Sinob

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 Sinob's Juiced BCAA?

Sinob Juiced BCAA is a branched-chain amino acid drink powder, flavoured and with no added sugar. A 7 g serving provides 5 g of BCAAs in a 2:1:1 ratio, plus L-tyrosine and vitamin B6. The 500 g tub covers roughly 70 servings, from cola to iced peach tea.

BCAAs are three essential amino acids — leucine, isoleucine, valine — whose particularity is that they are branched, hence the name. They are among the nine amino acids the body cannot make and which therefore have to come from food. At a 2:1:1 ratio, a 5 g serving provides 2.5 g of leucine, 1.25 g of isoleucine and 1.25 g of valine.

This product is first and foremost a training drink. That is what explains the work put into the flavours — from cola to iced peach tea — and into solubility. A drink you finish during the session is worth more than an austere powder left at the bottom of the shaker. The rest of the German brand's range can be browsed in our Sinob aisle, and the other products in the category in our BCAA aisle.

What is in a serving of Juiced BCAA?

5 g of BCAAs per serving is a sound and honest dose for this format, in the upper range of the training drinks on the market. The 2:1:1 ratio is the most common and the most studied; the 8:1:1 or 10:1:1 ratios put forward by some brands mainly amount to loading up on leucine, which has never been shown to bring any advantage.

Two figures are missing from the manufacturer's documentation, and they are not trivial ones: the exact amounts of L-tyrosine and vitamin B6. We are not going to invent them. It also means we cannot say whether the vitamin B6 content reaches the threshold that would allow a nutrition claim to be made — so we refrain, rather than implying otherwise. The values appear on the packaging as supplied.

On the substance, one thing has to be said that few sellers in this aisle own up to: no health claim is authorised in Europe for BCAAs. None on recovery, none on performance, none on muscle protection. And the state of knowledge has moved on: in someone whose daily protein intake is sufficient, adding isolated BCAAs does not bring much, because three amino acids are not enough to build muscle — you need nine. That is precisely what brought EAAs to the fore.

So in which case does this product still make full sense? When it plays the part of a drink: drinking during a long session, hydrating with a pleasant taste and zero sugar, getting through a fasted session in the morning. That is a real use, and it does not need to be dressed up as a physiological promise.

Ingredients list

BCAA 2:1:1 blend (L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-valine), acidifier (citric acid), maltodextrin, L-tyrosine, flavourings, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin), sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame K), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride). Colours according to flavour: natural food colours (hibiscus, beetroot, chlorophyll), caramel for the iced tea flavours.

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

How do you take Juiced BCAA?

Serving: 7 g, that is one heaped scoop; 10 g per hour on long efforts. Liquid: 250 ml of cold water. Timing: 30 minutes before the session, during training, straight after, or between two meals. Frequency: one serving per session; two to three in a heavy training phase. Duration: no set course.

It dissolves instantly and that is a genuine strength on this type of product: flavoured amino acid powders often tend to foam or to leave a deposit. Shake vigorously, drink it cold — the manufacturer recommends it, and that is indeed where the flavours come across best.

You can adjust the volume of water to the intensity of taste you want: 250 ml gives a bold drink, 400 to 500 ml a lighter one to sip through a long session. That is the main adjustment available to you and nobody will make it for you.

The most defensible time to take it is during training, precisely because that is where its function as a drink makes full sense. For an early-morning fasted session, taking it before the effort also has a logic to it. Taking it after the session on top of a protein shake, on the other hand, is redundant: your whey already contains the same amino acids, and the other six with them.

The product combines without difficulty with creatine monohydrate, a pre-workout or a carbohydrate source during the effort. On long sessions and in hot weather, add electrolytes: this formula provides no sodium.

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

It suits anyone looking for a pleasant training drink, with no sugar and no notable calories, and an amino acid intake into the bargain. The choice of flavours lets you switch around without tiring of it, which counts for more than people think on a product drunk four times a week.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women, for children and for people on medication, with prior medical advice in the last case. People with allergies should note the possible traces of milk, soya, gluten, crustaceans and eggs.

The formula contains sucralose and acesulfame K. If you avoid artificial sweeteners, this product is not for you. Also worth noting: the manufacturer asks that the tub be finished within three months of opening, which is shorter than for most powders.

What you should not expect from it, and this is the point on which we are most blunt. It does not replace a protein: three amino acids do not build muscle, you need nine. It does not “protect” muscle during the effort — that wording is not authorised and rests on nothing solid in someone who eats enough. It provides no energy and contains no stimulant. If your daily protein intake is already adequate, this product is a pleasant drink, not a lever for progress.

BCAA or EAA?

That is the question that really counts in this aisle, and the answer has changed in recent years.

BCAAs provide three essential amino acids out of nine. Leucine, the main one of the three, acts as a trigger in protein synthesis — but starting a building site without delivering the materials builds nothing. That is the most accurate image, and it explains why BCAAs on their own have lost ground.

EAAs provide all nine essential amino acids, BCAAs included. At a comparable price, they do everything BCAAs do and the rest besides. If your aim is nutritional rather than a matter of taste, our EAA aisle is where you should go, and we say so even when it means selling something other than what the customer came in for.

In which case do BCAAs remain a good choice? When you take them for what they are here: a training drink with a worked-on flavour, zero sugar, that gets you drinking during the session. That is a legitimate use. And if your priority is muscle mass, the answer is neither BCAAs nor EAAs but a complete protein, the only category in this aisle with authorised claims on muscle.

Frequently asked questions

How many BCAAs per serving?

5 g for a 7 g serving, at a 2:1:1 ratio, that is 2.5 g of leucine, 1.25 g of isoleucine and 1.25 g of valine according to the stated ratio. That is a straightforward dose for a training drink, in the upper range of the market.

Which flavours are available?

The flavours available: iced peach tea, mango, melon, green apple, iced lemon tea, cola and cherry. It is one of the product's strong points: on a drink consumed several times a week, being able to alternate avoids the weariness that leaves a tub half full.

BCAA or EAA, which should you choose?

EAAs provide all nine essential amino acids, BCAAs included, and are therefore more complete at a similar price. Choose BCAAs if what you want first of all is a pleasant, sugar-free training drink; choose EAAs if your aim is nutritional.

Is the 2:1:1 ratio the right one?

It is the most studied and the most common ratio, and it roughly matches the natural proportions of these three amino acids in dietary proteins. The 8:1:1 or 10:1:1 ratios do nothing but load up on leucine, with no demonstrated advantage. Do not pay more for a bigger number.

Should you take it after the session?

If you already take a protein after training, it is redundant: your whey contains the same amino acids and the other six. The most coherent use of this product is during the session, as a drink, or before a fasted workout.

How many servings are there in the tub?

Roughly 70 servings of 7 g in the 500 g tub. At four sessions a week, that comes to more than four months. One caveat though: the manufacturer asks that the tub be finished within three months of opening.

Are there any calories or sugar?

The formula is sweetened with sucralose and acesulfame K, with no added sugar; it contains a small amount of maltodextrin as a carrier. The calorie contribution remains marginal, which makes it a drink compatible with a cutting phase, unlike a carbohydrate drink.

Where can you buy Sinob's Juiced BCAA?

The 500 g tub can be ordered from this page, in one of the flavours available, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the question we ask first is a simple one: are you looking for a drink for your sessions, or for an amino acid intake? Depending on the answer, we bring out this tub or a tub of EAAs, and that is not the same advice. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

What is Sinob's Juiced EAA?

Sinob Juiced EAA is a powdered drink that brings together all nine essential amino acids. A 15 g serving provides 12 g of amino acids for 50 kcal, including 3 g of leucine, and neither carbohydrates nor fat. The 450 g tub covers 30 servings.

The essential amino acids are the nine the body cannot make for itself: leucine, isoleucine, valine, lysine, threonine, phenylalanine, methionine, histidine and tryptophan. All of them must therefore come from the diet. The first three make up the BCAAs, far better known, but it really is the nine that count.

That is the fundamental difference with a BCAA product, and it is easy to state: you do not build a protein with three bricks out of nine. An EAA formula supplies the full set. The rest of the German range can be browsed in our Sinob aisle, and the other products in the category in our EAA aisle.

What does a serving of Juiced EAA contain?

12 g of amino acids for 50 kcal is a ratio few products reach, and it is what justifies the price of this category. Relative to energy, protein here accounts for almost the whole of the calorie content. At that level an authorised claim becomes usable: protein contributes to a growth in and the maintenance of muscle mass, and to the maintenance of normal bones. These are the official wordings of the European framework, and they apply here because the product comfortably exceeds the required threshold.

It is, as it happens, the only solid regulatory argument in this entire aisle, and it is worth knowing: BCAAs on their own are not entitled to it. No claim is authorised for branched-chain amino acids taken in isolation. An EAA product with a proper protein content, on the other hand, falls within the scope of the protein claims. The difference is not commercial, it is regulatory.

The 3 g of leucine per serving is the second figure to look at. Leucine acts as a trigger in protein synthesis, and the research places the useful threshold at around 2.5 to 3 g per intake. You are there.

Data missing from the manufacturer's file: leucine alone is quantified. The amounts of the other eight essential amino acids are not disclosed, even though the order of the ingredients list allows their ranking to be guessed. We will not estimate them; the full profile appears on the packaging as supplied.

A small formulation curiosity: the list includes a black pepper extract, an ingredient usually employed as an absorption aid. Its amount is not disclosed either.

Ingredients list

Acidity regulator (citric acid), L-leucine, L-lysine, L-valine, L-isoleucine, L-lysine hydrochloride, L-threonine, L-phenylalanine, dextrose, flavouring, L-methionine, L-tryptophan, L-histidine, emulsifier (sunflower lecithins), maltodextrin, sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame K), black pepper extract.

Manufactured in a facility that also handles MILK, EGGS, GLUTEN, SOYA, PEANUTS, NUTS, FISH and CRUSTACEANS.

How should Juiced EAA be taken?

Serving: 15 g, i.e. one scoop. Liquid: 300 to 500 ml of cold water. Timing: 30 minutes before the session, during training, or just after. Frequency: one serving around training; two during a calorie deficit. Duration: no set course.

Shake for around twenty seconds: it dissolves instantly and without lumps. Drink it straight away. The volume of water is your adjustment variable: 300 ml gives a drink with a strong taste, 500 ml a lighter one, better suited to a long session you sip your way through.

The most defensible time to take it is around training, and particularly if you train fasted in the morning or a long way from your last meal. In that case, a serving 30 minutes beforehand delivers the nine amino acids at the moment the body has nothing else available, and free amino acids reach the bloodstream quickly, faster than a protein that has to be digested.

During a calorie deficit, the manufacturer suggests two servings a day. That is consistent: when food intake drops, the 50 kcal of a serving represent a near-zero energy cost for a genuine amino acid intake.

If, on the other hand, you already take a protein shake straight after the session, adding an EAA one brings nothing. A whey contains the nine essential amino acids and the other eleven. Choose one or the other depending on the moment, not both one after the other. This product does, however, combine without redundancy with creatine monohydrate, with electrolytes on long sessions, or with a carbohydrate source during exercise.

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

It is aimed first and foremost at three profiles: those who train fasted, those in a calorie deficit who watch every calorie, and those who digest protein powder badly during exercise. In those three cases, a free amino acid drink at 50 kcal does a job that no whey does as well.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women, for children and for people on medical treatment, with prior medical advice in the latter case. The facility statement is broad — milk, eggs, gluten, soya, peanuts, nuts, fish and crustaceans — and should be read carefully by anyone with an allergy.

The formula contains sucralose and acesulfame K. If you avoid artificial sweeteners, look elsewhere.

What not to expect from it. It is not a meal replacement: 50 kcal feed nobody. It is not a stimulant, there is no caffeine and nothing else stimulating in it. And above all, it is not a protein replacement: 12 g of essential amino acids are useful, but 25 g of complete protein costs less and covers more needs. If your daily protein intake is already adequate and you do not train fasted, this product will mainly be a pleasant drink.

EAA or whey isolate?

This is the real comparison to make before buying, and it turns out differently depending on the time of day.

A whey isolate provides 25 g of complete protein per serving, with the nine essential amino acids and the eleven non-essential ones, at a markedly lower cost per gram of protein. On purely nutritional grounds, it wins every time. If your objective is to cover your daily protein needs, our whey isolate aisle is where to go, without hesitation.

EAAs have two precise advantages, and only two. The first is lightness: 50 kcal against 110 to 120 for a serving of whey, which genuinely counts when you are cutting. The second is digestion: free amino acids require no digestive work, which makes them drinkable during exercise where a milky shake sits heavily on the stomach.

When is whey clearly the better choice? After the session, at breakfast, in a yoghurt, or as soon as budget comes into play. And compared with a BCAA product, this one is more complete for a similar price: that is the comparison that turns most clearly in its favour.

Frequently asked questions

How many amino acids per serving?

12 g of essential amino acids in a 15 g serving, including 3 g of leucine, with 50 kcal, zero carbohydrate and zero fat. Leucine is the only amino acid quantified by the manufacturer; the amounts of the other eight are not disclosed.

