Mass Gain

What is IO Genix Casein?

IO Genix Casein is a powdered micellar casein, providing 23 g of protein per 30 g serving. The raw material comes from New Zealand's Fonterra, one of the largest dairy processors in the world. The 900 g tub holds 30 servings, which is a month at one serving a day.

Micellar casein is not a slowed-down whey: it is the other milk protein, the one that makes up roughly 80 % of milk's protein fraction. What sets it apart is physical rather than chemical. On contact with stomach acid it forms a gel that empties slowly, which spreads the release of amino acids over several hours, where a whey is absorbed in an hour and a half. That is exactly what you want for the long overnight gap.

The flavours listed are Intense Chocolate and Original Black Cookies. The rest of the Spanish range appears in our IO Genix aisle.

What does a 30 g serving contain?

The per-100 g values are calculated from the manufacturer's declaration for a 30 g serving. Two caveats deserve to be set out in black and white.

First, the manufacturer does not publish the energy value of its product in the information available to us. We will not invent it; the label on the tub you receive is required to carry it.

Second, the published amino acid profile is arithmetically impossible: it states 20.1 g of BCAAs and 20.4 g of glutamine "per serving", which would make 40.5 g of amino acids in a serving that contains only 23 g in total. Those values are most likely expressed per 100 g of protein, but we will not decide that on the manufacturer's behalf and we would rather reproduce none of these figures than publish false ones. It is a point we have raised with them.

23 g of protein for 30 g of powder works out at 76.7 % — a very good rate for a casein, most of them sitting between 70 and 78 %. The manufacturer for its part states 75 %: the gap is minor and comes from rounding, but we would rather flag it than ignore it.

The figure worth pausing on is the 450 mg of calcium per serving, or 56 % of the daily reference value. This is not an addition: casein naturally carries milk's calcium, in the form of phosphate bound to the micelles. An evening serving therefore covers more than half of the daily calcium requirement, and calcium contributes to normal muscle function and to the maintenance of normal bones. It is the only genuinely quantifiable nutritional argument on this page, and it is a sound one.

The 1.5 g of carbohydrate and 0.8 g of fat per serving are low, which leaves a very clean shake, somewhere around a hundred kilocalories. That is consistent with the main use: an evening serving, when you no longer want to add anything to the day.

Lastly, the formula contains DigeZyme®, a complex of five enzymes — amylase, protease, lactase, lipase and cellulase — whose quantity is not published. The theoretical benefit is digestion of the powder, and lactase in particular for the residual lactose fraction. We cannot say more than that without a dose, and no claim is authorised for this complex. If digestion is your main problem, our digestive enzymes aisle offers products dosed for exactly that.

Ingredient list

Fonterra micellar casein (MILK), magnesium citrate, L-glutamine, cocoa powder, flavourings, emulsifier (SOYA lecithin), L-arginine HCl, L-ornithine HCl, L-lysine HCl, sweeteners (sucralose and sodium saccharin), DigeZyme® (multi-enzyme complex based on amylase, protease, lactase, lipase and cellulase) and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride). Contains MILK and SOYA lecithin. Possible traces of GLUTEN (OATS), EGG, FISH, NUTS and PEANUTS.

How do you take IO Genix Casein?

Serving: 30 g, that is one of the included scoops. Liquid: 200 to 250 ml of water or skimmed milk. Timing: 45 minutes before bed, or between two widely spaced meals. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: no course duration, use is ongoing.

A shaker will do, but a blender gives a far better result: casein is thicker than a whey and lumps easily if you pour the powder in before the liquid. The order matters — liquid first, powder second.

Do not use hot water. Heat denatures the protein and turns the shake into something grainy and unpleasant. It is the number one cause of disappointment with a casein, and it is settled in one sentence.

A tip we hand out systematically across the counter: with only 100 ml of liquid and a spell in the fridge, the same serving takes on the texture of a dessert cream you eat with a spoon. For an evening serving that changes everything: it becomes a dessert rather than a shake, and it solves the problem for those who have no wish to drink half a litre before going to bed.

Casein combines without difficulty with a whey isolate taken at another point in the day: one after training, the other in the evening. That is not redundancy, it is two different speeds for two different needs.

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

It suits someone who eats dinner early and goes to bed late, someone who struggles to hit their protein target across the day, and someone looking for a filling serving at the end of the day. It also suits a calorie deficit, because a thick shake sits in the stomach far longer than a whey.

It contains milk and soya lecithin, which rules it out for anyone allergic to either of those two ingredients. Traces of gluten, egg, fish, nuts and peanuts are also flagged. It is not recommended for children, or for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

It is not suitable for the most sensitive lactose-intolerant users. Micellar casein contains little of it, and the presence of lactase in the DigeZyme® complex helps, but "little" is not "none at all". With a marked intolerance, a plant protein or a heavily filtered isolate remains safer.

What you should not expect from it: it does not build muscle overnight, and the idea that casein "protects against night-time catabolism" is a marketing line more than a demonstrated result. What it actually does is add 23 g of quality protein to a day that is short of it, at a moment when you are no longer hungry. That is concrete, it is useful, and it is enough to justify the purchase — but if your daily protein intake is already met, the additional benefit is slight.

Casein or whey for the evening serving?

It is the most common question in the protein aisle, and the answer is not the same for everyone.

A whey is absorbed quickly, with a peak of amino acids within the hour. It is the better choice after training, or when you want a light shake that does not sit heavily on the stomach. In the evening, its weakness is mechanical: the peak falls away within two hours, and there are seven hours of night left behind it.

Casein does the opposite. It rises less high, but it holds for several hours, and it is far more filling. It is the better choice for the bedtime serving, for a day with a long gap between two meals, or for someone who gets hungry in the evening and wants to avoid snacking. Its weakness is the texture: thicker, heavier, and noticeably less pleasant than whey for anyone who does not care for it.

If you are only going to buy one tub, buy an all-round protein. Casein is a second-line product: it makes sense once the first is already in place and you are looking to cover a specific slot.

Frequently asked questions

How many servings in a 900 g tub?

Thirty, at 30 g per serving, which is a month at one serving a day. It is a size consistent with the product's main use: an evening serving, every evening. If you only use it on training days, the tub will obviously last longer.

Can it be mixed with milk?

Yes, and it markedly improves both the taste and the texture. Skimmed milk adds about 5 g of protein and around ten grams of carbohydrate per 250 ml, which remains reasonable in the evening. With water, the shake is lighter and lower in calories, but also blander.

Why should you not use hot water?

Because heat denatures the proteins and makes the casein coagulate, so it turns grainy and unpleasant in the mouth. The nutritional content is not destroyed for all that, but the shake becomes hard to finish. Cold or room-temperature water only.

How do you get a dessert-cream texture?

Use only 100 ml of liquid instead of 250, mix thoroughly, then leave it in the fridge for thirty minutes. The casein swells and takes on a pudding-like consistency you eat with a spoon. It is the best use of the product for those who dislike drinking before sleep.

Is casein suitable for lactose-intolerant users?

Partly. It contains far less of it than a whey concentrate, and the lactase in the DigeZyme® complex breaks down part of what remains. That is enough for most moderate intolerances, but not for the more marked ones. If in doubt, start with a half serving.

Can it be taken after training?

Nothing forbids it, but that is not its territory. After a session, a fast-absorbing protein fits the moment better. Keep casein for the evening or for long gaps: that is where it brings something a whey cannot.

Why is there magnesium citrate in the list?

It appears second in the ingredients, which suggests a not insignificant quantity, but the manufacturer does not publish the dose. We therefore cannot state anything about its contribution or make any claim. If magnesium is what you are after, a dedicated product with a stated dose remains the right choice.

Where to buy IO Genix Casein?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product we recommend to those who tell us they get hungry at 10 pm: a casein prepared with a thick texture solves that problem better than any appetite suppressant. The rest of the protein aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition range.

What is IO Genix Creatine Monohydrate?

IO Genix Creatine Monohydrate is a micronised creatine monohydrate powder, available unflavoured and in a Peach version. It is the simplest form there is: a single molecule, with no transport matrix, no added amino acid and no bulking agent. The rest of the range is in our IO Genix section.

"Micronised" means a powder ground more finely than a standard monohydrate. It changes neither the molecule nor what it does in the muscle: what it changes is how the powder behaves in a glass, dissolving faster and leaving less sediment. On a product you swallow every day, that detail matters: sediment at the bottom of the glass is creatine you have not drunk.

The tub comes with a scoop calibrated to 3 g and the manufacturer states 100 servings; the net weight does not appear in our labelling data. For the underlying detail — mechanism, dose according to body weight, real-world effect — see our creatine monohydrate page.

What does a 3 g serving contain?

The label is worded for a 3 g serving, that is one level scoop. It provides 3 000 mg of creatine monohydrate and 12 kcal, for 0 g of carbohydrate, 0 g of fat and less than 1 mg of sodium. There is nothing else in the tub.

A point of vocabulary that is worth real money: monohydrate is a hydrated salt. Out of 3 000 mg of powder, roughly 2 640 mg are creatine proper, the remainder being water of crystallisation. That is the figure printed on the label of our Crealuxe for the same serving, and it holds true for any monohydrate.

Three grams a day is the amount on which the claim authorised in the European Union rests: creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise. Nothing beyond that is permitted, and we will write nothing beyond that. At one serving a day, the tub covers 100 days; above 80 kg, allow one and a half servings, which is roughly 65 days.

How do you take IO Genix Creatine Monohydrate?

The manufacturer specifies 3 g, that is one scoop, in 200 ml of water or a carbohydrate drink, once a day. It gives no course duration: continuous use is the most sensible approach, since the body does not develop tolerance.

Timing is of virtually no importance: creatine works through gradual saturation of the muscle, not through a blood peak. What counts is consistency, rest days included — taking it three times a week never fully saturates the muscle.

On the loading phase, our position does not change: 20 g a day for five to seven days only brings saturation forward by two to three weeks, without changing the final level or the medium-term result in any way. It is the period when digestive discomfort is most likely to appear, and it gets through four times as much product. Starting straight at 3 g is simpler and cheaper.

Two practical tips: warm water rather than ice-cold, and a good vigorous shake in a shaker. Taking it with a meal or with a little maltodextrin often improves digestive tolerance.

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

It is aimed at adults doing resistance training or a sport involving short, repeated efforts. As the molecule is obtained by chemical synthesis, it comes from no animal material.

The label is clear about the exclusions. The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as for anyone under 18, and flags possible traces of gluten (wheat and oats), eggs, milk, fish and soya: that statement rules the product out in cases of coeliac disease or severe allergy. ANSES also advises against supplements intended for athletes for anyone with impaired kidney or liver function, and supplementation raises serum creatinine: mention it to your doctor before a blood test.

What you should not expect from it: any sensation at all. It is not a stimulant, nothing happens when you take it or during the first week, it is not a long-endurance product, and it does not replace an intake of whey isolate. Any medical question is a matter for your doctor or your pharmacist.

IO Genix creatine monohydrate or a Creapure® creatine?

Both contain the same molecule, and at an equal dose nothing shows that a branded creatine produces more strength or more mass. The difference is industrial, not chemical: exactly what the label guarantees is set out on our Creapure page.

The useful question is this one: what do we know about the raw material? For this product, our labelling data include no stated purity figure, no published batch analysis and no documented synthesis origin — which is precisely the information a label buys you. If you are liable to be tested in competition, choose a product carrying the Creapure® designation.

If your budget has to choose between the label and taking it consistently, take this one: a standard creatine taken every day beats a branded creatine taken every other day. And if monohydrate leaves you bloated despite a well-diluted serving, the issue is not the label but tolerance: look at creatine HCL, which is more concentrated per gram of powder.

Frequently asked questions

Is the scoop 3 g or 5 g?

Three grams, levelled off: that is the value used for the labelling and for the count of 100 servings. If you are aiming for 5 g because you weigh more than 85 kg, you need one and a half servings, and the tub will last around 65 days rather than 100.

Does the Peach version contain sweeteners?

Necessarily so, since a flavoured powder is not creatine on its own. But our labelling data describe only the unflavoured version, which is limited to micronised creatine monohydrate. We will not publish a composition we have not read: ask us for it before ordering.

Do you need a loading phase with this creatine?

No. Loading at 20 g a day only brings saturation forward by about three weeks; the final level and the medium-term results are identical. It quadruples how much product you get through and concentrates the digestive downsides.

What does micronisation actually bring?

Faster dissolution and less sediment. It alters neither the molecule, nor the amount absorbed, nor the result in training: no data show that a finer powder makes a creatine more effective. Its benefit is day-to-day convenience.

Can you mix it with a whey or with cream of rice?

Yes. Many people add it to their post-workout shake or to a bowl of cream of rice. It is unaffected by cold or by mixing; what it does not tolerate is prolonged heat and moisture, so do not leave it dissolved for hours and close the tub properly.

How long before you notice anything?

Three to four weeks at 3 g a day, the time it takes to saturate muscle stores. And "feel" would be the wrong word: what you will notice, if you train regularly, is one or two extra reps on your heavy sets.

Is it suitable for a vegan diet?

The molecule is: chemical synthesis, no animal material, like our plant proteins. The reservation concerns the statement about traces of milk and fish, which relates to the production environment.

Where can you buy IO Genix Creatine Monohydrate?

