Update 7/21/22. Ageless Male is a testosterone enhancer for men over 40 that you may have seen advertised on Fox and Friends and elsewhere. Its bottles claim it to be a “worldwide best seller.” Since I first reviewed Ageless Male, its ingredients have changed quite a bit, so this updated review will first list the new ingredients and their research and after that, I'll show you the ingredients in the original formula. Does Ageless Male really work? Does It raise testosterone levels or improve libido? Does it have any side effects? Let's look at the ingredients in this testosterone booster and see what we can discover.
What Is Ageless Male?
Ageless Male is a supplement primarily marketed to men over 40 who have low testosterone levels – or who think they do. According to the supplement's website, Ageless Male is alleged to have these benefits:

- Boost Healthy Testosterone Levels.
- Increase libido, drive and performance.
- Helps Promote Energy Metabolism.
- Promotes Muscle as Part of Strength Training.
All of these claims contain an asterisk that refers readers to the statement that “these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.”
Ageless Male Ingredients
A bottle of Ageless Male has 60 tablets. Each 1 tablet of Ageless Male has the following ingredients:
Ingredient | Amount Per Serving | Percent Daily Value |
---|---|---|
Vitamin B 6 (pyridoxine HCL) | 4.9 mg | 245% DV |
Magnesium (magnesium oxide) | 16 mg | 4% DV |
Zinc (zinc acid chelate) 15 mg | 15 mg | 100% DV |
Fenugreek seed extract (as Testofen) | 300 mg | N/A |
N/A = no daily value established
Other Ingredients in Ageless Male that are listed are:
- calcium carbonate
- microcrystalline cellulose
- stearic acid
- croscarmellose sodium
- magnesium stearate
- coating (hypromellose & polyethylene glycol)
- silica
I don't believe these other ingredients play any role in the effects of Ageless Male.
Ageless Male Vitamins And Minerals
While I normally don't review the vitamins and minerals in supplements (because I don't think they do anything), there is some evidence on the nutrients in Ageless Male so here is a quick review of them to help you better understand why they are present.
Zinc
Ageless Male contains the mineral zinc. Zinc is also found in other testosterone enhancer supplements too. The reason for this is probably because of a study from 1996 that looked noted zinc supplementation raised testosterone in both younger and older men who were lacking this mineral.
In this study, the older men were naturally lacking zinc but it had to be induced in younger men. In other words, the younger men were not deficient in zinc.
While older adults might be deficient in zinc, becuase they might not eat so well, Im not convienced younger men need more of this mineral.
Foods naturally rich in zinc include seafood, pumpkin seeds, chicken and beef nuts, and beans to name a few.
Does Zinc Raise Testosterone?
watch on my Youtube channel if you prefer
Vitamin B6
In rats, a lack of vitamin B6 might reduce testosterone production. But what about people? Does B6 raise testosterone in humans? If that evidence exists, it could not be located for this review. Foods high in vitamin B6 include meats, chicken, fish, chickpeas, and potatoes.
Can Vitamin B6 Alleviate Anxiety?
Watch on my Youtube channel if you prefer
Magnesium
One study involving 30 men (18-22), noted that magnesium (10 mg per kilogram of body weight), raised both free testosterone and total testosterone. For a man weighing 180 pounds (81 kilograms) this comes to 820 mg. Both exercise alone (carried out to exhaustion) and exercise + magnesium increased testosterone levels.
The highest levels were seen in those who exercised to exhaustion and took magnesium supplements. No significant changes were seen in those who took magnesium but did not exercise.
Two tablets of Ageless Male (recommended amount to take) contain 30 mg of magnesium. This study used much more than this. The men in this study used 10 mg per kilogram of body weight. So, a 180 pound man (82 kg) would have recieved 818 mg of magnesium per day.
Regimen is another popular low T supplement. See that review for more information.
What Is Testofen?
