Turkesterone Review: Getting Bulk or Absolute Bunk?

Every year there is a new supplement promising to get you fitter and stronger in a fraction of the time. Enter the latest contender, turkesterone. Turkesterone is one of the supplements that has shot to the forefront of the fitness industry discussion for its supposed benefits as ‘nature's steroid’. Its international zenith came when it was mentioned on the Joe Rogan show in 2021, but rumours have spread about its ability to improve muscle protein synthesis for decades. In the 1980s, some athletes believed that Russian and East German Olympians were using turkesterone for improved results. But what is the truth, why does this ‘natural steroid’ seem to constantly re-enter the public sphere of discussion and is the Joe Rogan hype warranted? 

Where Does Turkesterone Come From?

Turkesterone, as its ‘natural steroid’ tag suggests, is an ecdysteroid found throughout nature. It is produced by plants, insects and animals like crabs. In plants, turkesterone is used as a natural defence against insect pests. In animals, it is used for controlling the rate of moulting and metamorphosis of arthropods (animals with exoskeletons), helping them grow. When it comes to turkesterone, you can buy this comes from the plant Ajuga Turkestanica. 

So why would something found in small animals, insects and plants help me achieve my body composition goals? Well, on a molecular level, turkesterone looks structurally similar to testosterone. Increased testosterone offers huge benefits to anyone looking for that bulk look. Testosterone is anabolic and has benefits like increased muscle mass, decreased fat and boosts in strength output. A supplement that offered a high amount of testosterone was steroids and was subsequently banned as an anti-doping measure because of this. So an ecdysteroid that offers similar benefits and isn’t a banned substance would seem to offer the perfect solution for anyone looking for a legal testosterone boost. 

Turkesterone Alleged Benefits:

According to some sources, turkesterone has a variety of benefits that make it like steroids but better. Anabolic steroids can have a variety of side effects, ranging from acne, hair loss, plateauing testosterone levels, blood pressure increases to severe psychological effects. This is because steroids react to androgen receptors. Turkesterone does not have the same effects as it does not interact with the androgen receptors but is claimed to offer the same muscle-building results as steroids. 

Turkesterone has been championed as having benefits ranging from increased energy, building strength and muscle mass, muscle growth as well as liver health, increased sleep, decreased anxiety symptoms and immune support. It is also not regulated by the World Anti-Doping Agency, so you don’t have to worry if you have to urinate in a cup regularly! Another benefit is that, unlike steroid hormones, you don’t have to cycle turkesterone regularly. 

Turkesterone Side Effects:

Turkesterone also has another alleged potential benefit, there are no reported long-term or serious side effects! Users who reviewed turkesterone only noted symptoms of nausea, upset stomach, lightheadedness and other similar digestive issues. Furthermore, these side effects are apparently mitigated if you take turkesterone with food! 

But here is the catch, this evidence is all anecdotal.

The Big Catch with Turkesterone 

When it comes to turkesterone and the study of ecdysteroids, there is a lack of research-proven results. One of the main quoted sources of turkesterone’s benefits is a website called turkesterone.com, which sells turkesterone and has a vested interest in the selling of turkesterone supplements. The truth is long-term benefits and side effects have not been outlined because turkesterone has not been tested over a prolonged period. So with this lack of human testing, it can not be outrightly stated that for performance and muscle protein synthesis, it is any better than a placebo. 

There is also a huge difference between how steroid hormones work and the supposed benefits of an ecdysteroid like turkesterone. For one, there is a lack of reported use of turkesterone being administered without exercise and there being effects on the body. This is in contrast to how steroid hormones work, where a noted difference in muscle mass occurs when not supplemented with exercise. It is also important to note that ecdysteroids are rapidly flushed from the body, whereas steroids have elements that resist premature degradation in the liver. 

