io.genix

What is IO Genix ALC1000?

IO Genix ALC1000 is a single-ingredient supplement: one vegetable capsule provides 1,000 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine, and nothing beyond the shell. The bottle holds 60 capsules, which is two months at one serving a day. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix section.

Carnitine is a molecule the body makes for itself from two amino acids, lysine and methionine, and which the diet supplies mainly through red meat. Its physiological role is well described: it carries long-chain fatty acids across the mitochondrial membrane, where they are oxidised. That is the mechanism, and it is not disputed.

Acetyl-L-carnitine is the acetylated form of that molecule. The difference is not cosmetic: adding the acetyl group changes the way it moves around the body, and this is the form that crosses the blood-brain barrier most readily. That is why it is usually the one chosen when the aim is something other than fat metabolism alone.

What does one ALC1000 capsule contain?

The manufacturer does not publish energy values for this product, and the question makes little sense for a capsule of this size.

1,000 mg per capsule is a generous dose and it is a single serving. That is what sets this product apart from most of its category: many carnitine supplements require three or four capsules a day to reach the gram, which multiplies the chances of forgetting. Here, one capsule in the morning and it is done.

The second notable point is the brevity of the formula: one active, one vegetable shell, nothing else. No bulking agent, no colouring, no declared anti-caking agent. In a category where you find fifteen-line lists, this is a label you can read in three seconds, and that is a genuine deciding factor.

We must, however, say what the law allows us to write, because it is essential with this family of products. No health claim is authorised in Europe for carnitine, in any form whatsoever. Not on fat burning, not on energy, not on performance, not on cognitive function. The mechanism of fatty acid transport is real and taught; the effect of oral supplementation in someone who is not deficient, however, has not convinced the European assessors. So we can describe the molecule and its dose; we cannot promise you anything.

One last point on wording: the manufacturer presents the product as “100% natural”. The acetyl-L-carnitine sold commercially is obtained by synthesis or by fermentation, and that phrasing strikes us as questionable. We are not repeating it. What is true and verifiable is that there is no additive in the capsule.

Ingredient list

Acetyl-L-carnitine 1,000 mg, vegetable capsule (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose). Gluten-free, lactose-free. Suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets, as synthetic carnitine is not of animal origin.

How do you take ALC1000?

Serving: 1 capsule. Liquid: a glass of water, 200 ml is enough. Timing: in the morning on an empty stomach, or before physical activity. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: the manufacturer describes cycles of two to three months, with the option of continuous use.

Avoid taking it in the evening. The manufacturer points this out and it is the most useful piece of advice on this page: acetyl-L-carnitine can interfere with falling asleep in some users. The morning is the default slot; before training works too, provided you are not training at 21:00.

Taking it on an empty stomach is recommended in order to limit competition with the amino acids from a meal, as carnitine uses comparable transporters. It is not an absolute requirement: if an empty stomach bothers you, taking it after a light breakfast is still better than giving up.

Consistency matters more than the exact timing. The manufacturer states that the first noticeable effects, if there are any, appear after two to four weeks of continuous use. A trial of a few days allows no conclusion, in either direction.

Drink normally through the day. And be aware that this product combines without difficulty with coenzyme Q10 or with omega 3, which act on neighbouring steps of energy metabolism — with none of the three duplicating another.

Who is ALC1000 for, and who is it not for?

It suits an adult who wants to try a single active, properly dosed, without going through a combined formula in which they will never know which ingredient is doing the work. It suits vegetarians and vegans particularly well: their diet supplies very little carnitine, red meat being the main source, and that is the profile for which an extra intake makes the most sense.

The manufacturer asks that you seek the advice of a healthcare professional in the event of pregnancy, breastfeeding or ongoing medical treatment, and rules the product out in the event of hypersensitivity to any of its components. It must be kept out of reach of children.

It is not for you if you are looking for a product with an immediate effect: there is nothing to feel when you take it, and that is normal. Nor is it for you if your goal is weight loss — we come to that in the next paragraph, and it is the subject on which this category tells the most stories.

What you should not expect from it: carnitine does not melt fat away. The fact that a molecule carries fatty acids to the mitochondria does not mean that adding more speeds anything up: in someone eating a normal diet, that transport is not the limiting factor. That is precisely why no claim has been validated. Fat loss comes from a calorie deficit, and nothing else. If you buy this product thinking it will replace a deficit, you will be disappointed, and we would rather say so beforehand.

Acetyl-L-carnitine or L-carnitine tartrate?

These are the two forms found on the shelves, and they are not interchangeable.

L-carnitine tartrate is the most common form in fat burner capsules and in training drinks. It is cheaper, it dissolves well, and it is the one most often used in protocols dealing with exercise and recovery. It is the better choice if your use is strictly sporting and if you take it around your sessions.

Acetyl-L-carnitine crosses the blood-brain barrier more readily thanks to its acetyl group. It is the form chosen when the interest lies somewhere other than muscle. It costs more per gram, and it is taken as a capsule rather than a powder. It is the better choice if you want a single active, additive-free, in one daily serving.

Neither of the two has an authorised claim in Europe: on that score, they are level. The choice therefore comes down to form, dose and use, not to a promise. If your goal is to structure a calorie deficit, the weight loss section brings together all the products in that family, and the caffeine-free formulas avoid adding a stimulant to an already busy day.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference from standard L-carnitine?

Acetyl-L-carnitine carries an additional acetyl group, which changes how it moves around the body and lets it cross the blood-brain barrier more readily. L-carnitine tartrate, more common and cheaper, is the one found in fat burners and training drinks. These are two different uses for the same family of molecules.

When should you take it?

In the morning on an empty stomach, or before physical activity. Avoid taking it in the evening: the manufacturer points out that it can affect sleep in some people. As with any active with a gradual effect, the hour matters less than the consistency.

How long does a bottle last?

Two months, at one capsule a day for 60 capsules. That matches exactly the cycles of two to three months described by the manufacturer. One bottle therefore covers a full course, with nothing left over and nothing missing.

Does it make you lose weight?

No, and no claim of that kind is authorised in Europe. Carnitine carries fatty acids to the mitochondria, but that transport is not the limiting factor in someone who is properly fed. Fat loss results from a calorie deficit. This product is no substitute for it.

Is this product suitable for vegetarians?

Yes, and it is in fact the profile for which it holds the most interest. The shell is made from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, of plant origin, and the carnitine sold commercially is not of animal origin. And a vegetarian diet supplies very little carnitine, red meat being the main dietary source.

Can it be taken continuously?

The manufacturer indicates that it can, while also describing cycles of two to three months. In practice, one bottle corresponds to one cycle, and taking a break between two lets you check whether stopping changes anything — which remains the only honest way to assess a product with no authorised claim.

Are there any additives in the capsule?

None in the published information: one active and one vegetable shell, that is the whole list. The product is also declared gluten-free and lactose-free. In a category where the excipients often take up more room than the active, that is a concrete argument.

Where can you buy IO Genix ALC1000?

The bottle of 60 capsules 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 mainly to vegetarian customers, and rarely to those who come in looking for a fat burner: it is not one, and saying so avoids a disappointment. The rest of the category can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix AMINO 10?

IO Genix AMINO 10 is an essential amino acid powder to be mixed with liquid, whose 20 g serving — two scoops — provides 10 g of EAAs. All nine essential amino acids are present, each with its exact dose. That is the difference between an EAA product and a plain BCAA: BCAAs provide only three of them.

The list is short: instant EAA blend, maltodextrin, citric acid, flavouring, silicon dioxide, sucralose and acesulfame K as sweeteners, and pyridoxine hydrochloride for the vitamin B6. The word “instant” is not decorative — raw amino acids have a reputation for being hard to dissolve, and instantising genuinely changes how comfortable the product is to use.

The flavours available: Cranberry, Lime and Raspberry. The product joins our EAA and IO Genix sections.

What does a 20 g serving contain?

The manufacturer publishes no energy value, no macronutrient breakdown and no net weight for the tub: we therefore cannot state the number of servings per pack, and we will not estimate it. The information is on the packaging.

What makes this table interesting is that it is complete — all nine amino acids are quantified individually, and the sum comes to exactly 10,000 mg. Many products in this category simply announce a total. Two figures deserve attention. The three BCAAs total 6,260 mg (leucine, valine, isoleucine), close to two thirds of the blend. And leucine alone accounts for 3,060 mg: it is the most studied amino acid for protein synthesis, and 3 g matches the amount found in the reference protocols.

As for claims, only one is authorised here, and it concerns the vitamin: vitamin B6 contributes to normal protein and glycogen metabolism, as well as to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. For the amino acids themselves, no claim exists in European regulation — neither on muscle building nor on recovery. So what we describe is a composition and a use, not an effect.

How do you prepare AMINO 10?

Dose: 20 g, that is 2 scoops of roughly 20 cc. Liquid: 200 to 250 ml of water or juice. Timing: 30 minutes before training, or during the session; on rest days, in the morning on an empty stomach. Frequency: once a day. Duration: the manufacturer sets out neither a course nor a break — there is no reason to impose one on an amino acid product.

Shake vigorously: the powder is instantised and dissolves without lumps, but free amino acids need a little mechanical energy to get going. Made up with juice rather than water, the drink goes down better — EAAs are naturally bitter, and acidity helps mask it.

A word on timing. Drinking amino acids during a session makes sense in one specific situation: a fasted session, or a very long one, with no meal in the preceding hours. If you ate two hours beforehand and your daily protein intake is covered, an extra 10 g of EAAs does not add much. Better to say so plainly than to sell you one more shaker.

The product is compatible with creatine or a glutamine in the same shaker, if you want to simplify your routine.

Who is AMINO 10 for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at those who train fasted in the morning, at those who do long sessions with no meal in between, and at those who want something to sip during training rather than plain water. It also suits people who struggle to digest protein powder during a session.

Two specific contraindications appear on the label, and they are more serious than average. This supplement must not be taken by people on antidepressant treatment — the presence of L-tryptophan, a serotonin precursor, is the reason. It must also not be taken in cases of kidney failure: an intake of free amino acids increases the nitrogen load to be cleared. It is not recommended for children or pregnant women. If you are on any medical treatment whatsoever, seek the advice of a healthcare professional before use.

On allergens, the product may contain traces of GLUTEN (wheat and oats), NUTS, PEANUT, EGGS, MILK, FISH and SOYA. Keep it tightly closed, in a cool, dry place.

What not to expect from it: a substitute for protein. 10 g of EAAs does not replace 25 g of whey, and it does not count the same way towards a daily protein total. Nor is it an energy product: no stimulant, no carbohydrate in any useful quantity. And if your diet already supplies enough protein, adding EAAs will make no measurable difference — that is the least saleable truth in this category.

AMINO 10 or BCAAs?

The question comes up constantly at the counter, and it deserves a clear answer.

BCAAs remain a defensible choice in two cases: price, generally lower per kilo, and habit — if you have been taking them for years and the product suits you, nothing obliges you to switch. They provide three amino acids, leucine, valine and isoleucine, often in a 2:1:1 or 8:1:1 ratio.

AMINO 10 provides all nine essential amino acids, including the three BCAAs at a level of 6,260 mg. The difference is not cosmetic: the other six — lysine, threonine, phenylalanine, histidine, methionine, tryptophan — cannot be made by the body either, and complete protein synthesis requires them all. A product that provides only three leaves the rest to your diet. In practice, if you eat enough protein it makes little difference; if you train fasted or in a substantial deficit, a complete EAA has the edge. To cover your basic needs it is, in any case, the protein section you should turn to first.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between EAAs and BCAAs?

BCAAs cover three branched-chain amino acids; EAAs cover nine, the BCAAs included. In this formula, the BCAAs account for 6,260 mg of the 10,000 mg total. The other six essentials complete the profile, which a BCAA on its own does not do.

How many servings are in a tub?

The net weight does not appear in the data supplied by the manufacturer, so we cannot work it out. Divide the weight shown on the packaging by 20 g to get the number of servings.

Can you take it on rest days?

The manufacturer suggests you can, in the morning on an empty stomach, to keep intake regular. Our view is more nuanced: if your diet covers your protein needs, a serving on rest days brings nothing measurable. Save the product for your sessions, that is where it earns its place.

Why is it contraindicated with antidepressants?

Because of the 280 mg of L-tryptophan per serving. Tryptophan is the precursor of serotonin, and supplementing may interact with treatments acting on that pathway. The manufacturer states it explicitly: if you are on that kind of treatment, this product is not for you.

Does the powder dissolve well?

Yes, the blend is instantised. Untreated free amino acids have a reputation for floating and forming lumps; here, a vigorously shaken shaker is enough. A slight deposit at the bottom of the glass is still possible, with no consequence.

Can it be mixed with creatine?

Yes, without difficulty. The manufacturer states it is compatible with creatine, glutamine or a protein in the same shaker. Just watch the taste: an unflavoured creatine goes down very well, a chocolate protein with a cranberry flavour, far less so.

Which flavour should you choose?

The three available are Cranberry, Lime and Raspberry, all in a tart register. That is a coherent choice: acidity covers the natural bitterness of amino acids. Lime is the most refreshing in very cold water, Cranberry the most widely liked.

Where can you buy IO Genix AMINO 10?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. This is a product on which we readily ask one question before selling: when do you plan to drink it. The answer determines whether it will be useful to you or merely pleasant.

In our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the IO Genix range is fully on the shelf, and comparing an EAA label with a BCAA label takes two minutes. The whole section can be browsed from sports nutrition.

What is IO Genix Arginine Kyowa?

IO Genix Arginine Kyowa is a pure L-arginine powder. One level 3 g scoop provides 3,000 mg of L-arginine, and the only other component in the tub is an anti-caking agent. The manufacturer states 100 servings per container, which works out at roughly three months of use at one serving a day.

L-arginine is what is known as a semi-essential amino acid: the body can produce it, but not always in sufficient quantities depending on age and state of health. Food supplies it too, chiefly through meat, fish, nuts and pulses. It is also the substrate from which the body makes nitric oxide, a messenger involved in regulating the diameter of the blood vessels.

The Kyowa Quality designation on the label refers to the origin of the raw material: an amino acid produced by plant fermentation by a specialist Japanese supplier. It is a traceability claim made by the manufacturer, not a promise of efficacy — we report it as such. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix section, and the other products in the category in our L-arginine section.

