Can only get Albuterol can any one explain the diference between it and clen. Ive read tat the only difference is the half life but at the same time ive read some post here on this board of people saying it dosent work.
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Can only get Albuterol can any one explain the diference between it and clen. Ive read tat the only difference is the half life but at the same time ive read some post here on this board of people saying it dosent work.
Hey bro, I just ordered some alb off ar-r.com, u can get clen from there too.
Here are some stuff on alb from another thread.
Albuterol/Salbutamol Profile ~ By Aboot
Drug Classification: selective beta-2 agonist/antagonist
Active Life: approximately 3-4 hours
Albuterol is a selective beta-adrenergic agonist/antagonist. It is primarily medically prescribed for the treatment of asthma, similar to other beta-adrenergic agonists that are available for the management of airway obstruction. Selective beta-2 agonists such as albuterol are the preferred method of treating asthma due to their ability to help alleviate breathing problems in users, while minimizing the cardiovascular effects that accompanies the use of the drug.
For strength athletes, bodybuilders and others who are seeking to improve performance or their physical appearance, albuterol offers numerous benefits. For the most part, it is most often considered a “fat burner” in the bodybuilding community. This is due to the ability of the drug to stimulate fat cells, increase lypolysis, decrease appetite, increase body temperature, as well as increasing basal metabolic rate, among other things (1). All of these factors, when combined with proper diet and training, would obviously help to increase the rate of fat loss in users. However the use of albuterol is not limited to simply fat loss. There is evidence that it can help to dramatically improve athletic performance as well as helping to contribute to anabolism.
It has been demonstrated in numerous studies that the use of albuterol can help to increase muscular strength in users. These are often accompanied by increases in muscle mass. Specifically, in one such study it was noted that users of albuterol showed much greater improvements in strength when compared to a control group, after both groups had previously been training for ten weeks with no significant differences in their progress. The group given albuterol also showed larger increases in lean body mass (2). The doses for these individuals began at 4 milligrams per day, given orally, and were increased and then maintained at 16 milligrams per day for the duration of the study. Similar findings were made in another study where the subjects only trained their quadriceps muscles. Again, both gains in strength and muscle size were noted in the group that was administered albuterol during their training (3).
However the performance enhancing ability of albuterol is seemingly not limited to strength training. It was shown that the times of users performing endurance exercises significantly improved with the use of albuterol (4). Interestingly these improvements were accomplished without the drug negatively impacting the VO2, respiratory exchange ratio, heart rate or plasma free fatty acid and glycerol concentration of users during the exercise conducted. Rather the plasma lactate and potassium concentrations were altered. This would all bode well for endurance athletes who are looking to improve their athletic output and not negatively impact other areas of their performance capabilities.
With these performance enhancing benefits, albuterol also offers health benefits for the user by way of positively impacting their overall cholesterol levels. It has been demonstrated that albuterol elevates high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, while also lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (5). The mechanism by which this takes place is somewhat unknown at this time with more research on the subject needing to be done to determine the exact nature of this result.
Like clenbuterol, albuterol also decreases the level of taurine, an amino acid, in users when administered (6). This would indicate that users may be well served to supplement with the taurine while using albuterol. It is believed by many that low levels of taurine can result in muscular cramping. However there is little scientific research to indicate that this is true or that supplementation is necessary to avoid this effect.
Along with the side effect of decreasing taurine levels in users, clenbuterol and albuterol also share many other of their characteristics with each other. This should be expected with two selective beta-adrenergic agonists/antagonists, but it is the differences in them that should be noted by users. For the most part, a highly significant difference between the two drugs is the half lives of each. While the half life of clenbuterol is approximately seven to nine hours, the half life of albuterol is about three to four hours. This is important for several reasons. First, by having a shorter half life the effects of albuterol will be felt for a shorter period of time. This allows users to take doses but then have them wear off when one wants to sleep, rest or simply does not want to feel the side effects of the drug. With clenbuterol, these effects, and their duration, can hinder the ability of a user to sleep comfortably or conduct their normal routine throughout the day.
This longer half life is believed by some to also contribute to the effect that clenbuterol has on the heart. In numerous animal studies it has been shown that heart damage has occurred in animals given doses of clenbuterol over extended periods of time. With albuterol, no such damage has ever been demonstrated. This may be due to the length of time that a user is exposed to the drug and therefore the likelihood that damage could occur. That theory however is simply speculation.
The difference in the half lives is also responsible for the differing levels of receptor down-regulation that is experienced with both albuterol and clenbuterol. Over time the beta-2 receptors that are targeted by both clenbuterol and albuterol are down-regulated by their exposure to the drugs and the drugs become less effective. However this down-regulation is much more significant with the use of clenbuterol then it is with albuterol. In fact, most users will not find that they have to take any steps to combat receptor down-regulation with albuterol as long as they remain within the general parameters of regular dosing and cycling of the drug. With clenbuterol however, it is likely that a user will have to administer ketoifen and/or Benadryl approximately every third week of running the compound to help and restore receptor function (7). This same protocol can be used with albuterol if a user feels that the effect of the drug has been diminished over time with its use, or else has been using a large quantity of the compound for an extended period of time. By using ketoifen or Benedryl the user is able to at least slow the desensitization of the receptor to the drugs and therefore these drugs are able to function at a much higher level for longer periods of time.
