March 09, 2001
Issue # 37

Supplementing the Extreme!
by Derek Cornelius

Question:  I am a 32 year old certified fitness trainer that keeps in top physical conditioning.  I usually train a minimum of 20 clients per week.  I am always amazed at how little knowledge the average person that goes to the gym really has.  You would think that someone who goes to the gym and spends their hard earned time and money would do a little investigating and reading so that they could maximize their workouts.  I guess it is easier and better for many people to just hire someone like myself to show them what to do.  This is just a pet peeve but all in all I can’t complain because without these people I would not have a job.  Besides showing these people how to train, I also give them advice on the type of food that they should be eating as well as proper supplementation.  I pretty much follow everything you say and have seen some really great results using the compounds that you have developed.  Probably the most requested and needed supplements are fat burners or weight loss agents.  I am a firm believer in 1R,2S Norephedrine.  I have heard disturbing rumors of this supplement not being available much longer.  I would very much appreciate it if you could comment on the availability status of this supplement.  You also have mentioned in the past some new fat loss agents that you have been working on.  Could you please give us some insight  into these?

Answer:  It really sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders and understand your clients well.  I am glad that you are taking such an interest in being the most knowledgeable fitness trainer that you can be.  We need more trainers like you.  I have talked to quite a few trainers at various gyms that really do not have a clue what they are doing.  They took a few classes and read a few magazines and consider themselves experts.  I am glad that you are not like this.

It’s no surprise that we live in a society that is overweight—and I am not talking about having too much muscle.  Nearly everyone that I know would like to become leaner.  It is for this reason that weight loss agents and fat burners will always be some of top selling and most desired supplements.  I have to admit that one of my greatest discoveries was 1R,2S Norephedrine HCl.  It burns fat better than Ephedrine without the undesirable side effects like the jitters.  Unfortunately, as of late, the raw material has been in terribly short supply and I honestly don’t see this changing any time soon.  In the next several months you will probably see all of the Norephedrine products on the market being either discontinued or reformulated.  This really is a tragedy and I wish it were not so.  I am working on several other alternatives but I hate to say that they probably won’t be as good.  In the meantime, if you like one of these Norephedrine products, make sure you buy up a large supply.

Every time someone asks me about new supplements I am reluctant to give out too much information.  However, this time I am ready!  As you know, I introduced and popularized the rather new fat loss agent Coleonol/Forskolin.  This is a very novel compound that increases the amount of the enzyme adenylate cyclase which in turn increases the amount of Cyclic AMP.  Cyclic AMP is linked to the core of lipolysis and fat loss.  Increase Cyclic AMP and you increase fat loss.  Let me give you a little more insight in to this.  Ephedrine-based (including Norephedrine) fat burners work mainly through the adrenergic (adrenaline) system—especially through one of its receptors called the beta adrenergic receptor.  When this receptor is activated, it increases adenylate cyclase.  Has the light come on yet?  Forskolin ultimately does the same thing as beta adrenergic agonists but without messing with the adrenergic system or its receptors.  With Forskolin, you will notice a good leaning effect but without the stimulation that ephedrine-based products give you.  I have been studying Forskolin now for several years and have looked into other compounds to vastly increase its effectiveness.  Forskolin works good but if you know me you’ll know that I don’t settle for good…I only settle for the best.  Thus, I have been looking for ways to create the very best non-stimulant fat burner. 

I have found three compounds that act synergistically with the Forskolin and create an incredible fat burning environment.  The first compound I want to introduce you to is Bergenin.  This amazing compound has been shown to increase adrenergic stimulated lipolysis and decrease insulin stimulated lipogenesis.  This is truly amazing!  It halts one of the main ways your body increases adipose tissue while simultaneously making more effective one of your body’s processes of increasing your metabolism and burning fat mass.  The great thing is that Bergenin is incredibly safe and has even been shown to be a potent liver protectant.  One of the reasons that I am so excited about Bergenin is that it not only works great by itself and with Forskolin but that it potentiates the effects of adrenergic type fat burners with ephedrine-based alkaloids.  This means it makes stimulant based fat burners work better! 

