Ever wonder what your testosterone level is? For a little under $40.00 you can purchase this kit and avoid a costly & inconvenient trip to the doctor. A simple do it your self collection kit and pre paid mail packaging comes with the OptiMale Testosterone Self Checking Kit. Read more at BodyBuilding.com
Bodybuilder’s needs are different, and usually greater than that of your average fitness enthusiast. The IFBB PRO brand delivers two notable products that may benefit your bodybuilding arsenal in the nutritional and training realms.
The IFBB PRO XL5 Muscle Performance Blender is designed specifically to meet bodybuilder’s increased supplemental demand. When it comes to making pre and post workout shakes, the average blender is just inadequate for the job. Common problems that regular blenders pose are an inability to properly blend your protein powder, not having a large enough capacity to fit all of your supplements such as extra fruit, and not having the right horse power to do the job.
The IFBB PRO IFBB PRO XL5 Muscle Performance Blender toughts a commercial quality motor with 600 watts of blending power with pre programmed settings specifically for making protein powder smoothies. Stir Stick technology provides a more egonomic design for effectively blending protein powder. No more spillage while trying to pour your shake into a glass with the added dispensing valve for quick and easy serving. The glass blending jar holds an impressive XL sized 56 ounces of nutritional goodness. The blender has a stainless steel base with sleek looks that won’t cheapen the look of your kitchen with its presence, and also comes with a 1 year warranty. You can purchase the IFBB PRO XL5 Muscle Performance Blender through BodyBuilding.com for $54.99
If you use training gloves, then you may want to consider upgrading to the IFBB PRO -Lifter Gloves. These training gloves may cost a little more but they deliver a more advanced design & durable construction than your average training gloves.
Probably the most noteworthy feature of the Lifter Gloves is the patented high-performance Breathe-O-Prene® AR SILVERtec™ fabric that the gloves are constructed from. Breathe-O-Prene is superior to neoprene, featuring EPA certified silver nano-crystals that are embedded directly into the interior layer of Breathe-O-Prene®, resulting in quick drying, anti-microbial protection and reduction of odor causing bacteria.
The fabric is breathable, moisture wicking, exceptionally supportive, latex-free, and provides 4-way stretch and extreme durablility. IFBB PRO Lifter Gloves are manufactured utilizing the highest grade, softest imported leather available. With extra long fingers utilizing a unique jointed knuckle design, as well as the all leather padded palm, the highly durable IFBB PRO Lifter Gloves provide maximum flexibility and protection. You can purchase a pair of IFBB PRO -Lifter Gloves for $34.99 at BodyBuilding.com
Supreme Protein’s Carb Conscious protein bars are amongst BodyBuilding.com’s top 5 selling protein bars. They advertise their protein bars as containing “more high-quality whey isolate than any other product of its kind. This pure and powerful protein is unmatched in amino content, bioavailability and muscle-building benefits. Powered by ultra-pure, premium-grade whey protein isolate, these amazingly delicious sports bars represent the ultimate combination of flavor and function”.
16 grams of fat per bar sounds alarming at first, but learning that the product contains ‘good fats’, the nutritional value comes to light. The manufacturer states, “(Supreme Protein Bars) contain healthy fats, including flaxseed oil, an excellent spectrum of vitamins and minerals and zero trans fat”.
However, considering that each bar contains 360 calories and 34 grams of carbohydrates, it is apparent that this bar’s most beneficial use may be as a light, non-filling pre workout meal or quick post work out supplement before the ‘real meal’.
Check out Bodybuilding.com’s protein bar finder, to search for the perfect protein bar to suit your needs.