You can order it from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. In our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this tub gets compared side by side with the branded products: the calculation that settles it is the shelf price divided by the number of actual servings, bearing in mind that not every brand sets its scoop at 3 g. The full range is in our sports nutrition section.

Sources: EFSA for the authorised claims, ANSES for the opinion on food supplements intended for athletes. This information is no substitute for medical advice.

What is IO Genix Protein Mass?

It is a mass-gain powder to be mixed with liquid, with a reference serving of 50 g for 195 kcal, combining protein, carbohydrate, creatine and glutamine. The flavours listed: Intense Chocolate, Original Black Cookies, Vanilla-Hazelnut, Crema Rica Cookies and Petit Yogurt.

Let us set the right expectations straight away, because the name can be misleading. With 16 g of protein and 28 g of carbohydrate for 195 kcal, this product belongs to the lean gainer family, not to the heavyweight gainers. A true hard gainer delivers 400 to 600 kcal per serving. That is not a flaw: it is a different category, and it is better to know before you buy.

The first ingredient on the list is oat flour, not maltodextrin or sugar — which explains the mere 2 g of sugars for 28 g of carbohydrate. Then come maltodextrin, a LACTOMIN® whey protein concentrate, L-glycine, Kyowa L-glutamine, creatine monohydrate, flavourings, sucralose, a colour (azorubine), the DigeZyme® enzyme complex and vitamin B6. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix aisle.

What does a 50 g serving contain?

* Column calculated from the values declared for 50 g. Not included in the data supplied: the energy value in kilojoules, the "of which saturates" line, the "fibre" line, the vitamin B6 content and the net weight of the pack — so we cannot calculate the number of servings per tub. Divide the weight printed on the packaging by 50 g.

The most interesting figure in this table is not the protein, it is the creatine: 3,000 mg per serving. That is exactly the daily maintenance dose, the one on which the only authorised claim on this entire product rests: creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise, a claim valid from 3 g per day. One serving puts you right on it. If you take two, you are at 6 g, which brings nothing further.

The second figure is the sugars: 2 g for 28 g of carbohydrate. That is what genuinely sets this powder apart from a cheap gainer loaded with dextrose. The oat flour at the top of the list is not a marketing line: you can see it on the "of which sugars" row, and it is verifiable.

A third reading, less flattering: 16 g of protein per serving is not a lot. An ordinary whey shake delivers 22 to 25 for 120 kcal. Here, the protein comes with 28 g of carbohydrate. That is the very principle of a gainer, but it does mean you should stop comparing this product to a protein: it is not the same use.

On the glutamine and the DigeZyme® complex we shall be brief: no health claim is authorised in Europe for either glutamine or an enzyme complex. We mention them because they appear on the label, without attributing any effect to them.

How do you take Protein Mass?

Serving: 50 g, that is two scoops. Liquid: 300 to 400 ml of water or skimmed milk. Timing: between meals, or after training. Frequency: up to two servings a day depending on your bodyweight and your needs. Duration: ongoing, as no course duration is set.

The manufacturer's advice, which we are happy to repeat: start with a half serving for the first week. Twenty-eight grams of carbohydrate, creatine and glutamine all at once, in a stomach that is not used to it, makes itself felt. Building up gradually avoids the discomfort that makes people give up after three days.

Shake vigorously for thirty seconds, pouring the liquid in before the powder. With oat flour in the formula, the texture is thicker than a whey shake: that is normal, and 400 ml rather than 300 makes it considerably easier to drink if you have to get it down between two meals.

Creatine brings one further instruction, and it is not decorative: increase your water intake throughout the period of use. That applies to any product containing creatine monohydrate.

A final word on timing. The manufacturer suggests four slots; in practice, a gainer is there to add calories where you cannot manage to eat them. Take it at the point in the day when you usually skip a snack, not on top of a meal you are already eating.

Who is Protein Mass right for, and who is it not right for?

It is aimed at those who cannot get their calories up at the table: limited appetite, short days, a metabolism that burns through everything. Drinking 195 kcal is far easier than getting the equivalent down in rice and chicken. It also suits those already taking creatine who appreciate not having one more product to juggle.

The product contains GLUTEN (oat flour) and MILK. Note a discrepancy in the labelling supplied: the ingredient list mentions SOYA among the possible traces, while the warning places it among the allergens present. If you are allergic to soya, work on the more cautious assumption and check the packaging. Traces of WHEAT, EGG and FISH are also possible. The manufacturer advises against it for children, adolescents and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

It contains azorubine (E122), an azo colour that requires the following regulatory wording: may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children. We reproduce it because it is mandatory, and because it appears nowhere else on this page.

It is not suitable if you are coeliac: oat flour is the first ingredient, and here gluten is a component, not a trace. Nor is it suitable when cutting, or if your aim is simply to raise your protein intake — in that case, a whey shake does better for fewer calories.

What you should not expect from it: mass gain without eating. 195 kcal is a snack, not a meal, and two servings a day represent 390 added calories. If your diet does not follow, this product will do nothing at all. The phrase "rapid muscle development" should not lead you to hope for anything other than a well-composed calorie supplement.

Protein Mass or a hard gainer?

That is the choice that really matters, and it comes down to a single line: calories per serving.

A hard gainer delivers 400 to 600 kcal per serving, with a carbohydrate-to-protein ratio often of 3:1 or 4:1 and a lot of maltodextrin. It is the better choice if you genuinely struggle to put on weight and need to add 800 to 1,000 kcal a day. Its drawback is well known: the volume is enormous, the taste quickly becomes sickly, and part of the calories come from simple sugars.

Protein Mass is the better choice for measured mass gain, where you want to add 200 to 400 clean calories without sending your sugars through the roof. The protein-to-carbohydrate ratio here is 1:1.75, which is far more balanced than a conventional gainer, and the 3 g of built-in creatine saves you a further product. It is also a shake you can drink every day without coming to hate it after a week.

A third route exists, and it is often the most economical: buy a protein, an oat flour and creatine separately, and put it together yourself. You control every dose and the cost per gram falls. What you lose is the convenience of a single powder — it is up to you to decide what matters most.

Frequently asked questions

Is it a gainer or a protein?

Not quite one and not quite the other: it is a lean gainer. With 16 g of protein and 28 g of carbohydrate for 195 kcal, it delivers less protein than a whey and far fewer calories than a hard gainer. Its place is that of a solid, well-composed snack, not a protein shake nor a massive calorie top-up.

Should you take creatine alongside it?

No, if you take one serving a day: the 3 g it contains correspond exactly to the daily maintenance dose, and that is the threshold on which the authorised claim rests. Adding more on top will do nothing further. On the days you do not take a shake, however, your creatine intake drops to zero.

Does the product contain gluten?

Yes, and not merely as traces. Oat flour is the first ingredient on the list, and traces of wheat are flagged as well. In cases of coeliac disease this product is not indicated — that is a point better read here than after the purchase.

How many servings per tub?

The net weight of the pack does not appear in the labelling data supplied by the manufacturer, so we cannot calculate it. Divide the weight printed on the packaging by 50 g, which is the reference serving for every value on this page.

Water or milk?

The manufacturer allows both, with skimmed milk. With water, you stay at 195 kcal, which is the honest calculation. With milk, allow 100 to 130 kcal more depending on the volume: that is useful if your aim really is to raise your calories, and it needs to go into your total if you are counting them.

Why start with a half serving?

Because 28 g of carbohydrate, 3 g of creatine and 6 g of glutamine all at once often cause bloating in the first few days. A week at 25 g is enough to let the body get used to it. It is common-sense advice, given by the manufacturer itself, and rarely followed.

Which flavour should you choose?

Intense Chocolate and Original Black Cookies are the boldest, Crema Rica Cookies and Vanilla-Hazelnut are milder, Petit Yogurt is noticeably lighter and tangier — it is the one that goes down best if you have to drink two servings a day, boredom being the number one reason a gainer gets abandoned. All of them contain sucralose and a colour.

Where to buy IO Genix Protein Mass?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. If this is your first gainer, pick a flavour you know you can drink every day: that is the most decisive criterion.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we always start with the same question in front of this aisle: how many calories are you eating at the moment? Nine times out of ten, the answer shows that a meal is missing, not a supplement — and a lean gainer like this one solves exactly that problem, no more and no less. The rest of the aisle can be compared in our sports nutrition range.

What is IO Genix Cyclic Dextrin?

IO Genix Cyclic Dextrin is a carbohydrate powder designed to be drunk during exercise. A 25 g serving provides 24 g of carbohydrate for 95 kcal, with zero sugar. It is mixed into 400 to 500 ml of water and sipped steadily.

Highly branched cyclic dextrin, often sold under the Cluster Dextrin name, is a carbohydrate made from maize starch by an enzymatic process that yields very large, heavily branched molecules. It is not a sugar: the “of which sugars” line in the table reads 0 g, which is rare for a fast-acting carbohydrate source.

Its interesting property is a physical one. A cyclic dextrin solution has a low osmolality despite a high carbohydrate concentration, because the molecules are few in number but very large. In practice, it leaves the stomach quickly and feels less heavy than a drink loaded with simple sugars. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix aisle, and the other products in the category in our cyclic dextrin aisle.

What is in a serving of Cyclic Dextrin?

The per 100 g column is calculated from the per-serving values published by the manufacturer.

24 g of carbohydrate without a single gram of sugar is the figure that justifies the price of this kind of powder. A conventional sports drink based on simple sugars would give you the same energy with 20 g of sugars and, for a great many people, a heavy stomach after forty minutes. Here that line of the table reads zero, and that is what changes the experience on long sessions.

One point about the composition has to be flagged plainly, because the manufacturer's documentation contradicts itself. Some of its material presents the product as a single-ingredient powder; its ingredient list, however, declares two sweeteners, sucralose and acesulfame K. We go by the ingredient list, which is the reference document where composition is concerned. The powder is therefore slightly sweet to the taste, without providing sugars in the nutritional sense. If a complete absence of sweeteners matters to you, the label on the tub you receive is the authority.

Missing from the manufacturer's file: the net weight of the tub and the number of servings are not disclosed. We will not infer them. No health claim is authorised in Europe for cyclic dextrin either: we describe its physical properties and its composition, without attributing any quantified performance effect to it.

Ingredient list

Cluster Dextrin (highly branched dextrin), sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame K).

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

How do you take Cyclic Dextrin?

Serving: 25 g. Liquid: 400 to 500 ml of cool water. Timing: 15 to 30 minutes before exercise, during exercise, or within the 30 minutes that follow. Frequency: one serving per hour of exercise in endurance sports. Duration: as needed, with no course to complete.

The volume of water is the parameter that decides everything here. 25 g in 500 ml gives a light drink that goes down effortlessly. The same 25 g in 250 ml gives a solution twice as concentrated, which cancels out the very advantage of the product and causes exactly the heaviness you were trying to avoid. If you take away only one instruction from this page, make it that one.

Sip small amounts every fifteen to twenty minutes rather than drinking it in one go. That holds for every sports drink, and particularly for this one, whose point is to deliver a steady supply over time.

The powder dissolves very easily, even in cold water, with no lumps and no foam. A simple shaker is enough; make your bottle up before you set off rather than attempting to mix it on the move.

It combines perfectly with an electrolyte powder in the same bottle — carbohydrate and minerals then cover both needs of a long session — and with EAAs if your last meal was a while ago. After exercise, it pairs without difficulty with a protein.

A word on the hourly amount, because the question comes up often: the manufacturer allows for one serving per hour of exercise in endurance sports, which puts the intake at around 24 g of carbohydrate per hour. That is a cautious, well-tolerated level. Experienced cyclists and trail runners often go higher, but that is built up gradually in training, never on race day: the stomach is trained like everything else.

Finally, cool water is preferable to lukewarm water, not for any physiological reason but because a lukewarm drink quickly becomes sickly after an hour of exercise. It is the kind of detail that decides whether the bottle is finished or abandoned half full.

Who is Cyclic Dextrin for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed first at efforts that last: cycling, trail running, long-distance running, swimming, combat sports, back-to-back CrossFit sessions, weight training sessions running well beyond the hour. Below sixty minutes of exercise, taking carbohydrate during the session does little for someone who has eaten normally beforehand.

It suits stomachs that are sensitive during exercise particularly well, the ones that tolerate neither gels nor very sweet drinks. That is in fact its whole reason for existing, and the only argument on which it genuinely stands apart from an ordinary maltodextrin.

The manufacturer advises against it for children, adolescents and pregnant or breastfeeding women, and asks that the recommended daily dose not be exceeded. The product may contain traces of gluten, eggs, milk, fish and soya.

What not to expect from it: this is carbohydrate, nothing else. It has no stimulant effect, does not replace electrolytes in a sweaty session, and provides no amino acids. Nor does it make you lose weight — it adds 95 kcal to your day, which is its function. If you are in a calorie deficit and your session lasts forty minutes, this product is working against you.

Cyclic dextrin or maltodextrin, which should you choose?

Both are carbohydrates derived from starch, both serve the same purpose, and there is a real difference between them — a more modest one, however, than the market would have you believe.

Maltodextrin is markedly cheaper per kilo and perfectly effective at rebuilding stores after exercise. If your use is recovery, or if you are adding carbohydrate to a mass gainer, it does the job and there is no reason to pay more.

Cyclic dextrin stands out during exercise, thanks to its low osmolality: it leaves the stomach faster and sits more lightly. It is the better choice if you have already experienced heaviness or digestive discomfort with a carbohydrate drink, and on efforts lasting several hours where you have to drink regularly.

