Haiz and Tropinol XP - The Road to 6%

[haiz69]

Key Benefits:
•Enhanced Strength!
•Improved Libido!
•More Muscle Tone!
•Increased Athletic Ability!
•Lean Muscle Gains!

ANY Sport, ANY Time: More Testosterone = MORE GAINS!

Testosterone is the key deciding factor in how much muscle you can gain. Too little testosterone, and no matter how well you eat, no matter how hard you train, and no matter how much you wish it would happen, you just won’t grow. Testosterone is what separates boys from men, and odds are that your testosterone is lower now than it has been since before you hit puberty. That means there is only one solution to adding slabs of lean, hard, and dense muscle to your frame, and that is MORE testosterone. The most effective way to enhance your testosterone to super-human limits is to use Tropinol XP™, the most advanced testosterone booster ever created.

Every Single Angle Is Covered!


The world's BEST testosterone booster just got much more intense! Packed full of the most proved testosterone booster ingredients known to man, as well as incredibly potent androgenic boosters, nothing can compare to the feeling of being on NEW Tropinol XP by iForce Nutrition!

Tropinol XP™ is the one testosterone booster on the market that focuses on using only clinically proven compounds to ensure that your testosterone is raised higher than ever before, and that you can actually FEEL the extra testosterone coursing through your body. Having a massive increase in testosterone can give users a huge increase in libido, alpha-male mentality, workout intensity & endurance, serious size and strength gains, and even provides a massive pump unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before!

Unlocking Your Growth Potential!


Testosterone works by floating through our blood stream, and coming in contact and connecting with Androgen Receptors. Androgen Receptors are similar to a lock in a door, in that they sit there and do nothing until a key is used to either lock or unlock them. In this instance, testosterone is the key and its purpose is to unlock the Androgen Receptor. By “unlocking” or activating our Androgen Receptors with testosterone, we send a signal to our brain that it is time to GROW. The more androgen receptors you have “unlocked”, the stronger the signal to the brain, and the stronger the growth signal will be to your muscles.

Nothing Lke It Has Ever Been Made!


With this in mind, it would seem to make sense that a testosterone booster would not only increase how much testosterone we have in our body, but would also find a way to activate more Androgen Receptors, as well as making every single Androgen Receptor more sensitive. While this may seem logical, no formula has ever been able to accomplish this until now! Tropinol XP™ will flood your body with INSANE amounts of testosterone, while simultaneously sensitizing, and activating every single Androgen Receptor physically possible. This potent combination is a 1-2 punch that will deliver IMMEDIATE results.

Feel The Surge!


Imagine raising your testosterone level so high that you can actually FEEL the surge as it rushes through your veins. This cascade of hormonal overload will enable you to up your intensity and endurance on your very first dose! No longer do you have to wait the typical 4-6 weeks for a testosterone booster to start showing any sort of effects, as Tropinol XP™ will have you pushing out more reps, with higher weights instantaneously. By harnessing the power of our bodies natural cellular signaling mechanisms, Tropinol XP™ will provide your muscles with additional blood, oxygen, and nutrients to ensure that every single workout causes your body to be pushed to the absolute max, resulting in the quickest gains in size and strength you have ever experienced.

Dry Up & Lean Out!


When our testosterone is absolutely maxed out, our libido is at its highest in years, and our muscles are primed and full it’s important to LOOK as good as we feel! Tropinol XP™ ensures that you will not only feel amazing, but you will look your best as well. Through the use of key compounds, Tropinol XP™ will force your body to release stubborn water stores to help give you that dry and lean look that every athlete desires. This means your muscles will show more definition, you’ll lose useless body weight, and be able to literally WATCH as your body transforms right in front of your eyes!

Put It To The Test!


Never settle for anything less than the absolute best. Tropinol XP™ contains the most tried and true ingredients ever put together in a testosterone booster, and will work so well you can actually FEEL the insane increase in testosterone as is surges through your body. Just 1 dose to feel the magic…imagine what you’ll feel in 30 days?!?

