Leuzea safflower (also known by the names leuzea, leuzea root, maral root or in Latin Rhaponticum carthamoides) is a perennial plant that mainly grows in Altai, as well as in Western and Eastern Siberia and Central Asia.
The inhabitants of Siberia and Mongolia have long used leuzea as a natural stimulant and a remedy in folk medicine to combat fatigue, weakness, accelerate recovery after illnesses, and endure the long Siberian winter 1.
Leuzea preparations are used in medicine, cosmetology, and sports. It is used to treat kidney diseases, lung diseases, jaundice, fever, and angina.
Mainly, the roots of leuzea are used, from which extracts, decoctions, infusions, and tablets are made.
Research on the beneficial properties of leuzea has been conducted for over a century, primarily by Russian scientists.
In the 1990s, Western scientists and pharmaceutical companies began to take a keen interest in this plant 11.
The most frequently cited beneficial property of leuzea safflower is the stimulation of muscle growth in bodybuilding.
According to some data, professional athletes from Russia and Bulgaria (especially in strength sports) have long been using leuzea extract in their practice as a natural anabolic 1.
Main thoughts:
Leuzea was widely used by Soviet strength athletes in preparation for the Olympics in the 1980s
Beneficial Properties of Leuzea Safflower
The list of beneficial properties of Leuzea safflower is impressive 11. Reading it gives the impression that this is indeed the panacea (cure for all diseases) that humanity has been searching for for millennia.
Some scientists recommend Leuzea preparations for consumption by every person 4,10.
What is so special about this plant?
Adaptogenic Properties
Scientists classify Leuzea as a special group of adaptogenic plants. It contains unique substances, “hormones of adaptation,” which protect the body from harmful effects at the cellular level.
Harmful factors include both adverse environmental factors (hypothermia, overheating, air pollution, noise, humidity, changes in atmospheric pressure, exposure to ionizing radiation, poisoning, pathogenic microflora, etc.) and internal factors such as diseases, stress, metabolic disorders, etc. 24.
The intake of Leuzea preparations “puts the body into a state of nonspecific increased resistance,” which manifests as increased resistance of the body to a wide range of harmful physical, chemical, biological, and psychological influences that cause various diseases.
Anabolic Properties
Leuzea is widely used in sports and bodybuilding for gaining muscle mass. According to scientific research, it indeed positively affects protein synthesis processes in the body, including muscle synthesis, similar to anabolic steroids.
The complete list of beneficial properties of Leuzea or maral root includes the following 9,10,15,23:
- adaptogenic;
- anabolic;
- antioxidant: neutralization of free radicals and other oxidants in the body, which are factors in the development of many diseases;
- immunomodulatory: improve immunity;
- antitumor: counteract the development of cancer;
- antimicrobial and antiparasitic;
- cardioprotective: benefits for the heart;
- antidepressant;
- increased potency and stimulation of libido;
- pain-relieving;
- wound-healing;
- normalizes blood glucose levels, which can be beneficial for diabetes;
- lowers blood cholesterol levels;
- beneficial for the health of the circulatory system: enhances hematopoietic function, improves coronary blood flow (blood supply to the heart itself), restores normal pulse in critical conditions, beneficial for arrhythmia, ischemic heart disease, angina attacks, recovery after myocardial infarction, treatment of atherosclerosis 15;
- has a positive effect on liver and kidney function, which also distinguishes it from anabolic steroids, which have dysfunction of both as a side effect.
Leuzea safflower is part of a special class of adaptogenic plants that help the body resist harmful environmental influences, diseases, and stress conditions.
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Composition of Leuzea, active substances
The main active substances in Leuzea are the so-called leuzeins or ecdysteroids – these are natural hormone-like substances that are responsible for the molting process and metamorphosis (body development) in arthropods (insects, crustaceans, spiders) 23.
Ecdysteroids are found in some plants, in their leaves, roots, or seeds, and are responsible for their growth 23. Some of these plants have been known for their medicinal properties for many centuries.