What is the difference with BCAAs?

BCAAs provide only three essential amino acids out of nine. EAAs provide them all. The difference is regulatory too: no claim exists for BCAAs, whereas a product high in protein such as this one comes under the authorised protein claims.

Which flavours are available?

The flavours available: mango-passion fruit, lime, orange, iced peach tea, iced lemon tea, cherry and forest fruits. On a product consumed several times a week, being able to alternate avoids the tub abandoned half full.

Can EAAs replace your protein?

No, not on cost. A whey provides 25 g of complete protein at a far lower cost per gram. EAAs are justified by how light they are in calories and by their immediate digestion, not as a daily substitute for a protein powder.

Can they be taken fasted?

Yes, and it is even one of their best uses. Free amino acids require no digestive work and reach the bloodstream quickly. A serving 30 minutes before a fasted morning session is the most coherent use of this product.

How many servings in the tub?

30 servings of 15 g in the 450 g tub. At four sessions a week, that comes to a little under two months. It is a more modest pack than a tub of BCAAs, the serving here being twice as heavy.

Are there any calories or sugar?

50 kcal per serving, zero carbohydrate and zero fat declared. The powder is sweetened with sucralose and acesulfame K, with a small amount of dextrose and maltodextrin as carriers. It is compatible with a calorie deficit.

Where can you buy Sinob's Juiced EAA?

The 450 g tub can be ordered from this page, in one of the flavours available, and we ship anywhere in France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is the product we redirect most customers to when they come in looking for BCAAs: at a similar price, nine amino acids are worth more than three, and the question is settled in one sentence. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

What is Sinob All Day Every Day?

Sinob All Day Every Day is a multivitamin packaged in daily sachets. Each sachet contains eight units — tablets, capsules and softgels — to be taken all at once. The box holds 30 of them, a full month.

The format is what really sets this product apart. Rather than a bottle you dip into, Sinob has prepared the doses in advance: you open a sachet, you swallow the contents, and that is that. For someone taking five different supplements and ending up forgetting two out of three, that detail changes more than any formulation argument. It is also the easiest format to take away with you. The rest of the German range can be found in our Sinob section.

The contents, for their part, go beyond the standard multivitamin: on top of the vitamin and mineral base, Sinob adds omega-3 in softgels, coenzyme Q10 and a joint complex built on glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM. In a single intake, it is the equivalent of three or four separate bottles.

What does a daily sachet contain?

We have to be clear here on a point that shapes how the whole of this page should be read: Sinob does not publish the quantities of its active ingredients in the information available to us. So we list what is declared present, and we write “not disclosed” wherever the figure is missing, rather than borrowing values found elsewhere.

This absence of figures has a direct consequence and it needs to be understood: without a declared quantity, no health claim can be made. A claim authorised in Europe is only valid from a significant quantity of the nutrient concerned. As long as Sinob does not publish its dosages, nobody — neither the brand nor us — can write that this product contributes to anything at all. That is the real weakness of this reference, and it has nothing to do with the quality of what is in the sachet.

A second inconsistency deserves flagging. The old description announced “12 vitamins” and then listed thirteen: A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B8, B9, B12, C, D, E and K. We do not know which one is surplus, and we will not decide in the manufacturer's place. Likewise, of the eight minerals announced, only calcium, magnesium and zinc are named.

What is certain, on the other hand, are the allergens, because they are declared: the sachet contains CRUSTACEANS, glucosamine being of marine origin, and GELATINE, which makes up the shell of at least one of the capsules. Those two statements rule the product out immediately for a share of buyers, and it is better to read them here than after delivery.

Declared ingredients list

Maltodextrose, glucosamine sulphate (from CRUSTACEANS), chondroitin sulphate, capsule (GELATINE), methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C), chelated minerals, vitamins, omega-3, coenzyme Q10. The manufacturer specifies that the detailed composition should be checked on the product's official labelling. Traces of other allergens are not ruled out depending on the formulation.

How do you take All Day Every Day?

Serving: one full sachet, that is eight units. Liquid: a large glass of water, 300 ml. Timing: in the morning, with breakfast. Frequency: one intake a day, never two. Duration: a box covers 30 days; use can be continuous or in repeated courses.

The meal is not optional here. The sachet contains omega-3 in softgels, coenzyme Q10 and several vitamins that are only absorbed properly in the presence of fat. A breakfast with eggs, a full-fat yoghurt or a handful of almonds makes a real difference compared with a black coffee downed standing up.

Eight units in one go can be a problem for some stomachs, especially if breakfast is light. Nothing stops you splitting the sachet in two, half at breakfast and half at lunch: the composition does not change, only the digestive load is spread out. That is what we systematically advise anyone who is not used to swallowing tablets.

Do not stack it with other supplements containing the same elements. That is the most important rule with a product this broad: if you already take vitamin D, omega 3 or zinc alongside it, you are adding up without knowing it, and the absence of published dosages makes the sum impossible to work out. A product of this kind is taken on its own, or with supplements whose contents you know precisely.

Who is All Day Every Day for, and who is it not for?

It suits someone who wants to simplify a routine that has become unmanageable, who travels often, or who has never managed to keep to a regular intake with separate bottles. On that ground, the sachet format is genuinely superior, and that is reason enough to choose it.

It is not for people who are allergic to crustaceans: the glucosamine comes from them, and that is a firm contraindication, not a precaution. Nor is it for vegetarians or vegans, because of the gelatine and the omega-3.

Three situations call for medical advice before any intake, and the manufacturer cites them explicitly: anticoagulant treatment, because of the chondroitin and the omega-3, which both interfere with clotting; kidney failure; pregnancy or breastfeeding. These are not decorative statements: the first, in particular, concerns a great many people and is settled in one sentence with your doctor.

What not to expect from it: this is not insurance against a poor diet. No sachet replaces vegetables, fish and sleep. Nor is it a product whose effect you feel — if you feel something within the week, it is probably not this. And without published dosages, there is no way to know whether a given element is present in a useful or a token amount. For an identified need, a targeted product with figures on the label remains more rational.

A daily sachet or separate supplements?

This is the underlying choice, and it sets two equally defensible approaches against each other.

The sachet wins on adherence, and adherence is the single biggest factor in how well any supplement works. A product taken every day for three months does more than a very well dosed product taken three times a week. It also wins on overall price: buying a multivitamin, omega-3, a coenzyme Q10 and a joint complex separately costs more than the box.

Separate supplements win on everything else. You know each dosage, you adjust what needs adjusting, you drop what you do not need, and you do not pay for a joint complex if your joints are fine. It is the better choice if you know precisely what you are looking for: in that case, a glucosamine dosed at 1,500 mg will do more than an unknown quantity buried in a sachet, and a vitamin C at 500 mg is a figure you can check.

Our position over the counter is simple: the sachet is the right product for someone who takes nothing and wants to start without complicating their life. Separate bottles are the right choice for someone who can read a label and wants to steer their intakes.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a box last?

Thirty days, at one sachet a day. Each sachet contains eight units between tablets, capsules and softgels. The format is calibrated for a one-month course, which matches the most common buying rhythm for this kind of product.

Can the sachet be split into two intakes?

Yes, with no drawback. Eight units in one go sit heavily on a stomach that is not used to it, especially if breakfast is light. Half in the morning and half at lunch changes nothing about the composition and clearly improves digestive comfort.

Is the product suitable for vegetarians?

No. Two ingredients rule it out: the gelatine in the shell of at least one capsule, and the omega-3, which is of marine origin. Glucosamine, sourced from crustaceans, adds to the list. For a vegetarian or vegan profile, you need to turn to references formulated specifically for that.

Why are the dosages not stated?

Because the manufacturer does not publish them in the information available to us. We would rather write that than borrow unsourced figures. The consequence is real: without a declared quantity, no health claim can be made for the vitamins and minerals in this formula, even though they are indeed present. The label on the box you receive is what counts.

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

Without any difficulty, these are categories that do not overlap. What you should avoid, though, is stacking it with another product containing vitamins or minerals: the sum becomes impossible to calculate, and some elements such as zinc or vitamin A have daily limits that are best not crossed blindly.

Does it contain caffeine or a stimulant?

No, none at all. It is a baseline supplement, taken in the morning for the day, with no perceptible effect and no impact on sleep. There is nothing to stop you taking it at breakfast even if you train in the evening.

What should you do if you are on anticoagulant treatment?

Ask your doctor's advice before buying. Chondroitin and omega-3 both influence clotting, and the manufacturer explicitly flags this interaction. It is not an automatic contraindication, but it is a question for the doctor, not the retailer.

Where can you buy Sinob All Day Every Day?

The box of 30 sachets 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 suggest to those who admit to having three half-used bottles in a cupboard since last winter: the best supplement is still the one you actually take. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is Sinob’s Greens & Reds?

Sinob Greens & Reds is a fruit, vegetable and fibre powder for mixing with liquid, dosed at 10 g per serving. The 300 g tub holds 30 servings, or one month. It belongs to the superfood ingredients family, the blends sold to top up a diet that is short on plant foods.

The name describes how the product is built: a “green” half — barley grass, spirulina, spinach, chlorella — and a “red” half — beetroot, açaí, blueberry, rosehip. Around them sits a fibre base of pectin, psyllium and wheat fibre, then a handful of extracts: green tea, matcha, black pepper. The sweetener is a stevia extract. The rest of the German range can be found in our Sinob section.

A word straight away about what to expect from this category: it is not a vegetable substitute, and we explain further down why the quantities involved do not allow it to be presented as one.

What does a 10 g serving contain?

The per 100 g values are calculated from the manufacturer’s declaration for a 10 g serving. Here now is the breakdown of the dosed ingredients, in descending order.

The real selling point of this product is the 3.15 g of fibre per serving. That is a solid figure: roughly a tenth of the recommended daily intake for an adult, supplied by pectin and psyllium, two well-tolerated soluble fibres. For someone whose diet is short on plant foods, that is a genuine, measurable contribution, and it is by far the best thing this powder does.

The “superfoods”, on the other hand, need putting back in proportion, because nobody else does it. 500 mg of spirulina is half a gram, when properly dosed spirulina products offer 3 to 5 g a day. 800 mg of beetroot is the equivalent of a single slice. And rosehip, an ingredient traditionally rich in vitamin C, supplies only 1.2 mg per serving here, or 1.5% of the reference value — which is to say nothing at all. These are not criticisms of the formula, they are the actual quantities, and what they tell you is that this product is a fibre source with a plant profile, not a source of micronutrients.

It is also why no health claim can be made for this product. The vitamins and minerals it contains are not present in significant amounts, and none of the plant extracts in the formula holds an authorised claim in Europe. The one thing that is true and can be said is the fibre figure.

One point of composition deserves flagging before we move on: the ingredients list mentions wheat fibre. Wheat is a source of gluten and an allergen subject to mandatory declaration. The manufacturer does not highlight it in the information available to us: if you are coeliac or intolerant, you must read the label on the tub you receive before using it.

Ingredients list

Pectin, psyllium, WHEAT fibre, barley grass, spirulina, spinach, chlorella, beetroot, açaí (30:1 extract), blueberry, rosehip, carrot, pineapple, tomato, green tea extract (of which EGCG), matcha, black pepper (of which piperine), sweetener: stevia extract. Contains WHEAT. Refer to the labelling on the tub for the full allergen declaration.

How do you take Greens & Reds?

Dose: 10 g, one serving. Liquid: 200 ml of cold water minimum. Timing: in the morning, or mid-afternoon. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: there is no course to follow, use is continuous.

The volume of water is not negotiable. Psyllium and pectin are fibres that swell on contact with water: given too little liquid, they thicken in the throat and become unpleasant to swallow. 200 ml is a minimum, 300 ml is more comfortable, and you should drink normally in the hours that follow.

The powder also mixes very well into a smoothie, fromage frais or yoghurt, which masks the vegetal taste — sharp, grassy, slightly earthy — that not everyone enjoys. That is often the best way to keep taking it over the long run.

If you are not used to fibre, start with half a serving for a week. Jumping from 15 to 18 g of fibre a day in one go causes bloating and discomfort in a lot of people. Building up gradually solves the problem and costs nothing.

Finally, leave at least two hours between this and any medicine or mineral supplement. Soluble fibres slow the absorption of whatever they are taken with, and that applies just as much to an iron tablet or a multivitamin.

Who is Greens & Reds for, and who is it not for?

It suits someone whose diet genuinely lacks fibre and plant foods: meals eaten out, busy weeks, a dislike of vegetables. In that specific case, 3 g of soluble fibre a day added with no effort has concrete value.

It is not suitable for people who are coeliac or gluten intolerant, as the formula contains wheat fibre. That is the single most important point on this page and it bears repeating.

Nor is it suitable if you have unstabilised irritable bowel syndrome: a sudden load of soluble fibre can make symptoms worse before it makes them better. In that case, introduction must be very gradual, and ideally discussed with a healthcare professional.