There is a third route, waxy maize, halfway between the two in price as in behaviour. And for a short session, the most honest answer is that none of the three is necessary: a decent meal two hours beforehand is enough.

One last criterion often settles the matter between them, and it has nothing technical about it: taste. Pure maltodextrin is slightly sweet and neutral; this cyclic dextrin, sweetened, goes down better for many people over the course of a long ride. Over three hours on the bike, drinking something you can stomach counts for more than the finer points of the molecule.

Frequently asked questions

How much carbohydrate is in a serving?

24 g of carbohydrate for 95 kcal, in a 25 g serving. What makes it distinctive is the “of which sugars” line, which reads 0 g: the energy comes from a complex carbohydrate rather than from simple sugars, which changes how the drink is tolerated during exercise.

Why mix it into 400 to 500 ml?

Because that is the volume that gives the drink a concentration close to that of the body's own fluids, the condition for it to leave the stomach quickly. One serving in 250 ml cancels out that advantage and brings the product back down to the level of an ordinary sugary drink.

Does it contain sweeteners?

Yes. The ingredient list declares sucralose and acesulfame K, even though other parts of the manufacturer's documentation present the powder as a single-ingredient product. We go by the ingredient list. Neither of these two sweeteners provides calories or appears in the sugars line.

Can you take it after training?

Yes, within the 30 minutes that follow, as the manufacturer allows. For that particular use, however, a far cheaper maltodextrin will do the same job: the advantage of cyclic dextrin plays out during exercise, not after it.

Is it suitable for weight training sessions?

On long, intense sessions, yes, drunk during the session. On an hour-long session for someone who ate two hours beforehand, the intake is superfluous and simply adds 95 kcal. The criterion is how long the effort actually lasts, not the discipline.

Is it suitable for vegans?

No ingredient of animal origin appears in the list: the dextrin comes from maize starch and both sweeteners are synthetic. The manufacturer does not, however, claim vegan status, and the product may contain traces of milk and eggs from the production facility.

Can it be mixed with other powders?

Without difficulty, with electrolytes or amino acids in the same bottle. Just avoid adding a protein to it if you intend to drink it during exercise: the mixture becomes thick and loses the whole digestive tolerance advantage that justifies the purchase.

Where can you buy IO Genix Cyclic Dextrin?

The powder can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we always ask the same question before recommending it: how long does your session last? Under an hour, we point the customer back towards their plate rather than towards this tub. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix WaxyMaze?

IO Genix WaxyMaze is a carbohydrate powder for mixing with water, made from waxy maize starch. A 75 g serving provides 74 g of carbohydrate for 297 kcal, of which 0 g sugars, and 0.5 mg of vitamin B1. It dissolves in 500 to 700 ml of water and is drunk during or after exercise.

Waxy maize — waxy maize in English — is a variety of maize whose starch consists almost entirely of amylopectin, the branched fraction of starch. Ordinary starch contains around a quarter amylose, the linear fraction, which digests more slowly. It is this botanical peculiarity, and nothing else, that explains how the product behaves in the body.

In concrete terms, you are dealing with a high-glycaemic-index carbohydrate source, with no sugar in the nutritional sense of the word, and no pronounced sweet taste. It is fuel, not a drink for pleasure. The rest of the Spanish range can be browsed in our IO Genix aisle, and the other products in the category in our waxy maize aisle.

What does a serving of WaxyMaze contain?

The line to look at is the sugars: 74 g of carbohydrate, of which 0 g sugars. That is what sets a starch powder apart from a conventional energy drink, where most of the carbohydrate is sucrose or glucose. Here, it all comes from a branched starch. The energy arrives quickly, but it does not arrive as sugar, and the cloying feeling typical of very sweet drinks does not occur.

The vitamin B1 is not there for show: it is the vitamin involved in carbohydrate metabolism, and thiamine contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism — that is the authorised wording. At 0.5 mg per serving, i.e. 45% of the reference value, the amount is enough to be declared.

One point we want to state plainly, because it changes how this product should be used: it contains no sodium. The table shows 0 g of salt. So this is not a complete sports drink: on a long ride or in hot weather, you will be short of the electrolytes you lose through sweat. Plan for those separately — our electrolytes aisle exists for that. A carbohydrate powder on its own is no substitute for a properly formulated isotonic drink.

Something else that cannot be asserted is that this powder clears the stomach faster than any other: that is the classic marketing argument for waxy maize, it has not been validated at European level and we will not repeat it. What is true and verifiable is the composition: a branched starch, high glycaemic index, no sugar.

Data missing from the manufacturer's file: the net weight of the tub, and therefore the number of servings, is not disclosed, any more than the stated origin of the flavouring. We will not infer them; the net content is shown on the packaging you receive.

Ingredients list

Modified starch, flavouring, acidity regulator (citric acid), sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame K), vitamin B1 (thiamine hydrochloride).

May contain traces of GLUTEN, MILK, EGG and SOYA.

How do you take WaxyMaze?

Serving: 75 g. Liquid: 500 to 700 ml of water. Timing: 30 minutes before exercise, sipped during exercise, or immediately afterwards. Frequency: one serving per session, depending on duration and intensity. Duration: no course to follow, it is a product used occasionally around training.

The dilution volume is the most important parameter, and it is the one people get wrong most often. A 75 g serving in 300 ml gives a very concentrated drink, hard to swallow during exercise and sometimes heavy on the stomach. The 500 to 700 ml specified by the manufacturer are not a suggestion: they correspond to a concentration the digestive tract will accept under exertion. If you have to carry less liquid, cut the powder, not the water.

Adjust the concentration to the outside temperature — an endurance habit that few people apply. In cold weather you sweat less and can go more concentrated: the manufacturer mentions 60 to 80 g per litre. In hot weather, what you mainly need is to drink: drop to 20 to 40 g per litre and increase the volume.

In weight training, the 75 g serving in 500 ml during the session makes sense on long, high-volume workouts. On an hour of strength work it is probably superfluous: over that duration your glycogen stores are enough, and another 297 kcal in the day is not neutral if you are watching your weight.

For recovery, the classic combination remains carbohydrate plus protein. A serving of WaxyMaze with a scoop of protein within the thirty minutes after the session covers both needs at once, and it is also the basis of a self-made mass gain shake, often cheaper than a ready-made gainer.

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

It suits an endurance athlete on efforts of more than an hour, a weight trainer on long sessions, and anyone looking to increase their daily calorie intake without going through bulky foods.

It is not for you if your goal is weight loss. This is the point on which we regularly turn down sales in the shop: 297 kcal in a drink is the equivalent of a light meal, and drinking your calories is the quickest way to derail a deficit. During a cutting phase, this product only makes sense on very long sessions, and even then.

It is not recommended for children, adolescents, pregnant women or breastfeeding women. People with diabetes or with a blood-sugar regulation disorder should seek their doctor's advice before using a high-glycaemic-index powder: that is not a token precaution.

The formula contains sucralose and acesulfame K. If you avoid artificial sweeteners, this product is not for you. Anyone with allergies should take account of the traces of gluten, milk, egg and soya.

What not to expect from it: this is not a performance product with an immediate effect. You will not be stronger after drinking it. It supplies fuel, which is only of interest if the effort actually consumes it. On an hour-long session for someone who eats properly, the usefulness is slight.

WaxyMaze or cyclic dextrin?

The two powders occupy the same place in the carbohydrate aisle, and the choice comes down to two simple criteria.

WaxyMaze is an amylopectin derived from waxy maize. It is the most economical option per gram of carbohydrate, it mixes properly and it suits the majority of uses: post-session refuelling, a drink for long training sessions, extra calories during mass gain.

Cyclic dextrin is a starch processed differently, whose main quality is digestive comfort at high concentration. If you have ever had a heavy stomach from a carbohydrate powder during exercise, that is the parameter that matters to you, and our cyclic dextrin aisle is the right place. The trade-off is that it costs considerably more.

That leaves maltodextrin, the oldest and cheapest of the three, perfectly valid for recovery when digestive tolerance is not an issue. To sum up: maltodextrin if budget comes first, WaxyMaze for a good compromise, cyclic dextrin if your stomach has already let you down mid-race.

Frequently asked questions

How much carbohydrate in a serving?

74 g of carbohydrate for 297 kcal, of which 0 g sugars. All of it comes from waxy maize starch, rich in amylopectin. That is the carbohydrate equivalent of roughly 100 g of dry pasta, in liquid form and with no bulk in the stomach.

Does it taste sweet?

Not very. The product contains no sugars, only sucralose and acesulfame K in small amounts, plus an acidity regulator. The resulting drink stays light in taste, which is an advantage on long efforts where very sweet drinks end up becoming sickly.

Do you need to add electrolytes?

Yes, as soon as the effort drags on and you are sweating. The nutrition table shows 0 g of salt: this powder supplies fuel, not minerals. On a long ride or in hot weather, add an electrolyte product or a pinch of salt to your bottle.

Before, during or after training?

All three are provided for, but the most worthwhile use is during efforts of more than sixty minutes and immediately after an intense session. Before exercise, taking it 30 minutes beforehand works; on a short session, by contrast, the intake is of little interest.

Can it be mixed with a protein?

Yes, and it is in fact the most common pairing for recovery: carbohydrate and protein in the same shaker after the session. It is also the basis of a home-made gainer, generally cheaper and more adjustable than a ready-made mass gain product.

How much water per serving?

500 to 700 ml for 75 g of powder. Below 500 ml, the drink becomes concentrated and sits heavily on the stomach during exercise. In hot weather, increase the volume further or cut the powder: it is digestive comfort that decides, not the theoretical serving.

Does this product make you put on weight?

It provides 297 kcal per serving, so yes, if you add it to a diet that already covers your needs. That is precisely its value during mass gain and its main drawback during a cutting phase. Use it according to your goal, not out of habit.

Where can you buy IO Genix WaxyMaze?

The 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 recommend mainly to cyclists and trail runners, and one we frankly advise against for anyone trying to lose weight: drinking 300 kcal is the most discreet way of sabotaging a deficit. The full aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

What is Olimp Carbonox?

Olimp Carbonox is a carbohydrate powder to be mixed with water, intended for training, made by Olimp Sport Nutrition, a Polish brand. It is dosed at 50 g and drunk before, during or after a session.

The body of the formula is a blend of three carbohydrates: maltodextrins, glucose and isomaltulose. To these are added L-arginine hydrochloride, two acidity regulators (malic acid, citric acid), a set of vitamins and minerals, flavourings, two sweeteners (acesulfame K and sucralose) and colours depending on the flavour. The flavours listed: Strawberry, Lemon, Orange, Pineapple and Grapefruit.

A word on method before going further. This page repeats no promise of "two hours of stable blood sugar" and no stated duration of energy: those claims circulate about this product, they are not backed by any verifiable source and they no longer appear here. The net weight of the tub, for its part, does not appear in the product data we hold for this item: it is printed on the packaging, so we work in 50 g servings rather than in servings per tub.

What does a 50 g serving of Carbonox contain?

One serving provides 47.5 g of carbohydrate, of which 12.5 g sugars, for 816 kJ / 192 kcal, 0.5 g of protein, 0 g of fat and 0.025 g of salt. It also contains 500 mg of L-arginine hydrochloride, i.e. 410 mg of L-arginine.

What sets the product apart is its fortification. The vitamins are dosed at a consistent level: each of the ones that are quantified provides 20 % of the NRV per 50 g serving. On the mineral side, chromium reaches 94 % and manganese 50 %, while calcium and magnesium stay below the 15 % that any claim depends on.

* No NRV is established for L-arginine, and no health claim is authorised for it: it appears in the composition, it is not an argument for effectiveness. Two reservations about the table, which we would rather write down than round off. The ingredients list mentions twelve vitamins, but only ten are quantified: vitamin D and pantothenic acid appear in the composition with no content declared. Likewise, the list mentions eight minerals — iodine and molybdenum being added to the six in the table — but only six are quantified. We are not inventing the four missing rows.

The verified levels permit the following European wordings, and only those: vitamin C, B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, biotin, iron and manganese contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism; vitamin C, B2, B6, B12, niacin, folate and iron contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue; vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress; vitamin A contributes to the normal function of the immune system and to the maintenance of normal vision; chromium contributes to normal macronutrient metabolism. The multivitamins department covers the same ground outside a training context.

On the carbohydrates themselves, a European claim does exist, but its conditions of use require an intake of the order of 4 g of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight after exercise. For a person of 75 kg, that comes to 300 g of carbohydrate, or six servings. A 50 g serving does not meet that condition: we therefore claim nothing on that front.

How do you take Olimp Carbonox?

The manufacturer specifies one 50 g scoop in 100 to 200 ml of water, to be mixed vigorously for at least 10 seconds. The recommended amount is 2 to 4 servings a day depending on training intensity and body weight — that is 95 to 190 g of carbohydrate a day from this product alone.

Three timings are proposed: 30 minutes before training, during the session in small sips, and immediately after. No course length is given by the manufacturer, and there is no reason to set one: a carbohydrate powder is taken according to training load, not as a course.

A practical note on dilution. Fifty grams in 100 ml gives a very concentrated solution, which slows gastric emptying and troubles a lot of athletes during exercise. If you are drinking the mix while running or cycling, go beyond the 200 ml stated and dilute in 500 to 700 ml. The manufacturer's range suits a single drink after the session better.

