Sports Nutrition

Here is the complete layout of the aisle: proteins, carbohydrates, creatine, amino acids, pre-workout, fat burners, vitamins, and groceries. Each category meets a specific need, and two products are enough for most users — but you still need to know which ones. These pages will guide you according to your objective, whether you are just starting out or adjusting an existing routine.

Now Foods Kid Vits — Multivitamines à croquer pour enfant
NOW Foods Kid Vits Orange — Multivitamines à Croquer, 120 comprimés
Now Foods Kid Vits Berry Lemonade, multivitamines à croquer pour enfant
Now Foods Kid Vits multivitamines enfant - vue de droite
NOW Foods

Now Foods Kid Vits — Multivitamines à croquer pour enfant

(0)

22,90 €

Now Foods UC-II Collagène de Type II Non Dénaturé — avec Aquamin®
NOW Foods UC-II collagène de type II non dénaturé, gélules
NOW Foods UC-II Collagène de Type II Non Dénaturé — avec Aquamin® — 120 gélules
Now Foods UC-II Collagène type II - vue de droite
NOW Foods

Now Foods UC-II Collagène de Type II Non Dénaturé — avec Aquamin®

(0)

From 35,90 €

Now Foods Ubiquinol CoQH-CF 50 mg — Kaneka Ubiquinol™, 60 capsules
NOW Foods Ubiquinol CoQH-CF 50 mg, 60 capsules molles
NOW Foods

Now Foods Ubiquinol CoQH-CF 50 mg — Kaneka Ubiquinol™, 60 capsules

(0)

31,90 €

Now Foods Açaï 500 mg — Baie Lyophilisée Bio
Now Foods Açaï 500 mg
NOW Foods

Now Foods Açaï 500 mg — Baie Lyophilisée Bio

(0)

20,90 €

Now Foods Trèfle Rouge 375 mg — Sommités Fleuries, 100 gélules
NOW Foods Trèfle rouge 375 mg, 100 gélules végétales
Now Foods Trèfle rouge 375 mg - vue de droite
Now Foods Trèfle rouge 375 mg - vue de gauche
NOW Foods

Now Foods Trèfle Rouge 375 mg — Sommités Fleuries, 100 gélules

(0)

11,90 €

Now Foods Probiotic-10 25 Milliards — 10 Souches
NOW Foods Probiotic-10 25 Milliards — 10 Souches — 50 gélules
NOW Foods Probiotic-10 25 milliards, gélules végétales
NOW Foods Probiotic-10 25 Milliards — 10 Souches — 100 gélules
NOW Foods

Now Foods Probiotic-10 25 Milliards — 10 Souches

(0)

From 16,90 €

Now Foods Artichaut 450 mg — Extrait titré 5 % Cynarine
Now Foods Artichaut 450 mg
Now Foods Artichaut 450 mg - vue de droite
Now Foods Artichaut 450 mg - vue de gauche
NOW Foods

Now Foods Artichaut 450 mg — Extrait titré 5 % Cynarine

(0)

18,90 €

Now Foods Graine de Céleri, Marron d'Inde et Aubépine
Now Foods Graine de Céleri, Marron d'Inde et Aubépine
Now Foods Graine de céleri marron d'Inde aubépine - vue de droite
Now Foods Graine de céleri marron d'Inde aubépine - vue de gauche
NOW Foods

Now Foods Graine de Céleri, Marron d'Inde et Aubépine

(0)

22,90 €

Now Foods Tribulus 1000 mg — Extrait Titré 45 % Saponines, 90 comprimés
NOW Foods Tribulus 1000 mg — Extrait Titré 45 % Saponines, 90 comprimés
NOW Foods

Now Foods Tribulus 1000 mg — Extrait Titré 45 % Saponines, 90 comprimés

(0)

