Bodybuilding.com - Clayton's Health Facts: Ecdysterone.

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Clayton South writes for many major health magazines and publications!

Clayton South, SPN (ISSA), is a recognized expert in the bodybuilding / fitness industry with over 150 bodybuilding, fitness and nutrition publications to his credit.

Ecdysterone.

By: Clayton South

What Are You Trying To Obtain?

You might want to build yourself a more athletic body-- maybe even one with deep muscular cuts of muscle, perhaps a chiseled six-pack, and possibly even some ripped legs? Or, how about simply improving where you are at right now in terms of health, muscle-gain and fat-loss?

For starters, this is going to take some work. But, what good is hard work if it's not producing maximum gains in both strength, fat-loss, and health? Not as good as it could be!

The research and development of anabolic supplements has yielded some amazing results in recent years and the scientific breakthroughs show no signs of diminishing. Of course creatine, glutamine, protein and multi-vitamins are standard issue in an athlete's arsenal. Beyond the basics, we've witnessed the development of Prohormones, ZMA, and Isoflavones such as Methoxyisoflavone. Clearly, we've seen remarkable advances in anabolic supplementation in the past five years and now another breakthrough has been released.

Prepare yourself for what could be the single most important
advancement in bodybuilding since steroids...

The future of supplementation is here!

Ecdysterone is a powerful compound to say the least and based on the research, it can definitely help you maximize your genetic potential. Best of all, it's proven safe and effective for men, women, and even teenagers! In fact, ecdysterone may just be the next herbal extract to create a revolution in the health, fitness, and bodybuilding world.

What Is It?
And Where Does It Come From?

It's known by other names of course, the technical name is 20-Beta-Hydroxyecdysterone and other common names are: ecdisten, ecdysone, isoinokosterone, 20-hydroxyecdysone and ecdysterone. Interestingly, it was first discovered in insects acting as an invertebrate polyhydroxylated sterolic growth hormone. Actually, insects depend on it for their survival. Could there be some correlation between insects superior strength ratio and this compound? What would the effects be on vertebrates such as mammals? If we had the proportionate strength of an ant, for example, we could easily pick up a car.

Even if a fraction of this power could be available through ecdysterone supplementation, the idea of supplementing with "bug juice" just isn't too appealing. Luckily, it's not obtained through insects for supplementation! It happens to exist as a compound in the herbs Rhaponticum/Leuzeae and Cyanotis vaga, and is therefore a naturally occurring phytochemical. Phew!

Until recently; however, it was not easily available. Although Ecdysterone has been known and tested in Russia since 1988, it never received much attention because there existed no cost-effective way to extract it. Russian researchers and scientists had a very pure version developed, but it was costly...$20,000 per kilogram. The only other choice was Suma extract, which contained so little ecdysterone that it would have been ineffective as a viable ecdysterone-supplementation option.

Within in the past year (2000), companies specializing in the extraction of high potency compounds from herbs have developed a way to extract concentrated ecdysterone at a standardized up to 97%! The breakthrough technology, in-vitro cell cultivation, provided the needed purity and concentration of ecdysterone to make it a viable option for economical supplementation. This is great news for anyone wanting to increase lean muscle mass, decrease fat and improve performance. So, bodybuilders, fitness enthusiasts and athletes listen up, the scientific data behind the "Steroidal Holy Grail" is simply incredible!

What Does It Do?
And What Scientific Studies Give Evidence To Support This?

Scientists have performed over 50 studies on ecdysterone to conclude one resounding agreement: Ecdysterone is safe and it improves nearly every bodily function...without side effects. What else does it do? Two words: Muscle Growth. Ah, what the heck, here's a few more...

Research-backed ecdysterone supplementation properties:

Ecdysterone Highlights:

A Drastic Increase in Lean Body Mass
Increased Endurance
Stimulates Metabolism
Improves Nerve Function and Enhances Erythropoiesis (the development of mature red blood cells (erythrocytes))
Decreases Blood Sugar
Reduces Adipose Tissue
Improves Nearly Every Bodily Function Including Brain and Liver
It's Safe and Effective for Men, Women, and Even Teenagers
Prevents the Loss of Muscle Mass while Promoting Growth of Muscle Fibers

Not To Mention:
It does all this with absolutely no reported side effects, making it safe beyond reproach.