“The scientific debate over which form of protein possesses the greatest anabolic power came to an end a few years ago, with one form emerging the clear winner. Compared to whey concentrates, caseins, milk or soy proteins, whey protein isolate (WPI) contains the highest amounts of the valuable microfractions in whey that support increases in lean muscle mass. It has higher concentrations of the essential branched chain amino acids L-isoleucine, L-leucine, and l-valine, and is a rich source of the powerful microfractions alpha-lactalbumin and glycomacropeptides, which are key factors in enhancing bioavailability, boosting immune response and greatly increasing anabolic activity. Whey isolate also has demonstrated a nutrient partitioning effect, driving nutrients away from fat storage and toward accumulation of lean muscle tissue. Finally, high quality whey protein isolate contains no fat, lactose or impurities”.
Government health officials recently sent out a warning to dieters and body builders to immediately stop using Hydroxycut, a widely sold supplement linked to cases of serious liver damage and at least one death.
The Food and Drug Administration said the company that makes the dietary supplement has agreed to recall 14 Hydroxycut products. Available in grocery stores and pharmacies, Hydroxycut is advertised as made from natural ingredients. At least 9 million packages were sold last year, the FDA said.
Dr. Linda Katz of the FDA’s food and nutrition division said the agency has received 23 reports of liver problems, including the death of a 19-year-old boy living in the Southwest. The teenager died in 2007, and the death was reported to the FDA this March.
Other patients experienced symptoms ranging from jaundice, or yellowing of the skin, to liver failure. One received a transplant and another was placed on a list to await a new liver. The patients were otherwise healthy and their symptoms began after they started using Hydroxycut.
Iovate Health Sciences, which makes the diet pills, said it agreed to the recall out of “an abundance of caution.” Hydroxycut products are dietary supplements that are marketed for weight loss, as fat burners, as energy-enhancers, as low carb diet aids, and for water loss under the Iovate and MuscleTech brand names.
“While this is a small number of reports relative to the many millions of people who have used Hydroxycut products over the years, out of an abundance of caution and because consumer safety is our top priority, we are voluntarily recalling these Hydroxycut-branded products,” the company said in a statement on its Web site. Consumers can get a refund by returning the pills to the store they purchased them from, the company said.
Katz said it has taken so long to get a handle on the Hydroxycut problem because the cases of liver damage were rare and the FDA has no authority to review supplements before they’re marketed. “Part of the problem is that the FDA looks at dietary supplements from a post-market perspective, and an isolated incident is often difficult to follow,” she said.
The FDA relies on voluntary reports to detect such problems, and many cases are never reported, officials acknowledge.
Health officials said they have been unable to determine which Hydroxycut ingredients are potentially toxic, partially because the formulation has changed several times.
Public health researcher Ano Lobb, who has studied Hydroxycut and other dietary supplements for Consumer Reports, said the problem may be an ingredient called hydroxycitric acid. Derived from a tropical fruit, it’s been linked to liver problems in at least one medical journal study. Lobb said it’s likely that other supplements containing the same ingredient remain on the market.
“You really have to be careful about dietary supplements, especially weight-loss pills,” said Lobb. “People believe that the FDA has verified that these products are at least safe and effective, and that’s really not the case. When you see fantastic claims _ that’s generally what they are.”
Recalled Products
The list of products being recalled by Iovate currently includes:
* Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
* Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets
* Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets
* Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets
* Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets
* Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets
* Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix)
* Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets
* Hydroxycut Liquid Shots
* Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs (Ready-to-Drink)
* Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed
* Hydroxycut 24
* Hydroxycut Carb Control
* Hydroxycut Natural
A prosteroid or designer steroid, is a (over the counter) substance that is actually a steroid but has not yet been classified as a controlled substance; a prohormone is simply one that requires an enzymic or other chemical interaction before becoming an active hormone.
Although many of the original prohormones/prosteroids such as Halodrol-50, by Gaspari Nutrition, are no longer sold because many of them were voluntarily discontinued by the manufacturer due to government pressure, many of the substances themselves were never made illegal, resulting in the later day production of clones of the originals. So basically, some of the original prohormones/prosteroids from years ago like Halodrol-50, are technically still available; you just have to know what you are looking for to find a clone, if one exists. Some of the prohormones/prosteroids were never even banned. Here are a few real prohormone or prosteroid supplements that are legally available.
