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.