Beta-Ecdysone (20-Hydroxyecdysone) Ecdysterone Cyanotis arachnoisea Extract 
Ecdysterone A-ecdysone Beta-ecdysone

Up until recently, ecdysterone or beta-ecdysone, was neither legal nor commercially available. Recently, ecdysterone was found to occur naturally in plants (e.g., Suma and Rhaponticum). Today, ecdysterone is available to bodybuilders everywhere. Ecdysterone is an exciting discovery because it is a natural anabolic agent. In fact, steroid biochemists have classified ecdysterone as a biostimulator: a biologically-active steroidal substance which can exert anabolic actions in the body.

Just how powerful can ecdysterone be? Most of the ecdysterone studies to date have taken place in Eastern Europe and Russia. Initial reports found that ecdysterone possessed a wider spectrum of anabolic effects on skeletal muscle than the anabolic steroid Methandriol. Similarly, according to FLEX magazine, Russian studies have found that ecdysterone can produce an "anabolic effect in animals comparable to a mild anabolic/androgenic drug."

In a more recent study consisting of 78 athletes, those taking a combination of ecdysterone and protein were tested against a placebo group. At the end of 10 days, the supplement group experienced a 6-7% lean mass gain and a 9-10% reduction in body fat levels. Other studies have pointed to ecdysterone's ability to increase performance and reduce fatigue.

How do these phytoecdysones work? From anecdotal reports, 100mg of ecdysterone can dramatically increase nitrogen retention. The nitrogen-sparing effects ecdysterone can benefit the bodybuilder by increasing the amount of muscle that can be accumulated. During a state of positive nitrogen balance, protein is used towards building muscle.

In addition to its obvious application to bodybuilding, ecdysterone has another potential use. Ecdysterone, like tribulus terrestris, has the ability to increase testosterone production. By doing so, ecdysterone has the capability of improving overall sexual function. In one clinical study, ecdysterone was administered for 10 days, and after that time, sexual function was improved in the ecdysterone group.