So now that it has been established that albuterol has significantly less potential damaging side effects then clenbuterol, the differences in their efficiency in terms of lypolysis and performance enhancement can be explored. Since the primary difference between the two compounds is their half lives, it is obvious that if single doses of the separate drugs were given, clenbuterol would have a much longer lasting effect on the user and the effects of the drug would be active for a longer period of time. However this benefit of clenbuterol is circumvented simply by spacing the dosages administered of albuterol to much shorter periods of time. This requires much more frequent dosing, but this inconvenience may be well worth the fact that the effects of the drug cease much more quickly once administration of it is stopped.
In terms of the performance enhancing abilities of the drugs there is little information comparing the two compounds and their effects. However one study was conducted comparing the muscle and protein anabolic effects of both clenbuterol and albuterol in rats (8). For the most part the effects of each compound were comparable in their ability to increase muscle weight and protein content in the body. Clenbuterol was slightly more efficient in producing these results, showing greater increases, but both it and albuterol showed that they were both capable of producing significant results.
Use/Dosing
When prescribed medically, albuterol is usually administered via inhalers. This method allows the drug to reach the lungs as rapidly as possible and alleviate the symptoms associated with breathing difficulty. For the purpose of performance enhancement however, oral administration is preferred. This is due to the slower release of the drug into the system of the user, as well as the larger doses needed to reap the performance enhancing effects of the compound.
It appears from the available research that when used to improve strength, athletic performance, or alter body composition, the maximum dosage administered is sixteen milligrams per day in humans. The usual protocol in the majority of the studies reviewed was to increase the dosages administered and make adjustments as dictated by the negative side effects experienced by the participants. These first doses ranged between two to four milligrams per day to begin. This would seemingly be the preferable dosage for most users to start at as well, both males and females. While little research exists about users administering dosages larger then sixteen milligrams per day, one could take more if their temperature begins to normalize. However one should remember that the effects of taking dosages above sixteen milligrams have not been investigated for the most part.
Beyond the initial caution that should be exercised, any increase in the dosage taken by a user should be determined by his or her body temperature if looking for the thermogenic effect of the drug. By monitoring his or her body temperature the user will be able to determine at what dosage the thermogenic effect begins and when it begins to dissipate, with an increase in dosage being warranted assuming of course that the side effects do not prohibit this increase. This is the most effective way to determine at what point a dosage increase is necessary to continue lipolysis.
If however a user is utilizing albuterol for its performance enhancing properties, he or she may be more apt to increase the dosage administered more rapidly then those simply looking to benefit from the thermogenic effect of the drug. This is due to the fact that several studies have indicated that with larger doses does come improved strength and athletic performance (2, 4). This should of course be tempered by the fact that with large doses comes the greater likelihood of significant negative side effects. This, along with the fact that improved performance has been observed at doses as small as two milligrams per day, should help to indicate to users that extremely large doses of albuterol are unneeded.
In terms of length of use, since albuterol down-regulates the beta-2 receptors, the compound will eventually have diminishing results over time. As discussed earlier, this down-regulation should be far slower and less severe then with clenbuterol due to the shorter half life of albuterol, among other reasons. However even without the need to take steps to “up-regulate” the beta-2 receptors, users should at the very least be able to effectively use albuterol at significant dosages for between six to ten weeks with little difficulty. This time frame can vary from user to user of course, but should be applicable to the majority of users.
Side Effects/Risks
Like all beta agonists, albuterol has major stimulant effects on users. This can lead to side effects such as an increase in blood pressure, increased heart rate an/or palpitations, insomnia, tremors, and increased sweating due to the thermogenic effects of the drug, among others (4). Of course the onset and severity of these side effects will vary from one user to another. It is recommended, as is the case with most drugs, that users begin administering relatively small doses of the compound to determine their tolerance level for it. The user then can slowly increase his or her dosages until they find one which provides them with the desired effects, while not producing side effects that the user would find intolerable.
Another aspect of albuterol use is its apparent effect of decreasing the levels of the amino acid taurine in the serum and the heart of users (6), as mentioned previously. This is a similar trait of other beta agonists. Many users will supplement with taurine to counteract this effect. It is believed that when the body is depleted of taurine, muscle cramps are more likely to occur, although there is no real scientific research that supports this assertion.
It should also be noted that there are some studies which have indicated that beta agonists, of which albuterol is one, can impair cardiovascular endurance and/or performance. However they have also been shown to help increase performance. Obviously like all situations where contradictory research exists, users will have to experiment with the drug themselves and see exactly how they react to the compound.
Heart damage, as indicated earlier, is often a worry among users because of animal studies indicating that it occurs in animals given clenbuterol. Due to the similarity of the compounds, there may be some concern among users that these negative effects that have been associated with clenbuterol use and its impact on the heart may also occur with the administration of albuterol. However there is little evidence that this is an issue. For the most part the scientific research has found no link between albuterol use and detrimental changes in the heart. This may be true for a number of reasons. First, the studies that indicated that clenbuterol caused cardiac hypertrophy and necrosis were conducted with animals. This is important because animals have a larger number of beta 2 receptors then humans.
The lack of heart damage attributable to albuterol use may also be due to the shorter half life of the drug relative to clenbuterol. This possible explanation is theoretical in nature, as no research has been conducted on the subject, but could be a contributing factor. However, the main point to be made is that there is no evidence that albuterol could be directly linked to potential heart damage in a user. For the most part, when used in a cautious manner, albuterol is a very safe drug to utilize.
