Popular Youtuber Tested Most Legal Enhancers, From Beet Juice to…Cialis? The results Will Surprise You…

DISCLAIMER: This article is for entertainment purposes only. The activities described are potentially dangerous and should not be attempted. Consult a medical professional before starting any new supplement regimen.

Popular fitness YouTuber Will Tennyson is known for his humorous and extreme fitness experiments. In one of his latest videos, he explores unconventional, legal performance enhancers—ones that aren’t as mainstream as creatine or pre-workout, but still claim to boost strength, endurance, and muscle pumps.

Instead of relying on the usual supplements, Tennyson takes a deep dive into the so-called “dark web for natties,” testing beet juice, baking powder, nicotine, Cialis, IV drips, smelling salts, and turkesterone to see if they offer superhuman strength—or just an awkward gym session.

Beet Juice & Baking Powder: A Hidden Strength Hack?

Claimed benefits:

• Beet juice: Enhances blood flow, endurance, and muscle pumps due to its high nitrate content.
• Baking powder: Reduces muscle acidity, helping delay fatigue and improve performance.

The experiment:
Tennyson followed dosage recommendations, consuming 0.3 grams of baking powder per kilogram of body weight—a number that initially seemed dangerously high. He paired it with beet juice for an intense pre-workout drink that, as he put it, tasted like a mix between a science experiment and an old-school home remedy.

Results:
Despite the unpleasant taste, the effects were undeniable. During his leg workout, he noticed:

• Increased strength: He added weight to exercises he had stalled on for months.
• Reduced muscle burn: He could push harder without feeling fatigue as quickly.
• Insane leg pump: His quads increased nearly one inch in size by the end of the workout.

Verdict: (5/5)
A surprisingly effective combination for endurance and muscle pumps, proving that hidden gains might just be in the kitchen pantry.

Nicotine: The Surprising Focus Booster

Claimed benefits:

• Increases alertness and focus by stimulating the central nervous system.
• Enhances blood flow, potentially improving muscle pumps.

The experiment:
Tennyson opted for nicotine gum (2 mg per piece), the same type used by smokers trying to quit. While nicotine is well-documented for its addictive potential, he was curious to see if it could provide a nootropic-like effect for the gym.

At first, the gum seemed harmless—just another mint-flavored chew. But as he chewed through his workout, the effects became more apparent.

Results:

• Enhanced mind-muscle connection: Tennyson noticed a sharper ability to engage his muscles during lifts.
• Sustained energy without jitters: Unlike pre-workout, the energy felt “natural,” without shakiness or a crash.
• Short-lived pump: While his strength and focus were solid, the muscle fullness faded quickly after each exercise.

By the end of his chest and back workout, he felt mentally locked in and even joked that he had the urge to run a marathon—though he never actually would.

Verdict: (4/5)
Nicotine provided a noticeable mental edge, but its addictive nature and health risks make it a questionable long-term choice. Tennyson ultimately threw out the gum—deciding that gains weren’t worth picking up a new addiction.

Cialis: The Ultimate Pump Enhancer?

Claimed benefits:

• Increases blood flow to muscles, enhancing vascularity and muscle fullness.
• May improve muscle endurance by promoting better oxygen delivery.

The experiment:
Cialis (tadalafil) is widely known as a medication for erectile dysfunction, but bodybuilders have used it for years to maximize muscle pumps due to its vasodilating effects. Tennyson took 20 mg, two hours before his workout, hoping for next-level vascularity without any awkward side effects.

As he headed to the gym, the first sign of the drug kicking in wasn’t a pump—but slightly labored breathing. Still, he pressed on, training chest, back, and biceps while monitoring how his body responded.

Results:

• Massive chest pump: After just three sets of incline press, his chest felt like a “literal shelf.”
• Veins everywhere: Striations and vascularity were more pronounced than ever before.
• Stronger contractions: He could squeeze and contract muscles harder with better mind-muscle connection.
• Unexpected leg pump: Even though he wasn’t training legs, his quads felt pumped—likely due to increased blood flow throughout the body.

By the end of the session, Tennyson measured his chest pump at 1.5 inches bigger than usual, calling it the most insane pump of his life. The only downside? He admitted that this was going to set unrealistic expectations for every future workout.

Verdict: (6/5)
Cialis outperformed every other performance enhancer so far, delivering an unmatched pump. While it’s technically not a banned substance, its classification as a prescription drug makes it questionable for regular use in natural bodybuilding.

IV Drip: The Most Hardcore Pre-Workout?

Claimed benefits:

• Provides instant hydration and nutrient absorption for improved endurance.
• Reduces muscle fatigue by delivering essential vitamins and electrolytes directly into the bloodstream.

The experiment:
Tennyson wanted to see if bypassing digestion and injecting nutrients straight into his veins would create the ultimate gym performance boost. Under medical supervision, he received an IV drip filled with vitamins and minerals—though he admitted he had no idea what was actually in the bag.