23,90 €

Now Foods Ashwagandha 450 mg — Extrait titré 2,4 % Withanolides
NOW Foods Ashwagandha 450 mg — Extrait titré 2,4 % Withanolides — 90 gélules
NOW Foods Ashwagandha 450 mg — Extrait titré 2,4 % Withanolides — 180 gélules
NOW Foods

Now Foods Ashwagandha 450 mg — Extrait titré 2,4 % Withanolides

(0)

From 16,90 €

Now Foods Griffe de Chat Extrait — Titré 0,9 % Alcaloïdes Oxindoliques
Now Foods Griffe de Chat Extrait
Now Foods Griffe de chat extrait - vue de droite
Now Foods Griffe de chat extrait - vue de gauche
NOW Foods

Now Foods Griffe de Chat Extrait — Titré 0,9 % Alcaloïdes Oxindoliques

(0)

23,90 €

Now Foods 8 Billion Acidophilus & Bifidus — 3 souches, 8 milliards UFC
Now Foods 8 Billion Acidophilus & Bifidus
NOW Foods 8 Billion Acidophilus & Bifidus — 3 souches, 8 milliards UFC — 120 gélules
Now Foods 8 Billion Acidophilus Bifidus - vue de droite
NOW Foods

Now Foods 8 Billion Acidophilus & Bifidus — 3 souches, 8 milliards UFC

(0)

From 16,90 €

Now Foods Huile de Pépins de Cassis 1 000 mg Dosage Double — 14 % GLA
Now Foods Huile de Pépins de Cassis 1 000 mg
NOW Foods

Now Foods Huile de Pépins de Cassis 1 000 mg Dosage Double — 14 % GLA

(0)

30,90 €

Now Foods Brou de Noix Noire 500 mg — Juglans nigra
Now Foods Brou de Noix Noire 500 mg
Now Foods Brou de noix noire 500 mg - vue de droite
Now Foods Brou de noix noire 500 mg - vue de gauche
NOW Foods

Now Foods Brou de Noix Noire 500 mg — Juglans nigra

(0)

14,90 €

Now Foods Racine de Bardane 430 mg
Now Foods Racine de Bardane 430 mg
NOW Foods

Now Foods Racine de Bardane 430 mg

(0)

13,90 €

Now Foods Celadrin et MSM — 1 500 mg d'Acides Gras Estérifiés
Now Foods Celadrin et MSM
NOW Foods

Now Foods Celadrin et MSM — 1 500 mg d'Acides Gras Estérifiés

(0)

31,90 €

Now Foods Huile de Lin Bio 1 000 mg — Pressée à Froid, Non Raffinée
Now Foods Huile de Lin Bio 1 000 mg
NOW Foods Huile de Lin Bio 1 000 mg — Pressée à Froid, Non Raffinée — 250 capsules
Now Foods Huile de lin bio 1000 mg - vue de droite
NOW Foods

Now Foods Huile de Lin Bio 1 000 mg — Pressée à Froid, Non Raffinée

(0)

From 13,90 €

Now Foods Gingembre 250 mg — Extrait titré 5 % Gingérols
Now Foods Gingembre 250 mg
Now Foods Gingembre 250 mg - vue de droite
Now Foods Gingembre 250 mg - vue de gauche
NOW Foods

Now Foods Gingembre 250 mg — Extrait titré 5 % Gingérols

(0)

14,90 €

Retrait au magasin sous 2 h

À Vendargues, près de Montpellier. Vous êtes prévenu dès que la commande est prête.

Commandé avant 14 h, expédié le jour même

Du lundi au samedi. Le délai d'acheminement appartient ensuite au transporteur.

Livraison offerte dès 69 €

En France métropolitaine, et dès 100 € en Europe. Modes et délais.

Une question avant de commander ?

Écrivez-nous ou passez au magasin : on connaît les produits qu'on vend.

What is sports nutrition?

Sports nutrition refers to all the foods and supplements designed to meet the demands created by training: more protein to repair muscles, more carbohydrates to fuel effort, and sometimes certain micronutrients that a restricted diet might miss.

