Sports Nutrition Guide

What is Universal Nutrition Animal Pak 44?

Animal Pak is a multivitamin complex sold as pre-dosed sachets: the box holds 44 of them, and each sachet brings together 11 tablets to be taken in the same serving. It is an unusual format, dating from the 1980s and virtually unchanged since — Animal Pak is one of the oldest supplements still sold in gyms.

The sachet gathers, according to the manufacturer, more than 85 active nutrients: a complete vitamin complex (A, C, D, E and the B vitamins), minerals including zinc, calcium, magnesium and selenium, amino acids, digestive enzymes, carnitine, the Spectra™ blend made up of 29 fruits, vegetables and plants, and AstraGin®.

The principle is that of a foundation: everything is assembled in advance, there is nothing to measure out in the morning. The product appears in our multivitamin and Universal Nutrition sections.

What does one Animal Pak sachet contain?

It has to be said plainly: the detailed nutritional values for this product do not appear in the data available to us. The manufacturer refers you to its official labelling. We will not reconstruct the milligrams or the % NRV figures on its behalf, and we will not repeat numbers found elsewhere that we cannot verify. That is the main limitation of this page, and it sits with the brand, not with us.

What that means for you in practice: you cannot compare Animal Pak with another multivitamin on the basis of doses, nor check whether a given nutrient reaches the threshold that would permit a claim, nor keep track of your totals if you already take other supplements. Read the label on the box when it arrives — that is what counts. If you want those figures before buying, ask us: we have the box on the shelf.

One useful detail, on the other hand, and it matters: the biotin in the formula can interfere with certain laboratory tests. If you are due to have a blood test, in particular a hormone or thyroid assay, tell your doctor and the laboratory about this supplement. This is not a trivial point: it is a known cause of distorted results.

How do you take Animal Pak?

Dose: 1 sachet, that is 11 tablets. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: at breakfast or with another meal; on a training day, about 30 minutes after the meal preceding the session. Frequency: 1 sachet a day; the manufacturer permits 2 sachets a day, morning and evening with meals, for athletes in competition or in intensive training. Duration: continuous use is possible, with no cycle or break required.

Two practical points. Eleven tablets in a single serving calls for a proper glass of water and a stomach that is not empty: fasted, many people cannot tolerate it. Spread them over five minutes rather than swallowing them all at once if this is your first box.

The manufacturer also recommends avoiding taking the sachet at the same time as a drink containing caffeine. If you take a pre-workout or a fat burner from the boosters section, leave an hour or two between them.

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

The product is aimed at adults who train regularly and want a broad micronutrient foundation without having to assemble five separate bottles. The pre-dosed format is its real selling point: nothing to count, nothing to forget, 44 days of cover in one box.

The restrictions are explicit. Not to be used under the age of 18. Pregnant and breastfeeding women must consult a healthcare professional. Medical advice is mandatory if you are on any current treatment, particularly anticoagulants. The product contains MILK and SOYA and may contain traces of NUTS: these allergens are in the recipe, not merely in the factory. Store the box in a cool, dry place, out of the reach of children, and do not exceed the recommended daily dose.

What not to expect from it. First, an effect on performance: a multivitamin fills gaps in intake, it adds nothing to an already sound nutritional status. Second, a substitute for a diet: 85 nutrients in a sachet do not replace vegetables on a plate, and the Spectra™ blend of powdered fruit and vegetables is not the equivalent of the fruit and vegetables themselves. Finally, an answer to lasting fatigue — that calls for a blood panel and a doctor, not a sachet.

Animal Pak or a multivitamin with a fully disclosed formula?

That is the real trade-off, and it comes down to one word: transparency.

A multivitamin with a fully published formula — such as those in the Nutriting section — wins on three concrete points. You know exactly how many milligrams of each nutrient you are taking, which lets you check your totals against your other supplements. You can verify whether a nutrient reaches the 15% NRV threshold that permits European claims. And you can compare two products figure by figure before buying. On a supplement taken every day for years, that is not a specialist's quibble: it is the only way to know what you are doing.

Animal Pak keeps two genuine advantages. The first is breadth: more than 85 actives, including enzymes, amino acids and a plant blend that very few multivitamins offer. The second is the pre-dosed format, which settles the question of sticking to it better than any argument — one sachet, one glass of water, done. If you would rather target one or two nutrients than a complex, the zinc, magnesium and omega 3 sections let you build a routine to measure, often for less.

Frequently asked questions

Do you really have to swallow 11 tablets?

Yes, a full sachet is the serving the formula is designed around. Taking half a sachet halves every intake. With a large glass of water and a meal in your stomach, it goes down better than you might imagine; fasted, it is distinctly harder.

How long does a box of 44 sachets last?

Forty-four days at one sachet a day, that is a little over six weeks. At two sachets a day — the use the manufacturer reserves for athletes in intensive preparation — the box lasts twenty-two days.

Where can you find the exact doses?

On the official labelling of the box. They do not appear in the data the manufacturer has supplied to us, and we would rather say so than put forward values we have not verified. If you want those figures before ordering, contact us: we have the product on the shelf.

Can it be taken all year round?

The manufacturer presents it as a foundation supplement suitable for continuous use, with no cycle or break. That said, if you already take other supplements, review your totals once a year — above all for the fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E, which accumulate.

Why avoid coffee at the time of taking it?

The manufacturer explicitly recommends it. In practice, leave one to two hours between the serving and your coffee, your tea or your pre-workout. The sachet is taken with a meal anyway, which generally settles the matter.

Does the product contain allergens?

Yes. It contains milk and soya, present in the recipe, and may contain traces of nuts. That is a real point to watch, more significant here than with many other supplements where those allergens are only factory traces.

Should you tell your doctor before a blood test?

Yes, and this is a genuine recommendation, not a formality. The biotin in the formula can distort certain laboratory assays, in particular thyroid and hormone ones. Mention that you are taking the product before any test, and ask whether you should stop it for a few days.

Where can you buy Animal Pak 44?

The 44-sachet box can be ordered on this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is a historic product, still much in demand, and that is why we stock it — while stating honestly that its technical data sheet is less legible than those of more recent complexes.

In Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the box is on the shelf and the label can be read together: that is the best way to check the doses that interest you before buying. The rest of the section can be browsed from sports nutrition.

What is Rule One Energized Amino?

Rule One Energized Amino is a caffeinated amino acid drink mix that provides 5.5 g of amino acids and 120 mg of caffeine per serving, for just 10 kcal. It sits halfway between a conventional BCAA and a light pre-workout booster: too low in caffeine to replace a pre-workout, too stimulating to drink in the evening.

The caffeine does not come from an anhydrous source but from green tea leaf and green coffee bean extracts. In practice the molecule is the same; what changes is what comes with it — the polyphenols in tea slow the rise slightly, and the sensation is less abrupt than with 120 mg of pure caffeine. The rest of the range appears in our Rule One section.

The flavours listed: Pineapple Passion Fruit, Orange Clementine, Grape, Blue Raspberry, Sour Candy, Peach Mango, Watermelon and Fruit Punch. The number of servings per tub is not published by the manufacturer in the information available to us.

What does a serving of Energized Amino contain?

Two points about reading this table need making, and they are not trivial.

The first: the “protein: 0 g” line is not a mistake. Free amino acids are not protein in the sense used by nutrition labelling, which calculates protein from the nitrogen in whole proteins. You are indeed swallowing 5.5 g of amino acids, but they do not show up in the protein line. This throws a lot of buyers.

The second: the declared value of 10 kcal strikes us as low given the 5.5 g of amino acids stated, which would normally represent around twenty kilocalories. We will not settle the matter on the manufacturer's behalf, nor will we recalculate their label. Simply bear in mind that the intake stays low either way, and that nothing here weighs on a day of controlled intake.

2 g of BCAAs is modest. A dedicated product provides 5 to 7 g per serving. Here the amino acids act as a base for a training drink rather than a genuine intake: that is not a flaw if you buy the product for what it is, but it is one if you think you are buying a BCAA. Full EAAs answer a different need, and answer it better.

The 750 mg of citrulline malate is likewise below the amounts used in published protocols, which tend to be around 6 to 8 g. If the pump is what you are after, our citrulline section offers serious doses. The beta-alanine, whose amount is not published, does on the other hand explain the tingling some users feel a few minutes after taking it; the beta-alanine section offers it dosed in its own right.

One important regulatory point, and it concerns the colourings. The formula uses FD&C colourings depending on the flavour: Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. The last three correspond in Europe to additives E129, E102 and E110, for which a mandatory statement applies: “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children”. That statement must appear on the label of the product sold in Europe. Check for it on the tub you receive, and know that it exists.

Finally, no health claim is authorised in Europe for BCAAs, citrulline, taurine or glutamine. Only caffeine has one: it helps to increase alertness and to improve concentration from 75 mg upwards.

Ingredients list

Performance complex: L-leucine, L-valine, L-isoleucine, beta-alanine, L-citrulline, taurine, L-glutamine. Energy complex: green tea leaf extract, green coffee bean extract. Other ingredients: natural and artificial flavourings, citric acid, malic acid, inulin, silicon dioxide, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, sunflower lecithin. Colourings depending on the flavour: FD&C Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. No added sugar and no creatine.

How should you take Energized Amino?

Dose: one scoop. Liquid: 240 to 350 ml of cold water. Timing: in the morning in place of coffee, 20 to 30 minutes before a session, or during a long workout. Frequency: one to two servings a day, at least four hours apart. Duration: the manufacturer sets no course length.

The timing rule is the same as for any caffeinated product: nothing in the six hours before bed. The manufacturer states this explicitly. At 120 mg per serving, a shaker drunk at 18:00 still leaves enough to disturb falling asleep at 23:00 in sensitive people.

The manufacturer permits a double serving before the most intense sessions. That takes the intake to 240 mg of caffeine in one go, which exceeds the 200 mg threshold EFSA identifies as a single dose of no concern in adults. It is not prohibited, but it should be kept for someone who knows their tolerance well, and never on a day when you have already had two coffees.

The most interesting use is the one the manufacturer puts first and that you would not expect: replacing the morning coffee. 120 mg is a little more than an espresso, with water and amino acids thrown in, and without the acidity of coffee on an empty stomach. For someone training in the late morning, it is a sequence that works well.

During a long session, dilute it further — 500 to 700 ml — and sip rather than downing it in one. The drink then serves as much for fluid intake as for amino acids, much as an electrolyte drink would.

Who is Energized Amino for, and who is it not for?

It suits someone looking for a training drink with a little energy, without the 300 mg of caffeine in a full pre-workout. It also suits those who want to cut out the morning coffee without cutting out the caffeine, and those who train early.

The manufacturer is explicit about the exclusions: the product is for healthy active adults only, not intended for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive, and medical advice is needed if you are on treatment or under medical supervision. Under-18s should not consume it.

It is not for you if you are after a genuine amino acid intake: 2 g of BCAAs replaces neither a protein shake nor a properly dosed EAA. Nor is it for an evening session, or alongside a caffeinated pre-workout — the total would quickly go beyond what is reasonable.

What you should not expect from it: this is not a product that builds muscle. At these amounts, the effect on protein synthesis is negligible if your diet already provides enough protein. What it really provides is alertness, a bit of flavour in your water, and a ritual. That is useful in itself, but it is what you should be buying it for.

Energized Amino or a full pre-workout?

The difference comes down to one figure: 120 mg of caffeine here, against 200 to 350 mg in a pre-workout.

A full pre-workout combines a high dose of caffeine, beta-alanine at a proper dose, often 6 g of citrulline and sometimes creatine. It is the better choice for a heavy session where focus is the limiting factor, or for a morning workout after a short night. Its drawback is the flip side of its strength: at 300 mg, your margin for the rest of the day disappears, and sleep suffers if you train late.

Energized Amino plays a quieter tune. At 120 mg you stay in coffee territory, with the option of another serving in the afternoon without going past the guideline figures. It is the better choice for medium-volume sessions, for daily training, and for anyone who finds pre-workouts too aggressive. It is also, let us say it, a better hydration product than a pre-workout, because you drink it more readily over time.

If your goal is recovery rather than energy, the right section is elsewhere: a complete protein after the session will do more than either of these two drinks. The full comparison is in our sports nutrition section.

Frequently asked questions

How much caffeine is there per serving?

120 mg, from green tea and green coffee extracts. That is the equivalent of a generous espresso, so markedly less than a conventional pre-workout. A double serving takes the total to 240 mg, beyond the 200 mg threshold EFSA identifies for a single intake in adults.

Why does the protein line say 0 g?

Because free amino acids are not counted as protein in nutrition labelling, which is based on measuring the nitrogen in whole proteins. You are indeed consuming 5.5 g of amino acids, but they do not appear on that line. It is neither an error nor a deception.

Can it be taken in the evening?

No, unless you train very early in the evening. The manufacturer recommends avoiding any intake in the six hours before bed. For a late session, a stimulant-free product is the only coherent choice.

Is it a genuine BCAA?

Not in the sense dedicated products mean. 2 g of BCAAs per serving is two to three times less than a conventional BCAA. This is a caffeinated training drink that contains amino acids, not an amino acid supplement that contains caffeine. The distinction changes the use entirely.

Does the product contain creatine?

No, and the manufacturer says so. It is a coherent choice: creatine is taken every day, rest days included, whereas this product is designed for training days. If you take it, buy it separately and keep the daily dose going.

Why are there colourings in the formula?

For the colour that goes with the flavour, nothing more. Three of them — E129, E102 and E110 under European nomenclature — require a regulatory statement about activity and attention in children, which must appear on the label. If colour additives bother you, that is a legitimate basis for choosing, and colouring-free formulas do exist.

Can you drink two servings a day?

Yes, keeping at least four hours between them, as the manufacturer states. That takes the total to 240 mg of caffeine across the day, which stays under the 400 mg guideline — provided you also count the coffees, teas and soft drinks you have during the day.

Where can you buy Rule One Energized Amino?

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 recommend to those who find pre-workouts too harsh and BCAAs too bland: it wins on neither front, but it occupies the middle ground well. The rest of the pre-session range can be compared in our creatine-free pre-workout section.

What is FULL AF by 5% Nutrition?

5% Nutrition Rich Piana FULL AF is a pre-workout with no stimulants whatsoever. No caffeine, no stimulant extracts: the formula is built solely around muscle pump and cellular hydration. It is a category in its own right, often misunderstood, and this product is one of its most heavily dosed representatives.

Five active ingredients make up the formula: 8 g of L-citrulline, 2 g of L-taurine, 2 g of GlycerSize™ (65% glycerol), 2 g of anhydrous betaine and 750 mg of Nitrosigine® (inositol-stabilised arginine silicate). Everything is quantified, there is no proprietary blend — rare enough in this section to be worth pointing out.

The flavours on offer: Wildberry, Push Pop and Blue Raspberry. The product appears in our caffeine-free booster section, and also stands comparison with the formulas in the creatine-free pre-workout section.

What does one serving of FULL AF contain?

The manufacturer publishes neither the macronutrient breakdown, nor the salt content, nor the number of servings per tub: we are flagging that rather than estimating it. The 60 kcal come mostly from the glucose polymers used as a carrier.

The figure that makes this whole page is the 8 g of citrulline per serving. For context: ordinary pre-workouts provide 1 to 2 g, serious formulas 4 to 6 g. Very few products reach 8 g, quite simply because citrulline is expensive and takes up room in the scoop. At that dose, the price of the tub explains itself.