Testofen is the name given to a trademarked form of the herb fenugreek. The scientific names for fenugreek are Trigonella foenugraecum and Trigonella foenum-graecum. Keep these terms in mind as the Testofen research is reviewed below. Two other names for fenugreek are Greek hay and Greek hayseed.
Testofen is a registered trademark of the company Gencor Pacific (GencorPacific.com). In other words, Gencor Pacific created the name “Testofen” as a way to subtly drive home the message to men that this extract of fenugreek raises testosterone.
But does it?
Let's look at some the research on fenugreek and testosterone and try to find out
Searching the National Library of Medicine for:
- Testofen testosterone
- Fenugreek testosterone
- Trigonella foenugraecum testosterone
- Trigonella foenum-graecum testosterone
I located the following clinical studies.
Testofen Study 1
In a study published in 2011 in the Journal Phytotherapy Research, fenugreek was randomly given to 60 healthy males between the ages of 25 and 52 for 6 weeks. Men either received fenugreek (600 mg of Testofen) or a placebo and they rated how they felt on a sexual functioning questionnaire (called the DISF-SR) over the course of the 6-week study.
The men getting the fenugreek reported greater feelings of sexual arousal, orgasm, libido, well-being, energy, and muscular strength. There was no change in mood reported.
It is odd that the men in the study reported no change in mood, yet they reported better “well being.” To me, that does not compute. How did their well being improve, but not their mood?
Keep in mind that this study did not directly measure strength or energy levels. Rather, the men just reported that they felt stronger and had more energy. This is a drawback of the study.
While these points are interesting, the study also says that testosterone levels did not change.
In the study they say “Serum prolactin and testosterone levels remained within the reference range.” That's fancy talk for ” Testofen did not raise testosterone levels.” Even scientists tap dance around the facts sometimes—and this is an example of it.
Testofen Study 2
Fenugreek is an example of a natural 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor. The enzyme 5 alpha-reductase turns testosterone into DHT (di-hydro-testosterone). Thus, anything that could inhibit the 5 alpha-reductase enzyme might prevent DHT formation and — raise testosterone levels.
The next study looked at how well fenugreek can block 5 alpha reductase enzyme.
This study was published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism in 2010. It involved 30 college-age males who were randomly given 500 mg of fenugreek extract —or placebo—for 8 weeks.
The extract of fenugreek used in this study was called grecunin. The word grecunin looks a lot like graecum, which is part of the scientific name for fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum). Fenugreek supplements usually don't list how much grecunin they contain.
In this study, the men lifted weights for 4 days per week for 8 weeks. They took the fenugreek (or placebo) in the morning and just prior to working out. At end of the study, men who received fenugreek extract saw these benefits:
- 6.57% increase in testosterone —a significant change
- 12.26 increase in the bio-availability of testosterone —a significant change
- 1.77% decrease in body fat —a significant change
- 26.62% increase in estrogen (estradiol) — a non -significant change
- 6.10 % increase in DHT —a non-significant change
- No significant change in muscle strength in the upper or lower body
- No significant change in protein synthesis or muscle hypertrophy
It was also noted fenugreek did not completely block the action of 5 alpha-reductase. It partially blocked the action of the
enzyme—which is interesting— but did not block it completely. This study was funded by Indus Biotech, a pharmaceutical company based in India. Indus Biotech also provided the fenugreek extract. The study lists no conflicts of interest among the researchers (that's good).
This study is interesting. If you decide to try fenugreek, remember the people used in this investigation were college-age males. This doesn't necessarily mean the same results would occur in men who are in their 50s, etc.
Testofen Study 3
Researchers in 2016 published a study on Testofen that lasted 12 weeks and involved giving either a placebo or 600 mg of the fenugreek extract to 111 healthy men (43-70 years of age). Testosterone was measured before and after the study and men completed a questionnaire (called, the Aging Male Symptom Questionnaire) designed to gauge their sexual function and other feelings of low hormone levels.
Compared to those taking a placebo, men taking Testofen reported more morning erections and improvements in their andropause questionnaires. Researchers also reported a “small but significant difference” in testosterone in those taking Testofen compared to those taking a placebo.
