Sports Nutrition

What is IO Genix Vitamin B12 1000 µg ER?

IO Genix Vitamin B12 1000 µg ER is a coated tablet of vitamin B12 in the form of cyanocobalamin. One tablet provides 1,000 µg, which is 40,000% of the nutrient reference value. The bottle holds 90 of them, which comes to three months at one tablet a day.

The two letters “ER” stand for extended release, prolonged release. The tablet does not release its dose into the stomach all at once: it diffuses it gradually, which the hydroxypropyl methylcellulose used as a thickener in the body of the tablet makes possible. It is the only thing that sets this product apart from a conventional B12, and it determines how it should be taken.

Vitamin B12 is the only nutrient the body can neither make nor find in the plant kingdom. It comes exclusively from foods of animal origin — meat, fish, eggs, dairy products — because it is synthesised by bacteria. That is what makes it the baseline supplement for vegan diets, and one of the few whose necessity is not up for debate in that particular case. The rest of the Spanish range can be browsed in our IO Genix aisle, and the other products in the category in our vitamin B aisle.

What does one Vitamin B12 ER tablet contain?

40,000% of the reference value is a figure that makes you sit up, and it deserves a full explanation rather than a shrug. Oral absorption of vitamin B12 is limited in two ways. The active route, which goes through the intrinsic factor produced in the stomach, saturates at around 1 to 2 µg per dose, and no more. Beyond that, all that is left is passive diffusion across the intestinal wall, whose yield is of the order of 1%. In other words, a lot has to be offered for a little to get through.

That is the whole logic of the 1,000 µg dose: it is not commercial one-upmanship, it is the arithmetical consequence of a saturable absorption mechanism. And it is also why extended release makes sense here: by spreading out when the vitamin becomes available, it calls on the active route several times over rather than just once.

Vitamin B12 carries several authorised claims in Europe, and they are more than enough to describe what it is for. Vitamin B12 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system, contributes to normal red blood cell formation, contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism, contributes to the normal function of the immune system and has a role in the process of cell division. These are the official wordings.

The form used is cyanocobalamin. It is the most stable of the B12 forms, the one that best withstands heat and light, and by far the most studied. The body has to convert it into active forms, a conversion that takes place normally in a healthy person. The manufacturer also states that the product is free from gelatine, gluten, lactose and GMOs.

Information missing from the manufacturer's file: the exact period over which the release is spread is not disclosed. We will not invent it and we stick to the principle: the diffusion is gradual, not immediate.

Ingredients list

Bulking agents (microcrystalline cellulose, calcium carbonate), thickener (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose), anti-caking agents (silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate), coating agent (clear HPMC powder), cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12).

May contain traces of TREE NUTS, PEANUTS, EGGS, MILK, SULPHITES, FISH and SOYA. Free from GMOs, gluten, gelatine, artificial colourings, starch, lactose, salt and added sugar.

How do you take Vitamin B12 ER?

Dose: 1 tablet, to be swallowed whole. Liquid: a glass of water. Timing: any time of day, preferably with a meal. Frequency: one dose a day. Duration: the manufacturer sets no time limit; supplementation is ongoing for as long as the reason behind it persists.

The most important instruction on this page comes down to three words: do not crunch. Do not chew it, crush it or cut the tablet in half either. Extended release depends entirely on the tablet staying intact; breaking it releases the whole dose at once and does away with the only advantage you are paying for. If you find tablets hard to swallow, take it in the middle of a mouthful of fruit purée or yoghurt, without breaking it up.

Two interactions are worth noting, because they are common and easy to avoid. A high dose of vitamin C, above 500 mg, taken in the hour before or after, reduces the absorption of B12: space the two doses out. And several common medicines — metformin, proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole, H2 blockers, colchicine — reduce the absorption of vitamin B12. The manufacturer recommends leaving two to three hours between them. If this applies to you, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

When will you notice anything? If your levels are normal, you will feel nothing at all, and that is entirely to be expected: B12 is not a stimulant. It combines without any overlap with an omega 3 or a spirulina, the latter not in fact being a reliable source of B12, whatever you may often read.

Who is Vitamin B12 ER for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed first and foremost at people whose diet provides no B12, or very little: vegan and strict vegetarian diets, above all. It also concerns people over sixty, in whom falling stomach acidity reduces the extraction of B12 from food, and those taking a medicine known to hinder its absorption over the long term.

It is not suitable in cases of allergy to cobalt or cobalamin — the B12 molecule is built around a cobalt atom. The manufacturer also flags Leber's disease, a hereditary optic neuropathy for which cyanocobalamin is contraindicated. It is a rare condition, but the warning is explicit on the packaging and we reproduce it as it stands.

In cases of absorption disorders — Crohn's disease, colitis, gastrectomy, pancreatic insufficiency — or diagnosed pernicious anaemia, the oral route may not be enough and follow-up is a matter for a doctor, not a supplement bought online. For pregnant and breastfeeding women, B12 requirements are higher, but what to do about it is decided with a healthcare professional.

What not to expect from it: it is no substitute for a diagnosis. Persistent tiredness can have ten causes, and only a blood test will say whether B12 is one of them. If you belong to an at-risk group, have your B12 measured rather than assuming — it is quicker, more reliable, and it avoids supplementing beside the real issue.

Extended-release tablet or B vitamin complex?

The question comes up every time, and the answer depends entirely on why you are buying.

A B vitamin complex provides all eight vitamins in the group, with B12 dosages that generally hover around a few micrograms — enough to cover the reference value, not to make up for a complete absence of dietary intake. It is the right choice if your diet is simply irregular and you are looking for a broad safety net. Our multivitamins aisle answers the same logic, on an even broader scale.

This tablet does the opposite: a single vitamin, at 1,000 µg, with release spread over time. It is the format that fits when B12 is precisely the nutrient that is lacking, that is to say on a diet excluding all animal products, or when a medicine hinders its absorption. In that case, a general-purpose B complex would be undersized.

There is a third situation, often overlooked: B12 works hand in hand with vitamin B9 and with iron in red blood cell formation. If you follow a vegan diet, these three nutrients deserve to be looked at together, with the help of a healthcare professional. The plant proteins aisle rounds out the same approach on the protein side.

Frequently asked questions

Why 1,000 µg when the reference value is 2.5 µg?

Because oral absorption of B12 saturates: the active route tops out at around 1 to 2 µg per dose, and beyond that only passive diffusion operates, with a yield of about 1%. A high dosage compensates for that low yield. It is not one-upmanship, it is arithmetic.

Can the tablet be cut or crunched?

No, never. It is the one absolute rule with this product. Crunching, chewing or crushing the tablet releases the whole dose instantly and cancels out the extended release. If the tablet goes down badly, swallow it with a spoonful of yoghurt or fruit purée, but whole.

Cyanocobalamin or methylcobalamin?

Cyanocobalamin is more stable, better documented and less expensive; the body converts it into active forms without difficulty in a healthy person. Methylcobalamin is already active but more fragile in storage. For everyday use, the form chosen here is a defensible one.

Is this tablet suitable for vegans?

The manufacturer states that it is free from gelatine, gluten, lactose and GMOs, and cyanocobalamin is obtained by bacterial fermentation. Nothing in the ingredients list is of animal origin. Do note, however, the possible traces of eggs, milk and fish linked to the manufacturing plant.

Should vitamin C be avoided at the same time?

Yes, if the dose exceeds 500 mg. The manufacturer asks that you leave at least an hour between them, because a high dose of vitamin C taken at the same time reduces the absorption of B12. If you take a 1,000 mg vitamin C in the morning, move the B12 to lunchtime.

How long before an effect is felt?

None at all if your levels are normal: B12 is not a stimulant and produces no sensation. Where a deficiency has been confirmed by a blood test, an improvement in tiredness is generally seen over several weeks of oral supplementation, and follow-up belongs to the doctor who made the diagnosis.

How long does a bottle last?

90 tablets at one a day: three months. As B12 supplementation is designed for the long run on a vegan diet, it is a pack size suited to ongoing use rather than to a one-off course.

Where can you buy IO Genix Vitamin B12 ER?

The 90-tablet bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is the first supplement we recommend to a customer who tells us they have gone vegan: before the proteins, before the omega 3, comes B12, because it is the only intake that no plant food supplies reliably. The rest of our selection can be browsed in the sports nutrition aisle.

What is TrainedByJP Iron?

TrainedByJP Iron is an iron supplement in vegetable capsules, sold in a bottle of 60 units. The mineral is provided as iron bisglycinate — the iron is chelated to two molecules of glycine, an amino acid. It is the best-tolerated form from a digestive point of view, and on a mineral as notorious for its side effects as iron, that is not a matter of comfort alone: it is often what decides whether a course is seen through or abandoned after ten days.

The formula is minimalist: iron bisglycinate, a hypromellose capsule shell, anti-caking agents. Nothing else. The manufacturer declares it free from gluten, lactose, soya, artificial colours and preservatives, and suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets. The brand's full range is in the TrainedByJP aisle.

One word straight away, because it shapes this whole page: iron is not a supplement you take “just in case”. It is the only common mineral in this aisle where an excess is genuinely a problem, and the first thing to do is not to open this bottle but to ask for a ferritin test.

What is in one capsule?

The bottle contains 60 capsules: two months at one capsule a day, one month at two.

The line that counts is the second one. 112 mg of bisglycinate amounts to only 20 mg of elemental iron, the rest of the weight being the glycine the mineral is bound to. That is the rule for every chelated form, and it is the first source of error when comparing two bottles: always compare milligrams of elemental iron, never milligrams of salt.

Those 20 mg cover 143% of the nutrient reference value, set at 14 mg. That is a corrective dose, not a maintenance one — designed to rebuild low stores, not to top up an already adequate diet. In someone whose ferritin is normal, this dose brings nothing and the surplus iron has no active route out: the body stores it.

Iron is, on the other hand, a mineral with solidly established claims. 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. It is these mechanisms that explain why an iron deficiency shows up first as breathlessness and fatigue on exertion.

How do you take TrainedByJP Iron?

Dose: 1 to 2 capsules a day. Liquid: a glass of water. Timing: whenever suits you — with meals or away from them, since bisglycinate does not irritate the stomach the way ferrous salts do. Frequency: 1 intake, or 2 split between morning and evening if you take two capsules. Duration: 8 to 12 weeks at the very least to rebuild ferritin stores, with a blood test every 2 to 3 months.

Freedom over timing is the real advantage of bisglycinate. A standard iron sulphate has to be taken on an empty stomach to be absorbed, which causes precisely the nausea and cramps that make people give up on a course. Here, you can take it with a meal if that suits you better.

Two rules on combinations, however, apply to every form of iron. Avoid taking it at the same time as tea, coffee, dairy products, calcium or zinc: tannins and these minerals reduce iron absorption, sometimes considerably. Leave two hours between them. Conversely, vitamin C improves the absorption of non-haem iron: a glass of citrus juice or a few berries at the time you take it are a useful and free habit.

As for duration, do not think in days. Rebuilding ferritin stores takes weeks, and fatigue linked to a deficiency is not corrected in three doses. The manufacturer speaks of 8 to 12 weeks minimum: that is realistic. And have another test done — it is the only way to know whether the course is doing anything and when to stop it.

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

It is aimed at adults whose iron status is low, which mainly concerns four profiles: women with heavy periods, people following a vegetarian or vegan diet, high-volume endurance athletes, and anyone whose blood test has shown low ferritin. It suits vegetarian and vegan diets, the capsule being made of hypromellose.

It is not advised in cases of haemochromatosis, a genetic iron overload disorder, or in cases of thalassaemia or another disorder of iron metabolism. These contraindications are not theoretical: in someone affected, iron supplementation makes matters worse. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should consult a healthcare professional before use.

Keep this bottle out of reach of children, and not merely as a matter of principle. Accidental ingestion of iron tablets is one of the most serious paediatric poisonings, and a handful of capsules is enough in a young child. It is the most important warning on this page.

What you should not expect from it. This is not a product for general tiredness. Iron only reduces fatigue when that fatigue is caused by an iron deficiency — otherwise you are supplementing with no benefit and you are accumulating. Nor is it a performance product: in an athlete whose ferritin is normal, adding 20 mg of iron a day improves nothing. Do not start prolonged supplementation without a blood test — ferritin and serum iron — and discuss it with your doctor. It is the most useful advice we can give on this product, even if it delays the sale.

A dedicated iron or a multivitamin?

The question is worth asking, but it does not arise in the same way depending on who you are — and that is what most product pages forget to say.

If you are an adult man with no medical condition, the answer is simple: neither one nor the other. Most multivitamins aimed at men deliberately contain no iron, precisely because a man with no regular blood loss almost never runs short and accumulates the surplus. That is not an oversight by the manufacturers, it is a considered formulation choice, and it applies to you too.