Intro of Prohormones
Prohormones are compounds which, technically speaking, are converted via an enzymatic process to anabolic hormones in the body. As such they have similar effects in the body to anabolic steroids, causing rapid muscle and strength gains, but of a lesser magnitude due to the rate limiting effect caused by the enzyme conversion. However, this technical definition is considered somewhat out of date due to the advances which have occurred in supplement science since the introduction of the first prohormone androstenedione. Instead, nowadays the term prohormones commonly covers not just precursors to steroid hormones but also covers compounds active in their own right and which require no conversion to a different hormone to engender an anabolic effect, hence the term prosteroid.
Prohormones were introduced into the supplement market in 1996 by Patrick Arnold who brought the prohormone androstenedione to the market. Androstenedione certainly generated a lot of excitement in the athletic world and is heavily linked in the popular press with baseball players such as Mark McGwire whose use of the supplement first brought notoriety both to that sport and garnered the attention of lawmakers in the USA. Androstenedione was rapidly followed by a number of compounds – androstenediol, norandrostenediol, 1-4-androstadienedione and 5 alpha androstenediol to name a few. These all had different effects profiles, some being converted to testosterone in the body after their ingestion, while others were converted in the body to target hormones such as nandrolone, boldenone, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
Eventually, Arnold introduced the prohormone 1-ad, which converted into a hormone called 1-testosterone. This was the first prohormone considered to be of comparable effectiveness to illegal steroids such as Winstrol or Primobolan. At this time prohormones had advanced considerably since the introduction of androstenedione (widely considered within bodybuilding to be pretty worthless). Following the introduction of 1-ad, the prohormone market changed dramatically. Realising that the process of enzymatic conversion meant that prohormones were necessarily weaker than taking an equal amount of the target hormone they converted into, some supplement companies began to avoid the use of hormone precursors, and began introducing onto the market products such as 1-testosterone (the hormone which 1-ad would convert to) and, eventually, methyl-1-testosterone (M1T), which was a 17-alpha alkylated or methylated hormone. In layman’s terms this meant that it was highly resistant to breakdown in the liver, and was the most powerful product on the market, causing rapid strength and muscle gains even for long-time steroid users, as well as causing a host of deleterious side effects such as high blood pressure, and elevation of liver enzymes.
The End of the Beginning
Many in the supplement industry argued that the proliferation of powerful products such as M1T would eventually cause negative publicity to attach itself to the supplement industry. They were proven right and eventually the US congress passed into law the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004 which effectively classed all the products then on the market as illegal drugs on a par with anabolic steroids. By early 2005 they had been removed from the market.
Prohormone Characteristics
Prohormones and prosteroids exert their effects through multiple pathways but the ones that are most important to people are their actions via their effects on the body’s androgenic, estrogenic and progestogenic receptors. It is through these that their effects are largely mediated and their interaction with other pathways is of secondary importance. Most prohormones, like anabolic steroids, are androgen agonists meaning they work via their effect on the androgen receptor. A strong androgen receptor agonist will mean effects related to the male hormone testosterone will be particularly prominent – notably increased aggression, sex drive, increased risk of hair loss and acne. Linked to these is large increases in muscle strength, strong muscle gains of a dry nature, and a hardening effect on the muscles. Estrogenic and progestogenic effects tend to be similar – prohormones that convert to estrogen and progesterone can cause large increases in mass and strength but much of the mass is of a poor quality visually and such gains often disappear rapidly as they are associated with water retention more than anything else. Estrogenic side effects are feared by bodybuilders and include increased water weight, increased susceptibility to fat gain in the presence of high estrogen and worst of all, from a cosmetic standpoint, gynecomastia.