The Ingredients

Vitamin D3 (as Cholecalciferol) 1,250 IU 312.5%

Zinc (as Zinc Asparate) 4 mg 26.5%

Potassium (as Potassium Nitrate) 58 mg - 1.5%

Tropinol XP Propietary Blend:563 mg

Testosterone Amplification Matrix: Fadogia Agretis PE (Extracted to contain a full spectrum of alkaloids, saponins, anthraquinones, & flavonoids), Epimedium (Standarized for 20% Icariin), 25R-Dione Spirost-4-Ene, 6-Dione

Musle Definition Matrix: Potassium Nitrate, Coleus Forskohlii (Providing 20% Forskolin)

Testosterone Support Matrix: Vitamin D3 (as Cholecalciferol), Zina Asparate

[haiz69]

About Me

Welcome to the log everyone. Some of you know me and I'm sure many of you don't. I used to be very active on these boards 2-3 years ago, but after graduating from Georgetown University, I had to begin working 80+ hour weeks in order to pay back my loans. Also, upon graduating, I began taking more classes, as I decided I wanted to pursue a career in physical therapy instead of hospital administration. As such, I had very little (if any) time to devote to the board. I was able to maintain traning intensity and bodycomp for a while, but in the past 6 months it really took it hit with a new girlfriend (food + alcohol) and extended hours.

A few weeks ago I was accepted to the Doctorate of Physical Therapy program at Maryland University in Baltimore. This was my first choice of school (quality + in-state), so I was pumped to say the least. Knowing I will be in school soon also re-sparked my passion to be in amazing shape. I am back on track and this log will be the starting point for my cut, which will last 8-12 weeks depending on progress. My ultimate goal is to get down to 6% or so again (like I was with the ultimate diet). I am around 12-14% now. With that said, here are some stats:

Height - 72 Inches
Weight - 195 Pounds
Bodyfat % - 12-14%
Personality - Pretty Sweet
% Homo for Vaughn - 17

Diet

I will be running Bodyopus as made popular by Dan Duchaine back in the day. Will be using some of my own and some of Dinoiii's modifications to it. For those that don't know, Bodyopus is a Cyclical Ketogenic Diet. During the week I have less than 40-50 grams of carbohydrates per day, with around 2000-2300 calories. 50-60% fat, 30% protein, 5% carbs. Weekend is very high carbohydrate in an attempt to glycogen supercompensate.

As far as foods go, I eat a metric ton of eggs per day (6-10), Grass Fed Beef, Chicken (with tons of cheese), Lamb, and all other meats. I do eat more greens than others on a CKD might, as it helps with hunger and I am just fine with things like Spinach/Romaine. Also do Zuchinni in no small amounts. Use VPX Zero Impact Protein for my supplemental protein. Also eat a fair amount of almonds, coconut, and butter for the majority of my fats. Other fats are from fish oil. I have dropped CLA and Sesamin for the first four weeks of this log, but I will add them back in after week#4.

Training

Monday: Chest/Back - I superset chest and back exercises to save time. I do 3-5 sets of heavy bench/pullups, follow that up with medium rep rows/DB bench, and follow that up with cable flies + pushups/high-rep pulldowns and rows. Total sets for each bodypart end up at 8-9, which is not a ton of volume. This workout is not meant to deplete glycogen to a huge degree, but rather maintain muscle mass and strength.

Tuesday: Legs - Same setup of strength --> mixed --> higher rep. Superset squats/calf, lunges/calf, ext/curl/calf.
Wednesday: Shoulders/Arms ("")
Thursday: Off or 15-20 minute HIIT + abs/forearms/calves
Friday: Off or ""
Saturday early AM: 2 Hour Glycogen Depletion workout. Higher reps (10+), rest-pause, drop sets, etc... I hit about 6 "sets" for each bodypart, although each set consists of 2-3 phases. The goal here is glycogen depletion and by the end I am ready to blow chunks. Post workout begins the carb load and a coma ensues.

That's about all the info I have for the moment. The log will start today (duh!), with my shoulders/arms workout tonight, after which I will be playing raquetball with my buddy from work. I should hopefully get home pre-midnight and be able to post up impressions from Workout #1.

Off to the races!

Supplements

Fish oil (high Omega 3)
Green Magnitude
Slin-Sane V2 (Monday-Friday Only)
Vitacost Men's Synergy Multi
Jarrow B-Complex
Now Food's C-500
DS Craze/PES Alphamine if needed pre-gym
Nootropic Stack if working or studying (Alpha GPC, Oxiracetam, Piracetam, Noopept sometimes)

That's about is supplement wise. I have plenty of things I take every once in a while (sleep stuff and what-not), but they will be excluded for this run. All of the supplements above have been in use for over a month, so I am very aware of their effects and can distinguish them from what Tropinol XP will add.

