As I mentioned, "Obviously I am talking very wide here and not about specific compounds"
Your reverse placebo is funny, I've done something similar. Took hyped up natty natural anabolic, got all pumped up and lifted like crazy... only to leave all beat up, lol. IDK about diet being irrelevant, even on this site I have read the most dedicated people having struggle in that are. Even if you take "the best" stuff out there, or pin, diet will dictate how much you put on, lose, fat etc. Also, for every guy on AM with years of wisdom, there another that doesn't have a clue between real effects and placebo.