The formula contains green tea extract, a source of EGCG and of a small amount of caffeine. It is not a problem at this dose, but it is worth knowing if you take your serving in the evening or if you are stacking several sources of green tea extract.

What you should not expect from it, and this is the honest paragraph on this page: it is not a substitute for fruit and vegetables. 10 g of powder does not replace 400 g of fresh plant food, nor its water, nor its volume, nor its variety. Nor does it “detoxify” anything — the liver and kidneys do that job on their own. It is a fibre supplement with a plant profile, which is useful in itself, but it excuses nothing.

Greens & Reds or a multivitamin?

That is the trade-off most buyers weigh up, and the two products do not cover the same need at all.

A multivitamin supplies vitamins and minerals at declared amounts, often close to or above the reference values, which allows precise claims and comparison between products. It is the better choice if your concern is micronutritional: winter, a restrictive diet, irregular dietary intake. Its shortcoming is that it supplies no fibre and no plant compounds.

Greens & Reds does the opposite: plenty of fibre, a varied plant profile, but no micronutrient in a significant amount. It is the better choice if the problem is transit or a lack of plant foods, not if the problem is a deficiency. Nothing stops you taking both: they barely overlap.

If your concern is more specifically digestive, two other families are worth a look: probiotics, which supply live strains rather than fibre, and digestive enzymes, which act on the digestion of the meals themselves. The full range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

Frequently asked questions

How much fibre per serving?

3.15 g per 10 g of powder, or roughly a tenth of the recommended daily intake for an adult. It comes mainly from pectin and psyllium, two well-tolerated soluble fibres. It is the most solid figure on the whole label.

Does this product contain gluten?

The ingredients list mentions wheat fibre, which is a source of gluten. The product is therefore not suitable for people who are coeliac or intolerant. You must check the allergen declaration on the tub you receive before using it.

Does it replace vegetables?

No, and that needs saying plainly. 10 g of powder supplies neither the volume, nor the water, nor the variety of 400 g of fresh plant food. The amounts of spirulina, beetroot or rosehip are counted in hundreds of milligrams, a fraction of a real portion. It is a supplement, not a replacement.

What does the powder taste like?

Vegetal and grassy, slightly earthy, with the mild bitterness of barley grass and spirulina. The stevia extract softens it without masking it. Mixed into a fruit smoothie or fromage frais, it goes down far better than in water alone.

Can you take it in the evening?

There is nothing against it, but the formula contains green tea extract, which brings a little caffeine. If you are sensitive, the morning remains the best slot. It also fits better with the effect of fibre on transit, which is appreciated more at the start of the day.

How much vitamin C does the rosehip supply?

1.2 mg per serving, or 1.5% of the nutrient reference value. That is negligible, and it explains why no claim can be made for this product. If vitamin C is what you need, you want a product dosed for it.

How many servings in a tub?

Thirty, at 10 g per serving for 300 g of powder. A tub therefore covers exactly one month at one serving a day. That is the most common purchase rhythm for this type of product.

Where can you buy Sinob’s Greens & Reds?

The 300 g tub can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we sell by presenting it for what it is: a fibre intake with a garden taste, not health insurance in powder form. The people who buy it on that basis use it for a long time.

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 Curcumin?

Sinob Curcumin is a turmeric extract in vegetable capsules, dosed at 250 mg of rhizome extract standardised to 95% curcuminoids, to which are added 3 mg of black pepper extract standardised to 95% piperine. The bottle holds 60 capsules.

What strikes you first is the dosage schedule: one capsule every three days, and not one a day. This is not a way of cutting corners, it is a direct consequence of the dose, and we explain why below. It also means that one bottle covers six months, which is unusual in this aisle.

Culinary turmeric contains roughly 2 to 5% curcuminoids. An extract standardised to 95% therefore concentrates the active fraction massively: the manufacturer states that one capsule is equivalent to around 94.8 g of turmeric powder. It is this concentration that makes all the difference between sprinkling a dish and taking a supplement — and it is also what calls for precautions that kitchen turmeric does not require. The rest of the German range appears in our Sinob aisle.

What does one capsule of Curcumin contain?

No nutrient reference value exists for curcuminoids or for piperine: a percentage column would make no sense here.

The decisive figure on this page is the following. EFSA has set an acceptable daily intake of 3 mg of curcumin per kilo of body weight, i.e. 180 mg a day for a person weighing 60 kg. One capsule provides around 237.5 mg. In other words, a single capsule already exceeds the acceptable daily intake on the day you take it, which the manufacturer acknowledges by citing that 180 mg benchmark itself. That is precisely the reason for the spaced-out dosage: by spreading it over three days, the average intake comes back down to around 79 mg a day. This rule is therefore not a comfort tip, it is the product's actual instructions for use, and there is nothing to be gained from exceeding it.

The piperine at 2.85 mg is not a token ingredient. Curcumin on its own is very poorly absorbed by the intestine and quickly eliminated; piperine slows its breakdown by the liver, which markedly increases the amounts that actually circulate in the body. That is what makes the extract useful — and it is also what explains some of the precautions listed below, since piperine alters the metabolism of certain medicines in the same way.

Two clarifications to finish. First, no health claim is authorised in Europe for turmeric or curcumin: not for the joints, not for digestion, not for inflammation. We can describe the plant, the standardisation and the dose; we cannot attribute any effect to them. Second, the previous description on this page mentioned a “marketing authorisation in all German pharmacies” together with a PZN number. A PZN is simply an article number used by German pharmacies for their orders: it is neither a marketing authorisation nor a certification. We have removed that statement.

Ingredients list

Turmeric rhizome extract (Curcuma longa) standardised to 95% curcuminoids, black pepper fruit extract (Piper nigrum) standardised to 95% piperine, capsule shell (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose), bulking agent: microcrystalline cellulose, anti-caking agent: magnesium salts of fatty acids. No major allergen declared. Vegan formula, made in Germany.

How should Sinob Curcumin be taken?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a large glass of water, 250 ml. Timing: during a meal containing fat. Frequency: one capsule every three days, never more. Duration: the manufacturer recommends 8 weeks of use followed by 2 weeks off.

The fatty meal is not a refinement. Curcuminoids are not water-soluble and are absorbed far better in the presence of fat: a drizzle of olive oil, an avocado, a handful of nuts or a normally cooked dish are enough. A capsule swallowed on an empty stomach with a glass of water loses a large part of its point.

That is also why pairing it with omega 3 makes sense, not through some mysterious synergy but because fish oil capsules supply the fat at the exact moment of the intake.

Do not make up for a missed dose by doubling up. This is the most common mistake with this product, and the only one that really matters: two capsules on the same day take the intake to 475 mg of curcuminoids, well above the safety benchmark. If you have forgotten, simply pick the rhythm back up.

Note finally the course interval: eight weeks of use, two weeks off. At one capsule every three days, a course represents about twenty capsules, and one bottle covers three complete courses.

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

It suits an adult who wants a standardised, readable extract rather than a rhizome powder whose actual content nobody knows. The capsule is vegetable and the formula declares no major allergen, which makes it an option open to most diets.

The contraindications, on the other hand, are serious and the manufacturer states them clearly. The product is contraindicated in the event of obstruction of the bile ducts, gallstones included, since turmeric stimulates bile secretion. It is not recommended for people on anticoagulants, curcumin and piperine both interfering with coagulation and with the metabolism of medicines. It calls for medical advice in the event of liver or biliary disease. Finally, it is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women and must be kept out of reach of children under three.

One further element has to be added that the manufacturer does not mention and that a French buyer has a right to know: ANSES has published an opinion on turmeric-based food supplements and reported cases of liver damage, stressing that forms intended to improve absorption — such as the combination with piperine — increase the body's exposure. That is not a reason to give up, it is a reason to follow the dosage to the letter and to seek advice at the slightest unusual sign.

What you should not expect from it: it is not a painkiller, it is not a treatment, and no improvement should be hoped for on a diagnosed condition. Any question of that order is a matter for your doctor or your pharmacist, not for a food supplement.

Standardised turmeric or a joint complex?

The two often cross paths in the same basket, so the difference is worth setting out.

A joint complex based on glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM is taken daily, at doses of around a gram, and aims at maintaining cartilage over time. It is the better choice if your concern is mechanical and long-standing — runner's knees, weightlifter's shoulders — and if you accept taking it every day for several months. Its drawback is bulk: these are large tablets, and glucosamine is most often derived from shellfish.

Standardised turmeric follows a different logic: a spaced-out intake, a concentrated plant active, a tiny capsule and no major allergen. It is the better choice if you are looking for a readable plant extract, if you are allergic to shellfish, or if the idea of a daily tablet puts you off from the start. The trade-off is the contraindications listed above, which are real.

There is nothing to stop you combining the two, provided you check that neither product duplicates an ingredient of the other. The whole aisle can be compared in our sports nutrition selection.

Frequently asked questions

Why only one capsule every three days?

Because one capsule provides around 237.5 mg of curcuminoids, whereas the acceptable daily intake set by EFSA is 3 mg per kilo, i.e. 180 mg for a person weighing 60 kg. Spacing them three days apart brings the average intake back below that benchmark. It is the product's instructions for use, not a suggestion.

How long does a bottle last?

Six months, at one capsule every three days for 60 capsules. It is the longest duration in our entire supplements aisle, and it completely changes the calculation of the real cost compared with a turmeric to be taken daily.

What is the black pepper for in the formula?

Its piperine slows the breakdown of curcumin by the liver, which markedly increases the amount that circulates in the body. Without it, most of the curcumin swallowed would be eliminated without having served any purpose. It is also this mechanism that explains the precautions to be taken with certain medicines.

Can it be taken with an anticoagulant?

No, the manufacturer explicitly advises against it. Curcumin, like piperine, interferes with coagulation and with the metabolism of several treatments. If you are on an anticoagulant, the question is one for your doctor before any purchase, and the answer is generally no.

Is this product suitable for vegans?

Yes. The shell is made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, of vegetable origin, and all the ingredients in the formula are too. The manufacturer also declares no major allergen, which makes this line accessible to most exclusion diets.

Should it be taken with a meal?

Yes, and preferably a meal containing fat. Curcuminoids are not water-soluble: on an empty stomach, a large part of the dose will not be absorbed. An ordinary cooked dish is enough, there is no need to add anything.

What should you do if you miss a dose?

Simply pick the rhythm back up at the next due date. You should not double the dose to catch up: two capsules on the same day would take the intake to around 475 mg of curcuminoids, far above the safety benchmark. With a product on a spaced-out schedule, a missed dose is of no consequence.

Where can you buy Sinob Curcumin?

The 60-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the one product in the aisle where we insist as much on the dosage as on the contents: an extract standardised to 95% is not taken like a spice, and the three-day rule is not negotiable. The other plant extracts can be compared in our superfood ingredients aisle.

What is Sinob Hydro Creat?

This is creatine hydrochloride in capsules, dosed at 1,000 mg per unit. The reference serving is three capsules, i.e. 3,000 mg, and the 150-capsule bottle covers 50 servings. Made in Germany.

Creatine HCL is creatine combined with hydrochloric acid, which makes it far more soluble in water than the monohydrate form. That is the only genuinely established difference between the two: the active molecule is still creatine, and creatine alone is what European regulation recognises.

The rest of the composition comes down to four lines: a gelatine shell, microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium salts of fatty acids as an anti-caking agent, and three shell colourings. As the capsule is made of gelatine, the product is suitable for neither vegetarians nor vegans. The product joins our creatine HCL and Sinob sections.

What does a three-capsule serving contain?

No NRV is established for creatine. Pack size: 150 capsules, i.e. 50 servings of three. The manufacturer declares no major allergen.

Three grams a day is precisely the threshold that unlocks the only claim authorised in Europe: creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise. That wording targets repeated explosive effort — strength sets, sprints — and not endurance. It is the only statement we will use.

We now need to deal honestly with what is said about the HCL form. Its greater solubility in water is a chemical fact; on the other hand, we have no ANSES or EFSA source establishing that it produces a better result than a creatine monohydrate, nor that it avoids bloating, nor that it acts within fifteen minutes. Those assertions circulate about this type of product; they cannot be repeated, and the European claim covers creatine with no distinction of form.

One clarification that weighs on the arithmetic: the word “HCL” refers to the whole salt, hydrochloric acid included. Three grams of creatine HCL therefore do not quite supply three grams of creatine, and the manufacturer does not publish the pure creatine share. It is the same trap as with any amino acid salt, and it is better to know it before comparing two labels.

How should you take Hydro Creat?

Serving: 3 capsules, i.e. 3,000 mg. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: 25 to 30 minutes before the session, preferably on an empty stomach. Frequency: the manufacturer settles on training days only. Duration: optional cycling of 8 to 12 weeks followed by 2 to 4 weeks off.

Here we have to depart from the label, and we do so with an explanation. The manufacturer recommends taking it on training days only; the European claim, for its part, assumes 3 g of creatine per day. Creatine's effect rests on the gradual saturation of the muscle, which takes several weeks of regular intake. Taking it three or four times a week will not saturate the stores. If you want the benefit recognised by the regulations, take your three capsules every day, session or no session. The bottle will then last 50 days, not several months.

