Where to buy Raw Nutrition CBUM Essential Pre Workout?

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

A booster is chosen first and foremost on its label, and that is an exercise we are happy to go through with you at the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier: take this tub, take the one next to it, and look for the "citrulline" line. When one shows 4,000 mg and the other a global blend with no detail, the comparison is over before it has begun. The rest of the amino acids can be found in the taurine section and in our sports nutrition range.

What is Nutrend Pump Pre Workout?

Nutrend Pump Pre Workout is a caffeine-free pre-workout powder, sold in a 225 g tub covering 15 servings of 15 g. Nutrend is a Czech brand, present in Europe since the early 1990s, and this formula is one of its rare products aimed at late-in-the-day sessions.

The composition reads in three blocks. The pump first, with 5 g of citrulline malate and 3 g of beta-alanine. Then the cognitive side: 1 g of L-tyrosine, 200 mg of choline, 300 mg of Bacopa monnieri extract and 500 mg of KSM-66 ashwagandha standardised to 5% withanolides. And finally a base of B-group vitamins, with sodium and taurine.

The flavours on offer: Rainbow, Berry Splash and Tropical Blend. The product joins our caffeine-free booster and Nutrend sections.

What does a 15 g serving contain?

Almost everything is quantified, which is not all that common. The one grey area is taurine, whose content varies from 256 to 818 mg depending on the flavour — that is how the manufacturer declares it, and we will not decide in its place. The “of which sugars” line is not published.

Three figures to remember. The 3 g of beta-alanine first: that is a straightforward dose, above what is usually found, and you should know that at that level the tingling is all but guaranteed. Then the 5 g of citrulline malate: a decent dose without being a record, sitting within the useful range. And the 500 mg of KSM-66 ashwagandha, a patented extract standardised to 5% withanolides — stating the standardisation is what sets a serious extract apart from any old plant powder.

On the claims, here is what European regulation authorises and what we can therefore write: vitamins B1, B3, B5 and B12 contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism, vitamins B3 and B12 contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, choline contributes to normal lipid metabolism and to the maintenance of normal liver function from 82.5 mg per portion — the 200 mg in this formula clear the threshold. By contrast, no claim is authorised for citrulline, beta-alanine, tyrosine, taurine, ashwagandha or bacopa.

How should Nutrend Pump be dosed?

Dose: 15 g, that is half a scoop, never more than 15 g a day. Fluid: 250 ml of cold water. Timing: 30 minutes before the session. Frequency: on training days only. Duration: continuous use is possible, with a 1 to 2 week break after 8 to 12 weeks of use.

Mind the dose: the scoop supplied holds 30 g, the serving is 15 g, that is half of it. This is the kind of detail that doubles your consumption without your noticing.

Two practical points. The formation of small lumps in the powder is normal: amino acids are hygroscopic and pick up moisture from the air, and nothing is affected by it. And expect tingling on the face and extremities in the minutes after taking it: that is the paraesthesia linked to the 3 g of beta-alanine, it lasts 15 to 30 minutes and has no consequences.

Once the tub is open, use it within 3 months. Keep it closed, dry, at a temperature not exceeding 25 °C. The shelf life before opening is 36 months.

Who is this pre-workout for, and who is it not for?

It targets three profiles. Those who train in the evening and refuse to sacrifice their sleep. Those who are sensitive to caffeine — palpitations, anxiety, shaking — and have given up on conventional pre-workouts. And those already taking caffeine elsewhere in the day who do not want to stack it.

The restrictions are brief but real. The product is not recommended for children, adolescents, pregnant or breastfeeding women. People on medical treatment should consult a healthcare professional before use — the presence of ashwagandha and bacopa warrants that caution, and piperine alters the metabolism of many medicines. The product may contain traces of SOYA and MILK.

What not to expect from it: energy. Without caffeine there is no kick, and that is the most frequent misunderstanding in this category. Nor should you count on ashwagandha or bacopa for any noticeable effect during the session: these plants are judged over weeks, not over thirty minutes, and no European claim is recognised for them. What the formula delivers is pump and preparation for the effort — nothing more, nothing less.

Nutrend Pump or a pre-workout with caffeine?

The two answer different problems, and the question to ask yourself is a simple one: what is it you are missing before the session?

A pre-workout with caffeine, like those in our boosters section, is the right choice if what you are missing is the will to go. A session at 6:00, a heavy week, motivation at rock bottom: nothing other than caffeine fixes that, not citrulline, not beta-alanine. Those formulas typically supply 200 to 400 mg of caffeine, and often doses of citrulline equal to or higher than the ones here.

Nutrend Pump wins on ground that caffeine cannot occupy: the clock. At 20:00 before a 20:45 session, it is the only type of product that will not cost you your night — and sleep weighs more heavily on progress than any pre-workout. It also wins on the 3 g of beta-alanine, a dose higher than in many stimulant formulas, and on the presence of a standardised ashwagandha extract rarely found in a pre-workout. Many of our customers end up with both tubs and alternate according to the time of the session.

Frequently asked questions

How many servings are in the 225 g tub?

Fifteen servings of 15 g. At three sessions a week, one tub covers five weeks. Once opened, it should be used within three months as the manufacturer recommends.

Does the scoop correspond to one serving?

No, and that is the trap with this product. The scoop supplied holds 30 g; the serving is 15 g, that is half a scoop. Taking a full scoop would amount to doubling every dose, including the 3 g of beta-alanine.

Why is the tingling so pronounced?

Because the formula contains 3 g of beta-alanine, a high dose. The paraesthesia appears within 15 minutes, affects mainly the face and extremities, lasts half an hour and has no known consequences. It eases with regular use; if it bothers you, cut back temporarily to 10 g.

Can it be taken just before sleeping?

The formula contains no stimulant, so nothing stands in the way as far as sleep goes. That said, the product is only of interest taken 30 minutes before a session: taking it without training serves no purpose.

Why does the taurine vary by flavour?

The manufacturer declares a range of 256 to 818 mg depending on the flavour, without explaining why. We repeat that information as it stands and flag the imprecision rather than putting forward a single figure.

Are the lumps in the powder normal?

Yes. Amino acids are hygroscopic: they pick up moisture from the air and form small clumps. The manufacturer states this explicitly, and it affects neither the composition nor the effectiveness. Close the tub properly after each use.

Can it be combined with a fat burner or a coffee?

Technically yes, since it supplies no caffeine. But that cancels out the point of the product: if you are after stimulation, you may as well take a conventional pre-workout and pay only once. The manufacturer recommends avoiding it alongside caffeinated products.

Where to buy Nutrend Pump Pre Workout 225 g?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is a product we systematically suggest to customers who tell us they have given up pre-workouts because of their sleep: many have no idea the caffeine-free category exists.

Our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, keeps the flavours on the shelf, and it is also the place where someone will show you where half a scoop stops. The rest of the pre-session range can be browsed from sports nutrition.

What is IO Genix Casein Cream?

IO Genix Casein Cream is a micellar casein powder to which the manufacturer has added crunchy pieces distributed through the tub. A 30 g scoop provides 22 g of protein for 115 kcal. The 900 g tub contains exactly 30 scoops, and the flavours on offer include Nutchoc and Salted Peanut.

Casein makes up roughly 80% of milk protein. Its distinctive feature is physical before it is nutritional: on contact with the acidity of the stomach, it forms a gel that dissolves slowly. The amino acids are therefore released gradually, over several hours, whereas a whey is absorbed in under an hour. That is why it is traditionally placed in the evening rather than around the session.

This product differs from classic casein on one simple point: it is designed to be eaten with a spoon as much as drunk from a shaker. With little liquid it gives a thick cream; the crunchy pieces stay crunchy. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix section, and the other products in the category in our caseins section.

What does a scoop of Casein Cream contain?

The per 100 g column is calculated from the per-scoop values published by the manufacturer. Two lines are missing from the manufacturer's data and we will not invent them: the saturates content and the sugars content are not disclosed. The label on the tub you receive is the definitive reference, all the more so as the composition of the pieces varies from one flavour to another.