No Negative Side Effects
No Virilization
No Conversion Into Estrogenic Compounds
No Liver Toxicity
No High Blood Pressure
No Testicular Shrinkage
No effects on the hormonal system in mammals including humans
Incredibly Low Toxicity Levels (Over 4,000 times that which a person should consume)

Complete List:

Increases protein synthesis
Improves nearly every bodily function
Stimulates protein synthesis in nervous tissue and increases nerve function
Increases growth anabolicly in vertebrates including humans
Increases total protein and glycogen content in muscles
Increases myofibrilar proteins more efficiently than the anabolic steroids Methandrostenolone, the most potent steroid, Dianabol
Suppresses hypoglycemia while powerfully stabilizing blood sugar levels
Perfect glycemic regulator leading to constant energy and feeling of well-being
Stimulates incorporation of glycogen into proteinaceous tissue such as liver and muscle
Prevents high blood sugar levels and high insulin levels thereby halting fat production
Pushes nutrients into muscle and organ tissue yielding better muscle growth and repair
Possesses potent cholesterol-lowering effect
Stimulates the phospholipids that are linked to enormous health benefits when stimulated
Lowers cholesterol having a potent hepatoprotective action
Cell membrane stabilizing properties
Anti-arrhythmia stabilizing properties
Restorative action on atherosclerosis
Analgestic properties and a potent antioxidative effect
Powerful anti-inflammatory properties
Works against high cortisol levels as an anti-catabolic agent by reducing/eliminating stressors such as inflammation, preventing cortisol from being released
Positive effect on the skin improving: keratinization, differentiation and acne
Vastly increases athletic performance by increasing work capacity, body-weight, lung capacity, and VO₂ max while also increasing exhalation of CO₂.
Increases lean muscle tissue and reduces adipose content
Reduces fatigue and apathy, yet increases speed and strength
Promotes a positive nitrogen balance and maintains a greater rate of protein synthesis

Ecdysterone Goes Head-to-Head With Dianabol And Wins!

What an incredible compound! Not only does ecdysterone facilitate a tremendous amount of positive effects in the body, but it elicits zero negatives! Think about it. Here we have a compound that has gone head-to-head with steroids in studies and won anabolicly with none of the associated side effects of steroids! One study conducted by top Russian researchers paired ecdysterone directly against Dianabol, one of the most powerful anabolic steroid developed.

The study showed equivalent anabolic activity with one exception: ecdysterone stimulated both slow and the all-important fast twitch muscle fibers, while Dianabol only stimulated the slow fibers! I think it's safe to say that yes, there are anabolic steroids and growth hormones in existence that are more powerful than ecdysterone. That's to be expected. But what if you could have a compound similar to that in power, but with no side effects? Yowzers! It goes without saying that if this is indeed true, ecdysterone merits a closer look.

How Does It Possibly Exhibit All Of These Above Positive Effects With Little Or No Negative Side Effects?
The Secret Lies In The Compound Itself.

The single most important factor in maximizing muscle growth is environment. Ecdysterone works to create the "perfect" muscle-building environment in the body, among other positive effects. The perfect conditions for creating the perfect muscle building environment include maintaining a positive nitrogen balance and increasing protein synthesis along with intelligent, consistent exercise and a balanced diet rich in protein. It's long been understood that if the body was able to maintain the perfect anabolic environment, maximum muscle growth would occur.

Maintaining positive nitrogen balance and increased protein synthesis without also incurring hormonal side-effects was the trick. This is why researchers became so enthralled with ecdysterone when Doctor Burdette in 1963 found that ecdysterone enhanced the rate of protein synthesis. This was the beginning of over 50 studies showing the remarkable effects of ecdysterone on the body while simultaneously showing now side effects. Now, with the increased economical availability of pure concentrated ecdysterone, the picture is finally becoming more complete.

Studies:

Ecdysterone has been tested for its effects on work capacity, immune function, lean body mass and fat loss, among other variables in a number of scientific studies. The vast majority of research indicates an increase in test subjects' lean mass. Results were further improved when ecdysterone was consumed with protein.

Increase Protein Synthesis and Invoke Positive Nitrogen Balance:

Studies conducted in the Soviet Union in 1988 showed ecdysterone helps "increase hepatic protein synthesis and subsequently promote positive nitrogen balance!" How does this lead to more muscle mass? Simply: "the more nitrogen your body maintains and the greater rate of protein synthesis, the more mass, period." How, exactly, does ecdysterone do this?

V. Smetanin, researcher of the Smolenk State Medical Institute in Russia speculates that ecdysterone decreases urea concentration in the body and increases hemoglobin levels by increasing a process called erythropoiesis. Erythropoiesis is the development of mature red blood cells. This leads to a stimulation of the anabolic process in protein metabolism, which in turn leads to a positive nitrogen balance in the body.

