December 29, 2000
Issue #27

EXTREME Q&A
by Jason Meuller


HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I hope all of you had a great Christmas.  In a few short days we’ll be beginning a New Year, which will hopefully be a time of fulfillment and accomplishment for all of us.  As I look back upon 2000, and look forward to 2001, I know I’m not alone in feeling excited about the prospects that await me.  I also know that I’m not the only one that’s made grandiose plans, probably most of you reading this have set your mind on achieving something big in the New Year. 

Tonight I trained at Gold’s Gym in Citrus Heights, CA. This particular gym is now partially owned by professional bodybuilder Mike Matarazzo, and I was fortunate enough to speak with him for a few minutes as he did the meet and greet to all incoming members.  As I stood next to Mike, taking in his size, I realized that the guy wasn’t any bigger than me.  By that I mean that my frame is comparable to his, I’m more than certain had we busted off our shirts that I’d quickly be embarrassed.  However, it dawned on me that I have within me the potential to achieve a level of development similar to his. 

We’ve all heard the saying that all men are created equal.  I gotta be honest with you guys, I think they came up with this little pearl of wisdom to make those riding the short bus to school feel better about themselves.  Bottom line, some of us are blessed more than others.  All too often, I think we spend too much time reflecting on the qualities we don’t have, rather than fully developing those that we do.  Hey, not every guy on the planet is going to be as good looking as Tom Cruise, have the intellect of  Stephen Hawking, or the body of  Mike Matarazzo.  However, as individuals, we all have special qualities and characteristics that make us unique.  The key to success in life is developing these qualities and characteristic to their full potential.

So what the hell does this have to do with bodybuilding?  Everything and nothing.  I’m sure most of you have set some kind of goal for your body in the upcoming year, whether it’s to add an inch to your arms or take 2 inches off your waist.  Shortly we’re all going to experience the rush of newbies, those that have made their New Year’s resolution to get into shape and make the mad dash to the gym.  Just as quickly as they arrive, they’ll disappear, falling back into their complacent lifestyle.  For most of these people, realizing their potential, at least in terms of physical development, is too monumental a task.  For the rest of us, the fight will go on. 

I define failure quite simply.  Failure is the unwillingness to continually work to reach one’s potential.  I’ve met garbage men I’d consider successful because they’ve realized their full potential.  I’ve also met individuals who reached a very high station in life that I’d consider failures because they could achieve so much more and have become complacent in life. There’s no crime in not being the best in the world at what you do, the crime is in not striving to be the very best YOU can be.  I’ve met more than my share fair of bodybuilders with great genetics who pay lip service to the principals of dedication and perseverance.  I’ve also met a few guys with horrible genetics who’ve been able to develop themselves to the absolute pinnacle of their potential.  Even if the guys with great genetics look better, who do you think is the winner in my book?  2001 is the year I really work to realize my potential in every aspect of my life.  I hope it is for all of you as well.
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ANOTHER SATISFIED CUSTOMER

Question: I just wanted to commend you on your great site.  I'm a 24 year-old biochemist in the Bay Area, who loves bodybuilding.  I've been on many sites over the past few years....T-mag, the UG, and various others.  But I've got to tell you bro, your site has given me the most information on the sport that I love.  I've never wrote any publication a thank you letter...but you guys deserve it.  All the subscriptions to Flex, Musclemag, and Muscle & Fitness could not give me the information I've received just this year on your site. Your site keeps me amped about working out and being the best and BIGGEST I can safely be.  I feel it should almost be a requirement to all would be juicers, hardcore trainers, or anyone living the life we do to read your articles. Because honestly, it is so refreshing to hear someone who can intelligently speak about bodybuilding. My only thought is that you should be more public.  Maybe some T-shirts, or a hard-copy subscription of your articles?  Because you guys need to be read by all who aim to take it to the next level. At my gym I work out at there are a handful of us that train balls to the wall, research our cycles, watch our diets, and suffer thru grueling workouts just because we love the journey and the rewards it brings.  All of us read your articles, and try to pass on your site as a reference to those who ask us questions.  In closing I just wanted to thank you and your staff for the great job your doing, and wish you all a happy, healthy, and GROWING new year.

Answer: First of all, let me say that it’s always nice to get positive feedback from someone who can count to 20 without having to remove their shoes.  I’ve noticed that more of the emails I’ve been receiving of late are from AE readers like this guy, people who help dispel the myth that all bodybuilders are morons.  That isn’t to say that those of you who’ve been around since the beginning aren’t smart, hey, just the fact that you’re still around makes you the smartest bodybuilders on the planet!  It’s just nice to know that more and more intelligent people are finding their way to AE and utilizing the information we present every week to further their gains.

Hey, did the rest of you catch the part where the writer says, “My only thought is that you should be more public.”?  Well, I couldn’t agree more.  Bottom line, there are a lot of people who would benefit from AE that are missing out because they’re not on the Net.  How any bodybuilder functions without a weekly dose of AE I don’t know, but apparently it’s happening.  So, I’ve been kicking around the idea of producing a print issue of the mag.  Yes, I know, we’ve talked about this before, but now there’s a little bit more money in the till and I can realistically see us producing a printed version of AE sometime next (or this as you’re reading it) year. 

Anyway, thanks for the email my friend, and keep reading AE!
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IS LIPOKINETIX SAFE?

Question:  I have read some articles on usnic acid on another website claiming that it is one of the most dangerous products available.  They’re making the claim that it will cause cancer in about 10 years. I understand that this site is a competitor of Syntrax’s but there seems to be a great deal of information to back it up. Could you please give me your thoughts on Lipokinetix and usnic acid and whether or not you feel it is safe to use??