References
1. Yama****a J, Onai T, York DA, Bray GA. Relationship between food intake and metabolic rate in rats treated with beta-adrenoceptor agonists. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1994 Jun;18(6):429-33
2. Caruso JF, Hamill JL, De Garmo N. Oral albuterol dosing during the latter stages of a resistance exercise program. J Strength Cond Res. 2005 Feb;19(1):102-7.
3. Caruso JF, Signorile JF, Perry AC, Leblanc B, Williams R, Clark M, Bamman MM. The effects of albuterol and isokinetic exercise on the quadriceps muscle group. 1995;27(11):1471-1476
4. van Baak MA, Mayer LH, Kempinski RE, Hartgens F. Effect of salbutamol on muscle strength and endurance performance in nonasthmatic men. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000 Jul;32(7):1300-6
5. Maki KC, Skorodin MS, Jessen JH, Laghi F. Effects of oral albuterol on serum lipids and carbohydrate metabolism in healthy men. Metabolism. 1996 Jun;45(6):712-7
6. Bastos ML, Carvalho F, Remiao F, Mendes ME, Ferreira MA, Soares ME, Timbrell JA. Changes in taurine levels in response to repeated administration of the beta 2-agonist salbutamol in lambs. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 1997 Feb;20(1):33-7.
7. Huszar E, Herjavecz I, Boszormenyi-Nagy G, Slapke J, Schreiber J, Debreczeni LA. Effects of ketotifen and clenbuterol on beta-adrenergic receptor functions of lymphocytes and on plasma TXB-2 levels of asthmatic patients. Z Erkr Atmungsorgane. 1990;175(3):141-6
8.Carter WJ, Lynch ME. Comparison of the effects of salbutamol and clenbuterol on skeletal muscle mass and carcass composition in senescent rats. Metabolism. 1994 Sep;43(9):1119-25.
ALBUTEROL
Background for the use of albuterol in treating DMD
Although gene therapeutic approaches offer the most promise for an ultimate cure for DMD, gene therapeutics are not expected to be available for several years or longer so that many patients diagnosed at the present time are not likely to benefit from gene therapy. Our goal at the DMDRC-UCLA and specifically in the clinical trial of albuterol is to identify pharmacological approaches to reduce the loss of muscle mass and strength in DMD boys, so that they may be able to take advantage of gene therapy treatments when they become available in the future. Albuterol, a beta-agonist, is a promising agent for this type of pharmacological approach. Beta-agonists are a class of drug that have been shown to improve the quality and functional properties of muscle, both in healthy and sick individuals. This drug already has FDA approval for the treatment of asthma, and could be readily available to patients if promising results ensue from this study. It is a drug with minimal side effects and is safe for a pediatric population. However, when albuterol is administered as an inhaled aerosol in the treatment of asthma, it has no effect on skeletal muscle. Albuterol effects on skeletal muscle require long-term release of the albuterol into the circulatory system, which can occur when the drug is taken as a slowly releasing tablet.
Rationale for the expected beneficial effects of albuterol administration to DMD boys
A substantial body of scientific and clinical research shows that albuterol is an effective drug for increasing muscle mass and strength. First, several animal studies have shown increases in lean muscle mass following administration of beta-agonists [1-13]. Collectively, these studies show that beta-agonist treatment of healthy animals can increase muscle protein content, muscle mass and muscle strength and that these increases can occur after only a few weeks of treatment.
Human studies have also shown increases in muscle mass following a regimen of beta-agonist treatment [14-16]. Healthy males treated with slow release albuterol for 14 days (16 mg/day) improved their quadriceps strength by 12% [14]. The increase in strength remained 7 days following treatment. In the same study, the strength of the hamstring muscles increased by 22% after 21 days of treatment. Caruso et al. [17] also documented increases in strength following 16 mg/day of albuterol treatment of healthy individuals. Unhealthy patients have been shown to experience even greater benefits from beta-agonist treatment than healthy patients. For example, orthopedic patients demonstrated a more rapid recovery following beta-agonist administration [16]. Thus, all current evidence supports the view that albuterol can be administered safely to humans to improve muscle strength and mass.
Beta-agonists improvemuscle mass and strength in mdx mice
Several investigations have provided the most compelling evidence of the efficacy of beta-agonist administration for the treatment of muscle pathology attributable to the absence of dystrophin [18-23]. Six separate investigations using the mdx mousemodel of DMD, have shown that treatment with clenbuterol (another ß agonist) increases muscle mass and strength [18-23]. In these investigations, mdx mice were treated with clenbuterol for 15 weeks [21, 22], 2 months [18], 4 months [23] or 1 year [18], and in all cases the treatment was beneficial in reducing the wasting normally associated with the disease process.