[haiz69]

Also for those unaware, this will be an educational experience for others + myself. Each day I will hopefully be able to post up much of my research on the ingredients and what I think about them. I am a large fan of the formula, so this should be fun. SCIENCE!

[VaughnTrue]

1st! in on what will be an epic log

[haiz69]

1st! in on what will be an epic log

Welcome to the party my good sir. I need to get before pics up so that people can see how much this product + a great diet and training can do.

[tmd17]

Congrats on getting accepted to the PT program man! Should be a great log here 6% is low as fuarkkk, takes pure dedication to get down to that. What are your lifts and you have any current pics of you at 10-12% (no homo)

Edit: ^Nevermind on the pics

[haiz69]

Fadogia Agrestis

Effects of oral administration of aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem on some testicular function indices of male rats. Yakubu MT, Akanji MA, Oladiji AT.

Medicinal Plants Research Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, P.M.B. 1515 Ilorin, Nigeria. tomuyak@yahoo.com

AIM OF THE STUDY:
The effects of administration of aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem on some testicular function indices of male rats (Rattus norvegicus) and their recovery potentials for 10 days were investigated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Rats were grouped into four: A, B, C and D where A (the control) received orally 1 ml of distilled water (the vehicle), B, C and D (the test groups) received orally on daily basis graded doses of 18, 50 and 100mg/kg body weight of the plant extract, respectively, for 28 days.

RESULTS:
Compared with the control, extract administration for 28 days at all the doses resulted in significant increase (P<0.05) in percentage testes-body weight ratio, testicular cholesterol, sialic acid, glycogen, acid phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transferase activities while there was significant decrease (P<0.05) in the activities of testicular alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, glutamate dehydrogenase and concentrations of protein. Recoveries were made by the animals on some of the testicular function indices mainly at 18 mg/kg body weight.
CONCLUSIONS:
The alterations brought about by the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis stem are indications of adverse effects on the male rat testicular function and this may adversely affect the functional capacities of the testes. The recovery made at the dose of 18 mg/kg body weight as used in folklore medicine suggests that it does not exhibit permanent toxicity at this dose.

*************Comment - This has been discussed at great length by people much smarter than I, but I once had the full text of this and the abstract is very misleading. These results could actually prove to me that Fadogia is effective at what it aims to do. In the study, the Testes are working more, which makes sense given that Fadogia acts as a LH-mimetic. The product should be cycled undoubtedly, but recovery of baseline function was expected by the researchers, although they disposed of the rats before that could happen.


NEXT

Aphrodisiac potentials of the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem in male albino rats.
Asian J Androl. 2005 Dec;7(4):399-404.

AIM: To evaluate the phytochemical constituents and the aphrodisiac potential of the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Rubiaceae) stem in male albino rats.

METHODS: The aqueous stem extract of the plant was screened for phytochemical constituents. Male rats were orally dosed with 18 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg body weight, respectively, of the extract at 24 h intervals and their sexual behavior parameters and serum testosterone concentration were evaluated at days 1, 3 and 5.

RESULTS: Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids and saponins while anthraquinones and flavonoids are weakly present. All the doses resulted in significant increase in mount frequency, intromission frequency and significantly prolonged the ejaculatory latency (P 0.05) and reduced mount and intromission latency (P 0.05). There was also a significant increase in serum testosterone concentrations in all the groups in a manner suggestive of dose-dependence (P 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis stem increased the blood testosterone concentrations and this may be the mechanism responsible for its aphrodisiac effects and various masculine behaviors. It may be used to modify impaired sexual functions in animals, especially those arising from hypotestosteronemia.

****************Really no need to comment on this one. Very positive results.

I am a fan of this ingredient absolutely and give it a huge thumbs up. I'm guessing it is dosed around 200-250mg per cap in the product, but that is my guess and I could be wrong as I often am. Should certainly be a solid enough dose to ellicit a good response along with the other ingredients.

[aaronuconn]

In for the epicness.

Congrats on your acceptance to MU's Doctorate of Physical Therapy program; that's a great accomplishment.

