Laxogenin is a plant steroid that’s actually been around as a supplement for long longer than many people realize. Basically, this stuff is not new. So what I’m going to do here is a full Laxogenin review that will tell you everything you need to know.
I pulled together all the sources I could find on this, including reading lots of studies. However, one thing I realized, which I’m going to pass on to you here, is that Laxogenin isn’t actually what most people think it is, and certainly not what you are told in most articles and reviews about it.
So prepare to maybe be a little surprised, as we go on a journey to discover exactly what this apparent natural steroid is, how it works, and whether it can genuinely deliver better gains than you can achieve naturally.
What Is Laxogenin?
Let’s cover the big question first: what is Laxogenin?
The reason I said it’s not actually what most people think, is because most of the supplements out there that state they contain Laxogenin really don’t contain the thing that can grow your muscles most.
Laxogenin is a naturally occurring steroidal sapogenin. It’s extracted from a plant that grows in Asia called Smilax Sieboldii.
It was actually first extracted and studied way back in the 1960s, and even back in the early 80s, there was a sporting supplement called “Hot Stuff”, which contained pure extracted Laxogenin. Laxogenin has been through some animal studies. It was found that many of these plants’ steroidal extracts were structurally similar to testosterone, and induced protein synthesis to some degree.
The results of many of these links studies did conclude that there appeared to be some degree of selective androgen effect but also stimulated protein synthesis in muscle tissue.
What You’re Buying Is Not Actually Laxogenin At All
But here’s the thing, the very thing that surprised the hell out of me. Nearly every single one of the modern supplements out there claiming that they are a Laxogenin supplement actually doesn’t contain it at all.
What nearly every single one does contain is an artificially constructed clone known as 5-Alpha-Hydroxy- Laxogenin (5AHL). So what you’re actually buying is a synthetic derivative.
Seriously, structurally, 5 Alpha is different to Laxogenin.
Now here’s the really surprising thing. Way back in the 80s “Hot Stuff” quickly went out of fashion despite it having a strong dose of Laxogenin in it. Most people found there were no benefits, even with a superb diet and a great gym routine.
The truth is that Laxogenin, even though it’s described as a “Plant steroid”, which sounds fantastically green and pleasant, is not that good for building muscle tissue.
However, and here’s the kicker, 5AHL is shown to affect muscle and bone tissue through interaction with the androgen receptors. So you don’t need natural Laxogenin at all, that’s the worst option. What you need is the synthetic derivative 5AHL.
So ironically, all these bodybuilding supplement stores marketing it as a natural steroid the thing that actually works to build muscle tissue best is not the natural steroid, but the synthetic derivative.
The Main Laxogenin Benefits You Can Get
What my findings mean is that you have to be careful about what you buy. You won’t get the best Laxogenin benefits unless you get the synthetic derivative.
For the rest of this review, I’m going to talk about the benefits of Laxogenin and other effects in terms of the effects of the artificial analogue, 5AHL, as to be honest, in 90% of the supplements out there, that’s what you are going to get.
In fact, when you read closely, most of the animal studies done on this are also using that synthetic derivative, which is why we know it works to promote muscle growth and strength.
The potential benefits of Laxogenin supplements are:
- Improved protein synthesis
- Stronger muscle growth
- Better protein synthesis
- Enhanced androgen receptor response
- Reduction in blood sugar levels
- More energy
In addition to that, it’s also believed through observation of mice and rats in tests, that Laxogenin and its synthetic derivative can inhibit production of the stress hormone cortisol. This means you will feel better, and it helps to enhance muscle recovery. Higher cortisol levels usually translate into lower levels of strength and muscle growth.
Laxogenin Dosage & Cycle Length
Laxogenin dosage advice is tough, because of the fact that it’s never been conclusively determined through animal or human studies. You’ll see some people advocating a dose of 25 mg per day, but others talk about doses of 100 mg per day.
In actual fact, one review I read spoke about an “optimal dose” of 200 mg per day. What the hell they based that on is anyone’s guess, but it was twice the level everything else I’d read recommended.
One supplement I’ve tried, called annihilate, has a dosage of 100 mg of Laxogenin per capsule, with the recommended dose of one or two capsules per day. So that does marry up with the 200 mg I saw on the previous site, but it’s still way higher than I would be comfortable with initially.
My recommendation would be to go the middle ground and have a dosage of around 100 mg to see what the effects you get from it.
I will note though, again, but although the sales pitch for annihilating says 100 mg of Laxogenin, if you go into the ingredients this, you’re actually getting the synthetic derivative 5 Alpha Hydroxy Laxogenin.
Most people seem to run Laxogenin supplements for around 10-12 weeks. From my own experience, and reading online, it appears that shorter cycles don’t have the impacts. You have to let this stuff build up and get to work. So I’d advocate a 12 week initial cycle to see what returns you get your hard work.
I think it’s important to say here that it doesn’t have hormonal activity, so you’re not going to get into trouble with your testosterone levels by using this for a longer time without a break.
Does It Have Side Effects?
