Sports Nutrition

What is Rule One Essential Amino 9?

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

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

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

What does an 11.5 g serving contain?

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

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

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

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

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

How do you take Essential Amino 9?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

EAA 9 or BCAA?

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

How many servings are there in the 345 g tub?

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

Can it be taken on an empty stomach?

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

What is the difference from a protein powder?

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

Are the electrolytes enough for a session in high heat?

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

Why so little tryptophan and histidine?

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

Which flavour should you choose?

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

Does the formula contain a stimulant?

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

Where can you buy Rule One Essential Amino 9?

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

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

What is Skill Nutrition's Pre Workout?

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

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

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

What does a 16 g serving contain?

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

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

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

How do you dose Skill Nutrition Pre Workout?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Skill Nutrition Pre Workout or creatine bought separately?

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

How many servings are there in the 400 g tub?

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

Why does the face go red after taking it?

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

What does the theanine paired with caffeine bring?

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

Is 3 g of creatine enough?

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

Can it be taken in the evening?

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

Can you start with a half serving?

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

How many espressos does 300 mg of caffeine represent?

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

Where can you buy Skill Nutrition Pre Workout 400 g?

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

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

What is IO Genix PreWork NOSTIM?

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

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

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

What does a 16 g serving contain?

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

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

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

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

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

Ingredients list

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

How do you take PreWork NOSTIM?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PreWork NOSTIM or a caffeinated pre-workout?

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

Why do I get tingling after taking it?

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

Can you take it in the evening?

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

Should you take extra creatine?

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

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

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

How long before training should you take it?

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

Do you need to take breaks from it?

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

Does the product contain sugar?

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

Where can you buy IO Genix PreWork NOSTIM?

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

What is IO Genix Beta Alanine Professional?

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

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

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

What does a serving of Beta Alanine Professional contain?

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

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

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

Ingredients list

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

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

How do you take Beta Alanine Professional?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

Why does beta-alanine make your skin tingle?

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

Do you need to take it on rest days?

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

How long before you notice anything?

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

How many servings in a tub?

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

Can it be mixed with a pre-workout?

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

Is the taste unpleasant?

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

Is this product a doping agent?

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

Where can you buy IO Genix Beta Alanine Professional?

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

What is Now Foods' Boron 3 mg?

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

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

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

What does one capsule contain?

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

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

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

How should Boron 3 mg be taken?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Boron or zinc?

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

Does boron increase testosterone?

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

Is 3 mg a day a lot?

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

Why is there no % NRV on the label?

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

How long does the bottle of 100 capsules last?

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

Can it be combined with other minerals?

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

Are the capsules suitable for vegans?

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

Is medical advice needed before taking it?

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

Where can you buy Now Foods Boron 3 mg?

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

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

What is IO Genix Maca Plus?

IO Genix Maca Plus is a food supplement in vegetable capsules, sold in a tub of 60 capsules for a net weight of 48 g. One capsule a day, which works out at two months of use per tub.

The formula comes down to three active ingredients: 750 mg of dry maca extract (Lepidium meyenii), 10 mg of zinc and 1.4 mg of vitamin B6. The rest is the shell and the excipients: hydroxypropyl methylcellulose capsule, magnesium stearate as an anti-caking agent, microcrystalline cellulose as a bulking agent.

Maca is a root plant grown at altitude in the Andes; the manufacturer states a Peruvian origin above 3,500 metres, and we report that information as it publishes it, without having verified it ourselves. The product joins our maca and IO Genix ranges. As the capsule is plant-based rather than gelatine, the formula is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

What does one capsule contain?

Packaging: 60 capsules, 48 g net, 60 servings. NRVs within the meaning of Regulation 1169/2011: 10 mg for zinc, 1.4 mg for vitamin B6. The manufacturer publishes neither an energy value nor macronutrients per capsule — at this scale they are negligible in any case.

Let us take things in order, because this label mixes two very different registers. Zinc and vitamin B6 are the only ingredients about which anything can be claimed. At 100% of the NRV each, they comfortably exceed the 15% threshold that permits the use of the regulatory wordings. The ones that apply here: zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood, to normal fertility and reproduction, to normal protein synthesis and to the protection of cells from oxidative stress; vitamin B6 contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity, to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to normal energy-yielding metabolism.

One nuance about testosterone, because it is invariably glossed over in this category: the wording refers to the maintenance of a normal level. That concerns someone whose zinc intake is insufficient. In a man whose status is already adequate, adding zinc does not raise anything at all.

For maca, the answer is shorter: no health claim is authorised in Europe for this plant. You will therefore read no promise here about energy, libido or hormonal balance. What we can say is factual: a plant, an extract, a dose of 750 mg, a format. Note too that 750 mg refers to the weight of the extract, not of dried root — the two figures are not comparable, and that is pitfall no. 1 when comparing two maca products against each other.

Finally, one point the manufacturer does not highlight and which matters: zinc is provided here in the form of oxide. It is the least well absorbed form on the market, far behind a bisglycinate or a picolinate. If zinc is your main requirement, a dedicated product from the zinc range will serve you better.

How do you take Maca Plus?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: in the morning, with breakfast. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: a course of 8 to 12 weeks, with a one-week break every three months.

The manufacturer expressly asks that you avoid taking it in the evening, maca being described as stimulating. That is a usage instruction, not a claim: we repeat it because it appears on the leaflet and because it saves a bad night for those who are sensitive to it.

The capsule can be taken on an empty stomach or with a meal, depending on your tolerance. In practice, 10 mg of zinc on an empty stomach causes nausea in some people: if that applies to you, swallow the capsule halfway through breakfast. You will lose a little on absorption and you will stick with the course, which counts for more over ten weeks.

Two combination precautions given by the manufacturer. Do not add a second source of zinc without advice: beyond 25 mg a day on a sustained basis, the surplus serves no purpose and hinders copper absorption. So check the label of your multivitamin or your ZMA before stacking them. And space out any iron supplement, as these two minerals compete for the same intestinal transporters.

A word on the timescale: the manufacturer mentions a gradual perception over two to six weeks. This is not a product with an immediate effect, and it should not be judged after three days.

Who is Maca Plus for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at adults, and suits in particular those who want to try maca without swallowing a spoonful of earthy-tasting powder — that is the main practical advantage of the capsule format. The composition contains no ingredient of animal origin, and the manufacturer declares the absence of gluten, lactose, added sugar, artificial colours and GMOs.

It is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women or for the under-18s. In the event of hormone treatment, a thyroid disorder or a diagnosed hormonal disorder, the manufacturer asks for prior medical advice, and it flags a possible interaction with hormone replacement therapy. These are questions to settle with a doctor or a pharmacist, not with a product page. Traces of SOYA, NUTS and CELERY are possible.

It is not suitable if your real objective is to cover a zinc intake: oxide is not the right form for that. Nor is it suitable if you are already taking a zinc supplement, at the risk of doubling up without realising it.

What you should not expect from it, and this is the most useful point on this page: it is not a performance product and it is not a treatment. Maca has no authorised claim, zinc does not raise the testosterone of a man whose status is normal, and 750 mg of plant extract replaces neither sleep, nor diet, nor training. What you are buying is an intake of zinc and B6 at 100% of the NRV, alongside a traditional plant.

Maca Plus or a tribulus?

The two sit in the same category and answer the same question asked over the counter. It is worth establishing straight away: neither maca nor tribulus has an authorised health claim in Europe. Deciding on the basis of promises therefore makes no sense here, and what remains is to compare what is comparable — the composition, the format, the precautions.

Our tribulus terrestris products are generally standardised for saponins and combined with vitamin B6, with higher plant doses. Tribulus is the better choice if you are looking for a standardised extract, that is to say one whose compound content is guaranteed on the label: with a plant, that is the only serious benchmark for comparing two products.

Maca Plus wins on simplicity and on zinc. One capsule a day, two months per tub, and 100% of the NRV in zinc and B6 — the only two ingredients in the formula for which a regulatory wording exists. That is in fact what justifies the purchase, more so than the plant itself. If your concern is rather nervous fatigue or coping with stress, our ashwagandha range matches the need better, with its own contraindications — thyroid, pregnancy — to read before buying.

Frequently asked questions

Is 750 mg of maca a lot?

It is the daily dose chosen by the manufacturer, and the figure to compare from one product to another. Watch out for the pitfall: 750 mg here refers to a weight of dry extract, not of dried root. Some labels advertise several grams of root powder, which is not comparable. Always check which of the two is stated.

Why do you not talk about the effects of maca?

Because no health claim is authorised in Europe for this plant. Writing that it acts on energy, libido or hormonal balance would be an infringement, whatever the tradition surrounding it. The only wordings permitted on this page concern zinc and vitamin B6.

Is zinc as oxide a good choice?

It is the least well absorbed of the common zinc salts, far behind a bisglycinate or a picolinate. Here it provides 100% of the NRV per capsule, which remains adequate as a supporting intake. If zinc is your main objective rather than one component of the formula, choose a dedicated, better-formulated product.

How long does a tub last?

Two months, at one capsule a day for 60 capsules. That corresponds to the lower end of the 8 to 12 week course advised by the manufacturer: reckon on a tub and a half to see out the twelve weeks, then the one-week break it recommends.

Can it be taken in the evening?