The manufacturer also advertises “effects felt within 15 minutes”. That is not how creatine works, as its action goes through the build-up of muscle stores over several weeks. We will not repeat that assertion.

One instruction to follow, though: drink at least 2 litres of water a day throughout the period of use. Creatine draws water into the muscle cell, and an insufficient fluid intake is the leading reported cause of discomfort.

No loading phase is necessary — that is correct, and it is equally true of creatine powder. The product combines without difficulty with a whey or with amino acids.

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

It suits adults doing short, intense efforts, and particularly those who genuinely tolerated creatine monohydrate powder badly. The capsule format removes the gritty taste and travels easily.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as for the under-18s, and asks that it be kept out of reach of children under 3. If you are on any medication, consult a healthcare professional before use. Store in a cool, dry place away from light.

It is suitable for neither vegetarians nor vegans — the shell is made of gelatine — which is doubly unfortunate, as meat is the main dietary source of creatine. It also contains azorubine (E122) as a shell colouring, which requires the regulatory statement: may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.

What you should not expect from it: an immediate effect. Creatine is not a stimulant and is not felt on the first serving, whatever its form. Nor is it a weight-loss product or an endurance supplement: the authorised claim targets very intense, short effort.

Creatine HCL or creatine monohydrate?

This is the only question that matters on this page, and we are going to answer it even though the answer does not push you to buy.

Creatine monohydrate is by far the best-documented form, and the European claim applies to it in exactly the same way, at 3 g per day. It costs a fraction of the price per gram and is taken by the spoonful. The Creapure section carries the products whose raw material is traceable. If you have never tried creatine, start there: it is the best value in the catalogue, across every category.

The HCL form has two concrete advantages, and they are not negligible. The first is the capsule format: no taste, no scoop, an identical dose from one day to the next. The second concerns those who have genuinely felt digestive discomfort with monohydrate — it does happen, even if it is less common than is claimed — and for whom switching salt is worth a try.

Kre-Alkalyn creatine falls under exactly the same logic: a variant offered as better tolerated, with no official validation of superiority. Between the three, choose on format and on your real tolerance, not on label arguments. For mass gain, creatine combines without difficulty with the rest of your supplements.

Frequently asked questions

Should you take it on rest days?

Yes, in our view, even though the manufacturer settles on training days only. The European claim assumes 3 g of creatine per day, and muscle saturation requires regular intake over several weeks. Taking it only around sessions will not fill the stores: that is the most common mistake with this supplement.

Is creatine HCL superior to monohydrate?

It is more soluble in water, which is a chemical fact. On the other hand, we have no ANSES or EFSA source establishing a better result, and the European claim covers creatine with no distinction of form. What genuinely changes here is the capsule format and the price.

How long does a bottle last?

Fifty servings of three capsules. If you follow the label and take it only on training days, that represents about three months at four sessions a week. Taken daily, which is what we advise, count on fifty days.

Do you feel anything from the very first serving?

No. The manufacturer advertises effects within fifteen minutes; that is not how creatine works, as its action rests on muscle stores built up over several weeks. Do not judge this product before a month of daily use.

Are the capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No, the shell is gelatine of animal origin. That is particularly a shame, as meat is the main dietary source of creatine and vegetarians therefore have the lowest intakes. A creatine powder is then the right choice.

Is 3 g of creatine HCL the same as 3 g of creatine?

No, not exactly: the stated weight is that of the whole salt, hydrochloric acid included. The manufacturer does not publish the pure creatine share. It is the same trap as with all amino acid salts, and it is something to factor in when you compare two labels.

Should you take it on an empty stomach?

The manufacturer advises it, 25 to 30 minutes before the session. In practice, timing is secondary with creatine: what matters is not forgetting it. Take your three capsules at whatever slot you will remember every day, including the days you do not train.

Where can you buy Sinob Hydro Creat?

The 150-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is a generous format: even taken daily, it covers more than seven weeks.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product in front of which we ask the simplest question in the range: have you already tried creatine powder, and did it really bother you? If the answer is no, monohydrate remains unbeatable. If it is yes, this capsule has every reason to be there. The rest of the range can be compared in our sports nutrition section.

What is Sinob Core L-Arginine AAKG?

Sinob Core AAKG is a powdered amino acid for mixing with liquid, sold in a 300 g tub, which works out at 30 servings of 10 g. Its only ingredient is L-arginine alpha-ketoglutarate, a salt in which arginine is bound to alpha-ketoglutarate, an intermediate of the Krebs cycle. No sweeteners, no flavourings, no colourings, no preservatives: the powder is unadulterated and so is its taste.

The product belongs to our L-arginine range. Sinob is a German brand whose line-up we stock in the Sinob range. The formulation contains no ingredients of animal origin and the manufacturer declares no allergens.

What does a serving of Core AAKG contain?

A 10 g serving provides 10 g of L-arginine alpha-ketoglutarate, of which 6.567 g is L-arginine and 3.433 g is alpha-ketoglutarate. Expressed per 100 g, that comes to 65.67 g of arginine.

This is the only figure that matters when comparing two products, and it is rarely put front and centre. “10 g of AAKG” is not “10 g of arginine”: a third of the powder's weight is alpha-ketoglutarate. Set against an arginine HCl, whose arginine share is higher, the comparison has to be made gram of arginine against gram of arginine, price included.

One clarification is called for here: other contents are quoted for this product, notably a figure of 53.5%. We stand by the 65.67% given in our labelling data, and we are flagging the discrepancy rather than quietly passing over it. If in doubt, the value printed on the tub you receive is the one that counts.

A final point of context: arginine carries no authorised health claim in Europe. What we are describing, then, is a formulation, a dose and a format, not an expected effect. The full nutritional breakdown is set out in the tabs on this page.

How do you take Sinob Core AAKG?

The recommended dose is 10 g per day, that is one level scoop, mixed into 200 ml of water or juice and shaken for around thirty seconds in a shaker. Drink immediately after preparing.

The manufacturer settles on one serving a day, in the morning on an empty stomach, or 30 minutes before training on session days. Do not exceed 10 g per day: that is the limit stated on the label. As for duration, it advises cycling 8 weeks of use followed by 2 weeks off. The 30-serving tub therefore covers a month of daily use, or roughly two and a half months if you take it only on training days.

Two practical remarks. The taste is frankly sour and bitter — that is the trade-off of an unflavoured powder; citrus juice makes it far more drinkable than a plain glass of water. And 10 g of an amino acid on an empty stomach does not suit every stomach: nausea, bloating or loose stools should prompt you to cut back or stop. A decent shaker is not a luxury, since the powder dissolves poorly when stirred with a spoon.

Who is Core AAKG for, and who is it not for?

The product is intended for adults. It is suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets, as its formulation contains no ingredients of animal origin, and the manufacturer declares no gluten, no lactose and no soya.

It is not suitable for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. The manufacturer contraindicates it in people who have had a myocardial infarction: this statement appears explicitly on the label and should be taken seriously. It also advises against using it in cases of recurrent herpes, as arginine may encourage outbreaks — this is the most frequently asked question about this amino acid, and the answer here is no. Keep out of reach of children under 3. If you are undergoing medical treatment, seek advice from a healthcare professional before use.

What you should not expect from it: since no health claim is authorised for arginine, this product promises nothing regarding circulation, performance or recovery, and we are not going to write otherwise. Nor is it a strength product: on that front, creatine monohydrate is better established and costs less per day.

Core AAKG or citrulline?

This is the decisive comparison, and it starts with this product's own billing, which highlights superior absorption. The implicit comparison is with L-arginine hydrochloride, the most widespread form. It is not documented by any health authority, and we will not be repeating the multipliers — “three times more”, “ten times more” — commonly read about this type of formula: those figures have no verifiable source.

More importantly, the fundamental issue lies elsewhere. The limiting factor for orally taken arginine is not the salt chosen but a substantial first-pass effect: a significant share is broken down by arginase in the gut and the liver before it reaches the circulation. Switching salts does not remove that mechanism. L-citrulline, by contrast, largely escapes it and is then converted into arginine in the kidney: taken orally, citrulline raises plasma arginine more effectively than arginine itself, whatever its form. That is established, and it does not work in AAKG's favour.

Citrulline is therefore the better choice in the most common use case: a serving before the session. It is generally better tolerated digestively at an equivalent dose, and its taste, though sour, remains more palatable. It is also what you will find in most of the complete pre-workouts in the range, which have largely swapped it in for arginine.

Core AAKG keeps two situations for itself. The first: you want a single-ingredient product, with no sweetener or flavouring, so you can build your own pre-workout and set each dose yourself. The second: you are specifically after the alpha-ketoglutarate intake, which citrulline does not provide. Outside those two cases, citrulline is the more rational choice, and we would rather say so than sell at all costs the very product page you are reading.

Frequently asked questions

How much arginine is there really in a 10 g serving?

6.567 g of arginine and 3.433 g of alpha-ketoglutarate, which is 65.67% arginine. That is the figure to remember when comparing with another product: a label stating “10 g of AAKG” is not stating 10 g of arginine, and the real price difference is worked out per gram of arginine, not per gram of powder.

Can you take it if you have herpes?

The manufacturer advises against it in cases of recurrent herpes, as arginine may encourage outbreaks. This is the precaution most often looked up about this amino acid, and it appears explicitly on the label. If it applies to you, this product is not for you; speak to your doctor or your pharmacist about it.

What does the powder taste like, and how do you make it drinkable?

Sour and bitter, with nothing to mask it since the formula contains neither flavouring nor sweetener. A 200 ml citrus juice goes down far better than still water, and the acidity of the juice works with that of the powder. Shake for thirty seconds in a shaker: stirred with a spoon, it dissolves badly.

How long does the 300 g tub last?

Thirty days with daily use, or roughly two and a half months if you keep it for training days at three sessions a week. With the 8-week cycling the manufacturer advises, one tub does not cover a full cycle under daily use.

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

The manufacturer settles on the morning on an empty stomach or 30 minutes before the session. A protein-rich meal eaten just before puts other amino acids in competition for intestinal transport. If 10 g on an empty stomach makes you feel nauseous, taking it becomes uncomfortable: better then to reduce the dose than to press on.

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

There is nothing against it, but the benefit is limited: both target the same pathway, and citrulline does it better orally. If you are already taking a complete pre-workout, check its formulation before adding this product, as most already contain several grams of citrulline. Stacking is no substitute for dosing.

Does the product contain additives or allergens?

No. The only ingredient is L-arginine alpha-ketoglutarate, with no sweetener, flavouring, colouring or preservative, and the manufacturer declares no allergens. That is this line's main selling point: a single-component powder whose dosing is entirely under your control.

Where can you buy Sinob Core L-Arginine AAKG?

You can order it on this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is typically the product on which we take the time to ask the question before selling: for most pre-session uses, citrulline remains the best value for money, and it is better to hear that over the counter than after buying. All our amino acids can be found in our sports nutrition range.

What is Sinob Core Beta-Alanine?

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

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

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

What does a dose of Core Beta-Alanine contain?

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

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

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

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

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

Ingredients list

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

No allergens declared in the composition by the manufacturer.

How do you take Core Beta-Alanine?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beta-alanine or creatine?

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

Why the tingling after taking it?

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

Should it be taken before training?

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

How long does it take to be fully loaded?

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

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

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

What dose for someone who is sensitive?

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

Is it useful for long-distance running?

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

Is this powder suitable for vegans?

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

Where can you buy Sinob Core Beta-Alanine?

The tub can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we always warn people about two things before selling it: the tingling in the first few days, which takes a lot of people by surprise, and the fact that nothing will happen for two or three weeks. Customers who have been warned finish their tub; the others give up after a week. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

What is Sinob Citrulline Malate?

Sinob Citrulline Malate is a powdered L-citrulline malate for mixing, with no flavouring, no sweetener and no bulking agent. One 5 g scoop provides 3 g of citrulline malate as declared by the manufacturer, of which 1.875 g is L-citrulline, at a 2:1 ratio. It is taken one hour before training.

Citrulline is an amino acid the body makes itself and which is found above all in watermelon — Citrullus, hence the name. It serves as the raw material for arginine, which is itself the precursor of nitric oxide. That chain explains why citrulline has taken over from directly ingested arginine in pre-workout formulas.

The malate it comes paired with is not merely a manufacturing salt. It is malic acid, the molecule that gives a green apple its sharpness, and it is part of the cycle by which the cell produces energy. The 2:1 ratio means two parts citrulline to one part malate. The full German range can be browsed in our Sinob section, and the other products in the category in our citrulline section.

What does a dose of Citrulline Malate contain?

A point of honesty before going any further: the manufacturer's documentation contradicts itself on one detail. It states both an additive-free powder and 3 g of citrulline malate per 5 g scoop. We are reproducing the declared figures as they stand, without recalculating or correcting them. The official table appears on the packaging you will receive, and that is what counts.