22 g of protein for 115 kcal is an excellent ratio for a product eaten like a dessert. For context: a shop-bought fruit yoghurt runs at around 4 g of protein per 100 kcal. Here you are more than five times better off, which changes everything if you are trying to hold a high protein total without blowing up your calories.

The two micronutrients are worth pausing on, because they are genuinely dosed and not merely sprinkled in. With 240 mg of calcium, one scoop covers 30% of the nutrient reference value: calcium is needed for the maintenance of normal bones and contributes to normal muscle function. Nothing surprising for a dairy product, but it is a real bonus. Vitamin B6, at 0.42 mg, likewise covers 30% of the reference value and contributes to normal protein and glycogen metabolism — the addition is consistent with a protein product.

On the protein itself, the only wording authorised in Europe is this one: protein contributes to a growth in and the maintenance of muscle mass. It is true, it is enough, and it calls for no flights of rhetoric. The earlier version of this page spoke of a night-time anabolic window, anti-catabolic action, prolonged satiety and an enzyme complex presented as a digestive advantage: none of those statements is authorised or verifiable, and all have been removed.

Ingredients list

Micellar casein (MILK), Lactomin whey protein concentrate (MILK), crunchy pieces varying by flavour, natural flavourings, DigeZyme enzyme complex (amylase, protease, lactase, lipase, cellulase), sweetener (stevia extract), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), emulsifier (sunflower lecithin).

Contains MILK. May contain traces of GLUTEN, EGGS, SOYA, NUTS and PEANUTS. The composition of the crunchy pieces changes according to the flavour: check the label on the tub you receive if you have an allergy.

How do you take Casein Cream?

Dose: 30 g, or one scoop. Liquid: 200 to 250 ml for a shaker, 100 ml for a cream texture. Timing: 45 minutes before bed, as a snack, or after training. Frequency: one scoop a day, do not exceed. Duration: the manufacturer recommends daily use for at least six weeks.

Preparing it as a cream is the real point of the product, and that is how it should be judged. With 100 ml of liquid and fifteen minutes in the fridge, the powder sets and gives a thick dessert to be eaten with a spoon. With 250 ml you get a classic shake, decent but nothing remarkable — you may as well take a standard casein, which is cheaper. Buy this product for the cream, not for the shake.

The liquid is chosen according to your goal. With water, you stay at 115 kcal. With skimmed milk, reckon on another hundred calories or so and a higher protein intake. With a plant-based drink, the texture is thinner and the result often less firm.

A shaker is enough, but a blender gives a more uniform texture for the cream version. The crunchy pieces do not dissolve; that is normal and that is the point. Close the tub properly: moisture softens them, and a badly closed tub ends up with soggy pieces.

One scoop in the evening does not replace a meal. It completes a day whose protein total matters more than the timing of each intake — that is the best-supported view today, and it is better said than keeping alive the idea of a magic window. If what you need is a fast intake after the session, whey isolate is what to turn to.

Who is Casein Cream for, and who is it not for?

It suits the person who cracks in the evening in front of a dessert and is looking for an alternative that does not ruin their day. It also suits anyone who struggles to reach their protein total, people in a calorie deficit who want a filling and indulgent product, and those who are tired of shakes.

It is not for people who are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk proteins, since casein and whey are both derived from milk. Nor is it for vegans. The manufacturer does not recommend it for children under 12, asks pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as people on medical treatment to seek professional advice, and sets the daily dose at 30 g.

Nor is it for you if you are looking for a fast-absorbing protein around the session: that is not what a casein does, and the slowness that is its strength in the evening becomes a drawback at that moment.

What not to expect from it: casein does not make you lose weight, burns nothing during the night and does not replace a complete meal. Nor is it a digestive product: the presence of enzymes in the formula is not a claimable digestive benefit, and if that is your need, our digestive enzymes section deals with the subject in its own right.

Evening casein or whey, which should you choose?

Both come from milk, they do not behave in the same way, and the choice is simpler than people think.

Whey is absorbed quickly, in under an hour. It is the better choice around training, at breakfast, or whenever the point is to deliver amino acids fast. It is also thinner, and therefore easier to drink in large quantities.

Casein forms a gel in the stomach and digests slowly. It is the better choice in the evening, as a snack that has to last, or when you want something substantial rather than a drink. With this particular product there is an added argument that whey will never have: the dessert texture and the crunchy pieces, which change the experience entirely.

If your goal is bulking, neither is enough on its own: it is the calorie total that decides, and our bulking section answers that question better. And if you are simply after a protein snack to take with you rather than a powder to prepare, have a look at our protein snacks.

Frequently asked questions

Do the crunchy pieces stay crunchy?

Yes, in the preparation, since they do not dissolve. They do soften, however, if the tub takes in moisture: close it carefully and keep it dry. That is the only storage precaution that really matters with this product.

How many scoops are there in the 900 g tub?

Exactly 30 scoops of 30 g. At one scoop a day, the tub covers a full month, which corresponds to half of the six-week period of use the manufacturer recommends.

Can it be made into a pudding?

That is in fact its best use: 30 g of powder in 100 ml of liquid, fifteen minutes in the fridge, and you get a thick cream to be eaten with a spoon. With 250 ml you fall back on an ordinary shake and the point of the product is largely lost.

Is it suitable for people who are lactose intolerant?

No. Micellar casein and whey concentrate are both derived from milk and contain lactose. If that is your problem, a whey isolate, whose lactose content is far lower, is a much more suitable choice.

Which flavours are available?

The flavours listed by the manufacturer, including Nutchoc and Salted Peanut. The complete, up-to-date list is that of the variants offered on this page: that is the definitive one, as the manufacturer's documentation is not always in step with deliveries.

Does it really have to be taken before sleeping?

That is the most logical moment, 45 minutes before bed, because its slow digestion lends itself to it. But your day's protein total matters more than the hour of each intake. If the evening does not suit you, an afternoon snack works very well.

Can it be cooked with?

It stands up poorly to cooking, as all caseins do: it thickens too much and the crunchy pieces lose their point. Keep it for cold preparations. For protein baking, a plain whey or a purpose-made powder behaves far better.

Where can you buy IO Genix Casein Cream?

The 900 g tub can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product we recommend to those who tell us they hold their diet together all day and let go of it all at ten in the evening: a 115 kcal cream settles the problem better than a resolution. The rest of the section can be browsed in our sports nutrition range.

What is Nutrex Lipo-6 Black Ultra Concentrate?

Lipo-6 Black Ultra Concentrate is a food supplement supplied as liquid capsules, which Nutrex Research calls Liqui-Caps: the plant-based shell holds a glycerine solution rather than a compacted powder. There are 60 in the bottle. This is the most concentrated version in the Lipo-6 range, and the words "ultra concentrate" are not there for decoration.

The formula rests on five actives: anhydrous caffeine, anhydrous theobromine, AdipoSyn™ (Citrus aurantium extract standardised to 50 % p-synephrine), GBBGO® (gamma-butyrobetaine hydrochloride) and a Rauwolfia vomitoria root extract standardised to 90 % rauwolscine. The rest comes down to the capsule itself: glycerine, purified water, chlorophyllin, and a plant-based shell with no animal gelatine.

One detail matters here, and the brand does not draw attention to it: caffeine is the only active with a figure on the label, at 200 mg per capsule. The other four are declared without individual dosages. This is a proprietary blend, and you will not know how much synephrine or rauwolscine you are swallowing. We are not going to invent those numbers on the manufacturer's behalf. If that opacity bothers you — and it is a defensible position — a good share of the capsule fat burners aisle carries fully itemised formulas.

What does one Lipo-6 Black Ultra Concentrate capsule contain?

The only usable figure is therefore the caffeine: 200 mg per capsule, 400 mg if you take both of the day's servings. For context, EFSA considers that a caffeine intake of 400 mg spread across the day raises no safety concern for healthy adults, and that a single 200 mg serving raises none either. At the full dose, this product places you exactly on that ceiling — before you count your morning coffee. That is the point to take away ahead of everything else.