What does one serving of Arginine Kyowa contain?

3 g of arginine per serving is a straightforward dose for a single-ingredient product. The most telling comparison is not with another supplement but with your plate: it takes roughly 150 g of chicken breast or a large handful of peanuts to come close to that amount. The difference is that the powder arrives on its own, without the calories and without the meal that goes with them.

The tub contains nothing beyond the amino acid and an anti-caking agent, which is both its appeal and its limitation. The appeal: you know exactly what you are taking, and you can adjust the dose to the gram. The limitation: with no flavouring and no sweetener, pure arginine tastes bitter and slightly soapy. In 200 ml of cold water it goes down; in juice, or mixed into a flavoured booster, you stop noticing it altogether.

One point needs to be clear on the regulatory side: no health claim is authorised in Europe for L-arginine. Not on circulation, not on the pump, not on growth hormone, not on the body's defences. The previous version of this page asserted several of these effects and mentioned a certification guaranteeing maximum purity: those passages have been removed. Arginine's role as a precursor of nitric oxide is an established fact of biochemistry; what oral supplementation actually produces in a healthy adult is another question, and one that has no validated answer at European level.

Ingredients list

L-arginine (Kyowa Quality), anti-caking agent (silicon dioxide).

May contain traces of GLUTEN (wheat), EGG, MILK, FISH and SOYA.

How do you take Arginine Kyowa?

Serving: 3 g, that is one level measuring scoop. Liquid: 200 to 300 ml of cold water. Timing: 30 to 45 minutes before training, preferably on an empty stomach. Frequency: 1 to 2 servings a day according to the manufacturer. Duration: the manufacturer sets no fixed course length; the 100-serving tub covers more than three months at one serving a day.

Taking it away from meals is not a minor detail. The amino acids in a full meal compete with arginine for the same intestinal transporters. Taking it on a heavy stomach is not dangerous, it is simply less effective. Thirty minutes before the session, on a light stomach, is the window that makes the most sense.

Mix vigorously: the powder dissolves well but can form clumps if you only stir it with a spoon. And increase your water intake across the day, as the manufacturer recommends.

Two servings a day are possible according to the label, but start with one. At high doses and on an empty stomach, arginine causes digestive discomfort in some people — bloating, loosened transit. It is neither serious nor common at 3 g, but it is the reason it is better to build up gradually rather than starting at 6 g on day one.

It combines without difficulty with citrulline, creatine monohydrate or a beta-alanine powder, in the same glass and with no known interaction.

Who is arginine right for, and who is it not right for?

It appeals to the strength trainer who builds their own pre-workout, ingredient by ingredient, rather than buying a ready-made fifteen-component formula. That is the great advantage of this format: you choose what goes in and at what dose. It also suits anyone looking to top up a diet that is low in animal protein.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women and rules it out for under-18s. It also asks you to consult a healthcare professional in case of cardiovascular disorders, antihypertensive treatment or heart disease. That last precaution is the most important on this page: arginine acts on a pathway involved in vascular regulation, and stacking a supplement and a medicine on the same pathway is never trivial. If you are being treated for blood pressure, the question is one for your doctor, not for a retailer.

One other situation calls for caution: people who have had recurrent cold sores sometimes prefer to avoid high doses of arginine, on the basis of a known balance with another amino acid, lysine. This is not a manufacturer contraindication, it is a point to keep in mind and one you can raise with your pharmacist.

What not to expect from it: this is not a stimulant, there is no caffeine here, and you will not feel a kick. It is not a mass-gaining product — for that, it is protein and total calories that decide. And it is not a treatment, whatever the condition concerned.

Arginine or citrulline: which should you choose?

This is the most useful decision in the whole category, and the answer often comes as a surprise.

Arginine taken orally is largely broken down before it even reaches the general circulation, by an intestinal and hepatic enzyme called arginase. This is well established, and it explains why substantial doses are needed to raise blood levels.

Citrulline, on the other hand, largely escapes that first pass and is then converted into arginine in the kidney. The result is paradoxical but documented: at comparable amounts, citrulline raises blood arginine levels more than arginine itself does. If your aim is blood flow during training, citrulline is the more rational choice, and that is what we recommend in store.

Arginine keeps two advantages: it is generally cheaper per gram, and it is the form the body uses directly in the urea cycle and in several other metabolic pathways. Plenty of trainees take the two together, in fact. If what you are mainly after is a product you can feel during the session, neither one will really deliver: look instead at complete pre-workouts.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Kyowa Quality designation mean?

It indicates the origin of the raw material, an amino acid produced by plant fermentation by a Japanese supplier specialising in amino acids. The manufacturer puts it on the label as a matter of traceability. We report it as such: it is information about provenance, not a guarantee of effect.

Should it be taken on an empty stomach?

Preferably on an empty or light stomach, 30 to 45 minutes before the session. The amino acids in a full meal compete with it for the same intestinal transporters. Taking it after a large meal is not pointless, it is simply less effective.

Can you exceed 3 g a day?

The manufacturer allows up to two servings a day depending on your needs. Start with one: at high doses and on an empty stomach, arginine causes digestive discomfort in some people. Building up gradually is the right approach, and do not exceed the daily dose stated on the packaging.

Is the taste bearable?

The powder is unflavoured: it is bitter and a little soapy. In 200 ml of cold water it stays drinkable, if joyless. Mixed into juice, a flavoured drink or an already sweetened pre-workout, it disappears completely.

How many servings are in a tub?

100 servings of 3 g, scoop supplied. At one serving a day, that covers more than three months. It is one of the few products in the category whose container comfortably outlasts a standard training cycle.

Is it compatible with blood pressure medication?

That question is one for your doctor. The manufacturer explicitly asks for professional advice in case of antihypertensive treatment, cardiovascular disorder or heart disease. This is not a boilerplate precaution copied across: arginine acts on a pathway involved in vascular regulation.

Is it suitable for vegetarians?

Yes as regards the raw material, obtained by plant fermentation according to the manufacturer, and the powder has no animal casing since these are not capsules. The product may, however, contain traces of milk, egg and fish linked to the production facility.

Where can you buy IO Genix Arginine Kyowa?

The 100-serving tub can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues store, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we sell mainly to people who put together their own pre-workout, and the conversation almost always begins with an honest comparison against citrulline. The rest of the category can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Ashwagandha KSM-66?

IO Genix Ashwagandha KSM-66 is a capsule supplement based on a dry ashwagandha root extract (Withania somnifera), standardised to 5% withanolides. The bottle holds 60 capsules for a net weight of 36 g, which is two months of use at one capsule a day.

Ashwagandha is a plant from traditional Indian medicine, grown mainly in India and in Rajasthan. Its Sanskrit name literally means “smell of horse”, in reference to that of its fresh root. It is this root, and not the leaves, that is used here — the distinction matters, as the two parts of the plant have neither the same composition nor the same regulatory framework.

The mention KSM-66 denotes a standardised root extract produced by a specialist Indian supplier. “Standardised to 5% withanolides” means that the concentration of withanolides — the plant's characteristic compounds — is guaranteed to be consistent from one batch to the next. That is genuine quality information: a raw root powder offers no guarantee of the kind. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix section, and the other products in the category in our ashwagandha section.

What does one Ashwagandha KSM-66 capsule contain?

One figure is missing, and it is the most important one: the manufacturer publishes the standardisation at 5% withanolides, but not the amount of extract per capsule. We will not invent it and we will not deduce it from the net weight, which includes the maltodextrin, the shell and the anti-caking agent. Without that value it is impossible to compare this product precisely with another extract on the market. The label on the bottle you receive is the only reliable source on this point, and that is where to look.

What can be said, on the other hand, is what the standardisation is worth. An extract standardised to 5% withanolides is a serious extract: it is the reference level for this plant, and it guarantees a consistency that raw root powders — often cheaper — never provide. You know that each capsule resembles the last, which is the basic condition for a two-month course.

On the regulatory side, we have to be blunt: no health claim is authorised in Europe for ashwagandha. Not for stress, not for tiredness, not for sleep, not for mental balance, not for performance. The term “adaptogen” itself has no European regulatory standing. A great deal is written about this plant; none of it can appear on a French product page, and we will not be writing any of it.

If your concern is tiredness, be aware that there are ingredients for which claims genuinely are authorised: magnesium and vitamin B6 contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Those are validated wordings, and you will find them in our magnesium and vitamin B sections.

Ingredients list

KSM-66 (dry ashwagandha root extract, Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal), maltodextrin, capsule (GELATINE), anti-caking agent (magnesium salts of fatty acids).

May contain traces of GLUTEN (wheat and oats), NUTS, PEANUTS, EGGS, MILK, SULPHITES, FISH and SOYA.

How do you take Ashwagandha KSM-66?

Serving: 1 capsule. Liquid: a glass of water. Timing: with a meal, morning or evening depending on your routine. Frequency: one serving a day, never more. Duration: 4 to 6 weeks minimum, 2 to 3 months for a full course.

Taking it with a meal is the only technical instruction on this page, and it is justified. A concentrated plant extract goes down better with food than on an empty stomach, and the presence of fat in the meal favours the absorption of the plant's lipophilic compounds. An extract swallowed on an empty stomach is not dangerous, it is simply less well used and sometimes less well tolerated.

Morning or evening: the manufacturer leaves the choice open. In practice, pick the moment you are sure of keeping to every day for two months. A product taken irregularly allows no conclusion at all, and that is where most courses fail — not on the dosage.

The manufacturer puts the minimum at 4 to 6 weeks and the full course at between 2 and 3 months. A 60-capsule bottle covers exactly two months: that is consistent, and it means one bottle equals one course. Do not run courses back to back indefinitely without speaking to a healthcare professional — we explain why just below.

The product does not combine with anything in particular, and that is for the best: introduce it on its own, without changing anything else at the same time. If you are already taking a ZMA or melatonin, wait a fortnight before adding anything, otherwise you will never know what is producing what.

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

It is aimed at a healthy adult who wants to try a properly standardised plant extract, in one simple daily serving. It is the most convenient format in the category: one capsule, one meal, two months.

The contraindications here are specific and they should be read before buying. The manufacturer advises against the product for pregnant and breastfeeding women without medical advice, requires a compulsory medical consultation in case of hyperthyroidism, and asks that you avoid combining it with sedatives without medical supervision. The product should be kept out of reach of children.

One further element is worth knowing, and it comes from a French authority rather than from the manufacturer. In 2024, ANSES published an opinion on food supplements containing ashwagandha and called for vigilance, notably because of cases of liver damage reported to the nutrivigilance scheme. The agency recommends avoiding the consumption of these supplements in pregnant and breastfeeding women, children and adolescents, and people with a liver or thyroid condition. That is not a reason to give up if you are in good health; it is a reason to respect the dose, not to run courses back to back without advice, and to seek medical advice at the slightest unusual sign.

The capsule is made of gelatine: this product suits neither vegetarians nor vegans. It may also contain traces of gluten, nuts, peanuts, eggs, milk, sulphites, fish and soya.

What you should not expect from it: it is neither a sleeping pill, nor an anxiolytic, nor a treatment. Anxiety that takes hold, lastingly disturbed sleep or unexplained tiredness are matters for a doctor, who will make a diagnosis where a capsule will do nothing. Nor is it a sports performance product.

Ashwagandha or magnesium, which should you choose?

The two cross paths in the same baskets, and one of them is regulated where the other is not.

Magnesium is a mineral with a defined nutrient reference value and several authorised claims, including its contribution to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to the normal functioning of the nervous system. Dietary magnesium intakes are frequently insufficient in France, which gives supplementation a clear basis. It is also the cheaper of the two, and the one whose contraindications are the lightest.

Ashwagandha belongs to another category: a concentrated plant extract, with no authorised claim, with real contraindications and a vigilance opinion from a health agency. It makes sense if it is this particular plant that interests you, with full awareness of the facts, and if none of the situations listed above applies to you.

Our advice over the counter is consistent: start with magnesium, on its own, for a month. If the need persists, ashwagandha can come afterwards. Introducing both on the same day will teach you nothing, and stacking a ZMA, a multivitamin complex and a plant extract is expensive for zero information.

Frequently asked questions

What does “standardised to 5% withanolides” mean?

That the concentration of withanolides, the root's characteristic compounds, is guaranteed to be consistent from one batch to the next. It is the reference level for this plant and a genuine mark of regularity, which raw root powders do not offer. It says nothing, however, about the amount of extract per capsule.

How much extract is there per capsule?

The manufacturer does not publish it, and we are not going to guess. The net weight of 36 g for 60 capsules includes the maltodextrin, the shell and the anti-caking agent, and therefore allows no calculation. The label on the bottle you receive is the only reference.

Should it be taken in the morning or in the evening?

The manufacturer leaves the choice open, the only firm instruction being to take it with a meal. Settle on the moment you will keep to every day for two months: regularity counts for far more than the exact hour with this kind of course.

What does ANSES say about ashwagandha?

In an opinion published in 2024, the agency called for vigilance over supplements containing this plant, notably because of reported cases of liver damage. It advises against their consumption by pregnant and breastfeeding women, by children and adolescents, and by people with a liver or thyroid condition.

Are these capsules suitable for vegetarians?

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

How long does one bottle last?

Two months exactly: 60 capsules, one a day. That matches the full course suggested by the manufacturer, who puts the minimum at four to six weeks. One bottle therefore equals one course, which keeps the arithmetic simple.

Can it be combined with a sleeping pill or a sedative?

Not without medical supervision: the manufacturer explicitly asks that you avoid combining it with sedatives. If you are on treatment of that kind, the question is one for your doctor or your pharmacist before the purchase, not after opening the bottle.

Where can you buy IO Genix Ashwagandha KSM-66?

The 60-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship all over France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product in front of which we take the time to explain what the regulations forbid us from promising: customers often arrive with expectations formed elsewhere, and it is better to reset them before the purchase than after. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix BCAA 8.1.1?

IO Genix BCAA 8.1.1 is a branched-chain amino acid supplement in tablet form, available in a tub of 150 or 300 tablets. It belongs to the BCAA section and to the IO Genix range, a Spanish sports nutrition brand.

The formula combines two things only: the three branched-chain amino acids — L-leucine, L-valine, L-isoleucine — in a stated ratio of 8 to 1 to 1, and vitamin B6 in the form of pyridoxine hydrochloride. The rest is there to make the tablet: microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide. No flavouring, no sweetener, no colouring.

