{"id":605405675826,"title":"Is Turkesterone Safe? A Doctor's Review","created_at":"2023-05-12T23:56:35-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Is Turkesterone Safe? A Doctor's Review\",\n \"keywords\": \"turkesterone, turkesterone side effects, turkesterone before and after, what is turkesterone, turkesterone benefits, does turkesterone work, gorilla mind turkesterone, is turkesterone a steroid, is turkesterone safe, turkesterone review, turkesterone reviews, turkesterone supplement, what does turkesterone do, is turkesterone natural\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team and doctor review medical studies on turkesterone to determine if the supplement is proven effective as a natural steroid, and if it causes side effects. We share real, unsponsored user reviews including before-and-after images.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/turkesterone-review\",\n\"author\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"editor\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Taylor Graber\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": \"M.D.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/taylor-graber\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/taylor-j-graber-md-81351642\/\",\n \"https:\/\/www.asapivs.com\/\"\n ],\n \"jobTitle\": \"Content Partner\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"medicine, health, anesthesiology, iv therapy, science, drugs, pharmaceutical, medical research, scientific research, medical journals, entrepreneurship, healthcare, orthopedic surgery, biomedical engineering\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"University of California San Diego\",\n \"Arizona University\",\n \"University of Arizona College of Medicine\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"image\": {\n\"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Turkesterone_Thumbnail.png?v=1683953625\",\n\"width\": \"3500\",\n\"height\": \"3500\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7825148\/\", \n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8066446\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22834126\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/1458171\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/gorilla-mind-review\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31123801\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/anadrol-steroid-review\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"Ajuga turkestanica\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"anabolic effects\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Andrew Huberman\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Joe Rogan Experience\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Gorilla Mind\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"ecdysteroids\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Jesse James West\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"joeytalks\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"FDA\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"DEA\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2023-05-12\",\n\"copyrightHolder\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n},\n\"publisher\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/\",\n \"description\": \"Illuminate Labs is the most transparent supplement company in the U.S., and is a leading publisher of research-based health information.\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"supplements, science, nutrition, exercise, health, medication, pharmaceutical, wellness, diet, weight loss, medical research\",\n \"publishingPrinciples\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/editorial-guidelines\",\n \"memberOf\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"U.S. Chamber of Commerce\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Certified B Corp\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Natural Products Association\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.npanational.org\/\"\n }\n ],\n \"logo\": {\n \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Illuminate_Labs_Favicon_48x48_7595c3cc-e27b-47b8-a4fe-edcc7ed9b29a.png?v=1666502785\", \n \"width\": 48,\n \"height\": 48\n},\n \"foundingDate\": \"2019-01-30\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/illuminate-labs-supplements\",\n \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCpgSJAsIPb-fZ25djtTxBEA\"\n ]\n }\n}\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Turkesterone_Review_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1683950051\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDisclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice, and is just the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to over-the-counter (OTC) supplements.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eT\u003c\/span\u003eurkesterone is a steroid-like compound derived from a plant called \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAjuga turkestanica\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e that’s taken as a dietary supplement. Brands claim it can cause steroid-like effects in regard to muscle building and fat loss without the harsh side effects of steroids.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut has turkesterone been studied in legitimate medical research, and was it shown to cause muscle growth and other benefits? Does the compound cause any side effects? Is it legal in the US? And how do real turkesterone users rate and describe its effects?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze medical studies on turkesterone to give our take on whether it’s likely to be effective or if it’s a waste of money.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe’ll document side effects of the supplement, explain its current legality and feature real, unsponsored turkesterone user reviews.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIs Turkesterone Proven to Work?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTurkesterone has been studied in clinical trials, although not as many as we would expect given how popular this supplement is.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA 2021 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7825148\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e found that an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAjuga turkestanica\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e extract rich in turkesterone did not have anabolic effects on muscle in mice.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAnother \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8066446\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eanimal study\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNutrients\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal found that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eturkesterone supplementation increased grip strength.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTurkesterone has also been studied for other health effects.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA 2012 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22834126\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e reported that turkesterone has a “pronounced hypoglycemic effect” in animal studies, suggesting that it may have favorable effects on blood sugar in individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/1458171\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in a Russian medical journal suggested that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eturkesterone may have a protective effect on liver function\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, which is the opposite of anabolic steroids.