[haiz69]

Congrats on getting accepted to the PT program man! Should be a great log here 6% is low as fuarkkk, takes pure dedication to get down to that. What are your lifts and you have any current pics of you at 10-12% (no homo)

Edit: ^Nevermind on the pics

Thanks man! I should have pics up tonight/tomorrow hopefully.

Lifts are all over the place. I do strength work with 3-5 second eccentric and explosive concentric, so that reduces the weight I can use by a decent amount. However, I have had nagging injuries from not using impeccable form, so I keep PERFECT form now and use more tempo work instead of going for more weight. I completely check my ego at the door and worry more amount Time Under Tension and total stress place on the muscle, not what is on the bar. With that said:

Front Squat - 155X6
Bench - 175X6
Pullups - +20X6
Deadlift (Don't do this every week) - 285X5
Strict Military Press - 115X6
Bicep Curl - 90X6
SkullCrusher - 80X6
Planks - 3 Minute Hold

Those will be my baseline levels for the workout/log.

[haiz69]

In for the epicness.

Congrats on your acceptance to MU's Doctorate of Physical Therapy program; that's a great accomplishment.

Thank you!! I'm excited about it for sure. Can't wait to get back to learning. Ultimately I want to open a Sports Training/Rehab Facility. With nutrition counseling + Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

[UncleWade]

This is a fantastic start to a log, thanks for going above and beyond the ordinary for us - very excited to see how these products affect the "alpha" testers!

[thedarce]

AWESOME start botha, sub'd!

[haiz69]

This is a fantastic start to a log, thanks for going above and beyond the ordinary for us - very excited to see how these products affect the "alpha" testers!

AWESOME start botha, sub'd!

Thanks guys. I really appreciate the support.

[haiz69]

Epimedium/Icariin

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3551978/

Erectogenic and Neurotrophic Effects of Icariin, a Purified Extract of Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium spp.) In Vitro and In Vivo

"Recent investigations into the properties of these plants have suggested that the most metabolically active extract of Epimedium is icariin (ICA), a flavonol glycoside obtained from the aerial part of the plant [1]. ICA has been demonstrated to exert inhibitory activity against phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) in vitro [2,3]. In addition to an erectogenic role, it has been suggested that ICA has testosterone-mimetic properties [4]. These effects lend credence to the use of ICA for the management of sexual problems."

"ICA has been demonstrated to enhance eNOS expression and NO production in human endothelial cells as well as decrease caspase-3 expression and cellular apoptosis in response to hydrogen peroxide [5,6]. ICA has also been demonstrated to increase the intracavernous pressure (ICP) response triggered by cavernous nerve stimulation in rats; these effects were abolished by inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase and guanylate cyclase [7]. Furthermore, ICA has been used successfully to ameliorate both castration-related and arteriogenic impairment of erectile function and decline in penile neuron nNOS content in a rodent model [8,9]."


"In addition to a role in erectile physiology, a prior study suggested that ICA has been shown to correct hypogonadism induced by cyclophosphamide exposure in rats [4]. Zhang et al. reported that a higher concentration (200 mg/kg/day by oral gavage) of lower purity (40%) ICA was utilized for 7 days after cyclophosphamide treatment. Rodents in the ICA group had higher serum testosterone levels compared with animals not treated with cyclophosphamide and animals treated with cyclophosphamide alone [4]. These results are in contrast to the results of Liu et al. (who did not detect a difference in serum testosterone levels between ICA treatment animals and controls) [8] and the results of the current study, in which ICA at doses above 1 mg/kg appeared to have a dose-dependent suppressive effect on serum testosterone concentration. Differences in the purity and dosing interval of ICA as well as differences in the assay method may have played a role in these discrepancies.

Interestingly, in the one prior study demonstrating changes in serum T with ICA, there were no significant perturbations in LH and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) level in rats in any of the treatment arms [4]; this result is similar to our own. It is implied that regardless of its effects on serum T, ICA does not impact pituitary LH expression. It is possible that ICA may influence aromatase or 5-alpha reductase activity in vivo and thereby modulate serum T levels without directly impacting LH secretion. It is clear that further research will be required to elucidate the impact and mechanisms of cavernous nerve injury and/or ICA therapy on T metabolism."