What you need to know about dosages in this category, on the other hand, is perfectly clear. Published work on citrulline malate in strength training generally uses 6 to 8 g per serving. With one scoop, you are at 3 g. That is half a dose, and it is better to know it before buying: if you are aiming for the amounts used in the protocols, count on two scoops. The manufacturer allows for this itself, in fact, mentioning 6 to 8 g for sessions where the pump is the main objective.

On the regulatory side, let us be blunt: no health claim is authorised in Europe for citrulline. Not on performance, not on circulation, not on the muscle pump. So what we describe is an amino acid, its dosage and how to use it — not a promised result. The sensation of a pump during training is something many people report; it is not a claim, and we will not present it as one.

The manufacturer declares a powder with no allergens in the composition, suitable for vegan diets, gluten-free and lactose-free, and states that it is made in Germany.

Data missing from the manufacturer's documentation: the net weight of the tub, and therefore the number of servings, is not disclosed. We will not infer it; the net content is shown on the packaging.

Ingredients list

L-citrulline malate (2:1 ratio). No additives, no flavouring, no sweetener, no colouring.

No allergens declared in the composition by the manufacturer.

How should Citrulline Malate be taken?

Dose: 5 g, i.e. one scoop, up to 6 to 8 g for long sessions. Liquid: 200 to 300 ml of cold water. Timing: 60 minutes before training. Frequency: one serving on training days; 3 g spread through the day for maintenance. Duration: no fixed course, occasional use around sessions.

Timing genuinely matters with this product, unlike many others. Sixty minutes is not a comfort margin: it is the time needed for citrulline to be absorbed, pass through the kidney and be converted into arginine. Taking it ten minutes before starting your session amounts to drinking it for nothing. If you are setting off from home, take it as you close the front door, not when you reach the changing room.

Dissolving it takes a little effort: citrulline malate is an acidic powder that settles at the bottom of the glass if you leave it standing. Shake it hard, drink it straight away, and rinse the glass — the acidity leaves a sticky residue if you wait.

The taste is decidedly sour and bitter, with no flavouring to mask it. That is the price of a pure powder. Two solutions: mix it into an already flavoured training drink, or add it to your usual pre-workout, where it will go unnoticed. Do not sweeten it at the last minute with fruit juice for a fasted session, as you would be adding carbohydrates without meaning to.

It combines without overlap with beta-alanine, which works through an entirely different mechanism, and with creatine monohydrate, whose value for strength is far better documented than that of citrulline.

Who is Citrulline Malate for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at an adult training for resistance or endurance who wants to put together their own pre-workout rather than buy a ready-made formula. That is where its real value lies: a bare powder, dosable to the gram, with no caffeine or flavouring imposed on you.

It calls for caution if your blood pressure is low. The manufacturer mentions this explicitly, because of the vasodilatory effect expected from the arginine-nitric oxide pathway. Likewise, if you are on cardiovascular medication, an interaction is possible: that question is one for your doctor before you buy, and the answer cannot be guessed.

It is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women without the advice of a healthcare professional. The manufacturer recommends starting at 3 g to assess your tolerance: that is sensible advice, digestive discomfort being the side effect most frequently reported with this kind of powder at high doses.

What not to expect from it. It does not replace a complete pre-workout: there is no caffeine here, no stimulant, no electrolyte. You will not feel a kick. It does not build muscle and it does not burn fat. And at 3 g per scoop, it is below the amounts used in the published protocols — that is the most important point on this page, and it is why we are repeating it.

Citrulline malate or arginine?

This is the most useful comparison in the category, and it settles fairly clearly.

Arginine taken orally undergoes substantial breakdown in the gut and the liver before it reaches the bloodstream. A sizeable share of what you swallow never arrives where it is supposed to act. That is a documented fact, and it is the reason citrulline has taken its place in most modern formulas.

Citrulline bypasses that stage: it is converted into arginine in the kidney, downstream of the digestive filter. At an equivalent dose, it therefore raises circulating arginine more than arginine itself does. That is the reasoning behind its commercial success, and it stands up.

When does arginine remain the right choice? When you are specifically after that molecule for a use documented elsewhere, or when you can find it at a solid dose for a lower budget. Our L-arginine section offers it in isolated form. And if you would rather have a complete stimulant-free formula, our pre workout without creatine section brings together ready-made products, generally dosed at 6 g of citrulline or more.

Frequently asked questions

How much citrulline per scoop?

3 g of citrulline malate as declared by the manufacturer per 5 g scoop, of which 1.875 g is L-citrulline at a 2:1 ratio. Published strength-training protocols tend to use 6 to 8 g of citrulline malate: count on two scoops if you want to get close to that.

Why take it an hour before the session?

Because citrulline has to be absorbed and then converted into arginine by the kidney before it has any effect at all. That journey takes time. A serving ten minutes before the warm-up arrives too late: sixty minutes is the interval the manufacturer settles on, and it is a coherent one.

What does this powder taste like?

Sour and bitter, with no flavouring to soften it. That is the trade-off of a pure powder, free of sweeteners and colourings. Most users mix it into an already flavoured training drink or into their usual pre-workout.

Citrulline malate or pure citrulline?

Malate is malic acid, a molecule from the cell's energy cycle, not merely a manufacturing salt. Weight for weight, a pure citrulline provides more citrulline; at an equal citrulline dose, the two are equivalent. Always compare the “of which L-citrulline” line, not the total weight.

Can it be combined with a caffeinated pre-workout?

Yes, without any overlap: citrulline is not a stimulant and provides no caffeine. That is in fact the most common way of using it, all the more so as its taste then goes unnoticed. Simply check that your pre-workout does not already contain some, otherwise you would be doubling the dose without knowing it.

Should it be taken on rest days?

It is not necessary. Unlike creatine or beta-alanine, which load into the muscle over several weeks, citrulline acts when you take it. The manufacturer does, however, mention 3 g spread through the day for maintenance, which remains optional.

Is this powder suitable for vegans?

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

Where can you buy Sinob Citrulline Malate?

The tub can be ordered from this page, and we ship anywhere in France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, around ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product we bring out for customers who want to put together their own pre-workout: a bare powder costs less than a ready-made formula and you decide on the dose. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

What is Sinob Core L-Glutamine?

Sinob Core L-Glutamine is a pure L-glutamine powder produced by plant-based fermentation. A 10 g serving delivers 10 g of L-glutamine in free amino acid form, for 30 kcal. There is nothing else in the tub: no flavouring, no sweetener, no colouring, no bulking agent.

Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in blood plasma and in muscle tissue. The body can manufacture it, which places it among the non-essential amino acids, and an ordinary diet already supplies appreciable amounts: dairy products, meat, fish, eggs and pulses all contain it.

The term “free” form means that the amino acid is not bound to any other: it is ready to be absorbed as it is, which explains why it dissolves instantly in water. The rest of the German range can be browsed in our Sinob section, and the other products in the category in our glutamine section.

What does a serving of Core L-Glutamine contain?

Inconsistent figure in the manufacturer's file: the carbohydrate, fat and fibre lines are all declared at 1 g per 100 g on a powder stated to be 100 % pure. These values cannot all be correct at once; we would rather not reproduce them than publish figures that do not add up. The official table appears on the packaging as supplied.

Let us come to what really matters, and to what is written nowhere else in this category: no health claim is authorised in Europe for glutamine. Not for recovery, not for immunity, not for muscle mass, not for digestion. The dossiers submitted did not succeed. So we describe an amino acid, its dosage and how to use it, without promising any result.

We need to go further, because that is our job as a retailer. In a healthy athlete who eats enough protein, the available research shows no notable effect of glutamine supplementation on muscle mass or performance. An adequate protein intake already supplies glutamine in quantity — a whey provides several grams per serving without it having to be stated on the label. The uses where glutamine has a documented benefit belong to the clinical field, under medical supervision, and not to sports nutrition.

What does remain true: this is a pure powder, dosable to the gram, additive-free, reasonably priced and perfectly well tolerated by most people. If you want to try it knowing exactly what it is, it is a clean product. If you are looking for the supplement that will make the difference to your results, look elsewhere in the range — and we will tell you where.

Data missing from the manufacturer's file: the net weight of the tub, and therefore the number of servings, are not disclosed. The net content appears on the packaging.

Ingredient list

L-glutamine (100 %), free amino acid from plant-based fermentation. No colourings, no preservatives, no sweeteners, no bulking agents.

No allergen declared in the composition by the manufacturer. Product declared gluten-free, lactose-free and soya-free, suitable for vegan and halal diets.

How should you take Core L-Glutamine?

Serving: 10 g, i.e. one scoop; 15 g for intensive use, split into 5 g before and 10 g after the session. Liquid: 200 to 300 ml of cold or lukewarm water. Timing: within the fifteen minutes following training, between two meals, or before bed. Frequency: one to two servings per day. Duration: cycles of 4 to 6 weeks, with a one- to two-week break.

Solubility is this powder's practical strong point. Free L-glutamine dissolves instantly in cold water, with no lumps and no sediment, which is not the case with every amino acid. Shake for five seconds and drink: it has no pronounced taste, barely a slight bitterness. It therefore mixes without difficulty into a protein shake, a juice or a training drink.

The manufacturer recommends taking it away from meals to aid absorption, as glutamine shares its intestinal transporters with other amino acids. In practice, taking it straight after the session or between two meals meets that condition effortlessly.

If you have a sensitive stomach, start at 5 g per serving before moving up to 10 g. That is the manufacturer's advice, and it is justified: free amino acids at high doses sometimes cause temporary digestive discomfort in the first few days. Do not exceed the stated amounts in the belief that more is better, as it would achieve nothing.

It combines without redundancy with a protein, with EAAs or with creatine monohydrate. Simply note that a whey already supplies you with glutamine, which makes the addition less decisive than is often claimed.

Who is Core L-Glutamine for, and who is it not for?

It suits an adult who wants a pure, additive-free powder and who knows the limits of the product. The format is perfectly clean: a single ingredient, precisely dosable, suitable for vegan diets.

The manufacturer recommends medical advice in the event of liver or kidney disease. This is not a token precaution: both organs are directly involved in amino acid metabolism, and the question cannot be settled over the counter. The manufacturer also flags possible drug interactions: if you are on any medication, discuss it with your doctor or pharmacist.

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

What you should not expect from it, and we say so bluntly because it is the most useful information on this page. It does not build muscle. It does not speed up recovery in any demonstrated way in a healthy athlete. It does not boost immunity — no claim of that kind is authorised. If your daily protein intake is adequate, you are already consuming glutamine in quantity without knowing it. This product makes up for neither poorly designed training, nor insufficient sleep, nor a diet that is too sparse.

Glutamine or protein powder?

This is the honest comparison to make before buying, and it comes down fairly clearly in favour of the latter.

A serving of whey supplies 20 to 25 g of complete protein, including several grams of naturally occurring glutamine, plus the full set of essential amino acids the body cannot manufacture. And protein does have authorised claims: protein contributes to a growth in and the maintenance of muscle mass. On cost per serving, there is no comparison. Our whey isolate section is the first place to look if your goal is muscle mass.

Isolated glutamine does something else: it supplies a single amino acid, in large amounts, without the others. That is useful when you are specifically after this molecule, for a use documented elsewhere or on the advice of a healthcare professional.

When is glutamine the better choice? When you know why you are taking it and are not counting on it to progress in training. If your aim is to cover your amino acid needs around the session, BCAAs and above all EAAs make more sense, and a complete protein makes more sense still.

Frequently asked questions

How much glutamine per serving?

10 g of pure L-glutamine per scoop, for 30 kcal. The powder analyses at 100 g of protein per 100 g: there is nothing else in it. For intensive use, the manufacturer provides for 15 g split into 5 g before and 10 g after the session.

Does glutamine really help you recover?

No recovery claim is authorised in Europe for glutamine, and in a healthy athlete who eats enough protein, the available research shows no notable effect. It is a clean product, but we will not promise you what has not been demonstrated.

When should you take it?

The manufacturer settles on the fifteen minutes following training, or a serving between two meals, or else before bed. The common thinking is to take it away from a meal, as glutamine shares its intestinal transporters with other amino acids.

What does this powder taste like?

Almost nothing, barely a slight bitterness. It is neither flavoured nor sweetened. It dissolves instantly in cold water, with no lumps or sediment, which makes it easy to add to a protein shake or a juice.

Does a whey already contain some?

Yes, several grams per serving, without this always appearing on the label. It is a point few retailers mention: if you already take a protein powder every day, your glutamine intake is far from nil.

What should you do about digestive discomfort?

Drop to 5 g per serving, as the manufacturer provides for, and build back up gradually. The discomfort mainly concerns the first few days and high doses of free amino acids. Taking the powder with a little more water also helps.

Is this powder suitable for vegans?

Yes. The L-glutamine is obtained by plant-based fermentation, with no raw material of animal origin, and the manufacturer declares the product vegan, halal, gluten-free, lactose-free and soya-free.

Where can you buy Sinob Core L-Glutamine?

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 are happy to sell but rarely recommend first: when a customer comes in looking for glutamine to make progress, we start by looking at what they eat and what protein they already take. Nine times out of ten, the answer is there. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

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 Sinob Melato9?

