Dr. Mike Jansen
Dr. Mike JansenCurious about turkesterone side effects?
Do you want to know if it’s safe for athletes and bodybuilders to take turkesterone on a daily basis?
Then you’ve come to the right place. In this comprehensive guide, we detail everything you need to know about turkesterone, including the optimal turkesterone dosage to maximize your results while minimizing any potential side effects.
We also answer your most important questions, including:
- What is turkesterone?
- Is turkesterone a legal steroid alternative?
- What are the benefits of taking turkesterone?
…And much more!
We’ve studied all the latest research papers on turkesterone, so you know you are getting science-based answers to all of your most important questions.
In this in-depth guide, be going into detail about what you can expect to see as a result of taking a cycle of turkesterone, its current legal status, where it actually comes from, and if turkesterone is a steroid.
Now let’s get started!
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What is Turkesterone?
It’s always important to do your research before taking a new supplement.
You want to look at the scientific literature, as well as real-world evidence from people using the product, to make sure you understand its benefits, as well as any potential negative side effects.
Don’t worry – we’ve already done the research for you, so you can make a more educated decision on whether turkesterone is right for you, and what kind of turkesterone product to buy.
Turkesterone is naturally occurring plant steroid that has recently grown in popularity within the bodybuilding and fitness community for its supposed benefits on muscle strength, size, endurance, and recovery [1].
Turkesterone is most commonly derived from Ajuga Turkestanica – a plant native to Uzbekistan, with a long history of use in traditional medicine for its anabolic and adaptogenic activity [1, 2].
This potent plant steroid belongs to a large family of substances called ecdysteroids.
Also known as phytoecdysteroids, their molecular structure is actually similar to androgens – substances responsible for promoting both internal and external physical traits seen in males, such as testosterone [3]. The prefix ‘ecdy’ refers to how this hormone plays a role in stimulating the molting process in arthropod insects.
Turkesterone was first isolated in Russia in 1975, and sense then there has been an explosion of studies on this naturally occurring anabolic substance.
Everyone in the fitness industry is talking about turkesterone because studies have shown that it is as effective at improving muscle mass and overall athletic performance as many anabolic steroids. However, what truly sets turkesterone apart from traditional steroids is that it’s a natural substance that has almost zero negative side effects.
Turkesterone has a similar molecular structure to testosterone and many other anabolic steroids.
However, it doesn’t actually bind to the androgen receptors in mammals. This means that turkesterone can boost muscle mass and physical performance without changing the amount of testosterone or estrogen in your body [4, 5].
Turkesterone Side Effects
One of the main concerns that people have when considering a new supplement, is the potential side effects.
This is very understandable.
For example, it is well documented that anabolic steroids can be extremely dangerous when used improperly. Some side effects of steroids are relatively minor, such as irritability or an increased appetite.
However, there are also more serious side effects, such as skin rashes, shrinking of the gonads, insomnia, high blood pressure, heart complications, and even permanent liver damage [6].
When it comes to turkesterone, we’re happy to report that almost every study shows that turkesterone has almost no negative side effects.
Keep in mind, however, that researchers have not yet performed any turkesterone studies using human subjects.
Fortunately, researchers have performed many studies on a very similar ecdysteroid called ecdysterone. There are two important ecdysterone studies that we can use to help answer the question, “does turkesterone have any side effects in humans?”
Turkesterone Side Effect Study #1
A study was performed in 2006 to determine the effects of ecdysterone and other compounds on the physical performance of well-trained athletes.
This study used 45 male participants who had been working out at least three times a week for the past year. It’s important to note that the subjects were not supposed to have taken any sort of performance enhancing drugs or supplements, such as creatine, myostatin inhibitors, or pro-hormones, for the last six months prior to the start of the study [7].
The men were split up into three groups and instructed to take a daily dose of a compound while carrying out their weekly training regimen.
One of those groups took just 30 milligrams of ecdysterone once per day. In conclusion, the study found that the men were significantly stronger on mainly two lifts – the bench press, and the leg press.
Of particular note, is that no adverse side effects were reported among any of the athletes who participated [7].
Turkesterone Side Effect Study #2
A second study performed on male and female subjects in their 50s also showed that ecdysterone is not toxic for humans, and produced no adverse effects.
Researchers conducted a 12-week double-blind placebo-controlled study to determine what effects a daily dose of 2,000 milligrams of ecdysterone would have on these 51 subjects.
Participants were instructed to take two doses a day – one serving of 1000 milligrams in the morning with breakfast, and the next serving of 1000 milligrams was to be taken with lunch.
Similar to the first study we mentioned, these participants were also required to train three times a week, for an hour each time.
Upon analyzing their data, the researchers found that the participants taking ecdysterone showed a significant increase in strength and muscle mass, and did not experience any negative side effects from ecdysteroid usage [8].