Two common misconceptions should be dismissed immediately. First: these products are not medicines. Protein powder is a dehydrated food, creatine is a molecule found in meat. None contain active ingredients in the pharmacological sense. Second: they don't replace anything. Without regular training, adequate sleep, and a proper diet, no supplement will yield results—and an entire aisle of products won't change that.

Therefore, this page is not trying to sell you anything: it serves as a catalog guide. Each category is summarized in a few lines, explaining its purpose and directing you to the relevant page for more details. If you're new to this and the list seems long, skip directly to the section on in what order to add supplements: it approaches the problem from a different angle.

How is the section organized?

Proteins

This is the broadest and most useful category. Protein powders are sorted by digestive tolerance and use, not by quality hierarchy: whey concentrate is the default choice, whey isolate addresses difficult digestion with lactose, casein for slow digestion, and plant-based proteins for a dairy-free diet. Egg or beef-based versions are also available for those who exclude dairy but not animal products.

Carbohydrates

They provide energy, not structure. Two unrelated uses. Around the workout: maltodextrin and its fast-absorbing cousins, cyclic dextrin and waxy maize. Daily use: oat flour and rice cream, which turn a shaker into a real snack. If the problem is reaching calorie targets, mass gainers include options from the most caloric to the most moderate.

Creatine

The most well-documented supplement in the aisle, and one of the cheapest. Creatine monohydrate remains the standard, possibly using the German raw material Creapure®. Alternative forms—HCL, Kre-Alkalyn—cost more without clearly established advantages over monohydrate. Three grams per day, every day, including rest days.

Amino Acids

EAAs cover all nine essential amino acids; BCAAs only provide three and lose most of their relevance once your total protein intake is met. Additionally, isolated amino acids address specific uses: citrulline for pumps, beta-alanine for repeated intense efforts, glutamine, arginine, and taurine for narrower niches.

Pre-workout

Boosters generally combine a stimulant and a pump matrix. They are primarily chosen by their caffeine dose, and nothing else. Two variations cover special cases: caffeine-free boosters, useful in the evening, and creatine-free formulas for those who manage their creatine separately. For long sessions or in hot weather, electrolytes are more important than any stimulant.

Fat Burners and Weight Loss

Let's be clear: no product in this category causes weight loss on its own. A calorie deficit is what does it. Fat burners, whether in capsules, powder, or caffeine-free versions, have a marginal effect. The weight loss section gathers all these, including proteins—because high protein intake limits muscle loss during a diet.

Vitamins, Minerals, and Health

This category supports overall health, not performance directly. Multivitamins offer broad coverage; isolated forms address identified needs, foremost among them vitamin D, magnesium, and omega-3s. Joint comfort benefits from collagen and glucosamine, digestive comfort from probiotics and enzymes. A deficiency is detected by a blood test, not by how you feel: ask your doctor for a check-up before blindly supplementing.

Plants and Isolated Actives

Ashwagandha, turmeric, maca, spirulina, melatonin: these products address various expectations, with highly unequal levels of evidence from one plant to another. Each page indicates what European regulations allow to be said about them, and nothing more.

Grocery and Snacks

The least technical part, and often the most useful daily: protein bars, snacks, cookies, pancakes, and peanut butter. Also includes items to make dieting more bearable—zero sauces, no-added-sugar jams, cooking sprays, flavorings, and sugar-free drinks.

Accessories

Shakers, water bottles, and preparation equipment are found under accessories. Not spectacular, but a leaky or smelly shaker can ruin an entire tub of protein.

What should be sorted out before buying any supplement?

Four things, and they cost nothing.

Consistency. Three workouts a week consistently for six months beats any perfect program abandoned in three weeks. Until this point is established, no powder will compensate.

Sleep. Muscles rebuild at night. Chronic sleep deprivation negates a significant portion of your workout benefits, and no product can make up for that.