Sinob Melato9 is a powdered evening drink, to be mixed with water. A 14 g serving provides 1 mg of melatonin, 1 g of taurine, 500 mg of L-tryptophan, 500 mg of glycine, 150 mg of magnesium and seven other active ingredients, for 35 kcal. It is taken 45 minutes before bed.

The format is the first thing that sets this product apart. Supplements aimed at sleep are almost always sold as capsules or tablets; here it is a drink. That changes two things: the quantity of active ingredients you can fit into one serving, and the ritual — making up a glass and drinking it calmly is part of what prepares you for bed.

The only active ingredient whose effect is recognised at European level is melatonin, at 1 mg. That is exactly the threshold that opens the door to the authorised claim, and the whole of the rest of the formula is built around it. The rest of the German range can be browsed in our Sinob section, and taurine, the formula's second active ingredient by weight, in our taurine section.

What does one serving of Melato9 contain?

The milligram of melatonin is not a figure picked at random: it is very precisely the condition attached to the claim authorised in Europe. Below it, the claim cannot be used; at 1 mg per serving, it can. The official wording is as follows: melatonin contributes to the reduction of time taken to fall asleep. A second claim exists, also met at this dose: melatonin contributes to the alleviation of subjective feelings of jet lag.

Magnesium provides the formula's second regulatory foundation. At 150 mg, i.e. 40% of the reference value, it opens the door to its claims: magnesium contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system, to normal psychological function, to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to normal muscle function. The form used is the citrate, better absorbed than the oxide found in many cheap formulas.

For all the other ingredients, we should be clear: no claim is authorised in Europe. Not for taurine, not for tryptophan, not for glycine, not for hops, lemon balm, passionflower or ginkgo. They are ingredients authorised for sale, and evening plant extracts are part of a tradition of use — but nothing can be promised for them. The 75 mg of choline, in particular, stays below the threshold that would allow a claim to be stated.

One line deserves your attention before you buy: 3.28 g of sugars per serving, coming from the dextrose that serves as the carrier for the powder. That is little in absolute terms, but it is not zero, and it is worth flagging if you are watching your intake at the end of the day.

Data missing from the manufacturer's dossier: the quantities of ginseng root extract, inositol and black pepper extract are not disclosed even though these ingredients appear in the list. We will not estimate them.

Ingredients list

Dextrose, acidity regulator (citric acid), taurine, magnesium citrate, L-glycine, L-tryptophan, hop extract, lemon balm extract, choline bitartrate, inositol, flavouring (contains TARTRAZINE), passionflower extract, inulin, ginkgo biloba extract, flavouring (contains SULPHUR DIOXIDE AND SULPHITES), colour (vegetable carbon), sweeteners (sucralose, acesulfame K), ginseng root extract, black pepper extract, melatonin.

Contains SULPHUR DIOXIDE AND SULPHITES. Contains TARTRAZINE (E102): may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.

How do you take Melato9?

Dose: 2 scoops, i.e. 14 g; 3 scoops, i.e. 21 g, during periods of intense stress. Liquid: 250 ml of cold water, 350 ml for the stronger dose. Timing: 45 minutes before bed. Frequency: one serving a day, in the evening only. Duration: 21 consecutive days at most.

The 21-day limit is the most important instruction on this page, and it is not decorative. The manufacturer sets it down in black and white: beyond three weeks, if the sleep difficulties persist, a medical consultation is called for. A sleep disorder lasting more than a month is not a food supplement problem, and carrying on indefinitely amounts to masking a question that ought to be put to a doctor.

The 45 minutes before bed correspond to the time needed for the melatonin to be absorbed. Taken as you get into bed, it acts that much later. Shake vigorously for twenty seconds or so in nice cold water: it dissolves better cold.

Do not drive and do not use machinery after drinking this preparation. The manufacturer says so, and it makes sense: melatonin causes drowsiness, which is exactly what it is there for. Plan on staying at home after taking it.

Two free pieces of advice that often count for more than the product itself: no caffeine in the six hours beforehand, and a cool, dark bedroom. If you already take a ZMA in the evening, check that it does not also contain melatonin — doses add up and should not be stacked. For a higher magnesium intake, a dedicated product complements this formula better than a duplicate does.

Who is Melato9 for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at an adult who takes a while to fall asleep, occasionally: a busy stretch, jet lag, a change in training times. The manufacturer restricts it to adults.

Three warnings appear explicitly on the packaging and deserve reading before you buy. The product contains sulphur dioxide and sulphites — an allergen subject to mandatory labelling — as well as tartrazine, a colour that requires the regulatory statement about possible effects on activity and attention in children. Finally, drug interactions are possible with anticoagulants and hypnotics, which is explained in particular by the presence of ginkgo biloba.

It is not advised for pregnant and breastfeeding women without medical advice, or for children. The national food safety agency also calls for caution over melatonin for people with inflammatory or autoimmune diseases, epilepsy or asthma, and for those on treatment. In all these cases, the question is one for a doctor, not for the shop floor.

What not to expect from it. Melatonin reduces the time taken to fall asleep; it does not lengthen the night, does not stop night-time waking and treats no insomnia. The plant extracts in the formula have no demonstrated effect and nothing can be promised for them. And an evening supplement makes up neither for a coffee at 18:00, nor for two hours of screen time in bed, nor for a shifted lifestyle.

An evening drink or melatonin on its own?

A frequent question in the shop, and the answer depends above all on your budget and your routine.

Melatonin on its own, as a tablet or as drops, costs little, is taken in three seconds and does the one job that is recognised in regulation: reducing the time taken to fall asleep. If that is your only need, it is the most direct and most economical choice, and our melatonin section answers it perfectly.

Melato9 is selling something else: a ritual and a broad formula. Eleven active ingredients, a drink to make up, a marked moment in the evening. For some people that ritual counts as much as the molecule — sitting down with a glass forty-five minutes before going to bed is in itself a signal that the day is over. And 150 mg of magnesium citrate come as a bonus.

When is neither one the answer? If your problem is not falling asleep but waking in the middle of the night, or feeling tired on waking despite eight hours of sleep. There, no supplement will answer, and it is a doctor you need to see. For a different approach, our GABA section rests on another molecule, and our L-glycine section lets you dose that amino acid far higher than the 500 mg present here.

Frequently asked questions

How much melatonin per serving?

1 mg for two scoops, i.e. 14 g of powder. That is exactly the threshold that authorises the European claim on reducing the time taken to fall asleep. The stronger three-scoop serving brings the intake to 1.5 mg, which remains below the ceiling applicable to food supplements in France.

How long can you take it for?

21 consecutive days at most; the manufacturer is explicit. Beyond that, if the difficulties persist, it asks for a medical consultation. It is an instruction to respect: a sleep disorder that drags on is not sorted out with a food supplement.

Can you drive after drinking it?

No. The manufacturer formally advises against it, and it makes sense since melatonin causes drowsiness. Plan on taking it once you are home, forty-five minutes before going to bed, and not before travelling anywhere.

Is there sugar in this drink?

3.28 g of sugars per serving, coming from the dextrose that serves as the carrier for the powder, for a total of 35 kcal. That is little, but it is not zero. The rest of the sweetening comes from sucralose and acesulfame K.

Does it contain allergens?

Yes, two mandatory statements. The product contains sulphur dioxide and sulphites, and it contains tartrazine, a colour for which regulation requires possible effects on activity and attention in children to be flagged. Read those two lines before you buy.

Can it be combined with another evening product?

Not if that product already contains melatonin or tryptophan: doses add up and should not be stacked. Check the composition of your ZMA or your sleep complex first. If you are on anticoagulant or hypnotic treatment, ask your doctor's advice, since the ginkgo biloba in the formula may interact.

Do the plant extracts serve any purpose?

No claim is authorised in Europe for hops, lemon balm, passionflower or ginkgo. They are plants of traditional evening use, present here at honest doses, but we will not credit them with any demonstrated effect. Melatonin and magnesium are the only two active ingredients in the formula about which anything can be asserted.

Where can you buy Sinob Melato9?

The tub can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we sell this product while stressing two things: the 21 days maximum, and the fact that it acts on falling asleep, not on the quality of the night. A customer looking to sleep better in general often leaves with a magnesium and a word of advice about their afternoon coffee. The rest of the section can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

What is Sinob Complete Mobility Forte?

Sinob Complete Mobility Forte is a powdered joint formula to be mixed with water, in an orange flavour. The daily dose of 22.6 g brings together 5 g of glycine, 500 mg of glucosamine sulphate, 400 mg of chondroitin sulphate, 300 mg of MSM, 250 mg of boswellia, 200 mg of cissus, 150 mg of curcumin, 80 mg of vitamin C and 10 mg of zinc. The 474 g tub covers 20 days.

What sets this product apart is its format as much as its formula. Joint complexes are almost always sold as capsules, at two to four a day. Here everything goes through a powder you drink, split into three servings of 7.5 g. That takes more effort to prepare, but it makes room for a glycine dose no capsule could ever hold.

The 5 g of glycine is in fact the real marker of this formula. It is the most abundant amino acid in collagen, where it accounts for roughly one residue in three, and that is what explains why it heads the ingredient list. The rest of the German range can be browsed in our Sinob aisle, and the other products in the category in our glucosamine aisle.

What does a daily dose of Complete Mobility Forte contain?

Of the nine quantified actives, only two carry claims authorised in Europe, and that has to be said up front. Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of cartilage and bones, and zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal bones. Those are the official wordings, and the 80 mg of vitamin C and the 10 mg of zinc each cover 100% of the nutrient reference value, which is amply enough to qualify.

For everything else — glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, boswellia, cissus, curcumin, glycine — no health claim is authorised at European level. These are ingredients cleared for sale, described here for what they are, but nothing can be promised for them. A seller who tells you that glucosamine rebuilds cartilage has stepped outside the rules.

Now let us look at the doses without flinching, because that is where this product sits. The published protocols on glucosamine use 1,500 mg a day, and 1,200 mg for chondroitin. Here you are at 500 mg and 400 mg, roughly a third in both cases. MSM, at 300 mg, is also well below the amounts usually studied. These three actives are therefore present at supporting doses, not at reference doses.

Conversely, the 5 g of glycine is a straightforward dose, and curcumin at 150 mg is respectable for an extract. The logic of the formula is therefore clear: build around glycine and vitamin C, then fill out with a broad spread rather than with two or three heavily dosed actives. It is a defensible choice, provided you know what you are buying.

Data missing from the manufacturer's file: the amounts of devil's claw, nettle extract, pine bark extract and bromelain are not disclosed, even though these ingredients do appear on the list. We will not estimate them.

Ingredients list

Glycine, Asthisamharaka extract 5:1 (Cissus quadrangularis), glucosamine sulphate, MSM, flavouring, acidity regulator (citric acid), frankincense powder (Boswellia serrata), chondroitin sulphate, L-ascorbic acid, powdered orange juice, devil's claw powder, nettle extract 10:1, pine bark extract, bromelain, sweetener (sucralose).

May contain traces of GLUTEN, EGGS, MILK, FISH and SOYA. Not recommended in cases of allergy to CRUSTACEANS, since glucosamine is generally derived from them.

How do you take Complete Mobility Forte?

Dose: 22.6 g a day, i.e. three servings of 7.5 g, one scoop per serving. Liquid: 200 to 250 ml of water per serving. Timing: morning, midday and early evening. Frequency: three servings daily. Duration: a course of three months minimum; the manufacturer puts the first noticeable effects at between four and six weeks.

Splitting the dose into three is not gratuitous complication, but it is demanding and we should be honest about that: it is the main obstacle to sticking with this product. Drinking a glass at a set time three times a day, every day for three months, takes real organisation. If you know in advance that you will not manage it, a joint complex in capsule form will do more for you — not because it is a better product, but because you will actually take it.

The powder is orange-flavoured, with a spicy note coming from the turmeric and the frankincense. It mixes into water without difficulty, but shake it properly: plant extracts have a tendency to settle. Drink immediately after preparing.

The three-month duration is the most important parameter in these instructions. On a joint product, two weeks prove nothing at all, and many buyers give up after one tub, concluding that "it does not work". One tub covers 20 days; a full course therefore takes four to five. That is a budget, and it is better to have it in mind at the first purchase than at the third.

The product combines without overlap with an omega 3, with an additional intake of L-glycine if you are aiming higher, or with a more heavily dosed turmeric extract if that is the active you are interested in.

Who is Complete Mobility Forte for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at an adult who puts demands on their joints: contact sports, running, heavy loads, or simply years of practice. The powder format suits people who already drink shakes and for whom one more glass changes very little.

It is not suitable in cases of allergy to crustaceans. Glucosamine is almost always extracted from crustacean shells, and the manufacturer flags this explicitly. It is the most concrete contraindication on this page, and it is absolute.

It is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, or for children. The French national food safety agency also calls for caution over glucosamine for people who are diabetic or pre-diabetic and for those on vitamin K antagonist anticoagulant treatment: in these situations, medical advice is essential before buying. The formula also contains sucralose, to be ruled out if you avoid artificial sweeteners.

