C9-T11 is a CLA supplement that makes many claims in regards to how much muscle you can build with it, and how much fat it can help you lose. But does it actually work the way they say?
Overview
Getting bigger and leaner muscles is the goal of many guys and losing the fat in order to show off the muscles is a big part of that. Getting a product that is designed to both increase muscle mass and help shed the fat would be a big help towards attaining that goal. Many products out there claim to do both in an attempt to offer the Holy Grail of muscle building and dieting, but few are able to provide measurable or sustainable results.
The Claim
There are many claims made regarding C9-T11, including that it can build pounds of lean muscle mass and reduce fat at the same time. They say it is a way to begin your total body transformation, and they say that it is able to provide a 600% increase in muscle growth. They also say that it reduces muscle catabolism, or the shrinking of your muscles, and they say it can help you gain a greater focus before your workout so you can train harder.
The Hype
You may have seen one of several ads out for C9-T11. They appear to be editorials on a “steroid alternative” when in fact they are simply advertisements referring you to the pitch page. These types of advertisements are meant to create a false sense of legitimacy to the product, or make it sound like it is a real scientific breakthrough. Many people can spot these ads and realize they’re reading a pitch, but others subconsciously or consciously believe that they’re getting breaking news from a reliable source.
The Cost
The cost of one bottle of C9-T11 is $37 plus shipping which varies by state but our total came to $44.40. The four bottle offer where you’re buying three and getting one free came to $120 which includes shipping. That brings the per bottle price down to $30, which is pretty much as low as you can get this for because their bigger offer is the same deal, just double. When you compare this to other CLA products you’ll notice that the price is much higher. You can find CLA on sale at places like Amazon and GNC for far less at the same dosage.
There are a few nice things about the way this is set up. They say that each purchase is backed up by their guarantee which allows you to return the product at any time. Also, the product price is much greater than the shipping cost so if you do return it you’ll be getting a bulk of your money back. Also, they’re not setting you up on an auto-ship or auto-charge recurring payment plan so you’re only getting what you buy on that day and not obligating yourself to further charges and shipments, a common tactic used in the supplement industry, but not here.
The Commitment
Since they offer deals on multiple bottles, it seems that they’re expecting you to take this for a long time. You are only required to take one to two pills twice daily, so in regards to the amount of pills you’re taking each day, there’s not too many of them. You’ll need to commit to going to the gym because this is not a pill that you can simply take and not workout and expect to gain muscle. In fact, if you take it and don’t lift weights you might find that you start gaining weight.
Evaluation
They compare C9-T11 to Nitrous Oxide boosters, whey protein, and creatine and say that it is the only one of that group that does all of the following: increases protein synthesis, increases testosterone, increases muscle strength, and reduces abdominal fat. While the others have been shown to do one of these or may two, they’re saying that C9-T11 does them all with one product.
The ingredients list is pretty telling as to what exactly you’re getting. The only active ingredient listed is 1000mg of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), no proprietary blend, no gimmicky ingredients, just a flashy name that makes it sound more scientific than it actually is.
Final C9-T11 Review
C9-T11 is getting our Thumbs Down rating because no CLA product has been shown to provide the results they claim. Also, the price is unnecessarily high for what the product is, and they’ve merely taken something that’s been around for quite some time, CLA, and marketed it in a way to make it sound new and exciting. While it’s easy to get swept away in all of the claims being made by the company, at the end of the day CLA can only do so much, and there are few reports that it’s capable of doing what they say it can.
Our Recommendation
If you want to try out a CLA product you can do so for far less of a financial commitment. CLA may be linked to increased levels of testosterone, but there are testosterone boosters available that are specifically targeted for that purpose. There is also some evidence that CLA may have an anti-cancer effect in humans, but those studies are still in their early stages. Also, there is the possibility of negative side effects when using CLA so be sure to consult with your doctor before starting up with it.
I totally agree with the reviews above and would be cautious about this product. Do your own research. I am 71 years old and have been working out with free weights and machines for 50 years, more or less. I have stopped for a year or so now and then a few times because of outside problems beyond my control. I have tried many types of pills, powders and drinks. I started with Weider’s anabolic steroid packs back in High School for football. After all the stuff I’ve tried, the best things I have found to gain muscle without looking like a ‘meathead’ and screwing up my body, is protein, creatine, Tribulus Terrestris, amino acids, a healthy diet and plenty of sleep for sufficient recovery. I never wanted to look like Arnold S., but I am still going strong and get a lot of compliments of how good I look at my age. The power starts in your mind, but you must be able to follow through for life. Remember… “Use It, Or Lose It.”
The C9-T11 part of the name makes it sound like you are getting JUST the benign C9-T11 isomer, and not the bad T10-C12 isomer. (T10-C12 is an inhibitor of PPAR gamma, bad idea) But all the CLA’s on the market have both isomers in near equal proportion, very hard to separate them via ordinary chemistry. But the ingredient label for this product says nothing about removing or purifying the product to remove the T10-C12 isomer. I think this is being marketed as a fraud. The high price being justified by the expectation that you are getting a purified C9-T11 -only- product, when in reality you are NOT.
I agree with both of the previous comments. The only way to gain muscle is to work hard at the gym and have a healthy diet, with lots of foods which help build muscle mass. While this product may be useful when combined with exercising and dieting, there is no way to build the mass without the workout. And if you are doing the workouts, then you really don’t need additional supplements. This is no different than the countless weight-loss pills. You can’t do it without, again, working out and eating healthy foods.
I agree with Andres’ comment above regarding the truth about muscle building. The only to achieve large muscle growth is to cheat your body’s system and take some form of HGH. I don’t think this product is worth trying at all. Other than protein supplements I don’t see the value of purchasing products that offer an easier solution. Basically, muscle growth comes from plenty of time at the gym and most often demands that that you change up your routine to cause muscle confusion. But even then you’re working against the clock since your body tries to heal and readjust by causing some muscle shrinkage. I’d save the money and keep things natural.
Sigh…
I have bought into these things myself. A lot of guys want to be big and muscular. I want to be big and muscular. That’s why companies sell these things. We take a look at the label, at the many wonderful things it claims to do (like reduce the shrinkage of muscle tissue!) and we think it will work because we simply don’t know any better.
I lift weights and have done for a long time and I’m not very muscular at all. The only gains I have made came as a result of a strict diet and lots of hard work in the gym.
The guys they have in the ads for these products, those huge guys with thick, veiny arms and no neck? They are all taking steroids or human growth hormone to look like that. Trust me. All of them.
I’ve spent enough time in gyms, talking to trainers and really big guys, and they all told me that the only way to cheat the system is to take steroids or human growth hormone.
Building muscle the natural way takes years. Literally, years. Products like this are a complete waste of money.