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall, based on the available research, we consider turkesterone potentially effective for improving muscle mass and strength, but believe it’s far too early to say so definitively because of the lack of human trials.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWe cannot identify one single trial on turkesterone for strength, body composition or hormonal changes with human participants\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, and the few clinical trials on its anabolic effects in animals were inconclusive.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBut is turkesterone dangerous? We’ll review side effects after sharing a video with a famous neuroscientist discussing turkesterone with Joe Rogan.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eTurkesterone Discussed on Joe Rogan Show\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAndrew Huberman is a Stanford neuroscientist and famous researcher. He’s been featured discussing turkesterone supplementation at length on the Joe Rogan Experience:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MHMFWx1_fqw\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIs Turkesterone Dangerous?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs referenced in the previous section, we cannot identify any studies on turkesterone in humans.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThis means using the supplement involves significant risk in our opinion, because without extensive safety data there’s no way to ensure that turkesterone supplementation won’t be harmful to human health\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, as we dicussed in our \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/gorilla-mind-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGorilla Mind reviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e article on a popular supplement brand that sells turkesterone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31123801\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eArchives of Toxicology\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal examined the safety of ecdysteroids, a class of compounds that includes turkesterone.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe researchers concluded that no toxic effects were noted after testing liver and kidney biomarkers. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eHowever, this review did not examine turkesterone specifically; just compounds that are chemically similar.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIt seems illogical in our opinion to use supplements that aren’t safety tested in humans.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBut how do real users rate and describe the effects of turkesterone? We’ll review in the next section.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReal, Unsponsored Turkesterone User Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA fitness YouTuber and popular influencer named Jesse James West tried turkesterone for 30 days and included before and after images in a video with over 2 million views:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pGmJcYeVXhE\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA YouTube creator named “joeytalks” shared his experience after supplementing with turkesterone for two months:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1ZGR0d0zrxE\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs Turkesterone Legal in the US?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the time of publishing this article, \u003cstrong\u003eturkesterone appears to be legal for use in the US.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is not on the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), and we cannot find any information from the FDA or DEA suggesting that this supplement is illegal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the US, drug ingredients are publicly-listed as illegal, but not listed as legal (presumably because there are so many legal ingredients that it would be inefficient and this is just assumed to be the standard).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs we documented in our review of the steroid \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/anadrol-steroid-review\"\u003eAnadrol\u003c\/a\u003e, all anabolic steroids are currently illegal in the US, \u003cstrong\u003ebut since turkesterone is not an anabolic steroid, it appears to be excluded from this policy.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePros and Cons of Turkesterone\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHere are the pros and cons of turkesterone supplementation in our opinion:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePros:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMay be safer than anabolic steroids\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDoesn’t appear toxic based on early research\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSome positive results from animal studies\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCons:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDoesn’t appear tested in humans at all\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNo convincing proof of efficacy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eUnclear side effects\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMany brands make unproven health claims about this supplement\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWaste of money in our opinion\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTurkesterone is dramatically overhyped based on the lacking research on this compound.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMany brands describe this supplement as a natural steroid, and while it is a member of a class of chemical compounds commonly referred to as plant steroids, turkesterone has not been proven to have anabolic effects in humans.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe can’t identify one single clinical trial proving turkesterone to be effective for any strength, muscle or hormonal outcome in humans, and we also can’t find any relevant safety data on the compound.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTaking supplements that have not been proven safe in trials with human participants is extremely risky, and we would advise consumers to speak with their doctor about turkesterone if they’re consider its use.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNot only do we consider turkesterone to be a waste of money, we also consider it to be a potentially health risk and recommend against its use until further research emerges.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe hope that in the future more research emerges about this compound, because there is so much consumer interest surrounding it and such research would be in the interest of public health.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTurkesterone does appear to be legal in the US at the time of publishing this article.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2023-05-12T23:58:20-04:00","updated_at":"2023-05-13T00:58:16-04:00","summary_html":"We review medical studies on turkesterone to determine if the supplement is proven effective as a natural steroid, and if it causes side effects. We share real, unsponsored user reviews including before-and-after images.","template_suffix":"","handle":"turkesterone-review","tags":"_related:men's-health, _related:steroids"}