The manufacturer advises against it and settles on the morning, with breakfast. It describes maca as stimulating and prefers to avoid any interference with sleep. It is a usage precaution rather than a demonstrated effect, but it costs nothing to observe and a night's sleep is worth more than a capsule.

Are the capsules suitable for vegans?

Yes. The shell is made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, a modified cellulose of plant origin, and not of bovine or porcine gelatine. No ingredient of animal origin goes into the composition. The manufacturer does, however, flag possible traces of soya, nuts and celery.

How long before you notice anything?

The manufacturer mentions a gradual perception between two and six weeks. We can neither confirm nor promise anything on that point, in the absence of an authorised claim. What we can say: this is not a product with an immediate effect, and a judgement passed after three days is worthless.

Where can you buy IO Genix Maca Plus?

The 60-capsule tub can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is a simple product, at one capsule a day, that requires no particular organisation.

At the counter in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product page we take the time to go through with the customer, because maca drags along a great many reputations that the regulations do not allow us to repeat. The conversation almost always ends on the same question: what are you already taking that contains zinc? The rest of the plants and minerals can be browsed in our vitamin B range and in our sports nutrition range.

What is IO Genix Turmeric Curcumin?

IO Genix Turmeric Curcumin is a turmeric-based food supplement, supplied in vegetable capsules. The bottle holds 60 of them, or thirty days at the stated dosage. It belongs to the brand's Healthy Series range, the one that brings together general nutrition products rather than those intended for training.

The formula combines two patented ingredients. Cursol® is a dry root extract of Curcuma longa, standardised in curcuminoids. BioPerine® is a black pepper fruit extract standardised to 95% piperine, present at 5 mg per two capsules. Piperine is added for a specific reason: curcumin is poorly soluble in water and heavily metabolised by the liver, and pairing it with black pepper is the most common way of limiting that loss.

The rest of the composition is short: a vegetable capsule of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and plant-derived magnesium stearate as an anti-caking agent. The product is vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free and non-GMO. You will find it in our turmeric range, alongside the other forms available.

What do two capsules contain?

One piece of information is missing, and it matters: the manufacturer does not publish the curcuminoid content of its extract. The label states an extract “standardised in curcuminoids” without giving the percentage. We will not guess it on their behalf. In practice, this means you cannot make a figure-for-figure comparison with an extract stating, say, 95% curcuminoids. If that level of precision matters to you, ask for it before buying, here as anywhere else.

What can be said, on the other hand: 500 mg of extract a day places the product in the low-to-mid range of market dosages, and the addition of 5 mg of piperine matches what is usually used in formulas combining the two. The 60-capsule, 30-day format is simple to keep track of, which is no small thing for a product taken daily.

One regulatory point few product pages own up to: no health claim is currently authorised in Europe for turmeric, curcumin or piperine. The applications submitted to the European authorities did not result in authorised wordings. So we describe the composition, the traditional use and the precautions — not effects. Any product page promising you an anti-inflammatory action is telling you something the regulations do not allow anyone to assert.

How do you take Turmeric Curcumin?

The five parameters are given by the manufacturer. Dose: 2 capsules a day, never more. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: with meals, one capsule in the morning and one in the evening. Frequency: two spread-out intakes a day. Duration: a course of 2 to 3 months, not exceeding 3 consecutive months, followed by a one-month break.

Two practical instructions really count here. Taking it with a meal is not a formality: curcuminoids are fat-soluble, and the presence of fat in the stomach changes what becomes of them. A normally composed meal is enough, there is no need to add anything. And do not take it on an empty stomach: turmeric irritates sensitive stomachs.

If the product is new to you, start with a single capsule for the first few days to check digestive tolerance, then move up to two. Stop if digestive upset persists. And drink enough across the day, 1.5 to 2 litres, which holds true for any daily supplementation.

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

It is aimed at adults who want to bring turmeric into their daily routine without going through the spice in the kitchen, and who prefer a measured capsule to a spoonful of powder about which nothing is known. The 30-day format suits a first course well.

The list of contraindications is longer than for most products in this range, and it needs reading. The product is contraindicated in pregnant or breastfeeding women, in people on anticoagulants because of a risk of interaction, in case of gallstones or obstruction of the bile ducts, and in case of active peptic ulcer. Three situations call for prior medical advice: anticoagulant treatment, antidiabetic treatment — with closer blood glucose monitoring —, and ongoing chemotherapy, where oncological advice is required. These are not precautions for form's sake: turmeric stimulates the emptying of the gallbladder and piperine alters the metabolism of many medicines.

What you should not expect from it: it is neither a painkiller, nor a treatment, nor a substitute for medical care. If something has been hurting for weeks, the answer lies with your doctor, not in a bottle. Nor does turmeric replace a varied diet, and its value is not measured over a few days.

Turmeric or omega 3?

The two products are often bought by the same people, for the same vague reasons of general well-being. They do not, however, have the same status, and we may as well say so plainly.

Omega 3, for its part, does have claims authorised by European regulation: EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart from 250 mg a day, and DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal brain function and normal vision at the same dose. These are approved wordings, with figures attached. If you want a product whose effects are recognised by the European framework, that is the one to take, not turmeric.

Turmeric keeps its value on other ground: a very long-standing traditional use, excellent tolerance in most people outside the contraindications listed above, and a format that is simple to keep up over three months. Many people do pair it with other supplements from the glucosamine or collagen range — bearing in mind that none of those three has an authorised joint claim in Europe. We would rather tell you that once and for all than hint at it seven times.

Frequently asked questions

Why add black pepper to turmeric?

Because curcumin is poorly absorbed and rapidly transformed by the liver. Piperine, extracted from black pepper and present here at 5 mg per two capsules as BioPerine® standardised to 95%, is the ingredient most commonly paired with it to limit that elimination. It is a classic formulation choice, not an invention of the brand.

What is the curcuminoid content of the extract?

The manufacturer does not publish it. The label mentions a Cursol® extract standardised in curcuminoids, with no percentage. We flag that absence rather than put forward a figure: without it, comparison with another extract is not possible.

How long does one bottle last?

Thirty days. The bottle contains 60 vegetable capsules and the dosage is two a day. For a three-month course, then, allow three bottles, with a one-month break before starting again.

Can it be taken with an anticoagulant?

No, not without medical advice. The manufacturer lists anticoagulants among the contraindications and requires a prior consultation. The same caution applies to antidiabetic treatments, which call for closer blood glucose monitoring. Put the question to your doctor or pharmacist before opening the bottle.

Should it be taken with a meal or on an empty stomach?

With a meal, every time. Curcuminoids are fat-soluble and the meal provides the fat that goes with their absorption. Taking it on an empty stomach is advised against by the manufacturer, which links it to a risk of gastric irritation.

Are the capsules vegan?

Yes. The shell is hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, a plant cellulose, with no animal gelatine. The product is also gluten-free, lactose-free and non-GMO, and the anti-caking agent used is a plant-derived magnesium stearate.

Can it be taken all year round?

The manufacturer does not recommend it: it sets a limit of 3 consecutive months, followed by a one-month break. If you are looking for a product designed for continuous use, turn instead to a complex from the multivitamins range.

Where can you buy IO Genix Turmeric Curcumin?

The 60-capsule bottle can be ordered on this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is a product we are happy to sell, provided the question of current treatments has been put: with turmeric, the list of interactions is real, and a product page is no substitute for thirty seconds of conversation.

Our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, stocks the whole IO Genix range, including the Healthy Series references that are rarely seen elsewhere.

What is Strom EssentialMax EAA?

Strom EssentialMax is an essential amino acid powder to drink during training. One 15 g serving delivers 10.25 g of essential amino acids, 1,000 mg of beetroot extract and 250 mg of L-alanine, rounded out with electrolytes and three B vitamins. The flavours in the range: Cranberry, Berrylicious and Strawberry Kiwi.

Strom Sports Nutrition is a British brand that claims fully disclosed dosages. On this product the commitment is largely met: the main figures are published, which is not that common in this category.

One particularity is worth flagging straight away: the formula contains no tryptophan. It therefore brings together eight of the nine essential amino acids in the family. The manufacturer stands by that choice, and we discuss what it means further down. The rest of the brand can be browsed in our Strom Supplements range, and the other formulas in the category in our EAA selection.

What does a serving of EssentialMax contain?

10.25 g of amino acids in a 15 g scoop: that is a very high ratio, and it is this product's strongest argument. Two thirds of the powder is amino acids, the remainder being split between the beetroot extract, the electrolytes, the citric acid, the flavouring and the sweetener. Plenty of formulas in this category work at 6 or 7 g of amino acids for a scoop of comparable size.

The order of the ingredients list is instructive: leucine, isoleucine and valine come first. The three branched-chain amino acids therefore make up the bulk of the 10.25 g, with phenylalanine, lysine, histidine, methionine and threonine making up the total. The manufacturer does not publish the detailed amino-acid-by-amino-acid breakdown, and we are not going to reconstruct it on its behalf.

The absence of tryptophan is the point to understand before buying. The manufacturer removed it deliberately, tryptophan being a precursor of molecules associated with drowsiness — a consistent choice for a drink taken during exercise. The trade-off is that the panel is not complete in the strict sense: to build a protein, the body needs all nine. In practice this does not matter if your diet supplies enough protein elsewhere, and it does matter if you were counting on this drink as a protein source — which would be a bad idea in any case.

