Update 9/4/20. “Refind your prime” and “Take back what time has taken.” These are two statements made for Mdrive, the supplement for men that’s touted to “naturally increase free testosterone.” Does Mdrive work? More importantly, does Mdrive increase testosterone levels —naturally? That’s one of the questions I want to try to address in this Mdrive Review.
What Does The Name Mean?
I think Mdrive is short for “man drive.” That is a guess. Take it for what it is.
Who Makes Mdrive?
On the Mdrive website (MdriveForMen.com), I see that Mdrive is made by a company called Dream Brands.
The address of Dream Brands is 11645 N Cave Creek Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85020. This address shows a house that has been converted to an office and production facility. The Better Business Bureau file gives DreamBrands a rating of “A +”. See the BBB file for updates and more information.
Mdrive TV Commercial
Here is a TV commercial from their YouTube channel. I have to admit it's pretty good.
Mdrive vs Mdrive Plus
There are 2 types of Mdrive:
and
2. Mdrive Plus
What's the difference? Both Mdrive Classic and Mdrive Plus contain the same main proprietary blend of ingredients that I'll review below. Mdrive classic has 1325 mg of the blend while Mdrive Plus has 1130 mg.
Another difference is that Mdrive Classic only has vitamin B12 in addition to the proprietary blend.
Mdrive Plus, on the other hand, has several other vitamins and minerals. Other than that, I don't see any difference.
If you saw the Mdrive TV commercial, you might notice that the commercial actually refers to Mdrive Plus, so this will be the product that I review.
Update. Mdrive Plus may be discontinued. It's no longer listed on the product's website.
Mdrive Ingredients
According to the Mdrive TV commercial (you can see it on Mdrive4Men.com), Mdrive is composed of something called “Cordydrive” plus “5 clinically tested ingredients.”
These are the 5 clinically tested ingredients
| Ingredient | Function of ingredient (according to Mdrive TV commercial) |
| 1. Testofen | free testosterone support |
| 2. Setria | detox |
| 3. L optizinc | cell support |
| 4. Selenium Select | immune support |
| 5. Chrome | glucose support |
Mdrive Plus contains 1150 mg of a proprietary blend of these ingredients.
Let's now look at the research for Cordydrive and the 5 clinically tested ingredients in Mdrive and see what we can discover.
Cordydrive
This is said to be the primary ingredient in Mdrive. Cordydrive is a made-up word for Cordyceps (Cordyceps Sinensis). Cordyceps is a type of mushroom. Another name for it is “caterpillar fungus.” Cordyceps appears to have no human proof it raises testosterone. Likewise, human aphrodisiac properties were not located either.
Cordyceps and Exercise
So can cordyceps help you exercise better? Let's look at the evidence.
Study
In one study cordyceps failed to improve muscle endurance, muscle strength, or muscle power in healthy men. The men were given 350.8 mg of cordyceps, which was used in conjunction with other herbs.
Study
In another investigation, cordyceps did not improve aerobic exercise endurance when it was given to 22 male cyclists for 5 weeks. People in this study received 3 grams (3000 milligrams) of cordyceps per day (this is more than is in Mdrive).
Study
In this study, 17 cyclists were given 1000 mg a day. The supplement did not improve bike riding performance.
Study
Runners may have heard this herb improves VO2max (aerobic capacity). At least one study has noted it did extend the time until execution occurred when it was given to 8 men who rode a stationary bike as long and hard as they could.
To be fair, cordyceps exercise studies seem to suffer from small studies that don't last very long.
See the Shakeology review for additional information.
Cordyceps And The Immune System
There are several studies showing that cordyceps appear to stimulate the immune system in mice as well as in test tubes.
Human cordyceps research on immunity appears to be limited to test tube research for the most part. It might stimulate the immune system or might not. I just don't know.
The 5 Clinically Tested Ingredients
1. Testofen
This is an invented word used to refer to the herb, fenugreek. Research generally uses 600 mg per day (they don't tell us how much fenugreek is in Mdrive).
The Mdrive TV commercial says this Testofen is for “free testosterone support.” This is then followed by these words “based on Gencor Testofen clinical.” Gencor Pacific Group is the company that makes the Testofen brand of fenugreek.
The US headquarters of Gencor is located at 920, E.Orangethorpe Avenue Suite B Anaheim CA – 92081.
There were 3 studies listed on the Testofen website.