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

The product is aimed at adults whose training load is genuine: long sessions, back-to-back workouts, endurance sports, or bulking where calorie intake from solid food becomes hard to sustain. If you train for an hour three times a week, a 192 kcal serving of fast carbohydrate serves no purpose and simply adds to your calorie balance.

The manufacturer states clearly that the product is not suitable for people with diabetes. It advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as for the under-18s, and reminds you not to exceed the daily serving. It is made in a factory that handles milk, eggs, soya, nuts, peanuts, gluten, fish, crustaceans and molluscs: traces are possible. Any question relating to a medical treatment or condition belongs with your doctor or your pharmacist.

What you should not expect from it: this is not a weight loss product, quite the opposite. Nor is it a meal replacement, despite the vitamins: 0.5 g of protein per serving feeds nothing. And it is not a pre-workout, it contains no caffeine. Finally, no promise about how long the energy lasts can be kept: the rate at which you empty your stores depends on intensity, on what you have eaten that day and on your training, not on the composition of a powder.

Carbonox or a plain maltodextrin?

The question is a genuine one, because the price gap per kilo of carbohydrate is significant.

A plain maltodextrin is the better choice when you are consuming large volumes of carbohydrate, when you want to control your intake precisely, or when you are already taking vitamins elsewhere — Carbonox's 20 % of the NRV then adds to what you are swallowing on the other side, and the benefit melts away. It is also preferable if you are mixing your carbohydrate with a protein or with amino acids in the same bottle: the fewer flavourings and acidifiers there are, the better the mix behaves.

Carbonox holds its own when you want a ready-to-use drink that is pleasant to swallow, and when the vitamin content replaces a multivitamin you are not taking. If it is digestive comfort on very long efforts that concerns you, look instead at cyclodextrin, whose osmolarity is more favourable, or at waxy maize. And to cover the calories of a weight gain phase, carbohydrate combined with protein works better than carbohydrate on its own.

Frequently asked questions

What proportion of Carbonox is maltodextrin?

The manufacturer does not publish the split between the three sources. The ingredients list puts the carbohydrate blend first, with the maltodextrins named before glucose and then isomaltulose, which indicates descending order of quantity without giving weights. We are not going to estimate them.

How many 50 g servings can you take a day?

Two to four depending on training intensity and body weight, according to the manufacturer. That comes to 95 to 190 g of carbohydrate and 384 to 768 kcal from this product alone. Count them in your daily balance: this is energy, not a neutral supplement.

Is Carbonox suitable for people with diabetes?

No. The manufacturer says so explicitly, and the composition confirms it: 47.5 g of carbohydrate per serving, of which 12.5 g sugars. No multi-source formulation changes that figure. If this concerns you, the question is one for your doctor, not for a product page.

Does the nutrition table change with the flavour?

The published values apply to the range; only the colours vary with the flavour, as the ingredients list indicates. The flavours listed are Strawberry, Lemon, Orange, Pineapple and Grapefruit. The two sweeteners, acesulfame K and sucralose, are common to all of them.

Does Carbonox contain gluten?

No gluten-containing ingredient appears in the composition, but the factory also handles gluten, as well as milk, eggs, soya, nuts, peanuts, fish, crustaceans and molluscs. If you have coeliac disease, this risk of traces should be taken seriously.

How many vitamins and minerals are actually quantified?

Ten vitamins out of the twelve present in the ingredients list, and six minerals out of the eight. Vitamin D, pantothenic acid, iodine and molybdenum appear in the composition with no content declared. That is a shortcoming of the label, not an omission on our part, and it makes any claim for those four nutrients impossible to use.

Can it be mixed with a protein?

Yes, with no known interaction, and combining carbohydrate with protein makes sense after a long session. Just be aware that Carbonox's acidifiers, malic acid and citric acid, can alter the texture of a whey. A neutral maltodextrin mixes more cleanly if that is your main use.

Should it be taken during or after exercise?

Both are proposed by the manufacturer. During exercise, dilute generously — 500 to 700 ml rather than the 200 ml stated — to avoid the digestive discomfort of an over-concentrated solution. After exercise, the tighter dilution poses no problem since the drink is swallowed in one go.

Where can you buy Olimp Carbonox?

This page lets you order the flavours, and we ship throughout France and Europe. In our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the kind of product that is better discussed before being bought: the first question we ask is how many hours of training a week, because below a certain volume a carbohydrate powder has nothing to offer. The rest of the department is in our sports nutrition section.

What is Sinob Honest Whey 1 kg?

Sinob Honest Whey is a whey concentrate in a 1 kg pouch, supplemented with a share of isolate. The composition stated by the manufacturer is precise: 81.9% whey protein concentrate and 12.5% isolate, the remainder being the flavouring, the sweeteners and the colouring. It is an everyday whey.

What sets the German brand Sinob apart comes down to two points, and they are the only verifiable ones. The first: the manufacturer names its raw material supplier, the Irish dairy company Volac, where almost the whole of the category simply writes "whey". The second: it states that it prints on each pack a serial number specific to the batch. A claim that a buyer can trace back to a specific batch is no longer a marketing statement — it is the difference between the two that makes the product interesting.

The flavours listed here, from Vanilla Ice Cream to Cinnamon Rice Pudding, including an Unflavoured version with no flavouring or sweetener.

What does a 30 g serving of Honest Whey contain?

The reference serving is 30 g, that is two scoops. It provides 22 to 23 g of protein depending on the flavour, for 110 to 120 kcal, 1 to 2 g of carbohydrate and 1 to 1.5 g of fat. The 1 kg pouch covers about 33 servings.

Related to 100 g of powder, that places the product at around 74 to 77 g of protein. That is less than a pure isolate, and that is normal: a concentrate retains a share of lactose and fat, which gives it its texture and its price. A level shown as 90% on a whey at this price should raise doubts, not reassure.

The manufacturer also states more than 6 g of BCAAs and more than 13 g of essential amino acids per 30 g serving. We report these while attributing them to the manufacturer. We do not, however, publish a detailed amino acid profile, a "per 100 g" column, or a line for "of which sugars", "fibre" or "salt": these data do not appear in what has been passed on to us. The applicable regulatory wording is this one: proteins contribute to a growth in and the maintenance of muscle mass.

How do you prepare Sinob Honest Whey?

The manufacturer indicates 30 g in 250 to 300 ml of cold water or milk, shaken for 20 seconds in a shaker. One to three servings per day depending on the gap between your dietary intake and your target. No course duration is indicated, and there is no reason to set one.

Water gives a light drink, milk a denser texture and a higher calorie contribution — useful during mass gain, to be avoided if you are watching your calories. The timing of the serving is secondary: after the session, at breakfast or between two meals, it is the day's protein total that determines the result.

The powder withstands cooking and works in a porridge, in pancakes or in fromage blanc. The Unflavoured version lends itself best to this: with no flavouring or sweetener, it is the only one you can sweeten yourself or add to a savoury preparation.

Who is Honest Whey suitable for, and who is it not suitable for?

It suits anyone who wants to know where what they are buying comes from without paying the price of an isolate, and anyone who quickly tires of a flavour: the choice of flavours here is wider than with most brands.

The product contains MILK, and therefore lactose, and SOYA in the form of lecithin. Traces of GLUTEN, EGGS, CRUSTACEANS, NUTS and LUPIN are possible. The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women, children, adolescents and people under medical treatment, and refers you to a doctor in case of doubt.

It is not suitable if you digest lactose poorly: the 12.5% of isolate changes almost nothing, the bulk of the formula remains a concentrate. In that case, turn to a whey isolate. Nor is it suitable if you are looking for as much protein as possible per serving, or if you are sensitive to soya. Finally, it is neither a weight loss product nor a meal replacement: it provides protein, and nothing else.

Sinob Honest Whey or ESN Designer Whey?

Both are German blends of concentrate and isolate, in the same price range. The choice comes down to three concrete points.

Density: 22 to 23 g of protein per 30 g serving with Sinob, against 23 to 25 g with ESN. The gap is real but modest — about two grams, that is less than a mouthful of chicken breast. Traceability: Sinob names its raw material supplier and numbers its batches, ESN does not. If this criterion matters to you, there is no debate. The choice of flavours: broader with Sinob, with an Unflavoured version that the ESN range does not offer here.

ESN remains the better choice if you count your grams as closely as possible and if you prefer a distinctly dessert-like profile. Sinob wins on transparency, on the number of flavours and on the 1 kg pouch format, easier to store than a rigid tub. In both cases, do the calculation that settles it: price, divided by the weight in kilos, divided by the protein level per 100 g.

Frequently asked questions

What is the serial number printed on the pouch for?

It identifies the production batch your pouch belongs to, and makes it possible to link a specific pack to a specific production run — which makes a check or a complaint possible. Few brands in the category go that far.

How many servings does the 1 kg pouch contain?

About 33 servings of 30 g. At one serving a day, that covers a month. At two servings on training days, reckon on three weeks. The pouch reseals and should be kept dry, away from heat and light.

Why is the protein level lower than on an isolate?

Because the formula is 81.9% based on a concentrate, which keeps a share of lactose and fat. An isolate takes filtration further and exceeds 85 g of protein per 100 g, but costs more. At 74-77 g per 100 g, Honest Whey sits within the normal range for a well-made concentrate.

What is the Unflavoured version like?

It contains neither flavouring nor sweetener: it is whey powder, with the slightly milky taste that goes with it. It appeals to two profiles, those who cannot tolerate sweeteners and those who cook with their whey and want to control the sugar or the cocoa themselves.

Can it be mixed with milk?

Yes, unlike a clear whey. Milk gives a thicker texture and adds calories, which is useful during a weight gain period and a nuisance during a restriction period. With water, reckon on 250 to 300 ml; with milk, stay closer to 250 ml, as the drink is already dense.

What is Volac, and why mention it?

It is the whey supplier named by the manufacturer, an Irish dairy company. Mentioning it does not mechanically improve the product, but it commits the brand to a specific origin rather than to an adjective. We report this information as the manufacturer publishes it.

Does it contain gluten?

Gluten is not an ingredient, but traces are possible owing to manufacture in a shared facility, in the same way as eggs, crustaceans, nuts and lupin. In case of coeliac disease, this product is not indicated.

Where to buy Sinob Honest Whey 1 kg?

The flavours can be ordered on this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. In our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, you can see the pouch, read the label and the batch number before buying — it is the only way to check for yourself what this page states.

The rest of the protein section can be compared in our sports nutrition, and the supplements taken alongside in the creatine monohydrate collection.

What is IO Genix Oat Flour?

IO Genix Farine d'Avoine is a powder made from micronised oat flakes — that is, ground extremely finely so that they dissolve in a liquid without cooking. Per 100 g, it provides 376 kcal, 61 g of carbohydrate of which only 1.3 g is sugars, 13 g of protein and 9.7 g of fibre. The flavours on offer run from chocolate brownie to pistachio, alongside an unflavoured version.

It is a food, not a supplement built around an isolated active: what you are buying is oats, put into a format you can drink from a shaker. Its appeal lies entirely in convenience. Where a porridge calls for a pan and ten minutes, one scoop in 250 ml of milk delivers the same intake in thirty seconds.

Oats are the most interesting cereal for a sportsperson's breakfast for one simple reason: they combine slow-digesting carbohydrate, a protein share that is unusual for a cereal, and a high fibre content. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix aisle, and the other products in the category in our oat flour aisle.

What does a serving of Oat Flour contain?

Two lines in this table deserve to be read together: 61 g of carbohydrate and 1.3 g of sugars. It is that ratio which sets an oat flour apart from an off-the-shelf chocolate powder, where the proportions are often reversed. With 1.3 g of sugars per 100 g, this product meets the European criterion for the low in sugars claim. The brownie or pistachio taste therefore comes from the flavourings and sweeteners, not from added sugar.

The fibre content is the other strong figure. At 9.7 g per 100 g, the product clears the threshold that allows it to be described as high in fibre under European regulations. A 30 g serving provides 2.9 g of it, which is far from trivial given that average intake in France remains below the recommendations.

The 13 g of protein per 100 g is also worth flagging: it is markedly more than rice or wheat flour. A 30 g serving provides 3.9 g, which does not make this powder a protein source, but which usefully adds to the shake if you mix it with a protein.

A point of honesty about what we cannot write. Oats contain beta-glucans, a soluble fibre that benefits from authorised claims in Europe. But those claims require a minimum quantity of beta-glucans per portion, and the manufacturer does not publish the beta-glucan content of this powder. We therefore cannot repeat them, and we are not going to invent them.

Ingredients list

Unflavoured: micronised oat flakes.

Flavoured versions: micronised oat flakes, natural flavourings, sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame potassium, steviol glycosides).

Chocolate versions: micronised oat flakes, cocoa powder, flavourings, sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame potassium, steviol glycosides).

May contain GLUTEN through cross-contamination. May contain traces of EGGS, MILK, NUTS and SOYA.

How do you use Oat Flour?

Serving: 30 g, or one scoop; 40 to 50 g when bulking. Liquid: 200 to 300 ml of water, milk or plant-based drink. Timing: at breakfast, one to two hours before training, or as a snack. Frequency: one to three servings a day depending on your goal. Duration: it is a food, there is no course to follow.

Shake it vigorously, and preferably in a shaker rather than stirring with a spoon. Micronisation makes things much easier, but a flour is still a flour: pour the liquid in first, the powder second, and shake immediately. That is the only way to avoid lumps.