No health claim is authorised in Europe for synephrine, rauwolscine, theobromine or gamma-butyrobetaine. "Fat burner" is the commercial name of the category, not a promise of results, and we will leave it at that.

How should you take Lipo-6 Black Ultra Concentrate?

The manufacturer's protocol is precise, so follow it to the letter. One capsule in the morning, one capsule in the afternoon, between meals and on an empty stomach, leaving at least 6 hours between the two servings. Two capsules per day maximum. Never within the 6 hours before bedtime: at 200 mg a serving, your sleep picks up the bill.

If you are sensitive to stimulants, or if this is your first fat burner at this dosage level, start with a single capsule in the morning for the first week and only add the second one afterwards. This is not token caution: at 400 mg, palpitations and headaches give no warning.

The first serving goes 30 minutes before breakfast, the second in the middle of the afternoon, or 30 to 45 minutes before training if you train early in the day. As for the length of a course, the manufacturer states 4 to 8 weeks of use, followed by a break of at least 4 weeks. A 60-capsule bottle covers one month at the full dose.

During the course, do not stack other caffeine sources — coffee, tea, energy drinks, and certainly not a stimulant pre-workout from the pre-workouts aisle. Drink plenty of water. And bear in mind that the calorie deficit does all the work: this product replaces neither what is on your plate nor your training sessions.

Who is this fat burner for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at adults already accustomed to stimulants, in a properly structured cutting phase, looking for a kick from unapologetic dosages. As a first purchase in the category it is too much: start lower down the range.

The list of contraindications is long and serious. Not for anyone under 18, nor for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Avoid it in cases of caffeine sensitivity, heart conditions, high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid disorders or psychiatric disorders. Do not combine it with monoamine oxidase inhibitors, antidepressants, or medicines containing phenylephrine, ephedrine or pseudoephedrine. The manufacturer asks that you stop taking the product 2 weeks before any surgical procedure. Stop immediately in the event of rapid heartbeat, dizziness, severe headaches or shortness of breath, and speak to a doctor.

The product may contain traces of GLUTEN, MILK, EGGS, SOYA, FISH, CRUSTACEANS and NUTS. The capsules are plant-based, with no animal gelatine.

What you should not expect from it: any weight loss in its own right. A thermogenic fat burner acts on alertness and the feeling of having energy, which helps you stick to a diet — the diet itself still has to be done. If you want support without the nervous-system trade-off, look instead at caffeine-free fat burners, compared in the next section.

Lipo-6 Black Ultra Concentrate or a caffeine-free fat burner?

This is the real decision, and it turns not on potency but on your tolerance to stimulants and on the time of day you train.

A caffeine-free fat burner is the better choice in three clear-cut situations: you train in the evening and you value your sleep; you already drink three coffees a day and you do not want to stack more on top; you have high blood pressure, palpitations or simply an anxious disposition. In those cases the dosage question does not even arise, and a product built on L-carnitine, chromium or non-stimulant plant extracts will be the smarter call.

Lipo-6 Black Ultra Concentrate keeps the advantage on one point: the convenience and the transparency of its caffeine dosage. Two capsules swallowed, nothing to mix, 200 mg per serving that you can work out exactly. The powders in the powder fat burners aisle often provide more actives with stated amounts, but they require a shaker. The category as a whole can be compared in fat burners, and the wider context — protein, satiety, activity — in weight loss.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a 60-capsule bottle last?

Exactly one month, at two capsules a day. Two months if you stay on one capsule daily, which is the pace advised for the first week and often enough for people who are sensitive to stimulants.

How much caffeine is there really per day?

400 mg at the full dose, that is 200 mg per capsule. That is the equivalent of roughly four strong espressos split across two servings. Any other caffeine source during the day adds to that total: this is precisely why the manufacturer asks you to cut them out for the duration of the course.

Why are the dosages of the other actives not stated?

Because Nutrex groups them into a proprietary blend, a common practice in the United States. Caffeine is the only one with a figure. We flag that gap rather than fill it in: no figure for synephrine, rauwolscine, theobromine or GBBGO® appears on the packaging.

Can it be taken before training instead of a pre-workout?

The second serving can indeed be placed 30 to 45 minutes before the session. What you must not do is stack the two products: a standard pre-workout often adds 200 to 350 mg of caffeine, and you would go well beyond the 400 mg per day benchmark.

Does the liquid capsule make any difference?

In terms of comfort, yes: a Liqui-Cap goes down easily and leaves no aftertaste. In terms of effects, the manufacturer publishes no comparative data against a powder capsule, and we are not going to invent any. Treat it as a question of format, not of performance.

Should you take breaks?

Yes. The manufacturer states 4 to 8 weeks of use followed by a break of at least 4 weeks. Sensitivity to caffeine dulls with continuous use, and the break serves as much to restore the effect as to give your system a rest.

Is it compatible with medical treatment?

Not without medical advice. The interactions listed by the manufacturer involve monoamine oxidase inhibitors, antidepressants and decongestants in particular. If you are on any form of treatment, the answer belongs to your doctor or your pharmacist, not to a product page.

Where can you buy Lipo-6 Black Ultra Concentrate?

The 60-capsule bottle can be ordered on this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. This is a product we would rather talk through before selling: in our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the first question we ask is always how much coffee you have already drunk that day and what time you train. Two answers are usually enough to tell whether this is the right product or whether you should be looking elsewhere.

The rest of the range can be found in the Nutrex collection.

What is Rule One Clear Isolate 689 g?

Rule One Clear Isolate is a clear whey in a 689 g tub, that is to say a whey protein isolate formulated to stay dissolved in an acidic medium and give a translucent, fruity drink rather than a creamy shake. It is made by Rule One, an American brand.

The base is a whey isolate, never a concentrate: only that degree of filtration allows the clarity. The rest of the list is short — natural and artificial flavourings, malic acid and citric acid for the tartness, salt, sucralose and acesulfame potassium as sweeteners, silicon dioxide as an anti-foaming agent, potassium chloride, and blue spirulina as a colouring in the relevant flavours.

The flavours on offer: Blue Raspberry, Cherry Limeade, Peach Mango and Strawberry Lemonade. The register is that of a lemonade, not of a milky dessert. The manufacturer states that its batches undergo third-party laboratory testing for banned substances; we report that information and attribute it to them, not having seen the reports.

What does a serving of Clear Isolate contain?

The reference serving is 25 g. It provides 20 g of protein for 90 kcal (377 kJ), 1 g of carbohydrate, 0 g of fat, 0.3 g of salt and 120 mg of sodium. The 689 g tub covers 27 servings.

Two figures deserve to be looked at together. First the protein density: 20 g of protein in 25 g of powder, that is 80 g per 100 g. Then the size of the serving. Clear wheys are generally dosed at around 20 to 25 g against 30 to 35 g for a conventional whey, because beyond that the drink turns syrupy. This one therefore sits at the top of its category for the amount of protein actually delivered per serving, which is not that common.

* Column calculated from the values declared for 25 g, the manufacturer not publishing a per 100 g column. ** Reference intake of an average adult (8,400 kJ / 2,000 kcal, 50 g of protein, 6 g of salt). Two pieces of data are missing and we are not inventing them: the “of which saturates” line and the “of which sugars” line do not appear in the data supplied by the manufacturer. Nor is the mineral-by-mineral breakdown of the electrolyte complex published: only the sodium is quantified. The values correspond to the Blue Raspberry flavour and may vary slightly from one flavour to another.

The product comfortably exceeds the regulatory threshold allowing the “high protein” nutrition claim — protein accounts for close to 90% of the serving's energy. As for health claims, the authorised wordings are these: protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass, to the maintenance of muscle mass and to the maintenance of normal bones. No recovery claim exists for protein, and we shall not write one.

How do you prepare Rule One Clear Isolate?

The manufacturer specifies a 25 g serving in 350 to 400 ml of ice-cold water, to be shaken vigorously and then left to stand for 30 seconds while the foam subsides. One or two servings a day are enough for most uses; no course length is given, and there is no reason for one with a protein.

The timing: 30 minutes before the session, or immediately after, or at any point in the day to top up an intake. The timing matters less than the total protein over 24 hours — that is the point on which most labels mislead you.

