LG Sciences’ Methyl 1-D: Does Methyl 1-D Work?
Note: LG Sciences has discontinued Methyl-1D, and replaced it with “M1D-Andro.”
“Despite the ban, we’ve still found a way to make muscle magic with the ONLY real PROHORMONE still available today – METHYL 1-D™…Methyl 1-D™ is the real thing, and it does everything you expect from a prohormone…”
But, but, but…prohormones are illegal.
As Paul notes in his article on the subject, prohormones have been banned in the US since January 2005…
The “legal loophole” that allowed these products to be sold legally on the market in the U.S. has been closed as of January 2005! In other words, if you are thinking about using any of the aforementioned products, you are considering the use of an illegal steroid (I’m not standing in moral judgment here — I just feel its important you recognize the legal status of these products).
As it turns out, this is almost correct. One prohormone was exempted from the ban: DHEA. DHEA stands for dehydroepiandosterone, a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands. The exemption was intentional, as DHEA has therapeutic uses and is an unlikely candidate for abuse, as research has demonstrated that it’s not much of a muscle-builder. Although DHEA can be converted to testosterone in the body, it’s not a primary source of the hormone in men.
So what does DHEA have to do with Methyl 1-D? It’s not even listed as one of the ingredients!
Anabolic Agent 85mg
3-Beta-Hydroxyetioallocholan-5-Ene-17-OneEstrogen Control Complex 4mg
1,4,6 Etioallocholan-DioneMetabolism Complex 225mg
Quercetin
Beta Sitosterol
Milk Thistle
Ellagic Acid
Piperine
Zinc Aspartate
3-Alpha, 7-Alpha-Dihydroxy-5-Beta-Cholanic Acid
Au contraire, mon ami. Look again—it’s hiding in plain sight…
It’s the “Anabolic Agent,” 3-Beta-Hydroxyetioallocholan-5-Ene-17-One. LG Sciences is simply using a non-standard, chemical name for it.
Using chemical names for familiar ingredients is a sneaky tactic some companies use to make their supplements seem far more high-tech and cutting edge than they really are. Using obscure terms takes the confusion to a higher level: unless you have some background in organic chemistry, you won’t be able to figure it out.
DHEA certainly fits the description of “…the ONLY real PROHORMONE still available today,” but will it give you “extreme gains in strength and size” or “skyrocketing testosterone levels” as suggested in ads for Methyl 1-D?
Not likely. Even in large doses, these effects have never been demonstrated.
The dietary supplements androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, and androstenediol are precursors in the endogenous production of testosterone. The efficacy and safety of these prohormones are not well established but are promoted to have the same androgenic effects on building muscle mass and strength as anabolic-androgenic steroids. Studies have demonstrated repeatedly that acute and long-term administration of these oral testosterone precursors does not effectively increase serum testosterone levels and fails to produce any significant changes in lean body mass, muscle strength, or performance improvement compared with placebo (Pediatr Clin North Am. 2007 Aug;54(4):787-96).
Of course, DHEA is not the only ingredient in Methyl 1-D, so let’s take a look at the others…
1,4,6 Etioallocholan-dione (“Estrogen Control Complex”) also goes by another name: ATD (1,4,6-androstatriene-3,17-dione). ATD is an aromatase inhibitor (AI).
By blocking the enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen, AIs can prevent some of the side effects associated with prohormone and steroid use (gyno, water retention, etc.).
It’s an effective inhibitor—at least in animal and cell culture studies.
Unfortunately, we have very little information on its effects in humans. Even the animal studies raise questions, as the ones I looked at did not administer ATD orally. How much is degraded during “first pass” metabolism in the liver? What’s an optimal dose for humans? There are no good answers yet.
Is there any point to including an AI in Methyl 1-D if DHEA doesn’t really increase testosterone? Sure—aromatase inhibitors can also be used to increase the body’s own testosterone production.
While we have no reliable human data for ATD itself, there’s plenty of info for prescription AIs, such as anastrozole, and even for over-the-counter AIs sold as supplements, such as Novedex XT and 6-OXO. Thus, assuming the dose of ATD is adequate, Methyl-1D could effectively boost testosterone despite the lack of a true “anabolic agent.”
There’s only one problem…Yes, AIs increase testosterone, but the increases are well within normal limits. AIs don’t elevate natural testosterone to the supraphysiological levels seen with (now banned) prohormones and anabolic steroids. Over-the-counter AIs were originally developed to help restore normal testosterone production after a prohormone cycle (“post cycle therapy” or PCT).
As stand-alone test boosters, they’re not that great. I’ve yet to hear from anyone who feels they’ve made significant improvements in strength or body composition solely from using an over-the-counter AI supplement. At this point, there’s no reason to expect ATD to be any different.
The “Metabolism Complex” is an interesting blend of ingredients. Paul has several informative articles on Quercetin, Milk Thistle, and Zinc here on the site. All three are useful and potentially healthful compounds. Among other benefits, quercetin may inhibit certain mechanisms (sulfation and glucuronidation) used by the body to eliminate testosterone and other hormones/compounds. Milk thistle exerts protective effects on the liver, and zinc supports normal testosterone production.
LG Sciences insists that ellagic acid—another antioxidant found in certain fruits and vegetables—also helps control estrogen at the cell receptor level.
But the effects of ellagic acid on estrogen receptor binding has been demonstrated only in cell cultures—not on ellagic acid that’s been consumed and metabolized in the human body.
Likewise, beta-sitosterol may have some ability to reduce the conversion of testosterone into another metabolite, DHT, but there is only limited data in humans, based on the treatment of BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia).
The last two ingredients in the Metabolism Complex are piperine and 3-Alpha, 7-Alpha-Dihydroxy-5-Beta-Cholanic Acid (3,7-D5-BCA).
Piperine is a common supplement ingredient that is used to increase absorption of the compounds its consumed with. 3,7-D5-BCA is a bile acid, also known as chenodeoxycholate. Bile acids are natural emulsifiers used by the body to help digest and absorb fats. LG Sciences claims 3,7-D5-BCA increases fat burning and insulin sensitivity, but I could not find any supporting evidence.
It’s safe to say that most of the ingredients in the Metabolism Complex are worth taking for health reasons. The claims for anabolic support, however, are based on speculation. All that can really be said at this point is that they can’t hurt, and might help.
All told, Methyl 1-D could provide a modest testosterone increase (mostly due to the ATD), as well as some basic health benefits from the “Metabolism Complex.” As a successor to now banned prohormones such as 1-AD or M1T, however, Methyl 1-D looks like pretty tame stuff.
