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#1 |
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Guardian of The Homeland
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Charlotte NC
Posts: 18,196
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Warning about Universal Animal Products
Found this on another forum and thought it was good info. we have had several threads and questions on this lately also!
A Warning about Universal Animal Products Due to the influx of recent questions regarding Universal Animal products, I thought I would right out a specific thread detailing the problems with their products. I assume a lot of people ask about them, because of how much they are advertised. But since I don't read muscle mags, I wouldn't know. But, I still thought I would address the main points with the problems of these products. I also want to point out that I don't feel that there is a problem with the quality of the ingredients in the products, just the choice of the ingredients and amounts, or other Universal products (although I haven't looked over their complete line). Since I couldn't find a site with their updated ingredients, I have attatched the ingredients as a graphic to the bottom of each post. You may have to zoom in to read them properly, this should be available in most graphic viewers. If not, you can download Irfan View for free which has a zoom feature. Animal Pak Rating: Okay product, fine to use - still cheaper products available Animal Pak is their multivitamin product. It comes in packets and you take two a day. For the most part, this looks pretty decent. Their new blend looks better to me than their old one. They do have some strange stuff in here though, such as Smilax and Ginseng. They have low dose L-Carnitine, which does no good and low Chromium Picolinate. They also include Colostrum in a dose of 25mg which is absolutely worthless, and an essential fatty acid complex, which is too low of a dose to be sufficient. Everything else with this product looks okay. I'm not entirely impressed with it, but there would be nothing wrong with taking it. Attachment: pak.gif This has been downloaded 126 time(s). __________________ Fight the Power: www.infoshop.org Mathmatically predisposed to loneliness: http://www.nothingisreal.com/girlfriend/ pogue@ elitefitness.com AIM: Pisces20M1981 Last edited by pogue on 10-15-2003 at 12:07 AM Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged 10-15-2003 12:00 AM pogue The Dateless Wonder Registered: Aug 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 4330 Animal Max Animal Max Rating: Okay product, fine to use - still cheaper products available Animal Max is their protein product. It is kind of on scale with Nitrotech in that its protein, creatine and glutamine and some other stuff all inclusive. It's pretty pricey for the price, and you could easily buy the ingredients separately and mix them together yourself and save money. Their protein is a blend of whey concentrate, casein peptides, egg white, whey isolate and hydrolyzed whey. Not a bad blend if you ask me. Still, probably better stuff available. Attachment: max.gif This has been downloaded 37 time(s). __________________ Fight the Power: www.infoshop.org Mathmatically predisposed to loneliness: http://www.nothingisreal.com/girlfriend/ pogue@ elitefitness.com AIM: Pisces20M1981 Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged 10-15-2003 12:01 AM pogue The Dateless Wonder Registered: Aug 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 4330 Animal M-Stak Animal M-Stak Rating: Worthless product. Don't waste your money Animal M-Stak is Universal's alternative to their Animal Stak product. They claim this to be a non-hormonal mass builder. The ingredients include 100mg of methoxy, 100mg of ipriflavone and 100mg of ecdysterone as their main ingredients. It should be no new news to most of you that this stuff doesn't work. Even for the die hard methoxy and ecdy lovers out there, you can surely see that there isn't sufficient amounts present to even warrant its use. These are all best used in levels of a gram or more daily, if at all. The second problem is they also include 250mg of tribulus, 250mg of ALCAR and then 50mg of Carnitine. These are still insignificant amounts to even do anything. Both ALCAR and L-Carnitine are good supplements, tribulus being questionable, but again - still the amounts are much too low to warrant its use. Listed under anti-aromatese inhibitors (does that mean that it doesn't inhibit aromatise?) is Chrysin and some isoflavone extract. Chrysin has been shown to have no effect on estrogen, and the isoflavones would also be very mild in their estrogen suppressing effects, if they don't induce them themselves. These ingredients are worthless. Under DHT blockers we finally have some worthwhile stuff. Saw Palmetto extract at 200mg, Beta-Sitosterol at 250mg and Pygeum extract at 50mg. While these aren't technically "DHT Blockers" they work great if you have pre existing prostate issues. If you don't, then you don't need to use them. Under Insulin Potentiators we have ALA at 10mg and Chromium at 100mcg. Again, much too low to have any effects at all. Listed under Metabolic Energy Complex we have guarana at 500mg, synephrine at 4% extract, and cordyceps. I believe they throw this in to give you the "feeling" that its actually doing something. Otherwise, why would it warrant having caffeine and synephrine in a product that is supposed to help build muscle? Finally, under liver detoxifiying we have lecithin at 50mg and milk thistle SEED at 75mg. Milk thistle should be standardized for silymarin, not from the seed, so thats worthless. I have no data on lecithin, but I betcha that 50mg isn't enough. Attachment: m-stak.gif This has been downloaded 16 time(s). __________________ Fight the Power: www.infoshop.org Mathmatically predisposed to loneliness: http://www.nothingisreal.com/girlfriend/ pogue@ elitefitness.com AIM: Pisces20M1981 Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged 10-15-2003 12:02 AM pogue