The choice of liquid completely changes the result. With water, you stay at 113 kcal for a fluid texture. With milk, count on around a hundred extra calories, more protein and a distinctly creamier consistency — that is what we recommend for a proper breakfast. With a plant-based drink, the result sits somewhere in between.

It lends itself very well to cooking, unlike many powders in this aisle: pancakes, crêpes, muffins, overnight cold porridge. It can replace part of the ordinary flour in a recipe, bearing in mind that it does not rise like wheat flour and gives denser results. Ready-made protein pancakes remain simpler if you have no time to weigh things out.

For pre-training use, allow one to two hours before the session: this is slow-digesting carbohydrate, and 2.9 g of fibre per serving is not something to take just before going for a run. If you are after carbohydrate to take during exercise, maltodextrin is where to turn, not here.

Who is Oat Flour for, and who is it not for?

It suits anyone who cannot face a solid breakfast in the morning, anyone short of time, anyone looking for quality carbohydrate while bulking, and anyone wanting to break out of the bread-and-sugary-cereal routine. It is probably the best value-for-interest product in the whole range.

It is not suitable for people who are gluten intolerant or coeliac. Oats do not contain gluten naturally, but the manufacturer explicitly flags a possible presence of gluten through cross-contamination: this product is not certified gluten-free, and that distinction is decisive in this particular case. It may also contain traces of eggs, milk, nuts and soya.

The manufacturer carries the usual food supplement wording on its label: product not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women, children or people on medical treatment, with medical advice recommended before use. We reproduce it as it stands, without interpreting it, while pointing out that what we have here is micronised oat flakes — in other words, a cereal.

The 2.9 g of fibre per serving is an asset but can trouble a sensitive gut if you go from none to three servings overnight. Build up gradually.

What not to expect from it: it is not a protein, and 3.9 g per serving replaces no shake. Nor is it a slimming product — 113 kcal a serving are calories like any others, simply good-quality ones. And if your goal is mass gain, this powder contributes to it but does not replace a complete gainer.

Oat flour or cream of rice — which to choose?

Both occupy the same place in an eating plan and are separated by three specific criteria.

Cream of rice is more digestible, almost fibre-free, and better suited to just before or just after training, when a light stomach is preferable. It is also naturally gluten-free, which settles the question once and for all for anyone intolerant. Its texture is smoother and more neutral.

Oat flour provides more fibre, slightly more protein, and slower digestion. It is the better choice for breakfast and for snacks that have to last several hours. On the other hand it has a coarser texture, which not everyone enjoys.

The third criterion is taste, and it often settles matters: the choice of flavours here is wider than it generally is in cream of rice. On a product eaten every morning, palate fatigue is a real issue. A spoonful of peanut butter in the bowl solves the problem for both, as it happens.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories are in a serving?

113 kcal per 30 g made up with water, with 18.3 g of carbohydrate, 3.9 g of protein and 2.9 g of fibre. With semi-skimmed milk, count on around a hundred extra calories and a markedly higher protein intake.

Does it contain gluten?

Oats do not contain it naturally, but the manufacturer flags a possible presence of gluten through cross-contamination. This product is therefore not suitable for coeliacs or for strictly intolerant people. If you need a guaranteed gluten-free option, cream of rice is the right choice.

Is there any added sugar?

No. The table shows 1.3 g of sugars per 100 g, which corresponds to the sugars naturally present in oats. The taste of the flavoured versions comes from the flavourings and from three sweeteners: sucralose, acesulfame potassium and steviol glycosides.

Can you bake with it?

Yes, and it is in fact one of its best uses: pancakes, crêpes, muffins. Bear in mind that it does not rise like wheat flour and gives denser results. Replacing half the flour in a recipe is a good starting point.

Which flavours are available?

The range includes an unflavoured version, flavoured versions and chocolate versions. The list that is actually available is the set of variants offered on this page: that is what counts, since deliveries do not always cover the whole range.

Can you mix it with a protein?

Yes, and that is the most common use: 30 g of oat flour with 25 g of protein makes a complete breakfast in a single shaker. The mix is thicker, so add 50 ml more liquid than usual.

How much when bulking?

The manufacturer suggests 50 g per serving and two to three servings a day in that case, against 30 g in the morning and before the session for maintenance. Build up gradually: jumping straight to an extra 9 g of fibre a day makes itself felt on your digestion.

Where to buy IO Genix Farine d'Avoine?

The various flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is the first product we suggest to anyone who tells us they cannot swallow a thing before eleven in the morning: drinking your breakfast still works better than skipping the meal while promising yourself you will do better tomorrow. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Cream of Rice?

IO Genix Crème de Riz is a pre-cooked rice flour, ground to a fine powder and designed to be reconstituted with hot water. It belongs to the family of instant carbohydrate sources, alongside oat flour and sweet potato flour.

The composition of the unflavoured version comes down to three words: pre-cooked rice flour. The flavoured versions add flavourings and three sweeteners — sucralose, acesulfame potassium and steviol glycosides. The chocolate flavours contain cocoa powder, and the Caramel Salé version contains sodium chloride. It is a short list, and on this type of product that is exactly what you want.

The flavours listed — Chokokrac, Black Cookies, Caramel Salé, Marie Cookies, Chocolat Peanut Butter, Rochello, Stracciatella, Praliné, Nutchoc, Crema Rica Cookies, Chocolat Amazonico, White Choco Rings, Dubai Chocolate — plus an unflavoured version, with no flavouring or sweetener, to cook with as you see fit. The product joins our cream of rice and IO Genix aisles.

What does a serving of cream of rice contain?

* Columns calculated from the values declared per 100 g, as the manufacturer does not publish a per-serving column. The energy value is given in kilocalories only, with no kilojoule equivalent, and fibre is not declared. The manufacturer also mentions the presence of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium and iron without publishing the amounts: without figures, no nutrition or health claim can be made for these nutrients, and so we will not make one.

The figure that defines the product is the ratio of 77 g of carbohydrate to just 0.3 g of sugars per 100 g. In other words, almost all of the carbohydrate content is starch. That is what sets a cream of rice apart from a maltodextrin or a sugary gainer: you get the energy without the simple-sugar load, in a preparation you can drink.

A second useful point: 8.4 g of protein per 100 g. It is not a protein source and should not be treated as one — but it beats pure maltodextrin, which provides none at all. Finally, 2.7 g of fat and 0.4 g of salt per 100 g: two low values, consistent with a cereal flour.

How do you prepare cream of rice?

Serving: 30 to 50 g depending on the occasion. Liquid: 200 ml of hot water per 50 g, adjusted to the consistency you want. Timing: 45 to 60 minutes before training, or immediately after, or at breakfast. Frequency: 1 to 3 servings a day depending on your goal. Duration: none, it is a food.

Preparation is the product's real selling point: tip in 50 g, or one and a half scoops, into 200 ml of hot water, stir, and the cream is ready in thirty seconds. No pan, no cooking, no washing-up. Add water if you want it runnier, or cut it back for a thick, spoonable texture.

The guidelines by situation, as the manufacturer gives them: 30 to 40 g 45 to 60 minutes before training; 40 to 50 g immediately after; 30 g at breakfast, with fruit; 30 g as a snack between meals. For mass gain, count on 50 g per serving across two to three servings a day; when cutting, 30 g around training only.

Two combinations that work. With a protein, in a ratio of 40 g of cream to 25 g of powder: it is the easiest post-training shake to put together. And in cooking, in pancakes, crêpes or bowl cakes, where the unflavoured version gives you the most freedom. A plant-based milk in place of water changes the texture completely.

Who is cream of rice for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed first at those who struggle to eat enough carbohydrate: limited appetite, short days, sessions close to mealtimes. Drinking 183 kcal of carbohydrate is far easier than getting through the equivalent in cooked rice. It also suits those who digest a solid meal poorly before training: a liquid texture goes down better than a plate an hour before a session.

The manufacturer states that the product is not suitable for pregnant women, breastfeeding women, children or people on medical treatment, and advises consulting a doctor before use. It may contain traces of EGGS, MILK, FISH and SOYA. Store it in a dry place away from light. If you experience any adverse effect, stop and seek advice.

Here is what not to expect from it. It is not a protein source: 4.2 g in a 50 g serving does not count towards a protein total. Nor is it a weight-loss product — 183 kcal a serving is energy, and energy that is easy to swallow, which is precisely the opposite of what you want in a strict deficit. And there is nothing magical about rice flour: it is ground, pre-cooked rice. Its value lies in convenience, not in any nutritional superiority over a bowl of rice.

Cream of rice or maltodextrin?

Both are powdered carbohydrate sources, and we are often asked which to choose. The answer depends on the time of day.

Maltodextrin is the better choice during and immediately after exercise, particularly in endurance sports. It dissolves in cold water, can be drunk from a bottle, and its rapid absorption is precisely what is asked of it. On that ground, cream of rice cannot replace it: it is thick, it is prepared with hot water, and you cannot drink it while pedalling.

Cream of rice wins everywhere else. Its profile is that of a food rather than a sugar: 77 g of carbohydrate of which only 0.3 g is sugars, against a maltodextrin made up of rapidly absorbed carbohydrate. It fills you up, it has flavour, it can be cooked with, and it provides 8.4 g of protein per 100 g. For breakfast, a snack, or the pre-training meal, this is the one to reach for. The other options in the aisle — waxy maize, cyclic dextrin — sit on the maltodextrin side, not the food side.

Frequently asked questions

Hot water or cold?

Hot water, 200 ml per 50 g. The flour is pre-cooked, which lets it thicken as soon as it meets heat — allow thirty seconds of stirring. With cold water, the texture stays grainy and far less pleasant.

How many servings are there in a bag?

The net weight of the packaging does not appear in the data supplied by the manufacturer, so we cannot work it out. Divide the weight stated on the packaging by 50 g, or by 30 g depending on your usual serving.

Does the unflavoured version have any taste?

Very little: it is pre-cooked rice flour, with no flavouring or sweetener. That is a drawback if you drink it on its own, and an advantage if you cook with it — it imposes no flavour on your preparations, and you control the sweetness.

Can you mix it with whey?

Yes, and it is in fact the most common use. The manufacturer suggests 40 g of cream to 25 g of protein. Make the cream up with hot water first, let it cool for a minute, then add the protein: poured into a scalding liquid, a whey can curdle.

How much should you take before training?

30 to 40 g, 45 to 60 minutes before the session, according to the manufacturer's guidelines. That works out at 110 to 146 kcal and 23 to 31 g of carbohydrate. Beyond that, and especially less than an hour before exercise, the volume can become uncomfortable.

Does it contain gluten?

Rice flour does not contain any naturally. The manufacturer does not, however, claim a "gluten-free" designation in the data available to us, and flags possible traces of eggs, milk, fish and soya. If you have coeliac disease, check the label on the bag.

Is it suitable when cutting?

Yes, provided you keep the dose in check. The manufacturer recommends 30 g around training only, or 110 kcal. In its favour: 0.3 g of sugars per 100 g and a filling texture. Against it: this is liquid energy, easy to consume without noticing.

Where to buy IO Genix Crème de Riz?

All the available flavours can be ordered from this page, including the unflavoured version. We ship throughout France and Europe.

This is a product that is better chosen in store than online, because the difference in taste between a Stracciatella and a Chocolat Amazonico cannot be guessed from a photo. Our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, stocks them all, and it is the moment to leave with two different bags rather than two of the same.

What is Sinob Core Creapure®?

Core Creapure® is the creatine from the German brand Sinob: a 500 g tub of creatine monohydrate carrying the Creapure® label, whose raw material is produced by AlzChem at its site in Trostberg, Bavaria. No flavouring, no additives, a single ingredient.

What the label guarantees — origin, dedicated production line, batch-by-batch control of synthesis by-products — is explained on our Creapure page, and it is the same for every product that carries it. No need to repeat it here: what sets this one apart comes down to three details on the label.

The first is a Creapure® licence number, no. 19SN14, printed on the packaging: a verifiable identifier that no other labelled creatine in our range displays. The second is a stated purity figure, with the manufacturer declaring more than 99.9% creatine monohydrate and production in a closed system. The third is the claimed absence of additives: no sweetener, no flavouring, no colouring, no preservative.

What does a 5 g scoop contain?

This is the point that most clearly separates this product from other labelled creatines: the label is written for 5 g, not for 3 g. A full scoop provides 5,000 mg of creatine monohydrate and 10 kcal, along with 0.1 g of fat, 0.1 g of carbohydrate, 0.1 g of protein and 0.1 g of salt.

Five grams is the top of the usual maintenance range of 3 to 5 g a day, or roughly 0.03 g per kilo of body weight: 3 g for 65 kg, 5 g for 90 kg. The claim authorised in the European Union, for its part, is based on 3 g a day — creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise. Beyond that, the excess is passed in the urine.

The tub states 100 servings: 100 days if you follow the label at 5 g, roughly 166 days if you drop to 3 g as most people under 80 kg do. The difference in annual cost between these two ways of dosing the same tub does not depend on the brand, but on you.

How do you take Sinob Core Creapure®?

The manufacturer states 3 to 5 g a day, that is one scoop, in 300 ml of water, as a single daily serving, at any time. It sets no course duration and specifies that no loading phase is necessary — we agree, and that is rare enough to be worth pointing out.

On this point, our position does not change: 20 g a day for a week only brings saturation forward by two to three weeks, without changing the final level in any way. It is the period in which digestive discomfort is most likely to appear, and it quadruples consumption.

