First things first, Clenbuterol is NOT a steroid. Nope. Not at all.
In fact, Clen was first created in the 1970s to act as a bronchodilator to treat respiratory disorders in horses and other animals. Not long after, it was marketed as a nasal decongestant and asthma medication (for people) as it can relax the muscles surrounding your airways and help you to breathe easier.
This didn’t last long though – probably because it isn’t approved by the FDA – so in most countries it is banned and no longer used to treat asthma. Yet, it hasn’t disappeared from the market.
In fact, you could say that its role has evolved, as these days this powerful stimulant is harnessed by bodybuilders – either as a drinkable liquid, injection or pill – to help increase their metabolic rate, fat burn and lean muscle tissue retention.
The Science
Clenbuterol pills work by binding to the same receptors in your body that respond to epinephrine and amphetamines, before producing better results e.g. increased fat burn. Clen also binds to your muscle cells and stimulates protein synthesis. In doing so, it can protect your muscles during the cutting phase, and ensure that your lean muscle tissue definition remains safe.
Clen is also a beta-2 agonist (the opposite of a beta-blocker) which can increase adrenaline production e.g. epinephrine and noradrenaline. When this happens, your body temperature begins to rise triggering thermogenesis (sweating).
And this is a good thing. Sure, sweating is pretty unattractive. But thermogenesis can boost your basal metabolic rate by up to 10% and will help you to burn calories faster. At the same time, you will benefit from rapid fat loss; more energy; improved stamina and endurance; a reduced appetite, and better yet – preserved muscle.
That’s right! You will be able to retain all of the muscle mass you gained during your bulking cycle PLUS you’ll be able to increase the amount of lean muscle tissue you’ve got.
But what about its decongestant and bronchodilator capabilities? Well, in theory these can help your workouts too. As a decongestant it can help to thin blood and reduce your blood pressure. Whilst as a bronchodilator, it can widen your blood vessels and increase the volume of blood transported around your body – and the more oxygen that goes to your muscles, the better your endurance, recovery and growth will be! Perfect!