QUINTON

Marine plasma from cold-water plankton blooms, the original 1897 protocol by Rene Quinton.

The story

Quinton is the oldest continuously produced marine plasma in the world. The French physiologist Rene Quinton (1866 to 1925) demonstrated in 1897 at the College de France that filtered, microbiologically pure seawater (drawn from specific cold-current plankton blooms) was nearly identical in mineral profile and osmotic concentration to human extracellular fluid. He used it to replace blood plasma in dying dogs, then to treat undernourished children, infants with cholera, and patients with skin conditions at Paris dispensaries from 1907. By 1914 there were over 70 Quinton clinics across Europe and Africa, and Quinton plasma was listed in the French VIDAL (their equivalent of the Physicians Desk Reference) for decades.

After regulatory changes in France in 1993, the patent was acquired by Spanish entrepreneur Joan Miquel Coll in 1996. Production moved to Alicante, Spain, where Laboratoires Quinton International still draws and processes the seawater using Quinton's original cold-microfiltration method (no heat, which would denature the trace-mineral matrix). The South African range is the Isotonic (diluted to body osmolarity, for daily mineral support), Hypertonic (full seawater strength, for athletic and adrenal support), and Totum Sport (the same hypertonic plasma in sport-specific sachets). 125 years on, the protocol is still the protocol.

The body is itself a marine aquarium in which the cells continue to live the conditions that life has known since its beginnings in the sea.

Rene Quinton, founder, L'Eau de Mer, Milieu Organique (1904)

What makes them different

01
125-Year Method

The cold-microfiltration process Quinton developed in 1897 has not fundamentally changed. The seawater is drawn from specific plankton-bloom zones in the Bay of Biscay, filtered without heat or chemical treatment, and bottled in glass ampoules. The continuity is the credential.
02
Bioavailable Minerals

Seawater carries the full periodic mineral profile in the same proportions as human extracellular fluid: sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, plus dozens of trace minerals (selenium, zinc, copper, iodine, lithium and others) in their ionic, immediately bioavailable form.
03
Plankton-Bloom Source

Drawing is timed to plankton blooms because the biological vortex concentrates the trace-mineral matrix and adds bioactive metabolites. The seawater is not from any random ocean point.
04
Pharmaceutical Tradition

Quinton spent decades in the French pharmacopoeia. The current Spanish manufacturer, Laboratoires Quinton International in Alicante, operates to ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 standards. This is not a wellness brand that borrowed a science story.

The shelf favourites

The handful we reach for most. Ranked by what actually sells, with the why for each.

Quinton Hypertonic 10ml 30 u

R639.00

The full-strength seawater plasma, in 10ml glass ampoules. Used for adrenal fatigue, athletic performance, dehydration recovery, and any situation where the body needs full mineral repletion. The morning dose.
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Quinton Isotonic 10ml 30u

R609.00

Seawater diluted with spring water to match human extracellular osmolarity (9g/L). Gentler than hypertonic, suitable for daily long-term mineral support, sensitive people, children, and evening use.
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Totum Sport Sachets 21

R699.00

The same hypertonic plasma in convenient sport sachets. Designed for endurance athletes for pre, during, and post-training mineral and electrolyte support. The Quinton range with a sport-specific label.
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Shop the full QUINTON range below.

All QUINTON products ↓

Quinton

Totum Sport Sachets 21

~~R 775.00~~R 699.00

Quinton Totum Sport Sachets contain 100% cold micro-filtered seawater with over 78 ionic minerals and electrolytes. This marine-based electrolyte supplement is designed to support hydration, endurance, and recovery during exercise....

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Quinton

Quinton Hypertonic 10ml 30 u

~~R 699.00~~R 639.00

Quinton Hypertonic provides concentrated seawater for rapid mineral replenishment. It comes in a pack of 30 ampoules of 10ml each. The supplement supports energy levels and hydration. Ingredients: 100% cold...

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Quinton

Quinton Isotonic 10ml 30u

~~R 699.00~~R 609.00

Quinton Isotonic contains 100% natural seawater to support hydration and cellular health. The product comes in 30 ampoules of 10ml each. It helps balance electrolytes and supports overall wellness. Ingredients:...

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Touring the range

Three doorways into the brand: entry, classic, specialty.

START HERE

Isotonic for daily use

If you are new to marine plasma, start with Isotonic. It matches the body's own mineral concentration so it is well tolerated and can be taken daily, long-term, by most people including children and pregnant women.