The Science of Turkesterone  

So what is the scientific evidence behind turkesterone? Well, the first majorly noted experimentation with ecdysteroids comes fresh out of the iron curtain. In 1978 Russian scientists used mice to see the effect of ecdysterone. Ecdysterone was provided in vitro to the mice's liver, with positive results in protein synthesis. This is different to the synthesis of muscle cells, and while these scientists used an ecdysteroid, it was not turkesterone. Furthermore, in vitro is a different method of digestion, as an isolated system is transferred directly into the intended target system. 

Fast forward a few decades, and tests continue. In 2003, two separate studies came out. One was less noteworthy and came to the conclusion more testing was needed on ecdysteroids like turkesterone before any conclusions could be drawn. The other, “Practical uses for ecdysteroids in mammals including humans: an update”, is regularly linked to in pro-turkesterone articles. The article examines the potential uses of ecdysteroids in humans and uses data from rats who had been given the supplement. The rats were put into a forced swimming test and performed better than those who had not received the supplement, showing the potential benefits for mammals. This is where most turkesterone articles finish. However, the paper also notes a number of things. Firstly, they acknowledge that the ecdysteroid was rapidly excluded from the rat’s system and that their approach and any further approach would have, required supplementation via the in vitro method. Secondly, it is mainly focused on the benefits of animal studies rather than human studies, for which they state ecdysteroids would need more testing. A human study with turkesterone did come in 2006, but this found that there was no difference between the subjects who took turkesterone and placebo for muscle protein synthesis. 

But then came a human study in 2019 that found an effect from the use of ecdysteroid. Their results showed that people supplemented with ecdysteroids saw better muscle growth. It was seen as an example of why turkesterone could be used for better gains. However, this study has a multitude of problems. Firstly is the fact that the test group who followed a training regiment lost muscle mass according to their measurements, whilst subjects that didn't exercise and took an ecdysteroid gained mass. These potentially inaccurate results are only furthered when you learn they used bioelectrical impedance, which can provide faulty results based on factors as varied as BMI to the type of machine used. Another huge impact on the test's legitimacy is the actual supplement used. Rather than turkesterone, a branded supplement that was labelled as having ecostrydone was used. There were also tests done on this pill that found it only had 6mg of that ecostrydone, making the results and their relation to ecdysteroid use highly questionable. 

Should I Use Turkesterone?

When it comes to this article, the takeaway should be that there is very little human study scientific evidence of turkesterone and its effectiveness. Unfortunately, you can only really go off anecdotal reviews and effects. There is also the fact that a lot of the sites that boast the benefits of turkesterone usually are proprietors of turkesterone supplements. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it if you are interested. With current knowledge, the worst that could happen is an upset stomach and the benefit of a placebo effect. 

If you want a reliable supplement that will offer benefits to your workout routine, then the best thing to do is to look into products that have been tested and shown the ability to provide the results you want. You should also look at the potential supplements and diet changes you could make to build towards those dream gains. 

If you are interested in learning more about muscle growth for bodybuilding, check out our guide on supplementation for bodybuilders article here. To learn more about some of the best supplements on the market, check out our other blog posts here. 

Turkesterone FAQs:

Q: Is turkesterone legal in Australia?

A: At the time of writing, turkesterone is legal to buy within Australia. 

Q: How to cycle turkesterone?

A: There is no evidence that you need to cycle turkesterone like you would for anabolic steroids. 

Q: Will turkesterone fail a drug test?

A: Turkesterone is not a banned substance currently and would not fail a drug test. However, you should always look at the ingredients in your supplements to ensure you know what you're putting in your body. 

Q: How much turkesterone should I take per day?

A: As there has not been enough research into the usability of turkesterone for muscle gain, an exact amount for the guaranteed result has yet to be determined, 

Q: Where is the best place to buy turkesterone?

A: If you do decide to buy turkesterone, we suggest you do so from a trusted retailer. The strongest value per pill is one that says ‘Extract 10% Testosterone’. 

Q: Are you still natty if you take turkesterone?

A: As turkesterone is a natural compound derived from Ajuga Turkestanica and not a banned substance, your muscle gain will still be natural.