Despite several important limitations, our study adds to the mounting evidence that ICA may play an important salubrious role with respect to maintenance of penile erectile function. In contrast to prior studies, our results suggest that very low-dose ICA (1 mg/kg in this study) may be of similar or even greater efficacy than higher doses. It is particularly intriguing that ICA had neurotrophic properties when cultured with nerve fragments. PDE5 inhibitors are the agents most commonly utilized for penile rehabilitation in humans [25], and to our knowledge no synthetic PDE5 inhibitor has been demonstrated to have significant neurotrophic effects, a finding confirmed in the sildenafil arm of our MPG culture experiments. Whether ICA would be a superior alternative to PDE5I remains to be determined; further studies of this interesting compound from nature may enhance our understanding and ability to treat men with ED"


****************comments: this study was done with pure (98+%) icariin, so it's effects will be a bit different than the 20% extract, but nonetheless it gives some great info about the MOA of icariin. Of particular note is that lower doses of icariin (1 mg/kg vs 5mg or 10mg), performed better in terms of testosterone levels. This makes me favor the 20% extract a lot vs. a higher one, as at the doses I imagine are in tropinol, we will probably be close to or below that 1mg/kg mark. Sometimes less is really more.

[haiz69]

The testosterone mimetic properties of icariin. (Zhang ZB, Yang QT.)

Department of Urology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China. zbzhang@stu.edu.cn

Aim: To evaluate the testosterone mimetic properties of icariin.

Methods: Forty-eight healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats at the age of 15 months were randomly divided into four groups with 12 rats each: the control group (C), the model group (M), the icariin group (ICA) and the testosterone group (T). The reproductive system was damaged by cyclophosphamide (intraperitoneal injection, 20 mg/kgday) for 5 consecutive days for groups M, ICA and T, at the sixth day, ICA (gastric gavage, 200 mg/kgday) for the ICA group and sterandryl (subcutaneous injection, 5 mg/ratday) for the T group for 7 consecutive days, respectively. The levels of serum testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), serum bone Gla-protein (BGP) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity in serum (StrACP) were determined. The histological changes of the testis and the penis were observed by microscope with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin-dUTP-X nick end labeling (TUNEL), respectively.

Results: (1) Icariin improved the condition of reproductive organs and increased the circulating levels of testosterone. (2) Icariin treatment also improved the steady-state serum BGP and might have promoted bone formation. At the same time, it decreased the serum levels of StrACP and might have reduced the bone resorption. (3) Icarrin suppressed the extent of apoptosis of penile cavernosal smooth muscle cells.

Conclusion: Icariin has testosterone mimetic properties and has therapeutic potential in the management of hypoandrogenism

"In the present study, we found that chronic treatment of chemically-induced hypoandrogenic male rats with icariin improved the condition of reproductive organs and increased the circulating level of testosterone. We also found that icariin suppressed the extent of apoptosis of penile cavernosal smooth muscle cells. It seems that icariin possesses testosterone-like activities. However, in the present study, there was no significant difference in serum levels of LH and FSH between ICA group and the others. It seems that icariin mainly affects the testis, but further study is required. BGP (also called osteocalcin) is the most abundant noncollagenous protein of the bone matrix. It is a small protein (6 000 Da), and is specifically synthesized by the bone-forming cells–the osteoblasts [24]. Studies comparing concentrations of BGP in serum with direct assessment of bone remodeling by iliac crest histomorphometry have shown that this protein is a specific marker of osteoblastic bone formation [25]. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) is a functional marker of osteoclasts [26]. Its activity is positively correlated with the activity of osteoclasts. TRAP can be produced by osteoclasts and secreted into the blood. So we can assess the activity of osteoclasts by determining the activity of TRAP in serum [27]. In the present study, we found that icariin treatment also improved the steady-state serum BGP and might have promoted bone formation. At the same time, it decreased the serum levels of StrACP and might have reduced bone resorption. Therefore, icariin treatment is beneficial to bone metabolism. In summary, icariin shows testosterone mimetic properties, and has therapeutic potential in the management of hypoandrogenism, which is encountered in most of the aging male population. Further experimental and
clinical work is required."

"icariin (40% purity momoside; Huacui Biotechnology, Xi’an, China) was administered through gastric gavage at a dose of 200 mg/kg·day for 7 consecutive days in the ICA group."

Table 2. Effect of icariin on reproduction endocrine function. Data were expressed as mean ± SD (n = 12).


C, control group; ICA, icariin group; M, model group; T, testosterone group.