In Leuzea safflower, about 10 types of such ecdysteroids have been found. They are present in all parts of the plant (root, stem, leaves), but most often, the roots are used to make preparations from Leuzea.
Ecdysteroids affect several important metabolic functions in animals: protein synthesis in the body, including muscle, fat and carbohydrate metabolism 23.
They are natural stimulators of the nervous system and have a protective effect on the body. It is these substances that are responsible for the beneficial properties of Leuzea listed above.
One of the most widely cited properties of ecdysteroids is their anabolic effect, i.e., benefits for gaining muscle mass 11,12,21. This is indirectly indicated by the root “steroid” in their name. And this is why Leuzea is so popular in sports and bodybuilding.
The results of individual scientific studies indicate that ecdysteroids are comparable in effectiveness to anabolic steroids, which are currently popular in bodybuilding for accelerating muscle mass gain, and even surpass them (see below) 17,18.
However, unlike synthetic anabolic steroids, ecdysteroids found in Leuzea do not have life-threatening side effects 11, whereas the list of such effects for the former is very extensive.
The composition of Leuzea is not limited to just ecdysteroids. It also contains 15: mono-, di-, and polysaccharides, inulin, organic acids, phytoecdysteroids, triterpene saponins, vitamins, polyacetylene compounds, rubber, phenolic acids and their derivatives, lignin, catechins, tannins, quinones, essential oil, alkaloids, coumarins, flavonoids, anthocyanins, oils, wax, lipids, as well as gum, calcium oxalate crystals, phosphoric acid salts, macro- and microelements.
There is an opinion that it is the combination of these substances in Leuzea that determines its beneficial properties, while the extract containing only ecdysteroids, used in the production of pharmaceuticals, is significantly less effective 1.
The main active substance in Leuzea safflower is ecdysteroids – natural hormone-like substances responsible for its beneficial properties, including anabolic ones, for which Leuzea is taken in sports and bodybuilding.
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The mechanism of action of Leuzea explaining its anabolic properties
According to scientific studies, the extract of Leuzea stimulates muscle mass growth by increasing the activity of polyribosomes – the elements of cells where protein synthesis directly occurs 3.
At the same time, the concentration of protein reserves in the muscles, liver, heart, and kidneys increases 21.
The mechanism of action of anabolic steroids is different: they penetrate the nucleus of the muscle cell and “tell” the DNA, the keeper of the protein synthesis mechanism, to enhance the production of RNA, which causes ribosomes to create more protein.
That is, ecdysteroids act directly on the protein synthesis mechanism, while anabolic steroids activate it indirectly 3.
The mechanism of action of Leuzea is not the same as that of anabolic steroids: the ecdysteroids in its composition directly affect the structural elements of cells responsible for protein synthesis.
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Leuzea in Sports
The history of doping in sports tells us that the active use of anabolic steroids by athletes began in the 1970s in the Soviet Union.
Among the pharmacological agents popular at that time among professional athletes was the extract from Leuzea safflower in the form of its ecdysteroids, nicknamed in the West the “Russian secret” 1,17. It was used by them in preparation for the Olympics in the 1980s.
Some time later, the USA created its own analogue – the drug mesobolin, which was distributed on the black market.
Separate studies on animals indicate that the effectiveness of Leuzea extract in sports and bodybuilding for gaining muscle mass surpasses the effect of taking anabolic steroids 1,2.
In particular, this was shown in a comparative experiment with one of the most popular anabolic steroids – Dianabol (methandrostenolone), which is used in strength sports and bodybuilding 11,13.
Leuzea was widely used by Soviet athletes in strength sports in preparation for the Olympics in the 1980s
Reviews of Scientists (Scientific Research) on the Effectiveness of Leuzea in Sports
The beneficial properties of Leuzea listed above have scientific confirmation.
Research indicates that preparations based on Leuzea extract increase physical performance and delay the onset of fatigue in endurance tests in animals 4,6.