Timing hardly matters at all: creatine works through gradual saturation, not through a blood spike. What counts is consistency, rest days included. Allow three to four weeks before the stores are full.

One clarification: our labelling data does not mention micronisation. If you notice a deposit, it is a matter of preparation — lukewarm rather than ice-cold water, brisk shaking in a shaker, and drinking without letting it stand.

Who is Core Creapure® for, and who is it not for?

For adults doing resistance training or a sport involving short, repeated efforts, and particularly for those weighing more than 85 kg: at that weight, the full scoop corresponds exactly to the target dose, with no fraction to estimate.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as for those under 18, and flags possible traces of gluten, egg, crustaceans, soya and milk linked to the manufacturing environment: this statement rules the product out in cases of coeliac disease or severe allergy, even though none of these ingredients is part of the formulation. ANSES also advises against these supplements for people with impaired kidney or liver function, and supplementation raises serum creatinine: mention it to your doctor before a blood test.

What you should not expect from it: no sensation, no immediate effect, and no greater gain than an unlabelled monohydrate taken at the same dose. Nor is the label an anti-doping certification, which falls under separate programmes covering the finished product. Any medical question is a matter for your doctor or your pharmacist.

Core Creapure® or Nutriting nuCrea+?

Both carry the same label and come as a 500 g tub. The comparison is therefore not about purity or origin, but about how you dose and about the format.

Nutriting nuCrea+ also comes in capsules, which Sinob does not offer: that is the decisive argument if you travel, if you would rather not measure out a powder every morning, or if the neutral but slightly harsh taste of monohydrate puts you off. Its powder is also dosed at 3 g, which suits anyone under 80 kg better.

Core Creapure® is the better choice if you are aiming for 5 g a day from the outset, and if you want a verifiable licence number and a stated purity figure on the packaging. One point that is anything but secondary: at 5 g a day, this tub lasts 100 days against 166 for a tub of the same size dosed at 3 g. Work out the monthly cost before comparing the listed prices.

Frequently asked questions

Is the scoop 3 g or 5 g?

Five grams, filled level: that is the figure used for the labelling and for the count of 100 servings. If you are aiming for 3 g because you weigh less than 70 kg, weigh it once to identify the level — the tub will go from 100 to roughly 166 days.

What is licence number 19SN14 for?

It identifies the holder of the Creapure® licence with the producer of the raw material. It lets you check that the wording on the packaging corresponds to a real licence, rather than relying on a free-form phrase along the lines of "German creatine", which anyone can write.

Is this creatine micronised?

Our labelling data does not specify. Micronisation changes neither the molecule, nor the amount absorbed, nor the result in training: only the speed at which it disperses in a glass. If a deposit bothers you, lukewarm water and brisk shaking almost always settle the matter.

Does it contain sweeteners or flavourings?

No. The manufacturer declares a single ingredient, Creapure® creatine monohydrate, with no sweetener, flavouring, colouring or preservative. The taste is therefore that of plain monohydrate, neutral and slightly harsh. If that bothers you, mix it into a juice or a shake rather than plain water.

Should you drink two litres of water a day as the packaging indicates?

The manufacturer recommends increasing your fluid intake. Drink normally and according to your thirst: creatine draws water into the muscle cell, which explains the slight weight gain of the first few weeks, but no particular hydration protocol has been demonstrated.

What happens if I miss a serving?

Nothing. Muscle saturation builds up and falls away over several weeks, not from one day to the next: an isolated missed dose has no consequence, and you should not double up the following day. On the other hand, irregular use over several months never fully saturates the muscle.

Can it be mixed with a protein or with carbohydrates?

Yes, with no known problematic interaction. Many people add it to their post-workout protein shake, or to a carbohydrate source such as maltodextrin, which often improves digestive tolerance. Just avoid leaving it dissolved for several hours.

Where can you buy Sinob Core Creapure®?

You can order it from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. In our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this tub can be compared in hand with the other labelled products: the licence number takes three seconds to read, and the price per serving can be worked out on the spot. The full range is in our sports nutrition section.

Sources: EFSA for authorised claims, ANSES for the opinion on food supplements intended for athletes. This information is not a substitute for medical advice.

What is Sinob Maltodextrin?

Sinob Maltodextrin is a neutral carbohydrate powder, with no flavouring or sweetener, made of 100% maltodextrin obtained from hydrolysed maize starch. It supplies 96 g of carbohydrate per 100 g of powder, of which less than 1 g is sugars.

Maltodextrin is produced by cutting starch into shorter chains. How far that cutting has gone is measured by an index, the dextrose equivalent, and here it is DE19. It is a technical figure that few brands publish, yet it is the decisive one: the higher the DE, the shorter the chains and the faster the absorption, but the sweeter and more osmotic the drink becomes. A DE19 sits in the middle zone, the one that stays fast without weighing on the stomach. The rest of the German range is listed in our Sinob aisle.

The net weight of the pack is not published by the manufacturer in the information available to us; the packaging you receive carries it.

What does a 30 g serving contain?

The manufacturer states a glycaemic index of around 95 and an absorption time of 15 to 30 minutes. Those values are consistent with a DE19: this is a fast carbohydrate, designed to arrive quickly, not to last.

96 g of carbohydrate for less than 1 g of sugars is the point that confuses people most. How can a powder be almost entirely carbohydrate without containing sugars? Because maltodextrin is a polymer: its chains are too long to fall within the regulatory definition of sugars, which counts only mono- and disaccharides. In glycaemic terms, on the other hand, it behaves like glucose, with an index higher than that of table sugar. That is worth knowing before presenting it as a “sugar free” product: nutritionally, it has all the metabolic effects of sugar.

The second point that counts is the complete neutrality. No flavouring, no sweetener, no additive, no preservative. That means two things in practice. First, it does not disturb the taste of any preparation, which lets you add it to a whey, a porridge or a training drink without changing anything. Second, it is very faintly sweet on the palate but stays bland on its own: drinking it in water with nothing else is a fairly thankless experience.

No health claim exists for maltodextrin, and there is nothing to expect from it beyond what it is: a supply of fast carbohydrate, clean, with no fat and no protein. It is an ingredient, not a product with an effect.

Ingredients list

Maltodextrin 100% (hydrolysed maize starch), dextrose equivalent DE19. No additive, no preservative. Plant origin. Suitable for halal, vegan, lactose free and gluten free diets. No allergen in the composition. Possible traces of GLUTEN, MILK, SOYA and EGGS from the production environment — a nuance to be aware of if you are coeliac, the formula itself being gluten free.

How do you use Maltodextrin?

Serving: 30 g per intake, 30 to 60 g a day when bulking, split into two or three intakes. Liquid: 300 to 500 ml of water. Timing: during training, straight after, or between two meals. Frequency: according to your calorie needs. Duration: no notion of a course, this is a food.

Dilute generously. That is the most important rule with a maltodextrin: too concentrated a solution is hyperosmotic, it draws water into the gut and causes cramps and diarrhoea during exercise. A concentration of 6% to 8%, that is 30 g in 400 to 500 ml, is the comfortable zone. It is precisely the mistake made by those who tip three scoops into a 500 ml shaker and are then surprised by the result.

During a long session, sip rather than swallow it in one go: the aim is to supply a steady flow of carbohydrate, not a spike. After training, on the other hand, taking it quickly does make sense and combines very well with a protein in the same shaker.

When bulking, the most effective use is not the shaker but the discreet addition: 30 g in a porridge, in a rice cream, in a fruit purée. That adds 115 kcal without adding volume or satiety, which is exactly the problem to solve when you can no longer manage to eat.

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

It suits someone bulking who cannot reach their calorie quota, an endurance athlete who needs carbohydrate during exercise, and anyone who wants to build their own training drink rather than buy a ready-made formula.

It also suits those who avoid additives: a single ingredient, nothing else, about as short as a label can be.

It does not suit you if you are in a calorie deficit or cutting: 115 kcal of fast carbohydrate per serving is exactly what you are trying to reduce. Nor does it suit you if you have blood sugar to keep an eye on — with a glycaemic index close to 95 it produces a rapid rise, and that question is one for your doctor before you buy.

A clarification on gluten: the maltodextrin here comes from maize, so it is naturally gluten free, and the manufacturer says so. It does, however, flag possible traces from the production environment. For coeliac disease, that nuance counts.

What you should not expect from it: it is not a performance product in itself. It improves nothing in someone whose glycogen stores are full, and it does not replace a meal — no protein, no fat, no micronutrients. It is pure fuel, useful when fuel is short, pointless when there is enough.

Maltodextrin, cyclodextrin or waxy maize?

The three families share the same aisle and differ in how fast they leave the stomach.

Maltodextrin is the simplest and the cheapest per gram. With a DE19 it leaves the stomach quickly and suits the great majority of uses: bulking, a moderate training drink, refuelling after exercise. Its weakness is its osmolarity: badly diluted, it weighs on the gut.

Cyclodextrin has a much higher molecular weight and a lower osmolarity, which lets it leave the stomach faster still without drawing in water. It is the better choice for long, intense sessions, for endurance sports, and for anyone with a delicate stomach during exercise. It costs considerably more.

Waxy maize sits between the two: unhydrolysed waxy maize starch, slightly more gradual to digest, often chosen for snacks around training rather than during it.

If your aim is purely a calorie one and not tied to the session, a rice flour or a complete gainer gives you more than a maltodextrin on its own, because they add protein and micronutrients that it does not have.

Frequently asked questions

What does DE19 mean?

DE stands for dextrose equivalent: it measures how far the starch has been hydrolysed. The higher the index, the shorter the chains, the faster the absorption and the more osmotic the solution becomes. DE19 corresponds to an intermediate maltodextrin, fast without being harsh on the stomach. Few brands publish this figure.

Why 96 g of carbohydrate but less than 1 g of sugars?

Because the regulations count only mono- and disaccharides as sugars. Maltodextrin is made of longer chains, which do not fall within that definition. In metabolic terms, on the other hand, it behaves like a fast carbohydrate, with a glycaemic index higher than that of table sugar.

How much should you dilute it?

30 g in 400 to 500 ml of water, that is a concentration of 6% to 8%. Beyond that, the solution becomes hyperosmotic and causes digestive trouble during exercise. It is by far the most frequent cause of bad experiences with this kind of product.

Does it contain gluten?

No, the maltodextrin here comes from maize starch, naturally gluten free, and the manufacturer says so. It does, however, flag possible traces of gluten from the production environment. For coeliac disease, that nuance is worth checking on the packaging you receive.

Can you mix it with a whey?

Yes, and that is the most common use after training. The mix alters neither the taste nor the texture of the protein, maltodextrin being neutral. Allow 30 g of maltodextrin for 30 g of protein if your aim is to rebuild your stores after an intense session.

Is it suitable while cutting?

Rarely. It is 115 kcal of fast carbohydrate per serving, with no satiety and no micronutrients, that is to say exactly what a calorie deficit is trying to reduce. The one exception is very long sessions, where an intake during exercise remains justified despite the deficit.

Does it have a taste?

Very little. The powder is faintly sweet on the palate but stays broadly neutral, with no added flavouring or sweetener. That is what makes it a good ingredient to mix in, and a fairly bland product to drink on its own in water.

Where can you buy Sinob Maltodextrin?

It can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is the simplest product in the aisle and yet the one we give the most advice on: almost every problem people run into with a maltodextrin comes from too concentrated a shaker, never from the powder. The rest of the carbohydrate aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Whey 80 Professional?

IO Genix Whey 80 Professional is a powdered whey concentrate made by IO Genix, a Spanish brand. Its raw material is a whey protein concentrate obtained by cross-flow ultrafiltration, sold under the Lactomin® ingredient brand. "Whey 80" refers to the protein content: the powder is standardised at 82% protein, a high figure for a concentrate, where the market standard sits between 70 and 80%.

The formula does not stop at the concentrate. It is completed by added L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine — the three branched-chain amino acids — in an 8:1:1 ratio that heavily favours leucine, by a five-enzyme complex sold under the name DigeZyme® (amylase, protease, lactase, lipase, cellulase), and by vitamin B6 in the form of pyridoxine hydrochloride. The rest comes down to three lines: soya lecithin as an emulsifier, flavourings, sucralose.

The flavours listed: Chocolat intense, Vanille, Petit Yogurt Fraise-Banane, ChokoKrac, White Choco-Rings, Stracciatella, Frapuccino, Pistachio Ice Cream, Dubai Chocolate, Peanut Butter Cookies and Choco Milk Bar.

What does a serving of Whey 80 Professional contain?

The serving is 30 g, or one scoop. It provides 24.6 g of protein, 1.3 g of carbohydrate, 1.0 g of fat, 7.2 g of BCAAs at an 8:1:1 ratio and 5.6 g of glutamic acid. Scaled to 100 g of powder, that gives 82 g of protein, 4.3 g of carbohydrate, 3.3 g of fat, 24 g of BCAAs and 18.7 g of glutamic acid — a column calculated from the values declared for 30 g, as the manufacturer does not publish a 100 g column. The full table can be found in the nutritional values tab.

Three figures are missing, and we are not going to invent them. The energy value is not published: there are neither kilojoules nor kilocalories in the data supplied by the manufacturer. Nor are the regulatory lines "of which saturates", "of which sugars", "fibre" and "salt". Finally, the vitamin B6 content is not quantified: the label states an enriched dose without giving the microgram figure. Without a quantity, the threshold of 15% of the nutrient reference value per portion cannot be verified, and no claim can be made about this vitamin. We would rather set that down in black and white than copy out an unverifiable promise.

