Paul forwarded a note to me from a reader today, asking me to look into a couple of supplements from a company I’d never heard of before: EP2.\u00a0\u00a0The supps are marketed through GNC, so, I ambled on over to\u00a0there to check out the product labels –\u00a0as they\u00a0weren’t available on the company site.<\/p>\n
One of the supps, “Andritest,” really blew my mind. \u00a0Here’s the label…<\/a><\/p>\n I had to do a double take\u00a0– because I could NOT get over what I was seeing…<\/p>\n I’ll let EP2 tell the story here, for a moment…<\/p>\n ANDRITEST\u2122 has been clinically evaluated using the Gold Standard method of research – a randomized, cross-over, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Previously-trained test subjects consumed either a single-dose of ANDRITEST\u2122 or placebo and were evaluated over a 12-hour period. ANDRITEST\u2122 subjects significantly increased total testosterone by a 376% change over the placebo group in only 12 hours…<\/p><\/blockquote>\n A 376% change?\u00a0 Now, most reasonable people would think a “376% change” would mean a 376% increase<\/strong>…but, that ISN’T what EP2 means by this number.\u00a0<\/p>\n The\u00a0label actually tells the story…if you stop looking at that 376% number on the front\u00a0and actually LOOK at the graphs provided on the back.\u00a0\u00a0A bar graph displays a T increase of ~6%-7% in the placebo group, and a ~26%-27% increase in the Andritest group…and this is where that 376% comes from.<\/p>\n Now, how do you manage to get 376% from what appears to be – at best – a less than 30% increase in T over baseline?<\/p>\n Easy!!! 376% is actually the\u00a0percentage\u00a0difference in the percentage change between the two groups!<\/p>\n Get it???<\/p>\n If you don’t, I don’t blame you.\u00a0 In other words, the (approximate) 27% increase in the Andritest group is 376% bigger than the (approximate) 7% increase in the placebo group.<\/p>\n No, really…<\/p>\n Of course, this number completely\u00a0obscures reality.\u00a0\u00a0Assuming the\u00a0figures are\u00a0legit, it appears the\u00a0test actually measured a (presumably) statistically significant, but\u00a0not-all-that-massive\u00a0T increase\u00a0in the Andritest group over baseline.\u00a0 Yes, it was bigger than the one the placebo group had, but still\u00a0not very big when considered in real terms.\u00a0 So,\u00a0EP2\u00a0massaged the data to\u00a0extract a bigger, much more impressive-looking number.<\/p>\n There was about a 27% increase in total T over baseline in the Andritest group.\u00a0 Period.\u00a0 This is confirmed by the other graph, which displays an increase in T\u00a0from approx. 400,000 pg\/dL\u00a0\u00a0to 519,000 pg\/dL.\u00a0 Those are BIG numbers, but the actual increase is still less than 30% over the starting value.<\/p>\n Hey – wait a sec…those ARE big numbers, aren’t they?<\/p>\n Too big.\u00a0 Something’s not quite right with those units, methinks. \ud83d\ude00<\/p>\n Problem is,\u00a0clinical lab measurements of total T done here in the US typically use units of NANOGRAMS per dL (deciliter) – not PICOGRAMS – which are a thousand times smaller.\u00a0 Thus, using picograms makes the numbers 1,000X bigger – lol.\u00a0 This is a\u00a0trick I’ve written about before<\/a>…looks\u00a0good\u00a0on a label, I suppose, but makes it tougher to\u00a0“see” the numbers in\u00a0realistic terms.<\/p>\n So let’s whittle them down to size…by using the correct units.\u00a0 In clinical laboratory terms,\u00a0we’re talking about\u00a0an increase\u00a0from\u00a0approx. 400 ng\/dL\u00a0to 519 ng\/dL.<\/p>\n And 519 ng\/dL is hardly “jacked” – the normal reference range for testosterone varies slightly\u00a0from lab to lab, but 241 ng\/dL – 827 ng\/dL is the one used on my husband’s blood tests from the Life Extension Foundation.\u00a0 519 ng\/dL is well within normal range for testosterone.<\/p>\n So, in 12 hours, Andritest elevated an average T level to a\u00a0somewhat higher, but still very\u00a0average T level.\u00a0<\/p>\n Big deal.<\/p>\n I love this statement\u00a0about Matt Spino, Chief Marketing Officer of EP2:<\/p>\n Through EP2 he plans to act as a consumer advocate in a market crowded by over-hyped marketing, over-hyped ingredients, deceitful labeling and other unethical business practices. Further, it is his goal to be the voice for the consumer and provide honest information…<\/p><\/blockquote>\n If\u00a0Matt\u00a0really wants\u00a0to strike a blow against “deceitful labeling” – perhaps he\u00a0should start with his own product.<\/p>\n