Testofen Study 4
Researchers in India noted that a fenugreek extract supplement called Furosap raised testosterone levels between 45% and 90% and improved sperm motility. This study involved 50 men (35-65 years of age) who were given 500 mg of the Furosap supplement for 12 weeks.
Furosap is a product of a company called Cepham (Cepham.com) which is located in New Jersey. I found it odd that they went to India to do their study. A problem with the study was that there was no placebo group.
This supplement contains Furosap for those interested.
Testofen Research Summary
Research can be complicated so here is a quick rundown of the research on Testofen/fenugreek and testosterone
Study | Amount Used | Results |
---|---|---|
2011 Study | 600 mg Testofen | no change in testosterone. |
2010 Study | 500 mg fenugreek extract | 6.5% increase in testosterone. |
2016 Study | 600mg Testofen | men report better morning erections |
2017 Study | 500 mg fenugreek | 45-90% improved testosterone. |
This is a summary. See the above sections for all the results.
My Fenugreek Experiment
While writing this review I became interested in the research I was seeing. So, just as an experiment, I purchased the Vitamin Shoppe brand of fenugreek (not the same thing as Ageless Male) and took 610 mg per day for 6 weeks to see what happens.
While I did notice a little change in erections (usually in the evening), I thought it was minimal and I would not call the effect “significant”. I did not measure my testosterone levels during this “experiment.”
Might the ingredients in Ageless Male work together better than just fenugreek alone? It's possible. I did not test drive Ageless Male so I can't say for sure.
Ageless Male Ingredients (Old Formula)
This review of Ageless Male would not be complete if I didn't mention the version of the product we see today is not the same as it originally was when I first reviewed it. Back then, the original Ageless Male formula contained only 2 ingredients, which together form a proprietary blend that was called “Re-Settin.”
The ingredients in the Re-Settin blend were:
- Saw Palmetto berry extract
- Astaxanthin (a type of carotenoid)
Re-Settin is a catchy word. I guess these ingredients were supposed to “reset” a man’s testosterone levels? Regardless, Re-Settin is a marketing word that holds no scientific meaning.
Originally, 2 capsules of Ageless Male had 10 calories and 800 mg of the Re-Settin blend of ingredients.
The version of the product today has no similarity to what was in the product previously. I have no way of knowing if how the new version of Ageless Male compares to the original formula.
Regardless, here is a review of the research I could turn up on the ingredients in the original formula.
Ageless Male Research (Original Formula)
The original formula of Ageless Male -the product itself – appeared to have no published, clinical proof that it raised testosterone in humans. No clinical studies on this supplement can be located.
There does appear to be one study on saw palmetto and astaxanthin and testosterone levels. The study was published in 2008 in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
The study did not use Ageless Male. Rather researchers were testing another supplement called Mytosterone (also called AlphaStat) made by a company called Triarco (triarco.com) which is located in Wayne NJ. Triarco funded this study but the investigation notes that none of the authors had any financial connection to the outcomes of the research (that's good).
In this 2 week long investigation, 42 healthy men between the ages of 37 and 70 were divided into 2 groups.
- Group 1 (21 men) was given 800 mg of the Mytosterone supplement
- Group 2 (21 men) was given 2000 milligrams of the Mytosterone supplement
At the end of the study, researchers noted that men who got both 800 mg and 2000 mg showed:
- Significant elevations in testosterone
- Significant reductions in DHT
However, significant reductions in estrogen were only seen in men who received the 2000 mg dose.
No significant side effects were noted but again this study lasted only 2 weeks.
If this was a study that the original Ageless Male was based on, keep in mind that it did not look at sex drive, bone growth, strength or muscle development. Myosterone may be found in other supplements also but do check the levels in supplements to make sure you are getting at least 800 mg.