Here they are:
1. A rat study Since men are not rats I'll discount this study.
2. A human exercise study. In this study, Indian researchers gave 60 young men 600 mg of Testofen or a placebo for 8 weeks. They also performed strength training exercises to muscle failure. Free testosterone increased from 17 ng/dl to 35 ng/dl. Body fat was also said to decline significantly.
3. A human study where men who were given Testofen basically reported how they felt on questionnaires. No changes in testosterone were noted.
So, the evidence for Testofen appears to be :
1. a rat study.
2. One study showing Testofen works.
3. a study where Testofen does not raise testosterone levels but yet appeared to work when men self-report how they feel on questionnaires.
For more on testofen see:
2. Setria
This is an invented name for glutathione, a natural antioxidant. Glutathione is in fruits and vegetables and exercise increases glutathione naturally.
Setria is a reference to a proprietary type of glutathione made by a company called Kyowa (Kyowa-USA.com). Mdrive says Setria (glutathione) is for “detox.”
3. L-OptiZinc
This is a name for a proprietary form of zinc. It’s the mineral zinc bound to the amino acid methionine. This is likely done so as to increase zinc absorption.
Mdrive contains 100% of the daily allowance of zinc. I'm guessing that Mdrive has this mineral because a lack of zinc can reduce testosterone levels.
But, do zinc supplements raise testosterone? Right now I'm on the fence about this. One study noted that 30 mg of zinc given to male cyclists for 4 weeks did raise free testosterone levels. The amount given was more than the RDA for zinc.
I couldn’t find much zinc-testosterone research on humans so I am not sure what degree zinc raises testosterone – or even if it really does – if you are already getting enough. It's not hard to get zinc in the diet (even easier if you take a multivitamin) so I don't think most men are lacking in this mineral.
4. Selenium Select
This is just a proprietary type of selenium used in supplements. Like zinc, selenium is also needed to make testosterone. In the study of zinc and cyclists mentioned previously, selenium was also given. For what it's worth, Zinc raised testosterone more than selenium.
5. Chrome
They also call this “Zychrome” on the Mdrive website. Both names refer to the mineral chromium. Mdrive Plus contains 333% of this trace mineral. Why? Chromium can help us process sugar better and that’s good but, people who are taking Mdrive are probably already health conscience and hence, are not likely deficient in this mineral. For more on this see my Chromium review.
Other Ingredients in Mdrive
Maca
Also called Lepidium meyenii. One study noted that Maca improved sexual desire when used at a dosage of 1500 mg – 3000 mg per day for 12 weeks (this is more than is in Mdrive). Maca did not raise testosterone levels in this study. Another study also noted no change in testosterone or other hormones following Maca use.
Here is a Macca supplement on Amazon that has several positive comments.
American Ginseng
Also called Panax quinquefolius. The Mdrive website says ginseng is used for “mental energy and sharper focus” although I can't find any good proof it does either of these. I did locate one ginseng exercise study from 2005 but this study noted that ginseng did not help aerobic exercise ability.
Damiana
Also called Turnera diffusa. The Mdrive website says damiana is used to “manage stress.” But they don't tell us what kind of stress they are referring to. For example, is it:
- physical stress?
- emotional stress?
- oxidative stress?
So, I searched the National Library of Medicine for these keywords:
- “Damiana stress”
- “Turnera diffusa stress”
I could not locate any studies on daminia helping / reducing stress. The only study that looked remotely like it might fit this description was a rat study noting that damina might reduce ulcers.
Vitamin B 12
Mdrive has 2000% of the daily value of vitamin B12. Those at risk for B12 deficiency include
- vegans
- older folks
- diabetics (metformin depletes B12)
- alcoholics
Unlike most other water-soluble vitamins, we store B12! Healthy people can have 1-2 years' worth stockpiled.
Contrary to what energy drink makers may say, there's no proof vitamin B12 boosts energy unless you are deficient in it, to begin with. Likewise, it's also a myth that vitamin B12 helps weight loss also.
Maitake Extract
What extract do they use? They don't tell us. Maitake comes from mushrooms. Its scientific name is Grifola frondosa.
The Mdrive website says Maitake “supports immune health.” In a small 2003 study, maitake extract stimulated natural killer cell activity and slowed tumor progression in 10 cancer patients.