From a regulatory standpoint, only the vitamins allow a claim: vitamins B1, B3 and B6 contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism, and both B3 and B6 contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Those are the official wordings. No claim, on the other hand, is authorised for the essential amino acids, the beetroot extract or ActiGin®: not for recovery, not for performance, not for circulation. Nor does the manufacturer publish the vitamin and electrolyte contents, which makes it impossible to check the thresholds.

Ingredients list

Leucine, isoleucine, valine, Beta vulgaris (97%), L-phenylalanine, L-lysine, L-histidine, L-methionine, sodium chloride, L-alanine, L-threonine, potassium chloride, ActiGin®, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), citric acid, sweetener (sucralose), flavouring.

No allergens in the recipe. The manufacturer states that it is made in facilities that handle MILK, EGG, SOYA, GLUTEN and NUTS: traces are possible. The formula contains no ingredients of animal origin.

How do you take EssentialMax EAA?

Serving: 1 scoop of 15 g. Liquid: 500 to 700 ml of water. Timing: during training, sipped; a serving straight after the session is possible. Frequency: one serving per session. Duration: the manufacturer sets no course length, the product is used session after session.

500 to 700 ml is a lot, and it is deliberate. This drink is not designed to be downed in one go but to be sipped across the whole session. Concentrated into 300 ml it becomes very strong in taste and loses its purpose: electrolytes are no use if you do not drink.

Shake until fully dissolved. Free amino acids, leucine in particular, dissolve poorly and readily leave a film on the surface. That is not a fault of the product: it is the nature of these molecules. A shaker with a ball, or a few extra seconds, sorts the problem out.

On a long session, add carbohydrates. The manufacturer recommends 25 to 50 g, and it is good advice: an amino acid drink supplies virtually no energy. Maltodextrin or cyclic dextrin in the same shaker rounds the drink out without changing its taste.

The formula contains no stimulants: it can be drunk at any hour, including for a late session. If you are after energy before training, what you need is a pre-workout, not this product.

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

It is aimed at someone who trains for a long time, who sweats a lot, and who wants a session drink combining amino acids and electrolytes rather than plain water. The high amino acid dosage and the absence of stimulants make it a versatile product, usable in the morning as well as the evening.

As the formula contains no ingredients of animal origin, it suits vegetarian and vegan diets. It is, however, made in facilities that handle milk, egg, soya, gluten and nuts: in the case of a severe allergy, that point is decisive.

The manufacturer recommends not exceeding the recommended dose, keeping the product out of reach of children, checking compatibility with other stimulant supplements and consulting a healthcare professional if you are undergoing medical treatment.

What you should not expect from it. No claim exists for essential amino acids in Europe: this product does not speed up recovery and does not improve performance, whatever the rest of the category may say. And the awkward remark has to be added: if you are already consuming 1.6 to 2 g of protein per kilo of body weight over the day, an amino acid drink during the session adds nothing measurable. It makes sense if you train fasted, if your protein intake is low, or if your session runs longer than an hour. Otherwise a serving of protein after training does better, for less money.

EAA or an electrolyte drink?

This is the most useful comparison to make on this product, because the two are drunk at the same moment and for different reasons.

If your problem is sweating, it is the electrolytes that count, and you need more of them than there are here. A dedicated electrolyte drink supplies several hundred milligrams of sodium per serving, an amount this product does not disclose. On a two-hour session in a hot gym, or in summer around here, that is the decisive parameter. Our electrolytes range answers that particular need, and for far less money.

If your problem is protein intake around training, EssentialMax is better placed. 10.25 g of amino acids in a pleasant drink is a real contribution, particularly for someone training in the morning without having had breakfast. That is where this product finds its place.

And comparing it with the neighbouring category: a classic BCAA supplies only three amino acids, which is markedly less relevant than eight. On that specific point, EssentialMax is right and half the market is wrong — and it is also the reason BCAAs are losing ground everywhere in favour of EAAs.

Frequently asked questions

How many amino acids per serving?

10.25 g of essential amino acids in a 15 g scoop, close to two thirds of the powder. On top of that come 250 mg of L-alanine, a non-essential amino acid. That is a high dosage for this category, where plenty of formulas top out at 6 or 7 g.

Why does the formula contain no tryptophan?

It is the manufacturer's choice: tryptophan is a precursor of molecules associated with drowsiness, which is not desirable in a drink taken during exercise. The consequence is that the panel counts eight essential amino acids out of nine, and is therefore not complete in the strict sense.

Is the breakdown between the amino acids known?

No, the manufacturer publishes the total but not the detail. The order of the ingredients list indicates that leucine, isoleucine and valine make up the bulk of the 10.25 g. The vitamin, electrolyte and ActiGin® contents are not disclosed either.

How much water per serving?

500 to 700 ml. That is deliberately a lot: the drink is made to be sipped throughout the session, not downed in one go. In a smaller volume the taste becomes very strong and the fluid intake, which is part of the point of the product, disappears.

Does the product contain caffeine?

No, no stimulant appears in the formula. You can therefore drink it at any hour, including for a late session, with no consequence for sleep. If you are after an energising effect before training, it is another type of product that you need.

Which flavours are available?

In the range: Cranberry, Berrylicious and Strawberry Kiwi. The composition is identical in all three, only the flavouring changes. The sweetness comes from sucralose, and the citric acid gives the tart edge that characterises these drinks.

Should carbohydrates be added?

On a long session, yes: the manufacturer recommends 25 to 50 g. This drink supplies virtually no energy, only amino acids and electrolytes. A maltodextrin or a cyclic dextrin in the same shaker rounds the drink out without altering its taste.

Where can you buy Strom EssentialMax EAA?

The tub can be ordered from this page in the available flavours, and we ship all over France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product we put forward to those who train early in the morning without having eaten — that is the situation where an amino acid drink makes the most sense. Everyone else, we first ask what they eat during the day, and the answer often points elsewhere. The rest of our selection can be browsed in the sports nutrition range.

What is Sinob Core Beta-Alanine?

Sinob Core Beta-Alanine is a pure beta-alanine powder, with no flavouring, no sweetener and no bulking agent. The daily dose is 4 g, i.e. 4,000 mg of beta-alanine, to be split into four one-gram servings. The powder is unflavoured and mixes just as well into water as into a shaker.

Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning the body is able to make it itself. What sets it apart is that it is not used to build proteins: it combines with histidine to form carnosine, a dipeptide that accumulates in skeletal muscle. And it is the availability of beta-alanine, never that of histidine, that limits how much is produced.

That is the whole logic behind the product: you supply the limiting link. This mechanism also explains why beta-alanine is not taken like a pre-workout — it does nothing at the moment you take it, it loads into the muscle over several weeks. The rest of the German range can be browsed in our Sinob section, and the other products in the category in our beta-alanine section.

What does a dose of Core Beta-Alanine contain?

4 g a day is the benchmark dose for this category, not a token amount put on the label. Published protocols generally use 3.2 to 6.4 g a day, with most sitting around 4 to 5 g. So you are at the upper end of common practice, with a powder that contains nothing else. The manufacturer allows for up to 5 g a day for athletes who tolerate it well, and 0.8 g per serving taken five times a day for those who are more sensitive.

Unusable data in the manufacturer's file: the energy values and macronutrients given per 100 g are inconsistent with each other and with the serving. We are not reproducing them rather than publishing figures that do not add up. On a powder declared 100% pure, those lines carry no useful information anyway: what matters is the grams of beta-alanine.

On the regulatory side, let us be clear: no health claim is authorised in Europe for beta-alanine. Not for endurance, not for performance, not for muscular fatigue. What we are describing here is an amino acid, its biochemical role in producing carnosine and how to use it. We promise no results, and you should be wary of any seller who does.

The manufacturer declares a powder with no allergens in the composition, suitable for vegan, halal, gluten-free and lactose-free diets. It is a free-form amino acid powder, obtained by synthesis, with no raw material of animal origin.

Data missing from the manufacturer's file: the net weight of the tub, and therefore the number of doses, is not disclosed. The net content is shown on the packaging you receive.

Ingredients list

Beta-alanine (100%). No additives, no flavouring, no sweetener, no colouring, no bulking agent.

No allergens declared in the composition by the manufacturer.

How do you take Core Beta-Alanine?

Dose: 4 g a day in total. Liquid: 200 ml of cold water per serving. Timing: whenever you like — the time of day makes no difference at all with this product. Frequency: 4 servings of 1 g, spaced 3 to 4 hours apart. Duration: continuous use, with a 2 to 4 week loading phase before muscle stores are replenished.

Splitting the dose into four servings is the only thing that really matters here, and it has nothing to do with absorption. Its purpose is to limit paraesthesia: the tingling on the face, scalp, back of the neck or forearms that beta-alanine causes from roughly 800 mg to 1 g taken in one go. Spreading the dose out makes the phenomenon disappear for most people. Taking it with a meal also reduces it.

That tingling is harmless and short-lived — it appears fifteen to twenty minutes after taking the powder and lasts around half an hour. It tells you absolutely nothing about how well the product is working, however: someone who does not feel it is not loading their carnosine any less well than someone who does. Do not go looking to trigger it.

A second counter-intuitive point: the time of day is irrelevant. Contrary to what you read everywhere, taking your beta-alanine before training achieves nothing. It does nothing at the moment you take it. What counts is the total amount built up day after day, rest days included, competition days included. Missing the odd serving has no consequences; stopping for three weeks does.

