Ajuga turkestanica

BotanicalBest with a meal

What is it

Ajuga turkestanica is a Central Asian plant rich in phytoecdysteroids, especially turkesterone. It is marketed in bodybuilding and athletic supplements for claims of anabolic and adaptogenic effects.

Evidence for 1 use

AI-assisted evidence assessment — talk to your doctor before relying on any single supplement.

Muscle gain / strength

Mixed Evidence

A small RCT of ecdysteroids has suggested modest effects on body composition in trained men, but evidence is preliminary and replication is needed.

How it works

Turkesterone and other ecdysteroids are insect/plant steroids that have been promoted as 'natural anabolics.' Mechanistic claims include increasing protein synthesis via estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) activation. Animal studies and a few small human pilot studies have shown modest effects on body composition or strength, but rigorous, replicated human trials are limited. Many products are also of uncertain quality with variable turkesterone content.

Dosage

Product label doses commonly suggest 200-500 mg of extract standardized to 5-10% turkesterone, providing 10-50 mg turkesterone per day.

When and how to take it

Take with food. Splitting doses through the day is common in product directions.

1 commercial form

Compare the main delivery options and what they’re best suited for.

Standardized leaf/stem extract

Common in 'natural anabolic' supplements; quality varies.

Oral bioavailability of turkesterone is debated; some products use cyclodextrin complexes to improve uptake.

Safety

Short-term use of standardized extracts in small studies has been well tolerated. Long-term safety data is limited. Quality control across products is inconsistent.

Who should be cautious

Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Use cautiously if you have hormone-sensitive conditions. Banned by some athletic organizations.

Interactions

Limited human data. Theoretical interactions with hormone-sensitive medications.

Food sources

Not a food source

Amount
N/A
%DV
—

Frequently asked questions

Does turkesterone work?⌄

Limited and preliminary evidence. Effects, if any, are likely modest and not comparable to anabolic steroids.

References

Ajuga turkestanica on Wikidata — Wikidata link

Ajuga turkestanica on NIH DSLD (US supplement label database) — NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database link

Research on Ajuga turkestanica (PubMed search) — PubMed link

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Evidence-based·How we grade evidence

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This page is educational, not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Evidence grades are AI-assisted assessments — talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement, especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, on medications, or managing a chronic condition.