With the government ban on pro-hormones, the availability of legal and potent muscle-building compounds has shrunken dramatically. Supplement companies have responded in various ways to the new restrictions. Some companies, to our benefit, have responded with innovation and creativity flooding the market with new and exciting products. We have waded into these waters and are reporting with our finds.

Product X Transform Legal Gear

I (Deen) was fortunate enough to have been selected to test Product X Transform by Legal Gear when it was still known as “Product Y” (Dermasize was Product X). Sweet and simple: it works. What the guys at LG have done is isolated a specific bile acid in the liver which does what people said could not be done- it allows the athlete to cut fat while building muscle mass at the same time. The stuff is known as 3,7-D5-BCA (for you techies out there) and it acts as an emulsifier on fat, and a blood cortisol inhibitor which is very anti-catabolic. I tested it for three weeks and went from 230 lbs / 28% body fat to 230 lbs 24% body fat, while gaining in weights and reps the whole time. The liver bile acid in combo with a polyphenol (read that estrogen receptor antagonist), guadinidopropionic acid and three herbs makes for a powerful fat-cutting mass-builder.

I highly recommend this stuff if you are wanting a non-steroidal boost to your regimen, are concerned about the effects of designer hormones, are under 21, or just wanting to buy a product that is not a rip off. There’s no PCT (post cycle therapy, like we remember with M1T) that is necessary. Let’s see, how many thumbs do I have? Well they are all up for LG’s Product X Transform!

Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE)

Creatine has been a supplement standard for over the last ten years (see my previous article). It is one of the most studied supplements in existence. It has been found to be exceedingly safe and very effective, a rare combination in the supplement world. Creatine can have downsides, though. Enter creatine ethyl ester or CEE for short. Developed by researchers at the University of Nebraska by binding creatine with an ethyl ester, CEE was touted as the next generation of creatine. The benefits of CEE over regular creatine are dramatically increased absorption to the point where loading and insulin-spiking sugar are unnecessary. Also, only about 3 gm of CEE is needed for results. It is also speculated that CEE may even super-saturate muscle-cells with more creatine than regular creatine monohydrate, which would lead to increased results. When using CEE, Andy found some real nice bonuses over regular creatine: no water retention, no gastric distress, and increased muscular endurance over regular creatine. Some of the downsides were an increased frequency of urination and (Andy comments) a rather horrible bitter taste. Overall, Andy rates CEE as a dramatic improvement over regular creatine. It is available from a wide-range of companies for a good price. A must for people lifting on a budget.

AE2 by Nutrabolics (Arginine Ethyl Ester)

Shortly following the ester-ized form of creatine came Nutrabolics with AE2. Touted as consisting of an advanced form of the amino acid L-arginine, AE2 introduced arginine ethyl ester to the supplement world. Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate(or AAKG) became a much hyped supplement when NO2 was released in 2002. AAKG was purported to cause blood vessels to expand leading to greater and longer lasting “pumps” when lifting and more nutrient-rich blood entering the muscle. Nutrabolics claims that arginine ethyl ester(or AEE) is a more advanced and bioavailable arginine which would lead to better results, better pumps, less soreness, and bigger muscles. Andy tried AE2 without his hopes being too high. He says “I had tried AAKG before and had gotten better pumps when lifting, but with little actual increases in muscle size or fat loss. I was happy to say that AE2 did appear to be more effective than AAKG for me. I noticed great muscle pumps, better endurance, and less soreness while using AE2.”

X-Factor by Molecular Nutrition

Andy was fortunate enough to be selected for another test, a large Molecular Nutrition X-Factor trial. William Llewellyn the owner of Molecular Nutrition provided him with two bottles of X-Factor, enough to run a full 50-day cycle. Arachidonic Acid, the muscle-building ingredient in X-Factor, is possibly the most intriguing natural compound to hit bodybuilding since the introduction of Creatine over a decade ago. Arachidonic Acid is a naturally occurring omega-6 fatty acid found in red meat, eggs, and even baby formulas. When you lift weights, your muscles release Arachidonic Acid, this signals your body to respond with several anabolic hormones. Supplementing with Arachidonic Acid heightens your body’s anabolic response to weightlifting leading to increased protein synthesis (more muscle). When using this product over a 50 day period, Andy reports a loss of 4lbs of fat while simultaneously gaining nearly 9 lbs of lean muscle. In addition to the enhanced fat-burning and muscle building, he told me he noticed a more focused feeling when in the gym. Without a doubt, he says this is his new favorite supplement.

If you do decide to use X-Factor, Andy provided tips for maximum results. It is necessary to cycle X-Factor by taking it for no more than 50 days without taking a 50 day break in between. Arachidonic Acid is actually pro-inflammatory and will increase the soreness you feel in your muscles. This inflammation is actually necessary for building muscle, and as such while taking X-Factor you should do your best to avoid anti-inflammatories like fish oil, NSAIDS, and CLA. A full 50-day cycle will require 2 bottles which some people feel can be pricy, but Andy says it has delivered results like no other supplement.

Special thanks to Andy Parys for many of the details of this report!

Deen Gill
rhino@cfaith.com