Need a safe muscle growth stimulant, or are you struggling to cope with stress and recover after a workout? If so, you may be interested to learn what maral root is and how it can help you at the gym.
In recent years, maral root has become very popular. This herb’s roots have proven stimulating and tonic effects, which is why it is one of the most commonly used dietary supplements in fitness. The roots contain a number of compounds thought to benefit health, including antioxidants and ecdysteroids. According to a study conducted in Russia, taking maral root alongside regular workouts can significantly increase muscle mass and reduce body fat in people who exercise. It also boosts endurance and reduces physical and mental fatigue.
Maral root – what is it?
Maral root is a perennial herb. It grows in the high-altitude regions of Siberia and reaches a height of 80 to 150 cm. Since the herb’s natural habitats are limited, many herbalists are trying to cultivate it and introduce it to other parts of the world. In Bulgaria, maral root can be found as a cultivated plant, but it is often confused with another plant—the milk thistle—because they look very similar.
The history of maral root as a medicinal plant goes back centuries, to when local hunters in Altai (Siberia) noticed that during the mating season, male maral deer dug up and ate the plant’s roots. Legends even say that this enabled the deer to mate up to a hundred times a day. Local healers then discovered that eating dried maral root also had a positive effect on people—it helped them recover from fatigue faster and boosted potency. This is how the plant got its name, maral root, and it is still known by that name today.
Maral root’s nutritional content and fitness benefits
Scientific research into the effects of maral root on the body began in Russia as early as 1940, during World War II, when the country needed medicines to help soldiers regain their strength. Researchers discovered that the plant’s dried root contains tannins, phytoecdysones, flavonoids, glycosides, lignans, alkaloids, vitamins, organic acids and other ingredients that have yet to be identified. These are biochemical substances involved in metabolism and the process of releasing intracellular energy.
Thanks to its many valuable properties, maral root is now widely used in sports and fitness. It is especially popular in bodybuilding for its ability to quickly stimulate muscle growth. Maral root supplements have been shown to support muscle synthesis, improving fitness levels, endurance and workout quality.
During intense physical activity, Leuzea extract regulates energy metabolism, maintains stable glycogen levels in skeletal muscles, increases blood flow to the muscles and brain, and significantly reduces recovery time after prolonged exertion. In addition, taking dietary supplements made from Leuzea increases red blood cells and leukocytes in the blood, improving and strengthening athletes’ immunity.
Leuzea is a natural anabolic agent, completely legal to use, and does not harm the body like its synthetic counterparts. The plant’s main constituents are ecdysterones—flavonoids with antioxidant properties and natural sterols. They are also known as beta-ecdysterones and are responsible for Leuzea’s anabolic effect. This effect is expressed as increased body weight through an improved lean muscle-to-fat ratio, increased hemoglobin and erythrocyte levels, a higher total protein content, and lower uric acid levels in the blood.
The main difference between synthetic steroids and ecdysterones lies in how they work. The former enter the cell nucleus, attach to a specific section of DNA, trigger the synthesis of RNA (ribonucleic acid), which stimulates the ribosome to produce more protein. Ecdysterone, on the other hand, goes directly to the ribosome and increases what is known as translation (the process of protein synthesis). It does not affect the information sent by DNA, known as transcription, but directly accelerates protein synthesis.
A 1988 study compared the anabolic activity of the anabolic steroid Methandrostenolone (one of the most widely used anabolic steroids) with the effects of ecdysterone. It found that ecdysterone has a greater effect on protein synthesis than Methandrostenolone. It is thought that taking ecdysterone increases the concentration of calcium and potassium ions in muscle cells, which in turn increases protein synthesis.
Leuzea: How to Take It and Are There Any Side Effects?
Leuzea can be taken as tablets, drops (tincture), tea, or used externally (essential oil). Tablets are most commonly used to improve fitness results. The recommended daily dose is 40 mg/day of pure (95–100%) ecdysterone extract. It is best taken with a protein shake after a workout; on rest days, take it before or with a meal rich in protein.
Leuzea is considered a harmless dietary supplement, and no side effects have been observed when taken at the recommended doses. Stomach problems may occur if you take more than 800 mg per day. However, due to its anabolic effect, it is not recommended for athletes on a steroid cycle or taking other hormone-like substances, or for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
What Are the Main Benefits of Taking Leuzea?
Leuzea can be taken by both men and women. Its use offers a range of benefits for both workout performance and overall health.
The main benefits are:
- Has antioxidant properties
- Reduces symptoms of stress
- Improves concentration
- Increases strength and endurance
- Sharpens reflexes
- Has antibacterial and antifungal properties
- Reduces fatigue
- Improves mood and relieves irritability
- Supports cardiovascular health
- Improves brain health
- Strengthens the immune system
- Restores hormonal balance
- Normalizes blood sugar levels
- Increases libido and potency
Combining Leuzea with Other Foods?
Athletes are advised to take the dietary supplement before or with a protein-rich meal. This helps shape muscles naturally and promotes faster recovery after strenuous workouts.
Protein plays a very important role in the diets of fitness enthusiasts. However, how effectively it is consumed depends on several factors. First, whether it is fully absorbed, how much of it is broken down into amino acids, and how many of them enter the bloodstream. Second, how effectively these proteins, broken down into amino acids, are used by the muscles to build skeletal muscle—that is, to grow muscles.
Studies have shown that taking Leuzea can significantly enhance the effects of dietary protein. Its main constituent, ecdysterone, increases nitrogen retention (the amount amino acids, which is used to synthesize new proteins in the body) and thereby helps build muscle tissue from the protein consumed.