It combines without overlap with creatine monohydrate, which acts on a different energy system, and with citrulline in a pre-session drink you put together yourself. You can also simply add it to your pre-workout, provided you check that it does not already contain some.

Who is Core Beta-Alanine for, and who is it not for?

It is of interest first and foremost to athletes whose efforts last between one and a few minutes at high intensity: long sets in the gym, CrossFit, swimming, track cycling, middle-distance running. That is the effort format in which muscle carnosine plays its buffering role.

It is of no interest whatsoever for very short efforts or for very long ones. A powerlifter doing sets of three reps will get nothing from it: over that duration, acidity does not have time to build up. Nor will a marathon runner, for the opposite reason. This is the kind of detail that stops you buying a product that does not match your training, and few sellers take the trouble to spell it out.

It is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women without advice from a healthcare professional. Sensitive individuals should start at 0.8 g per serving, as the manufacturer provides for, before increasing.

What you should not expect from it. It does not give you energy, it does not wake you up and it contains no stimulants. It is not a substitute for a pre-workout. It will neither build muscle nor burn fat. And above all, it produces nothing in the first week: if you are expecting an immediate effect, you will be disappointed and you will stop before loading is complete. That is the most common mistake made with this product.

Beta-alanine or creatine?

The two powders are very similar in the way they are used — loading over several weeks, a daily serving, no immediate effect — and yet they do not serve the same kind of effort.

Creatine fuels the energy system used for very short, very intense efforts: a set of five heavy reps, a ten-second sprint. It is the best-documented supplement in the whole of sports nutrition, and if you were only ever to take one, it would be that one. Our Creapure section offers the most widely used patented form of it.

Beta-alanine takes over further along: it applies to efforts lasting from one to a few minutes, the ones where the burning sensation in the muscle sets in. That is different ground, and the two do not replace one another.

When is creatine clearly the better choice? If you are just starting out, if your budget is limited, or if your training is geared towards pure strength. Start with that, then add beta-alanine if your sessions involve plenty of long sets. And if you are after a product with an immediate effect for training, neither of the two fits the bill: look instead at our caffeine-free boosters or our EAAs.

Frequently asked questions

Why the tingling after taking it?

It is paraesthesia, caused by beta-alanine from roughly 800 mg to 1 g taken in a single go. It affects the face, the back of the neck or the forearms, appears after fifteen to twenty minutes and lasts half an hour. It is harmless and has no consequences. Splitting the dose or taking it with a meal makes it disappear.

Should it be taken before training?

No, and that is the main misconception about this product. Beta-alanine does nothing at the moment you take it: it loads into the muscle over several weeks. The time of day therefore matters little, only consistency counts. Take it on rest days too.

How long does it take to be fully loaded?

The manufacturer works on two to four weeks of continuous use to replenish muscle carnosine stores. That is the period to allow before judging anything at all. Stopping after ten days and concluding that the product is useless is the classic mistake in this category.

Can it be mixed with a protein or a pre-workout?

Yes, the powder is unflavoured and additive-free: it mixes into water, into a protein shake or into a training drink. Just check that your pre-workout does not already contain some, otherwise you would be doubling up without meaning to.

What dose for someone who is sensitive?

The manufacturer provides for 0.8 g per serving taken five times a day rather than 1 g four times. That brings the individual serving below the threshold that triggers the tingling in most people, while keeping the daily intake equivalent.

Is it useful for long-distance running?

Not really. Carnosine's buffering role applies to intense efforts lasting from one to a few minutes, not to prolonged efforts at moderate intensity. A marathon runner will get little out of it; a middle-distance runner or a CrossFit athlete, rather more. Choose according to the format of your efforts.

Is this powder suitable for vegans?

The manufacturer declares a vegan, halal, gluten-free and lactose-free product, with no allergens in the composition. It is an amino acid obtained by synthesis, with no raw material of animal origin.

Where can you buy Sinob Core Beta-Alanine?

The tub 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 people about two things before selling it: the tingling in the first few days, which takes a lot of people by surprise, and the fact that nothing will happen for two or three weeks. Customers who have been warned finish their tub; the others give up after a week. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

What is IO Genix HMB 1000 mg?

IO Genix HMB 1000 mg is a single-ingredient supplement in capsule form. Each capsule provides 1,000 mg of HMB, and the daily dose of three capsules provides 3 g. The bottle holds 90 capsules, which is exactly 30 days' worth.

HMB, or beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate, is not an amino acid but a metabolite: it is what the body makes from leucine, one of the three branched-chain amino acids. Around 5% of the leucine you consume is converted into HMB, which means you would have to swallow a considerable quantity of leucine to reach 3 g of HMB from food alone.

That arithmetic constraint is what explains the existence of this product. An HMB supplement delivers the metabolite directly, at the intended dose, without going through the conversion. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix aisle, and the amino acids it derives from in our BCAA aisle.

What does a serving of HMB contain?

3 g a day is the reference dose for this molecule, and the format matches it exactly. Three capsules, thirty days, one bottle: there is nothing to work out and nothing to split by hand. That is a consistency you do not always find on this aisle, where plenty of bottles run out after eighteen days at the stated dosage.

The capsule contains nothing beyond the HMB and an anti-caking agent. The manufacturer specifies that the molecule is in its free form, known as the acid form, rather than as a calcium salt. That piece of compositional information is useful to anyone comparing two products; we pass it on as it stands, without drawing from it any efficacy argument that nothing would support.

In regulatory terms the position is clear-cut: no health claim is authorised in Europe for HMB. Not for muscle mass, not for recovery, not for preserving muscle during a deficit. The role of HMB as a metabolite of leucine is a fact of biochemistry; what supplementation produces in a trained adult is another question, and reported results vary considerably depending on the population studied. So we describe the molecule and its dosage, without any promise attached to a figure.

Finally, one point the manufacturer flags and that matters: this product may duplicate another supplement containing HMB or leucine. Plenty of amino acid formulas already contain some. Read your labels before stacking.

Ingredients list

Hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB), coating agent (GELATINE), anti-caking agent (magnesium stearate). No added sugar, no sweetener, no preservative, no colouring, no lactose.

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

How do you take HMB 1000 mg?

Dose: 3 capsules a day, i.e. 3 g of HMB. Liquid: a large glass of water with each serving. Timing: split into two servings, one of them around training. Frequency: every day, rest days included. Duration: a course of 8 to 12 weeks, with an optional two-week break.

One clarification is needed, because the manufacturer's documentation offers two different splits. One puts two capsules in the morning and one after training; the other one capsule before the session and two after. The total is the same either way: 3 g a day. We go with the version that is easiest to stick to — two capsules in the morning, one after the session — because over twelve weeks it is consistency that decides the outcome, not the detail of the split.

Take the capsules with a large glass of water, preferably with a meal. The manufacturer also recommends leaving about two hours between an HMB serving and a creatine serving. That instruction is easy to follow in practice: creatine sits happily in the evening, HMB in the morning and around the session.

Rest days count as much as any other. As with most background supplements, the point is not to prime a session but to maintain a steady intake. Skipping weekends means lengthening the course without realising it.

The manufacturer puts the course at between 8 and 12 weeks, with an optional two-week break. Since one bottle covers thirty days, reckon on three bottles for a full course. This product logically sits alongside an adequate protein intake: it replaces neither a protein nor essential amino acids, it comes after them. Anyone looking for strength first will do better to look at creatine monohydrate, whose regulatory dossier is on an altogether firmer footing.

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

It is aimed at an adult in regular physical training, and more precisely at two points in a training journey: a phase of prolonged calorie deficit, where the aim is to preserve lean mass, and a return after a long lay-off. Those are the two situations in which it is most often recommended.

It is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans: the capsules are made of gelatine. Nor is it suitable for children or adolescents, whom the manufacturer explicitly excludes, or for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

One contraindication deserves careful reading: in cases of liver or kidney disease, the manufacturer asks that you consult a doctor before use. That is a serious precaution and not a stock phrase, on a molecule taken at 3 g a day for several weeks. The same goes for anyone on medical treatment.

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

What not to expect from it: this is not a product with a noticeable effect, you will feel nothing when you take it, and that is normal. It is not a fat burner, not a stimulant, and it does not build mass on its own. Above all, it in no way makes up for an insufficient protein intake: if your diet does not meet your protein needs, that is where to act first, and no capsule will let you off doing so.

HMB or EAA — which comes first?

Both touch on the same subject — amino acids and muscle — but they do not answer the same need, and the order matters.

EAAs provide the nine essential amino acids, that is, the ones the body cannot make itself. They fill a genuine gap when protein intake is low, during fasted training, or in people whose diet contains little animal protein. If your daily protein total is inadequate, that is where to start — or more simply with a protein powder, which is cheaper per gram.

HMB only makes sense after that. It fills no nutritional gap: it is a metabolite, not an essential nutrient, and it is only of interest to someone whose diet is already sound. Taking it while eating 80 g of protein a day at 85 kg is putting a second coat of paint on a wall that has had no first coat.

During a cutting phase, it logically complements a strategy built first on protein and a controlled calorie deficit — not on the capsules in our weight loss aisle. When bulking, it is the calorie total that decides, as our mass gain aisle sets out.

