Performance & Grey-Market Pharma
Ecdysterone (20-Hydroxyecdysone)
Street names: ecdysterone, 20-hydroxyecdysone, beta-ecdysterone, ecdysteron, suma root
Overdose? Act now. Call emergency services — say "unresponsive, not breathing". Give naloxone for opioid-like signs. Hotlines
⚡What it does
- One small human study suggested muscle gains
- Marketed as 'natural anabolic'
- Non-hormonal in the human endocrine sense
⚠Key risks
- Most products tested contain far less than labelled — or none
- Human evidence remains thin (one notable small trial)
- WADA monitors it and researchers have proposed adding it to the prohibited list
- Quality control in the category is poor
✚Overdose signs
- Not acutely toxic; high doses cause digestive upset
Category comparison — Performance & Grey-Market Pharma
| Substance | Class | Top risks | Street price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecdysterone (20-Hydroxyecdysone) | Unregulated | Most products tested contain far less than labelled — or none; Human evidence remains thin (one notable small trial) | €25-50 per month. |
| AICAR (Acadesine) | Unscheduled | No human safety data — cancer-risk flags in cell studies; Sold as research chemical, zero quality control | ~$50–$150 per gram |
| Clenbuterol HCl | Not approved for human use | Racing heart, arrhythmia, tremors; Overdose: dangerous potassium shifts, cardiac events | ~$0.50–$2 per 40 mcg tablet |
| Anastrozole (Arimidex) | Rx-only | Bone density loss, joint pain with long-term use; Crash estrogen too low → depression, libido loss | ~$2–$8 per 1 mg tablet |
| Liraglutide (Saxenda) | Rx-only — not a controlled drug | Sold grey-market at huge markups with counterfeit/refilled pens; Nausea, pancreatitis risk | ~$200–$500 per pen grey-market |
| Naltrexone–Bupropion (Contrave) | Rx-only — not controlled | Bupropion lowers seizure threshold; Misuse for stimulant-like effect is possible but weak | ~$1–$4 per tablet grey-market |
Street prices are regional estimates. Potency and cuts vary constantly.
?Frequently asked questions
What does Ecdysterone (20-Hydroxyecdysone) look like?
Capsules or powder from plant sources (spinach, quinoa, Cyanotis); a plant/insect steroid hormone marketed as a natural muscle builder.
What are the signs of a Ecdysterone (20-Hydroxyecdysone) overdose?
Not acutely toxic; high doses cause digestive upset Call emergency services immediately.
How addictive is it?
Most products tested contain far less than labelled — or none Dependence can develop with regular use.