Nutrition: Testosterone Booster

Testosterone (test) is the male sex hormone in the body which gradually builds as you age. It seems to peak around the age of 30 however and then start to decline. For some people, their levels may just naturally be low before the age of 30 or be in decline. Declining or low testosterone levels can negatively impact your ability to build muscle and maintain strength. It may affect your bone density, propensity for heart disease, sleep cycle and emotional well-being too. Since it is a sex hormone, it also can be detrimental to your libido as well. There are several different methods you can use to combat this. Some are medical and require consulting a physician for testosterone replacement therapy or possibly steroids. Others are natural and available over the counter as supplements. I turned 34 this year so one could say that I am on the "wrong" side of the hill when it comes to testosterone. I saw a couple positive reviews from a few YouTubers about supplemental testosterone boosters. Due to their testimony, I figured I would explore this option to see if it is something viable that I could add to my supplement stack. There are numerous brands out there and these supps are not cheap so I unfortunately couldn't test several of them. They also each have their own "cycle" in which I need 3-4 weeks off the supplement before trying another one. I will probably review a couple more at a later date. I chose two boosters that have different main ingredients on purpose. After reading tons of reviews, I noticed a recurring theme that different people react (or do not react) to certain main ingredients. This likely caused some reviews to be very negative about certain supplements. The two boosters I purchased both were popular sellers on Bodybuilding.com and had a majority of positive reviews (8+ out of 10). They both had a cycle that made the supplement lapse after a month but advised that the cycle could be stacked into another month. But after two months of use, you have to take a month off. I bought one bottle of each and took one month off in between uses. The left side photo is my general shape at the end of last year (September 2012). Definitely softer but I started to be more serious about meal prep and switched up my workouts. The right side picture is my current shape (March 2013) and a lot sharper. I am not attesting the change seen here to the test booster but I do feel in the case of one of them, that it did help me shred. I testing both of these test boosters during this year when I was well into my current workout split and diet. I did take the recommended one month break between the supplements but I did not change anything workout/diet wise. This was on purpose to give both of them a fair test and try to keep the variables to a minimum. I'll elaborate in the individual reviews below.

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Beast Sports Nutrition Super Test

Main Ingredient: Tribulus Tribulus is an extract obtained from a vine (Tribulus Terrestris) and it has been used across cultures for many years with a long history of uses. Support energy levels Promote hormonal balance Support testosterone release Promote recovery time Enhanced muscle mass and definition

This supplement has a 8.1 rating on Bodybuilding.com and was recommended by a popular YouTuber in his late 30s. The label reads: "Super Test is designed to help you build muscle mass, improve strength, support sex health, help clean your system, and maintain your body so you can be to be fit and healthy". The serving size is 3 capsules which you have to take twice a day. The bottle contains 180 capsules for about $50 that should last you an entire month if taken as directed. Not to say that it may not work for others but this product did nothing for me. I felt no boost in strength or libido. I also didn't like having to take so many pills all the time. Tribulus products may not be very effective for me however. At a later date, I would like to try a different booster with tribulus to try and confirm this. As for this supplement, I will not be buying it again. More detail and purchase info here: Super Test on Bodybuilding.com

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Athletic Edge Nutrition: APE

Main Ingredient: Fenugreek Fenugreek is an herb native to southern Europe and Asia. Fenugreek has been used for thousands of years by native populations for a wide variety of uses. Support normal body response to glucose Promote healthy cholesterol levels already within a normal range May support healthy male hormone levels

This supplement has a 9.1 rating on Bodybuilding.com and was recommended to me by an AE sponsored athlete on Instagram. I was more wary of this supplement due to the source but it actually pleasantly surprised me. APE claims to: "support testosterone production, refine your physique, defy genetic limitations, promote “Alpha-Maleness” beyond normal capacity & intensity and enhance vascularity & athletic performance". The serving size for this supplement is 2 capsules which you only take once a day, 5 days out of the week. The smallest bottle comes with 40 capsules, which will also last you a month when taken as directed. The serving size & directions were much easier to follow and a big positive to me. I simply took it Mon-Fri and could forget about it during the weekend. Initially, I thought this supplement was ineffective as well but around the middle of the 3rd week of taking it, I started to feel it. I had more energy in general and my workouts were more intense. My appetite also majorly picked up. My maintenance calories were leaving me starving. It's almost as if my metabolism picked back up to what it was in my mid-20s. The only thing that was not as advertised is that I felt no increase in sex drive. I was bummed out when I ran out of this supplement. Currently I have an order shipping me a two month supply which I plan on using immediately. I highly recommend this supplement! ***I am not sponsored by AE (or anyone else but I'm open!) More detail and purchase info here: APE on Bodybuilding.com

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Conclusion

I feel the APE is definitely worth the money. It was recommended by an athlete I respect and had an entire point additional satisfaction on Bodybuilding.com. I don't believe that the Beast Super Test is total garbage because there are a lot of people out there that use it. It's just not for me. Like with any supplement, find what works best for your body composition and diet. I would say with these supplements to give them the entire months run before discarding them. The APE took until week 3 to kick in so if I had given up on it week 2, I would have really missed out. The highest rated test boosters on their site are ZMA (zinc) based so I need to try those out too. If you are younger than 30, your levels might be OK based on your age. I think that some people could use the help regardless of age however. Its all based on your individual body. As always, feedback is appreciated, so let us know your thoughts about any test boosters you have tried. Train Hard!

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Submitted by Bars