Group Testosterone (ng/mL) LH (mIU/mL) FSH (mIU/mL)
M 0.7878 ± 0.4469 0.1517 ± 0.0407 0.1981 ± 0.0289
C 3.0141 ± 0.4131 0.1421 ± 0.0114 0.1901 ± 0.1724
ICA 10.9387 ± 2.0392 0.1326 ± 0.0125 0.1673 ± 0.0156
T 34.9649 ± 11.4220 0.1586 ± 0.0613 0.2582 ± 0.2937


***************Sorry the table is difficult to read guys. My formatting has taken a hit since I haven't been on the boards as much. Also me being lazy has increased, so I'm leaving it the way it is. If it isn't clear, Testosterone in the Icariin group was 10.9 vs. 3.01 in the control. This study did use a LARGE dose of 200mg/kg of 40% Icariin to elicit that response, but it is an interesting study nonetheless

[haiz69]

Icariin inhibits corticosterone-induced apoptosis in hypothalamic neurons via the PI3-K/Akt signaling pathway.
Zhang H, Liu B, Wu J, Xu C, Tao J, Duan X, Cao Y, Dong J.

Laboratory of Lung, Inflammation and Cancers, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, PR China.

Excessive corticosterone (CORT) is acknowledged to induce neuronal damage in a number of regions of the brain, particularly the hippocampus, the main area implicated in depression. However, little research has been conducted on alterations to hypothalamic neurons in depression and the cellular and molecular basis for these changes. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether CORT causes apoptosis in primary cultured hypothalamic neurons, and to investigate the protective effects of icariin, an active natural ingredient from the Chinese plant, Epimedium sagittatum Maxim. Our study demonstrates that exposure of hypothalamic neurons to CORT causes a significant loss in viability, a significant decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, an increase in caspase-3 activity, an elevation in intracellular reactive oxygen species elevation and decreased superoxide dismutase activity. However, pretreatment of cells with icariin prior to CORT exposure was identified to noticeably suppress these CORT-induced events. Furthermore, icariin may prevent CORT-induced cell death via activation of the PI3-K/Akt pathway. In conclusion, icariin is able to prevent CORT-induced hypothalamic cell apoptosis via activation of the PI3-K/Akt pathway.


Icariin delays homocysteine-induced endothelial cellular senescence involving activation of the PI3K/AKT-eNOS signaling pathway.

Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University , Shanghai , China.

Context: Homocysteine-induced endothelial cellular senescence may contribute to some cardiovascular disorders. Icariin (ICA), a flavonoid derived from Epimedium sagittatum Maxim. (Berberidaceae), has been reported to increase production of nitric oxide (NO) and reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Objective: To observe the effects of ICA on homocysteine-induced senescence and the underlying mechanisms in HUVECs. Materials and methods: ICA at concentrations of 0.1, 1, and 5 μM was added into homocysteine pretreated HUVECs. Cellular senescence was assayed by senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining and cumulative population doublings (CPDs). ICA (5 μM) was given orally to homocysteine-treated rats, luminal surface of aortic artery of rats was subjected to SA-β-gal staining. Protein expression was measured by western blot. Results: Homocysteine significantly increased cellular senescence both in vitro and in vivo. After treatment by ICA, the percentage of SA-β-gal-positive cells, and the ROS level significantly decreased. The CPDs were partially restored. ICA also significantly reduced the mean density of SA-β-gal staining in vivo. found that NO production and phosphorylation of AKT, ERK, and endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) were elevated by ICA in HUVECs. Furthermore, the increased level of NO production was fully abolished by the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor wortmannin. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) inhibitor PD98059, which can inhibit phosphorylation of ERK, did not show this ability. Discussion and conclusion: Our results indicate that ICA delays homocyteine-induced endothelial senescence in vitro and in vivo. Activation of PI3K/Akt-eNOS-dependent signaling pathway may be responsible for this efficacy of ICA.
PMID: 23336586 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher


*********This certainly isn't my area of expertise, but anytime you can blunt hemocysteine induced cell-damage, I am a fan. Also, Icariin should confer cardio-protective benefits by way of Akt-eNOS.




