Pump Bodybuilding Magazine
Issue Jan/Feb, 1999 pg. 69

The Eastern Bloc ... countries like Romania, Bulgaria, and Czechoslovakia, for years have dominated Olympic weightlifting because unlike the U.S., it's a "big deal". In fact Olympic weightlifters in Eastern Bloc countries have the same celebrity status as pro football and baseball players here! And when money and fame are involved, athletes will use every trick in the book to gain an advantage in size and strength. And in each issue of PUMP, Emeric Delczeg, the world's leading authority on Eastern Bloc methods will reveal a few of these tricks!

Tribestan (pronounced "trib eh stan", not "try beh stan") is the most potent testosterone-enhancing supplement in the world, Within days of using it, your strength levels will increase. And that will result in gains in muscularity and mass because you'll be able to train more intensely and heavier. Plus you'll be able to assimilate protein at a more rapid rate. And since muscle is comprised of and built with protein -- the more you can utilize the greater the possibility for growth. So you should eat more protein for faster gains in lean mass.

Since Tribestan is so potent and effective for raising testosterone levels, how come you've never used it? Why are you still sitting on the fence? It's legal and readily available ... and really works by stimulating your pituitary to release luteinizing hormone-which causes your testes to produce more testosterone.

The main reason you've never used Tribestan is because you simply don't know what it is or what it will do for you. No one's ever really taken the time to tell you much about it. Plus, you may have assumed that Tribulus terrestris (a more popular and well known supplement), would provide you with all the benefits associated with Tribestan. That's a major problem because Tribulus terrestris has been confused with Tribestan for the past several years. But they are not the same thing ... not even close.

Tribulus terrestris is a non-hormone plant that grows on beaches all over the world. Tribestan is made from the Tribulus terrestris plant, but that's where the connection ends. If they're made from the same plant, how can they not be the same thing? Stay with me, because I'm sure you're a little confused. But, I'll explain everything so you'll easily understand it.

Imagine if you wanted to make fresh squeezed orange juice at home. Of course you need oranges -- but the oranges are not orange juice. With the oranges, you've got the peel, the rind, the pulp, the seeds, and the flesh of the fruit. And if you squeeze the oranges, you can get juice from them. So if you effectively "extract" the juice, from the orange, you'll have what you want -- the orange juice. And you'll also have what you made that juice from -- several bruised and squashed orange remnants ... the stuff you don't want. And if you've ever squeezed oranges to make juice, you know how many it takes to make even a small glass of orange juice. It seems like a whole bag makes only about 6 ounces and takes forever-plus you make a big mess doing it.

So think of Tribulus terrestris as the oranges and Tribestan as being the orange juice. Just as the juice is extracted from the orange, Tribestan is extracted from Tribulus terrestris. The juice comes from the orange and Tribestan comes from Tribulus terrestris, but Tribestan is not Tribulus terrestris any more than orange juice is orange peel or seeds.

It takes 2000 lbs of Tribulus Terrestris to make just 40 lbs of Tribestan. So you can see that by taking Tribulus terrestris in the attempt to get enough of the active ingredients in Tribestan, you would have to take 50 times as much. And even then, you wouldn't be getting enough. Plus it would actually be dangerous to take that much Tribulus terrestris. I'll get to that later.

Though Tribulus terrestris is abundant all over the world, in Bulgaria they add a specific fertilizer to the soil so that when the plant is harvested it yields 4 times more active ingredients than any other Tribulus terrestris. Protodioscin and protogracillin are the active ingredients that are extracted from Tribulus terrestris to make Tribestan. And they are responsible for increasing testosterone levels.

It's a slightly more complicated process than that, though. When you take Tribestan, your pituitary releases luteinizing hormone, which is responsible for stimulating the testes to produce testosterone. It's common for levels of both luteinizing hormone and testosterone to decrease when you are taking steroids or even when you use the testosterone boosters (like androstenedione etc...), This is because when the body senses an external source of testosterone, it will decrease the amount of testosterone it produces to maintain homeostasis. That means your body will always attempt to balance itself.

That's why many people who have taken steroids for long periods of time experience a dramatic reduction in the amount of testosterone they produce and some even suffer a complete shutdown. That's how some bodybuilders become sterile or impotent. They rely on outside sources of testosterone so much that their own system for testosterone production becomes inactive (dormant).

The reason why Tribestan works so well is because it is not an external source of testosterone or a precursor to testosterone. It doesn't supply testosterone. It stimulates your body to produce more of its own testosterone. And even in situations where people are taking steroids and their natural testosterone production has diminished, it can raise testosterone production back up to normal levels. But beyond use for bodybuilders and steroid users suffering from low testosterone levels, Tribestan was originally used to treat impotency and sexual dysfunction. It wasn't even designed for bodybuilders. Only after test subjects used it and reported gains in muscle size and strength was it seen as a sports supplement.