It should be stated that while there are some products which are almost exclusively androgenic in nature with little to no risk of estrogenic/progestogenic side effects, the reverse is not true, in that compounds with high affinity for estrogen and progesterone receptors will still have an impact on the androgen receptor. You will often hear of prohormones and prosteroids being called androgenic or oestrogenic or even both, but it should be stated this is often based on their primary method of action and that all will have an androgenic effect at some level. Apart from this, prohormones will differ in their impact on other variables. Typically strong androgens are useful for promoting strength gains via the central nervous system (CNS) stimulation, independent of their anabolic or muscle building effects. All OTS steroids will promote enhanced red blood cell production which is why users of prohormones and prosteroids typically experience great pumps and vascularity.
The British Journal of Pharmacology published a Review of the Pharmacology of Anabolic Steroids (2008) that is a very good explanation of the nature of the relationship between anabolics and how they act in the body.
Paraphrasing and additions were referenced from the original article Prohormones – A Comprehensive Guide on Predatornutrition.com written by Reggie Johal, as well as MuscularDevelopment.com and Patrick Arnold.
Also referenced is the book Anabolics 2009, as cited below.
Llewellyn, William. Anabolics. 9th ed. Jupiter, FL: Molecular Nutrition, 2009.
This article pertains to ingredients found in natural test boosting supplements.
In a previous post, I discussed the topic of: Profile Of Common Ingredients Found In Natural Test Boosting Supplements.
What needs to be examined now, is what ingredients are backed by research. Often times, manufacturers will make up fancy names for ingredients that are of little worth and include them in the advertised supplement. Because we don’t know what some ingredients are or the proven research behind the ingredients used in the supplement, we assume that the supplement will contain only ingredients that are proven to increase testosterone production in the body.
Fact is, supplements are just too expensive for consumers to be making uneducated purchases on products that may or may not deliver the intended results. With natural testosterone boosting supplements, this is an ongoing issue.
So the best option is to educate yourself on the ingredients that are in natural test boosting supplements by reviewing known research and data, and to learn what to look for in a product.
The following ingredients have been grouped together in categories consisting of whether or not they are:
1. Supported by research
2. Supported by some research
3. Or that there is no documented research supporting the ingredient’s effect on testosterone at all.
Which brings us to the most popular natural test boosting ingredient sold on the market, Tribulus Terrestris.
While Tribulus Terrestris falls into a category with little official research, I do believe that this is an ingredient with merit, when consumed properly. Therefore, I have chosen to leave Tribulus out of all the categories and write about it independently with information coming from my first hand usage and knowledge of the product.
Having taken several Tribulus products personally, I can say that Tribulus definitely does something. However, there are two critical factors that must be taken into account for a Tribulus product to be effective in any manner.
That being:
1. Purity
Tribulus comes in varying degrees of product purity. Examining the steroidial saponins percentage of purity will indicate how pure the product is. I have seen products as low as 20% purity and high of 80% with the most common purity level being 40-45% purity in the majority of Tribulus products.
2. Dosage
As stated in the studies, Tribulus administered in the low doses (under 1 gram) that are seen in the serving amount of many products, is just ineffective. Of course, product purity will also factor into what constitutes and effective dose. Based off of personal experience, I would recommend an average of 3-5 grams per serving, being an effective dose. Anything oral, including anabolic androgenic steroids, must be taken several times throughout the day as well. So when taking Tribulus, I have found that consuming the product approximately every 4 hours seems to work well. Now what one must consider when supplementing with Tribulus, is product cost efficiency. Since rather large doses are needed regularly throughout the day, this could prove to be an expensive supplement.
Regardless of cost, I believe that Tribulus is a good product that has the ability to provide users with some positive results. However, I would definitely not compare these results to those associated with AAS use. For the natural bodybuilder, Tribulus is a good addition to the supplement arsenal, providing a slight but noticeable increase in aggression, sex drive, and mental state. My summation is that Tribulus, when taken appropriately, does result in a slight increase in the body’s natural production of testosterone; which may help provide the natural bodybuilder with the ability to achieve higher intensity in his workouts, resulting in more gains.
