Ecdysterone supplements are sweeping the fitness world by storm, and if you look at the potential health benefits, it’s easy to see why.
The supporters of ecdysterone claim that it’s a ‘natural steroid’ that boosts muscle growth with none of the side effects of man-made anabolic steroids.
But perhaps most interesting of all is the fact that ecdysterone is a naturally occurring chemical found in arthropods (insects, crustaceans, etc.) and plants.
Every so often, a new class of supplements come along that surpasses all expectations, and phytoecdysteroids appear to be one of them. Ecdysteroids or phytoecdysteroids are categories of naturally occurring steroidal compounds found in certain plants and arthropods, including ecdysterone, ecdysone, and turkesterone.
However, there is still a great deal of uncertainty around how these compounds work and the differences between subcategories like ecdysone, turkesterone, or beta ecdysterone supplements. In this article, we’ll be taking a closer look at ecdysterone (sometimes known as 20-hydroxyecdysone), its effects on the human body, and how best to use it for improved gains.
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What Does Ecdysterone Do To The Body?
Ecdysterone is structurally similar to testosterone – the male sex hormone and a well-known anabolic steroid – and is believed to boost muscle growth in a similar way. In a 10-week study, 46 athletes who were administered huge ecdysterone doses experienced significant increases in muscle mass compared to the control group, indicating that ecdysterone may be surprisingly effective as a non-conventional anabolic agent
The researchers found that ecdysterone binds to estrogen receptor-beta (ERβ) and stimulates the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway, stimulating protein synthesis and muscle growth. Additionally, further studies have found that ecdysterone may improve overall exercise and performance and improve weight loss, and these ecdysterone benefits potentially make it an ideal workout supplement.