If you are a menstruating woman, a vegan or an endurance athlete, the comparison becomes a real one. A multivitamin containing iron generally provides 7 to 14 mg, that is a maintenance dose: it is the right choice if your ferritin is normal and you simply want to secure your intake alongside the vitamins. Dedicated iron at 20 mg is the right choice in the opposite case — a documented deficiency to correct, over a two- to three-month course, with a blood test to confirm it. You also gain in clarity: a single line to keep an eye on, and no zinc or calcium in the same capsule competing for absorption. When in doubt, it is the blood test that settles it, not the product page.

Frequently asked questions

Should you have a blood test before taking it?

Yes, and it is the most important recommendation on this page. A ferritin and serum iron test tells you whether you are genuinely short of iron. Supplementing without a deficiency brings no benefit and exposes you to accumulation, since the body has no active mechanism for removing the excess. The manufacturer recommends this test before any prolonged supplementation.

Why does 112 mg of bisglycinate amount to only 20 mg of iron?

Because chelation adds the weight of the two glycine molecules the iron is bound to. Only elemental iron counts. That is the figure to compare from one label to another: a bottle stating “112 mg of iron bisglycinate” is not stating 112 mg of iron, and a great many buyers are caught out by it.

Does bisglycinate cause digestive trouble like other forms of iron?

Far less. Chelation to glycine limits the gastric irritation and constipation associated with standard ferrous salts, and allows it to be taken with meals. It is not an absolute guarantee — some discomfort remains possible — but it is the most tangible difference between the two forms, and often the one that makes a three-month course possible.

Can it be taken with coffee or tea?

No, or rather not at the same time. The tannins in tea and coffee markedly reduce iron absorption. Leave at least two hours between them. The same applies to dairy products, calcium and zinc. Conversely, some vitamin C at the time you take it improves it.

One or two capsules a day?

The manufacturer leaves the choice between 1 and 2, that is 20 or 40 mg of elemental iron. Start with one: that is already 143% of the reference value. Two capsules are for an established deficiency and should be decided with a doctor, splitting them between morning and evening rather than taking them in one go.

How long does a bottle of 60 capsules last?

Two months at one capsule a day, one month at two. Since the minimum recommended course is 8 to 12 weeks, count on one to two bottles for a full course at the single dose. Store it cool and dry, away from light — and out of reach of children.

Are the capsules suitable for vegans?

Yes. The shell is made of hypromellose, a plant cellulose, and the formula contains no ingredient of animal origin. That is consistent with the profile of the users concerned: iron of plant origin, known as non-haem iron, is less well absorbed than iron from meat, which makes vegan diets one of the cases where the question of iron genuinely arises — just as the question of plant proteins does.

Where can you buy TrainedByJP Iron?

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

If there is one product in the aisle for which we would sometimes rather send you to your doctor than take your money, this is it. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the question asked at the counter is always the same: have you had your ferritin measured? When the answer is no, the right course of action starts with a blood test, not with a bottle. The rest of the minerals and vitamins can be compared in our sports nutrition selection.

What is TrainedByJP OH Mega V?

TrainedByJP OH Mega V is a flaxseed oil in plant-based softgel capsules. Three capsules provide 3,000 mg of flaxseed oil, of which 1,650 mg is alpha-linolenic acid — the plant-derived omega-3 — along with 450 mg of oleic acid and 300 mg of linoleic acid. The bottle holds 180 softgels, which is 60 servings.

Flaxseed oil is one of the plant sources most concentrated in alpha-linolenic acid, often shortened to ALA. It is a short-chain fatty acid that the body cannot make and which therefore has to come from food: on that basis it is described as essential, in the same way as linoleic acid from the omega-6 family.

This product answers a precise need: supplying omega-3 without going through fish. That is what appeals to vegans, vegetarians and anyone allergic to marine products. The capsules are plant-based, made from tapioca starch and glycerine, with no gelatine. The rest of the British range can be browsed in our TrainedByJP section, and the other products in the category in our omega 3 section.

What does one serving of OH Mega V contain?

The figure to hold on to is the one for the full daily dose: 3,300 mg of alpha-linolenic acid across six capsules. It matters because a European claim is attached to it and its condition is a precise one: alpha-linolenic acid contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels, provided an intake of 2 g a day. At six capsules you are comfortably above that; at three capsules only, you are below it and the claim no longer applies. This is the kind of detail that decides whether a product is genuinely worth it, and it is almost never explained.

Now for the most important thing on this page, and it does not work in favour of the sale. Alpha-linolenic acid is not equivalent to EPA and DHA, the two long-chain omega-3s found in fish. The body can convert ALA into EPA and then into DHA, but that conversion rate is low, particularly for DHA. In other words, a flaxseed oil, however well dosed, does not replace a fish oil for the functions that depend specifically on EPA and DHA — heart function, brain function, vision. Those three claims apply only to EPA and DHA, never to ALA.

That does not disqualify the product: ALA has its own claim, its own nutritional value, and for a vegan diet there are not ten solutions to choose from. But you need to know what you are buying. For anyone genuinely after EPA and DHA without fish, the only equivalent route is algae oil.

A word on the ratio in the formula: 1,650 mg of omega-3 to 300 mg of omega-6, roughly five to one in favour of omega-3. That is the reverse of the profile of the usual Western diet, which is heavily dominated by omega-6.

Ingredients list

Flaxseed oil, tapioca starch, glycerine, purified water. No animal gelatine, no dairy, no artificial colouring.

Made in a facility that handles CELERY, CRUSTACEANS, FISH, MILK, MUSTARD, PEANUTS, SOYA, GLUTEN, EGG, LUPIN, MOLLUSCS, NUTS, SESAME and SULPHUR DIOXIDE. The manufacturer specifies that the absence of gluten is not certified, although no gluten goes into the raw materials.

How do you take OH Mega V?

Dose: 6 capsules a day, in two servings of 3. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: with meals, 3 in the morning and 3 in the evening. Frequency: two servings daily. Duration: 8 to 12 weeks minimum according to the manufacturer, then continuous use.

Six capsules a day is a lot, and it is this product's main constraint. Better to know it before buying: if you already struggle to swallow one capsule in the morning, six spread across the day will take real discipline. The 180-softgel bottle then covers only one month, where many customers imagine three. That is a direct consequence of the dose needed to reach the 2 g of ALA a day.

Taking them with a meal is not optional. Fatty acids need bile in order to be absorbed, and bile is only released in the presence of fatty foods. A capsule swallowed on an empty stomach with a glass of water loses part of its value.

Do not open the capsules and do not pierce them. Flaxseed oil is one of the most fragile oils there is: it oxidises very quickly on contact with air and light, and an oxidised oil no longer delivers what it promises. That is also why the bottle should be kept somewhere cool, dry and away from light, and why it is best closed carefully.

The manufacturer suggests pairing this product with a source of vitamin E, which protects fatty acids from oxidation. It also combines without overlap with a vitamin D, taken at the same fatty meal, and sits well alongside a plant protein in a routine free of animal products.

Who is OH Mega V for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at vegans, vegetarians and people allergic to fish and shellfish, for whom marine oils are ruled out. It is also an option for anyone who cannot tolerate the taste or the repeats that come with fish oil capsules: here, the problem does not arise.

It is not advised for people on anticoagulant treatment — warfarin, aspirin — without medical advice, nor for those with a clotting disorder. That is an explicit warning from the manufacturer, and it holds for every oil rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids at these doses. If this applies to you, the question is one for your doctor before you buy.

It is not advised for pregnant and breastfeeding women without the advice of a healthcare professional. The facility statement is very broad and should be read carefully by anyone with allergies.

What not to expect from it. It does not replace a fish oil for the functions linked to EPA and DHA: heart, brain, vision. It will neither make you lose weight nor build muscle. You will feel nothing when you take it, and that is normal. And it does not make up for a diet with no quality vegetable oils in it: a tablespoon of rapeseed or flaxseed oil over raw vegetables remains an excellent idea, and costs a great deal less.

Plant omega 3 or fish oil?

This is the decisive comparison in this aisle, and it deserves a straight answer rather than a sales argument.

A fish oil supplies EPA and DHA directly, the two long-chain fatty acids carrying the most interesting claims: heart function, brain function, vision. It is the most direct route and the cheapest per milligram of useful fatty acid. If you eat fish, or have nothing against it, a concentrated marine oil will be more direct and cheaper per milligram of useful fatty acid.

Flaxseed oil supplies ALA, which the body converts poorly into EPA and very poorly into DHA. It has a claim of its own, on blood cholesterol, from 2 g a day. It is perfectly legitimate — it simply is not playing on the same ground.

When is it the better choice? When fish is ruled out: a vegan diet, an allergy to marine products, or a refusal of animal oils. In that specific case it is one of the few serious options, and a dose of 3,300 mg of ALA a day is a real dose. For a broader micronutrient intake, our multivitamins section answers another question, and our spirulina section a third one again.

Frequently asked questions

How much omega-3 a day does this product give?

1,650 mg of alpha-linolenic acid across three capsules, that is 3,300 mg at the full dose of six capsules. That figure matters: the European claim on the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels assumes 2 g of ALA a day, which only the full dose reaches.

Is it equivalent to a fish oil?

No, and that is the most important point on this page. Flaxseed oil supplies ALA, which the body converts poorly into EPA and very poorly into DHA. The claims on heart, brain and visual function apply only to EPA and DHA. For a genuine plant equivalent, only algae oil will do.

Why six capsules a day?

Because that quantity is what it takes to reach a meaningful ALA dose. It is the product's main constraint, and it also explains why a bottle of 180 softgels covers only one month. Three in the morning and three in the evening, with meals.

Do they have to be taken with a meal?

Yes. Fatty acids need bile in order to be absorbed, and bile is only released in the presence of food. Taking them on an empty stomach with a plain glass of water markedly reduces the return. Breakfast in the morning and dinner in the evening work perfectly well.

Are these capsules suitable for vegans?

Yes, entirely. The oil comes from flaxseed and the shell is made of tapioca starch, glycerine and water, with no animal gelatine. That is in fact the main audience this product is aimed at.

Is there a fishy taste?

No, and that is a genuine argument in its favour. The complaint most often levelled at fish oil capsules — the fishy repeats, especially on an empty stomach — does not apply here. Flaxseed oil has no marine taste at all.

How long does one bottle last?

180 softgels at six a day: one month exactly. Since the manufacturer recommends a course of 8 to 12 weeks minimum, reckon on two to three bottles for a full course. That is a budget best anticipated at the first purchase.

Where can you buy TrainedByJP OH Mega V?

The bottle of 180 softgels can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we sell this product on one condition: that the customer knows a flaxseed oil is not a fish oil. Those who rule out fish leave with it; the others often leave with something else, and that is exactly as it should be. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

What is TrainedByJP Pycnogenol 100 mg?

TrainedByJP Pycnogenol 100 mg is a maritime pine bark extract in capsule form. One capsule supplies 100 mg of Pycnogenol®, a patented extract, alongside just two excipients: microcrystalline cellulose and magnesium stearate. The dose is one capsule a day, taken with a meal.

Pycnogenol® is extracted from the bark of the French maritime pine, Pinus pinaster, which grows in the Landes region among other places. This is not a generic plant extract: it is a patented, standardised raw material produced under a registered process, which makes it one of the most studied plant extracts on the supplement market.

Its richness comes down to a family of molecules, the oligomeric proanthocyanidins, often shortened to OPCs. These are polyphenols also found in grape seed and in the skins of red berries, but here they are concentrated and standardised. The rest of the British range can be browsed in our TrainedByJP section, and the other antioxidants in our catalogue in the coenzyme Q10 section.

What does a Pycnogenol capsule contain?

100 mg per capsule is a straightforward dose for this extract, and it matches what is used in most of the published work on this raw material, which most often sits between 50 and 200 mg a day. You are in the middle of the range, with a single, simple daily intake.

The formula is short, and that is an argument in itself: the active, a bulking agent, an anti-caking agent. Nothing else. In a category dominated by twelve-ingredient complexes, a three-line list lets you know exactly what you are swallowing and rule out any overlap with your other supplements.

On the regulatory side we need to be perfectly clear, because this is one of those products about which you can read absolutely anything: no health claim is authorised in Europe for Pycnogenol® or for maritime pine bark extract. None on circulation, none on joints, none on skin, none on cognitive function, none on sports recovery. The dossiers submitted did not go through. So what we are describing is a patented plant extract, its dose and how to use it — nothing more, and you should be wary of any seller who goes further.

What we can honestly say is that this is a standardised extract, produced under a registered process, which guarantees a consistent composition from one batch to the next. In a plant-extract category where standardisation is often vague or absent, that is a genuine reference point, and it is what explains the price.

Missing from the manufacturer's documentation: the number of capsules per bottle is not disclosed, which makes it impossible to work out how long a course will last. We are not going to estimate it; the information is on the packaging you receive.

Ingredients list

Pycnogenol® (maritime pine bark extract), microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate. No animal gelatine, no artificial colouring, no preservative. Suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.