HERE IS A LIST OF INGREDIENTS WITH NO DOCUMENTED PROVEN CLINICAL OR EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS:
HERE IS A LIST OF INGREDIENTS WITH WEAK OR CONFLICTING EVIDENCE OF INCREASING TESTOSTERONE IN THE BODY:
INGREDIENTS THAT HAVE SHOWN POSITIVE RESULTS AS ORAL SUPPLEMENTS IN HUMANS:
What Ingredients Actually Increase Natural Testosterone Production
Sub Category: Split Sex-Hormone Binding Globulin and Testosterone
Sub Category: Aromatase Blockers
Sub Category: Estrogen Receptor Blockers
Sub Category: Reduce Conversion to DHT
Increasing IGF-1
Information pertaining to supplement ingredients referenced form MUSCLE FORCE Fitness Research (TM)
T-BOL is a new natural test boosting product by ThermoLife that Robbie Durand MA, of Muscular Development wrote a product review on that is worth reading if you are a bodybuilder who uses such supplements. The most informative thing that stuck out to me about Mr. Durand’s article, was his review of the ingredient profile that makes up T-BOL. T-BOL includes a new type of tribulus, Tribulus Alatus (versus Tribulus Terrestris) that I find to be very note worthy seeing as tribulus products are an entire section of the supplement market in themselves. The other ingredients profiled are:
The significance of a review for these products is that most natural test boosting products on the market today include all or most of these ingredients. Often times, bodybuilders purchase natural test boosting supplements with these common ingredients but do not know the function of the listed ingredients. Here are some other top selling natural test boosting products that contain many of the ingredients listed above, compare them for yourself:
This article’s purpose is to provide a profile of the many ingredients that are shared in natural testosterone boosting supplements. This is not a ThermoLife, T-BOL sales pitch. I have chosen to post Robbie Durand’s article about T-BOL because of the in depth look at a product (T-BOL) that contains the host of ingredients that are commonly associated with natureal test boosters.
ThermoLife also claims that T-BOL can be used as PCT (Post Cycle Therapy) after pro hormone or steroid use. Whether or not that is a legitimate claim by this company, is for the individual to determine.
Check out these great training videos with IFBB hall of famer, Rich Gaspari. The first Training Series dives into heavy Mass Training during the off season, then on to the Pre Contest Training Series. Following the Training Series videos are the Gaspari Nutrition product line videos. So if you are interested in any of the Gaspari supplements, you can watch Rich Gaspari talk about each product individually. Also, don’t forget to explore the Gaspari Forums too! 
The Gaspari Philosophy: Push Hard With Your Supplementation. "Just as your training needs to be taken to a higher level for outstanding results, so does your supplementation. Most guys don’t get much out of their supplements. You can write off a lot of that as being due to their failure to put out enough effort into their training in the first place. But many others will buy either the cheapest stuff they can find, totally ignoring the time-honored adage that ‘you get what you pay for’ or buy simply on the marketing promises of companies who never bother to prove or validate anything. Companies with zero scientific evidence to back up the claims they make, except for maybe a few obscure studies done on single ingredients, but not on their finished products. If you’re serious about supplementation, you’ll use Gaspari Nutrition products. I made sure from the very start that anything with my name on it was going to meet label claim, contain only the highest-quality ingredients available, and would be backed by independent research studies. Gaspari products work, and that’s why thousands more bodybuilders every day trust them to improve their physiques. Another reason for supplement failure is the fact that many athletes take products haphazardly. They will use something for a couple days, then forget to take it for a while instead of being consistent. It takes a little planning and discipline to stay on schedule with all the various supplements a bodybuilder may use, but that extra effort is what will separate you from the other guy that puts little or no thought into what he uses or how he uses it."