Two instructions apply specifically to this type of product. Do not mix it with milk: the acidity makes the casein flocculate and the drink turns grainy. And do not heat it, do not use it in baking: a clear whey coagulates when cooked. For cooking, keep a whey concentrate.

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

It is aimed first of all at those who can no longer stomach the milky shake format — heaviness on digestion, the taste of vanilla every day, or simply a summer session after which nothing creamy will go down. A protein you do not drink is of no use: that is the soundest use case.

The product contains MILK. It is made in a facility that also handles SOYA, EGG and FISH, and may contain traces of them. In the case of a diagnosed allergy to cow's milk proteins, it is contraindicated: filtration removes the lactose, not the proteins. The manufacturer advises against it for children under 12 and invites pregnant or breastfeeding women, as well as people on medication, to seek advice before use. Any kidney or liver condition is a matter for your doctor.

What not to expect from it: the 300 mg of electrolytes per serving do not make it a sports drink. With 1 g of carbohydrate, the formula meets none of the European conditions that would allow a claim on hydration or on endurance. If that is what you are after, look instead at our electrolytes. Nor does it make you lose weight: it supplies a lot of protein for few calories, which helps you hold a deficit, but it is the deficit that does the work.

Clear Isolate or a conventional whey isolate?

Both rest on the same raw material. The difference lies in the formulation and, above all, in what you will do with it.

A conventional whey isolate is the better choice in three clear cases: you have a high protein requirement to cover and you take two or three servings a day, in which case the price per kilo of protein becomes decisive; you cook with your powder; or you prefer a creamy drink that keeps you going between two meals. On those three points, Clear Isolate loses.

Clear Isolate wins when the drink itself is the problem: milky shakes that are hard to digest, weariness of the milky taste, the urge for a cold, tart drink at the end of a session. It also wins on density, with 20 g of protein in a 25 g serving where many clear wheys stop at 18 g. The calculation that settles it remains the same: price of the tub, divided by its weight in kilos, divided by the protein content per 100 g. Do it on both sides before buying. The protein aisle lets you compare every family.

Frequently asked questions

How many servings does a 689 g tub contain?

Twenty-seven 25 g servings. At one serving a day, that covers almost a month; at two servings on training days only, count on longer. The manufacturer states a shelf life of 24 months in the unopened original packaging, kept away from moisture.

Do the nutritional values change with the flavour?

Slightly. The published figures correspond to the Blue Raspberry flavour, and the manufacturer notes that the others may vary a little. The flavours available are Blue Raspberry, Cherry Limeade, Peach Mango and Strawberry Lemonade. The blue colouring is spirulina, present only in the relevant flavours.

When should Clear Isolate be taken during the day?

Thirty minutes before the session, just after, or at any time to make up a shortfall in intake. The thirty-minute window people talked about fifteen years ago no longer holds: what determines the result is the day's total protein. In practice, take it at the moment you will actually drink it.

Can it be mixed with milk?

No, and that is a manufacturer's instruction, not a preference. The acidity of the formula destabilises the casein in milk: the mixture curdles and turns grainy. Use very cold water, 350 to 400 ml per serving. Crushed ice improves the result further.

Do the 300 mg of electrolytes replace a sports drink?

No. Set against the volume of the preparation, the 120 mg of sodium per serving remain well below the levels that characterise a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution within the meaning of European regulation, and the formula supplies only one gram of carbohydrate. Those minerals improve the drink's profile; they do not turn it into an endurance drink.

Does it contain lactose?

Traces only: this is an isolate, filtered to the point of removing most of the lactose and the fat. Many people troubled by a whey concentrate tolerate it without difficulty. Take care not to confuse this with an allergy to cow's milk proteins, which rules the product out — filtration does not remove the proteins.

How do you avoid the foam?

Pour the water in first, the powder second, shake, then leave it to stand for 30 seconds as the manufacturer indicates. Whey proteins are surface-active and stabilise bubbles: the harder you shake, the longer the foam holds. Taking the metal whisk out of the shaker and diluting generously settles the matter. Made in advance and left to chill, the drink is better.

Where to buy Rule One Clear Isolate 689 g?

This page lets you order the flavours, and we ship throughout France and Europe. With a tart drink, the flavour is the one criterion no product page can replace: in our Vendargues shop, around ten minutes from Montpellier, we talk them through with people who have actually drunk them, and we work out the price per kilo of protein against a conventional isolate in front of you.

If what you are after is instead an amino acid drink to sip during exercise, see our EAA; the whole aisle can be found in our sports nutrition section.

What is Naughty Boy Amino EAA?

It is a mixable essential amino acid powder with an 11.5 g serving delivering 8.5 g of amino acids and only 10 kcal. The 350 g tub covers exactly 30 servings. The flavours listed: PickNMix, Fizzy Peach Sweets, Ultra Energy, Strawberry Mango and Cherry Mango.

What sets this product apart is the raw material: all nine amino acids come from plant fermentation, which makes the formula entirely vegan. The manufacturer also declares it gluten free, lactose free and with no added sugars.

The rest of the composition fits into four lines: malic acid, natural flavourings, sucralose and a colour that varies with the flavour. One clarification along the way, because the manufacturer's own sheet words it differently: sucralose is an artificial sweetener, not a natural one. The full British brand range sits in our Naughty Boy aisle, and the whole category in EAA.

What does an 11.5 g serving contain?

* Column calculated from the values declared for 11.5 g. No NRV is established for amino acids.

The figure worth remembering, and it is a good one: 8.5 g of amino acids out of 11.5 g of powder, that is 74% of the serving. In other words, only 3 grams go to the flavouring, the malic acid and the sweetener. That is an honest ratio for this category, where some heavily flavoured powders drop a good deal lower.

What is missing, on the other hand, has to be flagged, and it matters: the manufacturer does not publish the amount of each individual amino acid. The ingredients list names them in descending order — leucine, isoleucine, valine, lysine, threonine, phenylalanine, histidine, methionine, tryptophan — but no figure comes with that list. So you cannot know the leucine content, which is the first point of comparison for any EAA. We will not invent it; read the label on the tub you receive.

What the order of the list does tell you is that leucine is the dominant amino acid and that the three BCAAs take the top three places — a classic pattern, consistent with a 2:1:1 ratio across that fraction.

A regulatory note to close: no health claim is authorised in Europe for free amino acids. Not protein synthesis, not recovery, not endurance, not anti-catabolism. We describe a composition, a dose and a use — not an effect.

How do you take Naughty Boy Amino EAA?

Serving: 11.5 g, that is one scoop. Liquid: 400 ml of cold water. Timing: 15 to 30 minutes before the session, during exercise lasting more than 60 minutes, or straight after. Frequency: one serving a day, rest days included according to the manufacturer. Duration: 4 to 12 weeks of use, followed by a 1 to 2 week break.

Four hundred millilitres for 11.5 g is a generous dilution, and it is deliberate. Free amino acids are acidic; at 250 ml the drink becomes hard to finish. Use cold water: warm water dissolves it less well and the taste suffers. Shake until fully dissolved and drink once prepared.

The manufacturer allows for three windows. In practice they are not equally useful depending on your situation: before the session if you train fasted, during beyond an hour of exercise, after if your next meal is a long way off. If you have eaten a full meal two hours before, the extra intake is of little further interest.

The one to two week break after 4 to 12 weeks is a manufacturer recommendation. Nothing compels you to follow it on a product that is only an amino acid supply, but it does have one practical merit: it forces you to check that your diet stands up on its own.

Close the tub properly and store it in a dry place: free amino acid powders take up moisture and cake into a solid block, as the manufacturer points out itself. Stated shelf life: 24 months in the unopened original packaging.

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

It is aimed first and foremost at vegans: the amino acids come from plant fermentation, with no animal raw material. It also suits anyone training fasted or a long way from a meal, and anyone who cannot stomach a milky shaker during exercise — at 10 kcal and with no fat, this drink weighs on nothing.