Made in a facility that handles CELERY, CRUSTACEANS, FISH, MILK, MUSTARD, PEANUTS, SOYA, GLUTEN, EGG, LUPIN, MOLLUSCS, TREE NUTS, SESAME and SULPHUR DIOXIDE. The manufacturer specifies that the absence of gluten is not certified, although no gluten goes into the raw materials.

How should you take Pycnogenol?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: during a meal. Frequency: one intake a day. Duration: 8 to 12 weeks minimum according to the manufacturer, taken continuously every day.

Taking it with a meal improves the absorption of polyphenols, particularly when fats are present, and that is the manufacturer's instruction. A normal meal containing a drizzle of oil, a few almonds or a little cheese is more than enough. It is not a heavy constraint, and it costs nothing.

The time of day does not matter: lunch or dinner work equally well. What counts is consistency, and taking the capsule with the same meal every day is the simplest way not to forget it.

Duration is the decisive parameter with this extract. The manufacturer specifies 8 to 12 weeks minimum, and is right to say so: polyphenols produce nothing in three days, and a two-week course gives you strictly no basis for forming an opinion. Plan your purchase accordingly, bearing in mind that the number of capsules per bottle is not disclosed.

One point worth knowing: the manufacturer advises spacing it apart from any vitamin C. The two are taken separately rather than at the same time. In practice, vitamin C in the morning and Pycnogenol at lunch settles the matter. Taking them separately is enough to follow this instruction. This extract combines without any overlap with an omega 3 or a turmeric, taken with the same fat-containing meal.

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

It is aimed at an adult who is specifically looking for this patented extract, usually because they have heard about it or because a healthcare professional suggested it. This is not an entry-level product or an impulse buy: it is an expensive extract, with a precise dose and a short formula, meant for someone who knows what they are buying.

It is not advised for people on anticoagulant treatment without medical advice. The manufacturer flags this explicitly because of a possible interaction, and the same warning comes up on most polyphenol-rich extracts. If this applies to you, the question is one for your doctor before you buy.

It is for adults only, and not advised for pregnant or breastfeeding women without the advice of a healthcare professional. The facility statement is unusually broad — fourteen allergens — and should be read carefully by anyone with an allergy. The manufacturer also states that neither gluten-free status nor halal status is certified.

What you should not expect from it, and this is what nobody writes in this category. You will feel nothing when you take it. This product cures nothing, treats nothing and holds no health claim in Europe. It does not improve sports performance, does not build muscle and does not burn fat. Nor does it replace a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, which naturally supplies polyphenols in abundance and for far less money.

Pycnogenol or another antioxidant?

The antioxidant category is a broad one and the products in it are not in the same price bracket.

Pycnogenol® is a patented, standardised extract, and that is what explains its cost. You are paying for consistency of composition from batch to batch and for the documentation that comes with the raw material. That is a legitimate argument for anyone who wants to know precisely what they are taking, but it is not an efficacy argument — no claim supports one.

Against it, vitamin C and vitamin E have a decisive regulatory advantage: each holds an authorised claim on the protection of cells from oxidative stress. For the same budget, they offer something this extract cannot: a framework.

When does Pycnogenol remain the right choice? When this precise raw material is what you are after, for reasons of your own, and when standardisation matters to you. If your goal is more general, our NAC section or our multivitamins section answer other needs, often for less.

Frequently asked questions

How much Pycnogenol is there per capsule?

100 mg of patented maritime pine bark extract. That is a dose sitting in the middle of the range used in the published work on this raw material, which most often runs from 50 to 200 mg a day. A single capsule a day is therefore enough.

Does Pycnogenol have proven effects?

No health claim is authorised in Europe for this extract, none on circulation, none on joints, none on skin, none on cognitive function. We sell a patented, standardised raw material without attributing any effect to it. Be wary of any site promising otherwise.

Where does this extract come from?

From the bark of the maritime pine, Pinus pinaster, a species that grows in the Landes region among other places. Pycnogenol® is a patented raw material, produced under a registered process, which guarantees a consistent composition from one batch to the next — a rare reference point in the plant-extract category.

Should it be taken with a meal?

Yes, the manufacturer recommends it: polyphenols are better absorbed when fats are present. A drizzle of oil, a few almonds or a little cheese in the same meal is enough. The time of day, on the other hand, does not matter.

Can it be combined with vitamin C?

The manufacturer advises separating the two intakes rather than taking them at the same time. In practice, vitamin C in the morning and Pycnogenol at lunch settles the matter with no particular effort.

Can it be taken alongside anticoagulants?

Not without medical advice. The manufacturer flags a possible interaction, as with most polyphenol-rich extracts. If you are on anticoagulant treatment, speak to your doctor before buying rather than after.

How many capsules are there per bottle?

The manufacturer does not disclose it, and we are not going to invent it. It is a missing piece of information, all the more so as it determines how you work out an 8 to 12 week course. It appears on the packaging of the product you will receive.

Where can you buy TrainedByJP Pycnogenol?

The bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we never push: the customers who ask for it generally know why they want it, and those who are discovering the name usually leave with a vitamin C, which costs ten times less and does have a regulatory framework behind it. The rest of the category can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

What is TrainedByJP Ashwagandha KSM-66?

TrainedByJP Ashwagandha KSM-66 is a supplement in vegetable capsules providing 600 mg of ashwagandha root extract (Withania somnifera) per capsule, standardised to 5% withanolides, i.e. 30 mg of withanolides per serving. The formula pairs this extract with whole-plant powder, the amount of which is not published.

Ashwagandha is a plant from the Indian Ayurvedic tradition, long used in the form of dried root. KSM-66® is a raw-material brand, not a variety: it denotes an extract obtained through a water-based process, with no chemical solvent, standardised for its withanolide content. What the patent guarantees is the consistency of the assay from one batch to the next — no small thing for a plant extract, where the content of a raw root varies threefold depending on where it comes from. The rest of the range is in our TrainedByJP section.

The number of capsules per bottle is not published by the manufacturer in the information available to us. The packaging you receive carries it.

What does one Ashwagandha KSM-66 capsule contain?

No nutrient reference value exists for withanolides.

600 mg of extract standardised to 5% is the benchmark dose for this category, and it is the one that recurs across most of the published protocols on the KSM-66® raw material. Plenty of competing products stop at 300 mg, or state 600 mg of root powder — which is an entirely different thing. The distinction matters: 600 mg of dried root powder delivers a few milligrams of withanolides, whereas 600 mg of extract standardised to 5% delivers 30. When you compare two bottles, compare the standardisation, never the weight on the label.

The presence of whole-plant powder alongside the extract deserves a comment. It adds non-standardised plant material whose contribution in withanolides is unknown, since the amount is not published. This is neither a flaw nor an advantage: it is simply a part of the capsule about which we can assert nothing.

A regulatory clarification is essential here: no health claim is authorised in Europe for ashwagandha. Not for stress, not for sleep, not for cortisol, not for recovery, not for strength. The previous description on this page announced a “reduction in cortisol” and an “improvement in resistance to stress”: those wordings were not compliant and have been removed. It also stated that the extraction process “removes withaferin A”, something we cannot verify and will therefore not repeat.

Ingredients list

Ashwagandha root extract KSM-66® (Withania somnifera), ashwagandha powder (whole plant), vegetable capsule shell (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose), anti-caking agent (magnesium stearate). May contain traces of MILK, EGG, GLUTEN, SOYA and NUTS through cross-contamination at the factory. The manufacturer states no gluten-free certification.

How do you take Ashwagandha KSM-66?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a large glass of water, 250 ml. Timing: with a meal — in the evening if you are after relaxation, in the morning if you want everyday background use, after training if recovery is what interests you. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: the manufacturer recommends a course of at least three months, followed by a two-week break.

Always take it at the same time of day. That is the most useful piece of advice on this type of extract: the expected effects, if there are any, are gradual and build over several weeks. The manufacturer itself indicates that the first changes generally appear between six and twelve weeks. Irregular use makes any assessment impossible.

A meal improves tolerance. Ashwagandha on an empty stomach causes digestive discomfort in some users — nothing serious, but enough to put them off. One capsule with dinner settles the matter, and coincides with the slot people most often choose.

It combines without difficulty with magnesium in the evening or with a ZMA. That said, if you start several “evening” products at the same time, you will never know which one is doing anything: introduce them one at a time, a fortnight apart.

Do observe the two-week break after three months. With a standardised plant extract, a periodic interruption remains the most sensible approach, and it lets you check whether stopping changes anything — which is the only honest way to assess a product that carries no authorised claim.

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

It is aimed at an adult who wants to try a standardised, transparent extract, with a raw material whose assay is consistent. The capsule is vegetable, which makes it compatible with a vegetarian or vegan diet.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant or breastfeeding women, as well as for children and adolescents. It also asks that you seek the advice of a healthcare professional if you are on any treatment acting on the central nervous system, the thyroid or the immune system. That last mention is not a turn of phrase: ashwagandha is regularly associated with variations in thyroid parameters, and if you are being monitored for a thyroid condition, the question is one for your doctor before you buy.

One more point has to be added, one the manufacturer does not mention and that a French buyer should know: ANSES has published an opinion on food supplements containing ashwagandha and reported cases of liver damage and thyroid disorders, recommending that several groups avoid these products, among them pregnant and breastfeeding women and people with liver or thyroid disease. That is not a reason to give up if you are in good health; it is a reason not to keep going indefinitely and to seek advice at the slightest unusual sign.

What not to expect from it: it is not an anxiolytic, it is not a sleeping pill, and it is not a treatment. No food supplement is. Nor is it a product whose effect you feel as you take it, contrary to what many people hope: if something does change, it shows over several weeks, not within the hour. Fatigue or anxiety that persists calls for a medical consultation, not a bottle of capsules.

Ashwagandha or melatonin if the problem is sleep?

The question comes up constantly, and the answer is in no way ambiguous.

Melatonin holds a health claim authorised in Europe: it contributes to the reduction of time taken to fall asleep, at 1 mg taken just before bedtime. It is the only ingredient in this family to have passed the EFSA assessment. So it is the better choice if your problem is specifically falling asleep, if you are shifting your hours, or if you want a product whose expected effect is documented and immediate.

Ashwagandha does not play on that ground and cannot legally lay claim to it. Its use follows the logic of a course lasting several months, not a one-off serving before bed. It is the choice of someone going through a demanding period who accepts the idea of trying a standardised plant extract, without guarantees and over time.

If you would rather have a single amino acid taken in the evening, our GABA section offers another approach, also without an authorised claim. And if your sleep has been deteriorating since you started training late, look at your pre-workout before buying anything at all: in many cases the cause is there and the solution is free.

Frequently asked questions

How much withanolide is there per capsule?

30 mg, i.e. 5% of the 600 mg of extract. That is the figure to compare from one product to the next, not the extract weight shown on the label. A product stating 600 mg of root powder with no standardisation provides only a few milligrams of withanolides.

When should it be taken?

With a meal, at a fixed time. The manufacturer describes three possible slots depending on your goal: the evening for relaxation, the morning for everyday background use, after training for recovery. What matters more than the slot is regularity over several weeks.

How long before you can judge?

The manufacturer indicates six to twelve weeks for the first changes, and recommends a course of at least three months. In other words, a trial of a fortnight or so supports no conclusion at all. That is also what makes this product a poor fit for anyone looking for an immediate effect.

Should you take a break between courses?

Yes, the manufacturer recommends two weeks off after three months of continuous use. That is a sensible practice with a standardised plant extract, and it is also the best way to judge honestly what the product is doing for you: if stopping changes nothing, the question is worth asking.

Is the capsule suitable for vegans?

Yes. The shell is hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, of plant origin, and both active ingredients come from the same plant. The point to watch is the declared manufacturing traces — milk, egg, gluten, soya and nuts — which come from the factory and not from the formula.

Can it be taken alongside thyroid medication?

Not without medical advice. The manufacturer explicitly asks you to seek advice if you are on any treatment acting on the thyroid, and ANSES has reported cases of thyroid disorders associated with these supplements. If you are taking medication of that kind, the question is one for your doctor before you buy, not after.

Is the product gluten-free?

The manufacturer does not state that it is and claims no certification to that effect. On the contrary, it flags possible traces of gluten through cross-contamination at the factory. For a serious intolerance or coeliac disease, this product is therefore not indicated.

Where can you buy TrainedByJP Ashwagandha KSM-66?

The bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we sell by saying first of all how long it takes before you can think anything of it: three months, not three days. Those who buy it knowing that are rarely disappointed; the others give up after a fortnight. Other plant extracts can be compared in our ashwagandha section.

What is TrainedByJP's D3 K2?

TrainedByJP D3 K2 combines two fat-soluble vitamins in one vegetable capsule. The vitamin D3 here is of plant origin, extracted from algae, and the vitamin K2 comes in a patented menaquinone-7 form. The bottle holds 60 capsules, at one a day: two months of use.