Frequently asked questions

How many capsules a day?

Three, i.e. 3 g of HMB, split into two servings. The 90-capsule bottle therefore covers exactly thirty days. Do not exceed this daily dose, and take account of any HMB present in your other supplements.

Should you take it on rest days?

Yes. HMB is not a session product but a background supplement, whose value rests on a steady intake over several weeks. On days without training, simply spread the three capsules across the day.

Why leave a gap before creatine?

The manufacturer recommends an interval of about two hours between the two. In practice this poses no difficulty: creatine sits happily in the evening and HMB in the morning and around the session. There is no incompatibility, merely an instruction to space them out.

Are these capsules suitable for vegetarians?

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

Can it be taken with BCAAs or EAAs?

Yes, but check your labels. The manufacturer explicitly flags a risk of duplication with other supplements containing HMB or leucine. Plenty of amino acid formulas contain some, and stacking will bring you nothing extra.

How long before you can judge?

The manufacturer puts the course at between 8 and 12 weeks. That is also the order of magnitude on which a supplement of this kind is judged: nothing is settled in three weeks. Reckon on three bottles to see a full course through.

Does HMB build muscle?

No claim of that kind is authorised in Europe for HMB, and we are not going to write one. It is a metabolite of leucine, whose value depends entirely on the context: diet, training, phase of the programme. It builds nothing on its own.

Where can you buy IO Genix HMB 1000 mg?

The 90-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we never sell first: the question always comes before the purchase, and it is a simple one — how much protein do you eat a day? For as long as the answer is vague, this bottle can wait. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

This bundle is aimed at people who have already done a first mass-gain phase and want to start again differently: more slowly, more cleanly, and without putting back as much fat. It is the level above the beginner bundle, and the more moderate counterpart to our mass gain bundle.

What is in the bundle

• IO Genix Protein Mass 4 kg — a gainer whose carbohydrate comes from oat flour rather than sugar: 195 kcal, 16 g of protein and 28 g of carbohydrate per 50 g serving, of which only 2 g of sugars. It already contains 3 g of creatine and 6 g of glutamine per serving.
• IO Genix Amino 10 — 10 g of essential amino acids per 20 g serving, including 3 g of leucine and 2 g of valine, with all 9 EAA present.
• IO Genix Multivit — twelve vitamins and eight minerals per capsule, including 14 mg of iron, 15 mg of zinc, 60 mg of vitamin C and 5 µg of vitamin D.

You choose the flavour of the gainer and of the EAA. The bundle is €86.90 instead of €95.65 separately.

How is it different from the classic mass gain bundle?

The difference lies entirely in the gainer. A gainer at 1,100 kcal a serving is made for people who cannot manage to eat enough, full stop. Protein Mass plays a different tune: 195 kcal per serving, lower-index oat carbohydrate, and only 2 g of sugars. You use it alongside meals that are already decent, to add 200 to 400 kcal a day where they are missing, rather than to replace a whole meal.

Put another way: the first bundle is there to break a plateau, this one is there to build over the long run.

Is a gainer with built-in creatine enough?

Protein Mass brings 3 g of creatine per 50 g serving, which matches the recommended daily dose exactly. If you take one serving a day, you are covered and there is no need to add a separate tub of creatine. That is in fact why this bundle does not include one: it would mean paying twice for the same thing.

If you take half a serving, on the other hand, count only 1.5 g, and there a creatine monohydrate supplement makes sense.

What are EAA for during a mass-gain phase?

Essential amino acids are often associated with cutting, but they have their place here too. During a mass-gain phase the training is heavy and the sessions are long: drinking 10 g of EAA during the session keeps you from training on an empty stomach at the end of a day when the last meal is a long way back. And unlike a protein shake, it does not sit heavily on the stomach while you train.

Why multivitamins when gaining mass?

Because a mass-gain phase, contrary to what people imagine, often narrows dietary variety: you eat a lot, but always the same things — rice, pasta, chicken, oats. Micronutrients fall by the wayside.

One capsule in the morning covers the twenty most common vitamins and minerals. Iron and vitamin C contribute to the reduction of tiredness, which is no small thing when you string together four to five sessions a week. It is not a spectacular product: it is a safety net, and it costs less than €10.

How to use the bundle day to day

• Gainer: 1 serving of 50 g in 300 to 400 ml of water or skimmed milk, after the session or as a snack. Two servings on days when appetite does not keep up.
• Amino 10: 1 serving of 20 g in 200 to 250 ml of water, before or during training.
• Multivit: 1 capsule in the morning with breakfast, with a large glass of water.

The surplus to aim for stays the same as for any mass-gain phase: 250 to 500 kcal above your needs, no more. These products are food supplements: they replace neither a varied diet nor meals.

Find it in the Vendargues shop

All three products are on the shelf in the shop, 285 Rue des Portes Domitiennes in Vendargues, ten minutes from Montpellier. Order online with in-store collection: ready within two hours at most during opening times. For delivery, any order placed before 2 pm goes out the same day.

When you start lifting, the hard part is not finding supplements: it is knowing which ones actually help. This beginner bundle holds exactly what you need in the first few months, and nothing else: a protein, creatine, and something to drink them out of.

What is in the bundle

• IO Genix Whey 80 Professional — 24.6 g of protein per 30 g serving, i.e. 82 % protein, and 7.2 g of BCAA at an 8:1:1 ratio. A complete, well-dosed whey without being the most expensive in the aisle.
• IO Genix Creatine Monohydrate — 3,000 mg per 3 g serving, 100 servings per tub, unflavoured with no additives.
• KISS NUTRITION 700 ml shaker — with a mixing grid, so you do not get lumps.

You choose the flavour of the whey and the creatine. The bundle is €61.90 instead of €68.75 separately.

Do you really need supplements as a beginner?

No, they are not compulsory, and nobody here will tell you otherwise. You can progress perfectly well on solid food alone. Supplements are there to fill the gaps: whey because hitting your daily protein from meals alone is hard, creatine because it is the only supplement whose effect on strength is firmly established. The rest can wait, often for several months.

Is it dangerous?

Whey is milk with the water, the lactose and part of the fat taken out. Creatine is a molecule naturally present in red meat and fish, and it is one of the most studied supplements in the world, with more than thirty years of hindsight. At the usual doses, in a healthy person, neither poses a problem. They are foods, not medicines, and they do not replace meals.

When to take what

• Whey: one serving after training, or at any time of day if you are short on protein. Two servings a day at most is plenty.
• Creatine: 3 g a day, every day, including days without training. No loading phase needed, no cycling needed.

Drink enough water during the day; that is the only useful precaution.

How long before you see anything?

On strength, creatine is generally felt after two to three weeks. On your physique, count on three to six months of regular training instead. That is a long time, and it is normal: the people who succeed are not the ones who found the right product, they are the ones who did not stop.

Come by the Vendargues shop

If you are starting out, the best thing is still to come and talk it through. The shop is at 285 Rue des Portes Domitiennes in Vendargues, ten minutes from Montpellier: we look at your goals, your budget and your habits, and adjust from there. Order online with in-store collection ready within two hours at most during opening times, or same-day dispatch for any order placed before 2 pm.

A successful cutting phase is not a matter of a miracle product: it is a calorie deficit held long enough, while keeping the muscle you spent years building. This cutting bundle brings together the three products that genuinely help you get through that period: a very pure protein, essential amino acids and a thermogenic fat burner.

What is in the bundle

• IO Genix Isoluxe CFM 500 g — a Cross-Flow microfiltered whey isolate from grass-fed cows' milk, with the Isolac and Optipep patents. Very little lactose and carbohydrate: it is the protein best suited to a phase where every calorie counts.
• JNX Sports The Ripper — a powdered thermogenic fat burner, 200 mg of caffeine per 5 g serving. It drinks like a cold soft drink, which also helps with hydration.
• Applied Nutrition Amino Fuel EAA — 11 g of amino acids per serving, including 9 g of EAA and 6 g of BCAA at a 2:1:1 ratio. To drink during the session when intake is low.

You choose the flavour of each product. The bundle is €92.90 instead of €102.69 separately.

What each product is for during a cut

The isolate covers protein: in a deficit, that is the one item you must not cut back, because it is what protects muscle mass. The EAA take over around training, when the stomach is empty and you do not fancy a full shaker. The fat burner does not make you lose weight on its own: the caffeine helps you feel more alert and get through sessions during a period of restriction. It is a helping hand, not an engine.

How long does a cut take?

A reasonable pace is around 0.5 to 1 % of body weight per week, i.e. about two to four kilos a month for someone of 80 kg. Faster than that, and what comes off is no longer only fat. Very aggressive cuts are always paid for in the same place: loss of strength, tiredness, and immediate regain as soon as you ease off. Better to aim for a clean eight to twelve weeks than a month of deprivation.

What really counts on the plate?

No food has to be banned. What counts is the daily total: keeping protein high, keeping enough carbohydrate around sessions to keep training properly, and gradually lowering the rest. Vegetables and fibre help enormously with the feeling of hunger. The bundle does not replace that work, it makes it more comfortable.

How to use the bundle

• Isolate: one serving after the session, or as a snack to top up the protein missing from the day.
• EAA: one serving during training, diluted in a large volume of water.
• Fat burner: one serving in the morning or before the session. Start with half a serving to gauge your tolerance.

