Turkesterone Benefits, Dosage & Absorption | Does It Work?

Turkesterone is one of the most talked-about “natural anabolic” ingredients in modern bodybuilding, but it’s also one of the most polarising.

Some users report better training output and faster recovery. Others feel absolutely nothing.

In our view, that isn’t a mystery. Most turkesterone products fail for predictable reasons:

• Extract quality and standardisation varies massively between brands (so “500mg” rarely means what you think it means).

• Bioavailability is often ignored, even though it is a common limiting factor with plant actives.

• And some products flat-out don’t deliver meaningful active content at all.

In this article, we’ll break down what turkesterone is, what the research actually suggests, what real users report, and what to look for if you want a product that’s built to perform.

1. What is Turkesterone?
2. Benefits of Turkesterone
3. How Does Turkesterone Work
4. Why Most Turkesterone Supplements Disappoint
5. Methods to Increase Supplement Bioavailability
6. Cyclodextrins
7. Dosage and Usage
8. Potential Side Effects
9. Purchasing Guide
10. Conclusion
11. FAQs

 

What is Turkesterone?

Turkesterone is a type of natural compound known as an ecdysteroid, which is found in some plants and insects. Its primary source is a plant called Ajuga turkestanica, found in Central Asia, with other varieties of Ajuga and some spinach also containing it.

 

Turkesterone has gained popularity in the fitness niche because it is believed to support muscle-building pathways without acting like anabolic steroids in the traditional hormonal sense. That is where much of the interest starts: performance support, without the same trade-offs people associate with harsher approaches.

Benefits of Turkesterone

The potential benefits of turkesterone are exactly why it’s blown up in the bodybuilding world. But the smart way to look at it is this:

Turkesterone isn’t a magic drug. It’s a performance multiplier.

If your training and nutrition are on point, the upside is far more likely to show up.

That lines up perfectly with what real users say when turkesterone actually works for them: better sessions, faster recovery, more output, better-looking physique over time.

Here are the main benefits people chase, and what’s realistic.

Muscle Growth and Strength

Turkesterone is often discussed in relation to muscle protein synthesis and anabolic signalling, which are key processes for hypertrophy and strength progression. A 2024 review in Nutrients summarises proposed mechanisms and the current evidence base for ecdysterone and turkesterone [1]. Unlike anabolic steroids, which can cause significant side effects and long-term health issues, Turkesterone offers a safer alternative by not binding to androgen receptors, thus avoiding the hormonal imbalances and side effects linked with steroid use. 

The important part is not “turkesterone builds muscle while you sit on the sofa.”

It’s closer to this:

If you’re already training hard, pushing progression, eating enough, and recovering properly, turkesterone may help you get a bit more out of the same effort.

This lines up with turkesterone reviews we have seen such as:

“Noticeable strength gains”

“Lifting heavier sets”

“Bang on strength increased”

“Leaner and stronger”

“Solid improvement in muscle mass in a 6 week cycle”

“Nothing insane, but… improvements in muscle definition”

WADA Research on Ecdysterone

The World Anti-Doping Agency has taken notice of the use of ecdysterones such as turkesterone and funded their own research due to potential concerns around its usage by athletes. 

Their project observed that in their intervention study (young men + resistance training) experienced:

• Higher increases in muscle mass were observed in the groups dosed with ecdysterone supplements
• Higher increases in 1RM bench press were observed
• They also mention increased serum IGF-1 and decreased T4
• WADA conclude they recommend it be considered for the prohibited list as they considered it to be unduly performance enhancing [2,3].

 

Exercise Performance and Recovery

Turkesterone sits inside the wider ecdysteroid family, which has shown positive signals in lab work and some human research on other ecdysteroids [4,5]. In theory, that matters for training because ecdysteroids are often discussed in the context of supporting protein synthesis and training adaptation, which can show up as better session-to-session performance, improved training output, and faster recovery between hard sessions.

Body Composition - Why Results can be Inconsistent

Turkesterone isn’t just used for strength and muscle gain. Early research suggests it may also support body composition by influencing how the body handles fat storage and metabolic signalling. For example, turkesterone has been associated with reduced lipid accumulation in human adipocytes (fat cells) in laboratory research [6], which is one reason it’s often discussed in recomposition-focused stacks.

