361 replies to this topic

[normalizing]

baten, its really just taurine. you can buy it separately and combine it with carnitine.

calling it L-taurine and selling it as patent with carnitine is just a tricky business model

[Baten]

Acetyl L-Carnitine Taurinate isn't just Carnitine with Taurine is it? Should be more than just blended together unless you're right, in which cause it would be quite scammy.

[Hyperflux]

How likely is it to have low free testosterone but normal-high total testosterone? My total test was 904 ng/dL but as I understand it only free test matters. 

[Baten]

Codonopsis Lanceolata is somewhat interesting. Seems to have a noticeable pro-libido effect, but only when taken like once a week.

Edited by Baten, 28 March 2017 - 06:55 AM.

[normalizing]

from what i know, codonopsis is poor man's ginseng

[drew_ab]

How likely is it to have low free testosterone but normal-high total testosterone? My total test was 904 ng/dL but as I understand it only free test matters. 

 

I'm not sure, but I seem to have the opposite. Low total test (averages maybe 350ish - over the course of 8 or so tests). Whereas my bio-avaiblble testosterone comes back close to the middle of the reference range.

[EFTANG]

 

 

https://examine.com/...ents/Cordyceps/

 

It seems it can increase T through complex mechanisms. 

 

Seems that higher concentrations are associated with a decline in testosterone related to baseline. More studies indicating that it regulates testosterone production. To bad the amount of cordycepin is low in the products out now. Only realmushrooms I think lists and tests the percentage of this in their batches

 

 

Here's my anecdotal experience wrt to cordyceps. 

 

Over the last few months, I've had various medicinal mushroom products (i.e. red reishi, cordyceps and lion's mane). Prior to my many purchases I did a good deal of reading in order to find out what the best manufacturers of medicinal mushrooms really are. At the end of the day, I determined Nammex, Oriveda and Mushroom Science were the best. Now despite what I'd read about Aloha Medicinals, I decided on trying both their lion's mane and cordyceps (i.e. bough in Canada through Purica). 

 

Now, in order not to derail this discussion, I'll keep the following comments to my cordyceps experience exclusively. Also, keep in mind that I've struggled with low libido for years, which complaint has been looked into by my primary care practitioner and other specialists. It was concluded that hormonal imbalance (i.e. low T) wasn't the culprit. Also, I'm not saying cordyceps raised my testosterone levels, but having read what I did, I think it is a legitimate hypothesis, though there could certainly be other mechanisms at work, since cordyceps has a number of different actions. This is a good summary article on the effects of cordyceps : http://nootropicsdep...hroom-extracts/

 

Nammex brand (Cordyceps Militaris) : I found it leads to a noticeable increase in libido, erectile function and increased aggressiveness along with an increase in subjective well-being. 

 

Mushroom Science (CS-4) strain : Now, I certainly expected more out of this one. However it was a huge disappointment. To be honest, it is a very weak product. It takes ~ 5 caps daily for me to feel a mild to moderate increase in general energy, but no boost whatsoever in either libido or erectile function. I've also found to be somewhat lethargic while on it, which I understand can happen while on a cordyceps product. 

 

As to Oriveda, I've not purchased anything from them, but I'm confident it is one of the best medicinal mushrooms manufacturer. 

 

Purica (i.e. Aloha Medicinals) : This one was a complete surprise. Much to my astonishment, I've found this product to deliver very similar benefits to the product by Nammex. I clearly didn't expect that. The only reason I decided on purchasing it, was because it was available locally. 

 

In a nutshell, as far as cordyceps is concerned, I've had a positive experience through both Nammex and Purica. 

 

Oriveda released an upgraded version of their Cordyceps, now with over 1% of cordycepin!

 

I've ordered it and waiting for its arrival..

[normalizing]

it should be minimum 10% cordycepin. imagine how much you will need to consume... huge money drainer

[Adaptogen]

I also agree that 1% cordycepin is pretty insignificant with a low dose (and high price) 430mg/capsule product.  Unsurprisingly, Oriveda's "dual extraction" is just a blend of CS-4 and militaris, which gets one pretty close to the active components found in wild harvested cordyceps (both adenosine and cordycepin).