One regulatory point is interesting, and rare in this category: betaine has an authorised claim in Europe — it contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism, from an intake of 1.5 g a day. The 2 g in this formula exceeds that threshold. The regulations require it to be stated that a daily intake in excess of 4 g may significantly increase blood cholesterol levels: at 2 g per serving and one serving a day, you stay below that, but the information has to appear. For citrulline, taurine, glycerol and arginine, no claim is authorised.

How should you dose FULL AF?

Serving: 1 full scoop, without exceeding one a day. Liquid: 250 to 350 ml of cold water. Timing: 30 minutes before training, preferably on an empty stomach. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: the manufacturer gives no cycle or mandatory break — logically enough, since there is no stimulant to build tolerance to.

One particular feature of this product: it can also be taken on rest days, in the morning on an empty stomach. The manufacturer recommends this to maintain the sensation of muscle fullness, and it is a use that would make no sense with a stimulant pre-workout.

Drink plenty. This is not a throwaway piece of advice: glycerol works by holding water, and without a sufficient fluid intake the formula cannot do anything. Allow at least an extra half a litre on the day you use it.

The manufacturer also states that it is possible to pair it with a stimulant pre-workout, by taking FULL AF thirty minutes beforehand. It is a common combination among advanced users: the pump on one side, the energy on the other. If you do it, add up the caffeine from the second product, not from this one — it has none.

Who is FULL AF for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at three clearly identified profiles. Those who train in the evening and do not want to sacrifice their sleep. Those who are sensitive to stimulants — palpitations, anxiety, tremors — and have given up on conventional pre-workouts. And those who work in long sets, in the 8 to 12 rep range, and are after the sensation of a pump.

The restrictions are shorter than on a stimulant product, but they exist. For adults over 18 only. Not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Consult a healthcare professional before use if you are on any medical treatment. Do not exceed one scoop a day. The product contains COCONUT derivatives, which rules it out if you are allergic to tree nuts. It also contains FD&C Yellow No. 5, tartrazine, for which European regulations require the statement: may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children. Finally, do not use the product if the safety seal is damaged.

What not to expect from it: energy. That is the most frequent misunderstanding about this product. Without caffeine, you will feel no kick, no heightened alertness, nothing edgy. You may feel your muscles fuller, and that is all the formula is aiming for. Nor should you expect strength or muscle from it: a pump is a sensation, not a result.

FULL AF or a stimulant pre-workout?

The two do not replace each other, and the best advice we can give is to work out which of the two problems you are trying to solve.

A stimulant pre-workout is the right choice when the problem is finding the will to go. A session at 6:00 in the morning, a heavy end to the week, motivation at a low ebb: caffeine is what solves that, and nothing else. The formulas in the pre-workouts section typically provide 200 to 400 mg of caffeine, often with more modest citrulline doses. They also win on price: citrulline costs more than caffeine, and a tub with 8 g per serving has to be paid for.

FULL AF wins as soon as stimulation is not the point, or is itself the problem. On citrulline alone, it is ahead of just about everything we sell, including the most expensive formulas. It also wins on flexibility: it is the only type of product you can take at 20:00 without a second thought, or on rest days. The isolated ingredients that make it up — taurine, L-arginine — are also available separately if you would rather put together your own blend, but at 8 g of citrulline per serving, the sums rarely work in your favour.

Frequently asked questions

How many servings does a tub contain?

The manufacturer does not publish the net weight or the number of servings in the data supplied, and we will not estimate it. The information is on the packaging: read it when it arrives. The serving is one full scoop, once a day at most.

Is there really zero caffeine?

Yes. The formula contains neither caffeine nor any other stimulant, and the manufacturer states so explicitly. That is precisely the point of the product: it can be taken late in the day with no consequences for sleep.

What is the glycerol in the formula for?

GlycerSize™ is a 65% glycerol powder, dosed at 2 g. Glycerol holds water in the tissues, which explains the instruction to increase hydration that comes with the product. No health claim is authorised in Europe for glycerol: we describe its role in the formula without attributing any regulated effect to it.

Can it be combined with a stimulant pre-workout?

Yes, and the manufacturer even recommends it: take FULL AF thirty minutes before the stimulant. Since it provides no caffeine, there is no risk of stacking on that front. Just check the caffeine dose of the second product, which remains subject to the usual guidelines.

Can it be taken on days without training?

The manufacturer says so: one serving in the morning on an empty stomach on rest days. It is a possible use, specific to non-stimulant formulas. That said, if your budget is tight, keep the product for training sessions: that is where it makes the most sense.

Do you need to drink more than usual?

Yes, at least 500 ml more on the day you use it. Glycerol works by holding water: if you are already short on fluids, the formula cannot work and you mostly risk headaches. A bottle next to the bench is not optional here.

Does it contain allergens?

Yes, it contains coconut derivatives, which rules it out if you are allergic to tree nuts. It is, on the other hand, declared gluten-free and free from artificial colours with the exception of FD&C Yellow No. 5.

Where can you buy FULL AF by 5% Nutrition?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is a product we often recommend to customers who tell us they have stopped taking pre-workouts because of sleep or palpitations: most of them do not know this category exists.

Our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, is also the place to compare citrulline labels side by side — that is generally the moment when the gap in dosing becomes obvious. The full range can be found in the 5% Nutrition collection.

What is Rule One Burn?

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

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

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

What does a serving of Rule One Burn contain?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ingredients list

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

How do you take Rule One Burn?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rule One Burn powder or a capsule burner?

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

How much caffeine is in one serving?

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

Can it be taken before an evening session?

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

Should you take breaks?

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

Does this product make you lose weight?

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

What is the difference with the capsule version?

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

Can it be combined with a pre-workout?

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

Does the product contain sugars?

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

Where can you buy Rule One Burn?

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

What is Rule One Whey Blend?

It is a whey protein powder that combines three forms of whey — concentrate, isolate and hydrolysate — in a single formula. The reference serving is 32 g for 24 g of protein and 130 kcal.

The sizes listed: the 900 g tub, around 28 servings, and the 2.2 kg tub, around 68 servings. Not every flavour is offered in each size: Cookies & Creme and Chocolate Peanut Butter come only in 2.2 kg, while Strawberry Banana, Toasted Cinnamon Cereal, Lightly Salted Caramel and Fruity Cereal come only in 900 g.

The idea behind a blend is simple: concentrate costs less and gives body to the texture, isolate lifts the protein content, hydrolysate brings peptides that are already broken down. The manufacturer does not publish the split between the three, which is the limit of the exercise: you know all three are in there, but not in what proportions. We flag that rather than ignore it. The full American brand can be found in our Rule One section, and the complete range under proteins.

What does a 32 g serving contain?

* Column calculated from the values declared for 32 g. ** Salt equivalent obtained by multiplying sodium by 2.5, following the conversion in Regulation 1169/2011 — the manufacturer, being American, declares sodium where a European label shows salt. Missing from the data supplied: kilojoules, the “of which saturates”, “of which sugars” and “fibre” lines, and the detailed amino acid profile.

The figure to hold on to is 75 g of protein per 100 g of powder. That is a good level for a blend, higher than a whey concentrate on its own, which often tops out at 70-72 g, and logically below a pure isolate at 85-90 g. Put on a plate: 24 g of protein is the equivalent of about four eggs, for 130 kcal.

The second figure is the 5 g of BCAAs. It is not an addition at all: those BCAAs occur naturally in whey, and 5 g per 24 g of protein is exactly what you expect from a decent whey. Be wary of labels that present this figure as fortification: it is ordinary whey.

Two things to watch, because they are not put forward. First, 0.31 g of salt per serving: nothing alarming, but at three shakers a day that comes to nearly a gram, and it counts if you track your intake. Second, the formula contains sucralose and acesulfame potassium, along with natural and artificial flavourings: this is not a plain powder. The manufacturer also states that third-party laboratory testing is carried out; we report that statement as they publish it, without having verified it ourselves.

The applicable regulatory wording is the only one authorised for this type of product: protein contributes to a growth in and the maintenance of muscle mass.

How do you prepare Rule One Whey Blend?

Dose: 32 g, one scoop. Liquid: 200 to 250 ml of cold water or plant-based drink. Timing: after training, on waking or between meals. Frequency: 1 to 3 servings a day depending on your protein needs. Duration: continuous, as no course is intended.

Thirty seconds of vigorous shaking is enough, pouring the liquid in before the powder. Two hundred and fifty millilitres gives a lighter texture than two hundred; that is a matter of taste, and the flavours in this range are frankly dessert-like — Birthday Cake and Campfire S’mores are names that deliver on their promise.

The tip the manufacturer gives, and it is worth the detour: put the mix through a blender with ice cubes. The texture turns creamy, close to a milkshake, and that completely transforms a shake you have been drinking every day for six months.

On timing, let us be honest: there is no thirty-minute window to hit after training. What determines the result is your total protein across the day. Take this shake at the point where your intake is genuinely falling short — often breakfast or the afternoon, rarely the changing rooms.

The powder combines well with fruit, a nut butter or oats, which turns a shake into a full snack. It also stands up to baking.

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

It suits most situations: it is an everyday whey, at a decent protein content, with a choice of flavours few brands offer. The 2.2 kg size appeals to those taking two or three shakes a day who would rather not reorder every month.

It contains MILK and SOYA (lecithin, sometimes replaced by sunflower lecithin depending on the batch). Traces of EGG, PEANUTS and NUTS are possible depending on the production line. The manufacturer advises against it for people allergic to milk proteins and for under-15s without medical advice. In cases of kidney or liver failure, consult a healthcare professional before use.

A word on gluten: the manufacturer writes that the formula is free of it “for most flavours”. That wording does not settle the question flavour by flavour. If you have coeliac disease, check the label on the tub you receive rather than relying on this page.

It suits you less well if you digest lactose poorly: a blend containing a share of concentrate retains more of it than a pure isolate, and the manufacturer does not publish the content. In that case, look instead at our whey isolate section. Nor is it for you if you want a powder without sweeteners: sucralose and acesulfame K are present in every flavour.

What you should not expect from it: anything a good protein source does not do. A whey does not build muscle on its own, it tops up an intake. If your diet does not already supply the bulk of your protein, no 2.2 kg tub will make up for it.

Whey Blend or pure isolate?

That is the choice facing you at every purchase, and it comes down to three lines.

An isolate supplies 85 to 92 g of protein per 100 g, against 75 g here, with far less lactose and fat. It is the better choice in two specific cases: if milky shakes bother you, and if you are in a strict cutting phase where every gram counts. Its drawback is the price, appreciably higher per kilo, and a texture that is often thinner, which some find less pleasant.

The blend wins on balance. At 24 g of protein per serving, you are within a gram or two of an isolate at a lower cost, with a rounder texture and a far wider choice of flavours. On a product you will take every day for months, those last two points carry real weight — a tub you no longer want to open is no use to anyone.

The hydrolysate share, for its part, should not swing the decision: pure hydrolysed whey exists in our range if that is what you are after, with a markedly more bitter taste and a much higher price. Here it is present in an undisclosed proportion, which rules out making an argument of it. If your goal is strength rather than protein intake, the creatine monohydrate section delivers more for far less money, and the two combine without any problem.

Frequently asked questions

What is the split between concentrate, isolate and hydrolysate?

The manufacturer does not publish it in the data available to us, and we are not going to invent it. That is the genuine limitation of every blend on the market: you know what is in there, not in what proportions. The only verifiable figure remains the 24 g of protein per 32 g serving.

How many servings per tub?

Around 28 for the 900 g size and 68 for the 2.2 kg, at 32 g per serving. At one shake a day, that comes to one month and a little over two months respectively; at two shakes, halve it.

Is every flavour available in each size?

No, and it is a common source of disappointment. Cookies & Creme and Chocolate Peanut Butter are offered only in 2.2 kg; Strawberry Banana, Toasted Cinnamon Cereal, Lightly Salted Caramel and Fruity Cereal only in 900 g. Check that your flavour is available in the size you want before ordering.

Does the powder contain gluten?

The manufacturer states that the formula is free of it “for most flavours”, without specifying which ones are the exception. If you have coeliac disease, that wording is not enough: read the label on the tub you receive, as it alone is authoritative.

Why sodium and not salt on the label?

Because the manufacturer is American and follows the convention of its market. To convert, multiply sodium by 2.5: 125 mg of sodium corresponds to 0.31 g of salt per serving. It is the calculation to make every time you compare an American label with a European one.

Can you make it with milk?

Yes, even though the manufacturer specifies water or a plant-based drink. Milk thickens the texture and adds 100 to 130 kcal depending on the volume: useful when gaining weight, and to be worked into your total if you are counting calories. A run through the blender with ice cubes gives the best result.

Which flavour should you choose for a first tub?

Vanilla Ice Cream and Chocolate Fudge are the two safe bets: neutral in the sense that you do not tire of them and they go with oats or fruit. Birthday Cake, Fruity Cereal and Campfire S’mores are far more pronounced — enjoyable on the first shake, harder to stay with over a 2.2 kg tub.

Where can you buy Rule One Whey Blend?

The sizes and the full set of flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. If this is your first tub of this brand, take the 900 g: three weeks will tell you whether the flavour suits you.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the sum we work through with the customer, pen and paper on the counter: price of the tub divided by the weight, divided by the protein content per 100 g. On a whey at 75 g per 100 g, the comparison with an isolate at 90 g sometimes gives an unexpected result — and often one that favours the blend. The full range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is TrainedByJP MPS MAX?

MPS MAX is a powder to drink during training, with a serving of 22 g. It combines three things you rarely find together: 10 g of free essential amino acids, 2.5 g of PeptoPro® (hydrolysed casein) and 2.5 g of hydrolysed whey protein. The flavours listed: Blackcurrant Squash, Peached Ice Tea and Sunny Orange.

On top of that come four trademarked ingredients: Peak O2® at 1 g, a blend of five mushrooms (cordyceps, reishi, king trumpet, shiitake and lion's mane); Velositol®, an amylopectin-chromium complex; Aquamin®, minerals derived from marine algae; and AstraGin®, a blend of astragalus and Panax notoginseng extracts. The rest is maltodextrin, citric acid, trisodium citrate, flavouring, sucralose and beta-carotene as a colouring.

It is a dense formula, and it is also a formula you need to know how to read. Below we set out what the manufacturer puts a figure on and what it does not, because the gap matters. The full range sits in our TrainedByJP aisle, and the category as a whole in EAA.

What does a 22 g serving contain?

What is missing has to be said plainly, because it is substantial. The manufacturer publishes no energy value, no macronutrients and no salt figure for this product, and does not break the 10 g of essential amino acids down amino acid by amino acid: it states only that leucine is the largest share. Nor does it put a figure on the Velositol®, the Aquamin® or the AstraGin®. The direct consequence: no magnesium, calcium or chromium content can be declared, and so no regulatory wording can be used for those minerals. On a product positioned like this one, that is a shortcoming, and we will not fill it in with figures found elsewhere.

What can be said with confidence comes down to two points. The first: 15 g of protein material in 22 g of powder, between the free amino acids and the two hydrolysates. That is a straightforward dose for a training drink, and clearly above an ordinary EAA that stops at the amino acids alone.

The second: pairing free amino acids with hydrolysates is rare, and there is logic to it. Free amino acids have no digestion to go through; a hydrolysate is a protein already broken down into short peptides. Both therefore go through without sitting heavily on the stomach, which is exactly what you ask of a drink taken between two sets.