The manufacturer advises against it for children under 12, and asks pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as people on medication to seek professional advice. Mind the list of traces, which is a long one: the product is made in a facility that handles GLUTEN, MILK, EGGS, SOYA, FISH, CRUSTACEANS, PEANUTS and NUTS. If you are allergic to any of them, the “gluten free” claim made elsewhere is not enough to reassure you. Do not exceed 11.5 g a day.

It suits you less well if you want to compare precisely what you are buying: with no published leucine content, comparison with another EAA remains approximate. That is the real limitation of this product.

What you should not expect from it: 8.5 g of amino acids do not replace a protein intake. This is not a substitute for protein, and the cost per gram is far higher. If your daily intake is already adequate, this product will add nothing measurable — that is the first question to ask yourself, and rarely the one you hear asked in the aisle.

Naughty Boy EAA or Rule One Essential Amino 9?

We sell both, in the same 11.5 g serving size and the same number of servings. The comparison is therefore direct, and it is instructive.

Rule One Essential Amino 9 delivers 7.5 g of amino acids per serving, one gram less, but it publishes the content of each of the nine — 2,500 mg of leucine at the top — and it adds 500 mg of electrolytes. It is the better choice if you want to know exactly what you are drinking, and if the sodium and magnesium intake matters to you on long sessions.

Naughty Boy wins on two concrete points. The amount of amino acids per serving, at 8.5 g against 7.5 g. And the declared plant fermentation, which makes it a genuinely vegan option where not every competitor spells that out. It also offers a wider choice of flavours, in an unashamedly confectionery register.

What settles it, then, is what you value: one extra gram of amino acids, or full transparency on the detail. If your need is mainly mineral hydration, neither will replace a product from the electrolytes aisle. And if you are weighing up a cheaper option, be aware that our BCAA aisle supplies only three amino acids out of nine: the saving is paid for with an incomplete profile.

Frequently asked questions

How much leucine per serving?

The manufacturer does not publish it in the labelling data available to us, and we will not invent it. The ingredients list places leucine first, which indicates it is the dominant one of the nine, with no further precision. The label on the tub you receive is what counts.

Is the formula suitable for vegans?

Yes. The amino acids come from plant fermentation, with no animal raw material, and the manufacturer declares the formula lactose free and gluten free. One caveat, though: the production facility handles milk, eggs and fish, and traces are possible.

How many servings in the 350 g tub?

Thirty exactly, at 11.5 g per serving. At four sessions a week, that works out at around seven weeks; taken daily as the manufacturer suggests, one month. The stated shelf life is 24 months unopened.

Does the Ultra Energy flavour contain caffeine?

The ingredients list supplied to us mentions no stimulant, and no caffeine content has been communicated to us for this flavour. As the name may be misleading, check the label on the tub you receive if you are sensitive to caffeine or if you train in the evening.

Do you really need 400 ml of water?

That is what the manufacturer settles on, and it is a good setting. A free amino acid powder is acidic and concentrated in taste: at 250 ml the drink becomes unpleasant to finish. The generous volume has a second advantage, it makes you drink during the session.

Should you take a break between two periods of use?

The manufacturer advises 4 to 12 weeks of use then a 1 to 2 week break. Nothing requires it on a simple amino acid supply, but that break has one merit: it obliges you to check that your diet stands up on its own.

Can you take it on rest days?

The manufacturer allows it. We are more measured: if your protein intake is already sufficient, taking it on days without a session brings nothing demonstrated and halves how long the tub lasts. Save it for the days when a protein meal is genuinely missing.

Where can you buy Naughty Boy Amino EAA 350 g?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. The 350 g tub with 30 servings is a sensible size to try for a first EAA.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is one of the few products we put straight up against a competitor on the counter, because the two tubs have exactly the same serving size. One extra gram of amino acids on one side, the full label detail on the other: it is up to the customer to say what matters most. The rest of the amino acids can be compared in our sports nutrition aisle.

What is Skill Nutrition's Pre Workout?

Skill Nutrition Pre Workout is a powdered pre-workout sold in a 400 g tub, i.e. 25 servings of 16 g. The brand presents it as a “no crash” formula: the idea is to pair caffeine with L-theanine and a slow-release caffeine so as to smooth the effect out rather than produce a spike followed by a slump.

The composition covers the three usual areas of a complete pre-workout. The pump, with 6 g of citrulline malate. Performance, with 3 g of creatine monohydrate and 2.4 g of beta-alanine. The nervous side, with 300 mg of caffeine split between anhydrous caffeine and slow-release Xtenergy®, plus 100 mg of TheaGreen™ L-theanine, 500 mg of tyrosine, 500 mg of VitaCholine® and a Korean ginseng extract. On top of that come AstraGin® and three heavily dosed B group vitamins.

The flavours on offer: Blue Raspberry and Tropical. The product joins our boosters range.

What does a 16 g serving contain?

Everything is quantified, with no proprietary blend, apart from the split between anhydrous caffeine and slow-release caffeine. The only line missing is “of which sugars”.

Two positives first. The 3 g of creatine monohydrate correspond exactly to the threshold above which European regulation authorises the claim: creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise. That is rare in a pre-workout, where creatine is most often present in a token dose. And the 6 g of citrulline malate sit within the genuinely useful range.

Then a point to watch, and an important one. The 100 mg of niacin, declared as nicotinic acid, represent 625% of the NRV. At that dose, nicotinic acid very frequently causes a flush: redness of the face and neck, a feeling of warmth and tingling, appearing within 15 to 30 minutes and lasting half an hour. It is harmless and well documented, but disconcerting if nobody has warned you — and it comes on top of the beta-alanine tingling. Be aware, too, that this level of intake goes well beyond what is needed to cover a nutritional requirement. The applicable authorised claims are: niacin, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, choline contributes to normal lipid metabolism. No claim exists for citrulline, beta-alanine, taurine, tyrosine, theanine, ginseng or AstraGin®.

How do you dose Skill Nutrition Pre Workout?

Dose: 16 g, with no more than one serving in any 24-hour period. Liquid: 300 ml of cold water. Timing: 30 minutes before your session. Frequency: one serving per training day. Duration: continuous use is possible, with a 7-day break every 8 weeks.

If this type of product is new to you, start with a half serving of 8 g for the first week. The manufacturer recommends it, and at 300 mg of caffeine plus 100 mg of nicotinic acid, this is no token precaution.

Nothing after 16:00. The manufacturer states that the stimulant effects may last 4 to 6 hours, which is consistent with a slow-release caffeine. Do not take any other caffeinated product on the same day. And drink at least 500 ml of extra water during your session.

Expect two distinct sensations within a quarter of an hour of taking it: the skin tingling from the beta-alanine, and possibly the redness caused by the nicotinic acid. Both are temporary. Keep the tub closed, in a dry place, away from light.

Who is this pre-workout for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at adults already used to stimulants, for weight training, CrossFit or combat sports sessions scheduled in the morning or the early afternoon. The presence of 3 g of creatine also makes it an interesting product if you are not yet taking creatine elsewhere: it is two products in one.

The restrictions are explicit. The product is not recommended for the under-18s, or for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Medical advice is required for anyone sensitive to caffeine, or with cardiovascular disorders, high blood pressure or sleep disorders. Do not exceed 16 g a day. The product may contain traces of GLUTEN, MILK, EGG and SOYA.

One further point specific to this formula: if you already take creatine, factor in the 3 g provided here so as not to stack it needlessly. And if you already take a B vitamin complex, the 100 mg of niacin, 10 mg of B6 and 100 µg of B12 come on top — vitamin B6 deserves particular attention, high and prolonged intakes being far from trivial.

What you should not expect from it: strength or muscle in themselves. A pre-workout acts on alertness, focus and perceived effort. Creatine, for its part, works over time and only if it is taken every day — whereas this product is only taken on training days. If creatine is your goal, buy it separately.

Skill Nutrition Pre Workout or creatine bought separately?

This is the most useful trade-off on this particular product, because the 3 g of creatine are a genuine selling point — and they deserve a close look.