Muscular Developement’s Robbi Durand MA, wrote a intersting review of TwinLab’s new version of Ripped Fuel, Ripped Fuel 5X.
Here is the product, ingredient profile, and then the article.
TwinLab advertises,
Our super-concentrated formula is the best Ripped Fuel ever, delivering five ways to fuel your diet. Unlike typical single-mechanism products that often require you to take 6-9 tablets a day, Ripped Fuel 5X delivers 5 ways to fuel your diet in a small, twice a day tablet.When combined with a healthy diet and exercise program, Ripped Fuel 5X uses five distinct nutritional mechanisms to help you reach your weight loss goals:
1. Burns calories faster
2. Helps preserve lean muscle
3. Enhances nutrient absorption
4. Helps reduce body fat
5. Fuels increased energy levelsRipped Fuel 5X Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 1 Tablet
Servings Per Container: 40
Amount Per Serving:
Thiamine 0.5mg
Niacin 10mg
Pyridoxine 0.5mg
Vitamin B12 50mcg
Calcium 40mg
Chromium (as picolinate) 200mg
Caffeine 99mg
5X Potentiator Blend 130mg
Baical skullcap root and black catechu bark (standardized to 60% free-b-ring flavonoids and 10% flavans) and black pepper fruit extract (bioperine).
5X Thermoenergetic Blend 198mg
Cayenne fruit, rhodiola rosea root extract (standardized to 3% rosavins), cinnamon bark and ginger root extract (standardized to 5% gingerols).
Click on the article to enlarge for reading:
Here is a list of TwinLab’s full line of weight loss/fat burning products:
Animal Pak has just released a new limited edition can of the Animal Pak multivitamin. To commemorate the 25th anniversary of Animal Pak, they are offering a double portion can of the Pak, along with special gifts inside of it.
Here is what Animal Pak has to say about it:
The #1 selling bodybuilding training pack in the world just turned 25 years today, August 8th (8/8/08). As a way of paying respect and celebrating the birthday, we’re offering a limited edition “larger than life” Animal Pak with 88 packs, twice the normal. Why 88? Because of the birthdate, August 8th, or 8/8. Once we’re sold out of these commemorative cans, there will be no more. Inside each of these “Big 88s” you’ll find a unique, special Animal prize. Why are these prizes special? Cuz like the Big 88s, each prize is limited edition. Things as simple as Animal lanyard for your keys and ID. Once-in-a-lifetime commemorative Animal t-shirts and even skullies… A unique 5-in-1 DVD that collects all five of the Animal Training Series into a single disc… And more. You won’t want to miss a chance to score these. And then there’s the big prize, the grand daddy. Everyone who gets one of these cans will find out how they can enter a contest to win one grand prize… An “all expense” trip to the 2009 Arnold Classic. One winner and a guest of his choice will be flown to Columbus, Ohio to partake of the 2009 Arnold and Animal festivities. This package is gonna include airfare, hotel, meals and much much more…
This new limited edition can of Animal Pak was only available at AnimalPak.com (for now) for $92.95 here is a discount code for ordering at the Animal Shop that will save you $33.00 making this product available to you for the special promo price of $59.95
Here is the Promo Code to enter in at checkout:
So in this limited edition commemorative can containing 88 Animal Pak multivitiamins now costing you $59.95, that means that the price per Pak is 68 cents ( $0.68 ) if you are ordering from the Animal Store
Now I know you may be asking, “Will this product be offered any cheaper at online retail sites” ? Well, good question…………
Shortly after I contacted Bodybuilding.com about carrying Animal Big88, well what do you know, they are now carrying it!!
Bodybuilding.com is selling Animal Big88 for $48.79 a can. That is $0.54 a pak; a good bit cheaper than ordering directly from the Animal Store.
This is a limited edition product so supplies may be limited. Good luck!!