This study did raise some red flags with me. For one thing, the researchers say that the men were divided into two groups. They do not say that the men were randomly divided into groups. I'm mentioning this because if you look at both groups, they have “significantly different” testosterone levels at the start of the study.
- Group 1 (whose average age was 55) testosterone level =21.64 nmol/L
- Group 2 (whose average age was 61) testosterone level =26.26 nmol/L
I’d expect that if the men were randomly assigned to each group, there would not be a significant difference in testosterone levels between groups.
Also, there was no control group either. Given the differences in testosterone between groups at the start of the study, a control group (who got nothing) would make me feel a little better about how good this study was.
Also see the reviews on Mdrive, Nugenix and TriVerex for more info on these other popular men's supplements.
Who Makes Ageless Male?
Ageless Male is marketed by a company called New Vitality (NewVitality.com) which incidentally also goes by the name NAC Vitamin Company (also called NAC Marketing company) according to the Better Business Bureau. The BBB gave NAC Vitamin Company a rating of “B+” when this review was written. Check the BBB file for updates and more information
The New Vitality/NAC Vitamin company is located at 95 Executive Drive, Suite 14 Brentwood NY 11717. This address corresponds to the Hartland Business Center.
Another address for New Vitality is 260 Smith St., Farmingdale, NY 11735. Googling this address clearly shows a building with a sign saying “New Vitality, NAC Marketing.”
It's worth mentioning that Ageless Male is one of many products New Vitality offers.
See the Super Beta Prostate review for another supplement they make.
How To Contact Ageless Male?
New Vitality, the company that markets Ageless Male can be reached at 800-675-5956.
Another phone number is 631-777-7767.
How Much Does Ageless Male Cost?
1 bottle of Ageless Male costs $49.95 and $39.95 if becoming a “super saver” (this may be where they auto ship people a bottle on a regular basis). Purchasing 3 bottles cost $89.90. There are also deals for buying more and being in the Super Saver program
Buy Ageless Male
Ageless Male can be purchased as many familiar stores like Vitamin Shoppe and GNC and Walmart. It can also be obtained directly from the NewVitality.com website too.
Ageless Male vs. MDrive
Mdrive is another popular testosterone-raising supplement. Mdrive also contains Testofen too as well as other ingredients not found in Ageless Male. At the time this review was created, there were no studies that compared Ageless Male to Mdrive to see which was better.
The Mdrive Review has other information on that product.
Ageless Male vs. Nugenix
Those investigating natural ways to increase testosterone levels have probably heard of Nugenix. Like Ageless Male, it's advertised on TV. No studies have compared their effects to each other. They contain different ingredients too.
See the Nugenix review for more information.
Ageless Male Side Effects
I believe Ageless Male is safe. I'm not aware of any bad side effects from the product. It's important to remember that a testosterone supplement like Ageless Male is likely not going to have the same side effects as taking testosterone itself.
Here are a few things to keep in mind if using this or other testosterone booster supplements. This list is not complete:
- With all-new supplements start with less than is recommended for the first week to see how you react.
- Fenugreek might lower blood sugar levels. This may be a problem for those with diabetes.
- Stop taking Ageless Male and other supplements at least 2 weeks before having surgery.
- Kids and teenagers should not use fenugreek or Ageless Male. The product is not designed for them.
- Ageless Male is not appropriate for women, especially those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Those who have any health issues or take any medications are encouraged to speak to their doctor first.
Ageless Male And Hair Loss
Since Ageless Male is touted to raise testosterone levels, some might wonder if that might lead to hair loss as more testosterone is converted to DHT (which is linked to hair loss). I'm not aware of any evidence of this. Fenugreek appears to block the enzyme that raises DHT levels.
Does Ageless Male Work?
If Ageless Male really works its effects might be best noticed in men with low testosterone levels. As for libido, this is a complicated issue. I think the results would vary.
The only way to know if it's boosting testosterone is to get your testosterone levels measured first. Then, try Ageless Male for a month. Then measure testosterone again. That is the best way to know if Ageless Male is really working.
