A few years ago Thyroid drugs were popular among bodybuilders for powerful control of the bodies metabolism. These days Clenbuterol seems to be the new and much safer alternative among hardcore bodybuilders. Clenbuterol is short for the chemical name Clenbuterol Hydrochloride (brand name Spiropent). It is a stimulant that acts in a similiar mechnaism on the receptors to the well known fat loss aid ephedrine.

Clenbuterol vs Ephedrine:

Ephedrine and Clenbuterol have similiarities in fat burning, they both work on beta-2 receptors, although they do not work in the same exact way. You may wonder why some bodybuilders then go to great lengths to pick up illegal Clenbuterol through drug sources. Clenbuterol has advantages over Ephedrine because it is a more powerful fatburner. Ephedrine last for only a few hours, whereas Clenbuterol lasts for days. One also cannot take ephedrine around the clock because even low doses can interfere with sleep. Clenbuterol doesn’t raise the heart rate to the level that ephedrine does for similiar fat loss effects. This means a person using Clenbuterol can get better fat loss effects without equivalent strain on the heart or other stimulant effects.

Unfortunately, it has a significant and quick down-regulation on the beta receptors, unlike ephedrine. As a result Cytomel would be more effective in short burst cycles and Ephedrine more as a long term supplement. Clenbuterol also has a nutrient partioning effect like ephedrine, so it should help bodybuilders maintain muscle mass during extreme calorie restriction. Animal studies show it can help gain muscle and dramatically help lose fat. The study published in Br J Nutr. 1987 May;57(3):417-28 showed a increase in nitrogen retention and 33% slowdown in breakdown
of protein, the keys to muscle gain. The study also showed a significant drop in fat loss. Another study J Anim Sci. 1988 Jan;66(1):12-20 showed that clenbuterol decreases subcutaneous fat by suppressing lipogensis (fat storage). There are countless other studies supporting Clenbuterols ability to maintain a highly anabolic and fat burning effect that could be very useful during cutting, in order to hold onto more muscle and lose even more fat. Clenbuterol would have a better nutrient partiotioning effect than ephedrine because it can be taken at a stronger dose around the clock with no side effects.