 

I've been taking around 3-4 grams CS-4 and 2-3 grams militaris fruiting bodies daily for several months, and don't notice anything profound from it. I'm pretty sure cordyceps dosages are irrelevant unless they get into the 3+ gram range,  so the vast majority of encapsulated cordyceps isn't going to hit the mark, and most other products are grossly overpriced by middlemen.

You can get dirt cheap good quality CS-4 on amazon from bulksupplements ($45/kg). And you can get affordable 0.3% cordycepin-content militaris fruiting bodies from a reputable alibaba seller for around $50-100/kg including shipping (I can't vouch for any at the moment). High quality cordyceps militaris is mass produced in china in no shortage, I've even been served it in dishes on international flights to china. so it's not like getting a relatively high cordycepin content extract should be very hard. If anyone puts in a modicum of effort i'm sure they will have no trouble sourcing a good quality fruiting body powder equivalent or superior to anything else on the Western market.

Edited by Adaptogen, 02 May 2017 - 10:59 AM.

[normalizing]

well i read now they synthesize cordycepin, so you dont even need to stuff yourself with any powders

[gamesguru]

i took some homemade gingerale to the bar and the waitress lady tried to tell me i couldn't bring my own drinks.  rather than run it out to my car (a move i've pulled all too often) i slammed that spicy bath of fizzy water before her eyes, begged that she make me puke it up and tossed the bottle defiantly in the general direction of the trash.

 

she must have been unhappy cause her supervisor comes over, like sir sir, you missed the trashcan i gotta ask you to pick that bottle up.  missed the trash, lady, of course i missed the trash.  do i look like a kobe bryant.  i couldn't make a layup on a 6foot rim.  you could probably throw a ball farther than me.  you could probly throw me over the berlin wall miss, cos you looking pretty hefty.  oh fuck you fuck you they tore that down, we'll get the mexican wall that's the next best thing.

 

so cut a nigga some slack, would ya?  sir, who are you here with, are you gonna order anything to drink?  drink what, water?  i'll order a glass of that when my friend James gets here.

she sends the bouncer over and i'm having regrets at this point because he grabs my fricking ear and hoists me over to the trash all wincing in pain in before a crowd of haters to properly dispose of the unbroken glass bottle

 

 

the next morning i'm examining spinach at kroger when a clerk appears and asks if i need assistance finding something.  there i am kneeling down on an unforgiving floor, perilously sifting thru bundles of moldy spinach for one that looks better than the rest and here this bugaboo has the nerve to come start talking down to me like im some kinda nigga tripping face with his gorilla paw dug up to the elbow in a bulk fruit bin.  he must have been blind or just messing with me, cause you could tell this stuff was moldy from across the store.

 

yeah you produce pushing pimp, i cooly confess to him.  i'm here looking for a girlfriend.

ah, well theres one fumbling apples behind you, he points out.

oh that's real clever sherlock, ill be fumbling words we'll have something in common.  and try not to take a nigga so seriously damn bubba.  do i look like i came here for a girlfriend?  i got bed head and i'm dressed in rags.  and if you had some spinach that werent moldy as shit, too, that'd be nice.

 

one minute sir, he says after realizing my dilemma, i'll be right back.  he slinks away thru a trapdoor into the jolly green forest, and emerges with the most amazing looking bunch of spinach i've seen in all my life.  you ever see a dog snatch a steak out of mid-air?  this Kroger guy aint even have to toss me that bundle of greens, i snapped  it out of his hands twist-tie and all like some kinda limited edition popeye incarnate youtube mothafucka.  then i bagged me some apples and had a healthy day

[normalizing]

gamesguru annoying rants boost my testosterone, wanting to break his neck

[Baten]

?????... What the hell.

[sativa]

brilliant gamesguru! some funny examples of your testosterone in action

[normalizing]

boy, at that price i dunno about trying it. it does contain titanium dioxide though, which is a concern as it is toxic to stomach and colon cells

[PeaceAndProsperity]

I've been using PhytoSERMS 347X for the last 3 months, its expensive and honestly I didn't want to spend that much money on a T-booster, but it was worth it. Last month I drew blood work and my Total Testosterone level went from 503 ng / dl to 988 ng/dl. That means it took TWO MONTHS to shoot up my T-levels by an insane amount. Fellas, try it, you'll enjoy it trust me. 

