The truth about Andro-6 and muscle growth...
Andro-6, a nutritional supplement designed to elevate the muscle
building hormone testosterone, has no effect on muscle size or strength.
The supplement, which contains the pro-hormones androstenedione
and DHEA, was heralded by manufacturers EAS as a legal alternative
to steroids.
In fact, according to Brett Hall (former Research Director for
EAS) Andro-6 was destined to, "send shock waves throughout
the athletic community and have black-market steroid dealers biting
their nails..."
Unfortunately, the research tells a rather different story.
Researchers from Iowa State University took a group of 20 men and
split them into two groups. The first group used Andro-6 in combination
with a resistance training program.
Group two followed an identical exercise program, but used a fake
supplement. Neither the researchers or the subjects knew which was
which.
The results show that Andro-6 had no effect on gains in muscle
strength or size.
Subjects using the placebo gained an average of six pounds of muscle
— two pounds more than those using Andro-6. Gains in upper
body strength were also greater in the placebo group (+24%) than
the Andro-6 users (+18%). A similar trend was seen for lower body
strength (43% versus 33% for placebo and Andro-6 users respectively).
Although there was a trend toward a slight increase in testosterone
over the course of the study, it was not statistically significant
(which basically means it wasn't large enough to matter).
However, the researchers did find a large rise in estrogen levels.
Elevated estrogen levels in men have been linked to heart disease,
cancer of the pancreas and enlargement of the prostate gland.
The increase in estrogen levels occurred despite the addition of
various ingredients designed to block the conversion of testosterone
to estrogen. Moreover, there was also a drop in HDL (the so-called
"good" cholesterol).
Not surprisingly, EAS have removed the product from sale. However,
some supplement companies are still marketing similar formulas.
The "active" ingredients include androstenedione (300
milligrams), DHEA (150 milligrams), tribulus terrestris (750 milligrams),
chrysin (625 milligrams), indole-3-carbinol (300 milligrams), and
saw palmetto (540 milligrams).
"The addition of these herbal extracts," say the researchers,
"does not result in increased serum testosterone concentrations,
reduce the estrogenic effect of androstenedione, and does not augment
the adaptations to resistance training."
It looks like those black-market steroid dealers are safe after
all.
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Reference
Brown, G.A., Vukovich, M.D., Reifenrath, T.A., Uhl, N.L., Parsons,
K.A., Sharp, R.L., & King, D.S. (2000). Effects of anabolic precursors
on serum testosterone concentrations and adaptations to resistance
training in young men. International
Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 10,
340-359
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