The format is the first reason to buy this one rather than another: you swallow it, you do not mix it. No shaker to wash, no bitterness to mask — leucine is markedly bitter, and that is what forces high-ratio powders to load up on sweeteners.

What does one serving of BCAA 8.1.1 contain?

The label is worded for a serving of 5 tablets, which supplies 3,000 mg of BCAAs in total, 1.4 mg of vitamin B6 — that is 100% of the nutrient reference value — for 12 kcal and 3 g of protein. No carbohydrates, no fat.

At the stated 8:1:1 ratio, those 3,000 mg break down into 2,400 mg of L-leucine, 300 mg of L-isoleucine and 300 mg of L-valine — a calculation based on the ratio and the total declared, not on lines read off the label: the manufacturer does not detail the breakdown. Per unit, one tablet supplies 600 mg of BCAAs including 480 mg of leucine. That is the figure that matters when comparing two tubs, well ahead of the ratio printed on the front: the ratio does not create leucine, it redistributes the same grams.

* Breakdown calculated from the 8:1:1 ratio and the total of 3,000 mg declared by the manufacturer. ** No NRV is established for amino acids. The energy value is given by the manufacturer in kilocalories only: the kilojoule equivalent does not appear there and we are not adding it.

Vitamin B6 is the only ingredient for which European claims exist, and dosing it at 100% of the NRV makes them usable: vitamin B6 contributes to normal protein and glycogen metabolism, to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to the normal functioning of the nervous system and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Branched-chain amino acids, for their part, have no authorised health claim. Our vitamin B section brings together the other formulas that contain some.

How should IO Genix BCAA 8.1.1 be taken?

The manufacturer recommends 5 tablets a day, swallowed with a large glass of water, roughly 250 ml. It suggests splitting the dose around the session: 2 to 3 tablets 30 minutes before training, 2 to 3 immediately after, or 2 between meals on non-training days. The frequency is therefore one to two servings a day.

On duration, the manufacturer specifies neither a course nor a time limit, and we are not inventing one on its behalf. What can safely be said: free amino acids are absorbed in fifteen to thirty minutes and no loading effect builds up from one day to the next, unlike creatine. A tub of 150 tablets covers 30 servings, the 300-tablet tub covers 60. Taking them in the middle of a meal rather than on an empty stomach reduces the digestive discomfort some people feel with free amino acids.

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

It is aimed at adults who train with resistance work and whose daily protein intake is already adequate. The tablet format makes it practical at the office, while travelling or in the gym without a bottle.

The manufacturer states that the product may contain traces of gluten, egg, milk, fish and soya. It is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women or for anyone under 18, and calls for medical advice in the event of liver or kidney disorders, or of any ongoing treatment. Maple syrup urine disease, a rare metabolic condition, contraindicates any intake of branched-chain amino acids. Those questions are for your doctor or your pharmacist.

What not to expect from it: it does not replace a protein source. Three amino acids out of the nine essential ones do not build a muscle protein — lysine, methionine, threonine and three others are missing. If your diet is tight on protein, a serving of whey isolate will do more than this tub, and cost less per gram of amino acids. And to hold up better through a long session in the heat, it is electrolytes that answer the need.

BCAA 8.1.1 or EAAs?

It has to be said even when selling the product: BCAAs have been overtaken by EAAs, which supply all nine essential amino acids instead of three. The protein synthesis signal is sent in both cases; only EAAs also supply the building blocks. And the 8:1:1 ratio has no demonstrated superiority over a 2:1:1 at an equal total amount: beyond the quantity of leucine that triggers the signal, adding more pushes nothing higher.

EAAs are therefore the better choice in three situations: training on an empty stomach, a marked calorie deficit, an insufficient protein intake. Those are the cases where amino acids are missing, not just a signal.

This BCAA keeps two concrete advantages. The format: nothing to mix, nothing to wash, no taste to put up with — EAA powders are considerably harder to drink. And the price per serving, consistently lower. If your diet already covers your protein, those two criteria may be enough to settle it. Otherwise, go for EAAs.

Frequently asked questions

When should BCAA 8.1.1 tablets be taken?

The manufacturer suggests 2 to 3 tablets 30 minutes before the session and 2 to 3 afterwards, five a day in total. A tablet cannot be sipped during exercise the way a powder can: the logic is that of two servings bracketing the workout. Over the course of a day, it is total protein that weighs, not this timing.

Which BCAA should you take, an 8:1:1 or a 2:1:1?

Compare the grams of leucine per serving, not the ratio. This product supplies 2,400 mg per serving according to the stated ratio; a 2:1:1 dosed at 5 g supplies 2,500. No solid data places a high ratio above a 2:1:1 at an equal total amount, and the 2:1:1 reproduces the proportion found in muscle protein.

How long does a tub of 150 tablets last?

Thirty days at the full serving of five tablets a day, sixty for the 300-tablet tub. If you take it only on training days, reckon on roughly twice as long. The manufacturer sets neither a course length nor a compulsory break.

Tablets or powder: what difference does it make in practice?

Taste: leucine is very bitter, and an 8:1:1 powder needs a lot of sweetener to be drinkable — here the question does not arise. Convenience: nothing to measure out, nothing to rinse. And volume, finally: five tablets to swallow against half a litre to drink, which deprives you of the drink if you were counting on it during the session.

Does this BCAA contain allergens?

No allergen goes into the formula, but the manufacturer flags possible traces of gluten, egg, milk, fish and soya linked to the production site. If you have a diagnosed allergy to any of them, this product is not indicated. The formula contains neither flavouring nor sweetener.

Can it be taken at the same time as a whey protein?

Yes, with no interaction, but there is little point: a whey already contains around a quarter of its protein as BCAAs, leucine included. Stacking the two at the same hour amounts to paying twice for the same amino acids. Keep these tablets instead for the moments when a powder is not practical.

Why is there vitamin B6 in a BCAA?

Because it is a cofactor for the enzymes that metabolise amino acids, and because at 1.4 mg per serving, that is 100% of the NRV, it allows the product to carry claims that BCAAs on their own do not have. It does not increase their absorption: the idea circulates, no official source supports it.

Where can you buy IO Genix BCAA 8.1.1?

This page lets you order the 150 and 300 tablet tubs, and we ship throughout France and Europe. In our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this product is recommended by comparison: we set the tub next to a tub of powdered amino acids and work out the leucine per serving and the price per serving in front of you. The conclusion is not always the one you would expect. The rest of the family is in our protein range, and our sports nutrition section puts every product back in its place.

What is IO Genix Berberine Complex?

IO Genix Berberine Complex is a capsule supplement combining just two ingredients: a Berberis vulgaris root extract standardised to 97% berberine, and chromium in picolinate form. The bottle holds 60 capsules, i.e. a 30-day course at two capsules a day.

Berberine is a plant-derived alkaloid, recognisable by its bright yellow colour, found in the bark and roots of barberry. The plant was long used as a dye before finding a place in traditional herbal medicine, in China as in India. It is now one of the most debated plant extracts in the field of metabolism.

The second ingredient, chromium, is a trace element that the diet supplies in very small amounts, mainly through wholegrain cereals, meat and pulses. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix section, and the other products in the category in our berberine section.

What does a dose of Berberine Complex contain?

This is better said plainly than glossed over: the manufacturer publishes the standardisation of the extract, but neither the amount of extract nor the amount of chromium per capsule. We are not going to invent them. Standardisation to 97% berberine is a useful quality indicator — it points to a very concentrated extract, where many products settle for 5 or 10% — but a percentage without milligrams does not let you work out the dose you are actually swallowing. The label on the bottle you receive is what counts, and that is where you should look.

That gap has a direct bearing on what we can write about the chromium. The two wordings authorised in Europe for this trace element are “chromium contributes to the maintenance of normal blood glucose levels” and “chromium contributes to normal macronutrient metabolism”. They apply only above a minimum threshold per portion, and without a published amount, we cannot verify that the threshold is met. So we are reproducing what the manufacturer puts on its label, without adopting it as our own.

For berberine itself, the position is simpler and clearer: no health claim is authorised in Europe for this molecule. Not for blood glucose, not for weight, not for cholesterol, not for digestive transit. Plenty is written about this extract; none of it may appear on a French product page, and none of it is a substitute for medical advice.

Ingredients list

Berberis vulgaris root extract (97% berberine), chromium picolinate, capsule (GELATINE), anti-caking agent (magnesium salts of fatty acids). The capsules are declared free from titanium dioxide.

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

How do you take Berberine Complex?

Dose: 2 capsules. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: in the morning, preferably with breakfast. Frequency: one serving a day, do not exceed it. Duration: the manufacturer recommends a course of at least one month, which is exactly what one bottle covers.

Do not take it on an empty stomach. The manufacturer says so, and it is a comfort instruction that genuinely matters here: berberine is poorly tolerated on an empty stomach by a lot of people, with nausea or digestive discomfort as a result. Taken with breakfast, the problem usually disappears.

If you still feel some digestive discomfort in the first few days, take one capsule instead of two for a week before moving up to the full dose. That works better than stopping after three days and concluding that the product does not suit you.

One month is the stated minimum duration, and it is also the length of time one bottle covers. An active ingredient of this kind cannot be judged over a week. That said, do not run courses back to back indefinitely without speaking to a healthcare professional: we return to this in the next section, and it is the most important point on this page.

This product combines without overlap with a multivitamin, an omega 3 or a standardised turmeric. Introduce it on its own, without changing anything else at the same time: that is the only way to know how well you tolerate it.

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

The manufacturer is unusually explicit on this point, and its list deserves to be read before purchase rather than after. The product is for healthy adults only. It is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, not permitted for children or adolescents, and requires medical advice for people with diabetes who are on medication, in cases of liver or heart disorders, and for anyone following a course of medication.

The words “course of medication” are not a turn of phrase, and this is the point we explain to every customer at the counter. Berberine acts on liver enzymes and on intestinal transporters involved in the metabolism of a great many medicines. In practical terms, it can alter the blood concentration of a treatment taken at the same time, in either direction. This is not a matter of dosage or excessive caution: if you are taking any medicine at all, that question is one for your doctor or your pharmacist before you open the bottle.

The product contains gelatine: it is suitable for neither vegetarians nor vegans. It may also contain traces of gluten, nuts, egg, milk, fish and soya.

What you should not expect from it: it is not a treatment, and it replaces none. Nor is it a weight-loss product — if that is your goal, a calorie deficit and physical activity do the work, and our weight loss section or our caffeine-free fat burners answer a different logic. No capsule makes up for a diet that is not on track.

Berberine or chromium alone — do you need both?

The question is worth asking since this product combines the two, and it helps to know what each one actually brings.

Chromium is a nutrient in the strict sense, with a defined European reference value and two authorised claims. It is a regulated, well-understood ingredient, with no particular grey areas at the doses usually found in supplements. It is also present in most complete multivitamins, often at a comparable level — check your label before adding more, as doubling up achieves nothing.

Berberine belongs to another category: it is a concentrated plant extract, with no authorised claim, documented drug interactions and real contraindications. That is also what makes this product distinctive: an extract standardised to 97% is no trivial ingredient, and that is precisely why it comes with so many warnings.

If you are simply looking to cover your trace element intake, a complete multivitamin is more rational and cheaper. If it is the Berberis vulgaris extract that interests you specifically, then this product makes sense — provided you have read the list of contraindications and, if you are taking any medication at all, have discussed it with a healthcare professional.

Frequently asked questions

What does “standardised to 97% berberine” mean?

It indicates the berberine content of the root extract used: in 100 mg of extract, 97 mg are berberine. It is a very concentrated extract. One caveat, though: that percentage does not tell you how many milligrams of extract a capsule contains, information the manufacturer does not publish.

Should it be taken with food or away from meals?

With food, and preferably at breakfast. The manufacturer explicitly recommends avoiding it on an empty stomach in order to improve tolerance. It is a piece of advice that makes a real difference: on an empty stomach, berberine causes nausea or digestive discomfort in some people.

Can it be taken alongside medication?

Not without medical advice. The manufacturer explicitly asks for it, and the reason is a serious one: berberine can alter the way the body metabolises many medicines, and therefore their concentration in the blood. Put the question to your doctor or your pharmacist before you open the bottle.

How long does a bottle last?

30 days, at two capsules a day for 60 capsules. That is also the minimum course length the manufacturer recommends, which makes the arithmetic simple: one bottle equals one course. Do not run months back to back without speaking to a healthcare professional.

Are these capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No. The shell is made of gelatine, which is of animal origin. The manufacturer does state, however, that the capsules contain no titanium dioxide, which is useful information for anyone watching additives, but which changes nothing about the vegetarian question.

Does berberine make you lose weight?

No claim of that kind is authorised in Europe for berberine, and we will not be writing one. This product is not a fat burner and replaces neither a calorie deficit nor regular physical activity. If weight loss is your goal, start with those two levers.

Can it be taken if you are diabetic?

Not without prior medical advice. The manufacturer states it in black and white for people with diabetes who are on medication, and it is an instruction to take seriously. That conversation belongs to your own doctor, who knows your treatment and your follow-up.

Where can you buy IO Genix Berberine Complex?

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 one of the few products we sometimes refuse to sell on the spot: when a customer tells us they are on medication, we would rather they came back after speaking to their pharmacist. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Beta Alanine Professional?

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

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

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

What does a serving of Beta Alanine Professional contain?

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

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

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

Ingredients list

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

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

How do you take Beta Alanine Professional?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

Why does beta-alanine make your skin tingle?

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

Do you need to take it on rest days?

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

How long before you notice anything?

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

How many servings in a tub?

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

Can it be mixed with a pre-workout?

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

Is the taste unpleasant?

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

Is this product a doping agent?

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

Where can you buy IO Genix Beta Alanine Professional?

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

What is IO Genix peanut butter?

This is a peanut butter with a minimal ingredient list: 99.5% skinless roasted peanuts, plus 0.5% roasted peanuts with skins and sunflower oil. No added sugar, no sweetener, no emulsifier, no palm oil. Two textures are listed: smooth and crunchy.

With this kind of product, the ingredient list is the only criterion that really counts, and this one is about as short as you could hope for. Most supermarket peanut butters add sugar, salt and a palm fat to stop the oil separating out. None of that here — which is also why the oil rises to the top, something we will come back to.