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Albuterol, like its closely related chemical cousin clenbuterol, is an asthma medication that has been adopted by athletes and bodybuilders as an ergogenic aid. Like clenbuterol, albuterol binds to the so called beta 2 adrenergic receptors found on cells throughout the body. The beta 2 receptors on fat cells activate an enzyme called hormone sensitive lipase. This breaks up stored fat into free fatty acids that are able to then leave the fat cell and serve as a fuel source in other tissues. In athletes the primary target of these fatty acids is working muscle. This is the familiar process we know as lipolysis. Albuterol, like clen, is a potent lipolytic agent. But simply freeing up fat is not enough. Unless the body can burn the extra FFA they will simply be reincorporated into fat. Albuterol has the ability to elevate a person's metabolic rate so these FFA can be utilized for fuel. Numerous animal studies have shown that clenbuterol increases both muscle size and strength; data supporting these effects in humans are sparse. Albuterol on the the other hand has been shown to significantly increase both strength and endurance in humans (1,2). As an added benfit, albuterol lowers LDL and total cholesterol, while at the same time elevating HDL, the "good cholesterol": "Significant alterations (P < or = .02) were observed in total cholesterol ([TC] -9.1% +/- 2.5%), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ([LDL-C] - 15.0% +/- 2.9%), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ([HDL-C] +10.4% +/- 3.2%) concentrations, as well as the TC/HDL-C (-17.4% +/- 2.6%) and LDL-C/HDL-C (-22.9% +/- 2.4%) ratios." (3) 4 mg of albuterol taken approximately 1 to 2 hours before a workout allows for peak plasma levels to be reached during the training session. Additionally the much shorter half life of albuterol compared to clenbuterol allows one to benefit from its ergogenic effects during a training session but not suffer the sleeplessness that many clenbuterol users experience. Moreover, the short half life leads to much less beta 2 receptor downregulation than with clenbuterol, allowing one to use the drug daily for longer periods of time. On the other hand, if one is primarily interested in fat loss rather than performance enhancement, one could take 3 or 4 multiple doses of albuterol throughout the day, always of course cutting back if clenbuterol-like side effects are felt. 1 Bottle Of CEM Laboratories Liquid USP Albuterol Sulfate is 30 ML at 4 MG/ML. (1) Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000 Jul;32(7):1300-6. Effect of salbutamol on muscle strength and endurance performance in nonasthmatic men. van Baak MA, Mayer LH, Kempinski RE, Hartgens F. (2) Aviat Space Environ Med. 2004 Jun;75(6):505-11 Albuterol helps resistance exercise attenuate unloading-induced knee extensor losses. Caruso JF, Hamill JL, Yamauchi M, Mercado DR, Cook TD, Keller CP, Montgomery AG, Elias J. (3) Metabolism. 1996 Jun;45(6):712-7 Effects of oral albuterol on serum lipids and carbohydrate metabolism in healthy men. Maki KC, Skorodin MS, Jessen JH, Laghi F.
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Albuterol is a direct-acting sympathomimetic agent with a relatively selective action on beta-2 adrenoceptors. Its main clinical use is obviously to treat asthma. Inhalers would NOT yield the potential anabolic effects that pill form would (overall systemic).
From *****--
“I thought albuterol was almost not effective at all but it seems I was wrong:
There's pretty compelling evidence that shows albuterol is just about as effective as clenbuterol at increasing anabolism, with one exception: Albuterol is effective at "clinically safe" doses (in man), and clenbuterol is not. In other words, in order to achieve an anabolic effect from clenbuterol, you need to exceed its safety limits (which is not necessarily dangerous or undesirable for us healthy bodybuilder types).
On the other hand, albuterol, at clinically safe doses, increases whole-body protein content in rats by 20% in just three weeks! So it really does increase protein synthesis.
Furthermore, there are several studies that show albuterol is effective at significantly increasing power output and muscular endurance in man. Additionally, albuterol is heart healthy, prevents muscle catabolism, and is a pretty darn good asthma medicine to boot.
By all indications, albuterol should be effective for at least three to four weeks at increasing muscle mass before you need a week off from use. And from a personal experience, this bears out as well. I've had reasonably good success with albuterol, and I suggest anyone who has access to the drug to give it a try.
I recommend 16 mg a day, taken in either two doses spaced 8-10 hours apart, or four doses spaced about four hours apart. Go on cycles of 3-4 weeks on, one week off.
Be careful about stacking other adrenergic agonists, like ephedra, with albuterol. If you can tolerate the combination, go for it, but test it out first. The half-life of albuterol is about five hours, so if the doses are too frequent, there's a cumulative effect that could get the better of you, sending your heart into an arrhythmia that rivals the tempo of a hummingbird's wings.
Just be aware that there are enormous tolerance differences between people. So start out slowly with minimal doses until you get a handle on how your body reacts to these compounds.
And regarding aspirin, bag the idea of using it for anything other than pain control. Stacking it with stimulants is out of date and actually counterproductive.”
By the way...Salmeterol is just anther type of Beta-2 agonist like Albuterol. They are both generics. Albuterol is the generic form of Proventil and Ventolin. Salemeterol is the generic form of Serevent. Clenbuterol is the generic name of Spirovent. The way generic vs trade name works.......a pharmaceutical company has a "patent" for 10 years on any med they invent. They can name it anything they want and sell it for whatever they want, but they figure out a market price or else noone will buy it. But the drug still has a generic name. This is the way they recoup their millions of dollars on research. After 10 years other drug companies copy the drug and prices come down because of competition.
__________________
A newer drug for Americans is Salbutamol. Salbutamol is chemically very similar to clenbuterol and is heavily used in the European circuit. The good news for some is that Salbutamol is readily available here in the United States. In America, Salbutamol is known as albuterol. It comes in tablet, inhaler and parenteral (injectable) forms.
Although many respectable steroid experts have pooh-poohed albuterol, in a recent head to head study (albuterol versus clenbuterol), albuterol was able to enhance muscle size regardless of age. (So did clen, but not by that much better of a margin.)