Overall, turkesterone and other ecdysteroids don’t reportedly cause the same severe side effects normally seen with anabolic steroids.
While there are many factors at play here, one of the main ones may be because of its molecular structure. Even though anabolics and turkesterone are nearly identical, it doesn’t actually bind to the steroid receptors in vertebrates [9].
Turkesterone Benefits
Recently, the bodybuilding and fitness community has seen a marked increase in influencers and coaches praising the benefits of turkesterone… and it’s easy to see why.
Not only is turkesterone a powerful, all-natural supplement that does not produce serious side effects from steroids like dianabol and trenbolone, like elevated blood pressure, rashes, or high liver toxicity.
However, it’s also been reported anecdotally to match the effects of these anabolics… and possibly even exceed them.
As mentioned earlier, due to the lack of data from human trials on turkesterone, we’ve also included data from research on ecdysteroids in general, and more specifically, ecdysterone, since both these substances possess similar effects and characteristics.
Muscle Mass And Strength Gains
Ecdysteroids like turkesterone have been found to increase lean muscle mass, improve strength, enhance endurance and stamina, and even speed up recovery time.
For starters, the increase in lean muscle mass and strength can be attributed to greater levels of protein synthesis [1, 11].
Ecdysteroid usage in some human test subjects has even revealed elevated levels of protein synthesis as much as 20%.
Also, as mentioned before, the amount of lean mass and strength gained from a cycle of an ecdysteroid, such as ecdysterone, can be compared to what steroids such as dianabol could produce in human subjects [12].
Endurance And Stamina Improvements
Studies have also shown greater endurance and stamina while cycling ecdysteroids like turkesterone – which is fantastic news not only for bodybuilders or strength athletes, but also for swimmers, track runners, or virtually any athlete that could use more energy while competing.
A human trial providing evidence of this was conducted by Russian scientists, where two groups of runners were watched closely for a period of twenty days.
One group was given a daily dose of dianabol, and the other group of runners took ecdysterone.
At the end of the study, the data indicated that the stamina of the athletes taking ecdysterone increased between 10-15% [13].
Metabolic Profile Changes
Turkesterone also lowers lipid absorption, improves nitrogen retention, and contributes to a better protein metabolism profile with reduced protein catabolism and increased anabolism. On top of that, turkesterone has also been found to cause increases in both skeletal muscle mass and muscle protein synthesis [1, 13].
Finally, ecdysteroids like turkesterone and ecdysterone have also been shown to allow muscles to work with greater force by increasing ATP synthesis [1, 3].
This also causes endurance levels to increase, leading to more intense workouts, which can further build strength and stamina.
Is Turkesterone a Steroid?
Turkesterone belongs to a family of substances called phytoecdysteroids. However, it is not technically classified as an anabolic steroid.
It’s considered by some to be a legal steroid alternative – and it’s not hard to see why.
The marketing around turkesterone can definitely be misleading, since it uses terms like ‘natural steroid alternative’ or ‘legal plant steroid’ as a way to create the impression that it can produce steroid-like results… which may, in fact, be the case.
However, it’s important that this information be presented in a crystal-clear manner.
Turkesterone, and other phytoecdysteroids like turkesterone, don’t have the side effects of anabolic steroids, nor are they structurally identical to them.
Turkesterone also does not produce the adverse side effects typically associated with steroids, like drastically lower natural testosterone production, or liver toxicity [6]. This is because, while the structure of turkesterone is similar to other anabolic compounds, it does not bind to vertebrate steroid receptors.
It’s been proven that turkesterone produces anabolic effects in mammalian subjects, such as improved strength, increases in muscle mass, heightened stamina, and expedited recovery.
These effects are achieved by increasing the activity of polyribosomes – the cytoplasmic parts in cells where protein synthesis occurs [1].
Is Turkesterone Legal?
If you’re interested in conducting your own research on turkesterone, you may be surprised to hear that, despite numerous studies claiming turkesterone can produce effects as powerful as anabolic steroids, it is actually completely legal to buy over the counter at multiple online retailers.
As mentioned above, while the chemical structure of turkesterone and popular steroids are nearly identical, they aren’t the same thing.
This is one of the main reasons why it’s not categorized as an anabolic steroid, which means you can buy, sell, manufacture, possess, and consume turkesterone totally within the bounds of the law in the United States and many other countries [6].
Even though turkesterone isn’t on the Controlled Drugs and Substances List, there is a bit of red tape around it.
The World Anti Doping Agency, or WADA for short, is responsible for determining which substances can be allowed to be consumed and used in professional competitive sports, from bodybuilding to Olympic weightlifting.
After seeing the results of a thorough study conducted in 2019 on how turkesterone affects athletic performance, researchers suggested to WADA that ecdysteroids like turkesterone and ecdysterone be considered to be placed on the list of prohibited substances [10].