Not even pharmaceutical fertility medications for men are that effective. Advertise your product somewhere else.

 

[Jiminy Glick]

I think Ashwagandha does.

Edited by Jiminy Glick, 23 June 2017 - 04:22 AM.

[normalizing]

I think Ashwagandha does.

 

then i should be superman by the megadoses ive taken

[Jiminy Glick]

 

I think Ashwagandha does.

 

then i should be superman by the megadoses ive taken

 

 

I love Ashwagandha and take a lot as well, amazing herb.

[normalizing]

 

 

I think Ashwagandha does.

 

then i should be superman by the megadoses ive taken

 

 

I love Ashwagandha and take a lot as well, amazing herb.

 

 

oh yeh? be careful not to crash when its over though it happened to me

 

[Ben]

oh yeh? be careful not to crash when its over though it happened to me

 

 

I crash on it too and get rebound anxiety. The reason why I stopped taking it.

[Jiminy Glick]

 

 

 

I think Ashwagandha does.

 

then i should be superman by the megadoses ive taken

 

 

I love Ashwagandha and take a lot as well, amazing herb.

 

 

oh yeh? be careful not to crash when its over though it happened to me

 

 

 

You crashed when you stopped taking it? That is because your not getting the nutrients from it when you stop taking it. When you withdraw powerful nutrients like that from your diet your body will react. I personally don't plan on stopping and take it everyday. What was the crash like? Also that is not a reason to not take it.

Edited by Jiminy Glick, 24 June 2017 - 03:53 AM.

[normalizing]

i dont think you understand the meaning of "nutrients". its vital amines required by consuming food, ashawagandha contains steroids and such, not really "nutrients" most of the stuff it has its to deter predators from consuming it in fact, and what happens, it seems to not deter humans that much if they take it which is probably failure mechanism of that plant to survive kind of sad

[chipdouglas]

i dont think you understand the meaning of "nutrients". its vital amines required by consuming food, ashawagandha contains steroids and such, not really "nutrients" most of the stuff it has its to deter predators from consuming it in fact, and what happens, it seems to not deter humans that much if they take it which is probably failure mechanism of that plant to survive kind of sad

 

Anecdotally, have you come across many more people crashing from ashwagandha ?

I wonder how widespread that is. 

[Ruth]

Cannabinoids.... THC(oral) in low-moderate doses, though even high doses(smoked/vape) can cause a rapid increase in free testosterone.

[John2009]

I don't know if this one has been discussed but Furosap  showed 46% increase in free testosterone. If the study results can be repeated this may be a good one. I don't know how it compares to testofen.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/28138310

 

https://clinicaltria...how/NCT02702882

 

http://chereso.net/furosap/

[Knowledge Is Powre]

Even though the thread has moved on from it I started pine pollen today, will provide my anecdotal report on it after cycling for a month. 2:1 concentration, 8 drops sublingual 2x-3x a day. 

[limerence]

Even though the thread has moved on from it I started pine pollen today, will provide my anecdotal report on it after cycling for a month. 2:1 concentration, 8 drops sublingual 2x-3x a day. 

How did it work for you?

 

 

Some testo stuff i've learned since posting. Mercury poisoning in various degree is relatively common. Estrogen has a neuroprotective effect against mercury damage on brain tissue. Testosterone+mercury is exponentially more destructive. So, i think one reason male test level average is probably lower than the previous century, is due to increased mercury levels. Being high test is suicide for such a brain. Also, gives credence to the dumb jock stereotype hehheh. Personally, I have stopped doing push ups, pull ups, exercise except cardio while i detox mercury via cutler chelation and infared sauna. Feels amazing... like surprised to feel good, in ways you never conceived.

Edited by limerence, 05 February 2018 - 03:49 AM.

[normalizing]

im a male but honestly, boosting estrogen makes me less depressed and aggressive and overall feeling better than boosting testosterone (which i have done in the past). go figure

[Galaxyshock]

I take

 

Maca

Nettle extract

Ashwagandha extract

White button mushroom extract

Muira Puama extract

Fenugreek extract

Pygeum africanum extract

Rhodiola extract

Holy basil

Cordyceps extract

Pycnogenol

Zinc

Mucuna pruriens extract

Vitamin D