Buying creatine monohydrate separately is the better choice in one very common case: you want to take it every day. And that is how creatine works — muscle saturation is built over weeks of daily intake, rest days included. A pre-workout taken three times a week does not allow that. A plain creatine powder also costs a few cents per serving, and you choose your own dose. On that front, no pre-workout can compete.

The Skill Nutrition keeps the advantage if you are after a single, complete product with straightforward doses across three areas at once — 6 g of citrulline, 2.4 g of beta-alanine and 300 mg of caffeine in the same scoop. It also wins on the caffeine-theanine pairing, which few formulas offer and which genuinely softens the nervous profile. If caffeine alone is what interests you, a product from the creatine-free pre-workout range will avoid the duplication.

Frequently asked questions

How many servings are there in the 400 g tub?

Exactly twenty-five servings of 16 g. At three sessions a week, one tub covers a little over eight weeks — which is the point at which the manufacturer recommends a seven-day break.

Why does the face go red after taking it?

That is the nicotinic acid flush, nicotinic acid being the form of niacin used here at 100 mg. Redness, warmth and tingling appear within 15 to 30 minutes and disappear within half an hour. It is harmless and of no consequence, but startling the first time. A half serving markedly reduces the effect.

What does the theanine paired with caffeine bring?

L-theanine is an amino acid found in tea, present here at 100 mg as TheaGreen™. It is traditionally paired with caffeine in so-called “no crash” formulas. No health claim is authorised in Europe for theanine: we are describing a formulation choice, without attributing any regulated effect to it.

Is 3 g of creatine enough?

For the authorised claim, yes: the European threshold is set at 3 g a day. But the claim assumes a daily intake, and this product is only taken on training days. If you want the benefit of creatine, top up on the other days with creatine powder.

Can it be taken in the evening?

No. The manufacturer asks you to avoid taking it after 16:00 and states that the stimulant effects last 4 to 6 hours, with the slow-release caffeine stretching the window further still. For a late session, go for a stimulant-free formula.

Can you start with a half serving?

Yes, and it is in fact the manufacturer's recommendation for the first week: 8 g instead of 16 g. That way you gauge your tolerance to the caffeine and to the niacin flush before moving to the full serving.

How many espressos does 300 mg of caffeine represent?

About three, going by the benchmark the manufacturer itself gives. That is below the daily reference points EFSA sets for a healthy adult, but above the 200 mg it sets for a single intake. Any other source of caffeine during the day comes on top of it.

Where can you buy Skill Nutrition Pre Workout 400 g?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. This is a complete pre-workout, and you will find creatine in it — a point we always flag, because it changes what you need to buy alongside.

Drop into Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, if you would like the niacin flush explained to you before you experience it: that is the sort of thing better known before the first serving. The rest of the pre-workout range can be compared from sports nutrition.

What is Rule One Essential Amino 9?

It is an essential amino acid powder to be mixed with liquid, with a serving of 11.5 g providing 7.5 g of amino acids and 10 kcal. The 345 g tub covers exactly 30 servings. The flavours in the range: Fruit Punch, Blue Razz Lemonade, Peach Mango and Sour Watermelon.

The nine essential amino acids are the ones the body does not make. They are here in free form, that is to say not bound to one another within a protein: this is what distinguishes an EAA from a protein powder, and what explains why it drinks clear and tangy rather than thick.

To this is added a 500 mg electrolyte blend — sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium — then the formulating ingredients: malic acid, citric acid, natural and artificial flavourings, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, sunflower lecithin and two anti-caking agents. The manufacturer states production in Aurora, Illinois, and third-party laboratory testing for substances banned in competition; we report these statements as it publishes them. The full range can be found in our Rule One section.

What does an 11.5 g serving contain?

One inconsistency in the labelling supplied is worth flagging: the 200 mg of sodium declared would correspond to 0.5 g of salt using the official conversion, whereas the “salt” line states 0.3 g. We reproduce both values as they were communicated to us rather than correcting one of them at random.

The figure everything turns on is 2,500 mg of leucine per serving. Leucine accounts for a third of the blend, which is a straightforward dose for a 7.5 g EAA. Note the scale: 2.5 g of leucine is roughly what a whey serving providing 25 g of protein supplies.

A second reading, the one that separates a good EAA from a disguised BCAA: the other six essential amino acids are genuinely present, right down to the 50 mg of tryptophan. The amounts fall away sharply — 100 mg of histidine, 200 mg of methionine — which reflects the relative requirements of each rather than padding.

A third point, often overlooked: the magnesium at 100 mg, that is 26.7% of the NRV. It is the only component of this formula that exceeds the 15% threshold conferring the right to a regulatory wording, and therefore the only one about which we can say anything: magnesium contributes to electrolyte balance, to normal muscle function and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Potassium (7.5%) and calcium (6.3%) stay below the threshold: nothing can be claimed for them.

For the amino acids themselves, the framework is simple: no health claim is authorised in Europe for free amino acids. Neither recovery, nor protein synthesis, nor anti-catabolism. We describe a composition and a use, not an effect.

How do you take Essential Amino 9?

Dose: 11.5 g, that is one scoop. Liquid: 240 to 360 ml of cold water. Timing: 30 to 45 minutes before the session, or during the effort, or immediately after. Frequency: one serving on training days. Duration: ongoing, with no set course.

Shake vigorously for ten to fifteen seconds in cold water — free amino acids dissolve poorly when hot and the taste suffers for it. The manufacturer specifies that it can be taken on an empty stomach, which is precisely one of the cases where this product makes sense.

On volume, go for the upper end of the range. At 240 ml the drink is concentrated and decidedly tangy; at 360 ml it can be sipped across a whole session and it makes you drink, which is a benefit in its own right when the formula contains 200 mg of sodium.

The manufacturer allows for three windows, and they are not equally useful depending on your situation. Before the session if you train fasted in the morning. During if your session runs beyond the hour. After if your next meal is a long way off. If you ate a full meal two hours earlier, the benefit becomes slight: the amino acids from that meal are still circulating.

The powder combines without difficulty with creatine in the same shaker, or with carbohydrates after the effort. Close the tub properly: free amino acids pick up moisture and clump together, as the manufacturer points out itself.

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

It targets three specific situations: fasted training, long sessions, and days when the next meal is a long way off. It also suits those who cannot face a milky shaker before a workout — a clear drink at 10 kcal weighs on nothing.

The manufacturer does not recommend it for children under 12, and asks pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as anyone on medical treatment to seek professional advice. Traces of MILK, EGGS, SOYA and FISH are possible, as the facility handles these allergens. The formula is declared free from gluten, stimulants and added sugar. Do not exceed 11.5 g a day.

It is less well suited if your objective is to increase your daily protein total: 7.5 g of amino acids does not replace 25 g of complete protein, and costs a great deal more per gram. It also contains sucralose and acesulfame K, as well as artificial flavourings: this is not a neutral powder.

What you should not expect from it, and we are happy to repeat it: if your protein intake is already sufficient, this product will add nothing. An EAA fills a gap in the day; it does not usefully stack on top of three shakers and 180 g of protein. That is the first question to ask yourself, and rarely the one you hear asked on the shop floor.

EAA 9 or BCAA?

This is the comparison that matters, and it is clear-cut.

A BCAA provides only three amino acids: leucine, isoleucine and valine. It costs less per serving, and that is more or less its only advantage. The problem is structural: to build a protein, the body needs all nine essentials; supplying three amounts to delivering three bricks out of nine. It is the better choice only if you already take complete protein in quantity and are simply after an inexpensive workout drink.

Essential Amino 9 supplies the whole profile for a moderate extra cost, with 2.5 g of leucine — that is to say as much as many BCAAs — plus the other six. Add the 500 mg of electrolytes, and you have a complete training drink. In this category, the price gap does not justify choosing an incomplete profile.

One honest nuance to finish: if your main objective is hydration on long sessions or in high heat, the 500 mg of electrolytes in this formula does not replace a dedicated product. Our electrolytes are dosed for that, and cost less per serving.

Frequently asked questions

How many servings are there in the 345 g tub?