Sitting through the hour-long infusion, he could feel the fluid entering his bloodstream, but no immediate effects. Once the drip was complete, it was time to put it to the test with a shoulders and arms workout.

Results:

• Instant fullness: After just one set, his delts looked as pumped as if he had finished an entire workout.
• Sustained energy: He felt mentally sharp and physically strong without needing extra water or pre-workout.
• Longest-lasting pump: Hours after leaving the gym, his arms were still engorged with blood, even making it difficult to shower.

The real shock came post-workout measurements—his arms had grown to 18 inches, the biggest they had ever been. He even joked that he might have had the biggest pump in the Moana movie theater later that night.

Verdict: (4.5/5)
The IV drip delivered incredible hydration, endurance, and the longest-lasting pump of the week. However, the time, cost, and effort required make it an impractical pre-workout option for the average lifter.

Smelling Salts: The Rage-Inducing Lifting Hack

Claimed benefits:

• Triggers a fight-or-flight response, increasing alertness and strength.
• Enhances power output for max-effort lifts.

The experiment:
Smelling salts contain ammonia gas, which irritates the nasal passages and forces the body into a heightened state of alertness. Powerlifters and strongmen frequently use them before heavy lifts, but Tennyson wanted to see if they truly made a difference.

Teaming up with Jeff Nippard, he warmed up for a bench press session before taking a sharp inhale of the pungent fumes. His immediate reaction? Pure rage.

Results:

• Explosive strength: His rep speed was noticeably faster, and heavier weights felt easier to press.
• Extreme focus: The combination of music and ammonia put him in an aggressive, tunnel-vision mindset.
• Short-lived effects: The boost lasted only for the set itself, wearing off almost immediately after.

Curious to test endurance, Tennyson tried as many reps as possible (AMRAP) with 225 lbs after another hit of smelling salts. While he pushed harder than usual, both he and Nippard agreed that smelling salts were best suited for one-rep max attempts rather than high-rep endurance work.

Verdict: (3.75/5)
Smelling salts work—but only in short bursts. They provide an intense strength boost, but overuse could desensitize the body or even lead to dizziness and headaches. Best saved for max-effort lifts, not everyday training.

Turkesterone: The Overhyped Plant Steroid?

Claimed benefits:

• Enhances muscle recovery and growth without affecting hormones.
• Improves body composition while keeping users within “natural” status.

The experiment:
Turkesterone, a plant-derived ecdysteroid, had a brief surge in popularity, with some calling it “legal steroids” and others dismissing it as expensive BCAA-flavored hype.

Tennyson decided to give it a one-week trial, taking the maximum recommended dose of three capsules per day. Unlike previous substances in this experiment, he didn’t expect immediate effects—instead, he monitored strength, recovery, and body composition over several workouts.

Results:

• No instant strength boost: Unlike beet juice or Cialis, turkesterone didn’t provide any noticeable performance enhancement in the gym.
• Appetite suppression: One unexpected effect was a major decrease in hunger, making it easier to maintain a calorie deficit.
• Body recomposition: After a week, he had dropped 2.1 lbs while maintaining strength, with his midsection appearing significantly leaner.

While one week wasn’t enough time to assess long-term muscle growth, the appetite suppression and ease of fat loss made it a surprisingly useful supplement for cutting.

Verdict: (4/5)
Turkesterone might not be the game-changer it was hyped up to be, but for those struggling with hunger and weight management, it could be a worthwhile addition—if they’re willing to pay the steep price tag.

Final Takeaways: Which Performance Enhancers Are Worth It?

After a week of experimenting with legal but unconventional performance enhancers, Will Tennyson found that some delivered shocking results, while others were overhyped or impractical for daily use.

Here’s how they stacked up:

What’s the Best Option for Gym Performance?

If muscle pumps are the goal, Cialis is unmatched—but its prescription status and potential side effects make it a questionable choice for daily use.

For strength and endurance, the beet juice and baking powder combo was surprisingly effective and affordable, though not the most enjoyable to consume.

The IV drip provided impressive results, but isn’t practical for the average gym-goer. Meanwhile, nicotine and smelling salts offered short-term focus and strength boosts, but came with clear downsides.

What’s Next? Other Legal Performance Hacks

Tennyson wrapped up his experiment by asking Derek from More Plates More Dates if there were any other “natty-friendly” performance enhancers worth trying.

Some potential options?

• Bronchodilators (asthma meds): These are sometimes prescribed to athletes for better oxygen efficiency—though they require a prescription.
• Rauwolscine: A potent stimulant that could provide extreme energy and aggression in the gym.

While some of these enhancers offered incredible results, Tennyson admitted he wouldn’t use most of them long-term. But for a special occasion, competition, or just a killer gym session, he now knows where to turn for the ultimate pump.