For today's edition of Dear Mark, I'm answering questions about a rather mysterious supplement called turkesterone. I've been getting questions about it lately, specifically regarding its promise for muscle building. Turkesterone has exploded in popularity, but there isn't much solid information to go on. Compared to supplements with reams of human research, like whey isolate or creatine or magnesium, you're flying pretty much blind with turkesterone. I've had to sift through animal studies, murky Russian research, and anecdotes to bring you my best take on the compound. It's not the final word, but I stand by it for now. So without further ado, let's get into the questions. What is Turkesterone? Turkesterone is an ecdysteroid, a class of compounds that act as growth compounds in plants and insects. Think of ecdysteroids as cellular growth promoters, a kind of hormone. In insects, they regulate molting, growth, and morphogenesis. In plants, they deter predators. And in mammals, they may stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Several pathways have been proposed for this effect: First, turkesterone may increase the efficiency of muscle protein synthesis—increasing it by over 100% in in vitro studies (and increasing rat grip strength in vivo). Second, turkesterone may increase the amount of leucine a given cell incorporates. Leucine, you may recall, is the most anabolic amino acid around. Third, turkesterone and other ecdysteroids may bind to the estrogen receptor beta-type, which is associated with bone and muscle growth as opposed to the more classic "feminizing" effects seen with other estrogen receptor types. Do Turkesterone Supplements Work? It's hard to say. There are few if any human studies on turkesterone supplementation, but there are some impressive animal studies on turkesterone and related ecdysteroids. Let's take a look: In one, rats who got ecdysteroids were stronger, longer swimmers than rats who received a placebo despite no differences in training/swimming volume. Sheep taking the supplement gained bodyweight faster and produced more wool. This suggests that it's not just a promoter of raw mass gain, but it improves the function of the organism (wool production). Furthermore, among sheep who weren't fed enough food, the turkesterone had even stronger effects. An old Russian study found that giving turkesterone to rats stimulated muscle protein synthesis in the liver about as much as anabolic steroids. Turkesterone also seems to improve the resilience of mice undergoing "immobility stress"—the forced restriction of free movement in lab mice. This is basically the most reliable way to trigger a stress response in mice. In normal mice, immobility stress causes the adrenal glands to grow, their immune function to decline, the cholesterol and vitamin C levels to drop, and gut lining to degenerate. In turkesterone-dosed mice, these changes don't happen as quickly (or at all). Now, what can we glean from animal studies in the absence of human studies? Animal studies are the start of human research. As mammals, we all share similar pathways for muscle gain, growth, and loss. There are differences to be sure, but there are also well-preserved similarities and … Continue reading "Dear Mark: What is Turkesterone, and Can It Help Me Build Muscle?"
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