Thirty exactly, at 11.5 g per serving. That is a month's supply if you train every day, two months at four sessions a week. The manufacturer states a shelf life of 24 months in the sealed packaging: keep the tub dry, as moisture clumps the amino acids together.

Can it be taken on an empty stomach?

Yes, the manufacturer expressly allows for it, and it is in fact the situation where this product makes the most sense: a morning session without breakfast. At 10 kcal and with no fat, the drink does not sit heavily on the stomach, unlike a protein shake.

What is the difference from a protein powder?

The form and the use. Here, 7.5 g of free amino acids, immediately available, in a clear drink at 10 kcal. A whey supplies 25 g of complete protein for 120 kcal, cheaper per gram, but in a milky shaker that goes down badly mid-session. These are two products for two different moments.

Are the electrolytes enough for a session in high heat?

No. Five hundred milligrams spread across four minerals is a supporting contribution, not a hydration strategy. Only the magnesium, at 100 mg, exceeds the regulatory threshold that allows anything to be said about it. For a long session in the height of summer, take a dedicated electrolyte product.

Why so little tryptophan and histidine?

Because requirements are not the same for all nine amino acids. Tryptophan at 50 mg and histidine at 100 mg reflect requirements markedly lower than those for leucine or lysine. A formula that dosed them all equally would be less well designed, not better.

Which flavour should you choose?

All of them sit in a tangy register. Fruit Punch and Peach Mango are the mildest, Blue Razz Lemonade and Sour Watermelon distinctly sharper — the latter lives up to its name. If you have to drink 360 ml across a whole session, a mild flavour is easier to put up with than a very sharp one.

Does the formula contain a stimulant?

No, the manufacturer declares it free from stimulants: no caffeine, no stimulating extract. That is a useful point if you train in the evening or if you already take a caffeinated pre-workout — the two can then be combined without adding up the stimulants.

Where can you buy Rule One Essential Amino 9?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. The 345 g tub with 30 servings is an honest trial format: a month is enough to know whether this product has a place in your routine.

At the shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a category where we often advise against buying before we sell. If you already eat enough protein and you train in the evening after lunch, an EAA will bring you nothing measurable — and it is better to hear that over the counter than after buying. The rest of the amino acids can be compared in our sports nutrition range.

What is Nutriting nuSafran Safr'Inside?

Nutriting nuSafran Safr'Inside is a saffron food supplement supplied in a bottle of 90 chewable tablets. Each tablet delivers 30 mg of Safr'Inside, an organic saffron extract obtained from the stigmas of Crocus sativus L. and patented by the Activ'Inside laboratory.

Saffron is a spice, not a nutrient: it has neither a nutrient reference value nor a recommended daily intake. What this product sells is a standardised extract and a format. The tablet can be chewed, sucked or swallowed, with no water and no timing constraint — a genuine practical difference from the capsules that dominate the category. The French brand Nutriting is stocked by us: the rest of its range is gathered in the Nutriting category.

What does a nuSafran tablet contain?

The label is stated per tablet, which constitutes the daily serving. It provides 30 mg of organic Safr'Inside saffron extract, 8 kcal (33 kJ), 1.8 g of carbohydrate, 0.2 g of fibre, 0 g of protein, 0 g of fat and less than 0.01 g of salt.

The ingredients list is short: organic cane sugar, organic acacia gum fibre, magnesium carbonate as an anti-caking agent, the saffron extract, and organic olive oil. The cane sugar and the acacia gum make up the tablet itself — that is where the 8 kcal and the 1.8 g of carbohydrate come from. There is no synthetic sweetener, no colouring and no added flavouring: the taste comes from the saffron.

A point of terminology, because it causes confusion: 30 mg refers to the weight of the extract, not to a weight of saffron stigmas. An extract is concentrated, and the two figures are not comparable. We do not repeat the safranal or crocin percentages that circulate about this product: they do not appear in the labelling data available to us, and we do not publish a figure we have not verified.

The bottle of 90 tablets covers exactly 90 days at one a day, which is the three-month course recommended by the manufacturer. The full composition is set out in the tabs on this page.

One point remains that is better said plainly: no health claim is authorised at European level for saffron. You will therefore read no promise here about mood, morale, sleep or stress. The contrast is stark with a mineral such as magnesium, for which precise wordings are permitted as soon as a dose threshold is met. For saffron, no such framework exists: what we can describe is factual — a plant, a patented extract, a dosage, a format, a taste, directions for use.

How do you take nuSafran Safr'Inside?

The manufacturer recommends 1 tablet a day, i.e. 30 mg of extract. The tablet can be chewed, sucked or swallowed; no volume of liquid is needed, though a glass of water remains an option if you prefer to swallow it whole. No particular time of day is imposed: morning, midday or evening, the manufacturer specifies no schedule.

The frequency is one serving a day, and the recommended duration is 3 months — which corresponds exactly to the contents of the bottle. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose of one tablet: that is the wording carried on the label, and nothing indicates that taking more would be of any use.

In practice, consistency matters more than timing. Since the tablet requires neither water nor a meal, tying it to a fixed daily habit remains the simplest way to get through three months without forgetting. Store the bottle tightly closed, in a cool, dry place, away from light.

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

The product is for adults only. The manufacturer advises against it for children under 15 and asks that it be kept out of the reach of young children.

It is not suitable for pregnant women without prior medical advice. Most important of all: if you are on antidepressant treatment, it must not be used without medical consultation. Such treatment must under no circumstances be stopped, changed or replaced on your own initiative. If you are taking a psychotropic medication or any other long-term treatment, discuss it with your doctor or pharmacist before starting.

On allergens, the manufacturer states that the product may contain traces of GLUTEN, MILK, EGGS, SOYA and FISH, as the production site handles these ingredients. Anyone with an allergy to one of them should refrain. Finally, the tablet contains cane sugar: worth watching if you follow a low-sugar diet, even though 1.8 g a day remains marginal.

nuSafran or an ashwagandha?

This is the comparison that comes up most often, as both plants sit in the same category. It has to be settled on verifiable criteria: fundamentally, neither saffron nor ashwagandha has an authorised health claim in Europe, so deciding on the basis of promises makes no sense here.

What separates them is the format, the dose and the precautions. nuSafran comes as a single chewable tablet of 30 mg of extract, with no water and no imposed timing. The products in our ashwagandha category come as capsules at far higher doses, generally several hundred milligrams, and call for a glass of water.

Ashwagandha is the better choice if you prefer a capsule with no taste — saffron has a pronounced flavour that not everyone enjoys. It does, however, have its own contraindications, notably in cases of thyroid disorder, pregnancy or breastfeeding. nuSafran is the better choice if you cannot bear swallowing capsules, or if you are looking for something you can take in a second, anywhere. In both cases, the question of ongoing treatment is settled with a healthcare professional, not with a product page.

Frequently asked questions

What do nuSafran tablets taste like?

Of saffron: pronounced and slightly bitter, softened by the cane sugar in the tablet. No flavouring or colouring is added. If you do not like the spice in cooking, you will like it no better here: the tablet can then be swallowed whole with a glass of water rather than chewed.

How long does a bottle of 90 tablets last?

Ninety days, at one tablet a day, which is exactly the three-month course recommended by the manufacturer. The pack size and the course length have been matched to each other, which saves you having to reorder part-way through or finishing up with an unusable dreg of a bottle.

Can nuSafran be taken alongside an antidepressant?

Not without medical consultation: that is the explicit wording carried by the manufacturer. This question is a matter for your doctor or pharmacist, the only people who know your treatment and your medical history. And antidepressant treatment must never be stopped, changed or replaced on your own initiative, whatever supplement you are considering.

Is 30 mg of extract a lot or a little?

It is the daily dose chosen by the manufacturer, and the figure to compare from one product to another. Beware of the trap: some labels state a weight of stigma powder, others a weight of concentrated extract. The two are not comparable. Always check which of the two is given before concluding that a product is better dosed.

Does the product contain allergens, and should you take a break between courses?

No allergen goes into the composition, but the manufacturer flags possible traces of gluten, milk, eggs, soya and fish, as the site handles these ingredients: if you are allergic to one of them, this product is not for you. The manufacturer imposes no break between courses either, and sets no maximum period of use.