Pairing these two vitamins has become common in recent years, and for a precise reason. Vitamin D improves the intestinal absorption of calcium; vitamin K, for its part, is involved in the proteins that play a role in fixing it into bone. The two work on the same ground, at two different stages.

The point that really sets this product apart is the origin of the vitamin D3. In the vast majority of supplements, cholecalciferol is extracted from lanolin, the grease from sheep's wool — which rules those products out of a vegan diet. Here, the D3 comes from algae, and the capsule is made of hypromellose. The formula is therefore vegan from end to end, which remains rare. The rest of the British range can be browsed in our TrainedByJP section, and the other products in the category in our vitamin D section.

What does one D3 K2 capsule contain?

Data missing from the manufacturer's file, and it has to be said plainly: the doses of vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 per capsule have not been disclosed to us. On this type of product, those are nonetheless the only two figures that count. We will not invent them and we will not infer them from a competing product. They appear on the packaging you will receive, and this page will be updated as soon as the official values are passed on to us.

What is established, on the other hand, are the authorised claims, and they are solid for these two vitamins. For vitamin D: it contributes to the normal absorption and utilisation of calcium and phosphorus, to the maintenance of normal bones, to the maintenance of normal muscle function, to the normal function of the immune system and to the maintenance of normal blood calcium levels. For vitamin K: it contributes to normal blood clotting and to the maintenance of normal bones. These are the exact wordings of the European framework. Those claims are conditional on a minimum intake, which we cannot confirm as we do not know the doses.

A word on the form of vitamin K2 chosen: menaquinone-7, also written MK-7. It differs from MK-4 in staying present in the blood for markedly longer after being taken, which makes a single daily serving sufficient where MK-4 would call for several. It is the form most used in current supplements, and it is a coherent formulation choice.

As for algal vitamin D3, it is chemically identical to cholecalciferol from lanolin: the same molecule, obtained by another route. The difference is ethical and dietary, not biological.

List of ingredients

Plant-based vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol from algae), vitamin K2 (patented menaquinone-7), maltodextrin, vegetable capsule (hypromellose).

Data missing from the manufacturer's file: the list of allergens present in the manufacturing facility is not disclosed. Refer to the packaging you receive.

How should you take D3 K2?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a glass of water. Timing: during a meal containing fat, preferably in the morning or at midday. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: a course of 3 months minimum, continued if needed from October to March.

Taking it with a fatty meal is not optional with this product, and it is the first thing to remember. Vitamins D and K are fat-soluble: swallowed on an empty stomach with a glass of water, a substantial part does not cross the intestinal wall. A little olive oil, half an avocado, a handful of almonds or an oily fish in the same meal is more than enough. It costs nothing, and it changes what you get out of the bottle.

The manufacturer advises the morning or midday rather than the evening. That is a preference for comfort more than a physiological constraint: some people report poorer sleep with vitamin D taken late. If that does not apply to you, the time hardly matters.

The time of year counts for more than the time of day. At our latitudes, the skin makes virtually no vitamin D between October and March, the sun being too low on the horizon. That is the window in which supplementation makes full sense, and the 60-capsule bottle covers two months of it. Even in Montpellier, where the sunshine is generous, winter is still winter.

The manufacturer suggests pairing this product with an intake of magnesium, a mineral involved in the metabolism of vitamin D. It can also be taken with the same meal as an omega 3, which provides the fatty support the two vitamins need for absorption.

Who is D3 K2 for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed first and foremost at people following a vegan or strict vegetarian diet: it is one of the few vitamin D3 products they can take, since almost the whole market comes from sheep's lanolin. It also concerns anyone with little sun exposure, working indoors, or living through the autumn-winter period in northern Europe.

It is not recommended for people on anticoagulant or vitamin K antagonist medication without prior medical advice, and that is a contraindication to take seriously. Vitamin K antagonist medicines work precisely by opposing the action of this vitamin; supplying it through a supplement can upset the balance of the treatment. If this applies to you, the question goes to your doctor before the purchase, not after.

It is not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women without the advice of a healthcare professional, and it is not intended for children.

What you should not expect from it. You will feel nothing when you take it, and that is normal: these two vitamins have no perceptible effect. They do not improve sporting performance, muscle mass or mood in any immediate way. And supplementation does not replace a blood test: if you are wondering about your vitamin D status, a work-up prescribed by your doctor will answer far better than a bottle bought at random. Finally, watch out for stacking: a multivitamin already contains vitamin D, and intakes add up.

D3 on its own, or D3 combined with K2?

A frequent question in the shop, and the answer depends above all on what you are looking for.

Vitamin D on its own does the main job very well: making up for the shortfall in sunshine during the cold season. It is the best-justified supplement in this whole catalogue for a European population, and it costs little. If that is your only aim, standalone vitamin D exists in a range of doses, often for a smaller budget, and a vitamin C will usefully round out the winter period.

Adding vitamin K2 answers a logic of complementarity where bone is concerned. Vitamin D promotes the absorption of calcium, vitamin K is involved in the proteins that play a role in fixing it. The combination makes sense if your concern is specifically bone capital, and it saves buying two bottles.

In which case is D3 on its own the better choice? If you are on anticoagulant medication — in which case K2 is precisely what to avoid without medical advice — or if budget is the deciding criterion. And if your aim is broader, a multivitamin already provides both, in more modest amounts. For all-round bone support, our collagen section and our zinc section rest on other mechanisms and are best read alongside.

Frequently asked questions

What are the doses of D3 and K2 per capsule?

The manufacturer has not disclosed them to us and we will not invent them. They are nonetheless the only two figures that count on this type of product. They appear on the packaging you will receive; this page will be updated as soon as the official values are passed on to us.

Is this vitamin D3 suitable for vegans?

Yes, and it is the product's main selling point. The vitamin D3 here is extracted from algae and not from sheep's lanolin, as is the case in almost every supplement on the market. The capsule is vegetable, made of hypromellose. The formula is therefore vegan from end to end.

Why take it during a fatty meal?

Because vitamins D and K are fat-soluble. Taken on an empty stomach with a glass of water, a substantial part is not absorbed. A drizzle of oil, half an avocado or a few almonds in the same meal are enough to genuinely change what you get out of the product.

Can it be taken on anticoagulants?

Not without medical advice, and the warning is categorical. Vitamin K antagonist medicines work by opposing the action of this vitamin: supplying it through a supplement can unbalance the treatment. If this applies to you, talk to your doctor before buying.

What is menaquinone-7?

It is a form of vitamin K2, written MK-7. It stays present in the blood for much longer after being taken than the MK-4 form, which makes a single daily serving sufficient. It is the form most used in current supplements.

Should it be taken all year round?

The period in which supplementation is most justified runs from October to March: at our latitudes, the skin makes virtually no vitamin D in winter, the sun being too low. The rest of the year depends on your actual exposure. If in doubt, a blood test settles it better than an assumption.

Can it be stacked with a multivitamin?

First check what your multivitamin contains: most already provide vitamin D, and intakes add up. With a fat-soluble vitamin, which is stored in the body, it is better to do the sum than to discover a build-up after several months.

Where can you buy TrainedByJP's D3 K2?

The 60-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is the product we bring out when a vegan customer asks us for a vitamin D: the question of origin comes up every time, and answers are rare in this category. The rest of our selection can be browsed in the sports nutrition section.

What is TrainedByJP Cure Coming?

TrainedByJP Cure Coming is a turmeric extract in vegetable capsules, standardised in the patented BCM-95® form. The bottle holds 60 capsules and the intended dose is one capsule a day, taken with a meal containing fat. Two months of supplementation per bottle.

Turmeric is the rhizome of Curcuma longa, a plant from the ginger family, used for centuries as a spice and in the Ayurvedic tradition. The molecules that interest supplement manufacturers are the curcuminoids, of which curcumin is the main one — it is also what gives turmeric its orange-yellow colour.

Curcumin's long-standing problem is easy to state: taken as it is, it passes very poorly into the blood. It is barely soluble in water and rapidly eliminated. The entire industry around this category consists of getting round that obstacle, and that is precisely what a patented form like this one sets out to do. The rest of the British range can be browsed in our TrainedByJP section, and the other products in the category in our curcumin section.

What is in one Cure Coming capsule?

One figure is missing from the manufacturer's file, and it matters: the exact amount of curcumin per capsule has not been disclosed to us. We will not invent it, and we will not infer it from a comparable product. Yet it is the number that ought to decide the purchase in this category. It appears on the packaging you will receive, and that is the authoritative source. We will update this page as soon as the manufacturer sends us the value.

What we can say about the patented form, on the other hand, is verifiable. BCM-95® is an extract that combines turmeric's curcuminoids with the essential oil of the same rhizome, rich in turmerones. That combination is what sets it apart from standard extracts: where many products add piperine — the alkaloid from black pepper — to improve passage into the blood, this form relies on the volatile compounds of the plant itself. It is a difference in design, not a promise of results.

On the regulatory side, we have to be blunt, because this is one of the most talkative categories on the market. No health claim is authorised in Europe for curcumin or for turmeric. Not for joints, not for digestion, not for inflammation, not for the body's defences. The applications submitted either failed or are still pending. So we describe a plant, an extract and how to use it. Any site promising you anything else is stepping outside the rules.

The capsule is vegetable, made from hypromellose, which makes the product suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets — a real difference from the gelatine capsules that dominate this category.

Ingredients list

Turmeric extract (Curcuma longa) standardised in BCM-95® curcumin, vegetable capsule (hypromellose), anti-caking agents (magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide).

Missing from the manufacturer's file: the list of allergens handled in the production facility is not disclosed. Please refer to the packaging you receive.

How should Cure Coming be taken?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a glass of water. Timing: with a meal containing fat. Frequency: once a day, at whatever time suits you. Duration: a course of at least 2 to 3 months according to the manufacturer.

Taking it with a fatty meal is by far the most important instruction on this page. Curcumin dissolves in fat, not in water. A capsule swallowed on an empty stomach with a glass of water leaves a good part of its contents never crossing the intestinal wall. A meal with a drizzle of olive oil, half an avocado, a handful of almonds, eggs or oily fish genuinely changes things. This is not a comfort detail, it is what the product actually delivers.

The time of day, on the other hand, makes no difference: lunch or dinner work equally well. What counts is consistency — and taking the capsule with the same meal every day remains the best way not to forget it.

The minimum duration of two to three months is the second point to remember. With a plant of this kind, judging after ten days makes no sense. The 60-capsule bottle covers exactly two months: it therefore corresponds to one complete short course, while a long course calls for one and a half bottles.

Curcumin combines without overlap with an omega 3 — both are taken with the same fatty meal — or with a vitamin C. If your goal concerns joint comfort, our glucosamine section and our collagen section follow a different logic and are worth reading alongside.

Who is Cure Coming for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at an adult who wants a standardised turmeric extract rather than ground spice, and who is willing to follow a course lasting several months. The vegetable capsule makes it accessible to vegetarian and vegan diets.

Three situations call for medical advice beforehand, and they are specified by the manufacturer. The first: anticoagulant or anti-inflammatory treatment. The second: a medicine metabolised by the liver, since curcumin may interfere with certain hepatic pathways. The third, and the most concrete: an obstruction of the bile ducts or gallstones. Curcumin stimulates bile production, and this contraindication is stated explicitly on the packaging.

It is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women without the advice of a healthcare professional.

What you should not expect from it. No noticeable effect when you take it: curcumin does not wake you up, does not send you to sleep and cannot be felt. No effect on sporting performance, muscle mass or body fat. And above all, it is not a treatment: joint pain that persists, an ongoing digestive problem or a question about a blood test are matters for your doctor. Nor does this product replace a proper diet, and the spice itself remains a good idea in the kitchen.

Patented extract or turmeric with piperine?

This is the real debate in this category, and it deserves better than a marketing line.

The most common route is to combine a standard turmeric extract with piperine, the alkaloid from black pepper, at a few milligrams. Piperine slows the elimination of curcumin by the liver, which increases its presence in the blood. It is effective and inexpensive. The downside, rarely mentioned: piperine acts on the same hepatic pathways as many medicines, which multiplies the risk of interactions.

The patented route chosen here is different: it uses the essential oils of turmeric itself rather than an outside compound. It costs more to produce, and that is what explains the price gap with an entry-level turmeric. For anyone already taking medication, that is an argument worth taking seriously — after medical advice in every case.

When is a standard turmeric enough? If you are on no treatment, if budget comes first, and if you simply want to try the plant. Our NAC section, for its part, answers a different antioxidant logic. And if your priority is a broad micronutrient intake rather than one specific plant, our multivitamins section answers another question.

Frequently asked questions

How much curcumin is there per capsule?

The manufacturer has not disclosed it to us and we will not invent it. Yet it is the number that ought to decide the purchase in this category. It appears on the packaging of the product you will receive; this page will be updated as soon as the official value is sent to us.

What is BCM-95?