During high physical loads in sports, the functional characteristics of blood change (coagulation and viscosity increase, antibody concentration decreases) in athletes, which reflects on the deterioration of performance and sports results.
Studies by Russian scientists have shown improvement in the functional characteristics of blood in professional athletes when taking Leuzea tincture preparations (‘Leveton’ and ‘Elton’) for 20 days 7.
Observations of professional long-distance runners in the 5 and 10 km events also show a decrease in the concentration of antibodies in their blood, which provide immune function, as a result of intense physical activity. It has been shown that the intake of Leuzea tincture (in the form of the preparations ‘Leveton’ and ‘Elton’) restores the concentration of antibodies, increasing athletes’ performance by 10-15% 8.
Scientists’ reviews on the benefits of Leuzea in sports indicate that its intake increases endurance and performance, improving the functional characteristics of the blood.
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Scientists’ reviews (scientific studies) on the effectiveness of Leuzea IN BODYBUILDING
Colin D. Wilborn and colleagues decided to test the effectiveness of several popular bodybuilding supplements designed to increase muscle strength and mass 16.
Among them is the ecdysteroid 20-hydroxyecdysone, which is the main active component of Leuzea safflower.
The experiment involved 45 young bodybuilder athletes with an average age of 20 years, weighing 68-100 kg. They were evenly divided into four groups, one of which took a placebo (“dummy”), another 200 mg of Leuzea extract in the form of ecdysteroids, and the other two groups took two other supplements.
What was tested?
Whether the body’s response to training improves, whether more favorable conditions are created for muscle mass growth or protection against breakdown (catabolism).
Result: no significant changes were observed in the improvement of the body’s adaptation to training, nor in body fat percentage, nor in strength indicators in bench press or squats, nor in testosterone levels in the blood, nor in nitrogen levels in urine (nitrogen balance – an indicator reflecting whether favorable conditions for muscle growth are created in the body), nor in creatinine levels in urine (a breakdown product of creatine).
However, the results of several other experiments on animals are more promising.
MK. Parr and colleagues tested the anabolic properties of ecdysteroids (active substances of Leuzea safflower) on laboratory rats 17. For this, they added either ecdysteroids or oral anabolic steroids in the same dose – 5 mg per kg of body weight – to their food for 21 days.
What was tested: how their consumption affects the size of muscle fibers.
Result: the anabolic properties of ecdysteroids exceeded those of two popular anabolic steroids in bodybuilding dianabol and trenbolone: the diameter of muscle fibers increased significantly more.
In another experiment also on rats, it was shown that the intake of ecdysteroids from Leuzea safflower at a dose of 0.5 mg per 100 mg of body weight for 7 days leads to an increase in body weight, as well as some internal organs: liver, heart, kidneys, and muscles 19.
In these organs, the mass fraction of protein increases. The degree of manifestation of such changes in the body is significantly more pronounced in the bodies of growing animals.
Next are the results of studies by Russian scientists on the effectiveness of the Leuzea Evalar preparation in sports 22. In addition to the Leuzea extract in the form of phytosteroids, it contains vitamin C, sugar, glucose, magnesium carbonate, and calcium stearate.
In the experiment, female athletes engaged in fitness took one Leuzea tablet twice a day during meals for about 45 days.
What was studied: the effect of the Leuzea preparation on muscle strength.
Result: it was found that the intake of Leuzea causes significant improvement in physical performance and muscle strength (by 15%); in the muscle strength test, where deadlifts were performed, a significant increase in lifted weights was noted from 93 kg to 138 kg on the 14th day. No differences were observed in grip strength measurements.
Scientists’ reviews on the benefits of Leuzea in bodybuilding indicate that its intake significantly increases muscle strength and mass, and its effect may surpass the effectiveness of anabolic steroids. However, the results of some studies indicate the complete uselessness of Leuzea extract.
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Harm and Side Effects
Leuzea is considered a safe preparation for consumption.