What you should not expect from it, and this is the part nobody writes. This product does not treat osteoarthritis, does not repair damaged cartilage and does not replace any treatment. Joint pain that persists, that wakes you at night or that comes with swelling is a matter for a doctor, not for a powder you drink. Nor does it excuse you from the work that really counts on painful joints: progressive strength training, load management, and rest when rest is needed.

Joint powder or collagen?

The two products sit side by side on the shelf and many customers hesitate, often for the wrong reasons.

A collagen, particularly in peptide form, supplies protein raw material in large quantity — generally 10 g per serving — of which glycine alone makes up close to a third. It is simple to take, mixes into anything, costs less per dose and pairs very well with vitamin C. If your aim is a broad, regular intake over the long term, our collagen aisle is the right starting point.

This complex does something else: it stacks nine different actives around a glycine base. That is choosing breadth rather than quantity. It makes sense if you want to try glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, boswellia and curcumin without buying five tubs — bearing in mind that none of them is present at the dose used in the published protocols.

When is neither of them the answer? If you are after one specific active at a full dose. Glucosamine at 1,500 mg, MSM at 3 g or a heavily dosed curcumin can be found as standalone products and will cost less than the same active buried in a complex. Our vitamin C aisle also lets you top up the intake that normal collagen formation depends on.

Frequently asked questions

How long does one tub last?

474 g for a daily dose of 22.6 g: 20 days, so a little under a month. Since the recommended course is three months minimum, count on four to five tubs for a full course. That is budget information you are better off having at the first purchase.

Why three servings a day?

The manufacturer splits the 22.6 g into three servings of 7.5 g, in the morning, at midday and in the early evening. That is the intended protocol and it is also the product's main constraint: if you know you will not keep up three glasses a day for three months, a capsule complex will fit your daily life better.

Are the glucosamine and chondroitin doses high enough?

They are around three times lower than the amounts in the published protocols, which use 1,500 mg of glucosamine and 1,200 mg of chondroitin a day. Here it is 500 and 400 mg. These are supporting doses within a broad formula, not reference doses, and that is important to know before buying.

Is this product suitable in cases of allergy to crustaceans?

No. Glucosamine is generally derived from crustacean shells and the manufacturer formally advises against the product in that case. There is no glucosamine-free version of this reference: turn instead to a collagen or to a complex that contains none.

How long before you notice anything?

The manufacturer puts the first noticeable effects at between four and six weeks, and recommends a course of three months minimum. In this category, judging a product after two weeks makes no sense. Note that the sensation remains subjective: no effect is guaranteed, and none may be promised.

What does this powder taste like?

Orange, with a spicy note coming from the turmeric and the frankincense. The manufacturer uses powdered orange juice and a flavouring, with sucralose as the sweetener. Shake it properly before drinking: plant extracts settle at the bottom of the glass.

Can it be combined with a collagen?

Yes, without problematic overlap. The collagen will supply more glycine and proline, this complex supplies the plant extracts and the minerals. Simply check the vitamin C content of both products, which can add up without causing any difficulty at these levels.

Where can you buy Sinob Complete Mobility Forte?

The 474 g tub can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we systematically ask two questions before selling it: are you allergic to crustaceans, and are you prepared to drink three glasses a day for three months. The second makes more people back out than the first, and that is a good thing: a tub bought and then abandoned serves nobody. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

What is Sinob Zinc Bisglycinate?

Sinob Zinc Bisglycinate is a zinc supplement in chelated form, in a vegetable capsule. One capsule provides 25 mg of zinc bisglycinate, i.e. 250% of the nutrient reference value. The bottle holds 60 capsules, which comes to two months at one a day.

Bisglycinate is zinc bound to two molecules of glycine, the smallest of the amino acids. That bond is not cosmetic: it changes the way the mineral crosses the intestinal wall, taking the amino acid transport routes rather than the mineral ones. This is what explains its reputation for being easy on digestion.

In practical terms, it is the form that goes down best on an empty stomach. A zinc sulphate or oxide taken on an empty stomach frequently causes nausea; bisglycinate far less so. On a product meant to be taken every morning, that detail often decides whether the bottle is finished or abandoned. The rest of the German range can be browsed in our Sinob section, and the other products in the category in our zinc section.

What does one Zinc Bisglycinate capsule contain?

250% of the reference value is a high dose, and it deserves to be stated plainly rather than sold as a benefit. The upper safe limit set at European level for zinc in adults is 25 mg per day, from all sources combined — food included. This capsule sits exactly on it. Two practical consequences: one capsule a day and never two, and above all do not stack this product with a multivitamin, a ZMA or any other supplement containing zinc. Intakes add up, and with this mineral an excess is not harmless. We look at these thresholds in detail in our article on zinc bisglycinate dosage.

Why the caution? Because zinc competes with copper for intestinal absorption. A high, prolonged intake may therefore, over time, affect copper status. That is why the manufacturer provides for courses rather than permanent use, and it is a point few product pages mention.

Zinc, on the other hand, is one of the minerals best served by authorised claims, and there are a great many of them. Among the most relevant here: zinc contributes to the normal function of the immune system, to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood, to normal protein synthesis, to the protection of cells from oxidative stress, to the maintenance of normal skin, hair and nails, to normal cognitive function and to normal macronutrient metabolism. These are the official wordings of the European framework.

Be careful how you read the line “maintenance of normal testosterone levels”: maintaining is not increasing. Zinc prevents a fall caused by an insufficient intake; it does not raise a level that is already normal in someone who is not short of it. It is a nuance the bodybuilding aisle is happy to erase, and it changes everything.

A figure to check on the packaging: the label states “25 mg of zinc bisglycinate” with 250% of the reference value, which corresponds to 25 mg of elemental zinc. The wording leaves some ambiguity as to whether the 25 mg refers to the zinc itself or to the whole complex. We report the declared value without interpreting it.

Ingredients list

Zinc bisglycinate (zinc chelated with glycine), vegetable capsule (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose), anti-caking agent (vegetable magnesium stearate).

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

How do you take Zinc Bisglycinate?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: in the morning on an empty stomach. Frequency: one dose a day, never more. Duration: a course of 2 to 3 months, followed by a month off.

Taking it on an empty stomach is possible here, and that is the main appeal of this form. Zinc is better absorbed away from meals, but most forms then cause nausea; bisglycinate is far better tolerated. If you still feel some discomfort, take the capsule with a light breakfast: you will lose a little absorption, which is preferable to giving up on the dose altogether.

Leave two hours between this and an iron or calcium supplement. These three minerals compete for the same intestinal transporters and get in each other's way. The same goes for a meal very rich in fibre or phytates — wholemeal bread, pulses — which markedly reduces zinc absorption. Taking it in the morning on an empty stomach settles all of this at a stroke.

The two- to three-month course followed by a month off is not a commercial constraint: it follows directly from the dose. At 25 mg a day, permanent year-round use is not appropriate. The 60-capsule bottle covers exactly two months, that is, one complete short course.

Zinc combines without overlap with vitamin D or vitamin C, two nutrients that do not compete with it. Before buying, on the other hand, check that your multivitamin or your ZMA does not already provide some.

Who is Zinc Bisglycinate for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at an adult whose diet provides little zinc: vegetarian and vegan diets first and foremost, since the best food sources are oysters, red meat and offal. The phytates in wholegrain cereals and pulses also reduce the absorption of plant-derived zinc, which widens the gap further.

It is not for you if you already take zinc elsewhere. That is the main warning on this page: between a multivitamin, a ZMA and an immunity complex, it is easy to stack three sources without noticing and to go well beyond the safe limit. Do the sums before adding this bottle to your routine.

It is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women without medical advice, nor for children. If you are on medication, ask a healthcare professional for advice: zinc interacts in particular with certain antibiotics.

What not to expect from it. It does not build muscle and it does not raise the testosterone of a man whose level is normal. It does not prevent colds — no claim of that kind exists. You will feel nothing when you take it, and that is normal: a mineral produces no sensation. If you are wondering about a deficiency, a blood test prescribed by a doctor will answer more reliably than a bottle bought at random.

Bisglycinate or another form of zinc?

The zinc aisle offers at least four different forms, and the gap between them is real.

Zinc oxide is the cheapest and the most widespread in entry-level formulas. It contains a lot of zinc per gram, but it is poorly absorbed and often poorly tolerated on an empty stomach. Sulphate and gluconate do better, with digestive tolerance varying from person to person.

Bisglycinate stands out on two counts: absorption and tolerance. Chelated with an amino acid, it takes a different route in from the classic mineral salts and is taken on an empty stomach without difficulty by most people. That is what justifies its higher price, and it is a premium worth paying on a product taken every morning for two months.

When is another form the better choice? If zinc is not your main objective but one element among several, a multivitamin or a ZMA will be more than enough and will cost you less, with a distinctly more moderate dose — which, given the safe limit, is no bad thing. Our magnesium section, as it happens, applies the same chelated-form logic to another mineral.

Frequently asked questions

How much zinc per capsule?

25 mg, that is, 250% of the nutrient reference value. It is a high dose: the upper safe limit set at European level in adults is 25 mg per day, from all sources combined. One capsule a day, never two, and no stacking with another product containing zinc.

Why bisglycinate rather than another zinc?

Because it is chelated with glycine and takes the amino acid transport routes rather than the mineral ones. The result: better absorption and, above all, tolerance on an empty stomach far superior to that of oxide or sulphate, which frequently cause nausea.

Should it be taken on an empty stomach?

Yes, that is what the manufacturer intends, and this form allows it without discomfort for most people. Zinc is better absorbed away from meals, and in particular away from foods rich in fibre and phytates. If it causes any discomfort, taking it with a light breakfast is still preferable to giving up.

Can it be combined with iron or calcium?

Not at the same time. These three minerals compete for the same intestinal transporters: the manufacturer asks for two hours between them. In practice, zinc in the morning on an empty stomach and iron or calcium with the evening meal settles the question without your having to think about it.

Does zinc increase testosterone?

No. The authorised claim says that it contributes to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood. Maintaining means preventing a fall caused by an insufficient intake, not raising a level that is already normal. It is a distinction the bodybuilding aisle often erases, and it is an essential one.

How long can you take it for?

The manufacturer provides for courses of two to three months followed by a month off. At this dose, permanent use is not appropriate: a high, prolonged zinc intake can affect copper status, since the two minerals compete for absorption.

Are the capsules suitable for vegetarians?

Yes. The shell is a vegetable capsule made from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and the anti-caking agent is a magnesium stearate of plant origin. This is in fact the group most concerned by this product, as the best food sources of zinc are of animal origin.

Where can you buy Sinob Zinc Bisglycinate?

The 60-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the first question we ask about this product is always the same: are you already taking a multivitamin or a ZMA? At 25 mg per capsule, the answer completely changes the advice, and many customers leave with a more modest dose. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition selection.

What is Sinob Collagen Flex & Glow?

Sinob Collagen Flex & Glow is a neutral-tasting collagen peptide powder, dosed at 12 g of peptides per 15 g serving. The 300 g tub contains 20 servings.

Its distinctive feature lies in how those 12 g are split between three different patented peptides: 40% Tendoforte®, 40% Fortigel® and 20% Verisol®, i.e. 4.8 g, 4.8 g and 2.4 g per serving respectively. These three names do not denote three collagens of different kinds: they are bovine hydrolysates cut to distinct peptide profiles, each produced by a process specific to the raw-material manufacturer. It is the only product in the category to state a split by figures across three patents, and that is what sets it apart.

Around these peptides, the formula adds hyaluronic acid, silicon-rich bamboo leaf extract, zinc bisglycinate, biotin and copper gluconate. The rest of the German range is listed in our Sinob category.

What does a 15 g serving contain?

The manufacturer publishes neither the energy values nor the macronutrients of its product in the information available to us. We will not recalculate them.

12 g of peptides per serving is a serious dose and it is the first thing to check on a collagen. The published protocols use amounts between 2.5 g and 10 g depending on the type of peptide targeted, and many products on the market stop at 5 g per serving, banking on the name of the patent rather than on the quantity. Here the dose is straightforward and the split is stated, which lets you know exactly what you are taking.

We do, however, need to be clear about what the law allows us to write. No health claim is authorised in Europe for collagen, in any form whatsoever: not for joints, not for tendons, not for skin, not for hair. That is true of Tendoforte®, Fortigel® and Verisol® just as it is of any generic hydrolysate. The dossiers submitted were not approved by EFSA. So we can tell you what the powder contains and at what dose; we cannot promise you anything, and a seller who does so is operating outside the legal framework.

Claims do exist, on the other hand, for three of the micronutrients in the formula. Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal skin, hair and nails, copper contributes to the maintenance of normal connective tissues, and biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal hair and normal skin. The problem is that those three are not quantified in the published information: with no declared amount, none of these claims can be made for this particular product. That is the genuine weak point of this reference, and it is easy to put right — the manufacturer would simply have to publish its figures.