Before I talk about the positive benefits I found using Laxogenin, I think it’s fair to talk about the possibility of problems with side effects.
This is a possibility because Laxogenin is a plant steroidal sapogenin. It, therefore, has potential anabolic properties in the human body. Of course, that can be a good thing, and it’s what we want, but for some people, this can be a problem.
The first thing to say here is that it doesn’t appear to mess with your testosterone levels. Some androgenic compounds, specifically SARMs and steroids, do mess with your levels because the body starts producing less testosterone because it’s fooled into thinking it’s got higher levels than it should have.
However, there’s no evidence at all that Laxogenin causes this effect in the body, even though it does interact with the androgen receptors.
So you won’t need to use a post cycle therapy supplement, and you won’t have to worry about testosterone depletion if you give this supplement a trial.
The other thing I’ll mention in terms of side effects is that Laxogenin and its derivatives are not prohormones either.
A prohormone works by introducing a prodrug into the body that is closely related to testosterone. So your body will also shut down testosterone production of its own using prohormones, but not using Laxogenin.
Laxogenin works via protein synthesis. Although there is no evidence for this, mainly because there’s been no testing in humans, I think it’s important to mention the possibility here. If you are suffering from an illness like sickle cell disease, where cell mutations occur, then I would be very wary about using Laxogenin, as it fuels the process of protein synthesis which could accelerate cell mutations.
Protein synthesis can also accelerate the proliferation of cancer cells. If you have had cancer, again, I wouldn’t recommend you use any supplement which accelerates protein synthesis. Although the risk scientifically is minor, I just wouldn’t take the risk.
Other than those really rare issues, I’ve seen virtually nothing online to suggest, other than initial nausea and stomach discomfort, that hydroxy Laxogenin supplements have any significant side effects, even with prolonged regular use.
My Experiences Using A 5-Alpha-Hydroxy- Laxogenin Supplement
I want to get personal here now by telling you about my experience using a Laxogenin supplement.
Again, I’ll mention that the modern supplements don’t actually contain natural Laxogenin at all, but a synthetic derivative called 5-Alpha-Hydroxy- Laxogenin. That’s what you’re looking for.
The thing is with Laxogenin is that you can cycle it for a long time. It’s not androgenic, and it’s not going to cause testosterone depletion. A lot of people actually cycle this indefinitely, but I certainly wouldn’t recommend that.
I used an initial 12 week cycle. Followed up by a 12 week break. That way it was good to compare how my body responded using it, and not using it, for a substantial period of time.
I hadn’t used SARMs for a couple of months, so I had a good benchmark against natural bodybuilding.
What I found through the 12 weeks was that I definitely felt an uplift in energy. I didn’t take any other supplements, but I felt more driven. I guess it’s the end results you really need to hear about: did I see any physical benefits from using a Laxogenin supplement?
My findings over 12 weeks were as follows:
- There was definitely a feeling of accelerated gains compared to the natural baseline
- I felt I recovered faster in terms of energy and tired muscles
- I felt more energized during my workouts
- I definitely noticed an increase in vascularity
Now I’m not going to kid you here guys (and ladies, because women can use it as well), this supplement is not rocket fuel.
You are not going to make the gains that you could use SARMs. It’s just not that potent, despite the claim that it’s a natural steroid.
But compared to doing things naturally, you will definitely see benefits beyond what you can achieve naturally.
You will have to work out hard though. I’m talking two-hour workouts, three times per week, with lighter routines and cardiovascular work between those heavy sessions. On top of that, your diet and nutrition have to be superb. You have to fuel your body exactly to get the most out of supplements like this.
But the summary of my findings in reviewing this is that it definitely achieves more than I could naturally, and it’s definitely worth giving a try as a low-risk, low-cost, bodybuilding supplement.
Three Places That Sell Good Quality Hydroxy Laxogenin Supplements
I would also just point out here before you buy Laxogenin, you have to make sure you are getting it from a reputable seller.
The reason I say that, is because a lot of poor quality Laxogenin supplement products have been spiked with other things. In studies, it’s been found many of the positive benefits in some of the supplements on the market (including tested Laxogenin supplements) are actually derived from other ingredients hidden within them, such as SARMs, or even anabolic steroids.
The only way to be safe in certain is to buy your supplements from reputable sellers that have a third-party independent analysis done on every batch of chemicals they buy-in. Those batch testing reports show the composition and purity of the chemical, and those purity reports are displayed on the product page you can see exactly what you are buying.
Rats Army sells Laxogenin (UPDATE: Now Out Of Business) in capsule format. For just $39.99 you’ll get 90 capsules, each dosed 100mg. So as you can see, this stuff is dirt cheap to experiment with.
Huge supplements also sell a product called “Annihilate”. This is another Laxogenin supplement I’d recommend. It’s available in an easy-to-consume capsule form. Working on the basis of one capsule per day (100 mg dose), you’re getting 60 days of dosing for $64.95.
Chemyo is another place that sells independently verified Laxogenin. They sell a massive 5 g bag of the powder for just $29.99. Just be aware that you will have to get an accurate micro scale to dose it precisely.