The product joins our peanut butter and IO Genix ranges. It is a food, not a supplement: it belongs next to the oats, not next to the capsules.

What does a serving contain?

* Columns calculated from the per 100 g values. Three figures are missing from the labelling we were given: sugars, saturates and the fibre content, described as “naturally present” without a number. The net weight of the jar is not specified either.

One value strikes us as needing verification, and we would rather say so: the label declares 1.35 g of salt per 100 g and presents it as “naturally present”, even though the ingredient list contains no added salt and unsalted peanuts contain far less than that. We are reproducing the manufacturer's figure without correcting it, and we would encourage you to read the label on the jar you receive if you are watching your salt intake.

The figure that defines this product is 58 g of fat per 100 g, i.e. 666 kcal. That is a lot, it is entirely normal, and it is the first thing to take on board: a level tablespoon is roughly 20 g, so 133 kcal. Two generous spoonfuls eaten standing in front of the cupboard easily come to 300 kcal. Peanut butter is an excellent food; it is not a light one.

The second figure is the 26 g of protein per 100 g. An honest clarification is needed here: that represents 15.6% of the energy value, which clears the threshold for the “source of protein” claim (12%) but not the one for “high in protein” (20%). And above all, peanut protein is not a complete protein: its essential amino acid profile is limiting, particularly in methionine and lysine. A 20 g serving gives you 5.2 g of protein: that is a bonus, not a source.

Peanuts naturally supply iron, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, copper and selenium. Since none of these contents is quantified, no regulatory wording can be used for these minerals, and we will not use any.

How should you use this peanut butter?

Amount: 10 to 30 g per serving depending on your goal. Base: toast, oats, pancakes, fresh fruit. Timing: breakfast or a snack. Frequency: one to two servings a day. Duration: none, it is a food.

The manufacturer's guidelines are useful because they turn grams into real situations. 10 to 15 g to enrich a dish or a light snack. 20 to 25 g for a full breakfast or a post-session snack. 30 g at most when the aim is to add energy. Beyond that, you are mostly adding calories.

The one thing that makes all the difference, and that nobody does: weigh it out the first time. Twenty grams of peanut butter is a good deal less than people imagine. Once you have the visual reference, the spoon is enough.

With no emulsifier, the oil rises to the top when the jar stands still: that is the sign of a product with no stabilising additive, not a fault. Stir the jar thoroughly the first time you open it, right down to the bottom, then store it the right way up. Some people keep it upside down between uses, which redistributes the oil.

In the kitchen it holds up very well in pancakes, cookies or a satay sauce. Its most useful pairing is still the simplest: a spoonful stirred into a bowl of oat flour, which turns a carbohydrate breakfast into a complete meal.

Who is this peanut butter for, and who is it not for?

It suits anyone trying to push their calories up without eating more volume: it is one of the most energy-dense foods in the catalogue, and one spoonful adds 133 kcal effortlessly. For mass gain, it is a far more pleasant lever than a gainer. It also suits anyone who reads labels: at 99.5% peanuts, there is not much to argue with.

It contains PEANUTS, and traces of ALMONDS, HAZELNUTS, CASHEW NUTS, PISTACHIOS, MACADAMIA NUTS, MILK and SOYA are possible. If you are allergic to peanuts or tree nuts, this product is obviously out — and peanut allergy is one of the most severe there is. Keep out of reach of children.

It is not suitable during a strict calorie deficit unless you weigh it scrupulously: 58 g of fat per 100 g does not forgive guesswork. Nor is it suitable if you are watching your salt intake and have not checked the value discussed above.

What you should not expect from it: it is not a protein source. Five grams per spoonful, with an incomplete amino acid profile, replaces no shake and no piece of meat. Nor is it a “health” product: peanuts do supply good fatty acids, but no claim can be used here in the absence of quantified contents. It is a dense, tasty and honestly formulated food. Nothing more, and that is already a great deal.

Peanut butter or a protein spread?

This is the comparison that comes up over the counter every single day, and it comes down to what you are trying to solve.

A protein spread, like the ones in the Grenade range, supplies around 20 g of protein per 100 g — less than this butter — but it answers a sugar craving that plain peanut butter does not satisfy. It is sweetened with polyols, with the laxative warning that goes with them, and its ingredient list is a great deal longer. It is the right choice if your problem is the chocolate spread in the cupboard.

Peanut butter wins on three concrete points: 26 g of protein per 100 g against 20, an ingredient list two lines long, and no polyols, so no risk of digestive discomfort. It also costs considerably less per kilo. It is the default choice unless you specifically need a dessert flavour.

And if your goal really is to increase your protein intake, neither of them is the answer: a serving of protein powder supplies 25 g for 120 kcal, whereas you would need 100 g of peanut butter and 666 kcal for a comparable result. The other snack formats can be compared in our protein snacks range.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the oil rise to the top?

Because there is no emulsifier and no palm fat in the formulation. That is normal behaviour for a peanut butter made of 99.5% peanuts, and it is rather a good sign. Stir it thoroughly, right down to the bottom of the jar, the first time you open it: the texture becomes even again.

How many calories in a spoonful?

A level tablespoon is around 20 g, so 133 kcal, 5.2 g of protein and 11.6 g of fat. That is the most useful reference point on this page: two generous spoonfuls easily go past 300 kcal, and that shows up in a day's totals.

Smooth or crunchy?

The formulation is the same, only the texture changes: smooth on one side, with pieces of peanut on the other. The smooth blends better into porridge or a sauce; the crunchy works better on toast. It is a preference, not a nutritional criterion.

Does it contain added sugar?

No, the ingredient list contains none: only roasted peanuts and a touch of sunflower oil. The 14 g of carbohydrate per 100 g come naturally from the peanuts. The breakdown of the “of which sugars” line is not published by the manufacturer, however.

Is it a good source of protein?

It is a “source of protein” in the regulatory sense, but not in the sense you mean. Twenty grams of product supplies 5.2 g of protein, with an incomplete amino acid profile, limiting in particular in methionine and lysine. It is a bonus on a slice of toast, not a building block of your daily total.

How long does an opened jar keep?

Several weeks at room temperature, away from light. With no preservative, the only risk is the fats going rancid, which announces itself immediately in the taste. As the net weight of the jar is not in our data, check it on the label to estimate how long yours will last.

Is it suitable for vegans?

Yes. The only ingredients are roasted peanuts and sunflower oil, both of plant origin. Do note, however, the possible traces of milk flagged by the manufacturer, as well as those of several tree nuts.

Where can you buy IO Genix peanut butter?

Both textures can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. It is a cupboard staple that keeps for a long time: there is no need to stockpile five jars, but two are never too many.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is one of the few aisles where we advise turning the jar around before buying, whatever the brand. Two lines of ingredients is a good sign; seven, including sugar and palm fat, much less so. The habit is worth keeping for any supermarket shop.

What is IO Genix's Caffeine 200 mg?

It is anhydrous caffeine in capsules, dosed at 200 mg per unit, in a bottle of 100. A single active ingredient, no flavouring, no sweetener, no blend: it is the simplest product in the whole stimulant aisle.

Two hundred milligrams is the equivalent of two to three espressos. The difference with coffee comes down to three things: the dose is identical from one capsule to the next, it travels in a pocket, and it requires neither finding a machine nor drinking anything. For a session at 6:00 in the morning or a competition in a car park, those are three real advantages.

The rest of the composition takes three lines: magnesium carbonate as a bulking agent, magnesium stearate as an anti-caking agent, and a gelatine capsule coloured with calcium carbonate and sodium starch octenyl succinate. As the shell is made of gelatine, the product is not suitable for vegetarians. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix aisle.

What does one capsule contain?

* No NRV is established for caffeine. Other components: bulking agent (magnesium carbonate), capsule (gelatine, colours: calcium carbonate and sodium starch octenyl succinate), anti-caking agent (magnesium stearate). Pack size: 100 capsules. Traces of GLUTEN, MILK, EGG, SOYA, SULPHITES, FISH, MOLLUSCS and CRUSTACEANS are possible depending on manufacturing conditions.

The framework needs setting out straight away, because it is what determines how the product is used. EFSA considers that a single intake of 200 mg of caffeine raises no safety concern in healthy adults, and takes 400 mg as the benchmark for the whole day, from all sources combined. One capsule therefore puts you exactly on the single-intake limit — and if you drink coffee alongside it, the total climbs fast.

A concrete calculation, because it often changes the advice: one capsule in the morning, two coffees during the day and a 200 mg pre-workout already adds up to 550 to 600 mg. You are above the daily benchmark without having given it a single thought.

On the effects, let us be precise: caffeine has no authorised health claim in Europe. Not on alertness, not on endurance, not on weight loss. We can therefore promise you nothing, and we will not. What we can describe: a molecule, a dose, an equivalent in cups of coffee, and a protocol for use. The rest you already know from experience — you have all drunk a coffee.

How should Caffeine 200 mg be taken?

Dose: 1 capsule, i.e. 200 mg. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: 30 to 45 minutes before physical or mental effort, in the morning or in the early afternoon. Frequency: one intake a day, never after 15:00. Duration: cycling advised, 5 days on for 2 days off, or 3 weeks for 1 week off.

If you have never taken caffeine in this form, start with half a capsule. The manufacturer recommends it, and it is good advice: the capsule opens, the powder can be divided, and one session will tell you whether 100 mg is enough for you. Two hundred milligrams at once, on an empty stomach, does not go the same way for everybody.

The 15:00 rule is the one that matters most, and it is stricter here than on many products: the manufacturer asks that no caffeine be taken in the 6 hours before bedtime. The half-life of the molecule is around five hours in an average adult, more in some people. A capsule at 18:00 still means a hundred milligrams or so in circulation at midnight.

Cycling is not a whim either. Tolerance to caffeine sets in within a few weeks, and the doses then have to go up to recover the same sensation — which is neither desirable nor sustainable. Five days on for two days off is enough to maintain sensitivity.

Two practical remarks. The manufacturer advises increasing water intake to 2 or 3 litres a day during use, caffeine having a mild diuretic effect. And it advises against taking it at the same time as other stimulants — tea, coffee, guarana — which amounts to repeating the daily total calculation.

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

It is for adults only, and suits those who tolerate caffeine well and want a precise, portable dose with no taste and no preparation. It is also the most economical format in the category: 100 capsules, i.e. more than three months at one intake a day, for the price of a few energy drinks.

The manufacturer is categorical about the contraindications, and we repeat them as they stand. This product is not advised for children or for pregnant and breastfeeding women, and is ruled out in the case of a heart condition, high blood pressure, an anxiety disorder, insomnia or hypersensitivity to caffeine. If any of those apply to you, this product is not for you, and that is not negotiable.

It is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans: the shell is made of gelatine. Nor is it suitable if you train in the evening, for the sleep reasons set out above.

The possible side effects are well known and the manufacturer lists them: nervousness, irritability, palpitations, headaches, digestive upset. They appear mainly in people who are not used to it or at cumulative doses. That is precisely why the trial half-capsule makes sense.

What not to expect from it: nothing more than a well-measured coffee. Caffeine does not make up for a short night, it masks it — and the sleep debt itself remains entirely. Nor does it make you lose weight, whatever the label on half of the fat burners aisle may say. What it does do is make a session easier to get started, which is already something.

Caffeine on its own or a complete pre-workout?

That is the real choice, and the answer depends on what you are trying to achieve.

A complete pre-workout provides, on top of the caffeine, pump and endurance ingredients: citrulline at 4 or 6 g, beta-alanine at 3.2 g, often tyrosine or betaine. It is the better choice if you want the complete formula without having to put anything together yourself, and if the sensation of a pump is part of what you are looking for. Its drawback: you pay for the whole thing, including the ingredients you have no interest in, and you do not choose the caffeine dose.

Caffeine on its own does exactly the opposite. You know what you are taking to the milligram, you adjust in half-capsules, and you can combine it with whatever you want — citrulline on its own, beta-alanine on its own, or nothing at all. At 100 capsules a bottle, it is also by far the cheapest option per session. It is the rational choice if you already know what works for you.

And if you train in the evening, neither suits: a caffeine-free pre-workout is what to turn to, even if it means losing that kick. On this point, a night's sleep is worth more than a good session.

Frequently asked questions

How many coffees does 200 mg correspond to?

Two to three espressos, according to the manufacturer. It is an average equivalent: the content of a coffee varies a great deal with the grind, the machine and the volume. The useful benchmark is EFSA's — 200 mg in a single intake, 400 mg over the day from all sources combined.

Can the capsule be opened to take half a dose?

Yes, and it is even what the manufacturer advises for a first trial. The capsule opens, the powder can be divided. The taste of pure caffeine is extremely bitter: better to close the half back inside the capsule and swallow it than to put it on your tongue.

How late in the day can it be taken?

The manufacturer asks that none be consumed in the 6 hours before bedtime, and in practice that you stay before 15:00. That is consistent with the half-life of the molecule, around five hours in an average adult — and a good deal more in some people. An evening intake costs a night.

Why take breaks?

Because tolerance sets in quickly: after two to three weeks of daily use, the same dose no longer produces the same effect. The manufacturer advises 5 days on for 2 days off, or 3 weeks for 1 week. That is what allows you to keep one capsule effective without raising the doses.

Are the capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No. The shell is made of gelatine, of animal origin. The manufacturer also reports possible traces of gluten, milk, egg, soya, sulphites, fish, molluscs and crustaceans depending on manufacturing conditions.

Can it be combined with a pre-workout?

Technically yes, but you have to do the arithmetic. Most pre-workouts contain 150 to 350 mg of caffeine per serving: added to the 200 mg of a capsule, you exceed EFSA's daily benchmark in a single intake. The manufacturer does in fact explicitly advise against combining it with other stimulants.

How long does a bottle last?

More than three months at one capsule a day, the bottle holding 100. With the advised cycling — five days out of seven — reckon on four to five months. It is one of the most favourable dose-to-price ratios in the whole shop.

Where can you buy IO Genix Caffeine 200 mg?

The bottle of 100 capsules can be ordered from this page, and we ship anywhere in France and Europe. It is a product that covers a whole quarter of a year with a single bottle: few items in the catalogue can say as much.

At the counter in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is the product we suggest to those who come in looking for a complete pre-workout without realising that what they like in it is essentially the caffeine. The test is simple: try a capsule on its own for two weeks, and you will know. The rest of the stimulants and pre-training formulas can be compared in our sports nutrition selection.

