Ingredients8.6
Effectiveness8
Value7.8
Pros
  • Effective ingredients
  • No harsh side effects
Cons
  • Only 1 month cycle
8.1Overall Score

Prohormones are like Boris the Blade a.k.a. Boris the Bullet-Dodger, apparently it’s impossible to kill them. One of the latest prohormones to attract a lot of attention is the new Andro-5A from Lecheek Nutrition.

In this review I’ll cover everything you need to know about what kind of gains and side effects to expect from Andro-5A.

Are Prohormones Legal?

The short answer is yes and no. In the early 2000’s, The FDA banned the prohormone androstenedione and other similar compounds by declaring them Schedule III controlled substances.
Today, however, a prohormone is basically still legal as long as the chemical compound is a couple steps removed from androstenedione. In Andro-5A, for example, you have 1-androstene-3b-ol-17-one, which requires a couple different enzymatic reactions to convert to testosterone.

Creative Chemistry

I alluded to this above, but the compounds in Andro-5A─ 5a-hydroxy-laxogenin and 1-androstene-3b-ol-17-one are prohormone derivatives which naturally increase testosterone, however, they must first undergo a series of enzymatic reactions.

In fact, 1-androstene-3b-ol-17-one is supported by research and shown to testosterone, as well as lean mass and strength gains.[1] What’s more, 1-androstene-3b-ol-17-one doesn’t convert to estrogen, and there is almost no chance of side effects such as gyno occurring.

What’s more, Andro-5A features the compound 5a-hydroxy-laxogenim, a steroidal saponin which features a similarity with the drug Anavar. Unlike Anavar, however, 5a-hydroxy-laxogenin doesn’t cause liver toxicity or have any hard side effects.

5a-hydroxy-laxogenin Ostensibly works by increasing protein synthesis, driving more amino acids into muscle cells, which drastically improves muscle growth and recovery.[2]

Andro-5A Side Effects

For as long as I can remember, prohormones have been synonymous with liver damage. This is because of methylated prohormone compounds which passed through the liver before they converted to testosterone.

Since there are no methylated compounds in Andro-5A, you don’t have to worry about it affecting the liver or causing any harmful side effects. As long as you follow the recommended dosing procedure it is highly unlikely you will experience any side effects.

Also be sure not to run don’t run a cycle of Andro-5A longer than recommended. Running prohormones for too long without a break can wreak havoc on your lipid profile, causing cholesterol and blood pressure to get out of whack.

Andro-5A Aftermath

I ran Andro-5A for 4 weeks and gained about 2 lbs of muscle and dropped 3% in bodyfat. Everyone is different, however, and there is no guarantee the physiological response will be the same. It might be better, or it might be worse.

I also have 8 years of training behind me, so you might have a better response if this is your first prohormone or you’re new to supplements.

My Humble Opinion

I definitely think Andro-5A one of the better and more effective legal prohormones you’re going to find. Most places online are selling it for about $40, which is reasonably priced for a prohormone. Additionally, it was nice to see that the compounds in here were backed by research.

References:
[1]Granados J1, Gillum TL, Christmas KM, Kuennen MR.Prohormone supplement 3β-hydroxy-5α-androst-1-en-17-one enhances resistance training gains but impairs user health Appl Physiol (1985). 2014 Mar 1;116(5):560-9. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00616.2013. Epub 2013 Dec 31.

[2]Syrov VN, Kurmukov AG. [Experimental study of the anabolic activity of 6-ketoderivatives of certain natural sapogenins]Farmakol Toksikol1976 Sep-Oct;39(5):631-5.



About The Author

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Brian E. is from southern California and has worked for names like GNC and Vitamin Shoppe as a supplement expert and consultant. He currently lives in Utah and is studying marketing.

4 Responses

  1. Derrick

    You absolutely have no idea of what u are talking about!

    Andro-5A by LeCheek Nutrition is NOT prohormone and Andro-5A is a non hormonal anabolic which requires NO pct and in fact can be used as part of your pct!

    I think LeCheek Nutrition would be happy to know that someone out there were reporting that they had jumped into the prohormone game which in fact they haven’t.

    You need to do more research n no what u r talking about before u publish and put something on your website that NOT true!

    You just might make more sells and you might be able to keep your website bc you wont be ordered to close it down bc of false information.

    You might need to go bk to GNC or at least research more n know for a fact about something before you tell the public.

    You might even make more sells.

    I might pass this to one of my buddies so he can tell Lecheek that someone is telling people that they have entered the prohormone world.

    Reply
    • Brian E.

      The term prohormone is admittedly subjective. To be clear, I define a prohormone as a supplement or product that increases levels of hormones such as testosterone. The front of Andro-5a’s bottle says, “Hormone Enhancer.” In my humble opinion LeCheek’s website encourages this definition, and suggests that Andro-5a does in fact need a pct- “Andro 5a can be stacked with our top rated Post Cycle Therapy AD3 PCT as well as our Cycle Armor for increased protection.” They further invite the definition of Andro-5a as a prohormone by specifically comparing the ingredient 5a-Hydroxy Laxogenin in Andro-5a to the oral steroid Anavar: http://lecheeknutrition.com/product/andro-5a/

      Reply
  2. rino

    researching this supplement…. Just curious, did u take 1 pill a day or did u increase it?

    Reply
  3. Phil Slater

    No matter how good a supplement is, it is still very important to counter it with real and nutritious foods. I admit, I also take supplements but I put limits on it. Focus on your workout and nutrients intake more rather than these supplements. However, I still thank you for sharing your insight about this supplement as I’m curious about people’s experience with them.

    Reply

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