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.

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