Supplements In the UK

I’m in grad school over in England, and am wondering if anyone here can vouch for the quality of local supplements, the stuff you can find at GNCs over here. I’ve seen Met-Rx, Dorian Yates’ line, something called Maximuscle, couple of other brands. What tastes good and, more importantly, is of high quality? Been using Met-Rx so far, but the cost just went up a bit, and I’m wondering if there’s a better option.

I’m looking for post-workout protein and also for multivitamins, about to run out of the ones I brought over from home. Cost, of course, is also a factor. And before you ask, I love Low-Carb Grow!, but I can only afford to have a limited amount shipped over here, so I use it for my last meal before bed every night.

[quote]GDollars37 wrote:
I’m in grad school over in England, and am wondering if anyone here can vouch for the quality of local supplements, the stuff you can find at GNCs over here. I’ve seen Met-Rx, Dorian Yates’ line, something called Maximuscle, couple of other brands. What tastes good and, more importantly, is of high quality? Been using Met-Rx so far, but the cost just went up a bit, and I’m wondering if there’s a better option.

I’m looking for post-workout protein and also for multivitamins, about to run out of the ones I brought over from home. Cost, of course, is also a factor. And before you ask, I love Low-Carb Grow!, but I can only afford to have a limited amount shipped over here, so I use it for my last meal before bed every night.[/quote]

GNC in this country, at least in London is useless IMO. I found a fantastic suplement store which sells most Biotest stuff but pm me for it as I am not trying to advertise “other” websites as it could be viewed. The reality is the supplement market here is very inadequate and I wish T-Nation/Biotest had a warehouse to distribute to us here - they would have a serious hold on my credit card.

I’ve been using reflex protein lately as the cost of importing Grow! was killing my meagre salary.

[quote]Alpha F wrote:
The reality is the supplement market here is very inadequate and I wish T-Nation/Biotest had a warehouse to distribute to us here - they would have a serious hold on my credit card.
[/quote]

snap

[quote]Alpha F wrote:
GDollars37 wrote:
The reality is the supplement market here is very inadequate and I wish T-Nation/Biotest had a warehouse to distribute to us here - they would have a serious hold on my credit card.

[/quote]

I second this - and with the EU all in one solid trading block, you could ship to other countries as well. It’s pretty restrictive, time-consuming and pricey to get supplements from the USA - it’s a pain for protein powder but good luck for anything in a pill form. Customs figures if they don’t know of it, you can’t have it.

I know there was a Biotest store from the UK but I think they made the most of their monopoly on the market. Sometimes I want to cry when I see the prices you folks in the USA pay for your stuff.

I buy Biotest pill supplements from the US all the time and get them shipped to the UK with no problem with customs. Protein powder costs a fortune to import cos of the weight. T-Nation should have a decent distributor in the UK though.
As far as a protein powder available in the UK goes I have been a longtime Reflex user. It does not compare to Grow! but is affordable.

Nutrisport 90+ is very cheap at around ?10 per kilo and is okay tasting.

Maximuscle is good, but retails at ?30 per kilo.

Dorian Yates line is good too.

For the last two years I’ve been using AST’s VP2 Whey protein Isolate, one half hour before training and one mixed with glucose for post shake. Then two or three top ups throughout the day. It Mixes very easily, tastes good and is a quality product. I haven’t seen AST products sold in any shops but if you are studying in London, let me know and i’ll give you the name of my supplier! He does good prices on all AST products.

http://www.body-basics-uk.com/ViewCategory.php?category=2

Here you go. Tub of Grow! for 35 pounds inc. delievery costs.

Definately need a T-Nation distributer in the UK.

Maybe if enough of us request it we can get something on the move?

Anyway I use a company that deliver for free and prices are reasonably competitive (for UK prices)

They sell most Biotest products and Dorien yates etc

Give me a PM if your interested and ill give you the address

[quote]alwayslearning wrote:
Definately need a T-Nation distributer in the UK.

Maybe if enough of us request it we can get something on the move? [/quote]

I tend to think it’s just not worth it over here, just based on what I’ve seen. Smaller population, and a far smaller percentage trains regularly with weights. But if I could pay the equivalent of American prices for Grow! I’d be ecstatic.

Any suggestions on reputable and inexpensive vitamin brands over here?

The guys who distributed Biotest supps in the uk used to do me a deal where they would sell them cheaper (ex-VAT if I remember rightly) if you ordered in bulk.

You had to buy ?200+VAT worth of stuff and then they’d knock off the VAT, so it made it cheaper, but still a lot. (At the time I think I was only making about ?850 a month btw!!)

So I now get my supps direct from the US and the protein from another supplier here in the UK.

Use Reflex Instant Whey. Quality & Cheapish (?30/5lbs). As for M-Vits Doz’s Pro-Vital(Chem Nutrition).

I bought three tubs of Grow! and some Spike from the online store and it ended up being cheaper than buying three tubs at ?35 here. I didn’t get charged extra VAT for some reason though.

Workout world selsl Biotest supplements.
But they are expensive though,
Grow! is ?35
Low-Carb Grow! is ?40
Surge is ?35 but thats only for 10 servings, I’d never pay that much.
If you spend over ?50 you get a 20% discount but even then it just doesn’t seem cost effective.

[quote]jay711 wrote:
Workout world selsl Biotest supplements.
But they are expensive though,
Grow! is ?35
Low-Carb Grow! is ?40
Surge is ?35 but thats only for 10 servings, I’d never pay that much.
If you spend over ?50 you get a 20% discount but even then it just doesn’t seem cost effective.
[/quote]

You are a dense bugger aint you. Try buying in bulk, like I do, and receive larger discounts. Or you could order from the states and pay loads on shipping charges and import duty and end up paying the same prices. The states is cheaper for everything… cars, houses, food, hookers etc etc. Your choice Einstein.