What is IO Genix Carni3000?

IO Genix Carni3000 is an L-carnitine supplement in capsule form. A three-capsule dose provides 2,000 mg of L-carnitine tartrate, of which 1,360 mg is pure L-carnitine and 640 mg tartaric acid. The bottle holds 90 capsules, which is exactly 30 doses and one month's course.

L-carnitine is not an amino acid in the strict sense but an amino acid derivative, which the body makes in the liver and kidneys from lysine and methionine. Food supplies it too, almost exclusively through animal products: red meat is by far the richest source, hence its name, taken from the Latin carnis.

Its biological role is well established: it carries long-chain fatty acids across the mitochondrial membrane, where they are broken down to produce energy. Without carnitine, that transport does not happen. It is this mechanism, a real one, that gave the product its reputation — and we shall see below why you should be wary of drawing hasty conclusions from it. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix aisle.

What does a dose of Carni3000 contain?

The figure to remember is not 2,000 mg, it is 1,360 mg, and the difference deserves an explanation that many product pages gloss over. L-carnitine tartrate is a salt: the carnitine molecule is bound to tartaric acid to stabilise the powder. Out of 2,000 mg of salt, around 68% is genuinely usable carnitine. When a label states “2,000 mg of L-carnitine tartrate”, it is accurate, but it is not saying the same thing as “2,000 mg of L-carnitine”. Here the manufacturer publishes both values, which does it credit and allows an honest comparison with other products.

The Carnipure mention refers to the origin of the raw material, that of a specialist Swiss manufacturer. It is traceability information that the manufacturer prints on the label; we report it as such, without turning it into an efficacy argument.

On the regulatory side, the position is clear: no health claim is authorised in Europe for L-carnitine. Not on weight loss, not on fat metabolism, not on endurance, not on recovery. Its role as a mitochondrial transporter is an established fact of physiology; what oral supplementation changes in a healthy adult who already eats meat is another matter entirely, and one with no validated answer. The previous version of this page promised increased fat oxidation and support during a cutting phase, and announced limited stock to rush the purchase: those passages have been removed.

Ingredients list

L-carnitine tartrate (Carnipure), anti-caking agent (magnesium stearate), capsule shell (GELATINE). No stimulants and no added sugars. The exact composition of the shell appears on the label of the bottle you receive.

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

How do you take Carni3000?

Dose: 3 capsules. Liquid: a large glass of water. When: 30 minutes before training; on rest days, in the morning on an empty stomach. Frequency: one dose a day. Duration: a 6 to 8 week course, followed by a week off according to the manufacturer.

Three capsules at once is not trivial for anyone who struggles to swallow supplements. Take them one after the other with a large glass of water rather than together: that is the only practical difficulty with this product, and it is solved in ten seconds.

The capsule format is a genuine advantage here over the liquid format, which is very common for this molecule. Liquid carnitine ampoules travel badly, open up inside bags and often contain flavourings and sweeteners you can do without. A bottle of capsules slips into a gym bag with no risk, and the dose does not vary from one intake to the next.

The manufacturer recommends courses of 6 to 8 weeks with a week off. One bottle covers a month: count on two bottles for a full course, then. On days without training, the dose is taken in the morning on an empty stomach.

This product contains neither caffeine nor any stimulant. It can therefore be taken late in the day with no consequence for sleep, which is not the case for most of the products in our fat burners aisle. It combines without difficulty with a protein or an omega 3.

Who is Carni3000 for, and who is it not for?

It is of interest above all to two profiles. The first: people whose diet supplies little or no red meat — vegetarians, vegans, or simply heavy eaters of poultry and fish — in whom dietary carnitine intake is structurally low. The second: those who want a product with no caffeine, because they are already sensitive to stimulants or because they train in the evening.

One important reservation for the first profile, however: the capsule shell is gelatine, of animal origin. A strict vegetarian will therefore not be able to use it, which is a regrettable paradox for a product that would make particular sense in their case. We are flagging it rather than leaving the discovery for when the bottle is opened.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women, asks that it be kept out of the reach of children and that you consult a healthcare professional if you are on medical treatment. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose. The product may contain traces of gluten, egg, fish, soya and milk.

What not to expect from it, and this is the point on which we are most direct: this is not a fat burner. In a healthy person who eats meat, muscle carnitine stores are already close to their maximum, and muscle takes up circulating carnitine very poorly. No capsule creates a calorie deficit. If your goal is weight loss, diet and physical activity do all the work, and our weight loss aisle will not change that rule.

Carnitine or a burner with caffeine, which should you choose?

The two cross paths in the same cutting-phase basket, and they do not do the same thing at all.

A conventional capsule burner relies mainly on caffeine, sometimes combined with green tea or cayenne pepper. Its effect is noticeable: heightened alertness, a sense of energy, appetite often somewhat blunted. It is that sensation which explains its success, and it is real — but it comes from a stimulant, with the drawbacks that go with it: tolerance building up, disrupted sleep if taken late, palpitations in sensitive people.

Carnitine, on the other hand, is not felt at all. No noticeable effect, no kick, no effect on appetite. It is the better choice if you want to avoid stimulants, if you train late, or if you already drink a lot of coffee during the day. It is also the most honest thing to recommend to someone who already has three sources of caffeine in their routine.

If your priority is a stimulant-free product that you can nonetheless feel, look instead at our plant-based caffeine-free burners. And if you are already stacking several supplements, ask yourself about the total: three products doing half the same job cost more than a single well-chosen one.

Frequently asked questions

Why 2,000 mg of tartrate but 1,360 mg of carnitine?

Because L-carnitine tartrate is a salt: the carnitine is bound to tartaric acid, which stabilises the powder. Around 68% of the salt is usable carnitine, that is 1,360 mg for 2,000 mg of tartrate. Both values are accurate, but only the second lets you compare two products with each other.

Should it be taken before or after training?

The manufacturer states 30 minutes before the session, and in the morning on an empty stomach on rest days. This is a daily product: consistency matters more than the precise timing, since it produces no noticeable effect in the hour that follows.

Are these capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No. The shell is gelatine, of animal origin. That is all the more unfortunate given that vegetarians are precisely the profile in whom dietary carnitine intake is lowest, red meat being the main source.

How long does a bottle last?

Exactly 30 days: 90 capsules, three per dose, one dose a day. Since the manufacturer recommends courses of 6 to 8 weeks, count on two bottles to see a full course through.

Does it make you lose weight?

No, and no claim of that kind is authorised in Europe for L-carnitine. The product does not create a calorie deficit and does not alter appetite. It may accompany an effort, it never replaces one.

Is there any caffeine in it?

None. The formula contains only carnitine tartrate, an anti-caking agent and the capsule shell. That is what makes it possible to take it late in the day with no consequence for sleep, unlike most products in this aisle.

Can it be combined with a conventional burner?

Nothing stands in the way as far as composition goes, since the ingredients do not overlap. The real question is whether it is useful: adding together two products that do not act in the same place is expensive for a benefit that is hard to measure. Start with one and judge for yourself.

Where to buy IO Genix Carni3000?

The 90-capsule bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, around ten minutes from Montpellier, this is the product we point people towards when they want something without caffeine — and we tell them straight away that they will not feel a thing, because it is the truth and because it saves a disappointment a fortnight later. The rest of the aisle can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Carniluxe Liquid?

IO Genix Carniluxe Liquid is a liquid L-carnitine, ready to drink, supplied in a one-litre bottle. One serving is 30 ml and provides 2,000 mg of L-carnitine. The bottle covers 33 servings, which is more than a month at one serving a day.

The raw material is Carnipure®, an L-carnitine produced under licence by the Swiss group Lonza. The rest of the composition comes down to six lines: water, citric acid as an acidity regulator, flavouring, beetroot red colouring, preservatives (potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate) and sucralose as a sweetener. No added sugars, no stimulants.

The flavours available: Green Apple, Raspberry, Lemon and Red Berries. The product sits in our fat burners section, alongside the powder and capsule formulas.

What does a 30 ml serving contain?

The manufacturer does not publish a full nutrition table: no energy value, no macronutrients, no salt content. We are flagging this rather than reconstructing it. Given the composition — water, an acid, a flavouring and a high-intensity sweetener — the calorie contribution is necessarily very low, but we will not put forward a figure the manufacturer does not give.

The 2,000 mg per serving matches common practice in this category; serious products sit between 1,000 and 3,000 mg. The Carnipure® designation has concrete value: it identifies the origin of the raw material and its manufacturer, where many products simply write "L-carnitine" without saying where it comes from.

One regulatory point to state clearly, because it is decisive: no health claim is authorised in Europe for L-carnitine. Not on weight loss, not on fat utilisation, not on performance. The applications filed with the European authorities were not successful. "Fat burner" is the commercial name of the shop category, not a promise of effect, and we stick strictly to that. What we can tell you is factual: here is the molecule, here is its dosage, here is its origin.

How do you take Carniluxe Liquid?

Serving: 30 ml, without exceeding this daily dose. Liquid: to be drunk as it is, or diluted in a glass of water or a drink. Timing: 30 minutes before training, or in the morning on an empty stomach. Frequency: one serving a day. Duration: the manufacturer gives no course length or break — we are flagging this rather than inventing one.

That is the product's main selling point: there is nothing to mix. You pour, you drink. Compared with a powder to weigh out or capsules to count, the liquid format removes the friction — and with a supplement to be taken every day, friction is what makes people give up.

Shake the bottle well before each use and close it carefully after use. Store it in a dry place away from light. The liquid is also easy to add to a pre-workout shaker or an isotonic drink, if you would rather not drink it neat.

An honest clarification: the manufacturer suggests that a liquid format would be absorbed more quickly than a capsule. We have no published data allowing us to verify that, and we will not repeat it as our own. What the liquid format certainly does bring is convenience.

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

It is aimed at adults in a calorie deficit or in a preparation phase who want to add L-carnitine to their routine without adding another shaker or more capsules. The complete absence of stimulants also makes it an option for those who cannot tolerate the caffeine in thermogenic burners, or who train in the evening.

The precautions are brief. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose of 30 ml. Not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Keep out of reach of children. The product may contain traces of GLUTEN, MILK and EGG. It also contains two preservatives, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate, which is inherent to the liquid format: an aqueous solution kept open for a month needs them.

What you should not expect from it, and this is the central point: this product does not make you lose weight. No claim authorises it, no regulatory data supports it. Losing body fat comes down to the calorie deficit and physical activity, full stop. If you are looking for a supplement to make up for a diet that is not on track, this one will do no more than any other — and we would rather tell you before the purchase than after the third bottle.

Carniluxe Liquid or a thermogenic burner?

The two sit in the same section and do not work in remotely the same way. The choice comes down to your tolerance for stimulants.

A thermogenic burner from the burners in capsules section generally relies on caffeine, often 200 to 400 mg a day, sometimes combined with other stimulants. What you feel is heightened alertness and a sense of energy that helps you stick to a diet. It is the right choice if that is the effect you are after, and if you tolerate it. Note that none of these products has an authorised weight-loss claim either.

Carniluxe Liquid wins in three situations. You are sensitive to caffeine, you have high blood pressure or an anxious disposition: here there is no stimulant at all, so no nervous trade-off. You train in the evening and you value your sleep. Or you are already taking a caffeinated pre-workout and you do not want to stack — by far the most common case over the counter. For a broader stimulant-free approach, see the caffeine-free fat burner section, and for the general context, weight loss.

Frequently asked questions

How many servings are in the one-litre bottle?

Thirty-three 30 ml servings, which is more than a month at one serving a day. It is one of the most generous formats in the section, and it saves reordering every fortnight.

Does it need diluting?

No, it is drunk as it is — that is the whole point of the format. You can, however, dilute it in a glass of water, add it to a pre-workout shaker or to an isotonic drink if the concentrated taste bothers you. Shake the bottle before each serving.

Is the liquid better absorbed than the capsule?

The manufacturer suggests so, but we have no published data allowing us to confirm it, and we will therefore not assert it. What the liquid format definitely brings is convenience: nothing to weigh, nothing to swallow, nothing to mix.

Does it contain caffeine?

No, none at all, and no other stimulant. The formula has no added sugars and no stimulants, which means it can be taken at any time of day, including before an evening session.

What is Carnipure®?

It is an L-carnitine produced by the Swiss group Lonza and sold under that brand name. It does not change the molecule: it is L-carnitine. What the designation adds is identification of the supplier and its specifications, where many labels give no origin at all.

When should it be taken?

Thirty minutes before training, or in the morning on an empty stomach, according to the guidance given by the manufacturer. There is no magic moment: take it at the time when you will not forget to take it, since consistency matters more than the schedule.

Why does it contain preservatives?

Because it is an aqueous solution stored at room temperature and open for several weeks. Potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate are the standard preservatives for this type of preparation. A powder does not need them; a liquid does.

Where to buy IO Genix Carniluxe Liquid?

The flavours can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. The one-litre bottle is a format that travels well: it is the kind of product you order once for the month.

In Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, it is a product we mainly recommend to customers who tell us they stopped taking burners because of palpitations. The rest of the range can be found in the IO Genix collection.

What is IO Genix Casein?

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

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

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

What does a 30 g serving contain?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ingredient list

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

How do you take IO Genix Casein?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Casein or whey for the evening serving?

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questions

How many servings in a 900 g tub?

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

Can it be mixed with milk?

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

Why should you not use hot water?

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

How do you get a dessert-cream texture?

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

Is casein suitable for lactose-intolerant users?

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

Can it be taken after training?

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

Why is there magnesium citrate in the list?

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

Where to buy IO Genix Casein?

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

What is IO Genix Casein Cream?

IO Genix Casein Cream is a micellar casein powder to which the manufacturer has added crunchy pieces distributed through the tub. A 30 g scoop provides 22 g of protein for 115 kcal. The 900 g tub contains exactly 30 scoops, and the flavours on offer include Nutchoc and Salted Peanut.

Casein makes up roughly 80% of milk protein. Its distinctive feature is physical before it is nutritional: on contact with the acidity of the stomach, it forms a gel that dissolves slowly. The amino acids are therefore released gradually, over several hours, whereas a whey is absorbed in under an hour. That is why it is traditionally placed in the evening rather than around the session.

