Turkesterone for Women: Are There Any Differences?
Turkesterone became a social-media phenomenon in the early 2020s, promoted as a "natural anabolic" without the side effects of steroids. Women who lift are understandably asking whether it is suitable for them and whether there are risks of masculinising effects. The honest answer begins with an uncomfortable fact: there is almost no research on turkesterone in women at all.
What turkesterone is
Turkesterone belongs to the ecdysteroids, a family of steroid-like compounds that insects use to control moulting and that some plants produce, probably as a defence against insects. Turkesterone is found in Ajuga turkestanica, a plant from Central Asia.
The best-studied ecdysteroid is ecdysterone (20-hydroxyecdysone), found in spinach, quinoa and the plant Rhaponticum carthamoides. Much of what is said about turkesterone online is actually extrapolated from ecdysterone research, or from Soviet-era animal studies that are difficult to verify.
Although ecdysteroids have a steroid skeleton, they are structurally distinct from human sex hormones. Reviews by Dinan and Lafont concluded that they do not bind meaningfully to the androgen receptor in mammals, which is why they are not considered anabolic steroids in the conventional sense.
Laboratory work by Parr and colleagues suggested instead that ecdysterone may act through oestrogen receptor beta in muscle cells. This mechanism is interesting, but it remains to be confirmed in people.
What the human evidence shows
Human trials of ecdysteroids are few and have mostly involved young men. A 2006 study by Wilborn and colleagues found no effect of ecdysterone on body composition or strength in resistance-trained men. A 2019 study by Isenmann and colleagues, by contrast, reported greater gains in muscle mass and bench press performance with ecdysterone-containing supplements over ten weeks.
The Isenmann findings received considerable attention and led to ecdysterone being placed on the World Anti-Doping Agency monitoring programme. However, it was a single study of modest size and has not yet been widely replicated.
| Question | Current state of evidence |
|---|---|
| Does turkesterone build muscle in humans? | No published controlled trials of turkesterone itself |
| Does ecdysterone build muscle? | Mixed: one positive, one negative key trial in men |
| Studies in women | Essentially none |
| Long-term safety | Unknown |
The editorial team is not aware of any published, peer-reviewed randomised trial testing turkesterone specifically in humans. Marketing claims therefore rest on animal data, related compounds and anecdote.
For women, the gap is even wider. Differences in body composition, hormone profiles and receptor expression mean that results from men cannot simply be transferred.
Hormonal considerations for women
The main fear among women is virilisation: deepening of the voice, facial hair growth or clitoral enlargement, as seen with anabolic steroids. Because ecdysteroids do not appear to activate the androgen receptor, a direct androgenic effect is considered unlikely on current evidence.
That said, "unlikely" is not the same as "proven safe". If ecdysteroids act via oestrogen receptor beta, there is a theoretical possibility of effects on hormone-sensitive tissues, the menstrual cycle or interactions with hormonal contraception and hormone replacement therapy. None of this has been studied properly.
Another, more practical concern is contamination. Some products marketed as natural anabolics have been found to contain undeclared steroids or prohormones. For a woman, an adulterated product could cause the very androgenic effects she wishes to avoid.
Signs that should prompt stopping any supplement and seeing a GP include changes in the menstrual cycle, new acne, unusual hair growth, a change in voice or mood changes.
Product quality and regulatory status
Label accuracy is a major issue with ecdysteroid supplements. Analytical studies of ecdysterone products, including work by Ambrosio and colleagues, have found that many contained far less of the active compound than claimed, and some contained none at all. Similar concerns apply to turkesterone, where reliable analytical standards are less established.
In the UK, plant extracts sold as food supplements fall under food law, and ingredients not consumed significantly before 1997 may require novel food authorisation. Consumers should not assume that every turkesterone product on sale has been assessed for safety.
For competitive athletes, the situation is delicate. Ecdysterone is on WADA's monitoring programme, which means it is being watched for possible future prohibition. Rules change, and athletes should check current status with UK Anti-Doping before using any such product.
- Look for independent batch testing for banned substances.
- Be wary of products claiming "steroid-like" results or using aggressive marketing.
- Avoid proprietary blends that hide ingredient amounts.
Who should avoid it and practical advice
Given the absence of safety data, women who are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding should not use turkesterone. The same applies to adolescents.
Women with hormone-sensitive conditions, such as a history of breast or endometrial cancer, endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome, should avoid it unless a specialist advises otherwise. Those on hormonal contraception, HRT or medicines for diabetes should discuss it with their GP or pharmacist first, because animal data hint at effects on glucose metabolism.
For women whose goal is muscle and strength, the interventions with strong evidence remain progressive resistance training, adequate protein, sufficient total energy and good sleep. Creatine monohydrate is the best-studied supplement for strength and has a substantial safety record in women.
If you still choose to try turkesterone, treat it as an experiment with an unknown risk profile rather than as a proven product.
Conclusions of the editorial team
There is no specific evidence on turkesterone in women, and very little high-quality evidence for it in anyone.
Current science suggests ecdysteroids are unlikely to have direct androgenic effects, but hormonal interactions, product contamination and label inaccuracy remain real concerns.
Women seeking strength and muscle gains will find far more reliable results from training, nutrition and well-studied supplements.
For further reading, see our articles on creatine for women, on how contamination in supplements affects tested athletes, and on the science of ecdysterone.
References
- Isenmann E, Ambrosio G, Joseph JF, et al. Ecdysteroids as non-conventional anabolic agent: performance enhancement by ecdysterone supplementation in humans. Arch Toxicol. 2019;93(7):1807–1816.
- Parr MK, Zhao P, Haupt O, et al. Estrogen receptor beta is involved in skeletal muscle hypertrophy induced by the phytoecdysteroid ecdysterone. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2014;58(9):1861–1872.
- Dinan L, Lafont R. Effects and applications of arthropod steroid hormones (ecdysteroids) in mammals. J Endocrinol. 2006;191(1):1–8.
- Lafont R, Dinan L. Practical uses for ecdysteroids in mammals including humans: an update. J Insect Sci. 2003;3:7.
- Wilborn CD, Taylor LW, Campbell BI, et al. Effects of methoxyisoflavone, ecdysterone, and sulfo-polysaccharide supplementation on training adaptations in resistance-trained males. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2006;3(2):19–27.
- Ambrosio G, Wirth D, Joseph JF, et al. How reliable is dietary supplement labelling? Experiences from the analysis of ecdysterone supplements. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2020;177:112877.
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