Have we discussed ecdysterone?

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New research has examined the potential of spinach extract as an enhancer of athletic performance. The active compound in spinach extract significantly improves muscle strength, leading the study authors to recommend banning the supplement in sports.

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Ecdysterone is the main compound in spinach extract. It is a phytosteroid — that is, a steroid that occurs naturally in plants and belongs to a class called phytosterols, which are "structurally similar to cholesterol."

Previous studies in mammals have shown that ecdysteroids have a wide range of beneficial effects. In the 1980s, researchers dubbed ecdysterone the "Russian secret," following suspicions that Russian Olympic athletes were using it as a performance boosting supplement.

Other studies have demonstrated that ecdysterone "increases protein synthesis in skeletal muscle." In fact, as Prof. Parr explains, previous tests in vitro and in vivo showed that ecdysterone is more potent than other steroids banned in sports, such as methandienone.

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Results revealed that the participants who took ecdysterone had "[s]ignificantly higher increases in muscle mass." In vitro experiments replicated the findings, and Prof. Parr and colleagues showed that ecdysterone interacts with the estrogen receptor beta. The tests also revealed significant "increases in one-repetition bench press performance."

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