Is Turkesterone Safe? A Doctor's Review

Is Turkesterone Safe? A Doctor's Review


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Read our Editorial Guidelines to learn more about what makes our site the premier resource for online health information.

Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice, and is just the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to over-the-counter (OTC) supplements.

Turkesterone is a steroid-like compound derived from a plant called Ajuga turkestanica that’s taken as a dietary supplement. Brands claim it can cause steroid-like effects in regard to muscle building and fat loss without the harsh side effects of steroids.

But has turkesterone been studied in legitimate medical research, and was it shown to cause muscle growth and other benefits? Does the compound cause any side effects? Is it legal in the US? And how do real turkesterone users rate and describe its effects?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze medical studies on turkesterone to give our take on whether it’s likely to be effective or if it’s a waste of money.

We’ll document side effects of the supplement, explain its current legality and feature real, unsponsored turkesterone user reviews.

Is Turkesterone Proven to Work?

Turkesterone has been studied in clinical trials, although not as many as we would expect given how popular this supplement is.

A 2021 clinical trial found that an Ajuga turkestanica extract rich in turkesterone did not have anabolic effects on muscle in mice.

Another animal study published in the Nutrients journal found that turkesterone supplementation increased grip strength.

Turkesterone has also been studied for other health effects.

A 2012 medical review reported that turkesterone has a “pronounced hypoglycemic effect” in animal studies, suggesting that it may have favorable effects on blood sugar in individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetes.

A clinical trial published in a Russian medical journal suggested that turkesterone may have a protective effect on liver function, which is the opposite of anabolic steroids.

Overall, based on the available research, we consider turkesterone potentially effective for improving muscle mass and strength, but believe it’s far too early to say so definitively because of the lack of human trials.

We cannot identify one single trial on turkesterone for strength, body composition or hormonal changes with human participants, and the few clinical trials on its anabolic effects in animals were inconclusive.

But is turkesterone dangerous? We’ll review side effects after sharing a video with a famous neuroscientist discussing turkesterone with Joe Rogan.

Turkesterone Discussed on Joe Rogan Show

Andrew Huberman is a Stanford neuroscientist and famous researcher. He’s been featured discussing turkesterone supplementation at length on the Joe Rogan Experience:

Is Turkesterone Dangerous?

As referenced in the previous section, we cannot identify any studies on turkesterone in humans.

This means using the supplement involves significant risk in our opinion, because without extensive safety data there’s no way to ensure that turkesterone supplementation won’t be harmful to human health, as we dicussed in our Gorilla Mind reviews article on a popular supplement brand that sells turkesterone.

A medical review published in the Archives of Toxicology journal examined the safety of ecdysteroids, a class of compounds that includes turkesterone.

The researchers concluded that no toxic effects were noted after testing liver and kidney biomarkers. However, this review did not examine turkesterone specifically; just compounds that are chemically similar.

It seems illogical in our opinion to use supplements that aren’t safety tested in humans.

But how do real users rate and describe the effects of turkesterone? We’ll review in the next section.

Real, Unsponsored Turkesterone User Reviews

A fitness YouTuber and popular influencer named Jesse James West tried turkesterone for 30 days and included before and after images in a video with over 2 million views:

A YouTube creator named “joeytalks” shared his experience after supplementing with turkesterone for two months:

Is Turkesterone Legal in the US?

At the time of publishing this article, turkesterone appears to be legal for use in the US.

It is not on the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), and we cannot find any information from the FDA or DEA suggesting that this supplement is illegal.

In the US, drug ingredients are publicly-listed as illegal, but not listed as legal (presumably because there are so many legal ingredients that it would be inefficient and this is just assumed to be the standard).

As we documented in our review of the steroid Anadrol, all anabolic steroids are currently illegal in the US, but since turkesterone is not an anabolic steroid, it appears to be excluded from this policy.

Pros and Cons of Turkesterone

Here are the pros and cons of turkesterone supplementation in our opinion:

Pros:

  • May be safer than anabolic steroids
  • Doesn’t appear toxic based on early research
  • Some positive results from animal studies

Cons:

  • Doesn’t appear tested in humans at all
  • No convincing proof of efficacy
  • Unclear side effects
  • Many brands make unproven health claims about this supplement
  • Waste of money in our opinion
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Conclusion

Turkesterone is dramatically overhyped based on the lacking research on this compound.

Many brands describe this supplement as a natural steroid, and while it is a member of a class of chemical compounds commonly referred to as plant steroids, turkesterone has not been proven to have anabolic effects in humans.

We can’t identify one single clinical trial proving turkesterone to be effective for any strength, muscle or hormonal outcome in humans, and we also can’t find any relevant safety data on the compound.

Taking supplements that have not been proven safe in trials with human participants is extremely risky, and we would advise consumers to speak with their doctor about turkesterone if they’re consider its use.

Not only do we consider turkesterone to be a waste of money, we also consider it to be a potentially health risk and recommend against its use until further research emerges.

We hope that in the future more research emerges about this compound, because there is so much consumer interest surrounding it and such research would be in the interest of public health.

Turkesterone does appear to be legal in the US at the time of publishing this article.




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