What is Turkesterone?
Here at Optimised Research Labs, we pride ourselves on employing the findings of the latest cutting-edge research to produce the most effective, state-of-the-art, evidence-based products. Our research team constantly monitors the development of the very latest and most innovative ergogenic and health promoting substances and the research that demonstrates their beneficial effects. Sometimes, however, in order to move forward, we need to look back, as modern science demonstrates the benefits of substances that have been used for hundreds, and sometimes even thousands, of years by indigenous people all over the world to benefit their health, vitality and performance. One such substance is Turkesterone.
What is Turkesterone?
Turkesterone is a naturally occurring steroid compound, derived from the Ajuga Turkestanica plant, an herbaceous flowering species in the mint family. It has been used in traditional medicine in Central Asia for centuries to treat a range of conditions, such as inflammation, muscle pain, gut, heart and respiratory issues, and is prized as a general tonic and for its stress relieving and antioxidant properties. Technically speaking, it is a phytoecdysteroid. These are plant substances which possess anabolic properties and are somewhat similar to steranobol, a synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid derived from testosterone.
Turkesterone, is a particularly active type of phytoecdysteroid. It was first isolated in 1975 by Russian scientists, and gained attention in the 1970s and 1980s when Russian athletes were suspected of using Turkesterone to enhance their performance. More recently it has gained great popularity amongst fitness enthusiasts, athletes, and bodybuilders, as it has been shown to provide a range of benefits for health and performance.
Despite its powerful anabolic effect, Turkesterone has no negative effects on natural hormone production. Therefore, it does not require the use of post-cycle therapy (PCT) to redress hormone levels, nor the use of specialised substances to protect liver function. This means that it can be used with confidence by natural athletes.
What are the benefits of Turkesterone?
Turkesterone has been shown scientifically to provide a wide range of benefits for health and performance. These include, but are not limited to:
- Increasing muscle protein synthesis (1)
- Increasing muscle mass (2)
- Inhibiting myostatin (2)
- Increasing muscular strength (3)
- Enhancing post-exercise recovery (1,3)
- Reducing age-related loss of muscle mass (3,4)
- Reducing body fat (6)
- Improving carbohydrate metabolism (5)
- Enhancing liver health (7)
- Reducing stress (8)
- Enhancing immune function (8)
What does the science say about Turkesterone?
Turkesterone has been the subject of numerous studies, which have shown very positive results. As we review a selection of that research, you will begin to see why ORL Turkesterone is such a great product and how it may benefit you.
Can Turkesterone increase muscle protein synthesis?
Muscle protein synthesis is the complex process whereby muscle cells create new protein molecules to repair muscle and increase size. Optimising this process involves a combination of an appropriate programme of resistance training and the right nutrient intake. Phytoecdysteroids, including Turkesterone, have been shown to further enhance this process. The results of a study by Gorelick-Feldman et al., (1) showed that when human cells were treated with a phytoecdysteroid, muscle protein synthesis increased by up to 20%.
Can Turkesterone increase muscle mass?
Increasing muscle mass can be very challenging, particularly after the initial training period. This can lead people to resort to the use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs, which are associated with a range of negative side effects.
Zubeldia and colleagues (2) investigated the effects of Turkesterone on muscle tissue and concluded the it can support muscle mass without the typical side effects of synthetic anabolic drugs. Interestingly, the study showed that Turkesterone produced a 4-fold reduction in Myostatin activity. This is a protein that regulates muscle size by inhibiting growth. Turkesterone also produced a 2- fold reduction in Caspase-3 activity. Like Myostatin, the enzyme Caspase -3 can also inhibit muscle growth under certain conditions.
Can Turkesterone increase strength?
Numerous plant-derived substances have been used to promote increases in muscular strength, often with no scientific data to support their use and with mixed results. Recently the effects of Turkesterone on strength have been investigated in a study using mice (3). A benefit of such studies is that there is unlikely to be a placebo effect, increasing the likelihood that the observed results are due to the treatment. In the study, mice were given Turkesterone and participated in a resistance training programme for 8 weeks. On completion of the trial, the results showed that supplementation with Turkesterone in combination with resistance training produced a significant increase in strength.
Can Turkesterone help to maintain muscle mass?
As we age, there is a tendency to lose muscle mass, even if we participate in regular resistance training. This condition is referred to as sarcopenia and not only results in a loss of muscle but also of strength and function. It is due to a combination of age, general health, lifestyle and genetics. Several studies have documented Turkesterone’s beneficial effects on sarcopenia (3,4). The results of a study by Arthur and colleagues (4) showed that supplementation with Turkesterone had a positive effect on the biological processes involved in sarcopenia and can provide a protective effect to maintain the integrity of aged skeletal muscle. Similar results were achieved by Martins et al., (3), who found that a combination of Turkesterone and resistance training reduced sarcopenia.