Here it is on Amazon
What do you think?
I’m baaaack.
OK, after a couple of months on Tribulus I have to report no effect. I’m not saying that it has NO value for bodybuilders but in terms of increasing libido I got nuthin’.
So I got my doc to do a testosterone test the other week and it came back at 421 and estrogen was around 18. My next experiment will be with resveritrol which is a natural way of reducing estrogen which then allows more testosterone to develop. Also interested in Tricias suggestion of the John Barron stuff and will check that out to.
Hey Tricia, what kind of effects have you personally noticed from taking the womens hormone balancer?
I’m 62 years old and while I use to have high pressure issues, I started eating better and started working out (joined a gym) Now I am pretty buff and I look more like I’m in my forties. My testosterone levels still lagged, probably due to my age, and now I’ve been taking Ageless Male for about three weeks.
Let me tell you I’m happy with it and my wife has noticed my increased libido, I pump Iron and noticed my drive to work out is improved. In the four years I’ve been working out, I have never gone to the gym more tan 2 to 3 days in a week. I now find myself going 5 or more days straight, the wife is happy and I’m happy. I ‘m just concerned I might be taking something that is too good to be true, or worse yet harmful to me.
I saw a doctor today concerning my low testosterone. (T-score=123) He related to me information that blew me away.
It seems that a guy’s body builds up it’s testosterone at night. To be more specific, there are 4 different levels of sleep, and testosterone is ONLY built up in a guy in the deepest level of sleep, Delta. The doctor said that he has seen a number of guys and has correlated the fact that guys that have sleep apena (even if they are on a CPAP), have low testosterone levels.
So, you want a natural way of getting your T-score up? Get 7-9 hours of DEEP SLEEP every night, and you should see a great change. Also, if you are on a CPAP, get with your sleep doctor right away and see if your CPAP settings need to be re-adjusted to get you better sleep.
Brent, I believe it. If I remember right, growth hormone levels spike between 12AM and 4AM too. Another reason to not stay up late.
Hi,
Did anyone read the Order subscription? They automatically send the next order for $34.95 yet from the main site:
http://www.agelessmale.com/
One bottle is originally $42.95 but Only $39.95.
Goto the alternate site:
http://www.buyagelessmale.com/
One bottle is originally $42.95 but Only $29.95.
Click on order and get the below message in the Product Name field.
I tried another scam once and had to hunt down the number to call them so I’d be very careful and skeptical what you signup for in these things.
Delmar
——-
Ageless Male
By becoming a member of the Preferred Shipping program, you allow New Vitality to automatically ship you an additional 30-day supply of Ageless Male every 1 month(s) at today’s low price of $34.95, which will be automatically billed to the credit card that you supply to us during checkout. If you need to cancel future shipments, call Customer Care at 1-800-943-6465 and you will never be charged again. No questions asked or explanation required. You may modify the scheduling of your shipments at anytime.
Delmar, I didnt know they quoted different prices on different websites! Thanks for saying that 🙂
I have tried High T and didn’t see a real improvement in energy. I have tried other pre work out pills from Cellicor and did see a difference in energy and pump. I am going to get my Test checked to see the level but have ordered Ageless male to see if I get what I’m looking for….more energy and a better workout with both weights and cardio.
For 2011, I averaged 26 times a month in the gym between lunch and evening time workouts. I do Cardio and core at lunch and do weights at night alternating upper and lower. I am 51 and play tournament sports, consider myself in pretty good shape but I think I should “feel” more energetic for as much as I work out. I will post after I receive AM and try for a couple of weeks to see if there is any change.
I stumbled onto this site because I just started using Ageless Male (3 days into it) and I noticed some mood swings yesterday. I was concerned because I typically am a calm individual and I did experience some sense of “rage”. I will keep posting with my results. FYI, I’m 47 years old, active with jogging, weight lifting, martial arts and am currently taking multiple vitamins and another product called Protandim. Maybe there’s some interaction between these products?