Sopharma (the pharmaceutical company that manufactures Tribestan) developed the technology to extract the protodioscin and protogracillin (the active ingredients in Tribestan) from the Tribulus terrestris plant. In 1956, they began researching Tribulus terrestris in order to isolate the active ingredients. Once they discovered protodioscin and protogracillin, they experimented with animals and followed 9 generations of each species and didn't observe any negative side-effects from the use of Tribestan.

In 1976, the product was finally made available, but only in Eastern Europe. That's when I first started using it. I was on the Romanian National Weightlifting team and that's the only reason I had access to it. You couldn't just buy it in the pharmacy. It was only available to athletes through the sports association. All the weightlifters used it in conjunction with steroids and especially when they stopped their steroid cycles.

Tribestan is one of the most Powerful supplements legally available on the market today. However, you're just now recognizing that fact. Since there are still many questions on Tribestan, here are many answers that will provide all the information you need.

How does Tribestan work?

Tribestan causes the body to release luteinizing hormone, which sends a signal to the testes to produce more testosterone. It also prevents the body from recognizing that it is producing higher than normal levels. This is a critical factor why Tribestan works so well.

Usually when testosterone production is e elevated above the normal range, the body will recognize that and the release of luteinizing hormone will be diminished. But Tribestan blocks the message to reduce testosterone production and makes the body think that test levels are still low so that more luteinizing hormone is released.

How long should you take Tribestan?

Tribestan should be taken every day for 8 weeks. The typical dose is 3 tablets daily (750 mg) for people under 200 lbs and 6 tablets daily (1500 mg) for people over 200 lbs. Tribestan is active in the body for approximately 8 hours, So you need to take it 3 times per day to ensure that your body continually releases luteinizing hormone, which results in testosterone production. Testosterone levels can be elevated by as much as 40%.

After an 8-week cycle, you should stop taking it for 2 weeks because the body will begin to recognize that Tribestan has been sending a "false signal" indicating that the body should produce more testosterone. Your body doesn't really need to produce extra testosterone but Tribestan causes it to any way. Once you have used Tribestan for 8 weeks, the body will no longer continue to produce excessive testosterone. However, after ceasing the use of Tribestan for only 2 weeks, the body will respond to it again. The 8 weeks-on, 2 weeks-off schedule can be continued indefinitely.

Do you need to take Tribestan if you're on steroids or any prohormone products?

It's imperative that you use Tribestan if you're supplementing with any external source of testosterone . If you don't use Tribestan while you are on steroids or prohormones, over time, your own testosterone production will decrease and, in some cases, shut down completely. I recommend using Tribestan even if you are not taking steroids or prohormones. You will still benefit greatly from increasing your own testosterone production.

If Tribestan is so powerful and increases your own testosterone production, does it aromatize? Can you get "gyno" (bitch tits) from taking it?

Absolutely not. In fact, the opposite is true. Tribestan is so amazing because it will normalize estrogen levels in the body. If your estrogen levels are too high, it will decrease them to normal levels. And if they are too low, Tribestan will raise them to normal levels. Most people are leery of heightened estrogen levels, but if they are too low they can go into a catabolic state more easily.

Is it dangerous for women to take Tribestan since it increases testosterone production?

Not at all. Women should take it. There have been clinical studies on menopausal women that show Tribestan can reverse the effects of menopause. Testosterone levels in women become slightly elevated, but not enough to result in any masculinizing effects. They are able to lose body fat more rapidly, increase strength and lean mass with no water retention. Women will not experience any negative side-effects from Tribestan use. However, they need to stop taking Tribestan 5 days before their period. Then they can resume. When luteinizing hormone levels increase in women, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) does as well to keep hormones in balance. (FSH levels do not increase in men).

How long do you need to take Tribestan before you notice results?

Since Tribestan was initially used as a treatment for impotency and sterility, within a few days men will usually notice harder and more frequent erections. Women usually experience increased sex drive. But to get the full muscle-enhancing and strength-increasing benefits of Tribestan you have to use it for at least 4 weeks (preferably 8 weeks, if you really want to experience results). You'll be stronger in all your lifts and have more endurance in the gym. But to gain noticeable muscle, you need 8 weeks of Tribestan. Even steroids don't have much effect if you only take them for 1 or 2 weeks. You have to stay on them long enough to allow your body to utilize what you're giving it.

Why does Tribestan come in blister packs (foil strips)?