What can be verified, on the other hand, is solid. With 24.6 g of protein in a 30 g serving, the product comfortably exceeds the regulatory threshold for the "high in protein" nutrition claim. There are three authorised health claims for protein, and they are the only ones we will make: protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass, to the maintenance of muscle mass and to the maintenance of normal bones.

Is the full amino acid profile published?

No. The manufacturer does not release a detailed amino-acid-by-amino-acid profile for this product. The only quantified data we have are the total of the three branched-chain amino acids — 7.2 g per serving, 24 g per 100 g — and glutamic acid, at 5.6 g per serving and 18.7 g per 100 g.

Some retailers nonetheless publish a table of eighteen amino acids for this product. These are average whey concentrate profiles taken from the general literature, not values analysed on the batches actually sold. We will not reproduce them: eighteen estimated figures are more misleading than one honest line. What can be said about the 8:1:1 ratio is, by contrast, factual: whey naturally provides a ratio close to 2:1:1, and the leucine share here is boosted by the direct addition of L-leucine, which appears second in the ingredients list. The BCAA aisle lets you compare with amino acids taken separately.

How do you prepare Whey 80 Professional?

Mix 30 g of powder, or one level scoop, into 200 to 250 ml of cold liquid: water, skimmed milk or a plant-based drink. Shake for about fifteen seconds. The manufacturer gives one volume figure and one only — don't go looking for another.

The number of servings should be set by your total protein intake, not by a protocol: one to three servings a day depending on what your diet already covers. The most common times are after training and as a snack between meals. There is no thirty-minute window to respect: what determines the result is total protein across twenty-four hours, not the timing of a shaker. Take it when it genuinely fills a gap.

The manufacturer gives no course duration, and there is no reason to set one: a protein powder is a food, not an active ingredient to be cycled. Reseal the tub after each use and store it in a cool, dry place away from light. At 30 g per serving, a kilo of powder covers around thirty servings; refer to the capacity stated on the packaging for your size.

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

It suits anyone looking for a high protein content without moving up to an isolate: 82% for a concentrate is the top of the category, at a price per gram of protein that remains that of a concentrate. It also suits mass gain, where servings are multiplied and that gap becomes decisive.

The product contains MILK and SOYA. It may contain traces of GLUTEN (wheat and oats), EGGS and FISH. A diagnosed cow's milk protein allergy is a contraindication. The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women and does not intend it for children. If you are on medical treatment, seek a doctor's advice before use; any kidney or liver condition calls for the same consultation.

Here is what not to expect from it, and it is the point on which rival product pages stay silent. A whey concentrate retains more lactose than an isolate: that is the very definition of concentration, and the presence of lactase in the enzyme complex does not change the composition of the powder. If shakers sit heavily with you, the problem will not be solved here. No digestive claim is authorised for an enzyme complex in any case, and we make none; digestive enzymes can be described, not promised. Finally, no recovery claim exists for protein under European regulations: drinking a whey after training is a habit, not an effect demonstrated by the label.

Whey 80 Professional or a whey isolate?

This is the only trade-off that really matters on this page, and it does not fall the same way for everyone.

A whey isolate is the better choice in three clear situations. If you digest lactose poorly: filtration pushes the protein content beyond 85 to 90% and removes most of the residual lactose, which a concentrate does not. If you are counting every gram at the end of a cutting phase: 1.3 g of carbohydrate and 1.0 g of fat per serving here, against figures often below 1 g on an isolate. And if you want the maximum protein per serving for the same volume. On those three points, the concentrate loses.

Whey 80 Professional wins on the ratio between protein content and price. At 82%, it sits halfway between an ordinary concentrate and an isolate, while still being priced like a concentrate. It also wins on texture: the lactose and residual fat fractions give a rounder, less watery shake, which many people prefer. The calculation that settles it is always the same: price of the tub, divided by its weight in kilos, divided by the protein content per 100 g. Do it on both sides. All the families can be compared from the protein aisle.

Frequently asked questions

How many shakes a day can you take?

One to three 30 g servings, or 24.6 to 73.8 g of protein provided by the powder. The right number is the one that complements your diet, not a fixed figure: if your meals already cover your needs, one shake is enough. Increase your water intake when you increase your protein intake.

What exactly does the 8:1:1 ratio mean?

Eight parts leucine to one of isoleucine and one of valine. Whey naturally provides around 2:1:1; here, L-leucine is added in second position in the ingredients list to bring the ratio up to 8:1:1. That gives 7.2 g of BCAAs per serving, most of it as leucine.

What is the energy value of a serving?

It is not published by the manufacturer, and we are not going to calculate it on their behalf. The certain values are 24.6 g of protein, 1.3 g of carbohydrate and 1.0 g of fat per 30 g. If you keep a precise calorie count, apply your own coefficients to those three lines rather than relying on a figure copied from elsewhere.

Is this whey suitable if you are lactose intolerant?

Not necessarily. It is a concentrate, so richer in lactose than an isolate, and the enzyme complex that comes with it does not alter that composition. If you have confirmed intolerance, an isolate is the more cautious choice. If you have a cow's milk protein allergy, no whey is suitable: filtration removes the lactose, not the proteins.

Which flavour should you choose?

Chocolat intense and Vanille remain the safe bets if you plan to drink it every day and mix it with other things. Frapuccino, Pistachio Ice Cream and Dubai Chocolate are more pronounced profiles: pleasant now and again, more tiring over a whole tub. Nutritional values may vary slightly from one flavour to another.

Can you cook with it?

Yes. A whey concentrate stands up to cooking better than a plain isolate: it works in pancakes, cakes or creams. It thickens with heat and can turn rubbery if cooking is prolonged, so cut the times compared with a classic recipe and pair it with a carbohydrate source such as cream of rice.

Should you take it on non-training days?

If your diet does not cover your needs that day, yes: your weekly protein total matters more than how it is split between training days and rest days. Conversely, a shake added to days that are already well covered adds nothing but an expense.

Where to buy IO Genix Whey 80 Professional?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. A whey is chosen on three figures — the protein content per 100 g, the price per kilo and the serving size — and it is a calculation we are happy to run through with you in our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, tub in hand, rather than leaving you to compare two photographed labels.

The rest of the range can be browsed from our sports nutrition aisle.

What is Mutant Mass?

Mutant Mass is a gainer, that is to say a powder whose main purpose is not protein but calories. One 280 g dose, i.e. four scoops, provides 1,100 kcal. The formula is predominantly carbohydrate: the first ingredient on the list is a blend of waxy maize starch, maltodextrin, barley starch, sweet potato and rolled oats.

Next comes the brand's protein matrix, which brings together six dairy fractions: whey protein concentrate, hydrolysate and isolate, micellar casein, milk protein concentrate and isolate. A lipid blend completes the whole (fractionated MCT coconut oil, avocado, flaxseed, pumpkin seed, sunflower oil), along with cocoa, flavourings, a caramel colour, salt, sucralose, sunflower lecithin, enzymes and a Cinnulin PF® cinnamon extract. The flavours listed: Vanille Ice Cream, Cookies & Cream, Banana n Strawberry, Triple Chocolat and Fudge Brownie. The rest of the range is in the Mutant Nutrition collection, and the competing formulas in our hard gainer aisle.

What does a 280 g dose of Mutant Mass contain?

The manufacturer's declaration, brought back to the useful references: the 280 g dose and the regulatory 100 g.

* Values recalculated from the declaration per 280 g dose, the only reference published by the manufacturer. Salt is obtained by the regulatory conversion salt = sodium x 2.5. ** No nutrient reference value is established for these nutrients. Three pieces of data are missing from the declaration in our possession and we will not invent them: saturates, fibre, and the full amino acid profile beyond the BCAAs and glutamine. The weight of the tub and the number of doses it contains are not in our data either: refer to the packaging to work out how long it will last you.

Two ingredients call for clarification. The enzymes (lactase, protease) appear on the list; we attribute no digestive effect to them, as no claim of that kind is authorised in Europe. Cinnulin PF® is a cinnamon extract: present, quantity not declared, no property ascribed to it. Protein, for its part, contributes to a growth in muscle mass and to the maintenance of muscle mass, and 56 g per dose is a substantial intake.

How should you take Mutant Mass?

• Dose: 280 g, i.e. 4 scoops, for the full dose. The half dose is 2 scoops.
• Volume of liquid: 500 to 700 ml of cold water or skimmed milk. Below 500 ml, the mixture becomes hard to swallow.
• Timing: full dose within the 30 minutes following the session, half dose as a snack between two meals. Avoid the two hours before a meal, or you will no longer be hungry when it is time to eat.
• Frequency: 2 servings a day at most, never exceeding 2 full doses.
• Duration: the manufacturer sets no length of course. A gainer is used for the time a weight-gain phase lasts, not permanently.

Build up gradually: it is the most important instruction on this page. The manufacturer recommends 2 scoops a day in the first week, 3 in the second, and the full dose only from the third onwards. Going straight in at 280 g and 192 g of carbohydrate is the surest way to give up on the tub. A 700 ml shaker or a blender is necessary; a 500 ml shaker is not enough, and our accessories cover that size.

The dosage, the timing and the composition are covered in detail in our dedicated article: Mutant Mass: dosage, timing and composition. This page describes the product, the article describes the method.

Who is Mutant Mass for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at people who cannot manage to eat enough to gain weight and who have already tried increasing their meals. Drinking 1,100 kcal is easier than chewing them: that is the whole point of the product, and its only justification.

It is not for you if you gain weight easily. At 1,100 kcal a dose, a poorly controlled surplus turns into fat mass, not muscle. In that case, a whey and carbohydrates measured out separately will give you far better control.

Nor is it suitable in the event of an allergy to milk or soya, both declared as allergens. One point deserves your attention: the ingredient list includes barley starch and rolled oats, two cereals affected by gluten, and the label mentions gluten among the possible traces. If you have coeliac disease, this product is not for you. The manufacturer advises against it for the under-18s and for pregnant or breastfeeding women. If you are on any treatment, if you are diabetic or if you have any doubt, speak to your doctor or your pharmacist: 192 g of carbohydrate in a single serving is not trivial.

What you should not expect from it: a gainer does not build muscle in place of training and does not make up for food being absent for the rest of the day.

Mutant Mass or whey and carbohydrates separately?

The comparison does not systematically go in the gainer's favour.

Mutant Mass wins on simplicity. A single powder, a single shaker, a carbohydrate-to-protein ratio already settled at 192 to 56. When the problem is not managing to eat, reducing the number of decisions is a real advantage.

The formula you put together yourself wins on control and on cost. A whey concentrate combined with maltodextrin lets you adjust the protein share and the carbohydrate share independently, week after week, according to what the scales say. It is the right option if you are putting on fat too fast, or if you want to bring the calories down without touching the protein.

Between the two, a lean gainer offers a less carbohydrate-heavy ratio, for a more measured surplus. Whatever the choice, creatine monohydrate is managed separately.

Frequently asked questions

Do you really have to take 4 scoops at once?

No, and it is not advised at the start. The manufacturer's protocol begins at 2 scoops a day in the first week and only reaches the full dose in the third. Staying at 2 or 3 scoops for the long run is still a considerable calorie intake.

Can it be mixed with milk rather than water?

Yes, the manufacturer mentions skimmed milk. You are then adding the calories and carbohydrates of the milk to those of the product, which pushes a full dose well beyond 1,100 kcal. With water, you know exactly what you are drinking.

How many doses does a tub contain?

We cannot tell you: the weight of the tub is not in the data available to us. Divide the weight shown on the packaging by 280 g to get the number of full doses.

Does Mutant Mass contain gluten?

The recipe contains barley starch and rolled oats, and the label flags gluten among the possible traces. It is not a gluten-free product and it is not suitable in the event of coeliac disease.

Which flavour should you choose for everyday use?

Over two servings a day for several weeks, the less sweet profiles such as Vanille Ice Cream generally become tiresome less quickly than the intense chocolates. The flavours listed are set out at the top of this page.

Do the 11 g of BCAAs replace a BCAA supplement?

They are naturally present in the dairy proteins of the formula, they are not added. If your daily protein intake is covered, a BCAA supplement on top has no demonstrated usefulness.

Can it be taken on days without training?

Yes. The calorie surplus is played out over the whole week, not only on session days. Many people then split the product into two half doses between meals rather than a single serving.

Where can you buy Mutant Mass?

Mutant Mass is available on this page in the flavours listed above the add-to-basket button, and in our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier. It is a product that is better discussed before buying: the question is almost never "which flavour" but "do you really need a gainer", and that conversation takes three minutes at the counter.

We ship throughout France and Europe. The rest of the mass gain aisle lets you compare the ratios before making up your mind.

What is IO Genix Crealuxe Creapure®?

Crealuxe is IO Genix's premium creatine: a micronised creatine monohydrate whose raw material carries the Creapure® label, produced by AlzChem at its site in Trostberg, Bavaria. The ingredient list for the unflavoured version fits on one line — Creapure®, nothing else. The rest of the range sits in our IO Genix aisle.

Exactly what the label guarantees — origin, a dedicated production line, batch-by-batch control of synthesis by-products — is explained on our Creapure page. It is the same for every product that carries it: what sets Crealuxe apart is decided elsewhere, on packaging and particle size.