Clinical trials on animals (!) show that even very large doses (6-9 g per kg of body weight) of ecdysteroids from Leuzea do not cause mortality or toxic reactions in the body 11,20,23.
(Note – this refers to animals, not humans. Although the results of animal studies are generally applicable to humans, this is not always the case.)
This property of Leuzea ecdysteroids favorably distinguishes them from anabolic steroids, which have a fairly large list of negative consequences.
Leuzea also has a positive effect on liver and kidney function, while in the list of side effects of anabolic steroids – impairment of the function of both of these organs.
The active ingredient of leuzea – ecdysteroids – is a safe alternative to chemically synthesized anabolic steroids.
Animal studies confirm the absence of side effects from leuzea extract even when consumed in large doses. Leuzea ecdysteroids are considered a safe alternative to anabolic steroids.
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How to take leuzea in sports
In the diet of an average person, ecdysteroids are present in very small doses: about 1 mg per day.
According to some data, the optimal dose of leuzea ecdysteroids for gaining muscle mass in bodybuilding is 0.5 mg per kilogram of body weight 1.
At the same time, doses of up to 1000 mg/day are used in sports and bodybuilding 17.
The duration of the aftereffects after a course of ecdysteroids (7-10 days) lasts more than 2 months 15.
According to some data, a dose of ecdysteroids of 0.5 mg per kilogram of body weight is optimal in sports and bodybuilding. In reality, athletes take them in doses of up to 1000 mg per day.
Indications for use
According to the opinion of some Russian scientists, “leuzea can be recommended to the general population for maintaining overall body tone, eliminating disorders related to metabolic disturbances and menstrual cycle irregularities in women, rehabilitation in the postoperative period, and accelerating recovery after severe illness” 11.
Such statements should be approached with a certain degree of skepticism, especially considering the commercial interest of the author of this study.
The adaptogens contained in leuzea help in overcoming high intellectual and physical loads, which means that it can be beneficial for intellectual workers (programmers, scientists, students), as well as during high physical loads (military personnel, firefighters, etc.) 11.
Research confirms that the active substances in leuzea affect metabolic processes related to protein synthesis and energy expenditure at the cellular level, which delays the onset of fatigue, accelerates recovery, and improves muscle protein synthesis (see above).
Accordingly, Leuzea may be indicated in those sports that require endurance and muscle strength, as well as for muscle mass gain in bodybuilding 11,14.
Ecdysteroids improve blood circulation in blood vessels, accelerate the regeneration of skin and corneal cells, which is why Leuzea extract can even be found in the composition of cosmetic products to enhance hair growth on the head, heal wounds, ulcers, and burns, and rejuvenate the skin (combat wrinkles). That is, its intake may also be indicated for people with relevant problems.
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– Is Leuzea beneficial for men (for increasing potency and libido)?
Thanks to its positive influence on psycho-emotional state and the cardiovascular system, Leuzea is included in the composition of preparations for improving potency and enhancing libido in men 11.
Note: the benefits of Leuzea for men (potency) are explained not by an increase in testosterone levels, but by improved blood circulation 16. That is, Leuzea is NOT a testosterone booster.
Leuzea may be recommended for men to improve sexual function, as it enhances blood circulation. Testosterone levels do not increase with its intake
Pharmaceutical preparations of safflower Leuzea
Leuzea preparations are available in various forms: tablets, capsules, liquid in bottles, herbal teas, tonic drinks, creams, balms, lotions, and shampoos.
For sports, the following commercial preparations are available (101,124): ratibol, leveton, Prime 1, Prime Plus, Prime Perfect, Brekhman’s Gold, Adaptogenic Formula, Adaptogenol, Russ Olimpic, Golden Tajga Tea, Triboxin, Cytodyn ZM, FirmEase, “Elton”, “Ecton”, “Adaptone”, etc.
For improving sexual function: Prime Passion, Hercules, Mirra-Lion, Mirra-Liones, Hercules, etc.
The extract of Leuzea roots is included in some popular drinks sold in Russia: “Baikal” and “Sayans”.