Healthy Bones? Icariin and its emerging role in the treatment of osteoporosis.

http://www.cmj.org/Periodical/PDF/201311839338570.pdf

Icariin accentuates osteoblast maturation. Icariin increases the activity of alkaline phosphatase and up regulates receptor activator of nuclear factor κ-B ligand (RANKL) expression thereby enhancing bone formation.2 It also affects the bone morphogenic protein-2 (BMP-2)/Smad4 pathway and thereby up regulates both BMP-2 and Smad4 expression leading to the formation of calcified nodules in bone tissue. In fact, icariin exhibits greater efficacy in increasing osteogenic differentiation in comparison to other natural flavonoids such as genistein.3 Besides the above mentioned effects, up regulation of osteoprogeterin is another of the effects of icariin. Knockout of osteoprogeterin has a negative impact on the anabolic activity of icariin.4 Icariin also has a dose dependent effect on differentiation of bone stem cells.5 Icariin also promotes bone genesis during distraction and can thus decrease the duration of distraction therapy.

Icariin also causes G2/M arrest in osteoclasts thus decreasing bone resoption and attenuates tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) expression by osteoclasts.6 Simultaneously, it has a negative impact on RANKL induced formation of osteoclasts in bone tissue. Icariin also promotes chondro-genesis and may thus have a role in cartilaginous engineering. Icariin up regulates Sox 9 and aggrecan expression and thereby enhances chondro-genesis when administered in high concentrations. It also increases collagen synthesis by chondrocytes and increases glycol-amino-glycan synthesis,7 as a result in promoting extracellular matrix synthesis.

The fact that icariin is not very expensive makes it an ideal candidate in bone regeneration. The above examples clearly illustrate that icariin is a potent drug and the coming few years may see its increased use as a drug to mitigate and treat osteoporosis in humans.


REFERENCES

1. Liu M, Zhong C, He RX, Chen LF. Icariin associated with exercise therapy is an effective treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis. Chin Med J 2012; 125: 1784-1789.
2. Liang W, Lin M, Li X, Li C, Gao B, Gan H, et al. Icariin promotes bone formation via the BMP-2/Smad4 signal transduction pathway in the hFOB 1.19 human osteoblastic cell line. Int J Mol Med 2012;
3. Ming LG, Chen KM, Xian CJ. Functions and action mechanisms of flavonoids genistein and icariin in regulating bone remodelling. J Cell Physiol 2012; in press.
4. Zheng D, Peng S, Yang SH, Shao ZW, Yang C, Feng Y, et al. The beneficial effect of Icariin on bone is diminished in osteoprotegerin-deficient mice. Bone 2012; 51: 85-92.
5. Fan JJ, Cao LG, Wu T, Wang DX, Jin D, Jiang S, et al. The dose-effect of icariin on the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human bone mesenchymal stem cells. Molecules 2011; 16: 10123-
6. Zhang DW, Zhang JC, Fong CC, Yao XS, Yang MS. Herba epimedii flavonoids suppress osteoclastic differentiation and bone resorption by inducing G2/M arrest and apoptosis. Biochimie 2012; 94: 2514-
7. Zhang L, Zhang X, Li KF, Li XD, Xiao YM, Fan YJ, et al. Icariin promotes extracellular matrix synthesis and gene expression of chondrocytes in vitro. Phytother Res 2012; Epub ahead of print.

[VaughnTrue]

Loving the in depth look at the ingredients a smart consumer grows faster than an uneducated one!

[haiz69]

Day 1

Okay folks. Since this is the first day of the log, I really won't start to rate everything yet. Today's dosing was more focused on the effects from the good ol' potassium nitrate. And effects there were. I took three capsules pre-workout instead of the full 4, in order to work up my dose of potassium nitrate.

Pumps - 9/10

For just being my first dose of the stuff, wow. Having not used a lot of nitrate products before, this one really took me by surprise. Even at three caps, my arms/shoulders were FULL. I for one am proud enough to admit I'm a bit vain and today stroked the ego a bit. I usually achieve a pretty decent pump by the 4-5th set of the workout, but after my warmup and a few sets of heavy military pressing + barbell curls I was already there. The pump also didn't seem to dissipate between sets, but rather just hung around to enjoy the party. Mind-Muscle connection was also enhanced. Weather it be from the pump, or just all in my head (as mind-muscle connection would imply), I definitely was able to focus on the muscle working. I also do my lifts like a turtle compared to others (just the eccentric, fast concentric), so that amplified the effect. I have got to say I'm impressed for just the first dose. Definitely a cool addition to the product.

