Thread: Test-booster experiment/log...

So I had made some remarks in the past about testboosters being a waste of time and money and in doing so have gotten a few PMs and angry replies that my assumptions couldn't be more false. In addition, a few other people in person told me that testboosters are amazing products. A few months ago I was asking myself the same question and decided to do extensive research on these products and in doing so I have read completely mixed reviews and found no scientific evidence (published and peer reviewed) that such products did what they're suppose to do. To further satisfy my curiosity I browsed a few supplement stores to actually see what these products look like (presentation and ingredients) and I have to admit I wasn't one bit pleased. Other than flashy labels, anabolic-like sounding names, heafty price tags and a bunch of charts, test results and outrageous claims backed up by nothing but manufacturer's own fairly tales I found these products to be a laugh more than anything else. But now having been confronted about my assumptions and told that opinions should not be given unless from experience I really itch to put a prime-selling testbooster to the test. With that said, I picked up a supply of ZEUS testbooster which is currently the number 1 selling product in both GNC and Pop's supplements to give it a shot and hopefully confirm my theories on the product. This product typically burns a hole in your pocket but I found it on sale by fluke so it really didn't do that much damage.

For those of you not familiar with the product here is the link:
http://www.fusionbodybuilding.com/zeus/
I won't go into details about it as all info including ingredients can be found on the site but it's basically your typical natural booster with all the ingredients found in most popular boosters.

Before I start the log I want to provide some stats and details.

Initial Examination of Product:
I was not impressed with the initial review of this stuff after buying it. The bottle smelled like starchy maple syrup. It came with a "Gym God" booklet and workout program and some 20 pages of talking about testosterone and their studies with the product. Take a look at these claims:

Boost your testosterone levels by 98.81%
Only ZEUS is "proven" to boost testosterone levels in humans
Build mountains of muscle within weeks;

and my favourite: "NOTE: Like anabolic steroids Zeus takes 3-6 weeks to work." Hmmmm, that's interesting.. right about the time when it's time to buy the next batch. Just in case you went through the first batch and it didn't work, it's because it will kick in on your next batch. LOL

Current Stats:
Age: 30
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 206lbs
Bodyfat: Unknown

Current Diet and Supplementation:
3000+ cal/day w/200g protein/day
Fish Oil: 4 caps/day (each cap 600mg of EPA/DHA)
Creatine monohydrate: 8g/day
Weight protein: intake varies

During the duration of this cycle I will keep my diet and supplement intake unaltered and consistant as it has been for the past 3 months.

Current workout:
Currently in the fourth week of the 20 rep squat program for mass. After 6 weeks on this routine I'm switching to another split routine with mostly heavy compound weights and minor isolation work in an attempt to continue to gain muscle size.

Dosing:
The directions on the bottle suggest that people under 200lbs should use 4 caps total (2-am and 2-pm), those between 200-250lbs should use 5 caps total (3-am and 2-pm), and heavyweights between 250-300lbs should use 6 caps total (3-am and 2-pm). Since I'm slightly over 200lbs I should be using 4-5 caps total per day but for the purpose of eliminating any possibility of underdosing I will administer 6 caps daily (3 in the
morning and 3 in the evening).

Method of Result Evaluation:
What makes this experiment unique is that I will get my testosterone levels tested throughout this cycle. Blood work was drawn yesterday and will be drawn again 4 weeks into the cycle as well as at cycle termination at the 8 week mark. In addition, side effects of elevated testosterone levels include increased muscle mass, increased strength/endurance and increased sex drive. I will monitor my progress based on the above mentioned and also I will document any negative sides I may experience along with altered mood. I will log my results weekly in this thread.

Possible complications:
Ideally, I would have liked to have experimented with this product while following a more lengthy, standardized routine. The 20 rep (relatively short but intense) squat program itself is known to increase testosterone levels and slap on mass and it has been doing so for me for the past 4 weeks. If test levels rise marginally as well as mass and strength gains are achieved following the 8 week cycle it will be arguable whether such gains came from the workout or the product. On the other hand, since the manufacturer of the product claims it starts to kick by 3 weeks time, I should be on another standardized routine by that time in which case it will be easier to evaluate the supplement. Hopefully ZEUS does what it's suppose to do and not leave any room for speculation and interpretation.

Quite honestly though, looking forward to... well pretty much nothing!

Stay tuned for my weekly progress and bloodwork results

What the hell man? thats as far as this goes?