In a 2009 study published in the Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology, a maitake extract stimulated the immune system of 34 breast cancer patients. This study noted that maitake extract stimulated some aspects of immunity while depressing other aspects.
If you have cancer, please speak to your oncologist first before experimenting with maitake extracts. Again, you have to ask yourself what maitake extracts help cancer? Buying maitake supplements at health food stores may not be giving you the extracts that cancer research has used.
Coleus Forskohlii
A lot of weight loss supplements contain Coleus forskohlii and even Dr. Oz has talked about it. It's in many other supplements including :
The way it's supposed to work is by stimulating fat-burning enzymes. It sounds interesting but there are problems with some of the studies.
For example, some research notes that coleus forskohlii does not increase metabolism or raise testosterone levels. Also, not all research finds that coleus helps with weight loss.
For more in-depth information on the coleus research, read my coleus forskohlii and weight loss review.
Here is a coleus forskohlii product on Amazon that has several positive comments.
Ashwagandha
The scientific name for this herb is Withania somnifera. There is some very preliminary research on Ashwagandha and arthritis, noting that it might help protect cartilage (and hence reduce the risk of osteoarthritis). Ashwagandha seems to have anti-inflammatory properties also.
In a study published in 2010 in the International Journal of Ayurveda Research, Ashwagandha was shown to improve:
- aerobic ability (VO2max)
- sprint velocity
- lower body power during vertical jumps
in young men (who did not exercise) after 8 weeks of daily use. The amount of Ashwagandha used was 500 mg (I don't know how much Ashwagandha is in Mdrive).
Here is an Ashwagandha product on Amazon with several positive comments.
Note. This study used young men. Mdrive is marketed to men over 40.
This study contained 40 young men. Yet only 10 men received a placebo. The other 30 men received herbal treatments. Why didn’t the researchers randomly assign the herbal treatments? This could be a weakness of the study.
Ashwagandha is also found in several other supplements I've reviewed before including:
- 1 Db Goddess – a female weight loss supplement
- Avesil – a weight loss supplement
- Shakeology – a weight loss/health drink
Here is a scientific review of Ashwagandha that was published in 2000 in the journal Alternative Medicine Review for those who want to know the chemistry etc. of this herb.
Bioperine
This stuff is used to increase the absorption of supplements. It's been used in other products I've reviewed including The testosterone booster Syntheroid and the weight loss supplement Lean and Fab.
How to Contact Dream Brands
A phone number of 1-888-340-9181 is listed on the website for those who want to contact them and /or want to “Ask our Experts” a question.
Does Mdrive Raise Testosterone?
I could not find any research showing that Mdrive -itself – raises testosterone levels in humans.
Who is Doctor Stephen Morganstern?
The Mdrive testimonials page shows a video endorsement from Stephen Morganstern, MD. He is a urologist in GA and the author of books about the prostate, and impotence. His website also notes that Dr. Morganstern is a Body by Visalus distributor too.
In his testimonial Dr. Morganstern says:
“I have not seen a product like Mdrive on the market…”
Really Dr. Morganstern? While the ingredients are not identical, Mdrive has ingredients that are similar to other products that I've already reviewed.
Dr. Morganstern goes on to say:
“The combination is excellent. It takes the science that we have available today and combines all the natural ingredients for an excellent presentation to the patient that is safe and efficacious.”
It would take clinical studies to prove the supplement is efficacious at raising testosterone levels.
How Long Until Mdrive Works?
The Mdrive website says “Most people report feeling energized all day long within the first couple days.” But, then they say …
“Each person's biology is different but most gradually start to notice the effects of increased testosterone including, focus, strength, endurance, respiration and healthy libido.”
My thoughts:
1. I disagree with the claim “each person's biology is different.” Since we are all humans we all work pretty much the same way.
2. They say most people “gradually” start to notice the effects of increased testosterone…. How long is “gradually?” Is it a week,? A month? Six months?
How Much Does Mdrive Cost?
On the Mdrive website, they list $59.99 for 60 capsules of Mdrive Plus and $44.99 for Mdrive Classic. Since they recommend 2 capsules per day, this is a month's supply. While Mdrive Classic appears to be available at several health food stores, they do say that Mdrive Plus is only available online.
There is a 60-day money-back guarantee on Mdrive for those who want to return it. People just have to pay to have it returned to the company. For more information call the Mdrive company at 888 340 9181.
