Gonadin review: the most unique testosterone booster?

In theory, Gonadin is a really good testosterone booster.

Gonadin is a testosterone-boosting supplement sold by IdealabsDC, which was formulated by Georgi Dinkov (Haidut).

It works in a different mechanism than other testosterone boosters, which usually contain vitamins, minerals and herbs.

Gonadin contains isolated compounds, both natural and synthetic, that can indirectly boost testosterone. It won’t be as strong as testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), but it can still have powerful effects.

In this article, I’m not talking about the product Gonadin which is used for animal breeding and artificial insemination in female dogs.

Gonadin ingredients

Per every 8 drops, you get:

• Flavanone: 32mg
• α-Naphthoflavone: 16mg
• Methyl palmitate: 3.3mg
• Methyl oleate: 3.3mg

How Gonadin works

The main way this product boosts testosterone, is by removing the brakes. It lowers whatever might be inhibiting testosterone synthesis.

Estrogen, cortisol and prolactin have been shown to lower testosterone production. Keeping those in range can help to increase testosterone.

Estrogen, aromatase and testosterone

Estrogen lowers testosterone levels by inhibiting LH release from the pituitary and can cause hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.

Related article:

• All you need to know about LH

One of the many reasons why obese individuals have lower levels of testosterone is due to excess estrogen production from aromatase in fat tissue. Losing fat has a positive effect on lowering estrogen.

There are two main ways to remove the estrogen block from testosterone production.

#1 Blocking aromatase. Aromatase inhibitors have been used for a long time to increase testosterone.

Related article:

• How to inhibit aromatase

#2 Inhibiting the estrogen receptor. Estrogen receptor antagonists like Clomid (clomiphene) and Nolvadex (tamoxifen) block the action of estradiol in the pituitary, this increasing LH and testosterone.

Related article:

• How to block estrogen receptors

How Gonadin lowers estrogen

Gonadin contains 2 aromatase inhibiting compounds; α-naphthoflavone and flavanone.

α-naphthoflavone (ANF) (aka 7,8-benzoflavone (BZF)) is one of the most powerful natural aromatase inhibitors, stronger than chrysin and apigenin. It’s also the main ingredient to lower aromatase (R, R).

ANF is even stronger than aminoglutethimide (AG), a pharmaceutical aromatase inhibitor (R).

ANF even protects the body against excess estrogen (reduces the effect of estrogen in the presence of high estrogen), which might indicate that it inhibits the estrogen receptor as well (R).

Gonadin on libido and sexual virility

ANF doesn’t just lower estrogen, but it also helps restore libido in a suppressed state. ANF is naturally found in trace amounts of passionflower. Passionflower has long been used as an aphrodisiac as well as to help people with withdrawal from alcohol, nicotine, weed, etc.

When ANF is given together with substances such as alcohol, nicotine, and THC, it helps to restore sexual virility, libido and vigor in male rats by maintaining high testosterone levels (R, R).

Flavone and flavanone aromatase inhibition synergy

Both flavone and flavanone inhibit aromatase (R).

Georgi mentions that there there is an aromatase inhibitory synergistic effect in combining a flavone (e.g. apigenin) with a flavanone (e.g. naringenin). In the case of Gonadin the flavone is ANF/BZF, and the flavanone is the (unsubstituted) flavanone.

Gonadin and estrogen detox

ANF has been shown to activate CYP3A2 in the liver (R). CYP3A2 is involved in the breakdown and detoxification of estrogen.

Gonadin and aromatase summary

Gonadin is likely a very powerful natural aromatase inhibitor. It contains one of the most powerful natural AIs (ANF), which synergizes with flavanone to lower aromatase powerfully.

ANF should also boost libido by increasing testosterone.

Cortisol and testosterone

Cortisol lowers testosterone by (R):

• Promoting aromatase
• Reducing GnRH and LH release
• Reducing the number of LH receptors in the Leydig cells
• Reducing the expression and function of steroidogenic enzymes in the testes
• Promoting Leydig cell death 

Gonadin lowers cortisol

Flavanone lowers cortisol.

It does that not by inhibiting cortisol synthesis or blocking the cortisol receptor, but by inhibiting the activation of cortisol (R).

Cortisol is the active form. Cortisone is the inactive form.

The enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) activates cortisol by converting cortisone to cortisol.

11B-HSD2 is the enzyme that deactivates cortisol, by converting it to cortisone. 11β-HSD requires NAD+ as a cofactor, so boosting NAD can also help to lower excess cortisol.

Flavonone inhibits 11β-HSD1, without affecting 11β-HSD2.

Thus it helps to lower excess cortisol.

α-Naphthoflavone also likely helps lower cortisol via 11β-HSD inhibition (R).

Related article:

• How to lower cortisol

Prolactin and testosterone

Estrogen stimulates the release of serotonin, and estrogen and serotonin are strong inducers of prolactin release (R).

Prolactin inhibits testosterone production by increasing cortisol and lowering dopamine and GnRH (R). Hyperprolactinemia is a known cause of low testosterone (hypogonadism).

Boosting dopamine helps to lower both prolactin and serotonin. This will lead to higher LH and more testosterone.

Dopamine also helps with focus, motivation and drive.

Gonadin and dopamine

Extremely simplified, dopamine is created by tyrosine hydroxylase (rate-limited enzyme) and broken down by COMT (part of the methylation cycle) and monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) and MAO-B.

MAO-A breaks down serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline. MAO-B supposedly breaks down only dopamine.

A recent 2021 study indicated that MAO-B inhibition lowered GABA, which then allowed for more dopamine release. According to the study, MAO-B doesn’t break dopamine down.