This product differs from classic casein on one simple point: it is designed to be eaten with a spoon as much as drunk from a shaker. With little liquid it gives a thick cream; the crunchy pieces stay crunchy. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix section, and the other products in the category in our caseins section.

What does a scoop of Casein Cream contain?

The per 100 g column is calculated from the per-scoop values published by the manufacturer. Two lines are missing from the manufacturer's data and we will not invent them: the saturates content and the sugars content are not disclosed. The label on the tub you receive is the definitive reference, all the more so as the composition of the pieces varies from one flavour to another.

22 g of protein for 115 kcal is an excellent ratio for a product eaten like a dessert. For context: a shop-bought fruit yoghurt runs at around 4 g of protein per 100 kcal. Here you are more than five times better off, which changes everything if you are trying to hold a high protein total without blowing up your calories.

The two micronutrients are worth pausing on, because they are genuinely dosed and not merely sprinkled in. With 240 mg of calcium, one scoop covers 30% of the nutrient reference value: calcium is needed for the maintenance of normal bones and contributes to normal muscle function. Nothing surprising for a dairy product, but it is a real bonus. Vitamin B6, at 0.42 mg, likewise covers 30% of the reference value and contributes to normal protein and glycogen metabolism — the addition is consistent with a protein product.

On the protein itself, the only wording authorised in Europe is this one: protein contributes to a growth in and the maintenance of muscle mass. It is true, it is enough, and it calls for no flights of rhetoric. The earlier version of this page spoke of a night-time anabolic window, anti-catabolic action, prolonged satiety and an enzyme complex presented as a digestive advantage: none of those statements is authorised or verifiable, and all have been removed.

Ingredients list

Micellar casein (MILK), Lactomin whey protein concentrate (MILK), crunchy pieces varying by flavour, natural flavourings, DigeZyme enzyme complex (amylase, protease, lactase, lipase, cellulase), sweetener (stevia extract), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), emulsifier (sunflower lecithin).

Contains MILK. May contain traces of GLUTEN, EGGS, SOYA, NUTS and PEANUTS. The composition of the crunchy pieces changes according to the flavour: check the label on the tub you receive if you have an allergy.

How do you take Casein Cream?

Dose: 30 g, or one scoop. Liquid: 200 to 250 ml for a shaker, 100 ml for a cream texture. Timing: 45 minutes before bed, as a snack, or after training. Frequency: one scoop a day, do not exceed. Duration: the manufacturer recommends daily use for at least six weeks.

Preparing it as a cream is the real point of the product, and that is how it should be judged. With 100 ml of liquid and fifteen minutes in the fridge, the powder sets and gives a thick dessert to be eaten with a spoon. With 250 ml you get a classic shake, decent but nothing remarkable — you may as well take a standard casein, which is cheaper. Buy this product for the cream, not for the shake.

The liquid is chosen according to your goal. With water, you stay at 115 kcal. With skimmed milk, reckon on another hundred calories or so and a higher protein intake. With a plant-based drink, the texture is thinner and the result often less firm.

A shaker is enough, but a blender gives a more uniform texture for the cream version. The crunchy pieces do not dissolve; that is normal and that is the point. Close the tub properly: moisture softens them, and a badly closed tub ends up with soggy pieces.

One scoop in the evening does not replace a meal. It completes a day whose protein total matters more than the timing of each intake — that is the best-supported view today, and it is better said than keeping alive the idea of a magic window. If what you need is a fast intake after the session, whey isolate is what to turn to.

Who is Casein Cream for, and who is it not for?

It suits the person who cracks in the evening in front of a dessert and is looking for an alternative that does not ruin their day. It also suits anyone who struggles to reach their protein total, people in a calorie deficit who want a filling and indulgent product, and those who are tired of shakes.

It is not for people who are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk proteins, since casein and whey are both derived from milk. Nor is it for vegans. The manufacturer does not recommend it for children under 12, asks pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as people on medical treatment to seek professional advice, and sets the daily dose at 30 g.

Nor is it for you if you are looking for a fast-absorbing protein around the session: that is not what a casein does, and the slowness that is its strength in the evening becomes a drawback at that moment.

What not to expect from it: casein does not make you lose weight, burns nothing during the night and does not replace a complete meal. Nor is it a digestive product: the presence of enzymes in the formula is not a claimable digestive benefit, and if that is your need, our digestive enzymes section deals with the subject in its own right.

Evening casein or whey, which should you choose?

Both come from milk, they do not behave in the same way, and the choice is simpler than people think.

Whey is absorbed quickly, in under an hour. It is the better choice around training, at breakfast, or whenever the point is to deliver amino acids fast. It is also thinner, and therefore easier to drink in large quantities.

Casein forms a gel in the stomach and digests slowly. It is the better choice in the evening, as a snack that has to last, or when you want something substantial rather than a drink. With this particular product there is an added argument that whey will never have: the dessert texture and the crunchy pieces, which change the experience entirely.

If your goal is bulking, neither is enough on its own: it is the calorie total that decides, and our bulking section answers that question better. And if you are simply after a protein snack to take with you rather than a powder to prepare, have a look at our protein snacks.

Frequently asked questions

Do the crunchy pieces stay crunchy?

Yes, in the preparation, since they do not dissolve. They do soften, however, if the tub takes in moisture: close it carefully and keep it dry. That is the only storage precaution that really matters with this product.

How many scoops are there in the 900 g tub?

Exactly 30 scoops of 30 g. At one scoop a day, the tub covers a full month, which corresponds to half of the six-week period of use the manufacturer recommends.

Can it be made into a pudding?

That is in fact its best use: 30 g of powder in 100 ml of liquid, fifteen minutes in the fridge, and you get a thick cream to be eaten with a spoon. With 250 ml you fall back on an ordinary shake and the point of the product is largely lost.

Is it suitable for people who are lactose intolerant?

No. Micellar casein and whey concentrate are both derived from milk and contain lactose. If that is your problem, a whey isolate, whose lactose content is far lower, is a much more suitable choice.

Which flavours are available?

The flavours listed by the manufacturer, including Nutchoc and Salted Peanut. The complete, up-to-date list is that of the variants offered on this page: that is the definitive one, as the manufacturer's documentation is not always in step with deliveries.

Does it really have to be taken before sleeping?

That is the most logical moment, 45 minutes before bed, because its slow digestion lends itself to it. But your day's protein total matters more than the hour of each intake. If the evening does not suit you, an afternoon snack works very well.

Can it be cooked with?

It stands up poorly to cooking, as all caseins do: it thickens too much and the crunchy pieces lose their point. Keep it for cold preparations. For protein baking, a plain whey or a purpose-made powder behaves far better.

Where can you buy IO Genix Casein Cream?

The 900 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 the product we recommend to those who tell us they hold their diet together all day and let go of it all at ten in the evening: a 115 kcal cream settles the problem better than a resolution. The rest of the section can be browsed in our sports nutrition range.

What is IO Genix Charbon Actif?

IO Genix Charbon Actif is a soft-capsule supplement combining three ingredients: activated plant charcoal, aniseed essential oil and peppermint essential oil. The daily dose of four capsules supplies 500 mg of activated charcoal, 280 mg of aniseed essential oil and 280 mg of peppermint essential oil.

Activated charcoal is not barbecue charcoal. It is a plant-based charcoal heat-treated at high temperature to develop an extreme porosity: a few grams develop an internal surface area measured in hundreds of square metres. It is that porosity which allows it to bind molecules to its surface, a physical phenomenon known as adsorption.

The two essential oils, for their part, are traditional ingredients of the digestive sphere. Aniseed (Pimpinella anisum) and peppermint (Mentha piperita) are present here at a proper dose, 280 mg each, which is far from always the case with this type of formula. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix section.

What does a dose of Charbon Actif contain?

It needs to be said plainly what these 500 mg allow and what they do not. Activated charcoal is one of the few ingredients in this category to have an authorised claim in Europe, covering the reduction of excessive flatulence after eating. But that claim comes with a precise dosage condition, expressed in grams: it assumes 1 g taken before the meal and 1 g taken shortly afterwards. With 500 mg spread across the whole day, this product sits well below that threshold, and we will therefore not repeat that claim in connection with it. This is a piece of information you will find nowhere else on this type of product page, and it changes how you choose.

The dose of the two essential oils, on the other hand, is markedly more generous than what you usually come across. 280 mg each is a genuine amount, and it is probably what gives the product its character. No health claim is authorised in Europe for aniseed or for peppermint: so we describe what the formula contains, without attributing any effect to it.

A final word on the 1.2 g of fat per dose: it comes from the sunflower oil that acts as a carrier in the soft capsules, and not from any intended nutritional contribution. At 8 kcal for the daily dose, this product weighs on no one's intake.

Ingredients list

Bulking agent (refined sunflower oil), coating agent (gelatine, humectant: glycerine), activated charcoal, aniseed essential oil (Pimpinella anisum L.), peppermint essential oil (Mentha piperita L.), emulsifier (SOYA lecithin), stabiliser (partially hydrogenated soya fat), thickeners (colloidal silica, beeswax, hydrogenated soya fat).

Contains SOYA. May contain traces of GLUTEN, MILK, EGGS and FISH. The capsules are made from bovine gelatine.

How do you take Charbon Actif?

Dose: 2 capsules per serving. Liquid: at least 250 ml of water. Timing: before a main meal, or at the moment of discomfort. Frequency: two servings a day, without exceeding 4 capsules. Duration: a two to four week course.

A clarification is needed, because the manufacturer's documentation contradicts itself on this point and we would rather flag it than copy out both instructions. On one hand it states two capsules before each main meal, on the other a daily dose not to be exceeded of four capsules. Both cannot be true at once if you eat three meals. We are keeping the lower limit, which is also the one in the nutrition declaration: four capsules a day at most, that is two servings. Spread them across the two meals that give you the most trouble.

The glass of water is not decorative. Activated charcoal needs a sufficient volume of liquid to move properly through the digestive tract, and 250 ml is a minimum, not a suggestion. Taking it with three mouthfuls of water is the surest way to create further discomfort for yourself.

Swallow the capsules whole, without crunching them: they are soft capsules and their contents are not meant to be chewed. A two to four week course gives you an honest basis for judging, and the product is then taken again in spells as needed rather than continuously all year round.

The most important instruction on this page: leave at least two hours between taking activated charcoal and taking any medicine or any other supplement. We come back to it just below.

Who is Charbon Actif for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at an adult who gets bloating after meals and is looking for a comfort solution, either occasionally or over a few weeks. It can have its place before a heavy or unusual meal, rather than as routine use.

The central point to watch is the interaction with medicines. Activated charcoal binds molecules by adsorption, and it does not tell the difference between an intestinal gas and an active substance: it can reduce the absorption of a medicine taken at the same time. That applies to all treatments, including oral contraception. The manufacturer requires a minimum gap of two hours, and that instruction must be followed to the letter. If you are on long-term medication, speak to your doctor or your pharmacist before starting.

The manufacturer does not recommend it for children under 12 and asks pregnant and breastfeeding women to seek the advice of a healthcare professional. The product contains soya and the capsules are made from gelatine: it is therefore suitable neither for people allergic to soya, nor for vegetarians, nor for vegans.

One practical remark that the manufacturer mentions and that always comes as a surprise: stools turn black during the course. This is normal, harmless, and it disappears once you stop. Better to know beforehand than to start worrying on day three.

What not to expect from it: this is not a treatment, it is not a detox product — a term that means nothing in regulatory terms — and it is not a solution to persistent digestive problems. Entrenched bloating, pain or a lastingly disturbed transit are a matter for a doctor, not for a capsule.

Activated charcoal, enzymes or probiotics, which should you choose?

Three families of product compete for the same shelf, and they do not work in remotely the same way.

Activated charcoal acts physically, there and then, on whatever is in the digestive tract at the moment you take it. It is an occasional comfort product, to be taken at the moment of the problem. It changes nothing over time, and it is not designed to.

Digestive enzymes supply molecules that help break down certain nutrients. It is the more logical choice if your discomfort is linked to a particular meal or an identified food — a very rich meal, a large portion of pulses, an excess of dairy products.

Probiotics work on a different timescale: they are a long-term matter, over several weeks, and they target the balance of the microbiota rather than an immediate symptom. They are of no use for settling bloating within the hour.

One particular case is worth flagging, because we come across it often: if your bloating appears mainly after a protein shake, none of the three will address the cause. It is most often the lactose in a concentrate whey, and switching to a whey isolate or a clear whey is a more direct and less expensive answer.

Frequently asked questions

How many capsules a day at most?

Four, and that is the limit set by the manufacturer's nutrition declaration. Take them as two servings of two capsules, before the meals that trouble you most. The documentation also mentions two capsules before each main meal, but that pattern would exceed the daily dose if you eat three meals.

Why do you have to wait two hours before a medicine?

Because activated charcoal binds molecules by adsorption without distinguishing what they are. It can therefore reduce the absorption of a medicine taken at the same time, including oral contraception. The two-hour gap is a minimum, to be observed in both directions.

Do stools turn black?

Yes, in fact invariably, and it is harmless. The colour comes from the charcoal itself, which is not absorbed and ends up in the stools in its entirety. Everything returns to normal once the course is over.

Are these capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No. The soft capsules are made from gelatine, which is of animal origin. The product also contains soya in several forms, which likewise rules it out for people allergic to that allergen.

Is 500 mg enough against bloating?

It is a modest dose against the threshold adopted at European level for this type of effect, which is counted in grams and not in milligrams. The product draws its character more from its two essential oils, dosed at 280 mg each. We would rather say so than let you believe in a dose it does not have.

Can you take it every day all year round?

The manufacturer positions the product as a two to four week course, to be taken again as the periods require. Permanent use serves no purpose and complicates managing the two-hour gap with everything else you take. In spells, it is more logical and easier to stick to.

Can it be combined with other supplements?

Yes, provided you leave at least two hours between them — a supplement is a molecule like any other from the point of view of activated charcoal. In practice, take your multivitamin or your magnesium at another time of day.

Where can you buy IO Genix Charbon Actif?

The bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is a product we always start with one simple question about: “are you on any medication?”. The answer does not rule it out, but it decides how the servings have to be organised across the day. The rest of the section can be browsed in our sports nutrition range.

What is IO Genix Citrulline Malate?