Protein from food. Track what you actually eat for three or four days. Most beginners discover they are far from meeting their needs, not because they lack powder, but because their breakfast provides almost nothing and their lunch is a sandwich. Correcting this costs less than a tub of supplements.

Calories. To build muscle, you need a slight surplus; to lose fat, a deficit. You cannot do both at once, and no supplement makes this rule negotiable.

If these four points are in place and your protein intake is still difficult to achieve, only then does the supplement aisle become useful.

In what order should you add supplements?

Step 1: Protein powder, if and only if you have a gap to fill

Typical bodybuilding guidelines suggest protein needs between 1.6 and 2.2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, compared to 0.83 g for a sedentary adult according to ANSES. If your diet already provides enough, powder won't add anything.

If there's a gap, choose the simplest product: whey concentrate. It offers the best price per gram of protein, and there's nothing wrong with it as long as you digest it well. Only pay for an isolate if lactose genuinely bothers you, and a plant-based protein only if you exclude dairy products. The full protein section details each case.

Step 2: Creatine monohydrate

This is the only supplement we almost systematically recommend, and it's very inexpensive. Three grams per day, every day, including non-training days, at any time. It works by progressively saturating muscle over several weeks: there's no "window" or cycle to respect. Stick to classic creatine monohydrate and nothing else—exotic forms cost more without established benefits.

Step 3: A micronutrient, if a check-up justifies it

Not before. A deficiency is detected by a blood test prescribed by your doctor, never by how you feel. In our latitudes, vitamin D deficiency is most common in winter; magnesium and omega-3s are discussed depending on what your diet already provides. A multivitamin can serve as a safety net if your meals are very repetitive, but it doesn't replace a proper medical evaluation.

Step 4: Comfort, when everything else is in place

Protein bars for days without cooking, electrolytes for long summer workouts, oat flour to turn a shaker into a snack. These are solutions to real practical problems, not accelerators of results.

Where to start based on your goal?

Gain mass. The limiting factor is caloric. First ensure your protein intake, then your carbohydrates: whey concentrate, oat flour, and a mass gainer only if you genuinely struggle to eat enough. Add creatine, the best result-to-price ratio in the section.

Lose fat. The limiting factor is the deficit, and satiety to maintain it. High protein intake, bars for difficult late days, and light grocery items to keep meals enjoyable. Fat burners come far behind, if at all.

Increase strength. Daily creatine, sufficient protein, and possibly a booster on heavy lifting days. The rest is accessory.

Endurance and long efforts. Electrolytes and intra-workout carbohydrates take precedence over everything else, especially from May to September in our region.

Feel better daily. A blood test first, then possibly vitamin D, magnesium, or omega-3s, depending on what the test reveals and what your diet already provides.

What should you not buy first?

This part of the page will save you the most money.

A fat burner. No product in this category causes weight loss on its own: it's the caloric deficit that does it, and the effect of fat burners remains marginal. Bought before having addressed your diet, a burner is useless.

BCAAs. They provide only three of the nine essential amino acids. Once your total protein intake is covered, their benefit plummets. If you insist on drinking something during your workout, EAAs are more logical—but not a priority for a beginner.

A gainer. A mass gainer product is mostly composed of carbohydrates. It's useful for those who genuinely cannot eat enough, and expensive for everyone else. First try adding rice, pasta, and olive oil to your meals.

A pre-workout. Boosters are enjoyable and can help with a heavy session. They also build caffeine tolerance, disrupt sleep if taken too late, and mask an energy deficit often caused by short nights. Not a first purchase.

Glutamine, "testosterone boosters," and all-in-one packs. Many promises, few proven results for a healthy adult eating properly. Packs, in particular, make you buy five products to use two.

How many supplements do you really need?

Fewer than this section might suggest. For the vast majority of practitioners, two products are sufficient: a protein, if the diet doesn't meet needs, and creatine. A third might be justified sometimes, based on an identified need—a confirmed vitamin D deficiency, or magnesium supplied too sparingly by meals.