That said, real-world results can vary massively between products, largely due to extract quality, standardisation, and absorption. This is why some users report noticeable changes, while others feel absolutely nothing, despite taking “500 mg” on the label with one study by Antonio finding no difference between groups using turkesterone or a placebo [7]. The Antonio paper is useful here because it highlights a key practical limitation: even if an ecdysteroid has promising effects in vitro or in animals, it may not be effectively absorbed or utilised in humans, and the bioavailability of turkesterone is unclear.

Practically speaking, the study in question failed to control for diet or training and with both groups gaining fat and no lean mass over four weeks, you have to question the quality of their training as most users would expect to see some improvement over the course of a month with any well designed program.

 

Other Potential Benefits

Turkesterone is thought to have adaptogenic effects, which means it could help support resilience to stress, fatigue, or workload in certain contexts. Turkesterone and related ecdysteroids have also been explored for broader metabolic effects in preclinical research, including things like glucose and lipid markers [8,9,10].

 

How Does Turkesterone Work

Turkesterone is believed to enhance the process of protein synthesis, which is the body's way of building muscle tissue. Additionally, Turkesterone might activate various pathways within the body that lead to muscle growth, which is why it's caught the attention of those looking to enhance their physical fitness and muscle mass. [1,2,3]

 

Furthermore, turkesterone is thought to exhibit a regulatory effect on resource allocation within the muscle tissues. It promotes the construction of new muscle mass while simultaneously preserving existing muscle structures. This dual function is significant as it potentially allows for continuous muscle growth without the degradation of previously developed muscle tissues. Importantly, turkesterone achieves these effects without significant interference with hormonal balances, distinguishing it from other anabolic agents that can provoke undesirable endocrine disruptions.

Overall, turkesterone appears to support muscle development efficiently and safely, without inducing the adverse side effects commonly associated with synthetic supplements. Its mechanisms of action and impact on muscle anabolism highlight its utility as a natural supplement in sports and fitness regimes.

Why most Turkesterone Supplements Disappoint

The Label Problem - Why the Dose is not What you Think

Not all turkesterone supplements give you what the label implies.

Here’s the simplest example:

If the label says:

Ajuga turkestanica (10% Turkesterone) 500mg

That does not mean 500mg of turkesterone.

It means:

500mg × 10% = 50mg turkesterone

So you always need to account for extract percentage.

Example:

Ajuga turkestanica 200mg at 40%

200mg × 0.40 = 80mg turkesterone

So a “smaller looking” dose can actually be a much bigger active dose. As bad as that sounds the story gets even worse because even these numbers far overstate what your body will receive...

The Bigger Problem: Fake, Poorly Absorbed or Weak Products

A lot of turkesterone products are either:

• standardised low (10%)
• not standardised at all (so you have no idea what you’re taking)
• poorly sourced
• even if the above is on point, most brands ignore the biggest problem with turkesterone (and herbal actives in general):

 

ABSORPTION.

No matter how good the extract looks on paper, the amount your body actually absorbs can be a fraction of what’s in the capsule.

That’s why people are split into “it worked” vs “it did nothing”.

Often it’s not even the ingredient’s fault. It’s the product.

This is where the turkesterone market gets misleading, because brands focus on the easiest number to inflate - the milligrams on the label.

But what matters is the number you never see - how much actually gets into circulation and reaches the muscle.

You might be thinking the above sounds great, thank you Predator, I will use it to find the best turkesterone for myself now, hold your horses because there’s a bigger issue still.

Comparison of methods to increase supplement bioavailability

Once you understand extract % and active content, the next problem is simple:

Turkesterone is hard to absorb so how do we fix it?

This is where most brands fall apart. They sell you a number on a label, but do nothing to help your body actually use it.

When it comes to improving absorption, not every “bioavailability method” is equally relevant for plant actives like turkesterone. In the real world, only a few strategies matter.

1) Standardisation (active content)

This is step one.

If the product is:

• low standardised (10%), or
• not standardised at all,
• you don’t even know what you’re taking, which makes absorption irrelevant because the active dose might already be weak.

 

A properly built turkesterone product should use a high-strength extract (40%), so you’re getting a meaningful amount of active compound per capsule.

2) Cyclodextrins (most meaningful upgrade)

This is the biggest upgrade you can make to a turkesterone formula.

Cyclodextrins can massively improve the solubility of ecdysteroids (in some research, up to 100-fold), which increases the odds that turkesterone actually reaches circulation in meaningful amounts.

