So will Core Nutritionals Alpha really put hairs on your chest? Or is this vegetarian testosterone booster just the latest in a long line of products said to increase manliness but with very little evidence to back up the claims? We taken take an in-depth look at Core Nutritionals Alpha to find out more.
Core Nutritionals Alpha looks as if it may cause side effects. In addition there is no real evidence that this supplement will do a lot for your testosterone levels. Velvet Bean, the principle ingredient is known as a legal high ingredient rather than an aid to increase testosterone. Brassaiopsis Glomerulata is essentially unproven as an oestrogen suppressant and may cause side effects.
If you do want to increase your testosterone, getting more active, eating a healthy diet rich in shellfish and natural ingredients rather than junk processed food and getting plenty of sleep may help you. If you are already fit and healthy you should maybe question why you want to mess with your hormones anyway. This is a complex science and you should consult with your physician if you have any real concerns.
Potential side effects may include headaches, rapid or irregular heart beat, low blood pressure, decreased rate of bone maturation and growth, infertility, aggressive behaviour, and kidney failure/liver dysfunction.
1 x tub of 56 capsules (4 weeks supply) costs $65.24.
We are fairly unimpressed with Core Nutritionals Alpha. We can’t quite see what this supplement is supposed to do and in our opinion, messing with your hormones could be potentially quite dangerous. We cannot see this supplement turning you into an “Alpha male” if you are not like that already and there are health concerns about even attempting this. Hormonal imbalances are a common cause of various types of cancer but it is likely that this supplement probably won’t work in this way despite the advertising anyway.
The principle ingredient is the legal high alternative Velvet Bean and most of the other ingredients come with very little evidence they will increase testosterone. That is all except 7 Keto DHEA which might not do much either but will get you banned for doping in competitive sporting.
We would have liked to have seen more customer feedback for Core Nutritionals Alpha but maybe this lack of customer comment is not surprising. Core Nutritionals Alpha is a specialist supplement for a niche market so is not going to appeal to many people.
Finally the price. At $65.24 for a month’s supply, this supplement is very expensive and doesn’t really offer good value. It is an easy decision. In our opinion Core Nutritionals Alpha is just not good enough to recommend to anyone so we have no other option but to reject it.
Core Nutritionals Alpha Ultra-Potent Natural Hormone Optimizer, to give the supplement its full name, is supposed to increase testosterone levels in men. Sometimes female athletes want to increase testosterone too, but this product is strictly aimed at men only so female customers had best look elsewhere.
The supplement contains a range of so called testosterone boosting ingredients as well as ingredients to block female hormone oestrogen.
It contains Brassaiopsis glomerulata a shrub species that is according to some studies, a natural Aromatase inhibitor – which means that it blocks an enzyme in the body that makes the female hormone oestrogen. Aromatase Inhibitors are a class of drug used in medicine to treat breast cancer. Studies into Brassaiopsis glomerulata are only at a preliminary stage, so whether it is a natural oestrogen blocker is not yet proven however it is beginning to show up in bodybuilding and testosterone supplements like this one.
Other ingredients include 7-Keto DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone a substance made in the body (and manufactured synthetically) that is often taken to increase the thyroid function, and build lean muscle.
The supplement contains coleus Forksohli and Muncuna Pruriens two plant extracts believed to boost testosterone. It contains vitamin D and zinc, both necessary for health and wellbeing and both with some relevance to testosterone.
The final ingredient is N-Methyl-D-Aspartic Acid (NMDA) believed to improve the reproductive pathways, increase testosterone production and decrease oestrogen. The Core Nutritionals Alpha product information claims that this ingredient supports an optimal balance of hormones.
Take 2 capsules per day.
In truth the product information is confusing. With lots of scientific sounding explanations (pseudoscience?) and details that a trained endocrinologist (hormone doctor) would struggle to understand, we are getting the impression that we are being deliberately blinded by science.
However, the important thing to know about this supplement is that it is for men only and that it increases testosterone.
Core Nutritionals is a US company headed by husband and wife bodybuilding team Stephanie and Doug Miller. The company market a wide range of supplements to suit bodybuilding and fitness training as well as a range of apparel called “Crush It”. Core Nutritionals are looking for retailers worldwide and the products are on sale from a range of online supplement outlets, bodybuilding suppliers and similar.