Can it be combined with other supplements?

Nothing stands in the way as far as the composition goes, since the tablet provides neither vitamins nor minerals in any significant amount. It therefore combines without difficulty with a multivitamin or a melatonin supplement. Stacking products in order to stack expected effects, on the other hand, has no basis here.

Where can you buy Nutriting nuSafran Safr'Inside?

You can order it from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. In our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the conversation about this product almost always starts with the same thing: reading together what the label actually says, and telling the weight of the extract apart from the weight of the spice. The rest of our plants and extracts can be found in the sports nutrition category.

What is Nutriting nuCollagen?

It is a hydrolysed bovine collagen powder with a single ingredient, providing 90 g of protein per 100 g. No flavourings, no sweeteners, no preservatives, no additives: the tub contains nothing but collagen peptides.

That simplicity is the product's main selling point, and it has a direct consequence: the powder is neutral in taste, which makes it undetectable in a coffee, a juice or a smoothie. The manufacturer states a composition free from gluten, lactose, soya, nanoparticles, GMOs and preservatives.

On sourcing, the French brand states pasture-raised cattle in Brazil, with testing and packing carried out in France. We report that information exactly as it was passed to us, without adding any verification we have not carried out. The rest of the range can be found in our Nutriting section.

What does a daily serving contain?

* Columns calculated from the values declared per 100 g. The net weight of the tub does not appear in the data supplied by the manufacturer: divide the weight printed on the packaging by your daily serving to work out how long it will last you.

Here is what genuinely sets this product apart from the rest of the category: the manufacturer publishes an amino acid profile. Few brands do so for a collagen, and yet it is the only way to compare two powders seriously.

* Column calculated from the ranges declared by the manufacturer per 100 g.

This table tells you exactly what collagen is, and why it does not replace a conventional protein. Glycine, proline and hydroxyproline alone account for close to half the weight: these are the amino acids characteristic of connective tissue, and they are very different from those in a whey. The flip side is that collagen is low in tryptophan and its profile does not support muscle building in the same way. Those 13.5 g of protein are not 13.5 g of whey.

One regulatory point needs stating plainly: no health claim is authorised in Europe for collagen peptides. You will therefore read no promises here about joints, tendons or skin. We describe a composition, an amino acid profile and a way of using it — that is all the framework allows, and it is already more than most competitors publish.

How should you take nuCollagen?

Dose: 10 to 15 g, or 2 to 3 teaspoons. Liquid: 200 ml. Timing: in the morning on an empty stomach, or after training. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: the manufacturer recommends a course of at least 2 to 3 months, repeatable all year round without a break.

The flexibility in preparation is real: water, juice, smoothie, coffee or tea, hot or cold. A collagen hydrolysate does not coagulate with heat, unlike a whey, which forms lumps and froth in a scalding liquid. The morning coffee remains the most convenient vehicle, and since the powder is neutral it does not change the taste.

One tip from the manufacturer that is worth knowing: in a plant-based milk, leave it to stand for ten minutes if lumps appear. The powder finishes dissolving on its own, with no need to blend it.

On duration, let us be blunt: two to three months minimum is the real commitment. This kind of product cannot be judged in a fortnight, and there is nothing to feel straight away. If you are not prepared to keep it up for three months, buying it does not make much sense.

Finally, vitamin C is the logical companion to this powder — not as a marketing argument, but because it is the only nutrient in the category to carry an authorised claim in this area: vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of cartilage, bones and skin. This product contains none; if you are not taking any elsewhere, that is the addition to consider.

Who is this collagen right for, and who is it not right for?

It suits anyone who wants a powder with nothing in it: no flavouring, no sweetener, no filler. That is the best profile for anyone mixing it into a coffee or into something already sweetened. It also suits anyone who wants to be able to compare what they are buying — the published amino acid profile makes that possible, which is rare.

It is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans: the hydrolysate is of bovine origin, and there is no such thing as plant collagen, whatever you may read elsewhere. The manufacturer states the absence of gluten, lactose and soya, which makes it an option for anyone intolerant to those three.

Nor is it suitable if you are looking for a powder that tastes pleasant drunk on its own in water: neutral does not mean nice, and a plain collagen powder has a faintly meaty aftertaste that only disappears once you mix it into something else.

The manufacturer states that it is not aware of any specific contraindication in pregnancy, while still advising that medical advice be sought first; it asks that the product be kept out of the reach of young children and that the recommended daily dose not be exceeded.

What you should not expect from it: nothing immediate, and nothing promised. No effect is felt with this kind of product, and nobody can guarantee you a result without stepping outside the regulatory framework — and we will not do that. What we can honestly say is this: the composition is clean, the amino acid profile is published, the dose is clear, and that is what separates this product from an anonymous collagen. If your joint discomfort is persistent or painful, it is a matter for your doctor, not for a tub of powder.

nuCollagen or a joint complex?

That is the real trade-off for anyone buying collagen with their knees or shoulders in mind.

A product from the glucosamine category generally combines glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM in capsules, at fixed, known doses, taken two or three times a day. It is the better choice if you would rather swallow a capsule than prepare a drink, and if you want to target that particular family of compounds precisely — capsules need neither a shaker nor preparation time, and they slip into a bag.

nuCollagen takes the other route: a powder, a 10 to 15 g serving, a published amino acid profile, and a flexibility of use that a capsule does not have — in a coffee, it asks nothing extra of you. At 90 g of protein per 100 g, it also delivers a quantity of material on a completely different scale from a few hundred milligrams of actives in a capsule.

The honest thing to say is that neither of these two categories has an authorised health claim in Europe where joints are concerned. Deciding on the basis of promises therefore makes no sense: decide on the basis of format, dose, and your ability to keep it up for three months. Some of our customers add a turmeric to one or the other; there again, with no authorised claim, that is a personal choice, not a prescription.

Frequently asked questions

What dose should you take each day?

From 10 to 15 g, or 2 to 3 teaspoons, in 200 ml of liquid. That works out at 9 to 13.5 g of protein. The manufacturer does not impose a single dose within that range: start at 10 g and go up to 15 g if you want, bearing in mind that the tub will last you less time.

Can it go in a hot coffee?

Yes, without reservation. That is one of the practical advantages of hydrolysed collagen: it does not coagulate with heat, whereas a whey poured into a scalding liquid forms lumps and froth. The taste of the coffee is unchanged, as the powder is neutral.

How long does a tub last?

The net weight of the pack does not appear in the data supplied by the manufacturer, so we cannot calculate it without risking an error. Divide the weight shown on the packaging by 10 or 15 g depending on your serving. Over a two to three-month course, reckon on between 600 g and 1.35 kg in total.

Why is the amino acid profile given as ranges?

Because this is a product of natural origin, whose composition varies slightly from batch to batch. Publishing a range rather than a single value is more honest than a round number, and it is already far more than the majority of brands in this category publish, as they give no amino acid profile at all.

Can collagen count towards my daily protein?

No, or only very marginally. Collagen is low in tryptophan and its amino acid profile does not support muscle protein synthesis the way a dairy or egg protein does. Count it as a targeted intake for connective tissue, not as part of your 1.6 to 2 g of protein per kilo of body weight.

Should it be combined with vitamin C?

It makes sense, and for a specific reason: vitamin C is the only nutrient to carry an authorised claim on normal collagen formation. This product contains none, unlike some competitors. An orange, a kiwi or a supplement will do — there is no need to buy a collagen that is already fortified if you are taking some elsewhere.

Should you take breaks between courses?

The manufacturer states that the product is compatible with year-round use without a break, and recommends a course of at least two to three months. It therefore imposes no break. That is consistent with the nature of the product: these are amino acids, not an active molecule that needs cycling.

Where can you buy Nutriting nuCollagen?

The tub can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. This is a product to be judged on its label rather than on its taste, and its label is among the most complete in the category.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is in fact the demonstration we give most often in this category: turn two tubs of collagen round side by side and look for the amino acid profile. On one it is printed; on the other it does not exist. Then you will know which one you are paying for. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.