Animal Test Review – Anabolic & Pro-Inflammatory Mass Gains

If you want to see bodybuilders regress into their primal caveman states, you don’t need to give them Universal’s Animal Test booster.

You just need to mention Animal Test’s primary ingredient, Arachidonic Acid, and watch them savagely battle over the merits of its “pro-inflammatory” effects.

Because either you believe in them or you don’t.

Ultimately, that decision’s up to you—but if you find yourself on Team Arachidonic, then keep reading, you filthy animal, because we might just have the perfect supplement for you.

About Animal Test

As the “legal hypertrophic, pro-testosterone” addition to Universal Nutrition’s Animal Pak series, Animal Test combines potent anti-estrogen compounds with a patented “muscle-builder” for optimized male anabolism. Seems great for that purpose, but… It doesn’t seem to boost much T. Formula notes:

• “Pro-Inflammatory” Arachidonic Acid: Patented, standardized fatty acid blend that promotes inflammation for increased muscle mass.
• Healthier T:E Ratio: Animal Test emphasizes anti-aromatase activity for decreased estrogen & sustained T levels.
• Muscle (Not Strength) Gains: Yet, it doesn’t necessarily boost T or support performance-enhancing strength gains so much as it simply makes your muscles bigger.

Irony = Using lab-derived scientific titles to list your “natural” ingredients.

Animal Stack has definite alpha male syndrome, bullying its users with proprietary blends, over-scientific language, and a redundant “Other Ingredients” list, but we see right through their smoke & mirror misbehavior… And what we see actually looks decent:

Pro-Androgen Complex, 2500 mg

God dammit, a prop blend. The BEST for TEST don’t hide dosages, Bros!

Anyway, the point of this prop blend is to quote-unquote “support free and total testosterone with compounds for promoting a healthy estrogen balance capable of maximizing the natural anabolic response.” Its chosen ingredients are:

• Urtica Dioica. “Stinging Nettle” accomplishes the T claim with its purported inhibition of T-killing hormone SHBG and T-killing enzyme. It’s also good for prostate health.
• Cissus Quadrangularis. This “grape” plant is traditionally used for joint & bone health. Ketosterones are the active plant sterols in Cissus that reinforce skeletal structure against the growing demands of growing muscles. Its antioxidant, antimicrobial effects are a bonus.
• Trans Resveratrol. Extracted from Japanese Knotweed, Resveratrol is an increasingly popular antioxidant that’s believed to also work as an anti-estrogen compound… but human research for this use is weak.
• Agaricus Bisporus. Just call it “White Button Mushroom,” bro. It shows more promise than Resveratrol as an estrogen balancer for its illustrated inhibition of aromatase.
• Hesperitin. A flavonoid found in citrus fruits (especially in the peel) that’s also been receiving attention for its anti-aromatase activity. Although Luteolin seems the better anti-E flavonoid choice.
• Yohimbe Bark Extract. Yohimbine, the active compound in Yohimbe Bark, sits on our BIG List of Fat Burners as a “Top Fat Burner that Works.” It’s mostly known as an aphrodisiac, but human clinical research also supports its fat-burning effects.

While Animal Stack stays away from the best of the Best T-Boosters legally available, it starts with an herb that might work for test boosting, followed by a list of E-blockers, a joint supporter, and one well-placed fat-mobilizer.

Hypertrophic Response Complex, 1500 mg

Here lies Animal Test’s “main ingredient” Arachidonic Acid… we’re not sure why that was written like an 1800s tombstone, but even more confusing is why this is referred to as the “main ingredient” of this T-boosting formula… because it’s not really a T-booster.

Arachidonic Acid (ARA) is the primary fatty acid responsible for muscular inflammation, which, if utilized appropriately, can strategically signal the body’s natural “repairing response” for more immediate & intense muscle gains during exercise. This goes against traditional practice, which saw bodybuilders popping anti-inflammatory pills (i.e. ibuprofen) for the better half of the 20^th century.

Yet, both natural & supplementary ARA were found to enhance muscle growth more effectively that anti-inflammatories during & after strength training.

Topping off this blend are 6, 7-Dihydroxybergamottin & BioPerine®, which essentially enhances nutrient absorption and formula bioavailability… Solid additions to any T-boosting product.

