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Interesting article over at ergo-log about a supplement called Activate XTreme...incidentally this is one of the supps Dinoii was touting over at the LeanBulk forums...looks like it definitely does what they are claiming, although it had a weird side effect as well...

Looks like I got a new supp to play around with in run #3....

Man's testosterone level sky-high from ActivaTe Xtreme

Endocrinologists in Exeter, England, found an abnormally high testosterone level in a 19-year-old male. The man was not happy with his libido, so he had bought ActivaTe Xtreme, the plant-based testosterone supplement from Driven Sports. And although you won't find mention of any obscure steroid compounds on the label of ActivaTe Xtreme, it probably caused the man's testosterone level to rocket.

For the record: Driven Sports recently changed the composition of ActivaTe Xtreme. The supplement we discuss in this article is the 'old' ActivaTe Xtreme. The composition of the product is shown below. It's worth repeating though that pro-hormones and designer steroids are conspicuous by their absence. For a start, the ActivaTe version we're talking about contains 3,4-divanillyltetrahydrofuran, known for short as divanil [structural formula shown below].

Divanil is a compound found in the roots of stinging nettles [Urtica dioica]. Divanil is capable of attaching itself to the SHBG molecule in the bloodstream, as a result of which it can no longer bind and neutralise testosterone. In this way divanil boosts the concentration of free testosterone.



Icariin



Indole-3-Carbinol



A second component of ActivaTe Xtreme is an extract of Horny Goat Weed [Epimedium sagittatum]. This contains the compound icariin [structural formula shown below], which boosts testosterone production. It probably does this by stimulating the activity of the second messenger cGMP in the testes. A third ingredient in ActivaTe also raises testosterone levels: an extract of Basella alba. If you are
a regular follower of this website you have probably already guessed what other abnormality the doctors found in the man's blood…

ActivaTe Xtreme also contains indole-3-carbinol, aka I3C. This is a compound found in cabbages. I3C stimulates enzymes that convert estradiol into inactive metabolites. Less estradiol means that the pituitary produces more LH. And LH is the hormone that stimulates the testes to produce testosterone.

And last but not least, ActivaTe Xtreme contains good ol' zinc, and extracts of Pinus sylvestris extract and Rhodiola rosea. Zinc supplementation boosts testosterone production – at least it does if you're not scared of high doses.

But back to the British doctors. Because the man complained of having a low libido, the doctors examined his blood, expecting to find low levels of testosterone and LH. In fact, the opposite turned out to be the case. The man had extremely high levels of both LH and testosterone. The researchers wanted to exclude the possibility of the man having used hCG, so they measured the level of this hormone too. And found nothing.



The man also had abnormally high amounts of estradiol in his blood. That was because testosterone had converted, the doctors suspected. The man was told to keep off the supplement for a month, after which time the doctors examined him again. His blood levels had normalised.



So, according to the doctors, it was the supplement that had caused the man's testosterone level to go through the roof. But why, despite the high testosterone level, the man complained of having a low sex drive is not clear from the article. The doctors don't even mention the issue. They do indicate that they are impressed with the
formula of ActivaTe Xtreme.

The stuff was made in the same way as an anti-oestrogen like nolvadex. It apparently never occurred to the doctors to ask the man if he hadn't been using nolvadex or something similar on the sly, and they didn't look for it in his blood either.

"The development of ActivaTe Xtreme is a very clever piece of biochemical trickery", the Brits write. "This case highlights a novel biochemical pattern that we should be aware of; a raised testosterone that is not associated with a suppressed LH and warrants further investigation."

The latest version of ActivaTe Xtreme no longer contains Basella alba. This extract not only boosts testosterone production, but also that of estradiol. The new version does contain extracts of Brassaiopsis glomerulata, however, and these have an anti-oestrogenic effect. [/url]

Hmmmm...

Interesting find! I'm sure it'll give rise to spiking rumors, but I wouldn't be inclined to believe that. Here's my take...

Icariin is a known testosterone mimetic. I'm wondering if it showed up as test/free test on the labs? Either that, or Basella alba really does boost test that high, and apparently other stuff too.

Only a matter of time I'd think, before we see a Basella Alba + anti-e on the market...

Just fyi this article is based on the older formulation of ActX, according to what seems to be the general consensus people liked this one alot more.

Triazole, however, is the bee's knees. I was talking to Matt Cahill (Sldge - their formulator) and he firmly believes that triazole could FULLY replace a SERM in PCT. He has bloodwork to back it as well. I'm rather impressed by that. Not fully convinced as it would take thousands of subjects and a couple huge studies to win me over, but very interesting patterns if you ask me.

While I’m fully aware this was just shared for our information (and thanks, btw), I feel it is important that noobies understand it is far better in the long run to goose test. levels a little bit only at certain stages of a cycle (in our case, in parts of feast in the BP cycle) than it is to ever send testosterone levels “sky-high”!

That said, I can attest to the efficacy of DIM and stinging nettles components in maintaining free testosterone (...without any estradiol complications) – see Alternative Cruise .doc

All the best

Big.jazayrli wrote:Just fyi this article is based on the older formulation of ActX, according to what seems to be the general consensus people liked this one alot more.

Triazole, however, is the bee's knees. I was talking to Matt Cahill (Sldge - their formulator) and he firmly believes that triazole could FULLY replace a SERM in PCT. He has bloodwork to back it as well. I'm rather impressed by that. Not fully convinced as it would take thousands of subjects and a couple huge studies to win me over, but very interesting patterns if you ask me.

I have used triazole and LOVE it. It is a great product indeed.

BrainSquirt wrote:While I’m fully aware this was just shared for our information (and thanks, btw), I feel it is important that noobies understand it is far better in the long run to goose test. levels a little bit only at certain stages of a cycle (in our case, in parts of feast in the BP cycle) than it is to ever send testosterone levels “sky-high”!

That said, I can attest to the efficacy of DIM and stinging nettles components in maintaining free testosterone (...without any estradiol complications) – see Alternative Cruise .doc

All the best

Great information right here folks. Please do, consult Brain's thoughts on the Alternative Cruise!!!

I had really bad libido when I used triazole

I had used Active Xtreme and the results were very poor to nil.

In my first BP I run bioforge promax next to ebol ecdy and that was better than active xtreme as test booster & overall feeling

You know it's quite interesting, the range of people who love XYZ product vs. another. At the end of the day, I think people need to put it in perspective.

I'm speaking here moreso about non-BP folk. Let's take the example of a test booster. Let's further say you've found your nirvana, and have access to a test booster that puts you in the upper end of the physiological range. All well and good.

Now, what's the physiological trigger for muscle growth? It's not high test levels, it's overload.

That focus on overload can't be re-enforced enough, IMO. There are tons of teenagers flooded with test, yet we all know they're looking for the reason they're not gaining. That reason, is largely in the weight room. It's so important to recognize that the stimulus for muscle growth, be satisfied.

Now, once you've satisfied that next up is diet. That muscle growth machinery for sure needs the "cement" to build new muscle tissue with! Finally, there's the rest part of the equation. Tackle the weights again before the stimulate-recover-grow hierarchy is completed, and you'll never make it to the growth stage.

Don't get me wrong, I'm quite happy there are supps like this available to us to optimize hormone levels. We all have our favorites, but one hormone optimized does not = Gainsville. It does however, afford YOU a tool with which to make greater gains.

YOU being the Believer's, who have your act together...