Methoxyisoflavone is an anabolic steroid and derivative of ipriflavone, a substance which has been used to treat osteoporosis. Ipriflavone is one of many different isoflavones; naturally occurring, hormonally-active substances found in soy and other foods. As a therapy for certain medical conditions, methoxyisoflavone has no useful application. It is most often marketed as a bodybuilding supplement that allegedly helps increase muscle mass.
Makers of methoxyisoflavone supplements claim not only that it helps to increase muscle mass in human beings, but that it's also used by cattle ranchers to increase the size of their animals. In fact, believe in the cattle application is so widespread that many supplement makers use it as a selling point in their marketing. Unfortunately, there is absolutely no evidence to suggest this is true.
Methoxyisoflavone weight training supplements can be found both online and at brick-and-mortar retailers that sell bodybuilding equipment and supplies. Some of the more well-known brand names include SciFit, IsoStack, and Dymatize. A typical bottle contains 60-120 capsules and can cost between $20 and $30. Many manufacturers combine methoxyisoflavone with ipriflavone under the guise that stacking the two provides greater bodybuilding potential without the negative side effects of some other anabolic steroids.
Not all types of physical activity are suitable for everyone. Users take training advice at their own personal risk.
Methoxyisoflavone Benefits As a bodybuilding supplement, proponents of methoxyisoflavone claim the substance encourages the production of other hormones, including testosterone. Increased testosterone levels aid the body's recovery after exercise as well as the building of muscle tissue. T... more
As a bodybuilding supplement, proponents of methoxyisoflavone claim the substance encourages the production of other hormones, including testosterone. Increased testosterone levels aid the body's recovery after exercise as well as the building of muscle tissue. This is why men tend to be of a more muscular build than women. If true, it would seem that regular usage of methoxyisoflavone as part of an exercise program could help bodybuilders increase muscle mass at much greater rate than those who did not use it.
The difficulty in discerning whether or not this is a substance bodybuilders should use lies in the alarming lack of testing. The substance was first discovered by a Hungarian pharmaceutical firm in the 1970s. Based upon their research, U.S. patents were sought for and awarded, and the supplement made it to the market. Unfortunately, the results of the Hungarian study were never peer-reviewed, critically researched, or published in any reputable medical journal.
Only one comprehensive American study has been conducted on the effects of methoxyisoflavone as a bodybuilding agent since the patents were issued. The study was published only as a supplemental article to a nationally known medical journal. Yet, supplemental articles are published by medical journals as separate periodicals designed to earn extra income. Such supplemental studies do not undergo the same scrutiny as those published in the main journal, and are often not peer-reviewed or held to critical analysis. Such is the case with the methoxyisoflavone study.
At the end of the day, the only proof that methoxyisoflavone has any effect on building muscle mass comes in lab tests with animals. It is undeniable that this hormone does increase muscle mass in animals in the lab. However, there is no evidence to suggest that the human body reacts the same way and achieves the same result. Until such clinical evidence is produced and peer-reviewed, whether or not methoxyisoflavone is a suitable bodybuilding supplement remains largely the choice of the user. Other supplements like creatine are more widely regarded and trusted.
Because no comprehensive, scientific testing has been done on methoxyisoflavone, it's impossible to say what the side effects clearly are. However, anabolic steroids generally increase not only testosterone levels, but also the levels of other hormones in the body. Historically, anabolic steroids have caused a size increase in some non-muscle tissues as well as increased risk of hypertension, unexplained aggression, kidney and liver problems, heart issues, and more.
Altering natural hormone levels is always risky business regardless of what the manufacturers of nutritional supplements claim. Hormones play a critical role in regulating all the body's functions and should not be taken lightly. Be careful in assuming the claims of no side effects by methoxyisoflavone manufacturers. The fact is, any time you alter natural hormone levels you run the risk of causing serious side effects.
Some of the less-serious side effects linked to anabolic steroids include increased acne and a decrease in the levels of good cholesterol (HDL). In men, anabolic steroids have been linked to male pattern baldness and an enlarged prostate.
Used as a bodybuilding supplement, most methoxyisoflavone manufacturers recommend 400-800 mg per day. Unlike many other bodybuilding supplements which are taken just prior to exercise, methoxyisoflavone is taken in a split dosage twice per day. Consumers who wish to add ipriflavone will normally take 250-1250 mg in a split dosage twice per day. For obvious reasons, users should never exceed the maximum dosage printed on packaging materials.
Find out more about many different supplements on the nutrition page. Or go straight to the free supplement finder to compare and locate the one you want now!
Acne |
High Blood Pressure |
Heart Problems |
Kidney Problems |
Liver Problems |
Unexplained Aggression |
Increase Testosterone Level |
Muscle Mass |
Muscle Recovery |