The use of steroids (in high doses) may be associated with an unfavorable risk for heart disease; the same isn’t true for our friend albuterol. In fact, one recent study demonstrated that daily ingestion of albuterol improved cardiac disease risk profile (lower cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, while raising HDLs, the good cholesterol). In this particular study a daily dose of 16 milligrams was employed (8 mg twice daily).
Some other benefits observed with albuterol are improved blood ammonia levels during exercise, enhanced leg strength (and overall strength gains when combined with weight training), and elevated resting energy expenditure. Also of interest is that albuterol has been shown to help improve aerobic (running) performance as well as anaerobic metabolism (which is used in weight training). One other "side effect" of Salbutamol/albuterol ingestion is that it can enhance thyroid hormones, especially the active thyroid hormone, T3.
Of interest to athletes who undergo drug testing is that Salbutamol/albuterol isn’t on any banned list, thus it’s considered acceptable for athletes to use (remember it’s traditionally used for treatment of asthma). The dose most commonly used (tablet/capsular form) for both athletic performance enhancement and fat loss is 16 mg per day. The dose is typically divided into 4 mg. taken four times per day. It can also be taken twice daily, often started at half dose and slowly increased as tolerated.
-From *****.
Beta agonist rage – the anabolic properties of asthma drugs
By Jerry Brainum
Clenbuterol has acquired a near-legendary status among some power athletes. This reputation is is based on the drug's alleged anabolic and fat-burning properties. Although never approved for sale in the United States, clenbuterol is available in other countries under various trade names, including Clenasma, Monores, Norvegan. Prontovent and Spirovent. The drug is sold either in tablet form or as a solution in various concentrations.
Clenbuterol is often mistakenly identified in the popular media as a "steroid". In fact, it is classified as a beta-2 agonist because of its interactions with adrenergic cell receptors, especially beta-2 adrenergic receptors. Since these receptors are involved in bronchodilatation (expansion of the bronchial air passages), the drug is prescribed to help control asthmatic symptoms.
Clenbuterol and similar beta-2 agonists, such as cimatero) and fenoterol, differ from other common beta-2 agonist drugs in that they remain active in the body longer. For example, clenbuterol has a half-life of 27 hours, taking about five days to dear from the body. In contrast the longest-acting beta-2 agonist sold in the United States, salmeterol lasts only about 12 hours.
However, most researchers believe that the longer a drug takes to clear from the body, the higher the risk of side effects. This explains why beta-2 agonists such as clenbuterol have never been approved for sale in the United States. In addition, from the standpoint of asthmatic therapy, the longer-acting beta-2 agonists show no significant therapeutic benefit over existing asthma drugs, so the profit motive for drug companies is also lacking.
CRITTERS ON CLENBUTEROL
Long-acting beta-2 agonists are attractive to athletes for the drugs' putative muscle-building and fat-burning effects. Animal research using various species (e.g., horses, sheep,chickens and cattle) demonstrates that clenbuterol acts as a "repartitioning agent" That is clenbuterol seems to increase the density of type-II muscle fibers (the type most prone to growth in humans) and concomitantly favors bodyfat losses. One study found a 20% gain in muscle coupled with a 20% loss of fat when clenbuterol was given for just eight to 14 days.
Extrapolated to humans, the doses provided in animal research far exceed what any human could safely tolerate. For instance, the average dose range of clenbuterol needed to provide an effective repartitioning response in animals was between 0.33 and two milligrams per kilogram (a kilogram equals 2.2 pounds). The suggested therapeutic dosage to treat asthmatic symptoms in humans is much less. Doses equivalent to those given to the research animals would most likely kill a human.
THE MYSTERY OF CLENBUTEROL
It's uncertain how clenbuterol and similar long-acting beta-2 agonists work to provide anabolic effects. Animals experience a rapid upgrade in muscle-protein synthesis that lasts for only about five days. After that protein synthesis induced by the drug diminishes: then comes decreased muscle-protein degradation, an anticatabolic effect.
A similar scenario occurs with anabolic steroids — an initial increase in muscle-protein synthesis, followed by an extended anticatabolic effect. Both the protein-synthesizing actions and anticatabolic effects of anabolic steroids are known, but how clenbuterol exerts similar activity (in mega-doses) isn't as clearly established.
No formal clinical studies using clenbuterol as an ergogenic agent in humans exist, probably because of the relatively gargantuan dosages needed to produce anabolic effects in test animals. From an anecdotal point of view, most athletes who've taken the drug use it more for its "thermogenic" or fat-burning properties than for its anabolic effects.
However, the beta-cell receptors that clenbuterol interacts with are exquisitely sensitive and are known to "down-regulate" or close up if exposed to concentrated doses of beta-agonist drugs. Athletes often attempt to circumvent this biological limitation by using a "two-days-on, two-days-off" dosing schedule. Even so, the drug usually stops exerting thermogenic effects in as little as two weeks.
NOW, YOU'RE MAKING ME MAD
Clenbuterol is similar in structure to epinephrine, and like epinephrine, clenbuterol can excessively stimulate the heart, resulting in a rapid heartbeat, or tachycardia. Other possible side effects include muscle tremors, heart-rhythm disturbances, headaches and muscle cramps. The latter problem is thought to occur because beta-2 agonist drugs affect potassium distribution in the body.