Gary, hard to say but its interesting you started seeing mood swings after starting ageless male. Yes please keep me posted on what happens if you keep taking Ageless Male. Protandim is on my list of products to review. I hope to get to it in the next couple of months or sooner. Working on Red Raspberry Ketone now.
This product is marketed as a dietary supplement, based on that fact they don’t have to prove safety nor efficacy, of course the standard for a study of this nature will be a randomized case control study, that is expensive and takes more time to complete but is still the standard.
Well, I decided a little while ago to give Ageless Male chance. I received my 90 Day order just 4 days ago and have been taking it as directed. The first morning I woke up bright eyed and feeling pretty good, but that might just have been a placebo effect from my wishful thinking. So far no really significant effects that I have noticed but I plan to give it a full 90 day trial to see if it works for me. I will keep ya posted!
Thanks Joe for being real, just like me!
Hey Joe…This comment is not about ageless male…but about a somewhat similar product called hero tabs.I can search for a thread on that product..if you prefer to keep this one strictly for ageless male. I was just wondering if you knew anything about Hero Tabs…supposedly a male sexual performance booster..Thanks
Wane, I have not heard of Hero Tabs but I’ll see if I can dig up anything on it for you and either reply here or in a separate blog
Hey Tricia and Fred nice job plugging another product. Tricia is probably a guy in Hong Kong
Jeff, while its always a balancing act trying not to squelch free speech while weeding out spammers, I’m pretty sure Tricia is a real person. She’s contacted privately me on a few issues and while I dont agree with some of her ideas, I let her mention the product as long as it does not stray too far from the focus of the ageless male discussion.
Fred West,
Thanks for your interest. The website for Jon Barron’s world renowned products is baselinenutritionals.com
I will post more information as I am able. I recommend reading JonBarron’s book also, “Lessons from the Miracle Doctors.”
Tricia,
I read you comment and found your information very interesting.. I would like to learn more about Jon Barron herval hormone balancer, can you provide additional info. for me.
Thanks in advance
Chuck and Andrew M,
Thank you gentleman! And you’re welcome. Just a quick FYI update about the Jon Barron herbal hormone balancer that my hubs has been taking for two months. He says he has more energy, has lost weight and has better mental clarity. I have noticed an increase in desire! I also take the womens hormone balancer and Love it.
I am 64 with meds for high blood pressure and cholesterol.
I also use a c-pap machine for at least 15 years. I walk at least 2 miles a day. No ins co will touch me because of these 3 things together. I dont have a problem with my sex life but would love more energy. Is there any danger with taken these supplements?
Lyle, honestly I’m not sure because as far as I know Ageless Male has not been tested in people with high blood pressure or those who have cholesterol issues. I’ve seen a little data that saw palmetto might cause blood pressure to drop if you get up too fast (postural hypotention) so given your high blood pressure its possible that there may be an interaction. I am just guessing though.
Why dont you do this, print up this review and give it to your doctor and let them read the ingredients and make the call. I think that’s probably best.
I use the Dr Max Powers HGH Spray, since it was recommended by my personal physician. It takes a while to work, but definitely works. I sleep better, I feel better, I have more energy, my skin looks better, I swear it even has reduced fat in those areas you seem to gain in as you get older. Worth every penny of it.
Mark, Did you have your HGH levels tested before and after using the spray? Is your doctor an MD or DO? Just curious.
Wow! Fascinating and informative conversation. Thank you Joe… and Tricia 😉 Wish this amount of info had had been available 5 years ago when I was diagnosed with low T by my ND. I started on Androgel which – after the dose was adjusted – worked effectively. But the expense was horrible – $300/month – and it seemed ‘artificial’ in that it created surges after application.
For the last 4 years I’ve been using a topical cream a local compounding pharmacy makes by prescription. It was also available from a major online compounding pharmacy with prescription. After learning to apply it to my inner arms for better absorption (Androgel was applied to my chest) it feels much more even in it’s effect, and runs $80/month. Also make sure your ND/MD is monitoring your pituitary, progesterone, estradiol/estrogen, cholesterol, and BP annually.
