Written by Bruce Kneller
08 April 2007
Many of you are aware that several years ago I was working on a supplement idea that I called "Euphoria." This was to be an herbal, all-natural supplement that would induce happiness and/or reduce anxiety in the user.  Although I "beta" tested over 30 compounds, none really stood out as worth the effort, or in some cases, worth the regulatory headaches and the wrath of the FDA or DEA. I've found quite a number of all-natural herbs that contain compounds that are orally active and bind to the opioid receptors (or more   accurately, the mu opioid receptor). The reason I have elected not to pursue such "goodies" is that I am bearing witness to a fierce witch hunt with regard to federal agencies that are "freaking out" over prohormones/prosteroids that are "too close to the real thing."
 
I can only imagine what they'd do to me if I tried to launch "Kneller's All- Natural Herbal Heroin" or something to that effect. However, there is a chemical- and a company marketing it- that can reduce anxiety, cause mild elevation in mood and perhaps induce sleep. The guy bringing this product to us is Caleb Stone (aka Par Deus) through his company Avant Labs (www.avantlabs.com) and the supplement is called Tranquil-G. Caleb and I have a little "history" together and I'm pretty sure he doesn't care for me, although I don't have a problem with him personally, per se. (I do have a strong dislike for gopher-lackey-assistant-Internet spamming cheerleader, Dante Battista). Regardless, if the product is a good one and it's useful, I'm going to tell you about here, personal squabbles notwithstanding.
I'm really not sure if Caleb is still manufacturing Tranquil-G at this point, but you can easily find it for sale on the Internet. Basically, Tranquil-G is merely 4-pentanolide, which is just a fancy name for gamma-valerolactone (GVL).  Upon oral ingestion, GVL is metabolized via a lactonase enzyme to 4-methyl-GHB, which on paper is more potent than GHB, but in practice (in humans, anyhow) GHB is far more potent. GVL seems to have an "upper limit" whereby ingesting more will not "relax you further." GVL is naturally occurring, as it is found in beef, beer, cocoa, coffee, mushrooms, peaches, peanuts, wheat bread, heated butter and honey. It is also on the FDA's "Generally Regarded as Safe" list.

In all honesty, the stuff (it is a liquid) tastes like ass- you're going to have to mix a teaspoon of it into something that will kill the taste- grapefruit juice works best in my opinion. (Take it with 16 ounces of grapefruit juice and then wait for anxiety and tension to melt out your feet! As tempting as it may sound, I would not suggest mixing a serving of Tranquil-G into, say, a frozen Margarita (or any other liquid containing ethyl alcohol for that matter).


What a Big Dick!
Although I have been accused by many of "being a big dick," I can't say any woman has ever accused me of being "having a big dick."  In all honesty, if I had a foot-long schlong, this column would not exist and you'd probably find me (and my "equipment") stuffing the various orifices of many of the hot, adult entertainment babes (Jenna Jameson comes to mind) appearing on your DVD player and computer screen. Unfortunately, I am "blessed" with a pecker that would make the Keebler Elves laugh in hysterics. But even if I had the dick of say, Lexington Steele, would it be "enough?" Is it ever enough? The answer for me (and I suspect most men out there) is "no fucking way." What guy doesn't want a longer and/or thicker unit, even if it's already as long as a majorette's baton and as thick as a corn muffin?

Well, it appears that now you can have "more" (at least in the thickness department) with a new supplement. According to an article appearing in The Journal of Urology (2000 Jun;163(6):1975-80) entitled, "Effect of the plant-extract osthole on the relaxation of rabbit corpus cavernosum tissue in vitro," a naturally occurring compound called "osthole," which is a coumarin analog found in the plant Cnidium monnier (long used in China as an herbal medicine to improve male sexual dysfunction), possesses a relaxant effect on rabbit corpus cavernosal tissues. (Basically, it allows more blood to flow into bunny peckers, which theoretically results in a "thicker unit").

The study demonstrates that this plant extract works by increasing the release of nitric oxide from sinusoidal endothelium and by the potentiation of the cGMP and/or cAMP signal mediating relaxation of cavernosal smooth muscle by inhibiting phosphodiesterase. (Basically, this makes this an herbal version of Viagra). If the name "Cnidium monnier" sounds vaguely familiar, it's probably because this herb is found in a heavily promoted product called Stamina-Rx, which bills itself as an herbal alternative to Viagra.  I purchased a bottle of Stamina-Rx at an "adult entertainment" store in Indianapolis called Priscilla's. What I found was that 30-45 minutes after ingesting Stamina-Rx, my unit was "substantially thicker," to the tune of about a 25-30 percent increase in girth. (If anyone asks me how I know this, I will probably reply with a smart-alecky remark like "I used your mother's/sister's lips as my measuring device." (So don't ask, OK?). So what? What the flying fuck does this shit have to do with bodybuilding/weight training? Glad you asked!
One of the other "effects" of Stamina-Rx was that is substantially increased the "pump" I could attain while working out. In fact, I'd have to say that Stamina-Rx is actually significantly better at increasing muscular "pump" intra- and post-workout than many of the "nitric hemodilatory" supplements currently being sold that contain arginine derivatives. In fact, Stamina-Rx gave me a temporary, 1/4-inch greater increase in arm girth post-workout over a very popular "nitric" supplement product. So, if you're looking for a pump- penile or pectoral- you might want to give Stamina-Rx (or other supplements containing Cnidium monnier) a try over some of the arginine-type hemodilatories currently being sold.