Tribestan is sensitive to air and moisture and can easily lose its potency if it's not protected in an airtight package. That's why it's not encapsulated and bottled like Tribulus terrestris is. Even though a bottle may be airtight, the capsules are not. So every time you open the bottle the capsules are exposed to air and moisture which will decrease the strength of the ingredients. The potency of formulations that include Tribulus terrestris, along with other compounds, like andro, chrysin, DREA, yohimbe and others, is easily compromised because of the higher moisture content of the different ingredients.

Can Tribestan use cause any prostate problems that are associated with testosterone use?

When you use steroids, your luteinizing hormone levels drop, your sperm count lowers and your prostate can get inflamed. Since Tribestan is not an external source of testosterone, but rather a supplement that signals your body to produce more of its own testosterone, it will not cause prostate inflammation, There is speculation that kidney problems can result from the use of Tribulus terrestris because in experiments, sheep and lambs developed kidney stones. Tribulus terrestris is classified as a poison plant because of that. But please remember, I can't emphasize this enough, Tribestan is not Tribulus terrestris. Tribestan is made from specific extracts of Tribulus terrestris, so the FDA considers Tribestan a food supplement.

If Tribulus terrestris is the source for the active ingredients in Tribestan, why not just take high dosages of Tribulus terrestris. It's cheaper and does the same thing, right?

Wrong. Tribulus terrestris, on its own, doesn't do anything. There's not enough protodioscin and protogracillin in the plant to have any positive effects at all. But if someone tried to take a bottle of Tribulus terrestris in the hopes of getting the effects of Tribestan, they could get sick.

Can Tribestan be used for any other purposes?

It is an excellent diuretic and can be used the last 3 days before a competition to lose any excess water. You would need to take 12 per day (3 tabs, 4 times per day) on the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday before a Saturday contest. You will urinate frequently during that time and will "dry out" without having to use traditional diuretics. Both Milos Sarcev and Mr. Olympia, Ronnie Coleman have used Tribestan for that purpose with excellent results.

If someone has severely impaired testosterone production and the release of luteinizing hormone is damaged, can Tribestan still help?

If someone has been using steroids for years and thinks they've done irreparable damage to their endocrine system, in most cases Tribestan will return testosterone levels and luteinizing hormone levels to the normal range of someone 22-30 years old. These people would simply never cycle off Tribestan. They wouldn't follow the 8 weeks on, 2 weeks off schedule. This would be the same protocol for middle-aged men (40 plus). They could stay on Tribestan for the rest of their lives and experienced heightened testosterone production, which results in more energy, increased vigor and greater strength levels.

Should you continue to use Tribestan when you stop taking steroids?

Weightlifters in Eastern Bloc countries, who commonly used steroids (but always passed drug tests), would take Tribestan which would not only help them maintain their strength levels, but would also regulate the ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone. When they were tested, even though their testosterone levels were elevated (since Tribestan also raised epitestosterone levels) they remained in the acceptable range.

Bodybuilders use 3 per day while on steroids and then increase to 6 per day when they stop. This helps to maintain muscle fullness and prevents the rapid decline in free testosterone levels in the body. With Tribestan, the body produces more testosterone and eliminates the necessity to taper off of steroids gradually the way most bodybuilders do. You can simply stop steroid use "cold turkey", increase from 3 to 6 tabs of Tribestan a day, and eliminate the, usual losses in strength, muscle mass and definition.

I'm convinced Tribestan is one of, if not, the most powerful and effective supplements in the world. I've been using it for more than 20 years and have had nothing but excellent results from it. Everyone who has used it has reported the same effects, They've gotten stronger, more muscular and increased their endurance. The list of top pro bodybuilders that use Tribestan is extensive. Many of them are under contract with top supplement companies and can't admit that they are using it. But believe me, you would be shocked by the number of top pros currently on Tribestan.

Emeric Delczeg is from Oradea, Romania and grew up competing for his country as a weightlifter. However around the age of 19, he became much more interested in pursuing bodybuilding. Living in an Eastern Bloc country, he was exposed to many advanced training techniques and supplement secrets. He used them all to become the top bodybuilder in Romania by 1981. Emeric came to America soon after and continued his pursuit of bodybuilding excellence. But more importantly, he is responsible for exposing bodybuilders and athletes in the U, S. to many of the most powerful and effective supplements in the world -- that most athletes in Eastern Bloc countries would have preferred to keep to themselves. At 47, Delczeg is one of the top IFBB masters competitors in the world and he also continues to compete in regular IFBB pro contests. He will reveal the most highly guarded secrets of supplementation and training in every issue of PUMP.