A few recent inquiries point to a possible behavioral side effect from using beta-2 agonist drugs. An increase in hostility and anger has been observed in men after a down-regulation of beta-adrenergic cell receptors. One study, published in Psychosomatic Medicine (59:481-87, 1997), found that men with decreased cellular adrenergic receptors also showed greater plasma catecholamine (epinephrine) and cortisol responses to anger provocation.
What's curious about this research is that a similar situation - the infamous 'roid rage is reported to occur in some anabolic-steroid abusers. What happens to an athlete taking clenbuterol and anabolic steroids concurrently is still unknown. Could the anger/rage effect be cumulative? And could the danger be compounded further, since investigations have linked increased anger to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease?
The research on clenbuterol isn't completely negative. A study published in Brain Research (717:44-54,1996) found that giving clenbuterol to rats and mice increased a protective brain substance called "nerve growth factor." This effect was especially evident in the hippocampus, a brain area vital to memory storage and intellectual functioning. If this work is reproducible in humans, it may prove that drugs such as clenbuterol might prevent certain types of degenerative brain diseases.
ARE ASTHMA INHALERS ANABOLIC?
Many athletes familiar with clenbuterol might wonder if using commonly available metered-dose asthma-drug inhalers would produce similar responses. It's not unreasonable to assume that such drugs would offer some ergogenic benefits, since they fall into the same beta-2 agonist category as clenbuterol.
The first thing to consider about asthma inhalers is their highly selective distribution. In essence, most of the drug is delivered to the lungs, with some slight spillover into the general blood circulation. Also, the dosage used in such sprays is usually in micrograms — not enough to promote any type of true ergogenic activity.
Despite these notable shortcomings, however, some investigations have confirmed an increase in power in non-asthmatics given asthma inhalers. For example, a 1988 study (Canadian Jouma; or Sports Science. 13:144-48) found that subjects showed improved prolonged exercise performance (lasting more than an hour) after inhaling a commonly available asthma spray drug called albuterol. Most other research has failed to confirm this effect, although a 1992 investigation did find increased power output with the same drug.
A recent report in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (29:1631-36.1997) looked at the effects of another asthma drug inhaler, terbutaline, on 20 elite male athletes from various sports. The drug was used during tow-temperature conditions, which often provoke exercise-induced asthma. The study, however, found no increase in exercise performance in any of the athletes who used the inhaler.
In another case, reported in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (99:443-49,1997), a newer type of commonly available asthma inhaler called salmeterol was examined for its ability to increase power output in athletes. Salmeterol is sold commercially as Serevent inhaler and differs from other asthma inhalers because of its extended activity. It binds to beta-cell receptors with an affinity 50 times greater than that of the other most popular asthma inhaler, albuterol. As a result, it lasts twice as long as albuterol (12 hours versus six) in providing increased bronchodilatation.
Any type of beta-2 agonist drug is capable of raising muscle strength by stimulating an influx of calcium into a portion of the muscle called the sarcoplasm. This in turn, leads to an increase in the binding of muscle contractile proteins (actin and myosin), resulting in more potent muscular contraction.
Actually, this process does not usually occur. Regular exercise leads to a release of catecholamines such as epinephrine, which interact with muscle beta-adrenergic receptors. This constant exposure to epinephrine leads to a down-regulation of the muscle receptors (as occurs when drugs such as clenbuterol are used). The result is lowered muscle responsiveness to beta-2 type drugs, such as various asthma inhalers.
The study on salmeterol confirmed the lack of ergogenic or power increases in athletes inhaling this drug in standard doses (two puffs or inhalations). Based on this finding and others discussed above, most asthma inhalers are deemed legal for use in international athletic competition. In contrast, similar drugs, such as clenbuterol are banned.
The main problem with asthma drugs is the same as that typically occurring with clenbuterol — cell-receptor downgrade. Some doctors fear that with continual usage, some asthma inhalers may not work at all thus endangering asthmatics who depend on them. Salmeterol, unlike albuterol, isn't for emergency use anyway; it takes 20-180 minutes to begin opening up the lungs, while albuterol works immediately.
Albuterol Sulfate
by Anthony Roberts
Author of Anabolic Steroids - The Ultimate Research Guide and Beyond Steroids; Co-Author with Christian Thibaudeau of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Body Transformation From Both Sides of the Force
Publication Date: December 4, 2006
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Discussion of pharmaceutical agents below is presented for information only. Nothing here is meant to take the place of advice from a licensed health care practitioner. Consult a physician before taking any medication.
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One of the first articles I ever wrote which was widely circulated was about Clenbuterol. I wrote it partially to clear up some misconceptions about the drug, and partially because I got tired of answering the same questions over and over. Several years later, that article has been circulated on almost every anabolic steroid discussion board on the internet, and those boards who haven’t actually reposted the article still regularly discuss one of the concepts pioneered in the article…namely the use of Benadryl with Clenbuterol.
Now, its several years later, and I’ve mostly abandoned Clen for my own personal use, and actually recommend Albuterol (Salbutamol) as a much better alternative. Albuterol is a (relatively) selective beta-2 adrenoreceptor agonist, just like Clenbuterol. Honestly, I had pretty much given up on Clen a couple of years ago because for my own personal reasons (I had experienced much better results with Ephedrine and Caffeine). Then, a couple of weeks ago, I tried my first bottle of Albuterol, mostly out of curiosity…and wow! I like it much more than Clenbuterol. I mentioned this fact to my research assistant, and she told me that a lot of figure competitors also prefer Albuterol over Clenbuterol. I had no idea about that, but based on the effects I had with Albuterol I can see why. Clen is simply too harsh on most people; they get too jittery, too shaky, and too anxious. It’s a lot to go through to burn some fat.