Quinton Isotonic 10ml 30u R609.00

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BUILD OUT

Hypertonic for repletion

Move to Hypertonic when you need stronger mineral support: post-illness, adrenal recovery, training cycles, fasting, or chronic depletion. Mornings on an empty stomach is the typical protocol.

Quinton Hypertonic 10ml 30 u R639.00

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SPECIALTY

Totum Sport for performance

For endurance athletes who train more than five hours a week, Totum Sport delivers the hypertonic plasma in 20ml sport sachets timed around training. The Quinton mineral matrix outperforms standard electrolyte powders that only carry the big four.

Totum Sport Sachets 21 R699.00

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What the brand stands behind

Founded 1897

The Quinton method has been in continuous production since Rene Quinton's College de France work in 1897. No other marine plasma has comparable provenance.
ISO 9001 and ISO 13485

Laboratoires Quinton International in Alicante, Spain manufactures to international quality management and medical device standards.
Cold Microfiltration

Seawater is filtered cold (no heat above 4 degrees Celsius) to preserve the colloidal mineral matrix and bioactive plankton metabolites. Heat sterilisation would denature the matrix.
Plankton-Bloom Sourcing

Drawing is timed to specific plankton-bloom vortices in the Bay of Biscay, where the biological activity concentrates the trace-mineral profile.
Glass Ampoule Delivery

Each dose is sealed in a single-use glass ampoule under nitrogen, which protects against oxidation and contamination from opening to opening.
Listed in VIDAL

Quinton plasma was listed in the French VIDAL pharmacopoeia from 1943, the formal French medical reference, until regulatory shifts in 1993.

About this brand

Common questions customers ask about the brand and its products.

What is the difference between Isotonic and Hypertonic?

Hypertonic is full-strength filtered seawater (around 33g/L mineral salts). Isotonic is seawater diluted with mountain spring water to 9g/L, matching the osmolarity of human extracellular fluid and blood plasma. Hypertonic delivers more minerals per dose but should not be taken at night or by people on sodium-restricted diets. Isotonic is gentler, daily-driver suitable, and safe across pregnancy, breastfeeding, and children.

Is this just saltwater?

No. The full periodic mineral profile is present in ionic form, in the same proportions as human extracellular fluid. The plankton-bloom sourcing also delivers bioactive metabolites that ordinary seawater does not carry. Salt water from a beach would not pass Quinton's filtration spec or deliver the same trace-mineral spectrum.

How do I take Quinton ampoules?

Snap the glass ampoule (two ends, twist gently), pour into a glass, drink straight or with a small amount of water. Take on an empty stomach, hold under the tongue for 30 seconds to allow sublingual absorption, then swallow. One to three ampoules per day depending on the protocol.

Is it safe in pregnancy and for children?

Isotonic has historically been used in paediatric and pre-natal contexts in France for over a century. Hypertonic is generally not recommended in pregnancy due to the higher sodium load. For infants and children, Isotonic at reduced dose (a few drops to a quarter ampoule) is the traditional protocol. Always consult your practitioner.

How does Quinton compare to standard electrolyte powders?

Standard electrolyte powders carry sodium, potassium, magnesium, and chloride, typically with added sugars or sweeteners. Quinton plasma carries those four plus 78 additional trace minerals in their ionic form, with no sweeteners. For acute hydration during exercise, both work. For mineral repletion, adrenal recovery, and long-term mineral status, Quinton is the more complete profile.

Why is Quinton more expensive than other marine plasma brands?

Three reasons. The Quinton patent and method, owned by Laboratoires Quinton International in Spain, comes with continuous documentation back to 1897. The plankton-bloom sourcing protocol restricts when and where the seawater can be drawn. And the glass-ampoule format protects the plasma from oxidation but costs significantly more than a plastic bottle. There are other marine-plasma brands; none have the provenance.

Where is Quinton manufactured today?

In Cox, Alicante, Spain, where Laboratoires Quinton International operates a modern facility inaugurated in 2009. The seawater is drawn from the Bay of Biscay (Atlantic) and processed at the Alicante plant. The original Quinton patent and method documentation remain in continuous use.

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QUINTON

The story

What makes them different

125-Year Method

Bioavailable Minerals

Plankton-Bloom Source

Pharmaceutical Tradition

The shelf favourites

Quinton Hypertonic 10ml 30 u