The Ripper brings 200 mg of caffeine per serving, about two espressos. Avoid it late in the day if you sleep badly, and it is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women or for people sensitive to caffeine. If you are on any treatment, ask your doctor's advice.

Find it in the Vendargues shop

All three products are on the shelf in the shop, 285 Rue des Portes Domitiennes in Vendargues, ten minutes from Montpellier. Order online with in-store collection: ready within two hours at most during opening times. For delivery, any order placed before 2 pm goes out the same day.

Putting on weight when you do not put it on easily is not a question of willpower: it is a question of calories that actually go in. This mass gain bundle brings together the three products we most often recommend at the counter to people who already eat a lot and still stall on the scales: a dense gainer, creatine monohydrate and a carbohydrate source to add to meals.

What is in the bundle

• Mutant Mass — the gainer. 1,100 kcal, 56 g of protein and 192 g of carbohydrate per 280 g serving. It is the equivalent of a full meal in a shaker, for the days when appetite does not keep up.
• IO Genix Creatine Monohydrate — 3,000 mg per 3 g serving, 100 servings per tub, unflavoured with no additives. It is the most studied supplement in all of sports nutrition.
• IO Genix Cream of Rice — fine steam-precooked cream of rice, ready in a minute, hot or cold. Complex carbohydrates to add to breakfast or after the session without having to cook.

You choose the flavour of each product above. The bundle sells for €79.90 instead of €87.75 if you buy the three separately.

Why these three products together?

Because they do different jobs. The gainer supplies the calorie surplus; without a surplus, no mass gain is possible, whatever the training. Creatine works on something else: it contributes to improved performance during successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise — in other words it helps you do one or two more reps, session after session. And the cream of rice is there to build calories out of real meals, not only out of shakers.

Which protein should you choose for mass gain?

The question comes up all the time, and the answer depends mostly on your appetite. If you struggle to finish your plates, a gainer like Mutant Mass is more effective than a whey: it brings carbohydrate as well as protein. If you already eat properly and are only short on protein, a whey is enough and costs less per gram. Come by the shop, we will look at your typical days together and settle it in five minutes.

Mass gain or lean mass gain?

A so-called lean mass gain is simply a more moderate calorie surplus: you gain more slowly, but you gain less fat. The same bundle works, dosing the gainer at half a serving instead of a full one. It is often the best compromise when you are in no hurry.

And if you are an ectomorph?

The term simply describes very lean people who burn a lot at rest. The principle does not change, only the amount does: it often takes two gainer servings a day rather than one, and it means accepting that progress is measured in months, not weeks. One kilo a month is a realistic and sustainable pace.

How to use the bundle day to day

• Gainer: one serving between two meals, or just after training. In milk if you digest it well, in water otherwise.
• Creatine: 3 g a day, every day, including rest days. The timing does not matter.
• Cream of rice: at breakfast or as a snack, with milk, a little nut butter or a piece of fruit.

These three products are foods, not medicines. They are consumed as part of a varied diet and do not replace meals.

Find it in the Vendargues shop

All three products in the bundle are on the shelf in the shop, 285 Rue des Portes Domitiennes in Vendargues, ten minutes from Montpellier. You order online, choose in-store collection, and your bundle is put together within two hours at most during opening times. For delivery, any order placed before 2 pm goes out the same day.

Joints and tendons are what most often limit progress after a few years of training. Not the muscle: the structures around it. This joints and recovery bundle brings together three supplements found in almost every routine of athletes who have been training for a long time.

What is in the bundle

• IO Genix Collagen Fortigel 320 g — 5 g of patented Fortigel collagen peptides per serving, alongside the other actives in the joint formula.
• IO Genix Turmeric Curcumin — turmeric combined with the patented BioPerine® black pepper extract.
• IO Genix Super Omega 3 Luxury — fish oil with a 50:25 EPA/DHA ratio, a Spanish formulation from the Luxury Series range.

The bundle is €76.90 instead of €84.69 bought separately.

Why these three?

Because they work in different places. Collagen supplies the specific amino acids — glycine, proline, hydroxyproline — that make up tendons, ligaments and cartilage, and which are scarce in a modern diet built mostly around muscle meat. Turmeric has been used for centuries and is now the subject of an extensive scientific literature on recovery. Omega 3 EPA and DHA contribute to normal heart function from 250 mg a day, and that is the item where the average French diet falls shortest.

What really matters for tendons

No supplement replaces the three things that really work: increasing the load slowly, never skipping the warm-up, and giving tendons time to adapt — they strengthen far more slowly than muscles, which explains most injuries among people who progress fast. Supplements come on top of that, to supply the raw material. Not instead of it.

How long before it shows?

This is a long-game bundle, not an immediate-effect one. Collagen is taken continuously over several months: connective tissue renews itself slowly. Allow three months before judging, and take it every day, including days without training. It is consistency that counts, not the dose.

How to use the bundle

• Collagen: one serving a day, in water or a cold drink. Many people take it in the morning out of habit, but the timing does not matter.
• Turmeric: with a meal containing a little fat, which helps absorption.
• Omega 3: with a meal as well, to avoid repeating on you.

These are food supplements. They are not intended to treat or prevent any disease, and they replace neither a varied diet nor medical advice. If you are on anticoagulant treatment or pregnant, speak to your doctor before taking omega 3 or turmeric.

Find it in the Vendargues shop

All three products are on the shelf in the shop, 285 Rue des Portes Domitiennes in Vendargues, ten minutes from Montpellier. Order online with in-store collection: ready within two hours at most during opening times. For delivery, any order placed before 2 pm goes out the same day.

RYSE Hydration Sticks are 16 electrolyte sticks to dilute, designed to be slipped into a gym bag and emptied into a bottle. One 6.4 g stick brings 320 mg of sodium, 173 mg of potassium, 74 mg of magnesium and 97 mg of calcium, with no sugar and no caffeine.

What a stick actually contains

The formula does not stop at sodium. RYSE adds chloride (228 mg) and phosphorus (47 mg), which gives a more complete mineral profile than most sticks on the market, often reduced to salt and potassium.

To that are added 1,000 mg of taurine, 500 mg of choline bitartrate, 250 mg of CocOganic® coconut water powder and 25 mg of AstraGin®, a patented extract of astragalus and Panax notoginseng. On the vitamin side: C, B3, B6, B12 and pantothenic acid.

A useful clarification, because it is rarely made: on that list, only some elements carry an authorised claim in Europe. Magnesium contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to normal muscle function, to the reduction of tiredness and to electrolyte balance. Potassium and calcium contribute to normal muscle function. Vitamins B3, B6, B12, C and pantothenic acid contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to the reduction of tiredness. Taurine, choline, coconut water and AstraGin® carry no authorised claim: they are there, we list them, we ascribe no effect to them.

When this format is worth it

A stick makes sense when you sweat a lot and for a long time: an intense session, heat, outdoor training in summer, endurance sport. In our region, between May and September, that is far from theoretical.

For a short session in an air-conditioned gym, water is enough in the vast majority of cases, and we will say the same thing at the counter. A stick taken after an hour of lifting in a cool gym will bring you nothing your next meal does not already bring.

The advantage of the stick over a tub of powder is simple: it doses itself and it travels. That is exactly what you are paying for, and it is a real service when you set off on a long outing. In return, the cost per serving is higher than a classic tub of electrolytes.

Three flavours

Pink Splash, Blue Raspberry and Kool-Aid™ Grape. All three dissolve in 500 to 750 ml of water; less water gives a very concentrated taste that few people enjoy while training.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly is an electrolyte drink?

It is a drink that supplies the minerals lost in sweat, in a form dissolved in water. In chemistry, an electrolyte is a substance that dissociates into ions and conducts current; in the body, those ions — sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, chloride — take part in fluid balance and muscle contraction. An electrolyte drink is therefore neither a stimulant nor a source of energy: it does not necessarily contain carbohydrate and has no effect on alertness.

What are the main electrolytes?

Five above all: sodium and chloride, the most abundant in sweat, potassium, magnesium and calcium. Phosphorus and bicarbonate complete the list physiologically. Sodium is the one lost in the greatest quantity during exercise — hence its place at the top of every serious formula, this one included.

When should electrolytes be taken?

During exercise, or just after, when the session has been long and sweaty. The practical marker: beyond an hour of sustained activity, in strong heat, or if your t-shirt dries leaving white salt marks. Before exercise is only useful if you set off already poorly hydrated. The rest of the time, food covers these intakes amply: this is not a supplement to take every day on principle.

What do electrolytes actually do?

They replace what sweat carries away. Drinking only water during a long, very sweaty effort dilutes the remaining minerals, which shows up as thirst that is never quenched and heavy legs. In regulatory terms, it is the magnesium, potassium and calcium in the formula that carry the claims relating to muscle function and tiredness — not the concept of an "electrolyte drink" in itself.

Do electrolytes prevent cramp?

Nothing allows us to say so, and we will not. The idea is widespread, but the available work on exercise cramp points more towards neuromuscular fatigue than towards a lack of minerals. An electrolyte drink can help you cope better with a long, hot effort; presenting it as a treatment for cramp would be dishonest. If cramps are frequent or painful, that is a matter for a doctor.

Can you make your own electrolyte drink?