But here’s the part most brands get wrong:

A real cyclodextrin formula uses an inclusion complex, where the turkesterone is bound inside the cyclodextrin structure (essentially “carried” by it). This can improve stability, solubility, and absorption (discussed in depth in this cyclodextrin article)..

That’s not the same thing as adding cyclodextrin as a separate ingredient on the label as is seen in this product as done that way the cyclodextrin will do nothing to prevent the turkesterone from being broken down.

This is why reading supplement labels properly matters.

3) Secondary absorption enhancers (extra edge)

Once you’ve got a properly standardised extract and a delivery system, you can push absorption even further with tools like:

• Piperine
• Sodium caprate

 

They’re not “the main solution”, but they can help improve uptake and strengthen the overall effect.

So the hierarchy is simple:

High quality standardised extract → true cyclodextrin complex delivery → piperine + sodium caprate

Cyclodextrins are Needed to Enhance Turkesterone Bioavailability

At this point the problem should be obvious:

Even a properly standardised turkesterone extract can still underperform if it doesn’t make it through digestion and into circulation in meaningful amounts.

That’s why turkesterone is so divisive because while some users get stronger, fuller, and recover faster, others run a full bottle and get nothing.

Cyclodextrins matter because they address that exact issue: solubility and delivery.

Research on ecdysteroids supports this directly.

For example:

• the β-cyclodextrin complex of 20-hydroxyecdysone showed 100x higher water solubility than the uncomplexed form [11]
• HPβCD inclusion complexing has also been shown to improve solubility and produce measurable improvements in ecdysterone bioavailability [12]

 

In practical terms:

Cyclodextrins are often the difference between “strong on paper” and “actually works in the real world.”

Why Turkesterone Elite Goes Further (Not Just Cyclodextrin)

Most turkesterone products try to win with a big number on the label, but they fall apart when you look closer:

• weak extract strength
• no real delivery system
• absorption is never solved

 

Turkesterone Elite is built around what actually determines whether turkesterone works or doesn’t:

• 40% standardised Ajuga turkestanica (so the active dose is meaningful)
• true HPβCD cyclodextrin complexing (so solubility and delivery are actually addressed)
• piperine + sodium caprate (to push uptake even further once the fundamentals are nailed)

 

So instead of relying on luck, it’s engineered around the variables that decide whether turkesterone works at all:

active content→  delivery → uptake

That’s the real reason turkesterone is so hit-or-miss in the supplement world.

Most products aren’t built properly. This one is.

Dosage and Usage

Typical Dosages: You should have realised by now that there is no such thing as a typical dose due to variations between how different turkesterone supplements are created. 

Forms and Administration: Turkesterone most commonly comes in capsules and spreading out your intake across the day helps maintain potentially more consistent levels of the compound in your body. Think of it like topping up your fuel tank periodically instead of one big fill-up, potentially aiding absorption and utilization.

Cycling: There is no practical reason to cycle turkesterone. It does not work less effectively or impact your body’s natural hormones but a common approach might be 8-12 weeks on, followed by a few weeks off while you try some other natural supplement such as a testosterone booster.

Potential Side Effects

Generally Well-Tolerated

The good news is that there are no known serious side effects with turkesterone. Unlike anabolic steroids, it doesn't seem to mess with your hormonal balance in the same dramatic way. So, no need to worry about any wild mood swings or sudden hair growth where you don't want it.

Possible Mild Side Effects

However, like any supplement, it's not without potential downsides. Some folks might experience nausea, an upset stomach, or headaches, especially when starting out or with higher doses. If things get uncomfortable, it's usually a sign to scale your dose back or take a break from supplementation.

Potential Interactions

We're still learning about how turkesterone plays with other medications  or supplements.  If you're taking any prescribed medications, or have any health conditions, it's absolutely vital to check in with a medical professional before experimenting with turkesterone.

Purchasing Guide

When looking to purchase a Turkesterone supplement, it's crucial to focus on a few key criteria to ensure you're getting a high-quality product. First, check for purity and concentration. The supplement should clearly state how much Turkesterone it contains per serving and list the extract percentage. Second, look for such a supplement to contain a mechanism to enhance absorption.