Mdrive Side Effects
In healthy people, I think Mdrive is Safe. I'm not aware of any negative side effects. That said here are some things to consider when using this supplement. this list is not complete.
- Start with less than suggested for the first two weeks to see how you respond
- Stop taking Mdrive at least 2 weeks before surgery
- Avoid if pregnant or breastfeeding
- Speak to your pharmacist if you take any medications
Ginseng might lower blood sugar levels. This might not be noticed by healthy people but in diabetics, there may be an interaction with diabetes drugs.
Ashwagandha might overstimulate the thyroid gland. This comes from a case report of a woman who developed symptoms of hyperthyroidism after using a supplement that contained Ashwagandha. The symptoms disappeared after she stopped taking it. There is lab animal research hinting that Ashwagandha might elevate thyroid hormone. I can't locate any human research on this though.
If cordyceps stimulates the immune system, in theory, it might be inappropriate for people with autoimmune issues like hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's disorder), and other autoimmune disorders.
Does Mdrive Work?
I didn't try Mdrive, so I don't have any firsthand experience with this product. Remember Mdrive itself doesn’t seem to have any published peer-reviewed proof that it raises testosterone. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t work though. When trying any testosterone supplement, it may be wise to first get your testosterone levels checked. Then try the supplement for a month. Then check your testosterone levels again. This would be the easiest way to know for sure if Mdrive works or not.
Just discovered your site, and it looks interesting. I have tried “Ageless Male” and after 3 months found no benefit. “New Vitality”, the company that distributes Ageless Male, kept calling me with offers to buy a huge supplies at modest discounts, and would not stop charging me for new product, as once you buy their introductory offer, “Buy 2 get one Free”, that signs you up for Ageless Male in perpetuity.
I had to let the card expire and therefore cancel their ability to charge me for more worthless pills.
I wonder if fenugreek, might work by itself?
Thanks
Phill, Did you dispute the charges with your credit card? What happened?
I did a little personal experiment with fenugreek and didn’t notice much of a difference. you may be different though. Fenugreek is something you can get any almost any healthfood store.
so what actually does work for a t-boost?
dave, here is my FAQ Page. I address my thoughts on T booster supplements there. Its the last question in the list.
Hello Joe
I am a new fan and have just found you. My husband has been taking M-drive for 2 weeks now (maybe even more, if he has had other boxes that I don’t know of) and I have not seen any difference in his performance at all. Thank you so much for your research & I will pass it on. I’ll visit your site more often.
Kate, thanks I’m glad you found me 🙂
Good review and information. I have been watching the MDrive commercial for about a year now and have been wanting to try it, but I a skeptical. After reading the your review and others that have commented I have decided not to purchase the product. I have come to the conclusion that there is no magic pill out there.
One fact I do believe and I am living proof, is that if you want to have energy and lean muscle mass you must put forth the effort. I get compliments all the time and people always ask what are you taking. I am taking no supplements at all, this is what I do.
That means following the right nutrition and working out correctly and listening to your body. I am 52 and have been working out for 35 yrs. I am 6-1, 235 lbs, 48″ chest, 18″ neck, 18 1/4″ bicepts, 35″ waist, 25″ thighs. 18% body fat.
I work out 4 times a week with free weights, hit a heavy bag for 4-2 minutes rounds for cardio. I dont go that heavy anymore but still manage to get 6-8 reps of 230 lbs in bench and squat 300 lbs for 10 reps. I can do more but why. I dont take any supplements at all. Bottom line for me is this works for me and there are no shortcuts. If you want it you can make it happen. Again there is no magic or wonder pill out there, there never has been.
Matt H. Thanks for confirming what I thought also. I was thinking of trying MDrive also, to hopefully make me stronger, but decided not. I just turned 54. I try to run 3 to 4 days a week & lift 3 days. I noticed however I had to stop lifting heavy, because the stronger I got the heavier I got and since I run, the heavier I get the harder it is on my knees.
