What is Clenbuterol?
Clenbuterol (Clenbuterol, “clone”) is a medication used to treat asthma. In recent years, Clenbuterol has been widely used in bodybuilding and fitness because of its ability to burn fat, which is why it is often used by athletes for weight loss and weight reduction.
Clenbuterol courses usually include thyroxine and ketotifen to speed up the weight loss process. Clenbuterol does not bind to anabolic steroids and belongs to the group of adrenergic agonists that exert their physiological effects by stimulating beta-2-adrenergic receptors, which results in activation of the sympathetic nervous system and activation of lipolysis.
Clenbuterol is a powerful stimulant that increases the rate of metabolism and fat burning. It is sold under various names such as Dilaterol, Spiropen and Ventipulmin, but most people simply refer to it as a “Clen”.
Clenbuterol was developed in the 1970s as a veterinary drug to treat respiratory problems in horses and other animals. It has a bronchodilator effect, that is, it relaxes the muscular wall of the bronchi, which makes breathing easier.
Clenbuterol was also soon introduced to the market as a nasal decongestant and asthma medication. It is still used as an asthma medication in some countries, but most have switched to safer and more effective alternatives.
How was a drug to increase horse performance in weight loss bodybuilding developed? In this way, Clenbuterol binds to adrenaline-responsive receptors in the body (activates fat burning), but its effects are not limited to that.
The drug also binds to muscle cells and stimulates muscle protein synthesis, thus helping to keep the muscles ‘dry’.
Like steroids, Clenbuterol is extremely popular in the bodybuilding world. Used by bodybuilders in the final “drying” phase before the race. It is not for nothing that this drug is also known among amateur athletes.
It is available in the form of syrup and tablets. However, sports nutrition manufacturers cannot include it in their products. Also, Clenbuterol is banned in almost all sports as it can improve athletic performance and is considered doping.
Most developed countries have also banned the use of “clone” in animal feed because it can get into meat. A few years ago, at the World Cup in Mexico, young soccer players were found to have Clenbuterol in their urine, even though they were not taking drugs.
Why people take Сlenbuterol?
Most people take Clenbuterol for the following reasons:
- To improve sports performance.
- To lose fat faster while maintaining muscle.
There is an ongoing debate as to whether this fat burner improves exercise performance, but currently most studies do not show this effect.
However, there is no doubt that Clen accelerates your fat loss.
Scientists have confirmed that Clenbuterol increases metabolism and stimulates fat burning, and while it is not a steroid, studies show that it activates muscle protein synthesis. Therefore, using the drug will help maintain lean muscle mass during a low-calorie diet.
That’s why Clenbuterol is so popular among bodybuilders. Some even argue that its anabolic effects are so strong that the drug increases muscle growth, but this has not been scientifically confirmed. How powerful is its effect as a fat burner? This issue is still controversial.
Many bodybuilders claim that Clenbuterol increases basal metabolic rate (BMR) by about 10%. This number has not been refuted or confirmed by research. But, as experience shows, this probably corresponds to reality.
Suppose you are a muscular man and your BMR is quite high, for example 2,200 kcal per day. Consumption of Clenbuterol will increase your BMR by approximately 220 kcal, leading to an additional loss of no more than 0.25 kg of fat per week. In addition, the drug regimen is such that it is not necessary to use more than 4-6 weeks in a row, as the body gets used to the Clenbuterol, which reduces its effectiveness.
Drug research on humans
The 2015 study by Lee P. is the first reliable evidence of the effectiveness of beta-agonists in humans. By analogy with the mechanism of action, formoterol (selective β2 agonist) at a dose of 160 mcg/day stimulates anabolism, increases protein synthesis without causing cardiovascular side effects, these effects being more pronounced in girls.
Furthermore, Morten Hostrup (2015) found that the beta-2 agonist terbutaline (10-15 mg/day) causes a statistically significant increase in muscle mass, strength and endurance at the maximum load of an exercise ergometer/
Features of Clenbuterol
As a beta-2 agonist, Clenbuterol acts as a fat burner by binding to type 2 beta receptors in the fat and muscle tissues of the human body. When Clenbuterol binds to the receptor, a cascade of biochemical reactions begins leading to increased synthesis of cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate). cAMP, in turn, activates enzymes that mobilize fatty acids from adipocytes (adipose tissue cells).
The action of clenbuterol on beta-2-adrenergic receptors on the presynaptic membrane increases the release of norepinephrine and adrenaline, both of which have a strong fat-burning effect. Clenbuterol increases basal metabolic rate by 20-30% of baseline.
Clenbuterol inhibits lipoprotein lipase activity, which makes it impossible for fat to accumulate in adipose tissue. By acting on beta-2-adrenergic receptors in the central nervous system, this drug increases the secretion of thyroid hormones – the body’s natural fat that burns.
A unique feature of Clenbuterol is that not only is it a powerful fat burner, but it also has a pronounced anti-catabolic effect that protects your muscles from damage, which is very important when slimming and drying out for bodybuilding. Studies have shown that the anti-catabolic effect of the drug is due to the blocking of Ca2+ and ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent proteolysis.
A 2012 study (Francesca Wannenes, Loretta Magni) confirmed Clenbuterol’s ability to block muscle atrophy mechanisms. A new 2014 study showed that β-agonists (catecholamines) released during vigorous exercise induce CREB-mediated transcription by activating the obligate coactivators CRTC2 and CRTC3.
Due to the above mechanisms, the drug has a moderate anabolic effect, proven in human experiments and practical application in bodybuilding.
Due to little or no interaction with beta-1 adrenergic receptors, the drug is bronchodilated and facilitates breathing, and has a much lower incidence of cardiovascular side effects compared to non-selective agonists such as ephedrine.
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