But in my own personal experience, Albuterol produces a much "cleaner" type of stimulant effect than Clenbuterol. I don’t know how to really describe this other than to say that the "Clen-shakes" just aren’t as bad with Albuterol…in addition, I’m able to focus better on my work when I use Albuterol, while with Clen I’m stimulated but not really focused.
But even though Albuterol produces a much cleaner stimulant-type feeling in most people, the main question is "How well does it burn fat"? As far as fat-burning stimulants go, how does it stack up to Clenbuterol? Lets face it, most people are really only concerned with the end results, right? Well, at least in me and the people I’ve worked with, Albuterol seems to produce significantly better results than Clen in terms of fat burning effects…and it produces them just a bit more quickly too. This makes sense, if you think about it. Albuterol is often thought of as a "shorter acting" version of Clen…and, to draw an analogy, when we look at the steroids which are shorter acting versions (think about comparing something like Testosterone Propionate vs./ Cypionate, or NPP vs./ Deca)- they typically produce more dramatic results a bit quicker than their long acting cousins. I’m finding the same thing to be true with Albuterol. When we take a look at a medical study examining Clenbuterol vs. a beta-2 agonist which has an even longer half life ("Salmeterol"), we see that Clen out performs it in terms of anabolic effects (1). So I think it would only be logical to assume that something that was a shorter acting beta-2 agonist than Clen would likely outperform it, right?
Let me just restate that, to make sure we’re all on the same page, ok? Clenbuterol outperforms longer acting beta-2 agonists, in terms of anabolic effects. Albuterol is a beta-2 agonist with a shorter acting effect than Clenbuterol. Therefore, it’s only logical that Albuterol is going to be more anabolic than Clen, right? Ok, let’s move on…
To understand how Albuterol works, first we need to take a look at the Beta adrenergic system. This system is comprised of something called adrenoreceptors, and the most well known (to bodybuilders anyway) of the adrenoreceptors are the beta receptors. Beta receptors are embedded in the cell's outer phospholipid membrane, and are stimulated by all the really popular stimulants…ephedrine, Clenbuterol, etc... These receptors can further be divided into three subtypes: 1, 2, & 3, (of which we are primarily concerned with type-2, because the type-3 variety seems to primarily be less relevant in humans than in other animals, and because Albuterol doesn’t stimulate the type-1 receptor). There also exists a type of receptor known as an alpha receptor, which isn’t relevant here, but warrants a brief explanation.
Alpha receptors differ from beta receptors in that they are activated at significantly lower catecholamine levels than are the beta receptors. A catecholamine is simply an organic compound that affects the sympathetic nervous system. For example, dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine are all catecholamines.
We are, as I said previously, mostly concerned with Beta-2 receptors, because those are what we see stimulated with Albuterol. It should come as no surprise to anyone who has used Clenbuterol as well as Albuterol is that when you stimulate your beta receptors, it causes something called vasodilatation (increased blood flow). Stimulation of these receptors also stimulates the break down of fatty acids into the blood stream for use as fuel, which causes a reduction in stored fat. Of course, this increased blood flow also comes with an increased heart rate.
This explains how Beta-2 adrenergic stimulation can also increase your body temperature a bit…however this isn’t something that’s too noticeable on a thermometer…most people will feel a bit hotter, and some will even break a sweat (I fall into the latter category). Beta-agonists work to do this by increasing heat production in the cell’s powerhouse, the mitochondria, which will also increase your basal metabolic rate, and decrease your appetite. Not too many people feel hungry after a whopping dose of stimulants.
There is also some evidence that Beta-Agonists are anabolic (more properly, however, this would actually be anti-catabolic). This is because Beta-agonists also act to initiate a hormonal cascade that involves the activation of a compound called cAMP (basically: cyclic-Adenosine Monophosphate). After this, cAMP activates calpistatin that is the inhibitor of calpain. Calpain works to degrade protein in skeletal muscle (among other functions). Therefore, we already saw that how stimulation of beta 2 receptors have the ability to increase energy expenditure and free up body fat to be used as fuel, and now we have some understanding of how that stimulation can also have the potential to be anti-catabolic as well .
Now that we’re all on the same page regarding the beta-adregenic system, and what sorts of effects we can expect when we stimulate it with beta-2 agonists…lets take a more specific look at Albuterol, and why I think it’s such a great compound.