I just enrolled in crossfit for the past 2 weeks as an alternative to heavy lifting and I love the intense workouts. I’m 6′ 2″ and sitting at 225 now. I wanted to get down to “young man” weight 205 or 200 but whenever I do that, I feel like I’m starving all of the time. I hoped M-drive might help me stay strong and lose my weight but as you have pointed out and the author points out, it’s probably wishful thinking. I was always able to eat whatever I wanted until I hit 42 then the pounds piled on. I even eat less now and I still put on weight. Oh well, I guess there’s no magic elixor. Mike
Hi boys!
on 02 DEC 2011 I ordered the 3 boxes of Mdrive & upon arrival consumed all the boxes (90 days) of caps as advised by the manufacturer, I’ll be honest with you, I didn’t feel anything at all, same level of energy, libido, reps etc..
then on 21 SEP 2012 I ordered dumbly enough 3 boxes of MDRIVE PLUS…..
My suggestion don’t waste your 200 bucks doing what I did.
RK, thanks for the feedback and sorry Mdrive did not help you.
A total of 8 work out session @ 30 minutes each session performed in 1 month ( TEST )
L F Arm, L. Bi-cep, R. Bi-cep, R.F arm Chest
15 17 ¼ 17 ¼ 14 ½ 48
15 ½ 17 5/8 17 ½ 14 48 ½
15 ½ 18 18 14 49
15 ½ 18 ¼ 18 ½ 15 50
L. Thigh – Left. Calf – Right Calf – R. Thigh- Waist
27 ½ 17 ¼ 17 ½ 27 48
28 17 1/2 17 3/4 27 1/2 46
Above numbers are in inch marks only
(Age 57 ) my start weight was 282.0 lbs. 4 weeks later weigh in 278.0 lbs
4 weeks @ 30 minute workout @ 2 times per week ( upper body only )
Dumbbell weight curls. 50lbs w/ 4set – 12 reps ( 60 second break in between sets )
Dumbbell crossovers. 50lbs w/ 4set – 12 reps ( 60 second break in between sets )
Incline bench press ( narrow grip) 110lbs w/ 4 set –12 reps, ( wide grip) w/ 1 set only
Free weight Squats @ 110 lbs. 5 sets — 12 reps. 2ea. 30 minute session with 5 day rest in between each workout sessions ( 1 week cycle only ).
2 caps per day with 3 liters of filtered water per day. 2,200 calories per day.
I am very curious why these companies do not do a qualified study. Give M-drive to 500 people with known T levels prior to starting the supplement, then remeasuring the T levels after a full month of use.
If they could prove that 80% of people,saw a 25% increase in T levels then this all would make sense. But studies on rats, etc ?? If its being sold, why not take the actual levels on humans pre and post supplement ? Makes me highly skeptical….
John, that would seem logical to me also.
the other part to the equation, not just from myself making a statement to you earlier, is people I am in contact with weekly, are starting to talk….. S*****d user, at my age 56 + I just laugh….and walk away !
suppose if the word got around to the right people, they want to pull it off the market.
Retired Veteran 23 yrs.
For me the product does give me the Drive, with increase in Strength, Stamina, Recovery, Respiration, Focus, and lastly Muscle Mass…… As far as Sex drive goes, not so good… but it is a fair trade off for the vascularity and size of mass we are receiving which is compounding weekly. Also a strong belief it aides in my immune system! Also love the Zicam been using this product for 8 + years
Samson, I’m glad you are happy with it. Thanks for for your words!
John, thanks for your feedback. Happy you say its helping you.
Joe,
I’ll start by introducing myself. My name is Brian Kehoe, the son of Gary Kehoe(inventor of MDrive). I felt the need to post here because I wanted to clear up a few things I read in your review.
First off, I really appreciate your website. You have a great way of explaining complex information in a way most can understand. This especially applies to how certain ingredients affect the human body and your reviews of clinical studies that have been done as understanding these can be extremely complex.
If you say you created this website because you wanted to inform the consumer before they buy into one of the many products that were created to make somebody rich, but never really provide results, then I completely support what you’re doing.
I also agree if it’s to simply inform consumers of the products on the market that truly do work, thus helping your readers weed through the dilution of supplements in the market. I say this because I don’t want you or your readers to believe I came here to bash you but rather to help clarify some of the things that maybe we didn’t do a great job explaining.
You mention Gary in your review and I just wanted to say that he is sincere when he tells his customers that his product is legitimate. He is one of the most determined men I have ever known in my lifetime. This is why he appears in his commercials/ads, not because he wants to be the face of the product but because he is.
He frequently takes 30 minutes out of his day to take employees from the company to go hiking in the preserves behind the building. He is consistently showing the drive he still has in his life even at the age of 54 and he attributes his ability to do so to MDrive. This is why he and his team created the formula.