Regardless of the action, you likely end up with more dopamine either way by inhibiting MAO-B.

Flavanone is the strongest MAO-B inhibitor of all the compounds tested in this study (R). 

Selegiline, an MAO-B inhibitor drug, can help against depression and even induce euphoria in some people.

Related articles

• The ultimate guide to lower prolactin
• How to maximize dopamine
• 8 uncommon herbs to lower prolactin and restore dopamine

Androgenic fatty acids in Gonadin

The last 2 ingredients in Gonadin are fatty acids with androgenic properties. They are methylated (contain a methyl group) to dramatically enhance their half-life. Regular fatty acids are quickly turned into energy via beta-oxidation. Methylating them prevents them from being broken down, thus enhancing their effects.

According to this rat study, both methyl palmitate and methyl oleate increased the weight of androgen-sensitive organs (except the prostate). It likely works by activating the androgen receptor.

Palmatate itself has been shown to increase DHEA in humans.

Methyl palmitate on its own doesn’t increase testosterone, but when combined with methyl oleate it can.

Methyl palmitate also lowers prostaglandins (inflammatory mediators that inhibit testosterone production). So, due to fewer prostaglandins, more testosterone can be created.

Related article:

• Testosterone boosting diet plan

My experience with Gonadin

The upsides

It has great adaptogenic and nootropic effects which I felt even on the first day.

Adaptogenic benefits of Gonadin

In terms of the adaptogenic effects, it felt like I couldn’t freak out. I was just chill. It’s a different feeling to DHT thought.

On 11-keto DHT I felt calm and relaxed (laid back) and on Gonadin I felt chill (but not laid back). It’s difficult to describe.

To illustrate the point, there was one night (around 9pm) when I let the dogs out of the house to go and do their business. Earlier that day I forgot the main gate open. After I left them outside for about 10 minutes I went to open the door to let them in. No dogs!

I looked outside and saw that the gate was open. It was already dark so looking for the dogs would be really difficult. Remarkably, I remained very chill (no feelings of panic or urgency. Not even an “Oh shit!”). I walked to the gate and looked down the street. No dogs!

I remained calm and got the idea to whistle. I whistled and they came running around the corner about 50 meters away. Instead of running to them to put leashes on, I called them again and they came back.

It might seem like a very chill story and a no-brainer, but when you’re panicking, things just aren’t logical.

This aspect of feeling chill I really liked.

Nootropic benefits of Gonadin

It felt like my brain was stimulated but without disrupting sleep like caffeine. It felt like I can just work and work and work.

When I tried to rest, I was thinking of what to do next or what problem to solve. This was nice, but I didn’t really need the nootropic effect, since I could do work daily without issues.

The downsides / side effects

Nootropic turned bad

The nootropic effect worked so well that I couldn’t turn my brain off. I was just thinking about what I should do and trying to solve problems. Even if I didn’t have problems, my brain would search for problems to start solving. NON STOP!

This was too much.

Robotic asshole

I started to feel like a robot in the sense that my brain couldn’t shut off and just enjoy life. I couldn’t stop ruminating over non-essential things to do and solve, that it actually became stressful.

Also, I started to behave like an asshole who couldn’t take things seriously. I’d make silly jokes (mock) my wife. Usually, we’re playful with each other and if we make jokes, we’re both laughing. But this time I was just making asshole jokes, which I thought was funny, but she didn’t.

I also became easily annoyed. For example, if she didn’t hear what I said or didn’t immediately get what I meant, I’d become annoyed and maybe even fly off the handle. Not nice I know.

No effects

Gonadin and libido

No dramatic effects in this regard. Although passionflower contains ANF and has strong aphrodisiac effects, I didn’t get this from Gonadin. I’m going to try passionflower in the future though.

Gonadin and etrogen dominance

Estrogen typically causes water retention, relaxed (even swollen) nipples, mood swings, ED, etc. I didn’t notice any effect on body composition, nipple tightness or erection quality. But that could be because those were already good.

Gonadin on mood

Selegiline is an MAO-B inhibitor and can cause euphoria in some people. I didn’t feel euphoric at all or even happier in general. I just started to feel more stressed due to obsessively thinking and being an asshole.

Summary

I ended up throwing it away. I generally used between 2 and 6 drops daily and haven’t tried higher doses. The suggested dose is 8mg, but that would have been too strong for me.

The reason why I might have felt the way I felt might be due to these 3 reasons. It might be low GABA or too high dopamine and/or too low estradiol.

Too low GABA might lead to obsessive thinking. Some people who take too much pregnenolone (which creates pregnenolone-sulfate; which is a GABA antagonist) also report feeling robotic and obsessive.

Too much dopamine might send your brain into overdrive. Feeling euphoric is a combination of endocannabinoids, opioids, GABA and dopamine, not just dopamine. It’s likely that the increase in dopamine alone made me feel this way.

Too low estradiol. I think this might be the least likely option since I didn’t get any other low estrogen symptoms. I’ve seen a few testimonials of guys who used an aromatase inhibitor and reported that they felt robotic and obsessive without much life enjoyment. ‘Just getting the job done’ kind of feeling.

Would I recommend Gonadin?

Yes, since it does help to increase dopamine and lower estrogen and cortisol. This can have many benefits for those who are dominant in those hormones. Not everyone will have the same experience as I did.

I haven’t checked my testosterone or estradiol when I used it, but I only used it for about 1 week before throwing it away. I also haven’t seen other people do blood tests to see if Gonadin effectively increased their testosterone.