The Dateless Wonder Registered: Aug 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 4330 Animal Stak Animal Stak Rating: Dangerous product for anyone to use. Stay away from this Animal Stak. This has to be one of the worst products of all time. This is years behind in development and should be obvious to anyone who knows anything about supplements. I will go over in detail the problems with this and why no one should take it. Starting first, under Prohormone Complex, we have andro at 100mg, nor-5-andro at 50mg, something they call 5-androxydiol at 50mg, and DHEA at 50mg. Universal really screwed up here. They took out the only two good diol hormones in there and replaced them with worthless diones, including 5AD, and DHEA. This is gyno in a pill. Nor-5-andro has been shown in studies to be an estrogen agonist, along with 5AD. Do not use this product without Nolvadex, ever. In fact, don't use it at all. Under LH Boosters we have the same thing as M-Stak, which is tribulus and carnitine. Again, too little if it has any effects at all. Under "Growth Hormone Secretagogues" we have arginine at 2.5g, Ornithine at 1.3g, Taurine at 750mg and Colostrum at 250mg. First off, studies have shown that these amino acids together have no effect on growth hormone release. In fact, they can blunt in. Further, even if it was effective at releasing growth hormone, it would be best taken before bed. Growth hormone has shown to have no effect on increased muscle mass, and has a half life of about 15 minutes. Again, worthless ingredients in large amounts as tablet filler. We also have the same "Anti-Aromatise Inhibitors" and DHT blockers in the same amounts as in M-Stak. Why it would be in M-stak is beyond me, since it wouldn't have an effect on hormone levels. In here, it makes since, even though its very ineffective. We also have similar ingredients listed under Thermogenic blend, except here with have 50mg of standardized forskolin. The same Liver Detoxification ingredients are here as in M-Stak. This is one bad product. There is no way in hell anyone should ever use this product under any circumstances. Attachment: stak.gif This has been downloaded 20 time(s). __________________ Fight the Power: www.infoshop.org Mathmatically predisposed to loneliness: http://www.nothingisreal.com/girlfriend/ pogue@ elitefitness.com AIM: Pisces20M1981 Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged 10-15-2003 12:03 AM pogue The Dateless Wonder Registered: Aug 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 4330 Animal Test Animal Test Rating: Worthless Product. Don't waste your money This is basically Universal's new 1-test product. The gimmick looks like to me is that they are trying to make this the "Sustanon" of 1-test products. They have a proprietary blend of 325mg of 1-test THP ether, 1-test undecanote, 1-test base and 1,4andro. There is no point to this except to make beginners think that there is something special about using all 3 1-test hormones together. But, all of this wouldn't be so bad, except for the fact that its in a cyclodextrin complex. Now, cyclodextrin's are okay, except for the fact that they want you to swallow this. Secondly, if you were to dissolve it under your tongue, most of it wouldn't get absorbed. First of all, cyclodextrins are supposed to be sublignual. Secondly, the most you can get out of a hormone sublingually at a time is 25mg. So, its worthless. Swallowing it will probably yield some ingredients, but still its pointless in this manner. They also have a few other ingredients with are not worth mentioning, but needless to say - there is no point to this product. Attachment: test.gif This has been downloaded 15 time(s). __________________ Fight the Power: www.infoshop.org Mathmatically predisposed to loneliness: http://www.nothingisreal.com/girlfriend/ pogue@ elitefitness.com AIM: Pisces20M1981 Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged 10-15-2003 12:05 AM pogue The Dateless Wonder Registered: Aug 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 4330 Animal Cuts Ephedra Free Animal Cuts Ephedra Free Rating: Worthless. Don't waste your money Animal Cuts Ephedra Free is Universal's fat loss product that I assume they designed after all the ephedra controversy and the fact that no one can afford the insurance to keep an ephedra product on the market. So we have yet another concoction of ingredients that would be favorable probably in higher doses. I checked and found that Universal no longer makes Animal Cuts w/ ephedra First, under Thermogenic Complex we have a proprietary blend of Synephrine (standardized?) Octopamine, Tyramine, ECGC, L-Theanine and Forskolin. Despite the fact that we hae no idea how much of each is in here, and despite the fact that we have no idea if these ingredients are standardized, it isn't a bad choice. Still, obviously, the ingredients are not high enough to warrant use. Next, we have a Lipotropic complex which is 75mg of a few things too low in dose and not worth mentioning, followed by a whooping 900mg of Gaurana and L-Carnitine. I bet that theres more caffeine than L-Carnitine. Following next in our list we have a Diuretic Complex of Dandelion extract and Uva Ursi coming in at 750mg. These will probably wash the water out of you, and I expect that and a caffeine buzz will be all you get from this product. Next, we have a Thyroid Complex of Guggul and Soy isoflavones at 175mg. Worthless. Again, too little. Finally we have Insulin Potentiators ALA, and two kinds of Chromium at 100mg. Still too little of either to have any significant impact on insulin or fat loss. Nucleotide Regulators is the last in the list with a couple other things not worth mentioning. All in all, this is another pretty weak product. Attachment: cuts ephedra free.gif |
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#2 |
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is bulking
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Have you personally used these products? You can't base the shit by it's products w/e taking it...