IO Genix Citrulline Malate is a single-ingredient powder. One 3.8 g scoop provides 3,762 mg of citrulline D,L-malate, and the only other component is an anti-caking agent. The tub holds 79 servings, which comes to nearly three months of use at three sessions a week.

Citrulline is a non-proteinogenic amino acid, meaning it is not used to build proteins. It is found in meaningful amounts in only one everyday food: watermelon, from which it takes its name, Citrullus. You would have to eat several kilos of it to come near the dose in one scoop.

The malate form pairs citrulline with malic acid, a molecule naturally present in apples and involved in the Krebs cycle. This pairing is the most widespread one in pre-workout products. The rest of the Spanish range is in our IO Genix section, and the other products in the category in our citrulline section.

What does one serving of Citrulline Malate contain?

3,762 mg in a 3.8 g serving means the product is more than 99% citrulline malate. There is practically nothing else in the tub, and that is the main argument for this format: you are buying an active ingredient, not a blend in which it is buried. Compare that with a full pre-workout, where citrulline often heads the ingredients list but at 1 g or 1.5 g, with nothing to make that clear.

One piece of data is missing from the manufacturer's file and it matters: the ratio between citrulline and malate is not published. Products on the market are split between 1:1 and 2:1 ratios, so the amount of citrulline actually supplied is not the same from one tub to another at equal weight. We will not decide this in the manufacturer's place. The label on the tub you receive is the only reference if this point is decisive for you.

The dose also deserves an honest framing. 3.8 g per serving is a middling dose: many pre-workout formulas dose citrulline malate at between 6 and 8 g per serving. The manufacturer here allows for a single serving a day and asks that it not be exceeded, which is the instruction to follow. If you were after a higher dose, this is not the product that will give it to you, and we would rather say so before the purchase.

On the regulatory side: no health claim is authorised in Europe for citrulline or for citrulline malate. Not on pump, not on endurance, not on recovery, not on fatigue. An earlier version of this page announced a specific figure for an increase in the number of repetitions: that percentage could not be sourced as it stood and it has been removed.

Ingredients list

Citrulline D,L-malate, anti-caking agent (silicon dioxide).

May contain traces of GLUTEN (wheat and oats), EGGS, MILK, FISH and SOYA.

How do you take Citrulline Malate?

Dose: 3.8 g, that is one measuring scoop. Liquid: 100 to 150 ml of cold water. Timing: 30 to 45 minutes before training, preferably on an empty stomach. Frequency: one serving a day, on training days. Duration: a continuous cycle of 8 to 12 weeks according to the manufacturer.

The volume of liquid is deliberately small here, between 100 and 150 ml. This is not a mistake: citrulline malate is decidedly sour and bitter, and diluting it further does not improve matters, it simply draws out the unpleasantness. A small amount swallowed in one go goes down better than a large glass sipped slowly.

If the taste puts you off, mix it into a juice or an already flavoured drink. In practice the most common mix remains adding it to a pre-workout booster or to a beta-alanine powder, in the same glass: the two are taken at the same moment and for complementary reasons.

Thirty to forty-five minutes before the session, on a light stomach, is the window the manufacturer has settled on. A full meal just beforehand slows absorption without preventing it: that is not a safety issue, only a question of effectiveness.

The manufacturer speaks of continuous cycles of 8 to 12 weeks. Note that 79 servings work out at about six months if you train three times a week: one tub therefore comfortably covers two full cycles. Shake vigorously; the powder dissolves well but forms clumps if you merely stir it.

A word on what to watch over those weeks, because this product is not judged on how it feels straight away. Note instead the number of repetitions you hold on your longer sets and the way you recover between two sets: these are the only usable indicators, and they call for a training log rather than an impression. Without that record, you will have no way of knowing whether the next tub is worth it.

Who is citrulline malate for, and who is it not for?

It appeals to the strength trainee who puts together their own pre-workout and wants to choose every ingredient and every dose. It also appeals to those who cannot tolerate stimulants: this is a caffeine-free powder, so it can be used in the evening without any effect on sleep, unlike a full pre-workout booster.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women and rules it out for minors under 18. It asks that you consult a healthcare professional in the event of cardiovascular disorders or medical treatment. This last precaution deserves to be understood rather than copied out: citrulline acts on a pathway that touches the regulation of blood vessel diameter, and combining it with a treatment that acts on blood pressure is not a trivial matter. If this applies to you, put the question to your doctor.

The product may contain traces of gluten, eggs, milk, fish and soya. No ingredient of animal origin appears in the list, however.

What not to expect from it: this is not a stimulant, you will feel neither energy nor alertness. Nor is it a mass-gain or a weight-loss product. And if you are expecting a spectacular pump from the very first session, disappointment is likely: this is a background ingredient, not a piece of showmanship. Lastly, this kind of product never makes up for a badly built session or a diet that does not keep up.

Citrulline malate or pure L-citrulline?

The question comes up as soon as you compare two tubs on the shelf, and it has a clear answer.

Pure L-citrulline contains only the amino acid. At equal weight it therefore supplies more citrulline than a malate form, where part of the weight goes to malic acid. If citrulline is your only objective, that is the most direct form and the easiest to calculate.

Citrulline malate adds malic acid, which is not a mere carrier: it is an intermediate in the Krebs cycle, the cell's central energy production pathway. It is the form most used in pre-workout products, and it is the one in this tub. It is also often cheaper per total gram.

If blood flow is what interests you, be aware that L-arginine is another possible route but a less effective one taken orally: it is largely broken down before reaching the circulation, whereas citrulline escapes that first pass and is then converted into arginine. And if you want a product you can feel during the session, it is the full pre-workout formulas you should be looking at, not this powder.

Frequently asked questions

What is the citrulline to malate ratio?

The manufacturer does not publish it, and we will not guess it. Products on the market are split between 1:1 and 2:1, which changes the amount of citrulline actually supplied at equal weight. If this point is decisive for you, the label on the tub you receive is the only reliable source.

Why only 100 to 150 ml of water?

Because the powder is sour and bitter: diluting it further does not make it any better, it simply makes the unpleasantness last longer. A small amount swallowed quickly is the most comfortable solution, or a mix into a juice if the taste really bothers you.

Should it be taken on rest days?

The manufacturer allows for a serving on training days only. Unlike creatine or beta-alanine, this product is not meant to build up stores: it is taken with a specific session in view. On days without training, there is nothing to maintain.

Does it contain caffeine?

None at all. The powder contains only citrulline malate and an anti-caking agent. That is what makes it usable for an evening session without disturbing sleep, and combinable with a caffeinated pre-workout booster if you already take one.

How many servings in a tub?

79 servings of 3.8 g, measuring scoop included. At three sessions a week, that comes to about six months of use, so easily enough to run the two 8 to 12 week cycles the manufacturer suggests.

Can it be mixed with creatine?

Yes, in the same glass and with no known interaction. Creatine monohydrate and citrulline are readily taken at the same moment and do not act in the same place. Just check, if you already use a full pre-workout, that it does not itself contain citrulline: stacking the two poses no danger, but it can take you past the intended daily dose.

Is it suitable for vegans?

No ingredient of animal origin appears in the list, which is limited to citrulline malate and a mineral anti-caking agent. The manufacturer does not, however, claim a vegan status, and the product may contain traces of milk, eggs and fish linked to the production facility.

Where can you buy IO Genix Citrulline Malate?

The 79-serving 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 the product we suggest to people who come in looking for a pre-workout booster and actually describe a pump problem to us, not a lack of energy: the two needs do not call for the same tub. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix CLA PRO?

It is safflower oil in soft capsules, with a daily dose of four capsules providing 4,000 mg of oil, standardised to 80% conjugated linoleic acid. The bottle covers 25 servings.

Conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, is a fatty acid from the omega-6 family, found naturally in small amounts in dairy products and ruminant meat. Here it is extracted from safflower seeds (Carthamus tinctorius L.).

The formula fits into two lines: safflower oil and a shell made of gelatine, glycerine and water. Because the capsule is made of gelatine, the product is suitable neither for vegetarians nor for vegans. It joins our capsule fat burners and IO Genix aisles.

What does a four-capsule dose contain?

* Columns calculated from the values declared for four capsules and from the 80% standardisation stated by the manufacturer. Pack size: 25 doses, i.e. 100 capsules. The split between the two CLA isomers — c9,t11 and t10,c12 — is not published; nor is the “of which saturates” line, nor the kilojoules.

The calculation that matters, and that nobody makes: 4,000 mg of oil standardised to 80% gives 3,200 mg of CLA, not 4,000. That is the difference between the weight of the oil and the weight of the active molecule, and it is the only figure to compare from one product to another. Plenty of labels display the big number hoping you will mistake it for the other one.

The 80% standardisation is a sound level for this category; oils at 60% or 70% do exist, and a bottle that is cheaper per litre may turn out to be dearer per gram of CLA. Always do the multiplication before comparing two prices.

Now for the essential point, and we will be categorical: no health claim is authorised in Europe for conjugated linoleic acid. Not on body composition, not on fat, not on weight, not on the maintenance of muscle mass. So you will read no promise of that kind here, not even in a roundabout form. The “fat burner” label that appears on our aisles is a commercial category name, not a description of an effect, and that is a distinction we are keen to state clearly.

What we can describe: a vegetable oil, a standardisation, a daily dose, a format, a usage protocol and some precautions. That is little, and it is honest.

How do you take CLA PRO?

Dose: 4 capsules a day. Liquid: a glass of water. Timing: 2 capsules at lunch and 2 at dinner. Frequency: two split servings. Duration: 8 to 12 weeks at a minimum, taken continuously.

The “with meals” instruction is not optional, unlike with many supplements. This is an oil: its absorption depends on fat being present in the digestive tract at the same time. Four capsules swallowed on an empty stomach with a glass of water means part of the product will do nothing at all.

Splitting it into two servings follows the same logic and improves tolerance: four soft capsules in one go sit heavily on some stomachs. If you get oily repeats, take them in the middle of the meal rather than at the start.

On duration, the manufacturer settles on 8 to 12 weeks minimum, and explicitly pairs this product with a balanced reduced-calorie diet and regular training. We are happy to repeat that detail, because it says the essential thing: this bottle does nothing on its own. If the calorie deficit is not in place, the question does not even arise.

The product combines without difficulty with a protein or a multivitamin. As a bottle covers 25 days, allow three to four of them to complete the recommended duration.

Who is CLA PRO for, and who is it not for?

It is aimed at adults engaged in a structured weight loss approach, with a calorie deficit and training in place. It is a stimulant-free supplement, which makes it compatible with an evening serving and with late training — that is its real advantage over most products in the aisle.

The manufacturer advises against it for pregnant and breastfeeding women and rules it out for the under-18s. It asks that you consult a healthcare professional in the event of a metabolic disorder, diabetes or drug treatment: that last precaution deserves careful reading. Traces of GLUTEN (wheat and oats), EGG, MILK, FISH and SOYA are possible.

It is suitable neither for vegetarians nor for vegans, as the capsule is made of gelatine. It is less suitable if you are looking for a noticeable effect: there is nothing to feel, no kick and no warmth, unlike a caffeinated thermogenic.

What you should not expect from it, and this is the most useful point on this page: this product does not make you lose weight. No claim exists, which means no European authority has validated any effect for this molecule. Nor does it preserve muscle mass during a diet: on that front, it is your protein intake and your resistance training that do the work. And 36 kcal per dose really are 36 kcal added to your day.

CLA or a thermogenic fat burner?

The two sit in the same aisle and the question comes up on every sale. Let us set out the common ground first: neither CLA nor the plant extracts in thermogenics hold an authorised health claim in Europe for weight loss. Deciding on the basis of promises therefore makes no sense here.

A thermogenic fat burner is generally built on caffeine, possibly combined with green tea or synephrine. It can be felt — alertness, warmth, a relative appetite curb — which explains its success. Its drawbacks are well known: it cannot be taken in the evening, tolerance builds up, and it adds to the coffee you drink during the day.

CLA does exactly the opposite: no stimulant, no sensation, no timing constraint. It is the right choice if you are sensitive to caffeine, if you train in the evening, or if you already take a caffeinated pre-workout. Our caffeine-free fat burner aisle brings together the other options of this kind.

One last frank word: if you have to choose a single supplement during a deficit, it is neither of these two. It is a protein, because it helps you hold your intake when the calories go down, and its wording on the maintenance of muscle mass is authorised. The omega 3 aisle usefully rounds out the picture on the fatty acid side.

Frequently asked questions

How much actual CLA in a dose?

3,200 mg. The four-capsule dose provides 4,000 mg of safflower oil standardised to 80%, which gives 3,200 mg of conjugated linoleic acid. That is the figure to compare from one product to another, and not the weight of oil, which tells you nothing on its own.

Does CLA make you lose weight?

No health claim is authorised in Europe for conjugated linoleic acid, not on weight, not on fat, not on body composition. We therefore cannot promise anything, and we will not do so. The manufacturer itself pairs this product with a reduced-calorie diet and regular training.

Why does it have to be taken with meals?

Because this is an oil: its absorption depends on fat being present in the digestive tract at the same time. Four capsules swallowed on an empty stomach with a glass of water means part of the product is wasted. It is the most common mistake with this type of soft capsule.

How long does a bottle last?

Twenty-five days, at four capsules a day. As the manufacturer recommends 8 to 12 weeks minimum, allow three to four bottles to complete the protocol it advises.

Are the capsules suitable for vegetarians?

No. The shell is a soft capsule made of gelatine, glycerine and water, of animal origin. The contents, on the other hand, are indeed a vegetable oil obtained from safflower seeds: it is the shell alone that is the problem, and that is a point rarely highlighted.

Can it be taken in the evening?

Yes, and that is in fact the manufacturer's protocol: two capsules at lunch and two at dinner. The formula contains no stimulant, which makes it compatible with a late serving — unlike a caffeinated fat burner. That is its main practical advantage.

Can it be combined with a caffeinated fat burner?

Nothing stands in the way as far as the formulas are concerned, as the two share no ingredient. Simply bear in mind that neither of them holds an authorised claim, and that stacking two products with no recognised effect does not create an effect. The calorie deficit remains the only documented lever.

Where to buy IO Genix CLA PRO?

The bottle can be ordered from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. Over a recommended duration of 8 to 12 weeks, it is better to order several bottles in advance than to run out halfway through.

