Monograph 04 · outcomes & measurement
Timeline and biomarkers: what the first 90 days can actually show
Trials of the ingredients in the Soda Boost supplement measured change with questionnaires over 6 to 12 weeks, not with blood markers that move in days. Your own 90 days should copy that: a baseline, weekly scores and a decision by day 45, while the 60-day refund still applies.
Updated November 7, 2026Technical dossier
What researchers measured, and when
| Ingredient trial | Length | What was measured | When change appeared |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maca, 1.5 to 3 g/day[1] | 12 weeks | Self-rated sexual desire; hormones | Desire from week 8; hormones unchanged |
| Maca extract, 2.4 g/day[2] | 12 weeks | IIEF-5 questionnaire, well-being | Small gain by week 12 |
| L-arginine, 5 g/day[3] | 6 weeks | Self-reported erectile function | By week 6 in 9 of 29 men |
| Ashwagandha extract[4] | 8 weeks | Hormones, fatigue and vitality scores | DHEA-S up; vitality unchanged |
| Ashwagandha, 600 mg/day[5] | 60 days | Stress scales, cortisol | Lower by day 60 |
Two lessons follow. First, nothing happened in days; the earliest reported changes took six to eight weeks at full doses. Second, the outcomes were mostly questionnaires, so you can track the same kind of thing at home.
The placebo factor
In the arginine trial, 2 of 17 men on placebo (about 12%) reported improvement[3]. Expectation, attention and simply tracking a symptom all change how people rate it. That is why a weekly score averaged over two weeks beats a single good day as evidence, and why a two-point shift on a 10-point scale is a sensible threshold before you credit a supplement.
Home measures that work
- Weekly 0 to 10 scores for energy, desire and confidence (use the log on the protocol page).
- The IIEF-5: a five-question erectile function questionnaire used in trials[2]; a doctor can give it, and it is widely published.
- Morning erections: a rough count per week is a useful vascular signal.
- Blood pressure: if you take blood-pressure medicine, two readings in week 1, because L-arginine can lower it at research doses[6].
Blood tests: when they matter
A supplement at this dose does not call for monitoring tests. Symptoms do. Low testosterone is diagnosed with two early-morning total testosterone measurements below the guideline threshold plus consistent symptoms[7], and erectile problems justify a check of heart risk factors because they predict cardiovascular events[8]. If your week-6 scores are flat and your symptoms are real, those tests will tell you more than a second pack.
A 90-day plan aligned with the refund
- Day 0: baseline scores; note medicines and blood pressure.
- Days 1 to 14: tolerance; any side effects.
- Days 15 to 42: weekly scores; average by fortnight.
- Day 45: decision. Two-point gain held over two weeks: continue. Otherwise, start the refund.
- Day 90: if continuing, compare again; see a doctor about persistent symptoms either way.
The timing is set by the seller's returns page, which counts 60 days from the order date, and by the days a tracked parcel needs to reach Florida. The deadline calculator works out your dates.
Related: formula architecture · science dossier · protocol · all monographs
Sources
- 1Gonzales GF, Córdova A, Vega K, et al. Effect of Lepidium meyenii (MACA) on sexual desire and its absent relationship with serum testosterone levels in adult healthy men. Andrologia. 2002;34(6):367-372.
- 2Zenico T, Cicero AF, Valmorri L, Mercuriali M, Bercovich E. Subjective effects of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) extract on well-being and sexual performances in patients with mild erectile dysfunction: a randomised, double-blind clinical trial. Andrologia. 2009;41(2):95-99.
- 3Chen J, Wollman Y, Chernichovsky T, Iaina A, Sofer M, Matzkin H. Effect of oral administration of high-dose nitric oxide donor L-arginine in men with organic erectile dysfunction: results of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. BJU Int. 1999;83(3):269-273.
- 4Lopresti AL, Drummond PD, Smith SJ. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study examining the hormonal and vitality effects of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in aging, overweight males. Am J Mens Health. 2019;13(2):1557988319835985.
- 5Chandrasekhar K, Kapoor J, Anishetty S. A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. Indian J Psychol Med. 2012;34(3):255-262.
- 6Dong JY, Qin LQ, Zhang Z, et al. Effect of oral L-arginine supplementation on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. Am Heart J. 2011;162(6):959-965.
- 7Mulhall JP, Trost LW, Brannigan RE, et al. Evaluation and management of testosterone deficiency: AUA guideline. J Urol. 2018;200(2):423-432.
- 8Vlachopoulos CV, Terentes-Printzios DG, Ioakeimidis NK, Aznaouridis KA, Stefanadis CI. Prediction of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality with erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2013;6(1):99-109.