Another compound that I have worked extensively on is pure pharmaceutical grade Synephrine Tartrate.  Some of you will notice that this is the active compound in all of those Citrus Aurantium based fat burners on the market.  Yes, it does work for fat burning; however, if anyone has compared the effects of pure Ephedrine HCl to Ephedra herb then you will know that there is little comparison between the pure pharmaceutical hydrochloride derivative and its herbal equivalent.  Really, the issue comes down to absorption and bioavailability.  The herbal based formulations are slow and inefficiently absorbed and much of the compound may not be ultimately bioavailable.  I have worked extensively on Synephrine Tartrate and have found it to be vastly superior to its herbal equivalent.

There’s a final compound that I have been working on but I don’t want to give out all of my secrets so you will have to wait about 6 weeks to see and experience everything. 

Question:  ZMA is such a popular supplement for bodybuilding right now.  To me it seems like a hoax but every magazine and supplement advertisement says it’s the best.  What’s the scoop?

Answer:  First there was chromium, then there was boron, now there is magnesium and zinc.  Give me a break!  It always amazes me how the supplement industry can take something ineffective and turn it into the next miracle.  People, don’t waste your money on this stuff…it won’t build muscle or make you stronger.  If you think you have a mineral deficiency then go out and buy a good multimineral for half the price.  Think people, think!

Question:  I’ve noticed a lot of products on the market now containing compounds called ecdysterones.  I’ve also noticed a huge difference in dosages ranging from as little as 10mg to 200mg.  Also, what’s with all the different names for these compounds?  I am very confused.  Is more better and why is there such a huge difference in dosages and names?   How effective is this compound?

Answer:  Yes, there are a lot of products in the sports nutrition market that contain ecdysterones.  Isoinokosterone, 20-Hydroxyecdysterone, beta-ecdysone and ecdysterones are all pretty much different names for the same thing.  20-Hydroxyecdysterone is a polyhydroxylated sterolic invertebrate growth hormone.  They are also present in plants.  The reason for the sudden surge of ecdysterone products to the market is because they are extremely effective compounds with over forty years of research.  In fact this may be the biggest breakthrough in the sports nutrition market since creatine!  My only concern is the plethora of under dosed ecdysterone products on the market. The raw material for Isoinokosterone or 20-Hydroxyecdysterone is very expensive.  Most supplement companies only care about their profit margins and not the results of the end user.  They survive off all of the marketing hype to keep their products moving.  That is why you see such low dosed formulas on the market with this compound.  Make no mistake, ecdysterones are truly remarkable in many ways.  However, research shows that the minimum effective dosage per day of 20-Hydroxyecdysterone is 500mg.  If you follow label recommendations for one of the lower dosed formulas on the market you probably won’t notice much and for them to be effective you may have to ingest over 30 capsules per day!  However at 500mg a day or more you may experience truly remarkable results.  Nearly forty years ago scientist in Japan and Russia began studying this amazing compound.  Research shows this to be a very powerful non-hormonal anabolic compound!  20-Hydroxyecdysterone is believed to elicit its potent body transforming effects by increasing nitrogen retention, ultimately leading to rapid protein synthesis and muscle growth.  It has even been shown to be as effective as the powerful anabolic steroid Dianabol for increasing strength and protein synthesis with absolutely no side effects (although I will admit that it won’t elicit the same results as Dianabol).  Research also shows that in humans and other animals Isoinokosterone/20-Hydroxyecdysterone drastically increases lean body mass and endurance, decreases blood sugar levels and adipose tissue, and improves nearly every bodily process including liver and brain function.  Results with Isoinokosterone/20-Hydroxyecdysterone can be seen in as little as 10 days!  For best results consume this amazing compound with a protein rich meal.

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