Formula Analysis

Universal Nutrition’s Animal Test masks its formula with a tempting, illusory alpha male sheen that’s admittedly hard to resist… But when we stare into that red, bulking silhouette of a monster-man on Animal Test’s package, there’s a small part in the back of our fat BRO brains that’s asking, “What’s the MFing catch?” Well, we’ll tell you what the mammary fondling catch is:

Animal Test builds muscle. Not strength. 

Primarily because Animal Test prioritizes anabolic muscle metabolism over bona fide T-gains.

Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, but it may come as a disappointment to users who trust Animal Test to boost their, well… test.

Ingredients such as Stinging Nettle, Resveratrol, Agaricus Bisporus, & Hesperetin will certainly increase (free) T levels and create a healthier, manlier T:E hormone ratio, so don’t discount the formula entirely as a solid male-enhancer: Animal Test works as a “Hypertrophic Test Stack” as it claims to be.

Yet, with inflammatory, muscle-building fatty oils such as Arachidonic Acid highlighting the formula’s primary design, it’s hard to call Animal Test an outright health supplement. It’s more of a bodybuilding cosmetic tool with a few male health benefits on the side.

In terms of manufacturing & marketing, our review comes as a sort of mixed bag of pros and cons:

• Pros: Large blend dosages, (2500 mg, 1500 mg), nutrient-enhancing ingredients (grapefruit extract, BioPerine), “how-to” cycling directions.
• Cons: Proprietary blends, questionable extracts (with exception to Arachidonic Acid), redundant “Other Ingredients,” too many “Other Ingredients.”

All-in-all, Animal Test will have you looking nice & large & ripply, yet it needs to be stacked with other products for optimum male health support… which brings into question another unpopular consideration: Price.

Animal Test Benefits

Despite its marketing flaws and inadequate test design, Animal Test is viewed by many in the bodybuilding community as the “Holy Grail” of natural bodybuilding supplementation. This is in large part due to its A) Legal access, and B) Potent cosmetic effects.

It’s much easier to appreciate muscular changes that you can immediately see as opposed to the slower-changing hormonal transformations that are more subtly noticed.

In other words, there’s a psychological (placebo?) element applied to Animal Test’s benefits, which for the most part include:

• Enhanced lean muscle gains
• Increased (free) T levels
• Healthy estrogen balance
• Joint support (Cissus Quadrangularis)

Any performance/strength-enhancing induced by Animal Test is likely an indirect, secondary benefit of the product’s massive anabolic muscle mass increases.

Who Takes It?

Advanced Level Bodybuilders & Power Athletes. Or, at least, that’s the “word for word” target demographic of Animal Test. Which makes sense considering that Arachidonic Acid’s pro-inflammatory philosophy is most utilized by veteran bodybuilders & experienced athletes who are looking for that “risky” edge to push them up to the next level.

Any Side Effects?

Nothing serious reported. Thanks to the lack of synthetic ingredients in this formula, Animal Test has a relatively high safety profile to other “pro-hormone” identified products. Just stick to the directions and you’ll be fine.

Also, many users wonder whether a follow-up PCT product is recommended with Animal Test. Universal Nutrition recommends following a 42-day cycle of Animal Test with M-Stak (or an equivalent of this product)—which might sound like a marketing ploy (most likely it is), but it’s still sound advice for preserving your Animal Test gains.

Animal Test Summary

Pros

• Massive Muscles. The primary feature of this popular bodybuilding product.
• Healthier Hormones. Not a booster, but a solid balancer for male androgens.
• Hefty Dosages. Enough mg to adequately cover the two prop blends.
• Nutrient Enhancers. Grapefruit Extract & BioPerine raise the bar on Animal Test.

Cons

• Only Mild T-Boosts. This is only a “Con” for those expecting major T-boosts.
• Some Lame Extracts. With the exception of Arachidonic Acid.
• Unclean Label. Hectic “Other ingredients,” prop blends, color additives…
• Expensive. Or very expensive, depending on where you’re buying.

Pricing & Buying Info

• 1 bottle (1 month): $109.95*
• Available online and in retail stores

*This is the price listed on the “Animal Pak” website. For other retailers, the cost of Animal Pak can vary anywhere between ~$50 to ~$110—so definitely price compare before purchasing this T-booster.