Additionally, I've found that adding three other common supplement ingredients to Stamina-Rx greatly increases its vasodilating/pump effects.  Since I have no shame and admit to being somewhat of a supplement whore when it so suits me, I will pimp this idea here for the "Ultimate Hemodilatory/Vasodilatory Supplement." If you're a supplement company with big bucks that's willing to sign a non-disclosure agreement with me, and you're interested in developing such a supplement as I have described, drop me an e-mail and include your name and contact information and perhaps, "we'll talk." (Obviously, one of the ingredients is Cnidium monnier, but it's the other three that truly make my idea special/unique). Hey, it's worth a shot guys, right?

Anyhow, for the time being, Stamina-Rx is where I would go to for "the biggest pump." Of note, if you are on "blood thinning" medications like Coumadin (warfarin sodium), Heparin, Trental (pentoxifylline), or even aspirin because you had a stroke or heart attack, you absolutely want to avoid any supplement containing Cnidium monnier unless you clear such use with your health care provider. That's because the active ingredient in the herb is coumarin, which is a well-known blood thinner.

Eye on the Scene
Recently, for some reason unknown to me, various versions of "Dianabol" have been popping up with increasing frequency at gyms around the country. In the last few months, "Dianabol" (chemical name  methandrostenelone) has replaced Anavar (oxandrolone) as the oral steroid I am most frequently asked about. So, I thought I would take a few minutes to briefly discuss what is undoubtedly one of the most popular oral steroids of all time. For some of you, this may be a good review, while others might truly find this to be novel information. Regardless, if you're thinking of using "Dianabol," I hope you find this information valuable and educational.

Most users of methandrostenolone (Dianabol) find it to be one of the best strength- and size-building oral steroids bar none (with the exception of perhaps Anadrol-50 for some folks). Because of this reputation, one might expect that methandrostenelone binds tightly to the AR (anabolic receptor). In actuality, just the opposite is true, as methandrostenelone actually has poor AR binding characteristics. Medicinal chemistry wizard and supplementeur extraordinaire Bill Roberts was one the first people to conclude (and I agree fully) that Dianabol's incredible effects have to come from some non-AR-mediated mechanism.

Bill has developed a system by which he divides steroids into two classes. Those that bind well to the AR are Class I and those that do not are Class II. I'm not a fan of this system, as I feel it oversimplifies the characteristics of how steroids probably work, but for those who are non-chemically inclined this is a fantastic way to keep track of what stacks well with what. Bill would undoubtedly rate Dianabol as a Class II steroid. Since it's not very effective in binding (and thus, activating) the AR, it probably is a good idea to stack Dianabol with a steroid that is good at good at binding to the AR (such as trenbolone, or perhaps nandrolone). I'd prefer a trenbolone/methandrostenelone stack over a nandrolone/methandrostenelone stack, as methandrostenelone aromatizes- more on that in a moment- and nandrolone tends to depress libido a whole lot more than trenbolone). Dianabol is also well known as a "mood enhancing" steroid; most users feel good, if not downright euphoric, while cycling on it. This neuro-psychological effect may also be related to it's efficacy.   

Methandrostenolone metabolizes to estradiol via an aromatase enzyme. The degree of this metabolism may be reduced or entirely blocked by the concomitant use of anastrazole, or by the use of Ergopharm's 6-OXO. Or, if the metabolism to estradiol is allowed, Nolvadex (tamoxifen), Evista (raloxifene) or Clomid (clomiphene) may be used to inhibit the estrogenic effects through competitive binding at the ER (estrogen receptor). Some people feel that having a little bit of estrogenic conversion is a good thing with regard to gaining muscle size, however, I am not one of these people). Common dosing of Dianabol is 50 milligrams per day as a stand-alone drug and perhaps 25-50 milligrams per day if stacked with something else. (A tremendously effective and relatively inexpensive stack is 50 milligrams of Dianabol per day with 50 milligrams of trenbolone acetate per day, with the anti-estrogen of your choice).
  
Dianabol is 17-alpha-methylated and may cause a transient, use-related rise in liver transaminase levels. A smart user would consider using hepato-protectants such as silymarin and N-acetyl-L-cysteine with Dianabol.  I'd also suggest (as with any steroid) using a good antioxidant formula, such as Syntrax's RADOX. The original Dianabol (made by CIBA in the USA) was made in five-milligram tablets, but production was halted in 1982. All generic versions cleared the market in the States by 1986, so there are no longer any American- made Dianabol products. Chemically, Dianabol is basically "methylated boldenone" (C17a-methyl), however its muscle-building effects and side effect profile are completely different than that of Equipoise (boldenone), which is a popular injectable steroid most well known for increasing appetite and causing similar mass gains to that of nandrolone. Below is a diagram of the chemical structure of methandrostenelone, as well as some pictures of some of the more common Russian, Singapore and Thai "Dianaclones."
 
Dianabol (Synonyms: 1-Dehydro-17a-methyltestosterone, 17a-methyl-17b-hydroxy-1,4-androstadien-3-one; 17beta-Hydroxy-17-methylandrosta-1,4-dien-3-one; Metandienone; Methandrostenelone)
 
Russian clone of Dianabol
 
Dianabol clone from Singapore
 
"Anabol"- one of the most common "Dianaclones" found in America today.