As of early 2023, the WADA has not added turkesterone or ecdysterone to their list of banned substances.
However, they have been added to WADA’s watchlist of monitored substances.
In the meantime, rest assured that turkesterone is completely legal, and consider taking advantage of the opportunity to purchase turkesterone capsules while you can.
How to Take Turkesterone | What You MUST Know
So far, we’ve covered how turkesterone is completely legal to possess and consume, as well as the numerous benefits and side effects users can possibly experience.
But how do you take turkesterone? How long should you cycle turkesterone for?
Traditional anabolic steroids are typically administered with the use of a syringe. This can often be an uncomfortable and even expensive way to maintain a drug regimen for the purpose of performance enhancement.
While there are a few exceptions, such as the oral steroid dianabol, the required use of a syringe for administering these drugs is often a deterrent to many athletes who are looking to enhance their physique.
Thankfully, turkesterone has the advantage of being available for consumption in the form of capsules and powders.
In terms of how often turkesterone can be used and in what quantities, the data available doesn’t provide a particularly clear picture.
A number of studies referenced throughout this article involve ecdysteroid cycles between 8-12 weeks, with no adverse effects being reported. For example, a study conducted in 2021 which monitored the effects of an ecdysterone dosage of 2000 milligrams per day for a total period of 12 weeks.
Data from this study yielded two important findings: firstly, that no adverse effects were reported, and secondly, that all participants experienced noticeable improvements in muscle mass and strength [8].
As such, we would also recommend users keep their cycles within this range, and to not do more than two cycles per year.
The studies referenced here also have analyzed the effects of daily ecdysteroid dosages ranging from 30 milligrams per day, to larger doses of up to 2 grams per day [8].
Generally speaking, we would suggest not exceeding 500 mg of turkesterone per day.
Best Turkesterone Supplements | 2023 Edition
Choosing a quality turkesterone supplement can be overwhelming.
This is especially true when there are dozens of vendors all selling their own turkesterone product.
If you’re looking to buy turkesterone, you want to be sure that you’re getting the purest product available, without any cheap fillers or toxic ingredients.
That’s why our team took the time to investigate a number of stores offering turkesterone capsules, so that you can rest assured you’re getting the best turkesterone supplements available right now.
After examining a number of different vendors, we found one with a wide array of high-quality supplements, plenty of shipping options, stellar customer service, and above all, a lab-tested, pure, premium turkesterone supplement available at a competitive price.
With that said, Gorilla Mind is our top recommendation for a reliable and legitimate vendor to purchase turkesterone from. Here’s why:
- Positive reviews. Gorilla Mind is known for selling many hard-to-find bodybuilding supplements. However, Gorilla Mind Turkesterone is one of their best and highest-rated products. In fact, in early 2023, Gorilla Mind Turkesterone currently stands at over 130 positive reviews from verified customers.
- Optimal product dosing. Each capsule of Gorilla Mind Turkesterone contains 500 mg of turkesterone extracted from Ajuga Turkestanica. This powerful plant also benefits your fitness by building muscle mass, enhancing muscle recovery and improving focus.
- Enhanced absorption. Gorilla Mind Turkesterone is complexed with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, to enhance its absorption into the body.
- Flexible payment options. If you prefer using alternative payment methods, then Gorilla Mind can easily accommodate you. Apart from using a credit card, you can pay for Gorilla Mind Turkesterone in a number of ways, such as Venmo, Google Pay, Apply Pay, and Paypal.
We strongly suggest taking advantage of their 3 bottle discount on Gorilla Mind Turkesterone, so that you’ll have enough to run a proper 3 month cycle.
Is Turkesterone Safe? | Overall
In conclusion…
Turkesterone is one of the most interesting and effective bodybuilding supplements on the market today.
It also has a low risk profile, especially when compared with anabolic steroids.
While there is currently no data from human trials outlining the effects of turkesterone, our team has done their best to compile facts and figures from legitimate studies on ecdysteroids as a whole, as well as turkesterone’s close relative, ecdysterone.
On top of that, turkesterone is completely legal to possess and use.
It’s a naturally-occurring hormone in certain plant species typically found in central Asia, which can confer the benefits mentioned above.
Again, compared to anabolic steroids, it’s a phenomenal option for bodybuilders and athletes who are looking to conduct their own research, without having to concern themselves with the negative effects of using anabolic steroids, such as liver infections, increased blood pressure, shrinkage of the gonads, and even heart complications.
If you choose to perform your own research with turkesterone, it’s best to stray on the side of caution and purchase a pure, tested product from a reputable company, like Gorilla Mind Turkesterone.
So what are you waiting for?
Get your hands on some Gorilla Mind turkesterone today and watch your gains in the gym explode!