The same applies to the hyaluronic acid and the bamboo extract, whose amounts are not disclosed and for which no claim exists in any case.

List of ingredients

Bovine collagen hydrolysate (patented blend: Tendoforte® 40%, Fortigel® 40%, Verisol® 20%), hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate), silicon-rich bamboo leaf extract, zinc bisglycinate, D-biotin, copper gluconate. Gluten-free, lactose-free, no artificial colouring, no preservatives. The manufacturer notes that traces are possible depending on the origin of the collagen.

How should Collagen Flex & Glow be taken?

Dose: 15 g, roughly one scoop. Liquid: 300 ml of water, juice, smoothie or a hot drink. Timing: in the morning on an empty stomach, or after training. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: the manufacturer recommends 8 to 12 weeks minimum, with continued use thereafter.

Solubility is the product's strong point: the collagen peptides dissolve in hot and cold liquids alike, without lumps and without taste. You can therefore add it to a coffee, a soup, a yoghurt or a cake batter without changing the recipe at all. That is a real advantage over a three-month course, because it is what stops you forgetting.

Duration is by far the most important parameter. With this type of product, the published protocols run over 8 to 12 weeks minimum, and nothing can be judged in two weeks. The 20-serving tub only covers twenty days: you need three to four tubs to see a first course through, and that is worth knowing before you buy the first one.

The manufacturer advises pairing each serving with a source of vitamin C. The reason is a real one: vitamin C is the essential cofactor for the body's own collagen synthesis, and it is the only ingredient in this story to have an authorised claim — it contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin, bones and cartilage. A glass of orange juice or a tablet at the same time costs little and makes sense.

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

It suits an adult ready to commit over several months, who prefers a neutral powder to multiple capsules, and who wants to know the exact split of what they are buying rather than a single overall total.

It is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans: the hydrolysate is of bovine origin, and plant-based collagen does not exist — the products that claim to be so provide synthesis cofactors, not collagen. Nor is it suitable for people allergic to bovine products, and the manufacturer notes that traces are possible depending on the origin of the raw material.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women, asks for medical advice in the case of clotting disorders, and notes possible interactions with certain medicines. These warnings should be taken seriously, particularly the second if you are on anticoagulant treatment.

What you should not expect from it: it is not a treatment for osteoarthritis, it is not a skincare product, and it will have no visible effect in three weeks. Nor is it a useful protein source for building muscle — collagen is an incomplete protein, very low in tryptophan, and the 12 g it provides are not worth 12 g of protein powder for that purpose. Any question about established joint pain is a matter for your doctor, not for a tub of powder.

Collagen or a glucosamine joint complex?

This is the most common trade-off in this category, and the two products are not aiming at the same thing.

A complex based on glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM provides components of the cartilage itself, at doses of the order of a gram, in tablets to be taken daily. It is the better choice if your concern is strictly about joints, if you prefer tablets to a powder, and if you are not allergic to shellfish — glucosamine is most often derived from it. It requires medical advice in the case of diabetes or anticoagulant treatment.

Collagen has a broader reach: tendons, ligaments, skin, nails. It is the better choice if what you are looking for goes beyond joints alone, if you are allergic to shellfish, or if you prefer a neutral powder to add to your morning coffee. Its drawback is bulk: 15 g a day is a dose no tablet can deliver, and it means a daily routine.

On the regulatory side, neither of the two has an authorised claim in Europe. On that basis, the only objective selection criteria left are the stated dosage, the published split and your ability to see the course through. The full category can be compared in our sports nutrition section.

Frequently asked questions

How many servings are there in a tub?

Twenty, at 15 g per serving for 300 g of powder. That is not much given the recommended length of the course: three to four tubs are needed to cover the 8 to 12 weeks indicated by the manufacturer. Better to know that before the first purchase than during the third.

What is the difference between Tendoforte, Fortigel and Verisol?

They are three bovine collagen hydrolysates cut to different peptide profiles, produced by processes specific to the raw-material manufacturer. They differ neither in origin nor in nature, but in the size and sequence of the fragments obtained. Here the split is 40%, 40% and 20%, which gives 4.8 g, 4.8 g and 2.4 g per serving.

Does the product have a taste?

No, it is neutral, and that is one of its genuine strengths. It dissolves in hot and cold liquids alike without forming lumps, which means you can add it to a coffee, a soup, a yoghurt or a cooked dish. Over a long course, that absence of taste counts for more than people think.

How long before you can judge?

Not before eight weeks, and twelve is more realistic. That is the length of the published protocols on this type of peptide, and it is what the manufacturer recommends. A two-week trial allows no conclusion, one way or the other.

Is this collagen suitable for vegetarians?

No. The hydrolysate is of bovine origin, and there is no such thing as collagen of plant origin: the products sold as such provide synthesis cofactors — vitamin C, silicon, zinc — but no collagen. For a vegetarian diet, it is those cofactors you should turn to.

Should it be taken with vitamin C?

That is the most useful piece of advice on this page. Vitamin C is the cofactor for the body's own collagen synthesis, and it is the only ingredient in this family to have an authorised claim in Europe. A glass of orange juice at the time of the serving is enough, and so is a tablet.

Why are the zinc and biotin dosages not stated?

Because the manufacturer does not publish them in the information available to us. The consequence is concrete: with no declared amount, no claim can be made for these micronutrients, even though they are indeed present. If zinc is your main requirement, a product with a stated dose is more sensible.

Where can you buy Sinob Collagen Flex & Glow?

The 300 g tub can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At our Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product in front of which we talk about the calendar first: one tub is never enough with a collagen, and it is better to say so at the first purchase than to discover it at the third. The other joint formulas can be compared in our curcumin category and in the neighbouring ones.

What is Sinob Instant Rice Pudding?

It is an instant powdered rice pudding, reconstituted in water, designed as a carbohydrate source for sport. The plain version is made up of 100% rice flour, whose starch has been pre-cooked by hydrothermal treatment — that process is what gives the creamy texture with no pan and no cooking.

The versions on offer: Plain in 1 kg and 3 kg, then Vanilla-Cherry, Cinnamon and Stracciatella in 1 kg. The plain version contains no flavouring, no sweetener and no added sugar; the flavoured versions necessarily do, and their full ingredient list has not been passed on to us — rely on the label of the pouch you receive.

The product belongs to the same family as cream of rice, from which it differs mainly in texture and serving size. The German brand is stocked here in the Sinob section.

What does a 100 g serving contain?

* Column calculated from the values declared per 100 g. ** Reference intakes for a typical adult (2,000 kcal), Regulation 1169/2011. Figures for the plain version. The energy value is published in kilocalories only, and the “of which saturates” and “of which sugars” lines are not declared.

The figure that defines the product is the 83 g of carbohydrate per 100 g. It is one of the highest levels in the entire powdered carbohydrate range, and the reason is simple: apart from a fraction of protein and fibre naturally present in rice, there is nothing else in the pouch. A full serving therefore provides 83 g of carbohydrate and 372 kcal — that is a serious load, not a light snack.

The 0.7 g of fat accounts for the rest of the appeal. That is very low, and it is what makes the preparation easy to digest shortly before a session: fat slows gastric emptying, and its near-absence here avoids that problem.

The 7.7 g of protein does not make this a protein source and should not be counted as one. The manufacturer in fact publishes two figures — 7.7 g under the regulatory calculation, 7.86 g under the scientific conversion factor — and flags the gap itself. That kind of transparency is rare, and it deserves noting.

What is missing, on the other hand: the “of which sugars” line is not declared. In a pre-cooked rice flour the simple-sugar share is in principle very low, but we will not invent it.

How do you prepare Instant Rice Pudding?

Serving: 100 g, or about 8 tablespoons. Liquid: 500 ml of water, cold or hot. Timing: 60 to 90 minutes before training, or within the 30 minutes that follow, or as a snack. Frequency: 1 to 2 preparations a day as needed. Duration: none, it is a food.

Preparation takes thirty seconds: pour the powder into the liquid, stir briskly, and the creamy texture appears with no cooking. Cold water works, hot water gives a result closer to a real rice pudding — it is a matter of preference, not of dissolving.

The manufacturer gives figures for each goal, and they are useful. Endurance: 100 to 150 g depending on how long the session will last. After training: 100 g combined with 25 g of powdered protein, which gives a sensible carbohydrate-to-protein ratio. Light snack: 50 to 75 g with water or a plant milk.

Three variations that work, without changing the product at all: swap the water for a plant milk — denser and higher in calories — add fresh or frozen fruit, or flavour the plain version with cinnamon or vanilla. That is exactly what the plain version allows and the flavoured ones rule out: you sweeten and flavour it yourself.

On how long it lasts: the 1 kg pouch covers 10 servings of 100 g, the 3 kg one covers 30. Reseal carefully and store in a dry place.

Who is this rice pudding for, and who is it not for?

It is first of all for those who struggle to eat enough carbohydrate: limited appetite, short days, sessions close to mealtimes. Drinking or spooning down 372 kcal of carbohydrate is far easier than swallowing the equivalent in cooked rice. It also suits endurance sports, where carbohydrate loading is the real question.

The manufacturer states a product that is 100% gluten-free, suitable for people with coeliac disease, and with no declared allergen in the composition. It does, however, specify that it gives no information on possible traces: if your allergy is severe, that is a point to check with the brand before buying. The manufacturer also asks that the product be kept out of reach of young children.

It is not for you if you are in a strict calorie deficit. A full serving is 372 kcal of easily consumed carbohydrate — precisely the opposite of what you are after when cutting. At 50 g it becomes manageable; at 100 g, it does not.

What you should not expect from it: it is not a protein source, and 7.7 g per serving does not count. Nor is it a “recovery” product in the sense the word is usually given: it is a carbohydrate food, and its value lies in convenience, not in any superiority over a bowl of rice. The difference is that a bowl of rice takes twenty minutes and a pan.

Rice Pudding or cream of rice?

Let us say it straight away: these are two very close products, both built from pre-cooked rice flour. Telling them apart honestly means looking at what actually changes.

Cream of rice is prepared in servings of 30 to 50 g in 200 ml of hot water, and gives a thicker texture, eaten with a spoon. It comes in a very wide range of dessert flavours, which matters when you have it every day. It is the better choice for breakfast, for a snack, or for a moderate serving before training.

Rice Pudding is aimed at a distinctly larger serving — 100 g in 500 ml — and a more fluid texture, close to a pourable rice pudding. It is the better choice when the amount of carbohydrate to get down is the real problem: for a pre-race load or a top-up after a long session, swallowing 83 g of carbohydrate in one go is easier in half a litre than in a thick bowl.

The 3 kg format also tips things in its favour for daily use: it is the most economical per kilo of the two categories. If what you need is fast-absorbing carbohydrate during training, though, neither one fits — maltodextrin is what you want, and it drinks from a bottle. And for a more filling breakfast, oat flour provides six times more fibre.

Frequently asked questions

Should you use hot or cold water?

Both work, as the flour is pre-cooked. Hot water gives a result closer to a traditional rice pudding, cold water a more refreshing preparation that is quicker to get down after a session. Allow thirty seconds of brisk stirring either way.

How many servings in a pouch?

Ten servings of 100 g for the 1 kg format, thirty for the 3 kg format. If you use it as a 50 g snack, double those figures. The 3 kg format exists only for the plain version.

Does the plain version have any taste?

Very little: it is pre-cooked rice flour, with no flavouring and no sweetener. That is a drawback if you have it on its own with water, and a real advantage if you prefer to control the sweetness and flavour it yourself — a spoonful of cinnamon, a little vanilla or some fruit is enough.

Can you add protein powder to it?

Yes, that is in fact the most common use. The manufacturer suggests 100 g of powder with 20 to 30 g of protein. Prepare the rice pudding first, let it cool for a minute if you used hot water, then add the protein: poured into a scalding liquid, a whey can curdle.

Is it genuinely gluten-free?

The manufacturer states a 100% gluten-free product, rice flour containing none naturally, and declares it suitable for people with coeliac disease. It gives no information, however, on possible traces linked to production: in the event of a severe allergy, check with the brand.

How much should you take before a session?

The manufacturer settles on 60 to 90 minutes before training, with 100 to 150 g for an endurance session. For an ordinary weights session, 50 to 75 g is amply enough and sits more lightly on the stomach. A full serving an hour beforehand suits long efforts above all.

Do the flavoured versions have the same composition?

No, necessarily not. The plain version is made up of 100% rice flour; the Vanilla-Cherry, Cinnamon and Stracciatella versions contain flavourings and probably sweeteners. Their full ingredient list has not been sent to us: read the one printed on the pouch you receive.

Where can you buy Sinob Instant Rice Pudding?

The versions can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. The 3 kg plain format is the most worthwhile if you use it regularly; the flavoured 1 kg pouches mainly serve to see whether the format suits you.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product we show when someone says they cannot manage to eat enough before a long ride. Watching the texture set in thirty seconds convinces people faster than a nutrition table. The rest of the carbohydrate sources can be compared in our sports nutrition section, and the formulas for gaining weight in our mass gain section.