1-25-04
With the start of the new semester, things have been extremely hectic, and I did not one to make a half-hearted post. I have a brief reprieve right now, so I will take the opportunity to write up what is essentially my final review of Syntrax Adonis X. I have a a little over a week's supply remaining (as I cut my dosage to 4/day for half a week and then 3/day for half a week so my supply would last me until I got back from London), and I will continue running what I have left at 5/day until it is gone.
Starting weight: 164 lbs
Starting bodyfat %: 8.4%
Final weight: 171 lbs
Final bodyfat %: 9.0%
Synopsis:
Doing the math, I gained 5.4 pounds of muscle during my 7 weeks of supplementation. Most of my gains occurred in weeks 2-4 and began to taper off at the end. I believe that some of the stalling could be attributed to my lower back injury, which has required me to remove squats, leg press, and sldls from my workout temporarily. I was ill for over a week (around week 2) of the cycle and still made gains over that period, which I consider great.
I did experience joint distress around week 5, but I tossed some glucosamine/chondroitin into my repetoire and the distress went away. I am thinking that the pain may have been caused by something else, as G/C takes awhile to kick in. I have a history of joint issues, particularly in my legs from years of running, and discontinuing flax oil over the 7 week cycle also could be related to this.
Benefits:
~ Fantastic pumps throughout the cycle: I experienced good pumps with V-12 and V.2, but they tend to taper off as the cycle goes on. These pumps were great workout after workout. Vascularity was fantastic during and after workouts.
~ Speeded recovery: With my workout schedule changed a little over break (2 bodyparts/day, 3 days/week of lifting), depending on the week and transportation, I would be required to lift 3 out of 4 days. I was able to handle this frequency well; normally, my recovery takes much longer (hence why I follow the 1 bodypart/day, 5 days/week plan under normal circumstances).
~ Strength gains: My chest strength increased the most dramatically, and my legs were on their way up before the injury. Tricep strength, surprisingly, also shot up. Over this 7 week period, my rate of strength gain was greater than over any other period of lifting over the 8 or so months.
~ Size gains: See numbers at the top. I have had trouble adding size in the past, so nearly five and a half pounds of solid mass over a little under 7 weeks has me smiling.
Downsides:
~ Cost: I went through over 2 bottles, and at $40 a pop, this adds up.
~ Burps: I got used to them, but seriously carry around some Binaca or gum. Your girlfriend or wife will thank me.
~ Joint discomfort: If you have a history of joint pain, I would suggest stacking some sort of G/C/Gelatin/MSM joint product in with the cycle as a precautionary measure.
~ Prostate issues: I have heard of this product possibly being associated with prostate enlargement. Again, as a precautionary measure, toss in some Saw Palmetto - it isn't expensive and it's worth it just to be safe.
Overall:
As I have said before, I feel that this is a solid product. With all of the hype, many people immediately put it down when it didn't produce enormous results. Also, with the cost so high, lifters can get a decent PH cycle for the same price. While this IS true, 2 things can be said: 1) PHs may be on the way out with a ban, after which those looking for legal supplementation must find something else, and 2) many individuals are either too young to use PHs or do not want to deal with the responsibility and side effects associated with their usage. I feel that arachidonic acid could be a possible option for those worried about the aforementioned comments. As I said before, it will "nickel and dime" you to gains.