A regulatory framing to close, and it is a necessary one: no health claim is authorised in Europe for free amino acids, nor for the Peak O2® mushrooms, nor for astragalus. So you will read here no promise of amplified protein synthesis, no quantified performance, no percentage improvement. Those figures do circulate about this product; they cannot be repeated, and we will not repeat them.

How do you take MPS MAX?

Serving: 22 g, that is one scoop. Liquid: 200 to 600 ml of water depending on how concentrated you want the taste. Timing: from 15 minutes before the session, then throughout the session. Frequency: one serving per training session. Duration: continuous, as no cycling is required.

The liquid range is wide, and that is deliberate: at 200 ml you get a very concentrated drink, at 600 ml a light one you can sip over an hour and a half. Our advice is to aim for the top of the range: the point of a training drink is as much to get you drinking as to supply amino acids, and 500 ml worked through over a session beats 200 ml downed in one go.

The manufacturer's protocol is precise on one point: start 15 minutes before rather than at the first exercise, and keep going throughout. For a session longer than 90 minutes, it recommends saving the whole serving for intra-workout.

A common-sense remark that holds for this whole category: if you have eaten a full meal one to two hours before the session, an amino acid drink during the effort is of little use. The amino acids from that meal are still circulating. This product makes sense when you train fasted, early in the morning, or a long way from any meal — not stacked on top of an already well-filled day.

Who is MPS MAX for, and who is it not for?

It is intended for adults engaged in intense physical activity, those are the manufacturer's terms, and it targets long or fasted sessions in particular. The liquid, tangy, non-heavy format is its real argument: nobody downs a whey shake between two sets of squats.

It contains MILK, twice over: PeptoPro® is a hydrolysed casein and the second hydrolysate comes from whey. The product is made in a facility that handles MILK, SOYA, EGGS and GLUTEN, and traces of NUTS, CRUSTACEANS and PEANUTS are possible. It is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women and must be kept out of reach of children. If you are on medical treatment, the manufacturer asks that you seek professional advice beforehand.

So it suits neither vegans nor people allergic to milk proteins — unlike a BCAA or an EAA made of free amino acids alone, which are often vegan. That is the price of the two hydrolysates.

What you should not expect from it: a shortcut. Fifteen grams of protein material during the session do not make up for a day at 90 g of protein, and no trademarked ingredient replaces a sound daily total. Nor can we assert anything about the mushrooms, the astragalus or the chromium in this formula: with no published contents and no authorised claim, there is nothing honest to say about them. What you are buying that can be verified is a training drink very well supplied with amino acids and easy to digest.

MPS MAX or a hydrolysed whey?

Both target the same moment of the day and are digested quickly. The choice comes down to texture and to price.

A hydrolysed whey supplies 22 to 25 g of complete protein per serving, at a far lower cost per gram of protein. It is the better choice if your aim is to add protein around training and you tolerate a milky shake. Its drawback lies in the taste, frankly bitter with a pure hydrolysate, and in the texture, which goes down badly mid-session.

MPS MAX wins on that precise point, and that is its reason for existing: it is a clear, fruity drink you can sip during the effort, where no shake would go down. It also wins on leucine, the largest share of the 10 g of free amino acids. It loses clearly on price per gram of protein, and on dosage transparency.

If your need is more about slow release outside training, it is the casein aisle that answers it, not this one. And if what you are after above all is replacing sweat losses on long sessions, our electrolytes will do it better and for far less — since the marine minerals in this formula carry no figures, they cannot be counted as an intake.

Frequently asked questions

How much of each amino acid is in the 10 g?

The manufacturer does not publish the breakdown in the data available to us: it states only that leucine is the predominant amino acid. We will not complete that table with unverified values. If the breakdown matters to you, the label on the tub you receive is what counts.

What is the difference from a standard EAA?

A standard EAA stops at free amino acids. This one adds 5 g of hydrolysates — casein and whey — that is, short peptides on top of the isolated amino acids. It is more complete and more expensive, and it brings milk into the formula, which rules out vegans.

How much water should you use?

From 200 to 600 ml, depending on how concentrated a taste you can handle. Our advice: aim for 500 ml. A training drink is there as much to get you drinking as to supply amino acids, and regular sips over an hour beat a concentrated glass downed at the start of the session.

What is PeptoPro®?

It is the trade name of a hydrolysed casein, that is, a milk protein pre-cut into short peptides. The stated benefit is faster digestion than an ordinary casein, which is consistent with use during effort. We are describing the ingredient, as no claim is authorised for it.

Does the product contain usable electrolytes?

The formula contains Aquamin®, minerals derived from marine algae, but the manufacturer does not publish the contents. Without figures, we can declare neither magnesium nor calcium, nor use any regulatory wording. If mineral hydration is your goal, take a dedicated electrolyte product.

Is it suitable for vegetarians or vegans?

For vegetarians yes, for vegans no: the formula contains two milk proteins. It is also made in a facility that handles soya, eggs and gluten, with possible traces of nuts, crustaceans and peanuts.

Should you take it on non-training days?

The manufacturer does not provide for that: the protocol is set around the session, from 15 minutes before. On rest days, ordinary protein intake does the same job for far less. This product answers a digestion constraint during effort, not a permanent need.

Where to buy TrainedByJP MPS MAX?

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

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the kind of label we read line by line with the customer, because it mixes very precise doses with trademarked ingredients whose quantity is not given. Knowing how to tell the two apart is what stops you paying for a name. The rest of the amino acids can be compared in our sports nutrition aisle.

What is Rule One's Active BCAA?

Rule One Active BCAA is a powder to be mixed with water and drunk during or after training. A 12.5 g serving provides 5 g of BCAAs at a 2:1:1 ratio, rounded out with 1.5 g of glutamine, 1 g of citrulline, 500 mg of taurine, 350 mg of electrolytes and 350 mg of coconut water powder. The 375 g tub holds 30 servings.

Rule One Proteins is an American brand founded by a family that was already working in sports nutrition before launching its own range. On this particular product, the distinguishing feature is easy to state: this is not a standalone BCAA, it is a BCAA to which a training-drink base has been added. The difference lies in those 350 mg of electrolytes and that coconut water, not in the amino acids themselves.

The flavours in the range: Watermelon, Fruit Punch, Blue Raspberry, Orange and Peach Mango. All are caffeine-free, which means you can drink your serving at the end of the day with no consequences for your sleep. The rest of the range can be browsed in our Rule One section, and the other products in the category in our BCAA selection.

What does a serving of Active BCAA contain?

2.5 g of leucine per serving: that is the figure that counts in a BCAA, and the only one that genuinely separates two products. Leucine is the amino acid that carries most of the family's value; isoleucine and valine come along with it. A 2:1:1 ratio like this one is the original and by far the most common format. The spectacular ratios you see going around — 8:1:1, 10:1:1 — increase the share of leucine at the expense of the other two, without changing much about the total amount taken in.

1 g of citrulline, on the other hand, is a supporting dose, not an active one. In this category, citrulline is normally worked at between 6 and 8 g per serving. At 1 g, it is there to round out the drink's profile, not to play the role it has in a pre-workout. If citrulline is what interests you, our citrulline section offers doses on a completely different scale from this one, and it is more honest to tell you so than to let you believe otherwise.

The formula is low in calories and free from added sugar, its sweetness coming from sucralose and acesulfame potassium. On the regulatory side, one point has to be stated clearly: no health claim is authorised in Europe for BCAAs, glutamine, citrulline or taurine. Not for recovery, not for muscle mass, not for performance. What we can do is tell you exactly what the serving contains and when athletes drink it. The rest is advertising.

Ingredients list

L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-valine, L-glutamine, L-citrulline, taurine, coconut water powder, sodium (sodium chloride), citric acid, natural and artificial flavourings, malic acid, silicon dioxide, calcium silicate, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, sunflower lecithin, colours depending on the flavour.

Allergen: COCONUT. The manufacturer states that production takes place in a facility that also handles milk, eggs, soya and tree nuts: traces are therefore possible.

How do you take Active BCAA?

Serving: 1 scoop of 12.5 g. Liquid: 300 to 350 ml of cold water. Timing: during your session, or within the 30 minutes that follow. Frequency: one serving per training day; on rest days, between two meals. Duration: the manufacturer sets no course length, the product can be used continuously.

The volume of water is not a detail on this product. 300 to 350 ml is a lot for 12.5 g of powder, and it is deliberate: the electrolytes and the coconut water are only of any interest if you actually drink during your session. Mixing it into 150 ml gives you a concentrated drink you swallow in one go, which loses half the point of it.

Sip it steadily throughout your training rather than downing it all at once. On a long session, in a hot gym, or in summer in Montpellier where the question genuinely arises, that is the best use of this formula. A shaker with volume markings will save you from guessing.

Caffeine-free, it can be drunk at any hour, including in the evening. That is a real practical advantage over stimulant training drinks, which have to be shifted when you train after 19:00. If, on the contrary, you are looking for energy before your session, this is not the product you need — you need a pre-workout.

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

It is aimed at someone who wants a pleasant drink to sip during training, with a supply of amino acids and electrolytes and no stimulant. It is as much a comfort product as a nutritional one, and it is very well designed for that: clean flavours, good solubility, no caffeine at all.

It is not suitable if you are allergic to coconut, since coconut water powder is part of the formula. It is not recommended for children or for pregnant and breastfeeding women. If you are on medical treatment, seek the advice of a healthcare professional before use. The manufacturer flags production in a facility handling milk, eggs, soya and tree nuts: if your allergy is severe, take that into account.

What not to expect from it. No claim exists for these ingredients in Europe. And there is a point to add that few sellers own up to: if you already eat enough protein during the day, a BCAA does not add much. Branched-chain amino acids are present in quantity in milk, eggs, meat and in any protein powder. 5 g of BCAAs is what around 25 g of whey contains — which you may well already be taking. This product makes sense as a training drink, not as an essential supplement.

BCAA or EAA?

This is the comparison to make before buying, and it tilts fairly clearly to one side.

EAAs contain all nine essential amino acids, BCAAs only three. Yet the body needs the full set to build a protein: a supply of leucine, isoleucine and valine without the other six is an incomplete base. That is why the category has shifted massively towards EAAs over the past few years. Our EAA selection covers these complete formulas, and it is where we point most customers who come in looking for an “intra-workout”.

So when should you choose this one? When the drink interests you as much as the amino acids do. The 350 mg of electrolytes and the coconut water are not found in a standard EAA, and a lot of people quite simply drink more during their session when their bottle has some flavour to it. That is a real benefit, even if it is not a glorious one to write down.

A third option, often the best one: if you train for a long time and sweat heavily, a dedicated electrolyte product will provide considerably more sodium than the 350 mg of blend in here. And if your goal is protein intake, a serving of protein after your session remains the main lever, far ahead of isolated amino acids.

Frequently asked questions

How much leucine per serving?

2.5 g, out of 5 g of BCAAs at a 2:1:1 ratio. It is the only line that is genuinely comparable from one BCAA to another. Heavily skewed ratios of the 8:1:1 type increase the share of leucine but reduce isoleucine and valine, without changing the total quantity of amino acids taken in.

Which flavours are available?

In the range: Watermelon, Fruit Punch, Blue Raspberry, Orange and Peach Mango. The amino acid composition is identical from one flavour to the next; only the flavouring and the colour change. All of them mix into 300 to 350 ml of cold water.

Can you drink it in the evening?

Yes, the formula contains no stimulant. It is one of the few training products that can be taken after 19:00 with no consequences for falling asleep. If you are looking for energy before your session, you need to turn to a pre-workout, not to this one.

Does the product contain coconut?

Yes, in the form of coconut water powder, at 350 mg per serving. It is a declared allergen. The manufacturer also states that production takes place in a facility handling milk, eggs, soya and tree nuts, with a risk of traces.

Is 1 g of citrulline enough?

No, not for the use this molecule is usually expected to serve. Reference doses in this category sit between 6 and 8 g per serving. Here, citrulline rounds out the drink's profile. If it is citrulline you are interested in, buy a dedicated product.

Should you take it on rest days?

The manufacturer suggests you can, between two meals. We are more reserved: if your daily protein intake is adequate, an extra serving of amino acids on a day without training brings nothing measurable. Keep the tub for training days and it will last longer.

How many servings in a tub?

Thirty 12.5 g servings in the 375 g tub. At four training sessions a week, that comes to a little under two months. Use the scoop provided, or a scale if you want to be precise: heaped scoops throw all the calculations off.

Where can you buy Rule One's Active BCAA?

The 375 g tub can be ordered from this page in the available flavours, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product we suggest to people who cannot manage to drink enough during their session — a bottle with some flavour in it often solves the problem better than a lecture on hydration. We do, on the other hand, always ask about allergies first, because of the coconut water. The rest of our selection can be browsed in the sports nutrition section.

What is TrainedByJP EAA 1000 g?

TrainedByJP EAA is an essential amino acid powder to be mixed with water, sold in a 1 kg tub, i.e. 66 servings of 15 g. The flavours listed: Cherry Lime, Berry Burst, Orange & Mango, Tropical and Strawberry & Kiwi.

The essential amino acids are the nine the body cannot make and which must come from food. This formula provides all nine in free form, that is to say not bound together within a protein: that is what sets an EAA apart from a protein powder. The manufacturer states that they are derived from plant fermentation, which makes the formula suitable for a vegan diet.

Added to these are two electrolytes — magnesium oxide and potassium chloride — then the formulation ingredients: flavouring, citric acid, trisodium citrate, sucralose as a sweetener, and a colour that varies with the flavour. The British brand is stocked here in our TrainedByJP section.

What does a 15 g serving contain?

* Column calculated from the values declared for 15 g. Three reservations, and we would rather put them in writing. The manufacturer does not publish the amounts of magnesium oxide and potassium chloride: without figures, no NRV percentage can be shown for these two electrolytes, and no regulatory wording can be used. Nor does it publish any macronutrient breakdown. Finally, it declares 3 kcal per serving, a value hard to reconcile with 12.5 g of amino acids: we reproduce it exactly as it is given to us, flagging the inconsistency rather than correcting it ourselves.

The figure that shapes this formula is 4 g of leucine per serving. Leucine alone accounts for a third of the blend, and that is a straightforward dose: many EAAs on the market stop at 2 or 2.5 g. The ratio between leucine, isoleucine and valine is 2:1:1, the classic BCAA pattern, but here built into a complete nine-amino-acid profile.

The second figure to look at is the tryptophan: 80 mg. That is little in absolute terms, and that is normal — it is the essential amino acid with the lowest requirement. But it is precisely its presence that sets an EAA apart from a BCAA, and that explains one of this product's contraindications.

A word of framing, and it is a necessary one: no health claim is authorised in Europe for free amino acids. The wording "protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass" applies to protein, not to a powdered blend of amino acids. So you will read here no promise of protein synthesis, no accelerated recovery, no protection against catabolism. What we are describing is a composition, a dose and a use.

How should TrainedByJP EAA be taken?

Dose: 15 g, i.e. one scoop. Liquid: 300 to 400 ml of cold water. Timing: during the session, sipped, or within the 30 minutes that follow; on rest days, between two meals. Frequency: one serving per day. Duration: ongoing, as the manufacturer gives no course length.

The volume of liquid is not a suggestion: 300 to 400 ml for 15 g is a minimum. A free amino acid powder is acidic and very concentrated in taste; short on water, it becomes frankly harsh, and the flavours in this range are already pronounced. If the first attempt puts you off, add 100 ml before concluding anything at all.