It is a patented form of turmeric extract that combines the curcuminoids with the essential oils of the rhizome, rich in turmerones. It differs from extracts that add black pepper piperine to improve passage into the blood: here, it is the compounds of the plant itself that are used.

Why take it during a fatty meal?

Because curcumin dissolves in fat and not in water. Taken on an empty stomach, a good share of it does not cross the intestinal wall. A drizzle of olive oil, half an avocado, eggs or oily fish at the same meal are enough to genuinely change what the product delivers.

Does turmeric have proven effects?

No health claim is authorised in Europe for curcumin or turmeric, whether for joints, digestion or inflammation. The applications submitted did not succeed. We sell a plant of traditional use in the form of a standardised extract, without attributing any effect to it.

Are there any contraindications?

Yes, and one of them is very concrete: curcumin stimulates bile production, so it should be avoided in cases of bile duct obstruction or gallstones. Medical advice is also needed if you are on anticoagulants, anti-inflammatories, or a medicine metabolised by the liver.

How long does one bottle last?

60 capsules at one a day: exactly two months. Since the manufacturer recommends a course of at least two to three months, one bottle covers a short course and one and a half a long one. With this kind of plant, a two-week course proves nothing.

Are the capsules suitable for vegans?

Yes. The shell is a vegetable capsule made from hypromellose, and the extract comes from the turmeric rhizome. No ingredient of animal origin appears in the composition disclosed by the manufacturer.

Where can you buy TrainedByJP Cure Coming?

You can order the 60-capsule bottle on this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. In the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we always start with one question: are you on anticoagulant treatment? With turmeric, the answer determines whether the sale goes ahead or whether we send you to your doctor. The rest of the category can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

What is IO Genix Synephrine?

It is a single-ingredient supplement, in capsules, containing 330 mg of bitter orange dry extract (Citrus aurantium L.) standardised to 6%, that is 19.8 mg of p-synephrine per capsule. The bottle of 100 capsules, 58 g net, covers more than three months at one capsule a day.

P-synephrine is a molecule found naturally in the bitter orange fruit. To give a sense of scale: the manufacturer states that one litre of bitter orange juice contains between 15 and 27 mg of it, where a capsule delivers 19.8 mg in standardised form. That is the most useful comparison for understanding what you are buying.

The rest of the composition fits in three lines: a gelatine capsule shell, microcrystalline cellulose as a bulking agent and magnesium stearate as an anti-caking agent. As the capsule shell is made of gelatine, the product is suitable for neither vegetarians nor vegans. It joins our fat burners in capsules and IO Genix sections.

What is in one capsule?

Other ingredients: capsule shell (gelatine), bulking agent (microcrystalline cellulose), anti-caking agent (magnesium stearate). Pack size: 100 capsules, 58 g net. No energy value is declared and, at this scale, it is negligible.

A point of vocabulary first, because it accounts for half the comparison mistakes made in this category: 330 mg is the weight of the extract, 19.8 mg the weight of the active molecule. A label that advertises “500 mg of bitter orange” without giving a standardisation figure tells you nothing at all. It is the second number you should look for, every time.

That figure of 19.8 mg is anything but arbitrary, and it is the most important point on this page. ANSES has published an opinion on food supplements intended for athletes containing synephrine and recommends not exceeding 20 mg of synephrine per day, avoiding combination with caffeine and not consuming it during intense physical exercise. This product sits just under that limit, which is to its credit — but it also means there is no margin at all: one capsule only, never two, and nothing else alongside it.

On effects, the framework is unambiguous: no health claim is authorised in Europe for synephrine or for bitter orange. Not on weight, not on fat, not on energy, not on appetite. So you will read no promise here, not even one phrased indirectly. The “fat burner” label used in our sections is a commercial category name, not a description of an effect.

How do you take Synephrine?

Dose: 1 capsule a day, never more. Liquid: a large glass of water. When: in the morning on waking. How often: one intake a day. Duration: the manufacturer sets no precise duration but recommends a periodic break.

One discrepancy has to be flagged, and we will not pass over it in silence. The manufacturer suggests taking it “before training”; the ANSES opinion, on the contrary, recommends avoiding the consumption of synephrine during intense physical exercise. Between the two, we follow ANSES: take the capsule in the morning, well away from your session. That is the advice we give over the counter, and it deliberately differs from the leaflet.

Second instruction, and this one is absolute: never combine this product with another source of caffeine or stimulant without medical advice. That includes coffee, tea, energy drinks and above all pre-workouts, which commonly contain 200 to 350 mg of caffeine. The manufacturer says so, and so does ANSES: on this point there is no debate.

The manufacturer also advises against taking it late in the day, so as not to disturb sleep. With 100 capsules in the bottle, it covers more than three months — so plan the breaks it recommends rather than running through it without interruption.

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

It is aimed at healthy adults engaged in a structured weight loss approach who want a single active ingredient with its standardisation stated. On that last point, the label is exemplary: one extract, one standardisation figure, one active molecule content.

The list of contraindications is one of the longest in the catalogue, and it needs to be read in full. The product is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, children and adolescents, people on medical treatment, or people suffering from cardiovascular disorders, hypertension, glaucoma, diabetes, prostate adenoma, depression or thyroid disorders. If any one of these applies to you, this product is not for you, and that is not negotiable.

It is suitable for neither vegetarians nor vegans, as the shell is made of gelatine. Traces of GLUTEN (wheat and oats), NUTS, PEANUT, EGG, MILK, FISH and SOYA are possible. Nor is it for you if you drink coffee during the day or already take a caffeinated pre-workout booster: stacking stimulants is precisely what the health authorities ask you to avoid.

What not to expect from it, and we will be blunt: this product does not make you lose weight. No claim exists, which means no European authority has validated any effect. Nor is it a pre-workout, or an appetite suppressant. If your calorie deficit is not in place, this bottle will change absolutely nothing.

Synephrine or a stimulant-free fat burner?

That is the real choice in this category, and it does not come down to effectiveness — neither family has an authorised claim — but to the balance between constraints and sensations.

A caffeine-free fat burner cannot be felt and imposes no constraints: no timing to respect, no stacking to watch, no cardiovascular contraindication. It is the better choice for the vast majority of people, and by far the safest. You will feel nothing at all, which is precisely the point.

Synephrine belongs to the other family, the actives with a stimulant effect, like the thermogenics in the fat burners section. It is only of interest in one specific case: you want a single active, dosed below the threshold recommended by ANSES, with no caffeine added to the formula — which leaves you in full control of your other intakes. That is a genuine advantage over a complete thermogenic in which caffeine is imposed on you.

The advice we actually give over the counter: if you drink coffee, walk on by. And if you are going to add a single supplement during a deficit, take a protein rather than a fat burner — protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass is an authorised claim, and that is what a diet really hinges on.

Frequently asked questions

Is 19.8 mg of p-synephrine a lot?

It is just under the threshold of 20 mg a day recommended by ANSES for synephrine in supplements intended for athletes. In other words: the dose is set at the maximum of what is advised, and there is no margin. One capsule a day, never two, and nothing else alongside it.

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

No. The manufacturer advises against it and ANSES recommends avoiding the combination of synephrine with caffeine. A pre-workout commonly delivers 200 to 350 mg of caffeine: stacking is exactly what should be avoided. On this specific point, there is no room for compromise.

Should it be taken before training?

The manufacturer suggests it, but ANSES recommends avoiding the consumption of synephrine during intense physical exercise. We follow ANSES: take the capsule in the morning, well away from your session. It is a deliberate departure from the leaflet, and we would rather explain it than keep quiet about it.

What is the difference between 330 mg and 19.8 mg?

The first figure is the weight of the plant extract, the second the weight of the p-synephrine it contains, at a standardisation of 6%. It is the second one you should compare from one product to another. A label that gives an extract weight without a standardisation figure allows no comparison at all.

How long does a bottle last?

More than three months, at one capsule a day for 100 capsules. The manufacturer recommends periodic breaks rather than uninterrupted use: plan them from the outset rather than running straight through to the last tablet.

Are the capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No, the shell is made of gelatine of animal origin. The contents, on the other hand, are indeed a plant extract of bitter orange. The manufacturer also reports possible traces of gluten, nuts, peanut, egg, milk, fish and soya.

Why are there so many contraindications?

Because synephrine is an active with a stimulant effect, structurally close to molecules that act on the cardiovascular system. The manufacturer rules out in particular cardiovascular disorders, hypertension, glaucoma, diabetes, prostate adenoma, depression and thyroid disorders. That list is not decorative: read it before buying.

Where to buy IO Genix Synephrine?

The bottle of 100 capsules can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. Three months per bottle: this is a purchase that belongs to the long run, not to a moment of impulse.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product in front of which we ask three questions before selling: do you drink coffee, are you on any medication, and what time do you train? A single wrong answer is enough to put it back on the shelf, and that happens often. The rest of the range can be compared in our sports nutrition section.

Source: ANSES.

What is ESN Designer Whey 908 g?

ESN Designer Whey is a protein powder in a 908 g tub, built not on a single raw material but on a blend: an ultrafiltered whey concentrate and a cross-flow microfiltered whey isolate. The manufacturer states a protein blend accounting for 94% of the formula; the remainder is the flavouring, the emulsifier, the salt and the sweeteners.

It is the German brand ESN's longest-standing product, and its whole reason for existing is that trade-off: the concentrate brings the price and the texture, the isolate brings the protein density and strips out part of the lactose and the fat. Neither one taken alone gives that result. The flavours listed here run from Vanilla Milk to Cinnamon Cereal: the register is that of a milky dessert, not a fruit drink.

What does a 30 g serving of ESN Designer Whey contain?

The reference serving is 30 g, roughly one level scoop. According to the values declared by the manufacturer, it provides 23 to 25 g of protein for around 115 kcal, 2 g of carbohydrate and 1.5 g of fat, of which 0.9 g saturates. The 908 g tub therefore covers around 30 servings.

The 23 to 25 g spread is not marketing vagueness: it comes from the flavours. The ones containing biscuit or cereal pieces dilute the protein share of the blend. The label on the tub you receive takes precedence over the one on this page.

The manufacturer further states that the protein fraction contains 48% essential amino acids and 23% BCAAs, naturally present in whey. We report those figures as theirs: we have no detailed amino acid profile for this reference, and we will not publish an invented one. The “per 100 g”, “of which sugars”, “fibre” and “salt” columns are likewise absent from the data supplied to us. In regulatory terms, the only thing that can be written about a protein is this: protein contributes to a growth in and the maintenance of muscle mass. There is no recovery claim for protein, and you will not read one here.

How do you prepare ESN Designer Whey?

The manufacturer indicates 30 g of powder in 200 ml of cold water or milk, shaken for 20 seconds. One to three servings a day according to your needs, with no set course length: a protein powder is a food, and it is taken continuously for as long as it serves to close a gap in your intake.

Timing matters less than it is said to. After the session, at breakfast or between two meals: what determines the outcome is the 24-hour protein total, not the slot.

The 200 ml volume gives a thick texture, close to a milkshake. Go up to 250 or 300 ml if you prefer it thinner. It is also a powder that cooks without difficulty: add it off the heat rather than in the middle of cooking. With oat flakes and oat flours, it makes a complete breakfast.

Who is ESN Designer Whey for, and who is it not for?

It suits the most common situation: you train regularly, you do not reach your protein intake from meals alone, and you want a powder that works in the shaker as well as in the kitchen without paying the premium for a pure isolate.

The product contains MILK and SOYA lecithins. Some flavours with pieces contain GLUTEN, and traces of nuts, egg or fish are possible depending on the flavour: the label on your tub is the only valid reference. In the event of a diagnosed cow's milk protein allergy, the product is contraindicated, isolate or no isolate.

Nor does it suit you if you digest lactose poorly: the presence of isolate reduces the lactose content, it does not cancel it out. In that case, a whey isolate on its own is a better fit. The manufacturer advises against the product for young children and asks pregnant or breastfeeding women and people on medication to seek medical advice. What not to expect from it: it does not build muscle on its own and it does not make you lose weight. It provides protein, nothing more.

ESN Designer Whey or ESN Clear Whey Isolate?

Both come from the same brand and answer two different questions. The Designer Whey is a milky drink, thick, in 200 ml. ESN's clear whey is a translucent, tart drink, diluted in 500 ml of iced water and based on isolate alone.

The Designer Whey wins as soon as the powder has to be cooked with, as soon as you want a texture with some substance to it between two meals, and on the price per kilo of protein — that is the mechanical effect of the concentrate. It also wins on choice: the milky range is better stocked than the clear one.

The clear wins in one precise and frequent case: when the milky shaker no longer goes down. Heaviness after the effort, weariness with the taste of vanilla, a summer session after which nothing creamy will go down. A protein you do not drink is of no use, and that is the only argument that counts then. It also wins on lactose content, which is virtually nil. If your budget is the deciding criterion, look instead at whey concentrate: for most people it is enough, and an isolate is only justified in identified cases.