Beyond that, you enter the realm of diminishing returns, where each additional euro buys very little effect. A supplement budget spent on good quality food often produces more. We prefer to sell two useful products than six where four will end up at the back of a cupboard.

How to allocate a limited budget?

In this order, without exception. First euro: food. Eggs, meat, fish, legumes, dairy products, starches. Second euro: creatine, by far the best result-to-price ratio in the section. Third euro: protein powder, to cover the actual gap between your needs and your meals. Fourth euro: a micronutrient identified by a blood test.

What pitfalls should you be aware of?

Comparing prices by powder weight. What matters is the price per kilo of protein: divide the price of the tub by its weight in kilos, then by the protein content per 100g. Two products that seem twenty euros apart often end up costing the same.

Reading the "per serving" column. Scoops range from 25 to 40g depending on the brand. Only the "per 100g" column allows for an honest comparison.

Ignoring the order of ingredients. Isolated amino acids placed high on the list inflate the displayed protein content without providing the complete profile of a whole protein. The word "blend," similarly, sometimes hides un-detailed proportions.

Believing promises of results. A dietary supplement does not cure, heal, or replace treatment. Health claims authorized in Europe are regulated and verifiable with EFSA; anything beyond that is advertising hype.

Forgetting doping control. If you are subject to it, no product can be considered safe by default: verify batch by batch with the manufacturer and refer to the list of prohibited substances published by the AFLD.

Taking three shakes a day. If you're doing that, your meals are providing too little protein. Rebalancing a plate costs less than a tub.

Loading everything into one meal. A 25-30g protein intake fully stimulates protein synthesis; beyond that, the supplement doesn't add stimulus. Three to four spread out intakes are better than one enormous dinner.

Changing products every month. No supplement can be judged in three weeks. Creatine takes several weeks to saturate the muscle; protein is only judged by the regularity of intake.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which supplement should I start with?

With a protein powder if your diet doesn't meet your needs, and with creatine monohydrate in almost all cases. These are the two most well-documented and cheapest products in the section. The rest can wait several months.

When should I take my protein powder?

Much less important than commonly believed. What matters is the total daily protein intake, spread over three to five servings; the famous "anabolic window" of thirty minutes after a workout has been largely relativized by recent research, which speaks more of several hours. So, take your shaker when you're lacking protein: at breakfast if your mornings are low, as a snack if the afternoon is long, after your workout if that's most convenient. One useful nuance: a slower-digesting casein is better suited for evening intake.

Are protein powders bad for the kidneys?

In healthy adults, there's no data to show that high protein intake damages healthy kidneys. The idea comes from a simplification: in people who already have kidney insufficiency, protein intake is limited—which says nothing about the risk in someone whose kidneys function normally. Two honest clarifications, however: if you have known kidney damage, diabetes, or treated hypertension, the question genuinely arises and should be addressed by your doctor, not a store page. And protein powder is nothing more than concentrated food: the same amount in meat, eggs, or legumes would pose exactly the same questions.

Does creatine cause bloating or water retention?

Partially, and it depends on what kind of water we're talking about. Creatine attracts water inside the muscle cell: you might see the scale go up by one to two kilograms in the first few weeks, but the muscle appears fuller, not bloated. This isn't subcutaneous water retention, which causes a puffy face, and it's not fat. The phenomenon stabilizes and disappears when you stop. There's no need for cycles or breaks: 3 to 5 g per day, continuously. Drinking normally is sufficient; no special hydration is required.

Are supplements dangerous?

For a healthy adult, basic products—proteins, creatine, vitamins at recommended doses—pose no documented risk with reasonable use. Caution is advised with highly dosed stimulants, unintentional cumulation of several products, and specific situations: pregnancy, breastfeeding, ongoing treatment, kidney or liver failure. In these cases, medical advice is essential.

Should they be taken on non-training days?