Can Turkesterone reduce body fat?
The beneficial effects of Turkesterone on muscle mass are relatively well acknowledged. Less known is its beneficial effect on body fat, more specifically its ability to reduce it. Todorova et al., (6) investigated the effects of a variety of herbal preparations on lipid metabolism. The results showed found that supplementation with Turkesterone produced a significant reduction in lipid accumulation in human fat cells. It is the accumulation of lipids within fat cells that typically causes an increase in body fat. Therefore, if we can inhibit this process, we are able to achieve and maintain a leaner physique more easily.
Can Turkesterone improve carbohydrate metabolism?
Carbohydrate is an essential source of energy. However, in order to ensure that it is used to fuel activity and rather than contributing to our fat stores, it must be metabolised effectively. Failure to do so, can result in a sustained high blood glucose level (hyperglycaemia), which is implicated in the development of a range of health problems, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Syrov and colleagues (5) investigated the effects of several plant-derived supplements on blood glucose levels. The results showed that Turkesterone exhibited a pronounced hypoglycaemic, or blood glucose lowering effect, which was maintained even when participants had that their blood glucose levels elevated artificially.
Can Turkesterone enhance liver health?
If you want to build muscle, recover more quickly from exercise, improve endurance, have more energy, and generally feel well, it is vital that your liver is functioning optimally. This is because it is involved in more than 500 essential functions including, detoxification, the metabolism of protein, carbohydrate and fat, providing growth factors, the production of bile, storage of vitamins and minerals, blood clotting, immune function, and the maintenance of blood pressure. The liver’s ability to perform its various functions can be diminished if it becomes damaged, or overworked and exhausted. This can be due to a variety of causes, including the use of certain performance enhancing substances. Turkesterone has been shown to have a powerful recuperative effect on the liver. One study (7) showed that supplementation with phytoecdisteroids, including Turkesterone, in rats with medically induced hepatitis and liver damage, resulted in a more rapid normalisation of functional and metabolic disorders in the liver and stimulated the recovery of bile secretion, the synthesis of bilirubin and bile acids, and cholesterol excretion in comparison to the control treatment.
Can Turkesterone reduce stress?
When dealing with stress, our adaptive capacity determines how well we cope and recover. In short, it is our ability to adjust to stressors and alleviate potential damage. Turkesterone has a long established history in traditional medicine as an adaptogen, a natural substance that helps the body adapt to stress and maintain balance.
The results of a study by Shakhmurova et al., (8) showed that supplementation with Turkesterone increased the adaptation capacity of subjects under stressful conditions, which was demonstrated by the prevention of involution of the thymicolymphatic system. That is, the gradual shrinking or atrophy of the thymus gland and associated lymphatic tissues, which play an important role immune function. This was also accompanied by a decrease in disorders affecting the structure and function of the stomach lining.
Furthermore, supplementation with Turkesterone prevented an increase in the weight of the adrenal glands, which is associated with chronic stress, as the glands enlarge due to the constant demand for the stress hormone cortisol. Additionally, it prevented a reduction in the ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and cholesterol content of the adrenal glands, which occurs during periods of stress, as these substances are essential for the production of cortisol. An enhanced immune response was also observed.
Why ORL Turkesterone?
ORL Turkesterone is sourced exclusively from premium grade Ajuga Turkestanica to ensure the greatest potency and is produced under stringent conditions, which eliminates contaminants and provides a product of the highest quality and purity. It comes in convenient capsule form and is suitable for vegans.
In summary….
Turkesterone is a naturally occurring steroid compound with proven anabolic properties, derived from the Ajuga Turkestanica plant. It has a long history of use in traditional medicine in Central Asia dating back hundreds of years, where it is prized for its medicinal and performance enhancing abilities. In more recent times, it has been the subject of rigorous scientific investigation which as shown it to provide a host of benefits for health and athletic performance. These include increasing muscle size and strength, reducing body fat, improving carbohydrate metabolism, enhancing liver health, and reducing stress. Despite its powerful anabolic effect, Turkesterone has no negative effects on natural hormone production. Therefore, it does not require the use of post-cycle therapy (PCT) to redress hormone levels, nor the use the specialised substances to protect liver function. This means that it can be used with confidence by natural athletes.
While there are many Turkesterone’s currently on the market, ORL Turkesterone is sourced exclusively from premium grade Ajuga Turkestanica to ensure the greatest potency and is produced under stringent conditions, which eliminates contaminants and provides a product of the highest quality and purity. It comes in convenient capsule form and is suitable for vegans.
