NOTE: Important information: Currently there are many counterfeit turkesterone on the market. The rush for the raw material is enormous and some manufacturers resort to counterfeits that are underdosed or do not even contain the active ingredient. We at Gigas Nutrition assure you, the customer, that GN Turkesterone is 100% what it says on the label.
Turkesterone is extracted from the plant Ajuga Turkestanica, among others (Guibot et al., 2015). This thistle-like plant is native to Central Asia. However, it is also common in the Eurasian region. In particular, it is found in southern Siberia, Bulgaria, and Kazakhstan.
The active ingredient turkesterone, which belongs to the ecdysteroid family, is used in the plant for protection against predatory insects. Such ecdysteroids are found in only six percent of all plants. In insects, on the other hand, they occur much more frequently: Here, natural steroids are used to promote molting or shedding of shells for further growth.
Currently, only one study by the Free University of Berlin suggests that ecdysteroids could trigger an anabolic effect in the human body (Isenmann et al., 2019, pp. 4 - 7).
However, this study, commissioned by WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency), did not examine turkesterone in particular, but the related phytoecysteroid ecdysterone. Those study participants who consumed significant amounts of ecdysterone over a ten-week period demonstrated significant increases in strength compared to a comparison group (placebo).
Based on the observed anabolic effect, the authors of the study recommended that ecdysterone be added to the list of prohibited substances and methods in sports. In this context, they classified ecdysterone as "other anabolic steroids" (Isenmann et al., 2019, p. 9).
Note: Sensitive people should take turkesterone with a meal to prevent possible digestive problems after taking it.
Sources:
\1. Guibout, L., Mamadalieva, N., Balducci, C., Girault, J. P., & Lafont, R. (2015). The minor ecdysteroids from Ajuga turkestanica. Phytochemical Analysis, 26*(5), 293-300.
\2. Isenmann, E., Ambrosio, G., Joseph, J. F., Mazzarino, M., de la Torre, X., Zimmer, P., ... & Parr, M. K. (2019). Ecdysteroids as non-conventional anabolic agent: performance enhancement by ecdysterone supplementation in humans. Archives of toxicology, 93*(7), 1807-1816.