Frequently asked questions

How many servings are there in the 908 g tub?

Around 30 servings of 30 g. At one serving a day, that covers a month. If you take two on training days and one on the others, reckon on three weeks instead. Keep the tub in a dry place, away from light and carefully resealed.

Do the nutritional values change from one flavour to another?

Yes, and that is the question to ask before buying. The manufacturer states 23 to 25 g of protein per serving depending on the flavour. The versions with biscuit or cereal pieces sit at the bottom of that range and may bring gluten with them.

What is the difference between whey concentrate and whey isolate?

The degree of filtration. Concentrate generally runs between 70 and 80% protein and retains lactose and fat. Isolate takes the filtration further, goes beyond 85% and removes the bulk of both. The Designer Whey contains both, which explains its intermediate position on price as much as on density.

Can it be used in baking?

Yes. Unlike a clear whey, which coagulates with acidity and heat, this powder stands up to cooking and behaves well in pancakes, muffins or porridge. Fold it in at the end of the preparation: the final texture is less dry.

Can it be combined with creatine?

Nothing stands in the way: these are two separate ingredients, with no known interaction, and mixing them in the same shaker poses no problem. Creatine monohydrate is dosed separately, generally 3 to 5 g a day, independently of your protein servings.

Does it contain sugar?

No added sugar: the sweetening is provided by sucralose and steviol glycosides. Around 2 g of carbohydrate remain per 30 g serving, essentially the residual lactose from the whey. The “of which sugars” line is not published by the manufacturer and we do not reconstruct it.

Where can you buy ESN Designer Whey 908 g?

The flavours can be ordered on this page and we ship throughout France and Europe. On a milky whey, the flavour is the one criterion that no product page can settle in your place: in our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we talk them over with people who have drunk them, and we compare the price per kilo of protein in front of you.

The other formats of protein to take away are found in our protein bars, and the aisle as a whole in our sports nutrition section.

What is Applied Nutrition Shred X?

Applied Nutrition Shred X is a powdered fat burner, to be mixed with water and drunk before training. A 10 g serving delivers 228 mg of caffeine and 450 mg of green tea extract concentrated to 95% polyphenols, alongside acetyl L-carnitine, choline bitartrate, L-theanine, L-tyrosine, taurine, gymnema sylvestre extract and vitamins C, B3, B6 and B12.

Applied Nutrition is a British brand based in Liverpool, known in France for its ABE pre-workout range. Shred X is its counterpart: the same formulation logic, but built around caffeine and green tea rather than around vascular actives. The label "fat burner" is a commercial category name, not a promise of effect — we come back to this below.

The flavours in the catalogue: Sour Gummy Bear, Strawberry Kiwi and Lemon Ice Tea. The composition is identical from one to the next. The rest of the brand can be browsed in our Applied Nutrition aisle, and the other formulas in the category in our fat burners aisle.

What does a serving of Shred X contain?

Let us be blunt: the manufacturer publishes the dose of only two ingredients out of the ten or so in the formula. Caffeine and green tea extract are quantified, the rest is not. We prefer to put that in black and white rather than repeat figures seen elsewhere: without a quantity, it is impossible to say whether the acetyl L-carnitine is present at 500 mg or at 50 mg, and the difference is not trivial. That is the main criticism we make of this technical sheet.

228 mg of caffeine is a high dose for a single serving. For reference, the European food safety authority takes 200 mg as a single intake without adverse effect in a healthy adult, and 400 mg across the day. A serving of Shred X therefore already puts you slightly above the first benchmark, before your morning coffee has even been counted. That is why the manufacturer sets a limit of one serving a day, not two.

The green tea extract calls for the same vigilance. At 95% polyphenols, 450 mg of extract is a serious concentration. The manufacturer itself states not to exceed 800 mg of green tea extract a day from all sources combined: if you already take another fat burner or a green tea extract capsule, add them up before you buy.

What we can say within the regulatory framework is limited, and it is better set out plainly: vitamins B3, B6 and B12 contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, and vitamin C contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Those are the official European wordings. For caffeine, green tea, carnitine, gymnema or Pro GBB, no health claim is authorised in Europe — not on fat, not on weight, not on metabolism. No fat burner makes you lose weight, whatever its composition.

Ingredients list

Acetyl L-carnitine, citric acid (acidity regulator), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), green tea extract 95% polyphenols, choline bitartrate, L-theanine, gymnema sylvestre leaf extract (containing 75% gymnemic acids), taurine, L-tyrosine, sodium bicarbonate, anhydrous caffeine, natural flavouring, natural colouring (beetroot red), anti-caking agents (silicon dioxide, calcium silicate), Pro GBB™ (gamma-butyrobetaine ethyl ester HCl), sucralose (sweetener), vitamin B3 (nicotinamide), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin).

The manufacturer refers to the product labelling for the allergen declaration and flags the possibility of traces depending on manufacturing conditions. If you have a severe allergy, check the packaging you receive.

How do you take Shred X?

Serving: 1 level 10 g scoop. Liquid: 200 ml of cold water. Timing: 15 minutes before the session, or in the morning. Frequency: one serving a day maximum. Duration: the manufacturer sets no course length; on a product this caffeinated, a regular break remains the wisest approach.

A level scoop, not a heaped one. On a product dosed at 228 mg of caffeine, a generously filled scoop can take you 30 or 40 mg higher without your realising it. If you have kitchen scales, weigh out your 10 g the first few times: you will then know what a correct scoop looks like.

No servings late in the day. Caffeine stays active for several hours; a serving at 18:00 is paid for overnight, and lack of sleep is the best way to sabotage precisely what you are trying to achieve. If you train in the evening, this product is not the right one: our caffeine-free fat burner aisle exists for that situation.

Drink more water during the period you are taking it. Caffeine and green tea have a diuretic effect, and 200 ml of water at the time of the serving is not enough to cover the day. It is obvious advice, but it is the advice that settles most of the headaches wrongly blamed on the product.

One last point of common sense: this type of formula fits within a controlled diet and regular activity, not in their place. A serving of protein after the session and a calorie deficit held over several weeks weigh infinitely more in the result than any fat burner.

Who is Shred X for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at a trained adult, used to caffeine, who wants a stimulant before a session during a period when they are eating below their needs. That is where this type of product makes the most sense: it helps you get through a decent session on a day when energy is short, which is no small thing.

It is not for under-18s, nor for pregnant or breastfeeding women. It is not advised for people sensitive to caffeine, and the advice of a healthcare professional is necessary in the event of high blood pressure, heart rhythm disorders, anxiety, thyroid disorders, liver problems or ongoing medical treatment.

Do not add any other source of caffeine or green tea extract on the same day. A coffee, an energy drink, a pre-workout, a fat burner in capsules: it all adds up, and on this product the margin is already thin. The manufacturer reminds you not to exceed 800 mg of green tea extract a day from all sources combined.

What you should not expect from it. This product does not make you lose weight. No weight loss claim exists in Europe for its ingredients, and if a seller promises you one, they are stepping outside the legal framework. It does not make up for a diet in surplus, targets no area of the body, and replaces neither the calorie deficit nor the training. What it genuinely brings is alertness and perceived energy before a session — which is already an honest reason to buy it, provided you do not ask more of it. The real work is done on the plate, and our weight loss aisle brings together the products that support that approach.

Shred X in powder or a fat burner in capsules?

This is the concrete choice facing most buyers in this aisle, and it is settled on two criteria: the dose and the flexibility.

Powder lets you adjust, a capsule does not. With Shred X you can take half a scoop for the first few days to assess your tolerance at 114 mg of caffeine before moving to the full serving. That is exactly what we advise for someone who has never taken this type of product. A capsule, by contrast, is taken whole or not at all.

The capsule wins on discretion and portability. No shaker, no water to find, nothing to measure: you swallow it at the office with a glass of water. For a morning serving, outside a training context, it is often easier to keep up over time. Our fat burners in capsules aisle covers those formats, and our powdered fat burner aisle the other powders in the category.

And what if neither suits? That is the case if you train in the evening, if you tolerate stimulants poorly, or if you already take caffeine elsewhere. A caffeine-free formula settles the question without making you give up the rest. There is no point putting yourself through palpitations for a product whose effect on weight nobody can legally promise.

Frequently asked questions

How much caffeine is in one serving?

228 mg per 10 g serving, counting the green tea contribution. That is above the 200 mg benchmark taken for a single intake in an adult. One serving a day maximum, and no other source of caffeine during the day: coffee, energy drinks or pre-workouts all add up.

Which doses does the manufacturer disclose?

Only two: 228 mg of caffeine and 450 mg of green tea extract at 95% polyphenols. The quantities of acetyl L-carnitine, choline, theanine, tyrosine, gymnema and Pro GBB are not published. We do not invent them: without a figure, those ingredients cannot be compared from one brand to another.

Does this product make you lose weight?

No, and nobody can legally state that it does: no weight loss claim is authorised in Europe for these ingredients. A fat burner accompanies a calorie deficit and regular training, it does not replace them. Without those two conditions, nothing will happen.

Which flavours are available?

Sour Gummy Bear, Strawberry Kiwi and Lemon Ice Tea. The composition is identical in all three, only the flavouring changes. Each is mixed into 200 ml of cold water, which gives a short drink with a fairly concentrated taste.

Can it be taken on non-training days?

The manufacturer provides for a serving in the morning or before physical activity, without distinguishing rest days. In every case, stick to one serving a day. We would rather advise keeping it for session days: that limits caffeine tolerance building up and makes the tub last.

How many servings does a tub contain?

The manufacturer does not disclose the number of servings in the material available to us, only the serving size: 10 g. We therefore give no figure. Refer to the net weight shown on the packaging you receive and divide by ten.

Can it be combined with a pre-workout?

No. Most pre-workouts contain 200 to 350 mg of caffeine; adding the 228 mg in this serving, you would go well beyond the daily 400 mg benchmark in a single intake. Choose one or the other depending on the session, never both on the same day.

Where can you buy Applied Nutrition Shred X?

The 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, we systematically advise starting at half a serving with this product: 228 mg of caffeine in one go, when you are not used to it, is distinctly noticeable. And we always ask what is already being taken alongside it, coffee included. The rest of our selection can be browsed in the sports nutrition aisle.

What is Dorian Yates' Blood & Guts?

Blood & Guts is the powdered pre-workout from Dorian Yates Nutrition, the brand of the British bodybuilder and six-time Mr. Olympia winner. The name is taken from his 1990s training method. It is a product to be mixed with water and taken before your session, and it sits right at the top end of the scale when it comes to stimulation.

The formula combines three families of ingredients. Nitric oxide precursors first: citrulline DL-malate and an A-AKG complex pairing L-arginine with calcium alpha-ketoglutarate. Stimulants next: anhydrous caffeine, guarana extract standardised to 22% caffeine, green tea extract standardised to 95% polyphenols and 5% caffeine. And what is billed as a focus component: L-tyrosine, vitamin B3 as nicotinamide, black pepper extract standardised to 95% piperine. Beta-alanine is in there too.

The flavours on offer: Cola, Strawberry, Pear-Kiwi, Mojito, Mango, Bubble Gum, Blueberry and Watermelon. The product joins our selection of boosters, and the brand's full range can be found in the Dorian Yates collection.

What is in a serving of Blood & Guts?

A full serving is two scoops, or 19 g. One scoop therefore weighs 9.5 g. Here is what the manufacturer declares.

Four dosages are missing from the list — beta-alanine, tyrosine, guarana, green tea — and we are not going to invent them. That is a pity in the case of beta-alanine in particular, whose usefulness depends directly on the amount. Nor does the manufacturer publish energy values or macronutrients for the serving.

The figures that are available, on the other hand, are serious ones. 6 g of citrulline malate, of which 4.34 g is pure citrulline: that is the top of the range you tend to come across, where many pre-workouts settle for 1 to 2 g just so they can put it on the front of the tub. 2.68 g of arginine is added on top. And above all 350 mg of caffeine for two scoops, which is considerable: EFSA puts the single dose of no safety concern for healthy adults at 200 mg, and total daily intake at 400 mg. A full serving therefore takes you well above the single-dose benchmark. This is not a product to start out on.

For vitamin B3, the authorised wordings apply: niacin contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism and contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. For citrulline, arginine, beta-alanine and tyrosine, no health claim is authorised in Europe, and we will not be making any.

How should you dose Blood & Guts?

Five reference points, all of them quantified by the manufacturer. Serving: start with 1 scoop of 9.5 g to gauge your tolerance, then move up to 2 scoops (19 g) if all goes well. Liquid: 250 ml of cold water. Timing: 20 to 30 minutes before your session. Frequency: one serving a day, never two. Duration: 4 to 5 days a week, with a 1 to 2 week break every 8 weeks.