These are my favorite faces :
- - - Personal Bests: Bench - 235 Deadlift - 315 X 17 Squat - 315 X 11 40 yrd. - 4.65 |
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#3 |
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Guardian of The Homeland
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Charlotte NC
Posts: 18,196
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I haven't taken them and I will not take them!
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#4 |
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is bulking
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Is it only the AnimalPak products you dislike or is it the entire Universal Nutrition line.. Because I can "sorta" see your getting at with the animal products, but if your not willing 2 try other universal products thats ridiculous...
These are my favorite faces :
- - - Personal Bests: Bench - 235 Deadlift - 315 X 17 Squat - 315 X 11 40 yrd. - 4.65 |
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#5 |
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Unstoppable Force
Elite Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: California
Posts: 3,415
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I have tried a few Animal Products, with minimal results. The only one I would continue to take is the Pak/Multivitamin, which did well for me.
"Show me a beautiful woman, and I'll show you a guy tired of screwing her"
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#6 |
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EAST COAST BRAT
Elite Member
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I like the Animal Pak by Universal! I converted quite a few other people into using them. I've never had problem with them. I used to use Solgar or Solaray but felt I wasn't getting enough so I switched!
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#7 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: smog and fog
Posts: 4,428
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Re: Warning about Universal Animal Products
Quote:
Chuck Norris once lost his keys and couldn't remember where he put them. So he tortured himself for half an hour until he gave up their location.
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#8 | |
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Guardian of The Homeland
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Charlotte NC
Posts: 18,196
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Quote:
It is their animal stak that is no good. The animal pak may be ok. |
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#9 | |
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is bulking
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Quote:
These are my favorite faces :
- - - Personal Bests: Bench - 235 Deadlift - 315 X 17 Squat - 315 X 11 40 yrd. - 4.65 |
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#10 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: California
Posts: 37
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Quote:
Bump. Most of the negative stuff I've heard are from people who've never used the stuff. I've been using the Pak and other Universal products for a while now and they're great. Plus, there customer service is awesome. Besides, a company doesn't stay in business for 20 years unless they're doing something right. Does it mean they're the only good company out there? Course not. Does it mean every Universal product is great? No. What matters is trying something and sticking to what works. And most of the Universal products I've ever tried worked. |
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#11 | |
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Guardian of The Homeland
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Charlotte NC
Posts: 18,196
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Quote:
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#15 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Punjab
Posts: 391
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The Entire Universal line is good. Nothing Special. But Good.
Only crap in their line is Animal M Stak, Natural Sterol Complex and Andro Stak. Animal Stak is cheap priced PH product and the results compliments its price IMO. Although it can be potentially dangerous (along with other andro products) Can anybody tell me what's wrong with their Whey formulas, Creatine formulas, Glutamine, Multi's and thermogenics? I can't find one (Logically speaking). This original thread was posted by pogue (Alongwith Big Cat) and he literally burns any company at his will except any products from Higher Power Nutrition (Which I assume is below par and sells a lot of cheap quality stuff).
STRENGTH & HONOR
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#16 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 353
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Why people fall for the "everything plus the kitchen sink and the neighbor's dog too" products I will never know. Sure they have a lot of ingredients in them, but, some are completely crap, and the other ingredients are in high enough amounts to do diddly poo.
And 5 lbs in a week? That wasnt muscle, even with steroids, 5 lbs of solid muscle is damn hard. Ahhh, the power of placebo (think the "cheese" commercial voice) |
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#17 | |
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Guardian of The Homeland
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Charlotte NC
Posts: 18,196
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Quote:
And there is not a legal supp out that will add 5 lbs of muscle in a week.............. |
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#18 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 602
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imagine the money that would be made if that was possible
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#21 |
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Driven Sports
Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: .
Posts: 1,665
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i would give credit to dieting and hard work and a nod to animal cuts.
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#23 |
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The #1 StunnaH
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I dont think The Animal Pak Multi Vitamin is expensive......unless you buy it at GNC,But online you can get it for like $16 or $17 bucks.Besides I like how Convenient the little prepackaged packs come in.
"MAKE IT HAPPEN"
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#26 |
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Driven Sports
Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: .
Posts: 1,665
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guys see how old this threa is. universal righted the ship a while ago.
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#28 |
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Registered User
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their M stak and Animal stack is a waste of money
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#29 |
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Driven Sports
Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: .
Posts: 1,665
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oh, i am not saying some of their products arent worth it, i am just saying they dont make dangerous products anymore.
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#30 |
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5'8" 248lbs 32" waist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: sunnyvale california
Posts: 69
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5 lbs. muscle mass every week
cant be done not for i week not for mult. weeks.
even if your taking roids. |
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