When we take a look at Albuterol’s ability to burn fat, it’s clear that it has the ability to aid fat loss in both normal as well as obese men (2). That’s not very different from Clenbuterol, in any way. However, in my personal experience with it, I think that Albuterol really outperforms Clen in areas of strength gains as well as for athletic purposes….lets take a look at my claim and see how Albuterol performs in humans…
In one study, subjects were given Albuterol and performed 9 weeks of isokinetic knee extensions (there was also a group who performed the same exercise routine but were not given Albuterol). The Albuterol group, predictably, had better strength gains than the non-Albuterol group (only a therapeutic dose was given) (3). In my own experience, strength gains with Albuterol are much better and seen more quickly than I see them with Clen. In fact, while I don’t particularly experience much of a performance enhancing effect from Clen in the gym; on the other hand I see strength gains and muscular improvements within the first couple weeks of using Albuterol. Of course, this is likely a pure anabolic effect and probably not easily explained as a simple "enhanced" anti-catabolic effect, and likely can’t be explained away with the Calpain idea you read about earlier. I still think that I can take a pretty good shot at explaining why Albuterol is anabolic, though. strong body of evidence exists to suggest that Albuterol influences the release of cAMP. As you may know, cAMP also plays an important role in mediating certain catecholamines secreted by the adrenal medulla have an inhibitory effect on muscle dependent protein degradation, but in addition, norepinephrine released from adrenergic terminals may actually increase the rate of protein synthesis(not just decrease the rate of their degradation) in oxidative muscles, thereby leading to increased protein accretion (representing a true anabolic effect). That’s most likely the way that we receive part of the anabolic effect from Beta-stimulation. Another way is perhaps through the beta-adrenergic stimulated lowering of "Interleukin-6" from fat cells (long story…).
Anecdotally, Clenbuterol and ephedrine have both shown themselves capable of temporarily increasing strength, and I would bet most beta-agonists have this effect, but I don’t think has been shown as conclusively in the medical literature as it has been with Albuterol. Albuterol has been shown to increase muscle size (3-6) as well as strength and endurance (3) (*while people have anecdotally reported that Clen seems to lower their aerobic capacity. Clenbuterol has a disadvantage when compared with Albuterol in the area of strength gains, probably due to the act that it use-dependently inhibits action potential firing in skeletal muscle fibers, which is not directly caused by inherent Beta-2 stimulant activities (7) . I think that’s the best quasi-scientific explanation I Again, my own personal experience and that of my research assistant(s) would also seem to strongly support this claim…all of us have gotten leaner, bigger and stronger with the use of Albuterol, while with Clen, we got more ripped but not really stronger (and certainly not much bigger). Anecdotally, we’ve seen Clenbuterol fall a bit flat when people use it for anabolic effects, although in animals it would appear to be highly anabolic, though human studies are a bit shaky (ha!) in this area.
One of the things I really like about Albuterol is that it has the potential to actually be used on my cycle to make it safer by improving my lipid profile (cholesterol)…or during PCT to help get my cholesterol levels back in check. This is because Albuterol shows significant benefits to cholesterol as it works to lower total cholesterol, specifically LDL (the bad stuff) while at the same time elevating HDL (the good stuff).(8)
In my own particular case, cholesterol never seems to be an issue, but now that I’m working with Oasis for HRT, it’s certainly in my best interests to show up every three months with nice looking blood work.
So now is the part you’ve been waiting for (*or the part you skipped to, ignoring the rest of the article…whatever…). How much of this should you take, and how often? Well, I can tell you that I have found the best results by working my way up from 4mgs taken once a day, up to 4-8mgs taken 3x a day. I know that some people will think that 24ms a day of this stuff is going to be too much (it is, after all, a stimulant). But I can tell you that I have a pretty good tolerance for stimulants (I’ve taken up to 200mcg/day of Clenbuterol, and some other pretty hefty stimulants that I probably shouldn’t mention in polite company). Most people are going to find their sweet spot at about 4mgs of Albuterol 3x a day or so…women will probably take about half that dose, and be fine with it.
I think that Albuterol is about to become very popular, very soon…and I, for one, am looking forward to seeing less of my old Clen article around the ‘net, and more of this one.
References:
1. Anabolic effects of the beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist salmeterol are dependent on route of administration
N. G. Moore, G. G. Pegg, and M. N. Sillence
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, Sep 1994; 267: E475 - E484.
2.Schiffelers SL, Saris WH, Boomsma F, and van Baak MA. beta(1)- and beta(2)-Adrenoceptor-mediated thermogenesis and lipid utilization in obese and lean men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 86: 2191–2199, 2001
3. Effect of salbutamol on muscle strength and endurance performance in nonasthmatic men. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000 Jul;32(7):1300-6.
4. J Strength Cond Res. 2005 Feb;19(1):102-7. Oral Albuterol dosing during the latter stages of a resistance exercise program
5. The effects of Albuterol and isokinetic exercise on the quadriceps muscle group.Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1995 Nov;27(11):1471-6
6. Salbutamol, a beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist, increases skeletal muscle strength in young men.Martineau L, Horan MA, Rothwell NJ, Little RA
7. Different Ability of Clenbuterol and Salbutamol to Block Sodium Channels Predicts Their Therapeutic Use in Muscle Excitability Disorders
Jean-François Desaphy, Sabata Pierno, Annamaria De Luca, Paola Didonna, and Diana Conte Camerino
Mol. Pharmacol., Mar 2003; 63: 659
8. Metabolism. 1996 Jun;45(6):712-7 Effects of oral albuterol on serum lipids and carbohydrate metabolism in healthy men. Maki KC, Skorodin MS, Jessen JH, Laghi F
albuterol can work just as good as clen, some people prefer it. There are a few good albuterol logs, and one in the arr section now. Good luck.
People do say that clen is more effective. With that said, the sides are also supposed to be worse. Along these lines, I believe that the potential for heart problems is greater with clen than with albuterol. I have only used albuterol so I can't really compare the two, but you should dose the albuterol at least three times a day due to the short half life. It worked decently, and the sides were very mild, I only experienced mild shakes. Also, believe that you can run albuterol for a longer period than clen before it loses its effectiveness.Quote:
Originally Posted by johnfi