WHat are your thoughts on PhD methoxy-7 test?

Hi Mitchell

According to the Tropicana website, Methoxy-7 contains...

Acetyl L-Carnitine (ALC): 900mg
5-Methyl-7-Methoxy isoflavone: 150mg
Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA): 150mg
Hydroxyecdysterone (97%): 45mg
Magnesium (as Albion amino acid chelate): 300mg
Zinc (as Zinc oxide): 15mg

Acetyl-L-Carnitine has been shown to boost testosterone in some circumstances but not to increase exercise performance or enhance muscle mass.

Methoxyisoflavones have been shown to increase the testosterone to cortisol ratio slightly in one study.

Beta-Ecdysterone is a little more interesting. It is a steroid-like molecule that doesn’t seem to have any negative side effects and has been shown in several studies to have muscle-building effects in animals. The first research on these substances came out of Russia in the mid-1970s and showed that it increased muscle size and strength in rats. Since then, encouraging research showed that it may have the same effects in humans.

Recently, a scientific study from the Biotech Centre at Rutgers University in New Jersey, tested ecdysteroids in human muscle cells and they had the effect of increasing protein synthesis by 20 percent. So it seems like the evidence for the effectiveness of these compounds for bodybuilders and sportsmen just got stronger. Some evidence also suggests that ecdysterones may improve the action of insulin, which could have the effect of reducing body fat and increasing the delivery of amino acids, creatine and carbohydrates to muscle.

However another study in 2006 by a prominent group of experienced sports nutrition researchers showed that neither methoxyflavones or ecdysterones improved muscle mass, performance or hormone profiles.

Lipoic acid increases carb and creatine uptake in muscles and improves the action of insulin.

Finally, magnesium and zinc have been shown to increase testosterone levels and strength when combined and given to football players in one study (although the supplement in the study also contained vitamin B6).

So overall this is one of the better products in this category but more research is needed on these kinds of products and their ingredients before they will be in the realm of creatine, beta alanine, citrulline, etc...