The company looks reputable and are obviously specialists in the bodybuilding field. We have not picked up on any associated scam issues. The company seem safe and reliable to buy from although supplements are probably too hardcore bodybuilder for most people, Core Nutritionals is a sponsor in bodybuilding competitions including the Yorton Cup, an International Federation of Physique Athletes (IFPA) World competition.
According to the rather wordy product information:
Core ALPHA is an all-natural, innovative product featuring ingredients backed by numerous clinical studies. Core ALPHA’s ingredients are not only all-natural and powerful, but are also DSHEA compliant – providing a range of ingredients to support healthy hormone function and balance. (The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 “DSHEA”, is a 1994 statute of United States Federal legislation which defines and regulates dietary supplements).
As with all Core Nutritionals’ products, Core ALPHA’s ingredients are included in a non-proprietary blend featuring clinical servings, so you know exactly what you are supplementing.
This all sounds reassuring but there is no explanation about why you should bother taking this supplement. The advantages are not explained and although the product information mentions that this supplement will “optimise your gains” there is no further explanation on this point.
The numerous clinical studies are not named either.
We are concerned about the talk of “balancing your hormone levels”.
Surely if you work out and are healthy, your hormone levels are probably balanced already and if you do have any issues, a specialist doctor via your own doctor is the way to go. Not an OTC supplement like this.
We cannot see how or why this supplement should work very well. In addition if you take part in competitive sporting, the inclusion of 7 Keto DHEA may see you failing a doping test and getting banned.
Core Nutritionals Alpha contains unproven ingredients true, but even the whole premise of this supplement is dodgy. Increasing your testosterone and attempting to remove oestrogen is an over simplistic view of manliness. Both genders have testosterone and oestrogen hormones and the hormonal balance is precisely defined and measured in your body. Unless you have a medical problem and many types of cancers are caused by hormonal imbalances, you should leave this well alone.
That said, there is nothing wrong in trying to increase testosterone by taking some healthy steps. Healthy men usually have healthy levels of testosterone – it appears to be a marker for general health levels in men. This means that increasing activity levels, getting plenty of sleep and improving your diet, especially eating more shellfish and fresh vegetables is good for health and for your testosterone.
But taking a supplement to beef up testosterone levels is not the same and more likely to cause adverse effects than benefits.
http://www.livestrong.com/how-to-naturally-increase-testosterone-in-men/
Core Nutritionals Alpha is a supplement that comes with the claims that it will boost your testosterone levels. Serving size is equal to two capsules.
Although there are no warnings provided by Core Nutritionals, this does not mean that Alpha is safe.
Potential side effects may include:
The product information advises that this product is not recommended for women.
Caution:
Not suitable for individuals under 18. Avoid if you are pregnant or breast feeding (standard advice). Speak to your doctor first if you have an underlying medical condition or are taking prescription medication. Discontinue use if you notice any adverse effects and see your doctor. If you are worried about your hormone levels, speak to your physician.
We have been unable to find any independent customer reviews for Alpha. We have found a few customer comments on the various sales outlets but we cannot guarantee that they are genuine.
Here is one positive comment:
My bedroom animal instinct came back and I spent more time in the gym being more productive than usual.
Another customer reported:
Best supplement on the market. Lean gains all the way
Core Nutritionals Alpha is not covered by a money back guarantee.
Core Nutritionals Alpha is not easily available from the shops and stores, although it may be stocked by some specialist outlets. The easiest way is to buy online.
You can buy it direct from the Core Nutritionals website.
1 x tub of 56 capsules (4 weeks supply) costs $65.24.
Shipping costs are applied at the point of sale. There is no information about delivery charges.
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Disclaimer: Our reviews and investigations are based on extensive research from the information publicly available to us and consumers at the time of first publishing the post. Information is based on our personal opinion and whilst we endeavour to ensure information is up-to-date, manufacturers do from time to time change their products and future research may disagree with our findings. If you feel any of the information is inaccurate, please contact us and we will review the information provided.
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