This compound is like sliced bread to the supplement industry. There are many different health benefits to come from resveratrol, but we picked it up for one in particular. Resveratrol is capable of modulating estrogenic receptors as well as controlling aromatase, giving it that One Two Punch for estrogen control.[2][3] Research has shown its estrogenic modulation capabilities to increase sperm production by stimulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. [1]

Horny Goat Weed

Horny Goat Weed (HWG) is a great source of the testosterone mimetic, Icariin. Research on Icariin has shown it to increase circulating testosterone levels as well as improve reproductive organs, making it a great therapeutic for hypoandrogenic states (like right after a steroids cycle). [4]

On top of the testosterone mimetic capabilities of icariin, it also has some very interesting metabolites. In vivo research has shown icariin to metabolize into icaritin and desmethylicaritin. [5] What's great about these guys is the fact that (like resveratrol) are very strong estrogenic receptor antagonists. [6][7]

Quercetin & Piperine

Well we've got our pretty sick post cycle therapy stack going here, but there poses one small problem, and that's absorption and bioavailability. Icariin and Resveratrol do not have the greatest bioavailablity in all the land so we gave them a little help with Quercetin and Piperine. Quercetin is used because it is the most potent natural inbitor of estrone sulfanase which degrades compounds like resveratrol. [15] This makes not only aids in absorption, but enhances antiestrogenic activity. Piperine is another addition because it enhances the ability of your intestines to absorb nutrients and phytochemicals. [16] Additionally, piperine may also inhibit the glucuronidase enzyme, another enzyme which degrades resveratrol.[17]

References:

1.trans-Resveratrol, a natural antioxidant from grapes, increases sperm output in healthy rats. Juan ME, González-Pons E, Munuera T, Ballester J, Rodríguez-Gil JE, Planas JM. J Nutr. 2005 Apr;135(4):757-60

2.The red wine polyphenol resveratrol displays bilevel inhibition on aromatase in breast cancer cells. Wang Y, Lee KW, Chan FL, Chen S, Leung LK. Toxicol Sci. 2006 Jul;92(1):71-7. Epub 2006 Apr 11

3.Estrogenic and antiestrogenic properties of resveratrol in mammary tumor models.Bhat KP, Lantvit D, Christov K, Mehta RG, Moon RC, Pezzuto JM. Cancer Res. 2001 Oct 15;61(20):7456-63

4.The testosterone mimetic properties of icariin. Zhang ZB, Yang QT. Asian J Androl. 2006 Sep;8(5):601-5. Epub 2006 Jun 5.

5.Determination of rat urinary metabolites of icariin in vivo and estrogenic activities of its metabolites on MCF-7 cells.Liu J, Ye H, Lou Y. Pharmazie. 2005 Feb;60(2):120-5

6.Estrogenic effects of two derivatives of icariin on human breast cancer MCF-7 cells.Ye HY, Lou YJ. Phytomedicine. 2005 Nov;12(10):735-41

7.Preparation of two derivatives from icariin and investigation of their estrogen-like effects.Ye HY, Liu J, Lou YJ.Zhejiang Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban. 2005 Mar;34(2):131-6

8.Inhibition of estrone sulfatase in human liver microsomes by quercetin and other flavonoids.Huang Z, Fasco MJ, Kaminsky LS. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 1997 Sep-Oct;63(1-3):9-15

9.Piperine modulates permeability characteristics of intestine by inducing alterations in membrane dynamics: influence on brush border membrane fluidity, ultrastructure and enzyme kinetics.Khajuria A, Thusu N, Zutshi U. Phytomedicine. 2002 Apr;9(3):224-31

10.Impairment of UDP-glucose dehydrogenase and glucuronidation activities in liver and small intestine of rat and guinea pig in vitro by piperine.Reen RK, Jamwal DS, Taneja SC, Koul JL, Dubey RK, Wiebel FJ, Singh J. Biochem Pharmacol. 1993 Jul 20;46(2):229-38.