For proteins and creatine, yes: muscle rebuilding occurs outside of workouts, and creatine works by progressively saturating the muscle. For pre-workouts and intra-workout products, no: there's no reason to take them on a rest day.

How much protein per day for an athlete?

Typical bodybuilding guidelines suggest protein needs between 1.6 and 2.2 g per kilogram of body weight per day, compared to 0.83 g for a sedentary adult according to ANSES. This total includes all food consumed throughout the day, not just powders.

Can everything be obtained through diet?

Almost always, yes. Supplements solve problems of convenience, budget, or appetite, rarely physiological issues. Vitamin D is a seasonal exception in our latitudes, and this can be verified by a blood test.

How to recognize a reputable product?

Legible label with quantities per ingredient, protein content displayed per 100 g, short list, no proprietary blends, stated origin. A brand that details its dosages has nothing to hide; a brand that doesn't usually has a reason.

Are new products better than classic ones?

Rarely. The most established products in the aisle are also the oldest. Our new arrivals fill gaps in the catalog rather than revolutionize anything.

Does whey make you gain weight?

Not in itself. One dose generally provides between 100 and 130 kcal, less than a banana and a yogurt: it's just another food, which only leads to weight gain if it adds to an already surplus daily intake. The trap lies when the shake is consumed in addition to meals instead of replacing a snack, or when prepared with whole milk, a banana, and peanut butter—which can easily reach 400 kcal. Taken with water, replacing a snack, whey is, on the contrary, one of the most calorie-efficient ways to meet protein needs.

Can you take protein without exercising?

Yes, without particular risk for a healthy adult: it's a food, just like powdered chicken breast. The real question is what purpose it serves. Without resistance training, extra protein intake won't build muscle—there's no stimulus to nourish. However, it can make sense in a few cases: very low-protein meals, reduced appetite, or for an elderly person for whom daily intake is difficult to achieve. Outside these situations, money is better spent on whole foods.

How much whey per day?

One to two servings are sufficient for almost all users, and the right amount isn't an absolute number: it's the difference between your needs and what your meals already provide. Specifically, calculate your protein target (1.6 to 2.2 g per kilo), count what you eat, and fill the difference. If the difference exceeds two servings per day, you need to re-evaluate your meals, not your order. An intake of 25 to 30 g of protein is enough to fully stimulate protein synthesis; consuming 60 g at once provides no additional benefit.

Is creatine risky for beginners?

For healthy adults, creatine monohydrate is one of the most studied supplements, and its consumption at usual doses has shown no documented harmful effects. Precautions apply to individuals with known kidney or liver impairment, pregnancy, and breastfeeding: in these cases, medical advice is essential.

Is a creatine loading phase necessary?

No, it's not necessary. Three grams per day will saturate muscle in three to four weeks, without the digestive discomfort sometimes caused by loading phases.

At what age can supplements be taken?

Sports nutrition supplements are formulated and labeled for adults, and a significant portion of them—all caffeinated products in particular—are expressly not recommended for minors. For a teenager starting weightlifting, the useful answer isn't in a tub anyway: at that age, protein and energy needs can largely be met through diet, and it's training and sleep that drive progress. If the question still arises—special diet, intensive sport, difficult appetite—it falls under the purview of a general practitioner or dietitian, not a salesperson.

How long before seeing results?

Initial strength changes appear within a few weeks, while visible changes take several months. This is precisely why buying six products in the first month is a bad idea: you'll never know which one did what.

Vegetarian or vegan, should things be done differently?

The principle remains the same, but reaching the total protein intake requires more organization, and certain micronutrients deserve special attention—vitamin B12 first and foremost. Plant-based proteins generally combine pea and rice to complete the amino acid profile. For everything else, talk to your doctor.

Where to find a sports nutrition store near Montpellier?

Our store is located in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, and it's the best place to make a decision when browsing such a wide selection feels overwhelming. You can handle the tubs, compare nutrition labels side-by-side, and calculate the price per kilo of protein at the counter. It's also the only place where you'll be told that two products are enough when you had six noted down. We also ship everywhere in France and Europe.