Yes, and it is very simple: water, a pinch of salt, a little lemon juice and a source of carbohydrate if the effort is long. The result costs a few cents and fulfils the main function. What you lose: precise dosing, magnesium and calcium, the vitamins, and portability. What you gain: the price. We would rather tell you that than let you believe a stick is essential.

Is it the same as an ORS from the pharmacy?

No, and the confusion is common. An oral rehydration solution is intended to make up for dehydration of medical origin — diarrhoea, vomiting, particularly in children. Its sodium and glucose composition follows a precise protocol. A sports electrolyte drink answers a comfort need during exercise, not a medical situation. In case of real dehydration, the person to talk to is your pharmacist or your doctor.

How many sticks a day?

One stick is enough in the vast majority of cases, diluted in 500 to 750 ml of water. On a very long effort in strong heat, a second stick can be justified, drunk gradually rather than all at once. Do not exceed the dose stated on the packaging, which is what counts, and take account of the sodium already supplied by your meals if you follow a low-salt diet.

Is there sugar or caffeine in it?

Neither. That is a point that sets this product apart from a classic sports drink: it brings no carbohydrate and therefore does not replace an energy intake on a long outing. If you are looking for fuel as well as hydration, you need to pair it with a carbohydrate source such as maltodextrin or cyclic dextrin. The absence of caffeine, on the other hand, means it can be drunk in the evening without affecting sleep.

Are electrolytes needed on a ketogenic diet?

This is one of the few situations where the question arises outside sport. The first days of a very low-carbohydrate diet come with a greater than usual loss of water and sodium. Many people concerned increase their salt and magnesium intake for that reason. That said, a dietary change of that scale is something to discuss with a health professional, not with a supplement retailer.

Where do you find electrolytes?

In food first: mineral waters rich in magnesium, dried fruit, bananas, pulses, nuts and seeds, and quite simply table salt for sodium. As a supplement, from retailers specialising in sports nutrition — that is our aisle — and from pharmacies for medically-oriented solutions, which answer a different need. We stock this product in store and online.

Is it suitable for everyone?

This product is intended for adults. It is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women or for children without medical advice. In case of high blood pressure, kidney or heart failure, a sodium- or potassium-controlled diet, or diuretic treatment, ask your doctor before taking it: an additional mineral intake is not trivial in those situations.

At KISS NUTRITION

On the shelf in Vendargues, near Montpellier, and shipped throughout France. Browse the full electrolytes aisle and the RYSE range.

Food supplement. Does not replace a varied, balanced diet or a healthy lifestyle. Keep out of reach of young children. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose.

What is IO Genix's IO Burner?

IO Burner is a thermogenic complex in vegetable capsules. One capsule, which is the complete daily dose, brings 200 mg of caffeine, 20 mg of p-synephrine, 200 mg of green tea extract including 100 mg of EGCG, 25 µg of chromium and 0.56 mg of phenylcapsaicin. Six actives, every one of them stated to the milligram.

This is a stimulant product, and it should be called by its name in the first line. The 200 mg of caffeine per capsule correspond to about two espressos swallowed in one go. It is not a harmless supplement you add absent-mindedly to a routine: it is the most loaded product in this whole aisle, and it needs to be read before it is bought.

The formula combines three sources of caffeine — anhydrous caffeine, green tea and guarana — a bitter orange extract standardised in synephrine, a derivative of chilli capsaicin and a trace element. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix aisle, and the other references in the category in our fat burner capsules aisle.

What does one IO Burner capsule contain?

This table is the product's best argument, and not for the reason you might think. What sets it apart is not the strength of its formula, it is the fact that every active is detailed down to the second decimal place, caffeine content broken down by source included. Many fat burners announce a "thermogenic complex" without giving a single milligram, which makes any comparison impossible. Here, you know exactly what you are swallowing.

200 mg of caffeine is the benchmark to keep in mind. EFSA considers that single intakes of 200 mg of caffeine do not raise safety concerns for a healthy adult. You are therefore at exactly that level, in one capsule. That is also what explains the manufacturer's instruction: never on an empty stomach, never two capsules, and pay attention to everything else you drink during the day.

Only one ingredient in this formula has authorised claims in Europe: chromium, which contributes to the maintenance of normal blood glucose levels and to normal macronutrient metabolism. At 25 µg, or 62 % of the reference value, the threshold is met. For all the others — caffeine, synephrine, green tea, EGCG, guarana, phenylcapsaicin — no health claim is authorised, neither on fat burning, nor on metabolism, nor on thermogenesis. The term "fat burner" here is a commercial category name, not a promise of effect, and we will not make it say any more than that.

Missing from the manufacturer's file: the number of capsules per bottle is not communicated. We will not infer it; it appears on the packaging.

Ingredients list

Dry fruit extract of Citrus aurantium L. standardised to 6 % synephrine, green tea leaf extract (Camellia sinensis O. Ktze) standardised to 50 % EGCG, vegetable capsule (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose), anhydrous caffeine, dry guarana seed extract (Paullinia cupana) standardised to 22 % caffeine, anti-caking agents (magnesium silicate, magnesium salts of fatty acids), AXIVITE microencapsulated phenylcapsaicin (cellulose, modified maize starch, phenylcapsaicin 1 %, anthocyanins, water), chromium picolinate.

May contain traces of GLUTEN (wheat and oats), NUTS, PEANUTS, EGGS, MILK, FISH, SULPHITES and SOYA. The capsule is vegetable: the product is suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.

How do you take IO Burner?

Dose: 1 capsule, and one only. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: before the session on training days, during the morning on rest days. Frequency: one intake a day, never two. Duration: the manufacturer sets no course length; taking a regular break remains good practice with a caffeinated product.

"Never on an empty stomach" is the most important instruction on this page, and the manufacturer writes it out in full. 200 mg of caffeine and a bitter orange extract in an empty stomach is the recipe for palpitations, nausea and feeling faint at the start of a session. Take the capsule with a meal or a snack, without exception.

The second point is stacking, and it is the one people forget. Count everything you consume during the day: a coffee in the morning, a tea in the afternoon, a pre-workout before the session, an energy drink at the end of the day. Added to this capsule, you very quickly go past what is comfortable. The manufacturer also asks that you do not consume other green tea products on the same day, and points out that daily EGCG intake should not reach 800 mg.

Do not take it late in the day. Caffeine has a half-life of several hours: a capsule taken at five in the afternoon is still felt at bedtime, and degraded sleep cancels out everything you were trying to achieve.

If you are sensitive to stimulants or have never taken this type of product, caution says to start differently. A stimulant-free fat burner lets you gauge your tolerance without landing on 200 mg on day one.

Who is IO Burner for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at a healthy adult, used to caffeine, engaged in a calorie deficit and regular physical activity. It is a support product, in a setting where the diet is already doing the work.

The list of exclusions is long, and the manufacturer sets it out itself in unusually firm terms. The product is strictly not recommended for children, for adolescents under 18, or for pregnant or breastfeeding women. It requires a medical consultation in case of concurrent medication. Two ceilings are restated: daily EGCG intake must not reach 800 mg, and phenylcapsaicin from supplements is limited to 2.5 mg per day.

One point deserves to be known and is rarely mentioned: ANSES, the French food safety agency, has called for vigilance over supplements containing synephrine, particularly when it is combined with caffeine and consumed alongside intense physical exercise. This product combines precisely those two. That is not a reason to give up if you are in good health and stick to the dose; it is a reason not to improvise, never to double the intake, and to abstain in case of cardiovascular disorder, high blood pressure or ongoing treatment.

The capsule is vegetable, which makes the product compatible with vegetarian and vegan diets — an exception in this range. It may contain traces of gluten, nuts, peanuts, eggs, milk, fish, sulphites and soya.

What not to expect from it: this product does not make you lose weight. No capsule creates a calorie deficit, and no weight-loss claim is authorised for its ingredients. What you will feel is the effect of 200 mg of caffeine: alertness and a sense of energy. That is real, it is useful for getting through a session during a period of restriction, and it replaces neither the plate nor the training, as our weight loss aisle points out.

Fat burner with or without caffeine: how to choose

This is the only trade-off that really matters in this aisle, and it depends not on your goal but on your day.

A caffeinated fat burner like this one has a noticeable effect: alertness, energy, appetite often somewhat blunted. That feeling is what explains its success, and it is real. It suits you if you drink little coffee otherwise, if you train in the morning or early afternoon, and if you tolerate stimulants well.

A caffeine-free fat burner is not felt. It becomes the obvious choice if you already drink three coffees a day, if you train in the evening, if your sleep is fragile, or if stimulants give you palpitations. It is not a lesser product: it is the right product for a different context.

Finally, watch out for a very common overlap: most pre-workout boosters also contain 150 to 300 mg of caffeine. Taking both on the same day means doubling the dose without realising it. If your booster is already caffeinated, choose a caffeine-free booster or give up one of the two. And check for chromium in your other supplements, since this capsule already brings 62 % of the daily reference.

Frequently asked questions

How much caffeine is in one capsule?

200 mg in total, split between 162 mg of anhydrous caffeine, 22 mg from guarana and 16 mg from green tea. That is the equivalent of about two espressos swallowed at once. EFSA considers that single intakes of 200 mg do not raise concerns for a healthy adult.

Why should it never be taken on an empty stomach?

Because the manufacturer writes it explicitly, and because such a load of caffeine and bitter orange extract in an empty stomach frequently causes nausea, palpitations or faintness. Always take it with a meal or a snack.