At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, this is an aisle where we systematically start by talking about something other than the product: what do you eat, and for how long have you been eating it? Until that answer is satisfactory, no capsule will change anything, and we would rather say so across the counter than take the money. The rest of the aisle can be compared in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Coenzyme Q10 Ubiquinone?

IO Genix Coenzyme Q10 Ubiquinone is a supplement in softgel pearls. Each pearl provides 100 mg of coenzyme Q10 in the ubiquinone form, combined with 130 mg of linseed oil. The box contains 60 pearls, that is a two-month course at one intake a day.

Coenzyme Q10 is a molecule the body makes itself and which is found in high concentration in the most active tissues, notably the heart and the muscles. It is involved in the mitochondrial respiratory chain, that is at the very heart of the process by which the cell produces its energy. Its natural production declines with age, which explains the interest it attracts after fifty.

Three words circulate for the same family: coenzyme Q10, ubiquinone, ubiquinol. Ubiquinone is the oxidised form, ubiquinol the reduced form; the body moves from one to the other continuously. This product contains ubiquinone, the most common and the most stable form. The rest of the Spanish range can be found in our IO Genix section, and the other references in the category in our CoQ-10 section.

What does one Coenzyme Q10 pearl contain?

100 mg per pearl is the reference dose for this molecule, the one found on the vast majority of serious products. You come across 30 mg formulas, which force you to swallow three of them, and 200 mg formulas, which have not been shown to do better. At 100 mg in a single pearl a day, there is nothing to calculate and nothing to split.

The linseed oil is not there by chance. Coenzyme Q10 dissolves in fat, not in water: without a fatty carrier, it crosses the digestive barrier very poorly. Encapsulating the molecule in an oily base is therefore a useful formulation decision, not a selling point. It is also what explains the instruction to take it with a meal: a meal containing fat does the same job as the oil in the pearl, only better.

One point of honesty about this linseed oil, however. Its 58.5 mg of alpha-linolenic acid is a marginal contribution: the amounts that matter for this fatty acid are counted in grams per day, not in tens of milligrams. So do not count this pearl as your omega-3 intake — for that, it is our omega 3 section you need to look at. The linseed oil here is a carrier, not a second active ingredient.

On the regulatory side, we have to be direct: no health claim is authorised in Europe for coenzyme Q10. Not on energy, not on oxidative stress, not on the heart, not on fatigue. The old version of this page claimed the opposite and also announced a manufacturing certification that we cannot verify, along with a mention of limited quantities intended to rush the purchase. All three have been removed.

Ingredients list

Pearl (bovine GELATINE, humectant: glycerine, colours: iron oxides and hydroxides E-172), linseed oil (Linum usitatissimum), ubiquinone (coenzyme Q10), emulsifier (sunflower lecithin E-322), thickeners (polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, white and yellow beeswax E-901).

May contain traces of NUTS, PEANUTS, EGGS, MILK, SULPHITES, FISH and SOYA.

How do you take IO Genix Coenzyme Q10?

Serving: 1 pearl. Liquid: a large glass of water. Timing: during a meal containing fat. Frequency: one intake a day, with no exceeding it. Duration: one box corresponds to a 60-day course.

The instruction about a fatty meal is not a formality, it is the condition that determines how effective the intake will be. Swallowed on an empty stomach with a glass of water, coenzyme Q10 is very poorly absorbed. Taken in the middle of a lunch that includes olive oil, fish, eggs or cheese, it is absorbed far better. Midday is generally the most convenient meal for this.

Regularity matters far more than the exact hour. Two months is what a box covers, and it is also a reasonable period over which to judge an active ingredient of this type. An irregular intake allows no conclusion, in either direction.

The manufacturer asks that you avoid taking it at the same time as an anticoagulant treatment, unless medical advice says otherwise. This precaution is a serious one and we come back to it below. It is not specific to this brand: it applies to every product based on coenzyme Q10.

For broader support, the pearl combines without redundancy with a multivitamin, a vitamin E or a standardised turmeric. If you introduce several products at the same time, space them out by a fortnight: it is the only way to know what is actually making a difference for you.

Who is coenzyme Q10 for, and who is it not for?

It is mainly of interest to adults over forty or fifty, in whom natural production is declining, and to the endurance athlete looking to add a baseline active ingredient to a routine already in place. It is a product with a very short formula — two active ingredients, one pearl a day — and that is a good criterion in a category where fifteen-component formulas are the norm.

It is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans: the shell is made of bovine gelatine. This is the most frequently overlooked piece of information on this type of product, and it settles the purchase for a share of customers. No plant-based version exists for this particular reference.

Nor is it suitable, without medical advice, for people on anticoagulant treatment. The reason deserves explaining rather than simply copying out: coenzyme Q10 is structurally close to vitamin K, and an interaction with vitamin K antagonists is documented. If you take an anticoagulant, the question is one for your doctor or your pharmacist before buying. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also seek professional advice. The product is to be kept out of the reach of children.

What not to expect from it: this is not a stimulant, you will feel nothing when you take it, and that is perfectly normal for this type of molecule. It is not a product for immediate performance, it is not a fat burner, and it is not a treatment. Any question relating to the heart, to persistent fatigue or to ongoing medication is a matter for your doctor, never for a supplement bought on its own.

Coenzyme Q10 or omega 3, which should come first?

The two often end up in the same basket, and one of them is almost always more urgent than the other.

Omega 3 at a real dose — that is a fish oil providing several hundred milligrams of EPA and DHA per capsule — addresses a dietary shortfall that is common in France, in anyone who eats little oily fish. It has claims authorised in Europe and defined daily intake thresholds. If you take nothing today, that is where to start.

Coenzyme Q10 follows a different logic: it is not a nutrient that the diet supplies in significant amounts, and there is no deficiency in the classic sense. It has its place in someone whose dietary base is already sound and who wants to add a targeted active ingredient, particularly with age. It is no substitute for omega 3, and the 58.5 mg of ALA in this pearl in no way replaces them.

The two go together very well, at the same meal, one even acting as the fatty carrier for the other. And if your need is more about general vitamin and mineral coverage, a multivitamin will answer it better and for less. For a short-formula antioxidant from another family, the NAC section offers an alternative.

Frequently asked questions

Ubiquinone or ubiquinol, what is the difference?

They are the two states of the same molecule: ubiquinone is the oxidised form, ubiquinol the reduced form, and the body converts one into the other continuously. This product contains ubiquinone, the most stable and the most widespread form. Ubiquinol is generally more expensive, without its superiority being established for a healthy adult.

Why does it have to be taken with a meal?

Because coenzyme Q10 dissolves in fat and not in water. Taken on an empty stomach, it is very poorly absorbed. The linseed oil in the pearl helps, but a meal genuinely containing fat does far better. Lunch is the easiest moment to stick to.

Is this pearl suitable for vegetarians?

No. The shell is made of bovine gelatine, of animal origin. That is the point which rules this reference out for a vegetarian or vegan diet, regardless of the linseed oil, which for its part is of plant origin.

How long does a box last?

Two months, at one pearl a day for 60 pearls. That length matches what can reasonably be assessed with a baseline active ingredient: two weeks allow no conclusion at all, two months make for an honest first trial.

Can it be combined with omega 3?

Yes, and it is even a practical pairing: both are taken with a meal, the fish oil serving as additional fatty carrier. There is neither duplication nor competition between the two, since the 58.5 mg of ALA in the pearl does not constitute a significant omega 3 intake.

Is it compatible with heart medication?

This question is not settled on a product page. The manufacturer advises against taking it at the same time as an anticoagulant unless medical advice says otherwise, because of a structural kinship with vitamin K. If you are on cardiovascular medication of any kind, discuss it with your doctor or your pharmacist before buying.

Do you feel anything when you take it?

No, and you should not expect to. It is a molecule that acts at the cellular level, with no associated sensation. A product in this category that produced a noticeable effect within the hour ought in fact to arouse suspicion rather than satisfaction.

Where can you buy IO Genix Coenzyme Q10?

The box of 60 pearls 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 in front of which we ask two questions before selling: “are you taking an anticoagulant?” and “are you vegetarian?”. Both answers change the conversation, and it is better to ask them over the counter than after the box has been opened. The rest of the range can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.

What is IO Genix Collagen Professional?

IO Genix Collagen Professional is a hydrolysed collagen powder to be mixed with liquid, whose 12 g serving — two scoops — provides 7.5 g of collagen. The tub covers 33 servings, or a little over a month at one serving a day.

The formula is short, and that is its main strength: hydrolysed collagen, vitamin C, magnesium and hyaluronic acid, plus the usual auxiliaries — citric acid, flavourings, strawberry powder, silicon dioxide, sweeteners (sodium saccharin, sucralose, acesulfame K) and the colour azorubine.

The flavours available: Red Berries and Lemon. The product appears in our collagen range, and the rest of the brand in the IO Genix collection.

What does a 12 g serving contain?

Three lines are missing from the mandatory table — sugars, fibre and salt — and we will not reconstruct them. Everything else is quantified, which makes this product easy to compare, unlike many compound joint formulas.

Two figures to put in context. 7.5 g of collagen per serving: that is a generous dose, above the 5 g most commonly found, and one of the highest at this price point. And 10.5 g of protein for 45 kcal: remember that collagen is a protein, but an incomplete one — low in tryptophan in particular. It should therefore not be counted as a serving of whey in your daily protein intake.

On the claims, only two are open here, and they come from the micronutrients, not from the collagen. Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of cartilage, bones and skin — the 80 mg cover 100 % of the NRV. And magnesium contributes to normal muscle function and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, the 56 mg reaching the required 15 % threshold. For hydrolysed collagen itself and for hyaluronic acid, no claim is authorised in Europe. That is a point few product pages own up to, and one we would rather set down in black and white.

How do you prepare Collagen Professional?

Serving: 12 g, that is 2 scoops. Liquid: 200 to 250 ml of cold or lukewarm water, never hot. When: in the morning, on an empty stomach 30 minutes before breakfast, or with breakfast. How often: one serving a day. How long: the manufacturer recommends a course of at least 3 months, taken continuously.

The temperature of the liquid matters: cold or lukewarm, not hot. Boiling water improves nothing and serves no purpose here. Mix vigorously until fully dissolved — collagen peptides clump easily if poured in without stirring.

The manufacturer insists on consistency, and rightly so: three months of daily use is the stated horizon, and a tub of 33 servings covers only a third of it. Plan for three tubs if you want to judge it properly, rather than a single one from which you will draw no conclusion.

The product is compatible with a multivitamin, omega 3 or other joint supplements. Just watch out for duplicated vitamin C, already at 100 % of the NRV in a single serving.

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

It is aimed at those who want collagen and nothing else, at a straightforward dose, in a preparation that goes down easily in the morning. It is the simplest product in our collagen range, and simplicity is a real argument here: you know exactly what you are buying and at what price per gram.

The restrictions are clear. Not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Not to be used under 18 years of age. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose. The product may contain traces of GLUTEN, EGGS, FISH, SOYA and MILK, and the manufacturer explicitly asks you to consult a healthcare professional in the event of a fish allergy or anticoagulant treatment — that precaution suggests a possible marine origin for the collagen, which the manufacturer nonetheless does not specify. We flag this point rather than interpret it.

Two further points. The formula contains the colour azorubine, for which European regulations require the following warning: may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children. And it contains sodium saccharin in addition to sucralose and acesulfame K, three sweeteners in all — worth noting if you are sensitive to them.

What you should not expect from it: an effect on joint pain. No claim authorises it, and pain that persists is a matter for a doctor. Nor should you expect anything before several weeks have passed. Finally, do not count the 10.5 g of protein towards your daily total: collagen is an incomplete protein, and it does not replace a standard protein.

Collagen Professional or a complete joint formula?

We sell both, and the decision comes down to what you are really after.

A complete joint formula, such as the Collagène Fortigel from the same brand, adds glucosamine, MSM, hyaluronic acid, devil's claw and boswellia to the collagen. If you were going to take several joint supplements anyway, it saves you buying five bottles. The downside is real: in this kind of formula, most of the secondary ingredients are not quantified on the label, and the collagen is often less concentrated — 5 g against 7.5 g here.

Collagen Professional wins on three concrete points. The dose: 7.5 g of collagen per serving, that is 50 % more than a typical compound formula. The transparency: four actives, all quantified, nothing to guess at. And the price per gram of collagen, mechanically more favourable. If your objective is collagen, that is the most rational calculation. If you are looking for broader joint comfort, take a look instead at the glucosamine range, where the actives are sold quantified and separately.

Frequently asked questions

How many servings are there in a tub?

Thirty-three servings of 12 g, or a little over a month at one serving a day. For the three-month course recommended by the manufacturer, count on three tubs.

What is the origin of the collagen?

The manufacturer does not specify it in the data available to us — neither bovine, nor porcine, nor marine. The recommendation to seek advice in the event of a fish allergy suggests a possible marine origin, but we will not state it as fact. If this point is decisive for you, ask us to check the label on the tub before you order.

Can it be mixed into a hot drink?

No, the manufacturer recommends a cold or lukewarm liquid. Boiling water adds nothing and is not advised here. A shaker with 200 to 250 ml of cold water gives the best result, provided you shake vigorously.

Do the 10.5 g of protein count towards my intake?

Not as a complete protein. Collagen is low in certain essential amino acids, tryptophan in particular, which makes it unfit to cover a protein requirement. Think of it as a targeted intake, not as a whey substitute.

Is the vitamin C useful in this formula?

Yes, and it is the only element of the composition that opens an authorised claim: vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of cartilage, bones and skin. The 80 mg cover 100 % of the reference value.

Can it be taken alongside an anticoagulant?

Not without medical advice: the manufacturer explicitly asks you to consult a healthcare professional in the event of anticoagulant treatment. Put the question to your doctor or your pharmacist before opening the tub.

Should it be taken in the morning?

The manufacturer advises the morning, on an empty stomach thirty minutes before breakfast. In practice, consistency counts for more than the time of day: take it at the moment you will not forget it, for three months in a row.

Where can you buy IO Genix Collagen Professional?

The flavours, Red Berries and Lemon, can be ordered from this page. We ship anywhere in France and Europe.

It is the collagen we most readily recommend for a first purchase: its list runs to four lines, the dose is straightforward, and the price per gram can be worked out effortlessly. In our shop in Vendargues, about ten minutes from Montpellier, we do that calculation with customers in front of three different tubs — that is often the moment the choice becomes obvious.