The most sensible use is during the session, sip by sip, with the added benefit of getting you to drink. That is the real argument for this kind of product against a protein shake: nobody downs a whey from a bottle between two sets, whereas a clear, fruity drink goes down without difficulty.

A practical note on the size: a one-kilo tub lasts a long time. Close it carefully and keep it dry — free amino acid powders are hygroscopic and clump into a solid block at the slightest damp. The formula is otherwise compatible with taking another product before or after training, with no particular interaction.

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

It is aimed first at people who train fasted or a long way from a meal, those who cannot tolerate a milky shake during exercise, and vegans — since the amino acids come from plant fermentation, the formula contains no ingredient of animal origin.

The manufacturer does not advise it for children, or for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Two contraindications deserve careful reading: it is not recommended for people on antidepressant treatment — the presence of tryptophan and phenylalanine, two neurotransmitter precursors, explains this caution — nor for people with kidney failure. Antidepressant treatment is never altered on one's own initiative: if this concerns you, the question is one for your doctor or your pharmacist, not for a product page.

It is less suitable if you are trying to raise your daily protein total. Twelve and a half grams of amino acids do not replace 25 g of complete protein, and generally cost more per gram.

What you should not expect from it, and this is the most useful thing to say: if your protein intake across the day is already sufficient, this product will add nothing. An EAA makes sense when a meal is missing, not stacked on top of three shakes and 180 g of protein a day. Nobody in this category will tell you so, and yet it is the first question to ask.

EAA or a whey?

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

A protein powder provides 22 to 27 g of complete protein per serving, including roughly 2 to 2.7 g of leucine, at a far lower price per gram of protein. It is the better choice in the great majority of cases: to make up for a meal, for an inadequate breakfast, for the post-session snack. If you are only going to buy one product, buy that one, and our whey isolate section covers the cases where digestion is a problem.

The EAA wins in three specific situations. During exercise, because it drinks clear and light where a whey sits heavily on the stomach. On a vegan diet, where it provides a complete profile with no dairy. And at 4 g of leucine per serving, it exceeds what a standard whey shake supplies on that one amino acid. If your need is limited to the leucine-isoleucine-valine trio, our BCAA section works out cheaper — but an incomplete profile remains an incomplete profile, and that is precisely what an EAA corrects. Finally, if what you are mainly after is making up for losses through sweat, it is our electrolytes you should be looking at, since the amounts present here are not quantified.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an EAA and a BCAA?

A BCAA provides only three amino acids: leucine, isoleucine and valine. An EAA provides all nine essentials, including lysine, threonine, methionine, histidine, phenylalanine and tryptophan. Here, the 4 g of leucine are built into a complete profile of 12.5 g, which is not comparable to a three-component product.

How many servings does the one-kilo tub contain?

66 servings of 15 g, a figure given by the manufacturer and consistent with the net weight. At one serving per training day, on four sessions a week, that comes to around four months. Close the tub properly: these powders take up moisture and harden.

Why only 3 kcal per serving?

That is the value declared by the manufacturer, and we have not changed it. Set against 12.5 g of amino acids, it seems to us hard to explain: we publish it as it stands and would rather flag the doubt. If the actual energy value matters for your tracking, go by the label on the tub you receive.

Is the formula suitable for vegans?

Yes. The manufacturer states that the amino acids come from plant fermentation, and no ingredient of animal origin goes into the composition. That is one of the genuine advantages of this kind of product on a dairy-free diet.

Can it be taken alongside antidepressant treatment?

The manufacturer does not recommend it in that case. The formula contains tryptophan and phenylalanine, two neurotransmitter precursors, which justifies the caution. This question is one for your doctor or your pharmacist, and ongoing treatment must never be stopped or altered on your own initiative.

Which flavour should I choose?

All are in a fruity, tangy register: Cherry Lime and Berry Burst are the sharpest, Orange & Mango and Tropical the mildest, Strawberry & Kiwi in between. All are sweetened with sucralose and coloured according to the flavour. The real adjustment is not the flavour but the volume of water: at 400 ml, they all become distinctly more drinkable.

Should it be taken during or after the session?

The manufacturer suggests both, and between meals on rest days. In practice, taking it during exercise is what makes the most sense: it gets you drinking, and a clear drink goes down where a milky shake would not. After the session, a complete protein will do the same job for less.

Where can I buy TrainedByJP EAA 1000 g?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. The one-kilo tub is a regular user's size: if this is your first EAA, be aware that it will last you several months.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the conversation about this product always starts with the same question, and it is not a sales one: how much protein do you eat per day? Until the answer is satisfactory, an EAA is of no use, and we would rather say so at the counter. The rest of the amino acids can be compared in our sports nutrition section.

What is TrainedByJP Sustain?

Sustain is a powdered exercise drink, to be sipped during training, supplied in a 1.8 kg tub, or 60 servings of 30 g. The flavours we stock: Orange & Mango and Berry Burst.

What sets it apart is the carbohydrate make-up, which the manufacturer calls the Tri-Carb Complex: 25 g of carbohydrate per serving, split across three sources with different absorption rates — cyclic dextrin, palatinose and fructose. The idea is to spread the intake over time rather than concentrate it on a single pathway.

Added to this are a coconut water powder, glycerol monostearate and Himalayan pink salt. The product contains no stimulants: this is not a pre-workout, it is fuel. The rest of the British range can be found in our TrainedByJP aisle.

What is in a 30 g serving?

* Column calculated from the 30 g serving declared by the manufacturer. The energy value is given only in kilocalories and only approximately, and the full nutrition table — fat, protein, salt, sugars — is not published. We will not invent it.

The figure that shapes the product is the 25 g of carbohydrate per 30 g of powder. In other words, more than 83% of the sachet is fuel, which leaves little room for anything else — flavouring, citric acid, beetroot colouring, sucralose. That is consistent with an exercise product.

The split is worth pausing on, because it is what you are buying. Cyclic dextrin empties from the stomach quickly and supplies energy without heaviness. Palatinose, or isomaltulose, is a slow-absorbing sugar that spreads the intake out. Fructose, finally, uses a different intestinal transporter from glucose: combining the two makes it possible in practice to absorb more carbohydrate per hour than with a single source. That is the real technical argument behind this formula, and it stands up.

What we cannot assess: the amounts of coconut water, glycerol and pink salt are not published. On an exercise drink, sodium content is nonetheless the second most important piece of information after the carbohydrate — it is what decides whether the product covers your sweat losses. Without that figure, we cannot tell you whether you need to add electrolytes alongside it. The manufacturer suggests as much itself, depending on the heat and how heavily you sweat, which suggests the intake stays modest.

How do you use Sustain?

Serving: 30 g. Liquid: 750 ml of cold water. Timing: during the session, starting 15 to 20 minutes after it begins. Frequency: one bottle per long session. Duration: none, this is an exercise food.

The 750 ml volume is not merely indicative: it is what makes this product a bottle rather than a shake. You sip it in small mouthfuls across the whole session, and it is that way of drinking it that lets you take on 25 g of carbohydrate without digestive discomfort. Downed in one go, the same liquid would cause problems.

The manufacturer gives three specific protocols. Sessions of more than 90 minutes: continuous consumption in small sips. High-intensity training: start 15 to 20 minutes after the session begins. Endurance sports: spread it across the full duration of the effort.

One instruction to respect: take Sustain separately from your EAAs or your protein. The manufacturer says so, and it is justified — a carbohydrate drink and an amino acid drink in the same bottle do not digest as well as you would hope. If you take EAAs during exercise, alternate rather than mix.

The 1.8 kg tub covers 60 servings. At three long sessions a week, that works out at around five months. Store dry, and close it properly.

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

It suits efforts that last, first and foremost: a long bike ride, a run of more than an hour and a half, trail running, a high-volume strength session, a team sport with two training slots. That is where 25 g of carbohydrate during exercise genuinely changes something. The fact that it contains no stimulants also makes it usable in the evening, unlike a pre-workout.

It contains GLUTEN, the barley starch being the source. That is a decisive piece of information and one rarely highlighted in this category: people with coeliac disease must avoid it. The product is also made in a facility that handles milk, soya and eggs.

It is not recommended for children, or for pregnant and breastfeeding women. The manufacturer also urges caution in cases of diabetes or disordered carbohydrate metabolism: that makes sense for a drink delivering 25 g of carbohydrate in one go, and this question is one for your doctor.

It is not for a session of less than an hour. For an ordinary weights session, your glycogen stores are more than enough, and drinking 100 kcal during training simply adds 100 kcal to your day. Nor is it for you if you are in a strict calorie deficit, for the same reason.

What you should not expect from it: any kick. With no caffeine and no stimulants, you will feel nothing immediate — what you should notice is not falling apart in the second hour. This is a product judged on the end of the effort, not on the first ten minutes.

Sustain or cyclic dextrin on its own?

That is the real trade-off, and it turns on price as much as on the formula.

Cyclic dextrin bought on its own costs distinctly less per gram of carbohydrate, and it is the best-established exercise carbohydrate in the category: rapid gastric emptying, very good digestive tolerance, no pronounced sweetness. It is the better choice if you want to control your own dose, if you prefer a single-ingredient product, or if budget matters — you can add your own salt and your own electrolytes for a few pence.

Sustain brings two things a dextrin on its own does not have. The first: fructose, which uses a separate intestinal transporter and allows more carbohydrate to be absorbed per hour over a long effort. The second: palatinose, which spreads the intake and avoids the spike-then-slump. Add the taste, the coconut water and the salt, and you have a ready-made drink, which a plain powder is not.

If your effort lasts less than an hour and a half, the gap between the two will not show, and maltodextrin or waxy maize will do the job for far less. Beyond two hours, the multi-source formula comes into its own.

Frequently asked questions

Why three different carbohydrate sources?

Because they do not use the same pathways. Glucose and fructose travel via separate intestinal transporters, which means combining the two allows more carbohydrate to be absorbed per hour than relying on a single source. Palatinose, being slower, spreads the intake over time. Over a two-hour effort, that split has a real benefit.

Do you really need 750 ml of water?

Yes, and that is what separates an exercise drink from a shake. At 750 ml sipped across the session, the carbohydrate concentration stays low and the stomach copes. In 300 ml downed in one go, the same 25 g becomes uncomfortable during exercise.

Does it contain gluten?

Yes. The barley starch that forms the base of the cyclic dextrin supplies it, and the manufacturer declares it as an allergen. People with coeliac disease must avoid it. This is a point on which this formula differs from most cyclic dextrins in the aisle, which are usually made from maize or tapioca starch.

How many servings are in the tub?

Sixty servings of 30 g for 1.8 kg. At three long sessions a week, that covers around five months. It is a size that only makes sense if you regularly string together efforts of more than an hour and a half.

Can it be mixed with EAAs or with protein?

The manufacturer advises taking them separately. Mixing a carbohydrate drink and an amino acid source in the same bottle slows gastric emptying and increases the risk of discomfort during exercise. If you take both, alternate the mouthfuls rather than the bottles.

Does it contain enough electrolytes for a session in summer?

We cannot say: the amounts of coconut water and pink salt are not published. The manufacturer suggests adding electrolytes itself, depending on weather conditions and how heavily you sweat, which suggests the baseline intake stays modest. On a long effort in real heat, plan for a supplement.

Is it suitable for an hour-long weights session?

Not really. Over an hour of weights, your glycogen stores comfortably cover the effort, and drinking an extra 100 kcal brings nothing beyond 100 kcal. This product comes into its own beyond 90 minutes, or on continuous endurance efforts.

Where can you buy TrainedByJP Sustain?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. On a 60-serving tub, you had better be sure of the flavour: at 750 ml per session, a taste you tire of quickly becomes a problem.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we discuss by starting with one simple question: how long does your session last? Under an hour and a half, we recommend something else, and often something cheaper. The rest of the exercise carbohydrates can be compared in our sports nutrition aisle.

What is Naughty Boy creatine?

Naughty Boy Creatine is pure, micronised creatine monohydrate. A 5 g serving provides 5,000 mg of creatine monohydrate, with zero calories, zero carbohydrate and zero fat. The manufacturer states a micronisation of 200 mesh, meaning a very fine powder that dissolves without lumps.

Naughty Boy is a British brand. On this product, there is nothing to comment on other than the raw material: the ingredient list runs to a single line, with no colouring, no artificial flavouring, no preservative, and no sweetener or bulking agent in the unflavoured version.

The formats in the catalogue: 150 g, 300 g, 450 g and a 120-capsule version. The 300 g format comes in an unflavoured version and in flavoured versions — Lemon + Lime, Fresh Orange, Blue Razz Bon Bons, Pink Lemonade and Strawberry — while the 150 g and 450 g formats are offered unflavoured. The rest of the brand can be browsed in our Naughty Boy section, and the other products in the category in our creatine monohydrate selection.

What does a serving of Naughty Boy creatine contain?

Creatine monohydrate is the only molecule in this catalogue with a health claim genuinely authorised in Europe for performance. The official wording is as follows: creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise. This claim may only be used if the product provides at least 3 g of creatine per day — which is the case here, even at the half serving. In a category where almost nothing can legally be asserted, that is an exception worth knowing about.

A second claim exists, less well known, and it concerns those over 55: daily creatine consumption can enhance the effect of resistance training on muscle strength in adults over the age of 55 years. It is conditional on an intake of 3 g per day combined with resistance training carried out at least three times a week. Here again, this is a regulatory fact, not a sales argument.

On micronisation, let us stay measured. A 200 mesh powder dissolves better and settles less at the bottom of the glass: that is a real convenience. It does not, on the other hand, change the amount of creatine the body absorbs, and an ordinary creatine monohydrate, well stirred, does exactly the same job. It is an advantage of texture, not of effectiveness, and it should be presented as such.

The formula contains no additives: no colouring, no preservative, no filler. It suits vegetarian and vegan diets, and it is naturally gluten-free. Note, however: the flavoured versions necessarily contain a flavouring and a sweetener, which are absent from the unflavoured version. If you want the single-ingredient formula, choose the unflavoured version.

Ingredient list

Unflavoured version: 100% pure creatine monohydrate, micronised (200 mesh). Single ingredient.

Flavoured versions: the composition also includes a flavouring and a sweetener. Refer to the label of the flavour you receive, as the detail is not disclosed in the data available to us.

No declared allergens. Gluten-free. Suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets. The manufacturer does not disclose the dose per capsule for the 120-capsule format: refer to the packaging.

How do you take Naughty Boy creatine?

Serving: 3 to 5 g a day. Liquid: 200 to 250 ml of water or juice. Timing: the time of day does not matter. Frequency: one serving a day, every day, including rest days. Duration: continuous; the manufacturer suggests a one-week break after eight weeks of use.

The most important point, and the one least often understood: creatine is not taken "before the session". Its effect rests on the gradual saturation of the muscle, which takes one to two weeks to build up and which does not depend on when you take it. Take it whenever you are most certain to remember — at breakfast, in your evening shaker, it makes no difference. Consistency counts, the schedule does not.

Rest days count as much as the others. This is the most common mistake with this product: stopping at the weekend lets muscle stores fall back, and you lose the benefit of the preceding weeks. One serving every day, without exception.

The loading phase is optional. You can saturate faster by taking 20 g a day for five days, but that brings nothing extra after a month — and it causes digestive discomfort in a lot of people. Three to five grams a day, patiently, gives the same result.

Drink more during the period you are taking it. Creatine draws water into the muscle; increasing your fluid intake is a simple precaution and one systematically recommended by manufacturers. Being unflavoured, the powder mixes without any trouble into a pre-workout, a protein shaker or a fruit juice.