Two things are unique to it in our range. It is the only labelled creatine we stock in 250 g as well as 500 g, which lets you try it without committing to a full tub. And it is the only one available in a flavoured version, Raspberry, alongside the unflavoured one.

What does a 3 g serving of Crealuxe contain?

The label is stated for 3 g, that is 3 000 mg of Creapure® creatine monohydrate. It then spells out what most brands quietly leave unsaid: of those 3 000 mg, 2 640 mg are creatine proper, the remainder being water of crystallisation. The information is honest, and it holds true for every monohydrate.

Three grams a day is the amount underpinning the claim authorised in the European Union: creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise. We will go no further than that, as no other claim is admissible for this molecule.

Reckon on 83 servings in the 250 g tub and 166 servings in the 500 g one. That is the only calculation worth doing when comparing two creatines: the listed price divided by the real number of servings, having checked that the reference serving is the same on both sides.

How should you take Crealuxe, and which size should you choose?

The manufacturer specifies 3 g mixed into 100 ml of liquid, once a day. Watch the scoop: 3 g corresponds to three quarters of the scoop supplied, not a full one. That is the practical trap with this product, and it easily amounts to a 25 % difference over a year's consumption. A kitchen scale settles the question in a single weighing.

Timing barely matters: creatine works through gradual saturation, not through a spike in the blood. What counts is consistency, rest days included. The manufacturer sets no course length; taking it continuously is the most coherent approach.

On the loading phase, our position does not change: 20 g a day for a week only brings saturation forward by two to three weeks, without changing the final level at all. It quadruples your consumption and concentrates the digestive discomfort. Start at 3 g.

As for size: the 250 g covers roughly two and a half months, the 500 g roughly five and a half. The first is for testing a flavour or for travelling, the second is the everyday size — on a product you take daily, price per serving is what decides.

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

For adults doing resistance training or a sport built on short, repeated efforts. Since creatine is obtained by chemical synthesis, with no animal-derived material, the unflavoured version is in principle suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women and asks for medical advice in cases of kidney disease. The label flags possible traces of nuts, peanuts, eggs, milk, sulphites, fish and soya: that list is broader than on many creatines and rules the product out if you are allergic to any of those foods. ANSES also advises against these supplements for anyone with impaired kidney or liver function, and supplementation raises serum creatinine — mention it to your doctor before a blood test.

What you should not expect from it: the label does not buy you a sporting result. At an equal dose, no data shows that a labelled creatine produces more strength than a decent monohydrate. Any medical question is for your doctor or your pharmacist.

Crealuxe or Sinob Core Creapure®?

Both carry the same label and contain the same raw material: the comparison is therefore not about quality, but about packaging and about how you measure your dose.

Sinob Core Creapure® comes in 500 g, with a scoop calibrated to 5 g and 100 servings stated. It is the better choice if you weigh more than 85 kg and are aiming straight for 5 g a day: one full scoop, no arithmetic, no half-scoop to judge by eye. Its label also carries a verifiable Creapure® licence number, which Crealuxe does not display.

Crealuxe is the better choice if you are aiming for 3 g, if you want a small size to start with, or if unflavoured powder puts you off: the Raspberry version has no equivalent at Sinob. Its ingredient list explicitly states a micronised creatine, which Sinob's does not.

Frequently asked questions

Is the scoop supplied 3 g or 4 g?

Neither: the manufacturer says to fill it three quarters of the way to get 3 g. A full scoop takes you past the label dose and makes the tub disappear faster than planned. Weigh it once, note where the level sits, and you will never need to check again.

What is in the Raspberry version?

Our labelling data only describes the unflavoured version, pared down to Creapure® alone. A flavoured powder necessarily contains a flavouring and a sweetener, but we will not publish a list we have not read. If you are keeping an eye on one sweetener in particular, ask us for the exact composition before ordering.

250 g or 500 g: which one should you take?

The 250 g lasts around 83 days at 3 g, the 500 g around 166. Take the small one to try the Raspberry or for a trip away, the large one for everyday use: the price per serving is mechanically lower there.

Why does the label state 2 640 mg alongside the 3 000 mg?

Because monohydrate is a hydrated salt: one creatine molecule bound to one water molecule. Out of 3 000 mg of powder, roughly 2 640 mg is creatine, the rest being water of crystallisation. That ratio holds for every creatine monohydrate; Crealuxe simply has the candour to put it in writing.

Does the Creapure® label make this creatine more effective?

No, and nobody should let you believe otherwise. At an equal dose, nothing shows a greater gain in strength or mass than a decent monohydrate. The label is about origin and about the control of synthesis by-products, not about performance.

Can it be mixed with anything else?

Yes, with no known problematic interaction: a shaker of protein, a bowl of cream of rice, or some beta-alanine if you are working on long sets. Just avoid leaving it dissolved for several hours, as creatine degrades slowly in a warm, damp medium.

Should you drink more while supplementing?

Drink normally. Creatine draws water into the muscle cell, which explains the slight weight gain over the first few weeks, but it imposes no particular hydration protocol. In hot weather, electrolytes are the more relevant answer.

Where can you buy IO Genix Crealuxe Creapure®?

You can order it on this page, in the size and flavour of your choice, and we ship throughout France and Europe. In our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the Creapure® mention is checked by turning the tub over: it is the only reliable criterion. The full range is in our sports nutrition section.

Sources: EFSA for the authorised claims, ANSES for the opinion on food supplements intended for athletes. This information does not replace medical advice.

What is Rule One Whey Blend?

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

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

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

What does a 32 g serving contain?

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

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

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

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

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

How do you prepare Rule One Whey Blend?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Whey Blend or pure isolate?

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

What is the split between concentrate, isolate and hydrolysate?

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

How many servings per tub?

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

Is every flavour available in each size?

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

Does the powder contain gluten?

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

Why sodium and not salt on the label?

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

Can you make it with milk?

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

Which flavour should you choose for a first tub?

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

Where can you buy Rule One Whey Blend?

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

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

What is Naughty Boy creatine?

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

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

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

What does a serving of Naughty Boy creatine contain?

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

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

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

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

Ingredient list

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

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

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

How do you take Naughty Boy creatine?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Creatine monohydrate or Creapure?

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

How much creatine per serving?

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

What is the best time to take it?

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

Do you need a loading phase?

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

Should you take it on rest days?

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

Does creatine cause weight gain?

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

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

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

What is the dose for the capsule version?

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

Where to buy Naughty Boy creatine?

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

What is Life Pro Tasty Rice?

Life Pro Tasty Rice is an instant rice cream, sold in a 1 kg tub by LifePro Nutrition. Behind that trade name is a steam pre-cooked rice flour: the grain is cooked before being milled, which gelatinises the starch and lets the powder thicken in a liquid without ever seeing a saucepan.

That is the only real difference from the rice flour on the supermarket shelf, and it is the one that matters in use. A raw flour has to cook for several minutes with stirring; this one takes on the consistency of porridge in one to two minutes, in a bowl or a shaker.

The ingredients list is short: steam pre-cooked rice flour, flavouring, sweetener sucralose. The flavours stocked here — Nature, Cookies, Chocolat-Peanut, White Chocolate, Strawberry Cheesecake, Procao, Choco Good Cookies and Choco-Monky. The last of these is the exception: it contains 6% chopped speculoos biscuit, and therefore GLUTEN and SOYA.

What does a serving of Tasty Rice contain?

The reference serving is 50 g, roughly one and a half scoops. The 1 kg tub holds 20 of them. Each serving provides around 190 kcal, 39 g of carbohydrate of which less than 0.5 g is sugars, 3.5 g of protein, less than 0.5 g of fat of which less than 0.1 g is saturates, 0.9 g of fibre and less than 0.01 g of salt. The full table appears in the nutritional values tab.

Two figures should be read together. The 39 g of carbohydrate against less than 0.5 g of sugars: the intake is almost entirely starch, not sucrose. And the 190 kcal, a high density for a volume that stays easy to get down — which explains the product's main use, hitting a calorie total when your appetite no longer keeps up.

One clarification is called for on vitamins and minerals. Rice contains them naturally, but the manufacturer publishes no quantities. Without a stated content, there is no way to check the 15% of the nutrient reference value per portion that European regulation requires before anything can be said about them. So we repeat no vitamin claim here. On the carbohydrate itself, no nutrition claim exists: neither “high in carbohydrate” nor “source of carbohydrate”. What remains true is what the serving contains.

How do you prepare Tasty Rice?

Pour 50 g of powder into 200 to 250 ml of hot water, milk or plant drink, and mix. The texture thickens in one to two minutes; adjust the liquid depending on whether you want it as a cream or as a porridge. To avoid lumps, first slake the powder in a little cold liquid, then top up with the hot liquid while stirring.

Three moments of use. 45 to 60 minutes before a session, so you arrive with full stores and no heavy stomach. Within the 30 minutes afterwards, often paired with a serving of protein, which gives you a dessert cream that is complete in macronutrients. Or at breakfast, in place of a bowl of cereal.

One to two servings a day cover almost every use. The manufacturer states no course length, and there is no reason to set one: this is a carbohydrate food, not an active ingredient. You eat it on the days your needs justify it and stop on the others, with no tapering.

Who is Tasty Rice for, and who is it not for?

The product is aimed first at those who need to raise their calorie intake: lean builds bulking, athletes with a high training volume, difficult appetites on waking. It is also useful when a solid meal will not go down before training.

The allergens deserve careful reading. The Choco-Monky flavour contains GLUTEN and SOYA: it is ruled out in cases of coeliac disease or soya allergy. The other seven are gluten-free by composition, but the facility also handles milk proteins, soya, eggs, gluten, fish, celery, sulphites, peanuts and crustaceans; cross-contamination remains possible, which makes them unsuitable for a severe allergy. The manufacturer advises against it for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding without prior medical advice, and it is not intended for children.

What you should not expect from it: this is not a slimming product, and nothing makes it more filling than any other starch. Nor is it a protein source, at 3.5 g per serving. And it makes no digestion easier: no digestive claim is authorised for rice flour. Any question about an intolerance is one for your doctor or your pharmacist.

Tasty Rice or oat flour?

These are the two carbohydrate powders that end up in the same cupboards, and they are not for the same moment.

Oat flour is the better choice in three cases. At breakfast on an ordinary day, because its fibre — several grams per 100 g, against 1.8 g here — stays with you longer. During a cutting phase, for the same reason. And when you are after a genuine plant protein contribution in the same bowl, which rice cream does not give you.

Tasty Rice wins when digestion has to be quick and unobtrusive: before a session, or just after, where oat fibre becomes a drawback. It also wins on texture and on neutrality in cooking. For a powder that is faster still and tasteless, to drink during training, it is neither of these two you should be looking at but maltodextrin. To compare two tubs, divide the price by the weight then look at the carbohydrate per 100 g: that is where the real gap lies.

Frequently asked questions

How many servings does a 1 kg tub contain?

Twenty servings of 50 g. At one serving a day, a little under three weeks; on training days only, comfortably more than a month. Keep the tub closed, in a dry place away from light, and observe the date shown on the packaging.

Which flavour should you choose for cooking?

The Nature flavour. With no pronounced flavouring and no colour, it works in pancakes, in a cake or in a savoury preparation without the taste getting in the way. The flavoured versions are made to be eaten as they are, as a cream or a porridge, and lend themselves poorly to use as an ingredient.

Is rice cream gluten-free?

They are by composition, with one exception. The Choco-Monky flavour is not: it contains speculoos biscuit, and therefore wheat. And none of the eight is suitable for coeliac disease, since the manufacturing facility handles gluten. Check the packaging of the flavour you buy.

What can you use instead of rice cream?

Oat flour for a breakfast equivalent, maltodextrin or cyclic dextrin for carbohydrate to drink during training, or ordinary rice flour if you are happy to cook it. That cooking is what steam pre-cooking saves you, and nothing else.

Can it be mixed with whey?

Yes, and that is the most common use. A 50 g serving with a serving of protein gives you a bowl of around 39 g of carbohydrate and 25 to 30 g of protein depending on the powder. Prepare the rice cream first, let it cool to lukewarm, then stir in the protein: poured into a scalding liquid, it goes lumpy.

Is there sugar in Tasty Rice?

Less than 0.5 g per 50 g serving. The sweet taste of the flavoured versions comes from sucralose, an intense sweetener, and not from added sugar. The 39 g of carbohydrate is rice starch.

What recipes can you make with it?

Porridge, dessert cream, pancakes, a cake base. We have gathered the preparations that genuinely work in a dedicated article on rice cream recipes, rather than making them half of this page.

Where can you buy Life Pro Tasty Rice?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. The question that comes up most in store is not the brand but the flavour: this is a product you eat every day, and a flavour that is too pronounced soon palls. In our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we often advise starting with Nature when the use is culinary, and keeping a chocolate flavour for morning bowls.

The rest of the carbohydrate range can be found in our sports nutrition section.

What is ESN Designer Whey 908 g?

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

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

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

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

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

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

How do you prepare ESN Designer Whey?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ESN Designer Whey or ESN Clear Whey Isolate?

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

How many servings are there in the 908 g tub?

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

Do the nutritional values change from one flavour to another?

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

What is the difference between whey concentrate and whey isolate?

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

Can it be used in baking?

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

Can it be combined with creatine?

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

Does it contain sugar?

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

Where can you buy ESN Designer Whey 908 g?

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

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