I agree the market is saturated with products but look at the timeline of those in our category, MDrive was a first comer into the market and still to this day stands to have the most comprehensive formula (Not just a testosterone booster but an everyday all around supplement for men).
As for DreamBrands and MDrive, I have watched my father and his team build this company from the ground up. You stated in the beginning that the address looks like somebody’s house and I would have to agree with you as the building is dubbed “The Shack.” What you don’t get to see on Google Maps is the vast amount of money that went into the building to convert it to an office, production facility, and a full laboratory for research, all inside. If you look on our DreamBrands website you’ll find an About Us video inviting you inside our building and to meet our staff.
Cordydrive is indeed a name the company has developed. This is extremely common in the supplement industry to help protect our proprietary blends from the next company who tries to knock off our product. We created Cordydrive because we believe the proprietary blend is far more powerful than Cordyceps by itself.
You make references to Cordyceps not showing any signs of increasing testosterone in humans and we agree, Cordyceps was not added to the formula for that reason. That’s why we have included the clinically tested ingredient Testofen in our product.
You go on to state that the majority of our ingredients don’t have any clinical science backing their affects. I’m not going to go into detail on every one of them providing counter-arguments as I don’t see that as necessary or the reason I posted.
Rather I’d like to invite you or anyone else reading this to call us and we’d be happy to send you whatever information you desire. Our direct number is publicly posted; we’re not hiding behind confusing call centers or hidden brand names to hide ourselves. In fact, call and ask for Brian and I’ll happily help with whatever concerns you or your readers may have.
We believe in our product so much that we’d love to have you, Joe, come out and visit our company. Meet the employees, read the information we have, the clinicals we’ve studied. I understand you may have avoided contacting us before writing this to ensure your unbiased opinion was omitted from your review but I believe if you’re having trouble finding information on these ingredients who better to go to then the company claiming they work?
This goes for anyone reading this, or any of our customers. We’ve had customers come to the building and Gary himself has gone for hikes, mountain biking, you name it with them. He loves meeting his customers and the chance to thank them for believing in his product as there is nothing that makes him happier then to see the effects of his product in motion.
Anyways, I know this is long and I appreciate those who may have stuck around long enough to read it.
Brian, I appreciate you taking the time to write and for filling me in on how the house (the shack) has been converted to DreamBrands office. That cleared things up for me. I have amended that part of my review to reflect what you told me. I also appreciate the invite. AZ is a little far from me but ya never know. You guys have much better weather on your end of the US 🙂
First timer here. Was planning to purchase M-Drive the day after reading your review. Don’t know you, never heard of you. But, great review, comprehensive, un-biased with no personal agenda. Glad I found this before making a purchase. Damn, the commercial was impressive and I thought “alright, finally, looks like a credible product”.. oh well, back to the drawing board I guess… at least I saved my $59.99… thanks, great review… also, great comments from the review section, very helpful.. thanks to the reviewer’s too…
Ted, thanks happy you found me 🙂
But do you have a product that you can show that actually increases testosterone in men? I have been searching
James, Im searching too. So far I haven’t found one either. Weight loss can help. So too can exercise. Take a look at this review I wrote on some interesting research http://helpforpersonaltrainers.com/strength-first-or-cardio-first-effects-on-testosterone-levels/
Joe, awesome review! Very detailed and comprehensive. I have tried M-drive on 2 separate occasions and I must say that the first few days I did feel some positive results, which I can attribute more so to a sort-of a placebo effect than to the M-drive itself. My search for a good T-booster lead me in the direction of Syntheroid, which is also based on Testofen. The results are the same: null.
Jose, thanks I’m happy you found me 🙂
Great review. People like Myles are why these companies are able to peddle their snake oil. PT Barnum was a genius.
Joe – Called Dreambrands yesterday morning, told them MDrive Plus has made no noticeable difference for me. The lady was very nice, asked me if I had stopped taking it to see if energy level dropped, told her yea, and saw no difference. She said her husband takes it and it had given him more energy, but everybody is different.
She said another gal would call me back in a few minutes to give me instructions on how to get a refund. The other lady called within a couple of minutes. She was also very cordial, and told me to mail the unused portion back and that when they received it, I would be credited for the full purchase price. At no time did they give me any hassle, and it only cost a little over $4 to mail it back. I have no reason to believe they won’t follow through.
