Clenbuterol has approval for human use as an asthma drug in some countries but is banned for this use in the United States. Its side effects include anxiety, shaking, and heart dysfunction.
Clenbuterol is a chemical called a beta-2-adrenergic agonist. It has approval in the United States for use in horses with breathing difficulty.
Clenbuterol is both a decongestant and a bronchodilator. A decongestant works by narrowing and constricting blood vessels to reduce congestion. Conversely, a bronchodilator helps relax the muscles around the airway, which in turn opens it up.
In some European and Latin American countries, clenbuterol has approval for human use as an asthma drug. However, in the U.S, it is banned to use it for this purpose.
The drug is also controversial because of its use in bodybuilding and weight-loss programs.
In this article, we take a look at how clenbuterol works, its uses, and what the risks are for people who take it.
As a beta-2-adrenergic agonist, clenbuterol stimulates the heart and central nervous system, so it has the opposite effect as a beta-blocker. It has a similar stimulating effect on the body as epinephrine and amphetamines.
This stimulation leads to various effects, such as:
- rapid fat burning
- excitability
- nervousness
- increased energy
- greater determination
Clenbuterol’s initial use was as an asthma drug. However, bodybuilders, performance athletes, and those wanting to lose weight are now using it.
People can use clenbuterol as a weight loss aid because it can increase a person’s metabolism. As well as reducing body fat and weight, it also allows the user to retain both muscle mass and body strength at the same time.
Clenbuterol became known as a celebrity diet secret because of its apparent use by celebrities and famous athletes.
One study reviewed data from two regional poison centers in the U.S. It found that in
The World Anti-Doping Agency has banned the use of clenbuterol at all times, both in and outside of competition.
Athletes and bodybuilders taking clenbuterol will often work on a program cycle that includes on and off periods.
The dosage can vary depending on factors that include gender and tolerance. People can take it orally or via injection, but both methods carry risks. Injections can cause scarring or air bubbles to form in the blood, while oral tablets can affect the liver.
When people use it in Europe and Latin America to open the airways in those with asthma, the recommended dose is 0.02 to 0.04 milligrams daily.
Clenbuterol is banned in many countries and has become so controversial because it has links to many side effects.
Many of these side effects are the same as those relating to amphetamines, including:
Clenbuterol can also
Increased heart rate and dilation from using the drug can lead to cardiac hypertrophy. This condition is when the heart grows to an atypical size, which in turn can lead to a heart attack and eventually death.
Many countries have banned clenbuterol from being used in animals that humans will consume.
Clenbuterol can reduce the amount of naturally occurring potassium in the body. Consequently, those taking it as a drug will often also eat extra portions of bananas to replace the substance.
Athletes will often combine taking clenbuterol alongside a diet high in protein, moderate in carbohydrates, and low in fat.
There has been
However, due to the hidden dangers of the drug, there can be serious risks for those who take it regularly.
The Department of Emergency Medicine in Newton, MA, reported
The men were bodybuilders aged 18–22 years who had heart palpitations, nausea, vomiting, and chest pain shortly after taking clenbuterol.
The Peking Union Medical College in Beijing, China, found that low doses of clenbuterol had minimal effects when the researchers tested them on rabbits. However, medial doses significantly affected the animals’ heart rates, and higher doses even led to death.
Clenbuterol’s effects on the heart and muscles depend on how high a dose someone has been taking and for how long. The risks increase with the dose and duration.
Those taking high doses can quickly experience long-term side effects, such as a decrease in the heart’s size, weight, strength, and activity.
Clenbuterol is illegal for human consumption in the U.S. due to its hazardous health effects, and anyone buying the drug online should exercise extreme caution.
While some may take the risk because of the less harmful side effects, they should always consider clenbuterol’s potentially extreme side effects.