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

It suits any adult taking part in a sport involving short, intense efforts: weight training, sprinting, team sports, combat sports. Along with protein, it is the best-documented supplement in the shop, and one of the very few whose effect is recognised by European regulation.

It is not suitable for under-18s, nor for pregnant or breastfeeding women. The manufacturer asks that you seek the advice of a healthcare professional in the case of kidney or heart problems, or ongoing treatment. This point is not negotiable: if you have a known kidney condition, speak to your doctor before buying, not after.

What you should not expect from it. Creatine does not make you lose weight, does not replace training and has no effect at all in someone who does not train. Nor does it artificially "puff you up": the one- to two-kilo weight gain seen at the start of a course is water held in the muscle, which is normal and harmless — but better known before you step on the scales.

One last point, often misunderstood: roughly one person in five responds little or not at all to creatine, because their muscle stores are naturally high already. This shows up on no label and cannot be predicted. If after two months of regular use you notice nothing, it is neither the product's fault nor yours.

Creatine monohydrate or Creapure?

This is the comparison that comes up every time, and the answer is simpler than people think.

Creapure is a creatine monohydrate, manufactured in Germany under a registered trade mark. The molecule is strictly the same; what changes is the manufacturing process and the level of impurity control. For someone who wants maximum traceability, our Creapure section meets that requirement, at a higher price.

A good-quality standard creatine monohydrate does the same job. That is what we say over the counter, and we stand by it: the molecule is identical, the European claim is the same, and the effect depends only on how consistently you take it. The price premium buys a guarantee of process, not extra results.

As for the other forms, let us be direct: creatine HCL and Kre-Alkalyn are more expensive and have never demonstrated any superiority over monohydrate. They are of interest to the rare people who digest the classic form poorly, which is a good reason — the only one.

Frequently asked questions

How much creatine per serving?

5 g of creatine monohydrate per full serving, or 3 g at the half serving. Both doses allow the European claim to be made, which requires at least 3 g a day. Count on 30 servings of 5 g for the 150 g format, 60 for the 300 g and 90 for the 450 g.

What is the best time to take it?

The one you will remember every day. Creatine works through gradual saturation of the muscle, over one to two weeks: when you take it makes no difference at all, contrary to what you often read. Consistency, on the other hand, makes an enormous one.

Do you need a loading phase?

No, it is optional. Twenty grams a day for five days saturates faster, but after a month the result is identical to that of a daily 3 to 5 g intake. Loading also causes digestive discomfort in a lot of people.

Should you take it on rest days?

Yes, absolutely, and this is the most common mistake. Stopping at the weekend lets muscle stores fall back and cancels out part of the work of the preceding weeks. One serving every day, training or not.

Does creatine cause weight gain?

A gain of one to two kilos is common at the start of a course: it is water held in the muscle, not fat. It is normal, harmless, and it even contributes to the effect you are after. Better to know it before stepping on the scales.

What is the difference between the unflavoured and the flavoured versions?

The unflavoured version contains only one ingredient: creatine. The flavoured versions add a flavouring and a sweetener. If you mix your creatine into a shaker or a juice, the unflavoured version is more versatile and its ingredient list shorter.

What is the dose for the capsule version?

The manufacturer does not disclose the dose per capsule in the data available to us, for the 120-capsule format. Refer to the label of the product you receive, and work out how many capsules are needed to reach 3 to 5 g a day.

Where to buy Naughty Boy creatine?

The 150 g, 300 g, 450 g and 120-capsule formats can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is the first product we recommend to someone starting out in weight training, even before a protein: few supplements are as well documented, and none is as simple to use. The rest of our selection can be browsed in the sports nutrition section.

What is Naughty Boy PUMP?

Naughty Boy PUMP is a pre-workout that is caffeine-free and completely free of stimulants, formulated by the British brand Naughty Boy. The dose is one 16 g scoop, and eleven ingredients are fully disclosed on the label — a level of transparency that remains rare in this category.

The formula is built around three vascular precursors: 6 g of citrulline malate 2:1, 2 g of arginine and 500 mg of PerforMelon® (an extract of Citrullus lanatus, watermelon, a natural source of citrulline). Alongside these sit 3.2 g of beta-alanine, 1 g of taurine, 1 g of L-tyrosine obtained by vegan fermentation, 600 mg of VitaCholine®, 300 mg of sea salt, the patented vitamin C PureWay-C® and vitamin B3.

The flavours on offer: Strawberry Mango, Candy Bubblegum, Ultra Energy, Tropical Punch, Pineapple Crush and Blue Razz Bon Bons. The product joins our caffeine-free booster and Naughty Boy ranges.

What does a 16 g dose contain?

Two figures are missing: the energy value is not declared, and neither is the net weight of the tub — which makes it impossible to state the number of doses. BioPerine® is the only ingredient with no published dosage.

One formulation detail deserves to be flagged, because it genuinely sets this product apart: the vitamin B3 here is nicotinamide, not nicotinic acid. It is the form that does not cause the flush — the facial redness and sensation of heat that some pre-workouts trigger. At 40 mg you will get no skin reaction of that kind. The tingling you do feel will come from the 3.2 g of beta-alanine, and from nothing else.

The authorised wordings that apply are as follows: vitamin C contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to the protection of cells from oxidative stress; niacin contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue; choline contributes to normal lipid metabolism, the 600 mg comfortably exceeding the 82.5 mg threshold required. For citrulline, arginine, beta-alanine, taurine, tyrosine and watermelon extract, no claim is authorised in Europe.

How should Naughty Boy PUMP be dosed?

Dose: 1 scoop of 16 g, without exceeding the recommended dose. Liquid: 200 to 250 ml of cold water. Timing: 15 to 20 minutes before the session. Frequency: one serving per training day. Duration: the manufacturer imposes neither cycling nor breaks, which is consistent with a stimulant-free formula.

The first time, take a half dose to gauge your tolerance, particularly to the beta-alanine tingling. The powder is fine and mixes without lumps; shake it well.

Three uses stand out depending on the time of day. In the morning, a serving on waking with a light breakfast. In the evening, this is the product's main strength: with no caffeine, it does not disturb sleep. And on long sessions, beyond 90 minutes, there is no stimulant crash to fear towards the end of training.

Hydrate properly during the session. The product can be combined with creatine, BCAAs or a protein in the same routine. What you should avoid is adding another source of arginine or citrulline: you would be stacking with no benefit.

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

It targets three situations. End-of-day sessions, where caffeine costs you a night's sleep. People sensitive to stimulants, who have given up on conventional pre-workouts. And long training sessions, where you want the pump without the nervous spike at the start.

The restrictions are clear-cut. Do not use during pregnancy, while breastfeeding, or if you are sensitive to any of the ingredients. Not recommended for under-18s. Consult a healthcare professional before use if you have a medical condition. Do not exceed the recommended dose.

Two specific points. The product is manufactured in a facility that also handles NUTS, MILK, GLUTEN, EGGS, SOYA, CRUSTACEANS and PEANUTS: traces are possible. And depending on the flavour, the formula contains the colours azorubine (E122), tartrazine (E102) or brilliant blue (E133); for the first two, European regulations require the statement may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.

What you should not expect from it: energy. That is the most common misunderstanding about this type of product. With no caffeine, there is no kick and no heightened alertness. You will feel a sensation of full muscles, nothing more. And that sensation is not a result: it is neither strength nor muscle gained.

Naughty Boy PUMP or a stimulant pre-workout?

These two products do not replace one another. The question to settle is a simple one: what is it that you are missing before the session?

A stimulant pre-workout from the boosters range is the right choice if what you are missing is the will to get going. A 6:00 morning session, a heavy end to the week, a short night: only caffeine acts on that, and no amount of citrulline will replace it. These formulas typically deliver 200 to 400 mg of caffeine, often with citrulline dosages comparable to the ones here.

Naughty Boy PUMP wins on three fronts. Timing first: it is the only type of product you can take at 20:00. Frequency next, since there is no stimulant tolerance to manage and no cycles to observe. And the sophistication of the formula: 2 g of arginine on top of the citrulline, 600 mg of choline, a patented vitamin C and, above all, nicotinamide rather than nicotinic acid, which avoids the flush. Many of our customers keep both tubs and alternate according to the time of the session — that is probably the most sensible approach.

Frequently asked questions

Is there really zero caffeine?

Yes. The formula contains neither caffeine nor any other stimulant, and that is its whole purpose. Taking it at 20:00 before a 20:30 session will have no consequences for falling asleep.

How many doses are in a tub?

The net weight does not appear in the data supplied by the manufacturer, so we cannot work it out. Divide the weight shown on the packaging by 16 g to get the number of servings.

Is the tingling normal?

Yes, it comes from the 3.2 g of beta-alanine and appears within a quarter of an hour of taking it, on the face and forearms. It lasts around half an hour and fades with regular use. You will not, however, get facial redness: the vitamin B3 used here is nicotinamide, the form that does not cause a flush.

What is PerforMelon®?

A patented extract of Citrullus lanatus, that is to say watermelon, present at 500 mg. Watermelon is a natural source of citrulline, hence its presence alongside the 6 g of citrulline malate. No health claim is authorised in Europe for this extract.

Can it be combined with a creatine or a whey?

Yes, without any difficulty, and the manufacturer says as much. Just avoid adding another product containing arginine or citrulline: stacking brings nothing and you would be paying twice for the same active.

Which colour do the flavours contain?

Depending on the flavour, the formula contains azorubine (E122), tartrazine (E102) or brilliant blue (E133). The first two require the regulatory statement about activity and attention in children. Check the label of the flavour you choose if this matters to you.

Is it suitable for long sessions?

That is in fact one of its best use cases. On a session longer than 90 minutes, a stimulant product drops off before the end of the workout; here, there is nothing to drop off. Drink enough during the effort.

Where to buy Naughty Boy PUMP?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is one of the few stimulant-free pre-workouts whose label gives figures for eleven ingredients: on that specific point, it stands comparison with far more expensive products.

Our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, keeps the flavours in stock. If you train in the evening and have never tried a caffeine-free formula, this is the product to start with. The full range can be browsed from sports nutrition.

What is Now Foods Apple Cider Vinegar 450 mg?

It is dehydrated cider vinegar, put into a vegetable capsule, dosed at 450 mg of powder per capsule. The manufacturer states a vinegar obtained by the natural fermentation of apples.

The entire logic of the product lies in the format. Liquid cider vinegar is acidic, it attacks tooth enamel, and its taste puts most people off taking it regularly. The capsule solves those three problems at a stroke: no taste, no acidity in the mouth, no contact with the teeth. It is a convenience product, and that is its only reason to exist.

The composition is short: cider vinegar powder, maltodextrin as a bulking agent, a hypromellose capsule, stearic acid of plant origin and silicon dioxide. As the capsule is vegetable, the product is suitable for vegetarians and vegans. The rest of the American range can be found in our Now Foods section.

What does a two-capsule dose contain?

* No NRV has been established for cider vinegar. Other components: maltodextrin (bulking agent), hypromellose (vegetable capsule), stearic acid of plant origin, silicon dioxide (anti-caking agent). The manufacturer declares a product free from gluten, soya, milk, egg, fish, crustaceans, nuts and wheat, made in a facility that otherwise handles those allergens. The number of capsules per bottle does not appear in the data supplied.

Let us now say what those 900 mg represent, because it is the question nobody asks and the one that decides everything. The manufacturer does not publish the acetic acid content of the powder, which is nevertheless the characteristic component of vinegar. Without that figure, it is impossible to say how many spoonfuls of liquid vinegar a two-capsule dose corresponds to, and we will not invent it. What we can say: 900 mg of powder is very little in volume, and probably far less than the tablespoon of vinegar usually talked about.

The second point to put plainly: cider vinegar has no authorised health claim in Europe. None on digestion, none on blood sugar, none on weight. So you will read no promise here, and that is deliberate: what the regulations forbid us to assert, we will not write, not even in a roundabout form.

What remains, and what is true: it is a traditional food, put into a format that lets you take it every day without forcing yourself, with less than 2 kcal per dose and an ingredients list five lines long. If cider vinegar is part of your habits and the taste puts you off, this product answers exactly that need.

How do you take the cider vinegar capsules?

Dose: 1 to 2 capsules. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: with meals, preferably before the main meals. Frequency: up to 3 times a day. Duration: a course of 2 to 3 months.

The manufacturer advises starting with a single capsule a day to gauge digestive tolerance, then increasing as required. That is good advice: vinegar remains an acid, and even in powder form it does not go down the same way for everyone.

Two instructions that carry weight. Take the capsule with a large glass of water, never dry: a capsule that opened in the oesophagus would release its acidic content in the wrong place. And do not chew the capsules — the manufacturer asks this explicitly, and for the same reason.

On duration, two to three months is the marker given. Nothing requires a break, and nothing indicates that going beyond brings anything either. At three daily doses of two capsules, you are taking six capsules a day: that is the stated maximum, and it gets through a bottle quickly.

One piece of data is missing and we would rather put it in writing: the number of capsules per bottle does not appear in the information supplied by the manufacturer. Divide the number printed on the label by your daily consumption to work out how long it will last.

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

The product is for adults only. It suits those who already consume cider vinegar and are looking for a format with no taste and no acidity, those who travel, and those protecting their tooth enamel — liquid vinegar taken daily is aggressive on the teeth, and that is a concrete argument in favour of the capsule.

It is not suitable in case of gastric ulcer or severe digestive disorders: that is the contraindication carried by the manufacturer, and it is logical for an acidic product. In case of pregnancy or breastfeeding, consult a healthcare professional before use. If you are on any medication, tell your doctor you are taking this: the manufacturer explicitly asks that this be done, and the recommendation is worth following.

Nor is it for you if you are expecting a result. We would rather be clear even if it means selling less: since no claim is authorised for cider vinegar, nobody can promise you anything on digestion, appetite or weight without stepping outside the legal framework. What we are selling here is a practical format for a traditional food, not a solution.

What you should not expect from it, precisely: no weight loss. A calorie deficit makes you lose weight; a vinegar capsule does not. Our weight loss range includes useful products, but none of them replaces what you put on your plate. Do not buy it for that.

Cider vinegar or a fat burner in capsules?

This is the comparison that comes up most often, because the two products are bought for the same reasons — and often with the same hopes.

A fat burner in capsules generally contains caffeine, green tea or green coffee extracts, sometimes carnitine. It shares with cider vinegar the absence of an authorised health claim for most of its ingredients, but it has one concrete advantage: caffeine, for its part, produces an effect you will feel — more energy, a session easier to get through during a period of restriction. It is the better choice if you are after a noticeable boost in training.

Cider vinegar capsules have no stimulant, no caffeine, and therefore no felt effect. That is a drawback if you are after a sensation, and a real advantage if you cannot tolerate stimulants, if you are already taking them elsewhere, or if you want something that can be taken in the evening without touching your sleep. They impose neither cycling nor breaks.

If your starting question was rather about digestive comfort, two other ranges are better placed and rest on more direct logics: our probiotics and our digestive enzymes. And if you are simply looking to secure your micronutrient intake, a multivitamin will do more for you than any of those three.

Frequently asked questions

How much liquid vinegar does one capsule represent?

We cannot say: the manufacturer does not publish the acetic acid content of the powder, which is the only figure that allows the conversion. What we do know is that one capsule supplies 450 mg of cider vinegar powder — a modest weight, and in all likelihood well below a tablespoon of liquid vinegar.

Can the capsules be opened or chewed?

