By Doctor Nicola Sacchi - Author of the book: Drugs and doping in sport -
Testosterone is the anabolic steroid hormone par excellence. Thanks to its action, every athlete increases strength and muscle mass, important factors for improving in many sports and obviously for body builders who aim precisely for this.Testosterone is naturally produced in the human body in limited quantities and every athlete tries to promote its synthesis to improve their results.
The latest phytotherapeutic discovery introduced on the supplement market is β-ecdysterone, a revolutionary substance that according to its producer would have miraculous effects on the human body by promoting muscle growth in an incredible way, but is it really so?
Β-ecdysterone is a hormone of invertebrates (insects and other small animals) that controls their growth, development, moulting and cell differentiation. It is also a phytosterol produced by various plants such as maca (Lepidium meyenii), suma (Pfaffia paniculata) and the Vague cyanotis; the alleged invigorating properties attributed to these plants also derive from the presence of this substance.
The β-ecdysterone is easily obtainable also by organic synthesis starting from cholesterol.
Although mammals do not produce this hormone, according to some studies, it appears that this substance has activity on them as well. There is still not much clarity on these properties, but several studies have been done and the ecdysterone seems to have a positive effect on the building of muscle mass (with action comparable to that of anabolics), on protein synthesis, on glycogen synthesis, on the activity. liver disease, lipid metabolism, osteogenesis, bone calcification and modulation of the immune system in various rodents. Currently, there are still few studies available to express conclusive opinions, however mice and rats have obtained some benefits from the administration of this substance.
The supplement market currently produces numerous ecdysterone-based products with the aim of promoting muscle growth and improving physical performance. This substance is inserted in phytocomplexes to stimulate the production of testosterone (T-booster) and also in some mass gainers, as a pure substance or through titrated plant extracts (pfaffia, etc.). However, there are no human studies able to demonstrate these properties, so one wonders why, if these companies are so convinced of the potential of this substance, they do not carry out research on humans to prove the effectiveness of their products, given that what works on a mouse in particular laboratory conditions does not always work in the same way on humans.
At the current state of knowledge on β-ecdysterone it is not possible to say that it works on humans; therefore, before buying a product that boasts miraculous properties as it contains this substance, know that nothing of what is guaranteed has been proven for now.
Bibliography: Supplements for sport - Nicola Sacchi - Ed Nonsolofitness 2011