I have thought about doing something like that. I have some friends at great vet organizations. I have made some pretty powerful friends. The older vet organizations that seem well established just hit you up for money and don’t do anything. The disabled sports network/ wounded warrior is where its at. The trap that kills vets is when you first get discharged there is a lag of about 18 months before the va will pay you. If you try to support yourself the va will hold it against you. This is where vets get lost. I personally think it is a cost reduction method. In a world where defense spending cuts wins elections you can only imagine what happens to the has beens.
Its a bit off the topic but I feel it is information that needs to be out there. Everyone loved to point the finger at the 4 marines that urinated on the taliban corpses but no one seemed outraged about the remains of us soldiers found in a landfill or all the screw ups at arlington. I have known I was going to serve since childhood. I had always looked forward to being buried at arlington but now…….I don’t think so.
I like you love the ability for everyday people to have the ability to tell the truth online. Even though I feel it may end soon.
Yes I remember the Arlington incident! So darn sad!! I say make your own website. register a name that has some key words in it -veterans help etc – and download wordpress and start blogging. I dont think its going away anytime soon. People stood up against SOPA and PIPPA and the politicians caved in. their will be more efforts Im sure but we are the real people in charge I do believe that. I definitely let my congressman and senators know about my thoughts about them regulating the web. Do what you love and it wont be work. trust me 🙂
Thanks. I will give that a try. I know from previous tests that I have very low vitamin d levels. I have been exposed to depleted uranium, intrinsic radiation and possible chemical agents. I really can’t get a straight answer from the va. I know that life has came to a crawl. I have a great wife and that has been my saving grace.
Unknown to many, the va causes 18 vets a day to commit suicide. Rallying against that is my cause.
Chase, yes Ive heard about the rate of suicide among vets. its just awful. Have you ever considered starting your own website to help alert people to what is happening. It would not be hard to do and would let you further champion your cause Ultimately, I think having a reason in life makes life worthwhile.
Tricia – found your posts very much to the point (except the HIV thing). As a former researcher, I began to look askance at Medline (PubMed’s original name) way back in the late 80’s. It’s an excellent database but restricted to articles published in peer-reviewed trade publications, which limited and limits its scope to orthodox viewpoints. No room for mavericks or contrary viewpoints except in light of overwhelming data. But, then, the world’s always worked like that.
Something much more serious began in the late 70’s – those trade publications began to be bought up by for-profit publishing companies like Springer and Blackwells, eating up not just medical journals but virtually every formerly academically based journal, whatever the discipline. Those “peers” have long since exited their independent university offices and now work for those companies as, essentially, unpaid “consultants”.
Part of the reason for this shift is that in the old days no one was paid for either writing or reviewing scientific literature; the universities gained prestige by hosting the publications, the writers were academics scrambling for survival in the paper chase and the reviewers were rewarded with prestige and a big Gold Star.
In the current environment, those same parameters give the new publishers the advantage of free content as well as copyright ownership. With the shift from paper to digital delivery, that advantage is amplified – small paper runs concentrated in a single plant for subscribers and outrageous pricing (roughly 20.00 to 70.00 dollars per article) for those buying single articles on-line. Hard not to make a huge profit.
The snake-oil salesmen like Rosenstein look like pikers compared to those companies that, essentially, hijacked an entire, sleepy, low-key, academic defense-of-orthodoxy orientated industry and turned into a money printing machine.
Chuck, interesting points. Ive think one of the best innovations of recent is PLOS and other free medical journals that also help disseminate information and by pass the cost normally associate with much of the peer review process. The other good thing about the 21st century is that technically anybody can do the research and toss it up on a website and let others review and try to replicate it. While that’s not exactly “peer reviewed” it does offer a cheaper and faster alternative to those who are counter the “party line”. If its good research, nobody can stop an idea from flourishing today and that’s the greatest thing about being alive today!