No, the manufacturer asks this explicitly. The contents are acidic: released in the mouth or in the oesophagus, they can be irritant, and they would attack tooth enamel exactly as liquid vinegar would. Swallow the capsule whole with a large glass of water.

Do they make you lose weight?

No, and no claim of that kind is authorised for cider vinegar in Europe. So we will not write it, in any form whatsoever. What makes you lose weight is a calorie deficit held over time — a capsule neither replaces it nor makes it easier.

How many should you take a day?

The manufacturer allows 1 to 2 capsules up to 3 times a day, that is 6 capsules at most. It advises starting with a single capsule a day to gauge digestive tolerance. In practice, two capsules a day with a meal are enough for most people.

Are they less aggressive on the teeth than liquid vinegar?

Yes, and that is the format's most solid argument. Liquid vinegar consumed regularly attacks tooth enamel — this is well documented and it is dentists' first reservation about the habit. The capsule, swallowed whole, does not bring the acid into contact with the teeth.

Are there any contraindications?

The manufacturer advises against the product in case of gastric ulcer or severe digestive disorders, asks for professional advice in case of pregnancy or breastfeeding, and invites you to tell your doctor you are taking it if you are on medication. The product is also for adults only.

How many capsules are there in a bottle?

The number does not appear in the data supplied by the manufacturer, and we will not invent it. The figure is printed on the bottle: divide it by your daily consumption to work out how long it will last. At two capsules a day, the two- to three-month course calls for between 120 and 180 capsules.

Where to buy Now Foods cider vinegar capsules?

The bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is a simple product, honestly formulated, and one on which we promise nothing — which, in this category, sets us apart from a good part of the market.

At the Vendargues counter, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the conversation about cider vinegar always starts with the same question: what do you expect from this product? When the answer is “to lose weight”, we recommend something else. When it is “I already take vinegar in the morning and I have had enough of the taste”, this is exactly the right product. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is Now Foods Apple Cider Vinegar 750 mg?

Now Foods Apple Cider Vinegar Extra Strength is dehydrated cider vinegar, presented as coated tablets. One tablet provides 750 mg of apple cider vinegar powder, plus 100 mg of calcium and 7 mg of magnesium from Aquamin, a marine mineral extracted from seaweed. The dose is one tablet a day, with a meal.

Cider vinegar is obtained by a double fermentation of apple juice: alcoholic first, then acetic. What gives it its taste and its acidity is acetic acid. The powder used here is that same vinegar, dried, which makes it possible to put it into a tablet without having to drink an acidic liquid.

That is precisely where the point of the format lies, and it is very concrete: liquid vinegar attacks tooth enamel. A coated tablet goes down without prolonged contact with the teeth. The rest of the American range can be browsed in our Now Foods section, and the other products in the same family in our weight loss section.

What is in one Apple Cider Vinegar tablet?

Let us start with what cannot be said, because it is the most important thing about this particular product. No health claim is authorised in Europe for cider vinegar. Not on weight loss, not on digestion, not on blood sugar, not on appetite. It is a fermented food, sold here in dried form, and nothing can be promised of it. You will read the opposite just about everywhere; it is false, and that is precisely why we take the time to write this.

The two minerals in the formula do not change anything either. At 8% of the reference value for calcium and 2% for magnesium, the amounts stay below the 15% threshold that would allow them to be claimed as a source. They are therefore not there to nourish, but to buffer the acidity of the powder — which, on the other hand, does play a real role in how well the tablet is tolerated.

Aquamin is a raw material extracted from calcified marine algae, of Irish origin according to the manufacturer. It provides calcium and magnesium in a plant-based form, which is consistent with the tablet's vegetarian coating.

What this product does well is what the ingredients list only says by implication. It is short, with no colouring, no flavouring, no sweetener, and the manufacturer declares the absence of yeast, wheat, gluten, soya, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, nuts and sesame. In a section where “slimming” formulas pile up ten plant extracts and two stimulants, a product with a single active ingredient has the merit of clarity.

Data missing from the manufacturer's file: the number of tablets per bottle is not disclosed, which makes it impossible to work out how long a course lasts. The information is on the packaging you receive.

Ingredients list

Apple cider vinegar powder, maltodextrin (non-GMO), vegetarian coating (hypromellose, stearic acid of vegetable origin, sunflower lecithin, triethyl citrate, sunflower oil), stearic acid of vegetable origin, silicon dioxide, Aquamin (calcium and magnesium from marine algae).

Free from yeast, wheat, gluten, soya, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, nuts and sesame. A natural variation in colour from one batch to another is possible.

How do you take Apple Cider Vinegar?

Dose: 1 tablet. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: with the main meal. Frequency: once a day. Duration: a course of 3 to 6 months according to the manufacturer.

Taking it with a meal is an imperative instruction here, not a comfort tip. The manufacturer writes it unambiguously: on an empty stomach, a vinegar concentrate can cause digestive irritation. A full stomach buffers the acidity, and the marine calcium in the formula contributes to that as well. If you have ever had acid reflux after a glass of diluted cider vinegar, you know what this is about.

The tablet can be split if you find it large, which the manufacturer permits. Take it with a large glass of water, which helps it dissolve and keeps the acidity away from the oesophagus.

Leave two hours between this and any medication you take. It is a general precaution with acidic products and with minerals, and it is simple to apply: the tablet at lunch, your treatments at their usual times.

A word on the comparison with liquid vinegar, since everyone asks. The liquid costs less and can be found in any grocer's; in exchange, it attacks tooth enamel and has to be diluted carefully. The tablet solves both problems, travels well, and is dosed exactly. That is the only real argument for the format, and it is enough for some purposes.

This product combines without overlap with digestive enzymes, a probiotic or a multivitamin, none of which provides cider vinegar.

Who is Apple Cider Vinegar for, and who is it not for?

It suits an adult who wants to work cider vinegar into their routine without drinking an acidic liquid, and who appreciates a short, readable formula. The tablet format is also practical when travelling.

It is not recommended in cases of gastric ulcer or gastro-oesophageal reflux without medical advice. That is an explicit contraindication from the manufacturer, and it makes sense: we are talking about a concentrate of acetic acid. If your stomach is fragile, put the question to your doctor before buying.

It is for adults only, and medical advice is required during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Tell your doctor you are taking it if you are on any treatment, not least because of the two-hour spacing precaution.

What not to expect from it, and this is the part most sites would rather keep quiet. It does not make you lose weight. It does not burn fat. It does not “detoxify” anything — the liver and the kidneys do that job without help. It does not suppress appetite and it does not regulate blood sugar: none of those statements has an authorised claim in Europe. If you are looking to lose weight, what counts is the calorie deficit and physical activity, and no tablet replaces those two levers.

Cider vinegar tablets or a fat burner in capsules?

The two products come up in the same searches, and yet they have nothing in common.

This cider vinegar tablet is a sober product: one active ingredient, two buffering minerals, no stimulant. It contains no caffeine, does not disturb sleep and can be taken at any mealtime. That is its main advantage, and it should not be underestimated if you are sensitive to stimulants.

A fat burner in capsules follows a different logic: carnitine, green tea, guarana, caffeine, plant extracts. Those formulas are more complete, but also more stimulating and more demanding — restricted timing, compulsory breaks, cardiovascular contraindications. If that is the route that interests you, our fat burner capsules section covers it fully.

When is neither the answer? If you expect a supplement to do the work for you. No product in this section has a weight-loss claim, and that is as true of cider vinegar as it is of fat burners. If you still want a stimulant-free formula, our caffeine-free fat burner section is the closest in spirit. And if your stomach is the real subject, a magnesium or a digestive enzyme will answer better than an acid concentrate.

Frequently asked questions

How much cider vinegar per tablet?

750 mg of apple cider vinegar powder, obtained by dehydrating the vinegar produced from the fermentation of apples. To that are added 100 mg of calcium and 7 mg of magnesium of marine origin, present to buffer the acidity rather than to nourish.

Does cider vinegar make you lose weight?

No, and no claim of that kind is authorised in Europe, whether on weight loss, on appetite or on blood sugar. It is a fermented food sold in dried form. Fat loss comes from the calorie deficit and from physical activity, not from a tablet.

Why take it during a meal?

Because a vinegar concentrate taken on an empty stomach can irritate the stomach: the manufacturer says so in black and white. A full stomach buffers the acidity, and the marine calcium in the formula plays its part too. A large glass of water completes the precaution.

Tablet or liquid vinegar?

The liquid costs less but attacks tooth enamel and has to be diluted. The coated tablet avoids that contact, travels easily and is dosed exactly. That is the only real advantage of the format, and it is enough for some purposes.

Is this product suitable for vegetarians?

Yes. The coating is declared vegetarian, the stearic acid is of vegetable origin and the Aquamin comes from calcified marine algae. The manufacturer also declares the absence of yeast, wheat, gluten, soya, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, nuts and sesame.

Can it be taken if you have reflux?

Not without medical advice. The manufacturer explicitly advises against the product in cases of ulcer or gastro-oesophageal reflux. We are talking about a concentrate of acetic acid: if your stomach is fragile, this is not the right product and it is better to know beforehand.

How long does a course last?

The manufacturer mentions 3 to 6 months at one tablet a day. The number of tablets per bottle has not been disclosed to us, so we cannot say how many bottles that represents; the information is on the packaging.

Where to buy Now Foods Apple Cider Vinegar?

The bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship anywhere in France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is a product we sell often, but rarely for the reason the customer imagines: we start by explaining that it does not make you lose weight, and those who buy it afterwards do so in full knowledge of the facts. The rest of our selection can be browsed in the sports nutrition section.

What is Now Foods Vitamin D3 Liquid?

Now Foods Vitamin D3 Liquid is vitamin D3 in liquid form, in a dropper bottle. Four drops provide 400 IU of cholecalciferol, that is 10 µg and 200% of the nutrient reference value. The 59 ml bottle contains around 590 drops, which amounts to 147 servings.

Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, is the form the skin makes for itself under the effect of ultraviolet rays. It is also the one found in oily fish and egg yolks. It differs from vitamin D2, of plant origin, which the body uses less efficiently.

The liquid form is not a presentational whim: it is what lets you adjust the dose drop by drop. Where a tablet imposes a fixed dose, a dropper lets you take anything from 400 to 2,000 IU according to your needs, without changing product. The rest of the American range can be browsed in our Now Foods section, and the other products in the category in our vitamin D section.

What is in one serving of Vitamin D3 Liquid?

Vitamin D is the best-justified supplement in this entire catalogue for a French population, and that is not a sales argument. Between October and March, at our latitudes, the sun sits too low on the horizon for the skin to make it in useful quantities. Even in Montpellier, where sunshine is generous the rest of the year, the winter window is very real.

The authorised claims for this vitamin are numerous and solid, and there is no reason to stray from them: vitamin D contributes to normal absorption and utilisation of calcium and phosphorus, to the maintenance of normal bones, to the maintenance of normal teeth, to the maintenance of normal muscle function, to the normal function of the immune system, to the maintenance of normal blood calcium concentrations and it has a role in the process of cell division. These are the official wordings of the European framework.

The choice of MCT oil as the base is worth pausing on. These are medium-chain triglycerides, derived from coconut and palm kernel. Since vitamin D is fat-soluble, it needs a fatty carrier to be absorbed: here, that carrier is already in the bottle. It is a genuine advantage over a dry capsule, which relies on the meal to supply the fat.

The 147-serving bottle is an unusually long-lasting pack. At four drops a day, it covers close to five months — that is, the whole season in which supplementing makes the most sense.

Missing from the manufacturer's file: the origin of the cholecalciferol is not specified. Most vitamin D3 on the market is extracted from sheep lanolin, but we will not assert that here for lack of information. This product therefore cannot be presented as suitable for vegan diets.

Ingredients list

MCT oil (medium-chain triglycerides from coconut and palm kernel oil), vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol).

Free from yeast, wheat, gluten, soya, corn, milk, egg, fish and shellfish. Made in a facility that handles other ingredients containing these allergens.

How should Vitamin D3 Liquid be taken?

Dose: 4 drops, up to 20 drops a day according to your needs, that is 400 to 2,000 IU. Carrier: straight into the mouth or in a drink. Timing: during a meal containing fat, preferably breakfast or lunch. Frequency: once a day is enough, even for the full dose. Duration: from October to March at least, all year round depending on your sun exposure.

Shake the bottle before each use: the vitamin D is suspended in the oil and needs to be distributed evenly. This is a manufacturer's instruction, and it takes two seconds.

The manufacturer suggests four drops one to five times a day. In practice, nothing obliges you to split it up: vitamin D is stored in the body, and taking all twenty drops at once with the same meal comes to the same thing while being infinitely easier to keep up. That is the advice we give in the shop, and it beats a five-a-day routine abandoned within a week.

Taking it with a fatty meal counts, even with an MCT oil base. The bottle already supplies the fatty carrier, which is a real plus, but a meal containing fat remains the best context for absorption. Breakfast or lunch work well.

A small hygiene instruction that the manufacturer specifies and that is often overlooked: if the dropper touches your lips, clean it before putting it back in the bottle. On a product that lasts five months, this avoids contaminating the oil. Vitamin D combines without overlap with an omega 3, a magnesium — a mineral involved in its metabolism — or a zinc.

Who is Vitamin D3 Liquid for, and who is it not for?

It suits an adult with little sun exposure, working indoors, or going through the autumn-winter period. The liquid format is particularly well suited to those who dislike swallowing capsules, and dosing by the drop allows fine adjustment, which no tablet permits.

A healthcare professional must be consulted in the event of pregnancy, breastfeeding, drug treatment or a health problem. That is the manufacturer's instruction, and it is justified: vitamin D is fat-soluble, it is stored, and an accumulation from other sources shows up less quickly than with a water-soluble vitamin.

Check precisely what your other supplements contain. A multivitamin, a joint complex or a bone product almost always supply vitamin D, and the intakes add up. The upper safety limit set at European level for adults is 100 µg a day, that is 4,000 IU: this product's maximum dose, 2,000 IU, stays well clear of it, but the sum can change the picture quickly.

What you should not expect from it. You will feel nothing when you take it, and that is normal: no vitamin produces a sensation. It does not improve sporting performance and it makes you neither lose weight nor gain muscle. And above all, it does not replace a blood test: if you are wondering about your status, a test prescribed by your doctor will tell you what no product page can guess.

Liquid vitamin D or capsules?

The two forms are equivalent in substance — it is the same molecule — and the choice comes down entirely to practical criteria.

The liquid format has two advantages that genuinely count. The first is flexibility of dosing: four drops or twenty, you decide, whereas a tablet imposes its figure. The second is that there is no capsule to swallow, which settles the matter for anyone put off by capsules. Add to that the MCT oil base, which supplies the fatty carrier needed for absorption.

The capsule, for its part, wins on simplicity: no bottle to shake, no dropper to clean, no risk of spilling. It slips into a weekly pill organiser, which a liquid does not. And some formulas pair it with other fat-soluble vitamins, such as K2.

When is the capsule the better choice? If you already have a supplement routine in capsule form and simply want to add one line to it. If your goal is broader, a multivitamin already supplies some, in a more modest amount. And for an intake of vitamin C during the same season, a dedicated product rounds out this winter routine nicely.

Frequently asked questions

How much vitamin D per drop?

100 IU per drop, that is 400 IU for four drops, which represents 200% of the nutrient reference value. The manufacturer provides for up to 2,000 IU a day, that is twenty drops, according to individual needs.

Should the doses be split up?