Sources: ANSES for nutritional references and advice on supplements for athletes, Ciqual for food composition, EFSA for authorized claims. This information does not replace medical advice. Food supplements should be integrated into a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

Sources

À intégrer dans une alimentation variée et équilibrée et un mode de vie sain.

Questions fréquentes — Sports Nutrition

Par quel complément commencer ?

Par une protéine en poudre si votre alimentation ne couvre pas vos besoins, et par la créatine monohydrate dans presque tous les cas. Ce sont les deux produits les mieux documentés du rayon, et les deux qui se gardent toute l'année.

Quand prendre sa protéine en poudre ?

Ce qui compte, c'est le total de protéines de la journée, réparti sur trois à cinq prises ; la fameuse « fenêtre anabolique » de trente minutes après la séance a été largement relativisée par les travaux récents, qui parlent plutôt de plusieurs heures. Prenez donc votre shaker là où il vous manque des protéines : au petit-déjeuner si vos matins sont pauvres, en collation si l'après-midi est long, après la séance si c'est le plus pratique. Une nuance utile : une caséine, plus lente, se prête mieux à la prise du soir.

Les protéines en poudre sont-elles mauvaises pour les reins ?

Chez l'adulte en bonne santé, aucune donnée ne montre qu'un apport élevé en protéines abîme des reins sains. L'idée vient d'un raccourci : chez des personnes ayant déjà une insuffisance rénale, on limite les protéines — ce qui ne dit rien du risque chez quelqu'un dont les reins fonctionnent normalement. Deux précisions tout de même : si vous avez une atteinte rénale connue, un diabète ou une hypertension traitée, la question relève de votre médecin. Et une protéine en poudre n'est rien d'autre qu'un aliment concentré : la même quantité en viande, œufs ou légumineuses poserait exactement les mêmes questions.

La créatine fait-elle gonfler ou prendre de l'eau ?

En partie, et il faut savoir de quelle eau on parle. La créatine attire de l'eau à l'intérieur de la cellule musculaire : on peut voir la balance monter d'un à deux kilos les premières semaines, et le muscle paraît alors plus plein. Ce n'est pas de la rétention sous-cutanée, et ce n'est pas de la graisse. Le phénomène se stabilise ensuite. Il n'y a ni besoin de cure ni de fenêtre d'arrêt : 3 à 5 g par jour, en continu. Boire normalement suffit.

Les compléments sont-ils dangereux ?

Chez un adulte en bonne santé, les produits de base — protéines, créatine, vitamines aux doses recommandées — ne présentent pas de risque documenté à usage raisonnable. La prudence porte sur les stimulants fortement dosés, sur les cumuls involontaires entre plusieurs produits, et sur les situations particulières : grossesse, allaitement, traitement en cours, insuffisance rénale ou hépatique. Dans ces cas, l'avis d'un médecin s'impose.

Faut-il en prendre les jours sans entraînement ?

Pour les protéines et la créatine, oui : la reconstruction se déroule en dehors de la séance, et la créatine agit par saturation progressive du muscle. Les pré-entraînements et les produits d'effort, eux, se réservent aux jours de séance.

Combien de protéines par jour pour un sportif ?

Les repères usuels en musculation situent les besoins entre 1,6 et 2,2 g par kilogramme de poids corporel et par jour, contre 0,83 g pour un adulte sédentaire selon l'ANSES. Ce total inclut tous les aliments de la journée, pas seulement les poudres.

Que change un complément par rapport à l'alimentation seule ?

La précision et la praticité. Un shaker apporte 25 g de protéines en trente secondes, au gramme près, là où il faudrait préparer un repas ; une gélule de vitamine D couvre un besoin saisonnier que l'alimentation couvre mal sous nos latitudes. C'est exactement ce qu'on attend d'eux : régler un point précis, sans y passer de temps.