Merv, thanks for the update. Im glad Dreambrands responded to your request promptly and painlessly.
Is there an effective OTC testosterone suppliment worth it’s price?
Reagan, I have not seen a product yet that I had any faith in. Im open to the possibility that I am wrong but for me the company would have to show me published clinical studies (more than 1 study) on their product showing it actually works. So far, I have not seen this proof. Just get your T levels measured first and then again a month later. thats the only way to know for sure.
What’s interesting is all of inaccuracies in your review. Zinc for instance doesn’t raise test direly, it limits DHT and has anti-aromatase effects. Also Testofen is well known to boost test levels.
Myles, appreciate you writing. I said I was open to zinc having an effect on testosterone levels (via directly or by altering DHT) but that I wanted to see better research but as for Testofen, just show me the proof. Even the company that makes Testofen only has an unpublished study supporting it raises T levels. If you have published clinical trials showing testofen raises testosterone levels, please show me and I will be very happy to change my review.
Testofen is also in the supplement Ageless Male. As I mentioned in that review here is a study where Testofen did not raise testosterone levels http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=testofen
Great review! I’ve been taking MDrive Plus for 1 1/2 months, and it has not helped my sex drive, nor can I say that it’s helped me as I train for the Marine Corps Marathon , 28 October 2012. Going to call them tomorrow and ask for my money back.
Merv, thanks for the feedback. Let me know how the refund process goes.
Great review Joe. Another supplement with misleading claims, not peer reviewed and no primary research. Sadly adding more confusion to those looking so desperately for health improvement. Double thumbs up Joe!
Jim thanks thats nice of you to say 🙂
I have taken many supplements over the past twenty years. I think I can differentiate between what works and more of a placebo effect. I took M Drive original for only three days and my wife threw it away because my sex drive and stamina was literally out of control. I was waking up several times a night erect and wanting it more and more. This product truly works. In that short if time frame I didn’t notice any changes in the gym however. Yet.
Joe, I absolutely think your reviews are awesome. Don’t change a thing. However, the problem with all supplements is lack of studies. Who’s going to pay 20 to 100 million for the kind of studies done on drugs for a supplement? It’s not happening and not likely to happen. So, what comes across as skepticism is unfortunately something we have to live with if we want to TRY and improve our lives. My hope is that with IoT we will see some kind of new bigdata study technology that will enable us to do studies much cheaper with many more people.
Given all that I have been taking Mdrive elite for several weeks. It contains all the things you mentioned above and I used to take Biotivia ForgeMax. I can say for a fact that ForgeMax worked because my testosterone levels which were kinda typical for a man in 50s was in the level of men in 20s. I have not had my testosterone tested since switching to Mdrive but if it is much lower than the forgemax then I will obviously switch back to the other product. I can say that I still feel like I have a decent testosterone level although I am not 100% sure.
Logic, studies can cost money. I do think a lot of that cost can be avoided by using college grad students. Give them the product in return for them publishing a study and let them – under the guidance of their professors – conduct the experiments. They get a MS thesis out of the project and the company gets a peer reviewed study. Everybody is happy. That is what I would do. Im happy you are enjoying my website 🙂
Joe,
Again, you hit it outta the park!! GREAT Review!!
Dwayne Wimmer
Vertex Fitness Personal Training Studio
Thanks Dwayne, apprecaite that!
Hey Joe, your opinion and research is appreciated. Did you come across this link with regards to Cordyceps?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3121254/
Hi Aaron, I looked at the study, thanks for the heads up. I added it to my files. One thing I noticed was that the authors spoke a lot about how local indigenous people use cordyceps. What they use may be different than what is in supplements. Remember, we have to trust that supplements contain what their labels say. Supplements may contain what companies “think” are the active ingredients. This might be different by what the local indigenous people use.
It appeared to me that the authors of the study, did not provide much human evidence to back up that cordyceps helps us. They quoted test tube studies and mice studies, which while valuable, I personally like to see people studies.
At one point they say “Also, the fermentable strain of the mycelia causes normal fat mobilization and beta-oxidation, thereby maintaining blood glucose level during prolonged exercise in athletes.” Unfortunately the authors did not provide a citation for that statement which is too bad because I’d be interested in knowing if it was based on human, animal or test tube research.
For what its worth, I covered the research on cordyceps in my book if you care to check it out.
Hope that helps some Aaron and again, thanks for the study!