That is not necessary. The manufacturer suggests four drops one to five times a day, but vitamin D is stored in the body: taking the full dose at once with the same meal comes to the same thing and is far easier to keep up over time.

Why an MCT oil base?

Because vitamin D is fat-soluble and needs a fatty carrier to be absorbed. Here, that carrier is already in the bottle, which is a genuine advantage over a dry capsule that relies solely on the meal.

How long does one bottle last?

59 ml, that is around 590 drops and 147 servings of 400 IU. At four drops a day, that comes to close to five months: enough to cover the whole October to March period without reordering. At twenty drops a day, allow one month.

Is this product suitable for vegans?

The manufacturer does not specify the origin of the cholecalciferol, and we will not invent it. Most vitamin D3 on the market comes from sheep lanolin. In the absence of information, this product cannot be presented as suitable for a vegan diet.

Is there a risk of overdose?

The upper safety limit set at European level for adults is 100 µg a day, that is 4,000 IU. The maximum dose provided for here, 2,000 IU, stays well clear of it. Do check your other supplements, though: vitamin D intakes add up and are stored.

Should it be taken all year round?

The period in which supplementing is most justified runs from October to March, the sun being too low then to allow useful production in the skin. The rest of the year depends on your actual exposure. A blood test prescribed by your doctor settles it far better than guesswork.

Where can you buy Now Foods Vitamin D3 Liquid?

You can order the 59 ml bottle on this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. In the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product we recommend most readily at the start of autumn, with one simple piece of advice: all the drops at once, at breakfast, and the bottle will see you through to spring. The rest of our selection can be browsed in the sports nutrition section.

What is Now Foods Iron 18 mg?

Now Foods Iron 18 mg is an iron supplement in vegetable capsules, sold in a bottle of 120. The mineral is supplied as Ferrochel™ bisglycinate, a raw material from Albion Labs in which the iron is chelated to two glycine molecules.

That form is not a marketing detail. A conventional ferrous sulphate has to be taken on an empty stomach to be properly absorbed, which brings on the nausea, cramps and constipation that make one course in two get abandoned after a fortnight. A bisglycinate is taken with a meal and goes down far better. With iron, tolerance is not a luxury: it is what decides whether the course will be seen through.

The formula is short: the chelated iron, rice flour as an excipient, a vegetable cellulose capsule, stearic acid of plant origin and silica. The manufacturer declares it free from wheat, gluten, soya, milk, egg, fish, shellfish and nuts. The full range is in the Now Foods section.

What does one capsule contain?

The bottle holds 120 capsules, which is four months at one a day. It is the longest-lasting format in the range, and on a mineral that calls for a course of several months, that saves two or three repeat purchases.

The 18 mg cover 128% of the nutrient reference value, set at 14 mg. This is a corrective dose, designed to rebuild low stores. In someone whose ferritin is normal it brings nothing: surplus iron has no active route of elimination, the body stores it, and that is precisely what should be avoided.

The manufacturer itself writes the following, and that is rare enough to be worth highlighting: “iron supplementation should only be undertaken in cases of proven deficiency or of increased needs identified by a healthcare professional”. We will say nothing different. It is the one everyday supplement in the range where excess causes a genuine problem, and the first step is not to open this bottle but to have your ferritin measured.

That said, the claims for iron are solid and numerous. We can write, using the exact wordings of the European regulation, that iron contributes to normal formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin, to normal oxygen transport in the body, to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to the normal function of the immune system and to normal cognitive function. That is why a deficiency shows up first as breathlessness and a drop in tolerance to effort.

How should you take Iron 18 mg?

Dose: 1 capsule a day. Liquid: a glass of water, or better still, a citrus juice. Timing: during a meal. Frequency: 1 intake a day. Duration: 3 to 6 months depending on needs, with a serum ferritin check to fine-tune it.

Two habits genuinely change how much you get out of each capsule, and they cost nothing. The first: pair it with a source of vitamin C — a citrus juice, a kiwi, green vegetables. Vitamin C markedly improves the absorption of non-haem iron. The second, conversely: avoid coffee, tea, dairy products and calcium at the time you take it. Tannins and calcium block absorption, sometimes by half. A cup of tea after breakfast can cancel out a good part of the capsule you have just swallowed.

Also leave at least two hours between it and any other mineral supplement — zinc, calcium, magnesium — since these minerals compete for the same intestinal transporters. The simplest pattern: iron at breakfast with an orange juice, the other minerals at dinner.

On duration, think in months. Rebuilding ferritin stores takes time, and the fatigue linked to a deficiency is not corrected in a week. The manufacturer talks of 3 to 6 months with a blood check: have your ferritin measured again to know when to stop, rather than carrying on out of habit.

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

It is aimed at adults whose iron status is low: women with heavy periods, people following a vegetarian or vegan diet, high-volume endurance athletes, and anyone whose blood work has shown low ferritin. With a cellulose capsule and stearic acid of plant origin, it suits vegetarian and vegan diets — which is just as well, since those are the people most often short of iron, plant iron being less well absorbed than iron from meat.

The manufacturer restricts it to adults and asks that you consult a healthcare professional if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, taking medication or dealing with a health problem. None of the major allergens goes into the formula, but the product is made in a facility that handles others.

Keep this bottle out of the reach of children. Accidental ingestion of iron capsules is one of the most serious forms of paediatric poisoning, and a bottle of 120 is not a quantity to leave lying about. It is the most important warning on this page.

What you should not expect from it: this is not a product for tiredness in general. Iron reduces fatigue only when that fatigue is caused by an iron deficiency. Otherwise you are accumulating it with no benefit. Nor is it a performance product: in an athlete whose ferritin is normal, adding 18 mg a day improves nothing. And if you are affected by haemochromatosis or another iron overload disorder, this product is to be avoided entirely.

18 mg or 20 mg: which iron dose should you choose?

We offer two bisglycinate irons, one at 18 mg and the other at 20 mg, and the question of which to choose comes up regularly. It is settled less by the two milligrams between them — negligible — than by three practical criteria.

The format. That is this one's main argument: 120 capsules, or four months of use without a repeat purchase. The iron section also offers bottles of 60 capsules, which cover two months. Over a course of 3 to 6 months, the large format avoids running out — and an interrupted course is of no use at all.

The composition. Here the manufacturer explicitly lists the eight major allergens absent from the formula and names its raw material, Albion's Ferrochel™. That is a useful level of detail if you have multiple sensitivities.

Dosing flexibility. This is the only point where the other product comes out ahead: at 20 mg per capsule with the option of taking two, it allows you to go up to 40 mg in an established deficiency, which this one does not — the dosage is one capsule, full stop. If your doctor has steered you towards a high dose, go for that option; for an ordinary correction and a long course, this bottle is the more practical. One last marker: if your need is general rather than targeted, a multivitamin containing iron provides a more modest maintenance dose, often enough when ferritin is simply low-normal.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a blood test before starting?

Yes, and the manufacturer writes as much itself: iron supplementation should only be undertaken in cases of proven deficiency or of increased needs identified by a healthcare professional. A ferritin and serum iron test answers the question with a single blood draw. Supplementing without a deficiency brings no benefit and makes you accumulate.

What is Ferrochel™?

It is the trade name of the iron bisglycinate produced by Albion Labs. Naming its raw material commits the manufacturer to a specific origin rather than to an adjective. In practice, what matters to you is the chelated form: it can be taken with a meal, which a ferrous sulphate cannot, and it is markedly better tolerated.

Why avoid tea and coffee when taking it?

Because their tannins sharply reduce the absorption of non-haem iron, the kind found in supplements and plants. Calcium and dairy products have the same effect. Leave two hours between them. Conversely, a glass of citrus juice taken with the capsule improves absorption: it is the single most rewarding habit on this page.

How long does the bottle of 120 capsules last?

Four months at one capsule a day, which covers most of a 3 to 6 month course. That is the main practical appeal of this product: you do not have to reorder part-way through, and an interrupted iron course loses much of its point.

Are the capsules suitable for vegans?

Yes. The shell is vegetable cellulose and the stearic acid used is of plant origin; no ingredient in the formula is of animal origin. That fits the people concerned, since diets without animal products are among those where the question of iron comes up most often.

Does this iron cause constipation?

Far less than a ferrous sulphate. Chelation to glycine limits the digestive irritation and constipation associated with conventional ferrous salts, and allows the capsule to be taken during a meal. Some discomfort remains possible, but this is precisely the difference that makes it possible to keep going for several months.

Can it be taken with whey or creatine?

No problem, there is no known interaction. Do watch one detail, though: if you take your whey with milk, do not pair it with the iron at the same moment — the calcium in milk reduces absorption. Simply leave an hour or two between them.

Where can you buy Now Foods Iron 18 mg?

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

Iron is one of the few products we sell more slowly than the rest, and deliberately so. At our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the conversation starts with a simple question — do you know your ferritin level? — and sometimes ends with advice to buy nothing until you have the answer. The other minerals and the plant proteins are in our sports nutrition section.

What is Now Foods' Avocado Oil?

Now Foods Avocado Oil is a pure avocado oil intended for external cosmetic use. The bottle contains only one ingredient: Persea gratissima oil, obtained by cold pressing, with no hexane solvent. It comes in 118 ml and 473 ml.

Avocado oil is extracted from the flesh of the fruit and not from the stone, which sets it apart from most vegetable oils, generally obtained from seeds. It is a thick oil, green to yellow depending on the batch, with a discreet, vegetal smell.

A single line in the ingredients list: that is what makes this product worth having. No preservative, no synthetic fragrance, no colouring. You know exactly what you are applying, which is far from being the case with a supermarket skincare oil. The rest of the American range can be browsed in our Now Foods section.

What does avocado oil contain?

Cold pressing is the only technical mention that really counts here. An oil extracted with heat or with solvent costs less to produce, but the process degrades some of the fragile compounds in the flesh. Cold pressing preserves them, at the cost of a lower yield — which is what explains the price difference between two oils that look identical.

The main fatty acid in avocado oil is oleic acid, the same one found in olive oil. It is a monounsaturated fatty acid, stable, which gives the oil its enveloping feel and its good keeping qualities compared with oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are more fragile.

The manufacturer notes the natural presence of squalene, sterolins, lecithin and chlorophyll, along with several vitamins. We pass this information on and attribute it, without turning it into a promise: no quantity is given for these compounds, and we will not estimate them. They are natural constituents of avocado flesh, present at levels that vary with the origin and the batch.

One practical consequence of this purity: the colour and appearance vary from one bottle to the next, and small natural particles may appear. That is not a fault, it is the sign of an unrefined oil.

Ingredients list

Persea gratissima (avocado) oil. No preservative, no artificial colouring, no synthetic fragrance.

Not recommended if you have a known allergy to avocado. The manufacturer also states that the product is not tested on animals.

How do you use avocado oil?

Amount: a few drops, 2 to 3 for the face, more for the body. Surface: clean, dry skin, or slightly damp skin after showering. Timing: preferably in the evening for the face. Frequency: as needed, daily if you wish. Use: external only.

Start with a tolerance test, and that is not just a form of words. Apply a few drops to the crook of your elbow and wait twenty-four hours before the first application on your face. It is the precaution the manufacturer asks for, and it holds for any pure vegetable oil, however gentle.

On the face, two to three drops are enough, as a night serum or mixed into your usual cream. Avoid the eye contour area, as the manufacturer specifies. On the body, apply to skin that is still damp after showering: the oil holds the water at the surface and sinks in better.

A word on how an oil works on the skin, because the confusion is permanent. A vegetable oil does not hydrate: it contains no water. What it does is form a film that slows the evaporation of the water already present in the surface layers. That is exactly why applying it to damp skin, just after a shower, gives a far better result than on perfectly dry skin: you are trapping water instead of covering a desert.

On hair, it is used as a pre-shampoo mask, applied to the lengths and left on for twenty to thirty minutes. This is the use where the large 473 ml size makes complete sense: a hair mask uses far more than a facial treatment.

Storage: close the bottle carefully after each use and keep it away from heat and direct light. In the height of summer in Montpellier, a spell in the fridge does no harm — the oil sets slightly in the cold and becomes fluid again within a few minutes in your hand, without causing the slightest problem.

Who is avocado oil for, and who is it not for?

It suits dry or dehydrated skin, dry and brittle hair, and anyone looking for a single-ingredient product rather than a cosmetic formula thirty lines long. It also serves as a massage base, on its own or combined with essential oils.

It is not suitable if you have a known allergy to avocado, an explicit contraindication from the manufacturer. It is for external use only: this bottle is not intended for cooking, whatever the quality of the oil it contains. Avoid the eye contour area, and stop using it if a skin reaction occurs.

Oily or blemish-prone skin should try it cautiously on a small area: it is a rich oil, and not every skin type tolerates it on the face. On the body and the hair, the question arises far less.

Nor is it suitable if you are looking for a product that smells good. With no added fragrance, a pure avocado oil has a discreet but very real vegetal smell that some people do not care for on the face. That is the price of a one-line ingredients list, and it is better to know before opening the 473 ml bottle. A drop of essential oil can put that right for body or massage use, never around the face.

What not to expect from it. It is not a food supplement and it has no nutritional effect: the vitamins mentioned by the manufacturer are constituents of the oil, not a dietary intake. It is not a dermatological treatment: a skin condition is a matter for a doctor. And an oil does not replace a moisturiser — it limits water loss, it does not supply any.

Avocado oil or a supplement taken internally?

The question often comes up in the shop, and the answer is clear-cut: these are two completely different approaches.

This oil works where you apply it, and nowhere else. It is external care in the strict sense: it forms a film that limits the evaporation of water at the surface of the skin. It is useful, it is immediate, it is visible, and it has nothing to do with what you eat.

If your concern is your skin, your nails or your hair from the inside, other products come into play, and they have authorised claims that this oil does not. Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal skin, nails and hair; vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin. Our collagen section and our multivitamin section cover that approach.

In which cases do the two complement each other? Almost always, in fact, since they do not work in the same place. A supply of omega 3 or vitamin E is a matter of diet; an avocado oil is a matter for the bathroom. There is no reason at all to choose.

Frequently asked questions

Can this oil be eaten?

No. The manufacturer states external use only, for cosmetic care. That is the wording that appears on the product warning and it is the one that prevails: this bottle is not intended for cooking, whatever the purity of the oil it contains.

What is the difference between the sizes?

The volume alone: 118 ml and 473 ml, with the same oil in both. The small size suits facial use, where two to three drops are enough. The large size is worthwhile for the body and above all for hair masks, which use far more.

What does cold-pressed mean?

That the oil is extracted mechanically, without excessive heating and without hexane solvent. The yield is lower and the cost higher, but the fragile compounds in the flesh are preserved. It is the only technical mention that genuinely distinguishes two oils that look identical.

The oil changes colour, is that normal?

Yes. An unrefined oil naturally varies from green to yellow depending on the origin of the fruit and the batch, and small particles may appear. The manufacturer states this explicitly. It is not a fault, it is the opposite of heavy refining.

Is it suitable for oily skin?

It is a rich oil, to be tested cautiously on a small area before any application to the face if your skin is on the oily side. On the body and the hair, the question arises far less. Do the tolerance test in the crook of your elbow in every case.

Can it be used on hair?

Yes, as a pre-shampoo mask on the lengths, left on for twenty to thirty minutes, or as a few drops on dry hair. It is the use that gets through the most: if that is your main goal, go straight for the 473 ml bottle.

Does it need to be kept cool?