Comment reconnaître un produit sérieux ?

Étiquette lisible avec les quantités par ingrédient, taux protéique affiché pour 100 g, liste courte, pas de mélange propriétaire, origine indiquée. Une marque qui détaille ses dosages vous donne tout ce qu'il faut pour comparer : c'est le premier critère que nous regardons avant de référencer une gamme.

Les nouveautés valent-elles mieux que les produits classiques ?

Elles répondent à autre chose. Les produits les mieux établis du rayon sont aussi les plus anciens, et ils restent la base. Nos nouveautés viennent compléter le catalogue sur des formats ou des saveurs qui manquaient — c'est là qu'elles apportent le plus.

La whey fait-elle grossir ?

Pas en elle-même. Une dose apporte généralement entre 100 et 130 kcal, soit moins qu'une banane et un yaourt : c'est un aliment parmi d'autres, qui se compte dans la journée. Prise à l'eau, à la place d'un en-cas, une whey est même l'un des moyens les plus économes en calories d'atteindre ses protéines. Préparée au lait entier avec une banane et du beurre de cacahuète, elle devient une vraie collation de prise de masse — les deux usages sont valables, il suffit de savoir lequel vous visez.

Peut-on prendre des protéines sans faire de sport ?

Oui, sans risque particulier chez un adulte en bonne santé : c'est un aliment concentré. Les situations où cela a le plus de sens : des repas pauvres en protéines, un appétit réduit, ou une personne âgée chez qui l'apport quotidien est difficile à atteindre. Dans ces cas, une poudre est le moyen le plus simple de combler l'écart.

Quelle quantité de whey par jour ?

Une à deux doses suffisent à la quasi-totalité des pratiquants, et la bonne quantité n'est pas un chiffre absolu : c'est l'écart entre vos besoins et ce que vos repas apportent déjà. Concrètement, calculez votre cible en protéines (1,6 à 2,2 g par kilo), comptez ce que vous mangez, et comblez la différence. Une prise de 25 à 30 g de protéines suffit à stimuler pleinement la synthèse protéique : répartissez plutôt que de concentrer.

La créatine est-elle risquée pour un débutant ?

Chez l'adulte en bonne santé, la créatine monohydrate est l'un des compléments les plus étudiés, et sa consommation aux doses usuelles n'a pas montré d'effet délétère documenté. Les précautions concernent les personnes ayant une atteinte rénale ou hépatique connue, la grossesse et l'allaitement : dans ces cas, l'avis d'un médecin s'impose.

Faut-il faire une phase de charge en créatine ?

Elle est facultative. Trois grammes par jour saturent le muscle en trois à quatre semaines ; une charge à 20 g fractionnés avance ce délai de quelques jours.

À partir de quel âge peut-on prendre des compléments ?

Les compléments alimentaires pour sportifs sont formulés et étiquetés pour des adultes, et une bonne partie d'entre eux — tous les produits caféinés en particulier — sont expressément déconseillés aux mineurs. Pour un adolescent qui commence la musculation, les besoins en protéines et en énergie sont largement couvrables par l'alimentation, et ce sont l'entraînement et le sommeil qui font les progrès. Si la question se pose — régime particulier, sport intensif, appétit difficile — elle relève du médecin traitant ou d'un diététicien.

Combien de temps avant de voir des résultats ?

Les premiers changements de force apparaissent en quelques semaines, les changements visibles demandent plusieurs mois. C'est pourquoi il vaut mieux démarrer avec une base simple — protéine et créatine — et l'enrichir ensuite : vous saurez exactement ce que chaque ajout apporte.

Végétarien ou végétalien, faut-il faire différemment ?

Le principe reste identique, mais atteindre le total protéique demande plus d'organisation, et certains micronutriments méritent une attention particulière — la vitamine B12 en premier lieu. Les protéines végétales associent en général pois et riz pour compléter le profil en acides aminés. Pour le reste, parlez-en à votre médecin.