Increase Lean Muscle Mass While Reducing Body Fat:

The most often quoted ecdysterone scientific study was published in Scientific Sports Bulletin by S. Simakin in 1988. The objective of Simakin's famous study was to determine the effect of ecdysterone on muscle tissue mass and fat mass, while testing for hormonal changes in the subjects.

For the study, three control factors were used: a placebo, protein, and ecdysterone with protein. The results were significantly in favor of the third factor. Of the 78 highly trained male and female athletes who consumed just protein, they showed only a slight increase in muscle mass for the 10 day period of time.

Those who used a placebo lost a slight amount of lean muscle, while those who used protein plus ecdysterone showed a 6-7% increase in lean muscle tissue with nearly a 10% reduction in fat! Let me say that again: A 10% reduction in fat and a 7% increase in lean muscle tissue in just 10 days! Safety testing was conducted during the same time period which showed no difference in hormonal balance. Wow, if ecdysterone plus protein can do this for highly trained athletes, just think what it can do for the average person!

It's interesting to note the amount of Ecdysterone these Soviet Studies used. According to Derek Cornelius, "Most of the experiments used 5 mg per kilogram of body mass per day as the dosage." To find out how much you would need to take to supply this same amount of ecdysterone, use this equation:

	MG/KG X	Your Weight	= Dosage:
In Kilograms:	5 mg X	78 kg	= 386
In Pounds:	5 mg X	170lbs / 2.2lbs	= 386

So, the average person should consume 300-600 mg of ecdysterone per day to meet this dosage. This compound is so non-toxic that this is a perfectly safe amount to consume.

Increase Stamina, Endurance, And Energy:

Ecdysterone was tested in another study performed in 1986 by B.Ya Smetanin. For this research, 117 highly trained speed skaters between the ages of 18 and 28 were tested for work capacity, body weight, lung capacity and VO₂ max. The results speak for themselves: all of the said parameters increased as well as an increase in the O₂ pulse max and an increase in the exhalation of CO₂.

Basically, they received more oxygen to their cells! This equates to decreasing recovery time, maximizing performance, permitting optimal muscle anabolism and maximum fat reduction. It also means the athletes using ecdysterone compared to those on a placebo experienced increased stamina, endurance and energy.

That's not all! A study conducted using 112 athletes performed by B.G. Fadeev in Russia showed some very impressive overall results. However, by this time, the results should come as no surprise. 89% of those who supplemented with ecdysterone versus a placebo reported less fatigue, greater performance, more motivation, greater speed, and improved strength. How long did it take before these athletes reported these effects? Months? Weeks? No, five days. To make matters even better, no adverse side effects were reported.

Who Needs It?
And What Are Some Symptoms Of Deficiency?

Bodybuilders, athletes and fitness enthusiasts will find the extra gains in lean muscle mass and reduction in body fat very beneficial. Based on all the research, Ecdysterone looks to be not only incredibly effective as a performance enhancer on all facets, but also very safe. Since it is not a required nutrient, there are no symptoms of deficiency. However, if you would like to experience more energy and strength gains in less time than you've probably ever experienced, grab some ecdysterone and protein because you are the perfect candidate! Check out the section below to learn more on side effects and recommended dosages.

How Much Should Be Taken?
Are There Any Side Effects?

What about side effects? That's the best part! As you already know by now, research studies show no negative side effects, no hormonal interactions, and a very low toxicity level for ecdysterone. When tested by ICN Biochemicals on December 31, 1998, a complete safety test was performed to determine the toxicity. The data showed the amount of ecdysterone one would have to take in order to reach toxicity. The amount? 6400 mg/kg! In other words, an average 170lb person would have to take 494,528 mg of the compound to reach this point! This is 4,121 times as much as the recommended dose.

So, as you can see, it's very safe with an incredibly low toxicity. Furthermore, endocrine testing showed that ecdysterone caused no effect whatsoever on the mammalian hormonal system. Testing was measured on testosterone, cortisol, insulin, ACTH, growth hormone, and leutinizing hormone. The data not only shows ecdysterone to be extremely safe, but effective as well!

The recommended dose of ecdysterone is 80-120 mg per day and upwards of 400-600 mg per day. We've even heard reports of people receiving amazing results working up to using as much as 1200 mg safely per day. Remember, ecdysterone should be taken with protein-rich meals for best results!

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