It is not compulsory, but it is recommended in hot weather: keep the bottle away from heat and light, tightly closed. The oil may set slightly in the fridge and becomes fluid again within a few minutes in your hand, with no deterioration.

Where can you buy Now Foods' Avocado Oil?

The sizes can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we sell with a single warning, always the same one: external use, and a test in the crook of the elbow before applying it to the face. The rest of our selection can be browsed in the sports nutrition section.

What is Now Foods' Probiotic-10 100 Billion?

Now Foods Probiotic-10 100 Billion is a live culture supplement in vegetable capsules. One capsule provides 100 billion colony-forming units, spread across ten strains each named and referenced individually. The product comes in 30 and 60 capsules, and it must be kept refrigerated.

Colony-forming units, abbreviated to CFU, count the micro-organisms viable at the time of manufacture. It is the unit of measurement in this category, and 100 billion per capsule places this product at the top end of the market — the usual formulas sit rather between 1 and 30 billion.

But the most interesting figure on this label is not the CFU count: it is the fact that every strain is identified by its exact reference. Lactobacillus acidophilus La-14, Bifidobacterium lactis Bl-04, Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lr-32… These codes designate precise strains, not a vague bacterial genus. The rest of the American range can be browsed in our Now Foods section, and the other products in the category in our probiotic section.

What does one Probiotic-10 capsule contain?

Naming the strains is not a bureaucratic detail, it is what separates a serious product from a display product. Two strains from the same bacterial genus can behave very differently, and research is always carried out on identified strains, never on a genus. A product that announces “lactobacilli and bifidobacteria” with no further precision tells you nothing about what you are buying. Here, ten strains, ten references, and the manufacturer states that they are identified by genetic fingerprinting.

The formula also contains fructo-oligosaccharides, fibres that serve as a substrate for the bacteria — this is what is called a prebiotic, as opposed to the probiotic, which refers to the micro-organisms themselves.

On the regulatory side we need to be precise, because this category is saturated with promises: no health claim is authorised in Europe for these strains. Not on digestion, not on immunity, not on transit, not on the microbiota. The dossiers submitted in this category came to nothing. So we describe strains, their number and their directions for use, without announcing any effect. That is as frustrating to write as it is to read, but it is the state of the law.

The manufacturer states production in the United States, non-GMO, kosher and halal, along with the absence of gluten, dairy, soya, egg, fish and tree nuts in the formula.

List of ingredients

Blend of ten lactic acid bacteria strains (100 billion CFU), hypromellose (vegetable capsule), microcrystalline cellulose, fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), ascorbyl palmitate, silicon dioxide.

Gluten-free, dairy-free, soya-free, egg-free, fish-free and tree-nut-free. Made in a facility that handles other allergens. Do not consume the desiccant sachet inside the bottle.

How should you take Probiotic-10?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a glass of water. Timing: in the morning on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before breakfast, or between two meals. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: a course of 3 months minimum according to the manufacturer.

Let us start with the constraint that decides everything about this product: refrigeration is compulsory, between 2 and 8 °C. This is not a comfort tip, it is what keeps the bacteria alive until the use-by date. Take the bottle out only for as long as it takes to swallow the capsule and close it again straight away. A bottle left for a day on the worktop in high summer loses part of its value, and nobody can tell you which part.

That constraint has a practical consequence you have to accept: this product travels badly. In hot weather, plan to be there for the delivery and to put it in the fridge without waiting. It is the kind of detail that does not show up on a product page, and that nonetheless makes the difference between a bottle that works and a useless one.

Taking it on an empty stomach has a precise reason: stomach acidity. The bacteria have to pass through that very acidic environment to reach the intestine, and an empty stomach is less acidic than a stomach in the middle of digestion. Thirty minutes before breakfast, or two hours after a meal, are the two windows the manufacturer settles on.

If you are on antibiotics, leave at least two hours between them. An antibiotic does not sort between bacteria: taking the two together amounts to destroying what you have just swallowed. This product combines without overlap with digestive enzymes, which act through an entirely different mechanism, or with a glutamine.

Who is Probiotic-10 for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at an adult looking for a formula with identified strains and a high dose, and who accepts the fridge constraint. The 30-capsule size lets you try one month before moving to the 60.

It is not recommended for people whose immune system is weakened, nor for those taking immunosuppressive medication without medical advice. This is the most important contraindication on this page and the manufacturer is explicit about it: giving live micro-organisms to someone whose defences are diminished is not a trivial matter. If you are in that situation, the question goes to your doctor, without exception.

Medical advice is also required in the event of pregnancy, breastfeeding or ongoing medication. The product is for adults only, and the desiccant sachet inside the bottle obviously must not be consumed.

What you should not expect from it. No health claim exists for these strains in Europe: not digestion, not immunity, not transit. A digestive disorder that persists, pain or an established change in transit are matters for a doctor, not for a supplement. And a higher CFU figure does not automatically mean a better product: it is the strains and their documentation that count, not the race to the billion.

100 billion CFU or a more modest dose?

This is the question everyone asks in front of this category, and the answer is not the one people expect.

A high dose is not in itself a guarantee of superiority. Published protocols use very variable quantities depending on the strains, and much of the work concerns doses well below 100 billion. What counts more is the precise identification of the strains — which this product does very well — and regularity in taking it.

Where, then, does the value of such a high dose lie? In the margin: bacteria suffer losses in storage and on the way through the stomach, and starting from 100 billion leaves more survivors than starting from 5 billion. That is safety-margin reasoning, not a promise of proportional efficacy.

In which cases is a more modest product enough? Often, and that is what we say readily in the shop. A lower dose costs less, is sometimes stable at room temperature — a serious advantage — and suits maintenance use. Our spirulina section and our other everyday supplements do in fact offer options that simply go in a cupboard. And if your subject is digestive comfort after meals rather than the microbiota, our oat flour section and dietary fibre sources answer a different logic, through the plate.

Frequently asked questions

How many live cultures per capsule?

100 billion colony-forming units, spread across ten strains. That is a dose at the top end of the market, the usual formulas sitting rather between 1 and 30 billion. The formula also contains fructo-oligosaccharides, fibres that serve as a substrate for the bacteria.

Does it really have to be kept in the fridge?

Yes, between 2 and 8 °C, and it is imperative. It is the condition for the bacteria to stay alive until the use-by date. Take the bottle out only for as long as it takes to swallow the capsule and close it again immediately. In hot weather, put it somewhere cold as soon as your order arrives.

Why take it on an empty stomach?

Because the bacteria have to pass through the stomach to reach the intestine, and an empty stomach is less acidic than a stomach in the middle of digestion. The manufacturer settles on thirty minutes before breakfast, or two hours after a meal.

Can it be taken with antibiotics?

Not at the same time: leave at least two hours between them. An antibiotic does not distinguish useful bacteria from the rest, and taking both together would destroy what you have just swallowed. If you are on medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Why are the strains numbered?

Because two strains from the same bacterial genus can behave very differently, and because research is always carried out on identified strains. The codes La-14, Bl-04 or Lr-32 designate precise strains. A product that writes only “lactobacilli” tells you nothing about what you are buying.

What is the difference between the pack sizes?

Only the number of capsules: 30 or 60, with the same formula. At one capsule a day, that represents one or two months. Since the manufacturer recommends a course of three months minimum, the 60 size is more consistent if you have already made up your mind.

Are the capsules suitable for vegetarians?

The shell is a vegetable capsule made of hypromellose, and the manufacturer declares the absence of gluten, dairy, soya, egg, fish and tree nuts. It also states that the product is non-GMO, kosher and halal, and made in the United States.

Where can you buy Now Foods' Probiotic-10?

The pack sizes can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we always warn about the fridge constraint: it is the leading cause of disappointment with this product, and the local summer does not forgive a bottle left in a car. The rest of our selection can be browsed in the sports nutrition section, and micronutrient intakes in our multivitamins.

What is Now Foods Methyl B-12 5000 mcg?

Now Foods Methyl B-12 5000 mcg is a vitamin B12 supplement in tablets that dissolve under the tongue, providing 5,000 µg per tablet. The sizes listed here: 60 and 120 tablets, that is two or four months at one dose a day.

Two things set this product apart in the vitamin B aisle. The first is the form chosen: methylcobalamin, one of the coenzyme forms of B12, where most supplements on the market use cyanocobalamin, which is cheaper and more stable. The second is the addition of folate in the Quatrefolic® form, namely (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolate — the directly active form of folate, rather than synthetic folic acid.

The rest of the tablet is what gives it its texture and its taste: fructose, sorbitol, hydroxypropylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, citric acid, stearic acid and magnesium stearate of plant origin, natural flavourings. The manufacturer states a composition with no artificial preservatives, no synthetic colourings and no sweeteners. Now Foods is an American brand whose range we stock in our Now Foods aisle.

What does one tablet contain?

NRVs within the meaning of Regulation 1169/2011: 2.5 µg for vitamin B12, 200 µg for folate. One labelling discrepancy deserves to be flagged rather than glossed over: the manufacturer, being American, expresses folate as 680 µg of dietary folate equivalents (DFE), a calculation convention specific to United States regulations, for an actual quantity of 400 µg of 5-MTHF. We show the actual quantity. Depending on which value is used, the European percentage would come out at 200% or at 340%: we prefer to give the more conservative figure and explain why.

Now for the number that leaps off the page. 5,000 µg is two thousand times the European reference value. That looks absurd, and it is not quite: B12 is absorbed only in very small amounts at each dose, and massive doses are the usual way of getting round that limit in people who absorb it poorly. What matters here is that this product is not a maintenance dose. For a simple top-up, a multivitamin providing 2.5 or 25 µg does the job.

On safety, two markers. EFSA has set no upper limit for vitamin B12, which is water-soluble and cleared in the urine. It does, however, set 1,000 µg a day as the limit for folic acid in adults: the 400 µg in this tablet stay below that, but if you are already taking a multivitamin or a pregnancy supplement, add it all up.

The applicable regulatory wordings are precise, and they are broad. Vitamin B12 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, to the normal functioning of the nervous system, to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to normal red blood cell formation, to normal homocysteine metabolism, to normal psychological function and to the normal function of the immune system. Folate contributes to normal blood formation, to normal amino acid synthesis, to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to the growth of maternal tissue during pregnancy.

How do you take Methyl B-12?

Dose: 1 tablet. Liquid: none, the tablet dissolves under the tongue. Timing: in the morning, with a meal. Frequency: one dose a day. Duration: the manufacturer sets no course length; where status is deficient, supplementation is generally long-term and is managed with a doctor.

The instructions come down to a single sentence: place the tablet under the tongue and let it dissolve for two to three minutes rather than swallowing it straight away. The manufacturer also advises keeping it away from hot drinks. One honest clarification: we have no ANSES or EFSA source establishing that the sublingual route does better than a swallowed tablet, so we will not write that it is superior. What we can say is that the format is pleasant, naturally flavoured, and calls for no glass of water — which, on a daily dose taken over the long term, counts for more than you might think.

The morning dose is the one the manufacturer settles on. The taste is slightly sweet, the fructose and the sorbitol serving as the base: this is not an unpleasant tablet to let dissolve, unlike a good many vitamins.

One point of common sense to finish with: B12 is measured by a blood test. If you are supplementing at 5,000 µg, a blood test taken afterwards no longer means very much. Have your status checked before you start, not after.

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

It is aimed at three specific situations, and the manufacturer names them itself. Vegetarians and vegans first: vitamin B12 is almost exclusively of animal origin, and supplementing it is not a convenience but a necessity on a vegan diet. Then older people, whose digestive absorption declines. And diagnosed deficiencies, under medical supervision.

The manufacturer asks you to consult a healthcare professional if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or on medication, and recommends medical supervision for a high dose taken over a prolonged period. That instruction should be taken seriously: this is not a product to take “just in case” for two years without ever having a check-up. The product is declared free from gluten, wheat, soya, milk, egg, fish and nuts, but made in a facility that handles other allergens.

It suits you less well if you eat meat, fish and eggs regularly: in that case there is no reason at all to take 5,000 µg, and a multivitamin already covers the requirement comfortably. It also contains sorbitol, a polyol that can upset a sensitive gut at repeated doses.

What not to expect from it. This is not an energy product. “Contributing to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue” means correcting a shortfall, not giving a lift to someone whose status is normal — the distinction is crucial, and it is the one the aisle glosses over most often. Nor is it a performance product: no sports claim exists for B12.

Methyl B-12 on its own or a multivitamin?

That is the real choice, and it depends entirely on your diet.

A multivitamin generally provides 2.5 to 25 µg of B12, among some twenty other nutrients. It is the better choice if you eat a bit of everything in an irregular way and are looking for a general safety net: one dose, one bottle, everything covered. Its drawback is that it covers nothing in depth, and its B12 content bears no comparison with this one.

Methyl B-12 does the opposite: a single nutrient, dosed very high, plus folate. It is the right choice on a vegan diet or where absorption is impaired — two situations in which a multivitamin will not be enough. If that applies to you, take the problem as a whole: a diet without animal products also calls for keeping an eye on iron and on protein intake, which our plant proteins aisle covers. And avoid the most widespread shortcut: spirulina has many merits, but it is not accepted as a reliable source of vitamin B12. Do not count on it for that.

Frequently asked questions

5,000 µg, isn't that far too much?

It is two thousand times the European reference value, and it is deliberate: B12 is absorbed only in a small proportion at each dose, which high doses make up for. EFSA has set no upper limit for this vitamin, which is water-soluble and cleared in the urine. It remains a corrective dose, not a maintenance dose.

Methylcobalamin or cyanocobalamin?

Methylcobalamin is a coenzyme form, directly usable; cyanocobalamin is a synthetic form, more stable and cheaper, which the body has to convert. The authorised regulatory wordings are identical for both, and we have no official source establishing that one is superior to the other.

What is the difference between 400 and 680 µg of folate?

None in quantity: these are two ways of describing the same thing. The tablet provides 400 µg of (6S)-5-MTHF; the figure of 680 µg corresponds to the conversion into dietary folate equivalents, an American convention. On a European label, it is the 400 µg value that should be compared.

Does it really have to dissolve under the tongue?

That is what the manufacturer asks for, two to three minutes, avoiding hot drinks just afterwards. We have no official source proving that this route does better than a swallowed tablet. The tablet is flavoured, though, and needs no water, which makes a daily dose easier to keep up.

How long does one bottle last?

Two months for the 60-tablet size, four months for the 120, at one tablet a day. The manufacturer sets no time limit: on a vegan diet, supplementation is generally permanent, and that is a point to settle with a doctor.

Can it be taken during pregnancy?

Not without medical advice: that is the manufacturer's explicit statement. Folate has a particular role during pregnancy, but pregnancy supplements already contain it, and the combined total must stay below the limit of 1,000 µg a day set by EFSA for folic acid. This question is one to settle with your doctor or your midwife.

Is the product suitable for vegans?

Yes. No ingredient of animal origin goes into the composition, the stearic acid and the magnesium stearate both being of plant origin. That is logical: vegans are precisely the primary audience for this product, vitamin B12 being almost absent from the plant kingdom.

Where can you buy Now Foods Methyl B-12 5000 mcg?

Both sizes can be ordered from this page, and we ship anywhere in France and in Europe. The 120-tablet bottle makes sense if you are settled into a vegan diet for the long term; the 60-tablet one is enough to start with.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is one of the few products where we begin by asking a medical question: have you had your B12 measured? The advice changes entirely depending on the answer, and a measurement taken after supplementation has begun is worth nothing. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.