One instruction on timing that is not negotiable: nothing after 16:00. With 350 mg of caffeine, a session at 19:00 will cost you your night's sleep, and you will pay for it twice over at training the next day. Also avoid any other source of caffeine in the 6 hours before and after.

Drink more than usual during your session. And if you feel tingling on your face or forearms in the twenty minutes after taking it, that is the beta-alanine: the sensation is temporary, harmless, and fades as you get used to it. If it bothers you, the creatine-free pre-workout aisle and formulas with separately dosed beta-alanine let you adjust.

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

It is aimed at trained adults, used to stimulants, who train early in the day and are looking for genuinely full citrulline dosages. As a first pre-workout it is a bad idea: start with a product at 150 or 200 mg of caffeine and you will keep some headroom for later.

The product is not for minors and contraindicated in pregnant or breastfeeding women. It is not recommended for people who are sensitive to stimulants or who have cardiovascular disorders. Seek advice from a healthcare professional before use if you are on any medication whatsoever. Stop immediately if you experience any adverse effect.

Two regulatory points worth knowing. The formula contains the colours Ponceau 4R and indigo carmine; for Ponceau 4R, European regulations require the statement “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children”, which comes on top of the ban on sale to minors. And the product is made in a facility that handles MILK, GLUTEN, EGGS, SOYA, NUTS and PEANUTS: traces are possible.

What you should not expect from it: no gain in strength or mass in itself. A pre-workout acts on alertness and on perceived effort. What you do with that energy under the bar remains your own work, and a product with 350 mg of caffeine makes up neither for poor sleep nor for inadequate intake.

Blood & Guts or a caffeine-free booster?

That is the trade-off that matters, and it turns not on effectiveness but on the time of your sessions and on your relationship with stimulants.

A caffeine-free booster is the better choice in three specific cases. You train in the evening: at 19:00, 350 mg of caffeine wrecks your sleep, and sleep weighs more heavily on your progress than any pre-workout. You already drink several coffees during the day and you do not want to stack more on top. Or you are only after the pump, in which case citrulline and arginine are enough — which is exactly what the non-stimulant formulas offer, often with equivalent citrulline dosages.

Blood & Guts keeps the advantage when what you are after is the stimulation itself: a heavy morning session, legs at the end of the week, training after a short night. On its 6 g of citrulline malate it stands comparison with just about everything we sell. That said, beta-alanine and tyrosine are not quantified, which rules out any serious comparison on those two actives — a point on which several competitors in the aisle do better. The isolated amino acids, for their part, are found in L-arginine and beta-alanine.

Frequently asked questions

How much caffeine is there in one scoop?

Around 175 mg for a 9.5 g scoop, since the manufacturer states approximately 350 mg for the full two-scoop serving. That is already the equivalent of two strong espressos. Start there, and only add the second scoop once you have checked your tolerance.

Why is the beta-alanine not quantified on the label?

The manufacturer declares it as present “at the clinical dose” without giving a figure. We can therefore neither verify it nor compare it, and we would rather say so. If that point matters to you, choose a product that publishes its gram amounts, or dose beta-alanine separately.

Is the tingling normal?

Yes. That pins-and-needles feeling on the face, the back of the neck or the forearms is the paraesthesia linked to beta-alanine. It comes on within twenty minutes, lasts about half an hour, and has no known consequences. It fades with regular use. If it makes you uncomfortable, cut back to one scoop.

Can you take it in the evening?

No. The manufacturer asks that you avoid taking it after 16:00, and at this caffeine level that is an instruction to follow to the letter. For late-in-the-day sessions, go for a stimulant-free formula.

How many servings per tub?

The manufacturer does not publish the net weight of the container in the data supplied to us, so we cannot work out the exact number of servings. What we do know: a full serving weighs 19 g, a scoop 9.5 g, and the recommended use is 4 to 5 sessions a week.

Should you take breaks?

Yes, the manufacturer recommends a 1 to 2 week interruption every 8 weeks. Caffeine tolerance builds quickly, and the break serves as much to bring the effect back as to give the nervous system a rest.

Which flavour should you choose?

Cola and Bubble Gum are the safest bets, Mojito and Pear-Kiwi the most refreshing with very cold water. Pre-workouts heavily dosed in amino acids all have an underlying bitterness; diluting a little more generously than the recommended 250 ml takes the edge off it noticeably.

Where can you buy Dorian Yates' Blood & Guts?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. In our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we never recommend without first asking two questions: what time do you train, and how many coffees have you had today. The answers are almost always enough to settle it.

The rest of the pre-workout aisle can be compared in sports nutrition.

What is Bucked Up Pre-Workout?

Bucked Up Pre-Workout is a powdered pre-workout from DAS Labs, an American brand. The dose is one 15 g scoop, and the formula is presented as free of any proprietary blend — a claim we qualify further down, because not every dosage is published.

Three actives give the formula its structure: 6 g of L-citrulline, 2 g of beta-alanine and 200 mg of caffeine anhydrous. To these are added AlphaSize® (alpha-GPC), ActiGin® (an extract of Panax notoginseng and Rosa roxburghii), AstraGin®, taurine, vitamin B12 and one unusual ingredient: 50 mg of deer antler velvet, of animal origin.

The product declares zero calories, zero carbohydrate and zero sugar, and it is stated to be gluten-free, aspartame-free and compatible with a ketogenic diet. The flavours on offer: Strawberry Kiwi, Rocket Pop, Killa OJ, Blue Raz and Blood Raz. It joins our boosters and Bucked Up ranges.

What does a 15 g dose contain?

Here is the qualification we promised: all four of the main actives are quantified, but five secondary ingredients are not in the data available to us — alpha-GPC, ActiGin®, AstraGin®, taurine and vitamin B12. The net weight of the tub is not published either, which makes it impossible to work out the number of doses. We point this out rather than paper over it.

On what is quantified, the balance is good. The 6 g of citrulline is a full dose, well above the average for the category — and this is pure citrulline, not citrulline malate, so the 6 g really are 6 g of citrulline. The 200 mg of caffeine matches the EFSA reference for a single serving in a healthy adult: enough to feel stimulated without hitting your daily ceiling during the warm-up. And zero calories for 15 g of powder, which explains the claimed compatibility with a ketogenic diet.

A word on the deer antler velvet, dosed at 50 mg: this is an ingredient of animal origin, which rules the product out of a vegetarian or vegan diet. No health claim is authorised in Europe for this ingredient, nor for the citrulline, the beta-alanine, the alpha-GPC or the patented extracts in the formula. Athletes subject to anti-doping testing should check with their federation before using a product containing this ingredient.

How should Bucked Up Pre-Workout be dosed?

Dose: 1 scoop of 15 g, one per day at most. Liquid: 200 to 250 ml of cold water. Timing: 15 to 30 minutes before the session. Frequency: 5 to 6 days a week, with 1 to 2 stimulant-free days. Duration: the manufacturer recommends alternating with stimulant-free periods rather than setting a fixed course length.

Start with half a scoop to gauge your tolerance, then build up gradually. At 200 mg of caffeine this is not strictly essential for a regular user, but it is the right method if this is your first pre-workout.

Two instructions from the manufacturer. Do not take it within the 6 hours before bedtime, and take no other source of caffeine the same day. Hydrate well during training. Expect mild tingling from the 2 g of beta-alanine: at that dose it stays moderate compared with formulas that use 3 or 6 g.

The recommendation to keep 1 to 2 days a week stimulant-free is worth following. It is what preserves your sensitivity to caffeine, and what stops you needing a double dose two months down the line.

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

It suits someone who trains often and wants a product they can use almost every day: at 200 mg of caffeine, using it five or six times a week remains manageable, which is impossible with a 400 mg formula. The 6 g of citrulline also make it a good choice for those who want the pump as much as the energy. And the zero-calorie profile suits ketogenic diets or periods of strict deficit.

The restrictions are clear-cut. Contraindicated in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Not recommended for people sensitive to caffeine or with cardiovascular disorders. Consult a healthcare professional before use if you are taking medication or have a health condition. Stop use if any adverse effect occurs. The product may contain traces of DAIRY, SOYA and EGGS depending on production conditions.

Two further points. Deer antler velvet is of animal origin: the product is therefore suitable for neither vegetarians nor vegans. And if you are subject to anti-doping testing, check with your federation before taking it.

What you should not expect from it: strength, muscle or a transformation. A pre-workout acts on alertness and on perceived effort, not on the result. And expect nothing perceptible from the undisclosed ingredients: without figures, nobody can say whether they are present at a useful level.

Bucked Up or a stimulant-free formula?

The choice comes down to the time of your sessions and to how much caffeine you get elsewhere.

A caffeine-free formula is the better choice in two clear-cut cases. You train after 18:00: even 200 mg can interfere with falling asleep, and sleep weighs more heavily on progress than any booster. Or you already drink three coffees during the day and do not want to stack. These formulas often offer as much citrulline, or more — up to 8 or 10 g — with no nervous-system trade-off at all.

Bucked Up keeps the advantage on balance. Six grams of pure citrulline and 200 mg of caffeine in 15 g of powder is the most usable day-to-day compromise: stimulating enough to be felt, moderate enough to be taken five times a week. It also wins on the nutritional profile, with zero calories and zero sugar, which is not the case for every formula in the category. The isolated amino acids it contains are available separately in beta-alanine and taurine, if you would rather build your own blend.

Frequently asked questions

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 15 g to get the number of servings.

Is the citrulline pure or in malate form?

Pure. The label states 6,000 mg of L-citrulline, not citrulline malate. The distinction matters: with a 2:1 malate, you need around 9 g to obtain 6 g of effective citrulline. Here, the 6 g stated really are 6 g of citrulline.

What is deer antler velvet?

An ingredient of animal origin, present at 50 mg in the formula, traditionally used in Asia. No health claim is authorised in Europe regarding it. Its presence rules the product out of vegetarian and vegan diets, and warrants a check with your federation if you are subject to anti-doping testing.

Is 200 mg of caffeine enough?

For most people, yes: it is the equivalent of two espressos, and the reference adopted by EFSA for a single serving in a healthy adult. If you already take 400 mg elsewhere and no longer feel anything, the problem is not the product's dosage, it is your tolerance — hence the recommendation of stimulant-free days.

Can it be taken every day?

The manufacturer recommends 5 to 6 days a week, with 1 to 2 recovery days free of stimulants. That is a reasonable rhythm, and it is one of the few products in this category that allows it without blowing past the caffeine reference values.

Is it suitable for a ketogenic diet?

The manufacturer states so explicitly: zero calories, zero carbohydrate, zero sugar, gluten-free and aspartame-free. That is consistent with the composition, which contains neither maltodextrin nor any carbohydrate bulking agent.

Why are some dosages not published?

Alpha-GPC, ActiGin®, AstraGin®, taurine and vitamin B12 appear in the ingredients list with no quantity given in the data available to us. The brand claims a formula with no proprietary blend; on these five ingredients we cannot verify it, and we would rather say so.

Where to buy Bucked Up Pre-Workout?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is a well-balanced pre-workout, one we happily recommend to people who train often rather than intensely twice a week.

Our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, keeps the range in stock. If you are torn between several formulas, bring the list of what you already take: adding up the caffeine is what makes the right product obvious.

What is Now Foods Biotin 5000 mcg?

It is a biotin supplement in vegetable capsules, dosed at 5,000 µg per capsule. The formats listed: 60 and 120 capsules, that is two or four months at one capsule a day.

Biotin, also known as vitamin B8 or vitamin H, is a water-soluble B-group vitamin. The formula is about as simple as a supplement can be: biotin, rice flour as a carrier, a hypromellose capsule, stearic acid of vegetable origin and silicon dioxide.

As the capsule is plant-based, the product is suitable for vegetarians. The manufacturer declares it free from wheat, gluten, soya, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, nuts, sesame and GMOs. The rest of the American range is in our Now Foods section, and the whole category in vitamin B.

What does one capsule contain?

Other ingredients: rice flour, hypromellose (vegetable capsule), stearic acid of vegetable origin, silicon dioxide. NRV within the meaning of Regulation 1169/2011: 50 µg. Pack sizes: 60 or 120 vegetable capsules.

One hundred times the reference value deserves a frank explanation. Biotin is water-soluble: whatever the body does not use leaves in the urine, and EFSA has set no upper limit for this vitamin. The 5,000 µg dose is the American market standard on hair products; it is not dangerous, but nothing shows that it does better than a 50 or 150 µg dose in a person whose status is normal. We would rather say so.

Let us come to what the regulations authorise, because it is the most useful point on this page. Biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal hair, normal skin and normal mucous membranes, to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to normal macronutrient metabolism, to the normal functioning of the nervous system and to normal psychological function. Those are the exact wordings, and they are broad.

On the other hand, and this is a distinction the whole aisle glosses over: there is no authorised claim concerning nails for biotin. European regulation recognises hair, skin and mucous membranes — not nails. You will read the opposite just about everywhere; that is nonetheless how it stands. A second distinction, just as important: “contributing to the maintenance of normal hair” means avoiding the consequences of a shortfall, not growing the hair of someone whose status is already fine. Biotin deficiency is rare on an ordinary diet.