Answer:  Well, before I go any further, please realize that I RARELY endorse any particular company or product.  However, I’ve made an exception to this rule with Lipokinetix, and I’m going to do it again.  I can honestly say that Lipokinetix is the best fat burning agent available OTC or by prescription, BAR NONE!  In fact, the only thing that works better then Lipokinetix is DNP.  Every single client I’ve ever trained that’s come to me with a desire to lose body fat has used this product with fantastic results.

You want my real feelings on the subject?  Well, I wouldn’t recommend Lipokinetix to my Mother.  Not because it’s going to give her cancer in 10 years, but because it has some side effects that she’d complain about for days on end.  You see, the average person wants great results and doesn’t want to see or feel anything expect fat magically melting away.  LipoK is one of a handful of supplements I’d classify as “hardcore”, meaning it’s a bit too extreme for the average Joe.  However, if you’re reading AE, I seriously doubt you’re the average Joe.  Yes, it can cause you to feel lethargic.  Yes, it can make you feel like not eating (which for some is good, since they are on a diet!).  However, we as bodybuilders can accept these side effects with a grin and a smile since we know the fat’s coming off!

I can site you study after study that shows that sodium usniate is perfectly safe.  And it doesn’t surprise me that some of Syntrax’s competitors are pulling out all the stops to bash the product, simply because it work so well.  Fat-burning products are one of the best sellers for any supplement company, and when one comes along that’s vastly superior to your own, what do you?  Well, in this ugly business, you bash the competing product as much as possible to keep your sales up.  I thank God every day that I’m not in the supplement biz, and this kind of propaganda about sodium usniate is just another example of why.  
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HALF-LIFE OF STEROIDS

Question:  I’m getting ready to start my first cycle and am trying to plan it out.  I know that different steroids have different lives in the body, but am not sure how long each one lasts, nor do I fully understand the significance of each steroids half-life.  Could you explain this to me and help me plan out my cycle?  I will be using Sustanon 250 and deca durabolin and don’t want to go above 1000 total mg of drug per week.

Answer:  I know that all this talk of a steroids half-life is confusing as hell.  Basically, a drugs half-life is the time it takes for half of the drug to be metabolized by the body.  For example, let’s say were talking about testosterone cypionate, which has a half-life of about 8 days.  That means that every 8 days, half of the amount you injected has been metabolized and inactivated.  So, if you take 100 mg, in 8 days your body will have broken down about 50 mg of the drug.  In another 8 days’ your body will have broken down 25 mg of the drug, then 12.5 mg and so on.  Pretty simple, right?  If only things were that easy.

Remember that most steroids have ester groups added to prolong their life in the body.  Your body cannot utilize testosterone cypionate, the ester group must be removed first.  All esterified steroids must first be reduced to their “parent” drug before they can start working in the body.  For any ester of testosterone, the parent drug would be…right, testosterone, for nandrolone decanoate it would be nandrolone.  A lot of bodybuilders who have knowledge of steroid half-lives mistakenly believe that if they inject 100 mg of cypionate, they’ve got roughly 100 mg of active steroid floating around in their blood for about 8 days before it is magically reduced to 50 mg of active steroid for another 8 days.  WRONG!  Remember, the cypionate group has to be removed before the drug is active, and as soon as it is, the life of the testosterone that’s left is very short.

Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about.  Let’s say you’re using Sustanon and deca together, and taking 500 mg of each per week.  Remember, Sustanon is a blend of four different testosterone esters and is designed to give a slow controlled release of testosterone over a 3-4 week period.  Below is a chart that shows how much total drug is in you system if you were to take 500 of each for 4 weeks.

Even more confusing, huh?  Well, when you’re using long-acting esters, the total amount of drug in your body will increase from week to week.  This also means that since you’ve got a higher total of the esterified steroid in your body, you’ve got a higher total of the parent drug working it’s magic on your androgen receptors. 

If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to calculate the half-life of various steroids, visit http://www.come.to/roidcalc.  It’s one of the more useful steroid websites I’ve come across lately, and will help you better understand the whole concept.  
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WHAT’S THE STORY WITH THE PROTEIN FACTORY?

Question:  I was on another board and I read your post about the Protein Factory.  I was dismayed to hear that their products were made using inferior ingredients because I had just placed an order for a large amount of weight gainer and protein powder.  Anyway, thanks for the heads-up, I guess I’ll have to stick to the stuff I can buy at GNC.

Answer: Hold on there a minute friend!!  I too saw the post you are referring to and I assure you that it was faker than a fitness model’s jugs.  It seems someone with an ax to grind with the Protein Factory decided to use my name to sully their reputation.  I suppose I should be flattered in a way, apparently someone out there thinks enough of me that they think they can damage their competition by making false allegations under the guise of Jason Meuller.  On the other hand, it’s very upsetting for me to see this happening, I haven’t worked for the past 18 months building a good name for myself so that someone can take advantage of it to further their own agenda,

Let me state that I unequivocally support the Protein Factory, they offer unparalleled quality and a service that is unique within the bodybuilding world.  No other company that I know of will compound products to your specifications.  Not only does this allow you to formulate powders that meet your specific needs, it also is a great way to obtain these powders much cheaper than you’d normally pay from a supplement retailer. 

This week marks the debut of Alex Rogers writing for AE.  Alex is the owner of the Protein Factory and is extremely knowledgeable about nutrition and sports supplementation.  And because Alex’s company allows you to compound your own product, he doesn’t have any kind of agenda to push.  Quite frankly, the guy makes money regardless of what kind of ingredients you use in your powder, so he has no vested interest in any one particular kind of protein or accessory supplement that’s going to affect his impartiality.  I’m a customer of the Protein Factory myself and can’t recommend the company enough.

Questions can be submitted to Jason Meuller and his email address, Jason@anabolicextreme.com.

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