Endurance - 9/10

Endurance was up from last week. Hard to know if it was nitrate induced or just from glycogen super-compensation/training adaption. Nice to have either way though.

Strength - N.A

Up from last week about 5 pounds on everything, but I'm not attributing it to the nitrate/Tropinol.

Body Composition - N.A

Mood/Energy/Agression - N.A


This will be it for day one. Day two should be fun.

[haiz69]

Loving the in depth look at the ingredients a smart consumer grows faster than an uneducated one!

As long as it's those myocytes growing and not those other pesky ones....

[SoftballNerd]

alrighty Im in....


btw....how was the Ravens' celebration parade yesterday?

[haiz69]

alrighty Im in....


btw....how was the Ravens' celebration parade yesterday?

Being a Patriots Fan, I stayed well clear of any parade. Though I heard 3 people were stabbed, so that sounds like Baltimore to me.

[PuZo]

In for Ravens Superbowl Champs!

[XCriticalBenchX]

jesus dude.. this is one hell of a log so far!

Mike

[UncleWade]

[center]Day 1

Okay folks. Since this is the first day of the log, I really won't start to rate everything yet. Today's dosing was more focused on the effects from the good ol' potassium nitrate. And effects there were. I took three capsules pre-workout instead of the full 4, in order to work up my dose of potassium nitrate.

Pumps - 9/10

For just being my first dose of the stuff, wow. Having not used a lot of nitrate products before, this one really took me by surprise. Even at three caps, my arms/shoulders were FULL. I for one am proud enough to admit I'm a bit vain and today stroked the ego a bit. I usually achieve a pretty decent pump by the 4-5th set of the workout, but after my warmup and a few sets of heavy military pressing + barbell curls I was already there. The pump also didn't seem to dissipate between sets, but rather just hung around to enjoy the party. Mind-Muscle connection was also enhanced. Weather it be from the pump, or just all in my head (as mind-muscle connection would imply), I definitely was able to focus on the muscle working. I also do my lifts like a turtle compared to others (just the eccentric, fast concentric), so that amplified the effect. I have got to say I'm impressed for just the first dose. Definitely a cool addition to the product.[/color]

I think one of the best things about Tropinol XP is that it will potentiate short- and long-term effects - that incredible pump from potassium nitrate from the first dose will be exciting for many, as will the gradual progression of their strength, libido, aggression, body composition, and everything else that will benefit from efficacious, cumulative doses of all the other ingredients.

[haiz69]

In for Ravens Superbowl Champs!

Who?

jesus dude.. this is one hell of a log so far!

Mike

Thank you man. Welcome to the madness.

I think one of the best things about Tropinol XP is that it will potentiate short- and long-term effects - that incredible pump from potassium nitrate from the first dose will be exciting for many, as will the gradual progression of their strength, libido, aggression, body composition, and everything else that will benefit from efficacious, cumulative doses of all the other ingredients.

Yeah, I really like the nitrate inclusion for a number of reasons. One of which, as you have said, is that it would provide som immediate benefits in the gym, which is something not seen right off with traditional (natural) test boosters or natural anabolics.

[nhampe]

Hampe checking in! Dude this log looks amazing! I'm mirin. Hope you are enjoying it like it am! Check mine out

[PuZo]

Who?



Thank you man. Welcome to the madness.



Yeah, I really like the nitrate inclusion for a number of reasons. One of which, as you have said, is that it would provide som immediate benefits in the gym, which is something not seen right off with traditional (natural) test boosters or natural anabolics.

Good first workout. Are you gonna stay with 3 for a few more workouts or are you gonna take the full 4 next time?

[IlliniTrack800m]

wow in on this log

keep doing it big man!

[haiz69]

Hampe checking in! Dude this log looks amazing! I'm mirin. Hope you are enjoying it like it am! Check mine out

Will do. Thanks for joining!

Good first workout. Are you gonna stay with 3 for a few more workouts or are you gonna take the full 4 next time?

Will go four with my next workout for sure.

wow in on this log

keep doing it big man!

Thanks, I certainly plan to.

[haiz69]

Day 2

I was crushed at both of my jobs today so no workout for me. I split the dose 2/2. Not much to note. I will be doing some HIIT early in the day. We shall see how nitrate effects my endurance.

Pumps - N.A

Endurance - N.A

Strength - N.A

Body Composition - N.A

Mood/Energy/Agression - N.A