How should you take biotin?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a glass of water. When: with a meal, preferably breakfast or lunch. Frequency: one intake a day. Duration: at least 3 months without a break; the manufacturer indicates that the effects generally show after 6 to 8 weeks.

The timescale is the most important thing to take on board here, and it is in no way a sales argument: hair grows about one centimetre a month. Whatever you take, no visible change is possible before several weeks, and judging after a fortnight makes no sense. That is precisely why the 120-capsule format makes more sense than the 60.

Taking it with a meal is advised for digestive comfort more than for absorption, biotin being water-soluble. The real challenge is consistency: pair the capsule with a fixed daily habit, it is the only way to keep going for three months without forgetting.

One pairing that makes sense: zinc also has an authorised wording on the maintenance of normal hair, and vitamin C one on normal collagen formation. If your concern is hair, those three complement one another better than biotin alone pushed to a hundred times the NRV.

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

It is for adults only and suitable for vegetarians, the capsule being plant-based and the excipients of vegetable origin. Its “free from” list is one of the shortest in the aisle, which makes it a simple option for allergy-prone profiles.

One warning deserves reading twice, because it can have real consequences. High-dose biotin interferes with certain blood tests — thyroid and troponin assays are the most affected — and can skew a result in either direction. Always tell your doctor or the laboratory that you are taking biotin before any blood test. This is not a token precaution: it is the no. 1 reason why this dose has to be flagged.

The manufacturer also asks you to consult a healthcare professional in case of pregnancy, breastfeeding, medical treatment or a health problem. The product is made in a facility that handles other allergenic ingredients.

It is less suitable if you already take a multivitamin or a hair complex: most already contain some, and stacking achieves nothing while making the blood test problem worse.

What you should not expect of it, and we will be direct: biotin does not regrow hair. If your hair loss is recent, heavy or localised, it is a matter for a doctor — iron deficiency, a thyroid disorder or androgenetic alopecia are not treated with a vitamin. Nor is there any claim concerning nails.

Biotin or collagen?

These are the two products most often compared in this aisle, and they do not play the same role at all.

A collagen supplies peptides in bulk quantities — 5 to 20 g per dose — and is taken as a powder. It should be said that, just like biotin on nails, collagen has no authorised health claim in Europe. What can be said about it rests on its composition, not on an effect. It is the choice of those who prefer a massive protein intake to a dosed vitamin, and who accept a powder to mix rather than a capsule.

Biotin wins on a point that is not a small one: it, for its part, does have an authorised wording on the maintenance of normal hair and normal skin. It is the only one of the two whose role the regulations recognise. It is also simpler: one capsule a day, no taste, no preparation, and a bottle of 120 lasts four months.

The advice we give most often: if you are to take only one thing, take the biotin — provided you expect no miracle from it — and add zinc if your diet is short of it. If you want broad cover without multiplying bottles, a multivitamin already contains both, at more moderate and amply sufficient doses.

Frequently asked questions

5,000 µg, isn't that excessive?

It is one hundred times the reference value of 50 µg. Biotin being water-soluble, the excess is eliminated in the urine, and EFSA has set no upper limit. So it is not dangerous, but nothing shows that such a dose does better than a moderate intake in a person whose status is normal.

Does biotin act on the nails?

No claim concerning nails is authorised in Europe for biotin. The permitted wordings cover hair, skin and mucous membranes. You will read the opposite on many packs and websites: that changes nothing about the regulatory framework, and we will not write what is not authorised.

Should you tell your doctor before a blood test?

Yes, every time, and it is the most important point on this page. High-dose biotin interferes with certain blood assays, particularly those for thyroid and troponin, and can skew a result. Always report this supplementation to the laboratory or to your doctor.

How long before you see anything?

The manufacturer speaks of 6 to 8 weeks and advises at least three months without a break. That fits the biology: hair grows about one centimetre a month, and nothing visible can appear sooner. A judgement made after a fortnight is worth nothing.

Are the capsules suitable for vegans?

The shell is hypromellose, of vegetable origin, and the stearic acid is likewise vegetable. The manufacturer describes the product as vegetarian; the biotin in supplements being generally produced synthetically, the formula contains no animal ingredient identified in the data supplied.

Can it be combined with a multivitamin?

Technically yes, but there is little point: most multivitamins already contain 50 to 200 µg of biotin, and stacking adds nothing more. It does, however, make the interference with blood tests worse. Check the label of what you already take before adding this bottle.

How long does a bottle last?

Two months for the 60-capsule format, four months for the 120, at one capsule a day. As the manufacturer recommends at least three months without a break, the 120 format is the most coherent: it covers the advised duration without a gap.

Where to buy Now Foods Biotin 5000 mcg?

The formats can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. If you are starting out, go straight for the 120 capsules: three months is the minimum for judging anything at all.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the aisle where we most often put a product back on its shelf. When hair loss is recent or marked, our answer has always been the same: go and see a doctor before buying a vitamin. And if you are taking biotin, remember to say so at the laboratory before your next blood test.

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.

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' 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 Glutathione 500 mg?

Now Foods Glutathione 500 mg is a supplement in vegetable capsules that brings together three ingredients. One capsule provides 500 mg of glutathione in its reduced form, 100 mg of milk thistle extract standardised to 80 mg of silymarin, and 50 mg of alpha-lipoic acid. The 120-capsule bottle covers four months.

Glutathione is a tripeptide, meaning a small molecule made up of three amino acids: cysteine, glycine and glutamic acid. The body produces it itself, in all of its cells, and it plays a central role there in oxidation-reduction reactions. The so-called “reduced” form is the active form of the molecule, as opposed to its oxidised form.

The formula is built around a simple idea: rather than supplying glutathione on its own, it is paired with two ingredients that act in the same biochemical environment. Milk thistle is a plant traditionally associated with the liver; alpha-lipoic acid is a compound involved in cellular oxidation-reduction reactions. The rest of the American range can be browsed in our Now Foods aisle, and alpha-lipoic acid, like glutathione, overlaps with the logic behind our coenzyme Q10 aisle.

What does one capsule of Glutathione 500 mg contain?

We have to start with the point that decides everything, and it is almost never written down: glutathione taken orally is very poorly absorbed. It is a tripeptide, and the digestive tract handles peptides the way it handles proteins: it breaks them apart. A significant share of the 500 mg swallowed is therefore split into amino acids before reaching the bloodstream. This is not a criticism of this product in particular, it is the problem faced by the entire category, and you deserve to know it before you buy.

That is also why another route exists and is favoured by many: supplying the body with the raw material it lacks so that it can make its own glutathione. That raw material is cysteine, and the supplement that provides it is called N-acetylcysteine. Our NAC aisle covers this approach, often for a smaller budget.

From a regulatory standpoint the situation is clear-cut: no health claim is authorised in Europe for glutathione, nor for alpha-lipoic acid, nor for milk thistle. Not for the liver, not for detoxification, not for oxidative stress, not for the skin. The dossiers submitted came to nothing. So we describe three molecules, their doses and how to use them, without announcing any outcome — and the word “detox”, which you will come across everywhere in this aisle, means nothing at all in regulatory terms.

The milk thistle strength is worth highlighting: 80 mg of silymarin per 100 mg of extract, i.e. 80%. That is a high strength, and it is the only line that allows two extracts of this plant to be compared. A product advertising “500 mg of milk thistle” without stating its silymarin content may contain ten times less.

Ingredients list

Glutathione (reduced form), milk thistle extract (Silybum marianum, fruit and seeds) standardised to 80 mg of silymarin flavonoids, alpha-lipoic acid, hypromellose (vegetable capsule), microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate of vegetable origin, silicon dioxide.

Free from wheat, gluten, soya, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts and sesame. Produced in a facility that handles other ingredients containing these allergens.

How should Glutathione 500 mg be taken?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: in the morning on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before breakfast or 2 hours after a meal. Frequency: one intake per day. Duration: a course of 3 to 6 months, with periodic breaks.

Taking it on an empty stomach is the essential instruction on this page, and it follows directly from what we have just explained. The less dietary protein there is in the stomach at the time of the intake, the less the digestive machinery is busy breaking peptides apart, and the better the chances of glutathione getting through intact. Thirty minutes before breakfast is the easiest slot to keep to day after day.

It is also the most demanding instruction: if you already take several supplements with meals, this one calls for a slot of its own. A routine you can sustain is worth more than a perfect routine abandoned after three weeks.

The manufacturer suggests pairing it with 250 to 500 mg of vitamin C. That is a biochemically coherent recommendation, since vitamin C and glutathione are involved in the same cellular cycles. Our vitamin C aisle offers doses suited to this pairing.

Keep up a decent level of hydration through the day. The three-to-six-month course with periodic breaks is the schedule chosen by the manufacturer; the 120-capsule bottle covers four months in one go, which corresponds to a complete course with no need to reorder along the way. The product combines without any overlap with a turmeric or an omega 3, those being taken with meals.

Who is Glutathione 500 mg for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at an adult who is looking for this molecule specifically and who knows its absorption limits. It is a niche product, not a general-purpose supplement, and it should not be a first purchase.

Two contraindications appear explicitly on the packaging. The first: allergy to Asteraceae, the botanical family of milk thistle, which also includes mugwort, chamomile and ragweed. The second: chemotherapy treatment, for which medical advice is essential before taking anything — high-dose antioxidants may interfere with certain protocols, and that question is not one to settle over the counter.

It is reserved for adults, and a healthcare professional must be consulted in the event of pregnancy, breastfeeding, medical treatment or a health problem.

What you should not expect from it, and this is the heart of the matter. It does not “detoxify” anything: the liver and kidneys do that work constantly, without outside help, and the word has no medical definition. It does not lighten the skin — that is a widespread use elsewhere in the world, with no authorised claim in Europe and no solid data by the oral route. It does not improve sporting performance. You will not feel anything when you take it, and that is normal. Any question concerning your liver is a matter for a blood test and a doctor.

Glutathione or N-acetylcysteine?

This is the comparison that genuinely matters in this aisle, and it deserves a straight answer even if it does not favour the sale.

Glutathione taken orally runs into an obstacle: it is a tripeptide, and the digestive tract breaks most of it apart before it reaches the bloodstream. You are supplying the finished molecule, but only a fraction arrives intact. That is the structural limit of this category.

N-acetylcysteine tackles the problem from the other end: it supplies cysteine, the amino acid that limits the body's own production of glutathione. It is well absorbed, it costs less, and the logic is more solid. For most situations, that is the choice we recommend first, and our NAC aisle covers it.

In which case does this product remain relevant? When it is this precise formula you are after, with the milk thistle and alpha-lipoic acid pairing, and the absorption question does not put you off. If your goal is more general, our multivitamins aisle covers a broad need, and our vitamin E aisle offers the only antioxidant approach in this catalogue to have an authorised claim.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly does one capsule contain?

500 mg of reduced glutathione, 100 mg of milk thistle extract standardised to 80 mg of silymarin, and 50 mg of alpha-lipoic acid. The shell is a vegetable capsule made of hypromellose. The bottle holds 120 of them, i.e. four months at one a day.

Is glutathione well absorbed by the oral route?

No, and that is the major limit of this category. It is a tripeptide, which the digestive tract breaks apart in large part before it reaches the bloodstream. That is why many people prefer N-acetylcysteine, which supplies the raw material for the body to make it itself.

Why take it on an empty stomach?

To limit competition with dietary proteins: the fewer peptides the stomach has to handle, the better the chances of glutathione getting through intact. Thirty minutes before breakfast, or two hours after a meal, are the two slots chosen by the manufacturer.

Does this product detoxify the body?

No, and the word has no medical definition. The liver and kidneys deal with the elimination of waste constantly, without outside help. No claim of this kind is authorised in Europe for glutathione, milk thistle or alpha-lipoic acid.

What is the milk thistle for in the formula?

It is a plant traditionally associated with the liver, standardised here to 80 mg of silymarin per 100 mg of extract, i.e. 80%. That is a high strength and it is the only line that allows two extracts to be compared. No claim is authorised in Europe for this plant, however.

Are there any contraindications?

Two appear on the packaging: allergy to Asteraceae, the family of milk thistle, and chemotherapy treatment, for which medical advice is essential. Also consult a healthcare professional in the event of pregnancy, breastfeeding or ongoing treatment.

Are the capsules suitable for vegans?

The shell is a vegetable capsule made of hypromellose and the magnesium stearate is of vegetable origin. The manufacturer declares the absence of wheat, gluten, soya, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts and sesame, but points out that manufacturing takes place in a facility handling these allergens.

Where can you buy Now Foods Glutathione 500 mg?

The 120-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we always start by explaining the absorption question before selling this product. Many customers leave with N-acetylcysteine, which costs less and rests on more solid logic; those who stick with glutathione then know why. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

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.