Does this product make you lose weight?

No, and no weight-loss claim is authorised in Europe for its ingredients. Only chromium has claims, covering the maintenance of normal blood glucose levels and macronutrient metabolism. The rest is a stimulant that accompanies an effort, without ever replacing it.

Can it be combined with a pre-workout?

That is the overlap to avoid. Most pre-workouts already contain 150 to 300 mg of caffeine: added to the 200 mg in this capsule, you reach levels that are no longer comfortable at all. Choose one or the other, or switch to a caffeine-free version.

Is it suitable for vegetarians?

Yes. The capsule is vegetable, made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and no ingredient in the formula is of animal origin. It is one of the few products in this range in that position, most using gelatine.

What does ANSES say about synephrine?

The agency has called for caution regarding supplements containing synephrine, particularly when it is combined with caffeine and consumed during intense physical exercise. This product combines precisely those two: stick strictly to the dose and abstain in case of cardiovascular disorder.

What time of day should it be taken?

Before the session on training days, during the morning on rest days. Never late in the day: caffeine stays active for several hours, and degraded sleep cancels the benefit you were seeking during a calorie deficit.

Where to buy IO Genix IO Burner

The bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. In the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product we talk about the longest: the first question is never the customer's goal, but how many coffees they drink in a day. The answer is often enough to decide between this one and a caffeine-free version. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is Applied Nutrition's ABE Energy Performance?

ABE Energy Performance is a ready-to-drink sparkling drink, sold in a 330 ml can. One can brings 200 mg of caffeine, 2 g of citrulline malate, 2 g of beta-alanine, 200 mg of anhydrous betaine, 200 mg of taurine and 200 mg of L-tyrosine, for zero calories and zero sugar. ABE stands for "All Black Everything", the name of the pre-workout range from Applied Nutrition, a British brand based in Liverpool.

The idea behind the product fits in one sentence: take the actives you usually find in a powder you have to scoop, and put them in a can. You open it, you drink it, there is no shaker to wash and no scoop to level off. It is a format as much as a formula.

The flavours in the catalogue: Grape Soda, White, Blue Lagoon, Apple Burst, Cloudy Lemonade, Orange Burst, Cherry Slushie, Fruit Candy and Slush Puppie. Each is available singly or in packs of twelve. The rest of the brand can be browsed in our Applied Nutrition aisle, and the other ready-to-drink formats in our energy drinks aisle.

What does a can of ABE Energy contain?

** Nutrient reference values not established for these components. The values above are those declared by the manufacturer on the label.

200 mg of caffeine is the equivalent of two short espressos in a 330 ml can. That is not trivial, and it is precisely the threshold beyond which the European authorities consider that a single intake deserves attention in adults. If you are sensitive, if you already drink coffee during the day, or if you train in the evening, take it into account before opening a second one.

On the other actives, the dosages have to be read honestly. 2 g of citrulline malate and 2 g of beta-alanine are real amounts, but they stay below the dosages found in a powdered pre-workout, where the figures are more like 6 to 8 g of citrulline and 3.2 g of beta-alanine. The can is a convenience format, not a complete booster compressed into 330 ml. If you are after high dosages, look instead at our pre-workout boosters aisle.

Two authorised claims can, on the other hand, be quoted as they stand, because they rest on the declared amounts: niacin and vitamin B12 contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to the reduction of tiredness. Those are the official wordings from the European regulation. By contrast, no claim exists for caffeine, beta-alanine, citrulline, betaine or tyrosine: what we are describing there are ingredients and quantities, not promised effects.

Ingredients list

Carbonated water, beta-alanine, citrulline, anhydrous betaine, acidity regulator (citric acid), natural flavouring, caffeine, taurine, L-tyrosine, sweetener (sucralose), preservative (potassium sorbate), niacin, vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin).

The manufacturer declares the absence of common allergens. High caffeine content: not recommended for children or for pregnant or breastfeeding women (200 mg per 330 ml).

How do you take ABE Energy Performance?

Dose: 1 can of 330 ml. Liquid: none, the drink is ready to drink. Timing: 15 to 30 minutes before training. Frequency: one can a day, without stacking another source of caffeine. Duration: the manufacturer does not set out a course, it is a training-day drink.

Drink it very cold. This is not a comfort tip: taken from the cupboard at room temperature, the beta-alanine and the acidity make the taste distinctly less pleasant, and many people who find these drinks undrinkable have simply drunk them lukewarm. The fridge changes everything.

Expect tingling on the skin, and do not worry about it. The 2 g of beta-alanine cause, in most people, passing pins and needles on the face, neck or forearms, appearing some twenty minutes after drinking and going away on their own. It is a well-known reaction to this molecule, and it is harmless. Nobody ever warns you, and yet it is the first question we get asked at the counter.

One can a day, and not two. At 200 mg of caffeine per unit, two cans put you at 400 mg, which matches the maximum daily reference for a healthy adult — before counting the morning coffee. And no late-day intake: caffeine stays active for several hours, and an 8 pm session paid for with a broken night is a poor trade.

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

It suits a trained adult who wants energy before a session without preparing a drink, and who tolerates caffeine well. The can format has a real practical advantage: it slips into a bag, it can be drunk in the car or in the changing room, and the zero sugar makes it compatible with a controlled diet.

It is not for children, nor for pregnant or breastfeeding women — that is the mandatory statement tied to the caffeine content, and it is not decorative. It is strongly discouraged for people sensitive to caffeine, as well as in cases of high blood pressure, heart rhythm disorders, anxiety or ongoing medical treatment: in all of those cases, a doctor's opinion comes before the purchase.

Do not stack it with any other source of caffeine. A coffee, a powdered pre-workout, a fat burner in capsules, a tea: it all adds up. That is the situation where we see the most unpleasant surprises, with palpitations and a sleepless night at the end of it. If you train in the evening, there is a simple solution: our caffeine-free pre-workout aisle offers exactly the same vascular actives without the stimulant.

What not to expect from it. It does not make you progress, it does not replace structured training or adequate food, and it does not make up for a short night. It contains zero calories, therefore zero fuel: on a long session it will supply no energy in the metabolic sense of the word. It is a pleasant stimulant before training, nothing more.

ABE can or powdered pre-workout?

Both answer the same intention, but not the same need, and the choice becomes clear once you lay out the figures.

The powder wins on dosages, no argument. A classic pre-workout brings 6 to 8 g of citrulline and 3.2 g of beta-alanine, against 2 g of each here. You can also adjust the dose: half a scoop on the days you are tired, a full scoop before a big session. Our creatine-free pre-workout aisle and our citrulline selection cover those formulas.

The can wins on everything else: taste, simplicity, consistency. No lumps, no shaker rolling around in the bag, no approximate scoop. And a pleasant drink actually gets drunk, where a tub of mediocre-tasting powder ends up at the back of the cupboard. For someone training three times a week who simply wants a lift before the session, it is the most honest format.

A third route is worth mentioning: if what you are mainly after is beta-alanine, it is taken every day and not only on training days, which a can does not reasonably allow. Our beta-alanine aisle offers dedicated powders for daily use. And for what gets drunk during the session rather than before it, look instead at EAA.

Frequently asked questions

How much caffeine is in a can?

200 mg per 330 ml, roughly two short espressos. That is a high content, which requires a mandatory statement on the label. One can a day at most, without stacking a coffee, a powdered booster or a fat burner in capsules, since it all adds up.

Which flavours are available?

Grape Soda, White, Blue Lagoon, Apple Burst, Cloudy Lemonade, Orange Burst, Cherry Slushie, Fruit Candy and Slush Puppie. The formula is identical from one flavour to another, only the flavouring changes. Each is available singly or in packs of twelve.

Why do I get tingling after drinking it?

That is the beta-alanine, present at 2 g per can. In most people it causes passing pins and needles on the face, neck or forearms, some twenty minutes after drinking. The sensation lasts a few tens of minutes and goes away on its own. It is harmless.

Zero calories, is that really possible?

That is what the manufacturer's label declares, and that is what we report. The drink contains neither sugar, nor fat, nor protein: the sweetness comes from sucralose. What matters most is that it supplies no fuel, which makes it unsuited to a long session where you need carbohydrates.

Can you drink it on non-training days?

Nothing forbids it, but it is not the intended use and it is an expensive way to consume caffeine. The formula is designed to be drunk 15 to 30 minutes before training. On rest days, an ordinary coffee does the same job for a great deal less.

Is it suitable for a vegan diet?

The ingredients list contains no component of animal origin and the manufacturer declares no common allergen. We do not, however, have a certified vegan statement on the label: if that point is decisive for you, check the wording on the can you receive.

Does it need to be drunk cold?

Yes, and that is the most useful tip on this page. Lukewarm, the acidity and the beta-alanine dominate the taste and the drink becomes unpleasant. Straight from the fridge, it goes down easily. That is the main reason some people find it excellent and others undrinkable.

Where to buy ABE Energy Performance

The can can be ordered singly or by the pack of twelve from this page, in the available flavours, and we ship throughout France and Europe. In the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we always advise trying a single can before buying a pack: at 200 mg of caffeine, tolerance varies enormously from person to person, and a flavour you do not like bought twelve at a time is a bad memory. The rest of our selection can be browsed in the sports nutrition aisle.