 

Our Turkesterone Elite features Ajuga turkestanica extract standardized to 40% Turkesterone, combined with Hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin, piperine and socdium caprate for enhanced solubility and absorption. What sets this product apart is its innovative formulation that ensures maximum bioavailability, allowing for better uptake by the body compared to standard Turkesterone supplements. This advanced complex not only meets all the high-quality criteria, but also leverages cutting-edge science to deliver superior efficacy. Its unique composition makes it a top choice for those seeking the most effective Turkesterone supplement on the market.

Conclusion

Turkesterone has earned its reputation as one of the most talked-about “natural anabolic” supplements in bodybuilding.

But the reason it’s so polarising is simple - most products fail on the basics.

If you buy a weak extract, or a formula that ignores absorption, you can take “500mg” a day and feel nothing.

But when active content and delivery are done properly, turkesterone becomes what it’s supposed to be - a legitimate performance and physique enhancing compound.

Turkesterone FAQs

What is turkesterone used for?
Turkesterone is mainly used as a dietary supplement to facilitate muscle growth and improve overall physical performance. The interest towards this supplement stems from its purported ability to enhance protein synthesis and activate anabolic pathways within muscle cells. These actions should contribute to increased muscle mass and strength, appealing to athletes and fitness enthusiasts seeking natural supplementation options.

Does turkesterone help performance in the gym?
Some evidence suggests that turkesterone may improve gym performance by promoting muscle hypertrophy and enhancing endurance. The compound is thought to stimulate protein synthesis and support the muscular system's adaptation to physical stress, potentially leading to improved strength and stamina.

When should I take turkesterone?
Turkesterone should ideally be taken as per the guidance provided on the supplement label or under the advice of a healthcare professional. For optimal absorption and effectiveness, it is commonly recommended to consume turkesterone with meals. The timing could also be aligned with workout schedules, such as before or after exercise, to potentially maximise its muscle-building and performance-enhancing benefits.

How much turkesterone should I take per day?
The optimal dosage of turkesterone will vary based on the product you buy but to give you a sense of our own testing with Turkesterone Elite, we have found dose-dependent increases in results such that while you will get benefits from as little as two capsules daily, there will be noticeable improvements in results when you increase the dose higher. Experiment to find the dose that best suits your own body.

Is turkesterone safe?
There have been no significant reports of adverse effects in the available literature. With that being said, users should monitor for any potential side effects and consult healthcare providers as necessary.

Is turkesterone legal?
As of the time of writing this article (Updated now in Jan 2026), turkesterone is legal to purchase and use in most countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, where it is sold as a dietary supplement. It does not fall under the list of controlled substances or banned anabolic agents. However, users should verify the legal status in their specific jurisdiction and in the context of athletic competition, as regulations can vary.

Can turkesterone be stacked?
Turkesterone can be stacked with other supplements, such as protein powders, testosterone boosters, creatine, and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), to potentially enhance muscle growth and recovery. The compatibility of turkesterone with other supplements makes it a versatile addition to fitness regimens.

Does turkesterone increase testosterone?

No. Turkesterone isn’t a testosterone booster and it doesn’t work by raising testosterone levels. It’s typically used for performance and body composition support without acting through hormonal pathways.

How long does turkesterone take to work?

Some users report noticing changes within 1 to 2 weeks (usually training output or recovery first), but most meaningful changes tend to show over 4 to 8 weeks, especially when training and diet are consistent.

Is turkesterone better than ecdysterone?

They’re closely related ecdysteroids, and both are used for similar reasons. In practice, the “better” option usually comes down to the quality of the extract and absorption strategy, not the name on the label.

What’s the best turkesterone dosage for muscle gain?

There isn’t one universal number because products vary massively in standardisation and absorption. The smarter approach is focusing on real active content and using a product with proper delivery and adapting the dose as you gauge your response.

Should I take turkesterone on rest days?

Yes. Most users take it daily (training days and rest days) to keep consistency, especially if the goal is recovery support and long-term adaptation.

Can turkesterone cause side effects like hair loss or acne?

Turkesterone doesn’t appear to work like androgenic anabolic steroids, so it’s not typically associated with steroid-style side effects such as hair loss or acne. Some people may still get mild digestive discomfort, especially at higher doses.

Is turkesterone safe for women?

Turkesterone is commonly used by both men and women, and it isn’t known for androgenic effects. As always, individual response varies and anyone with medical conditions should check with a professional first.

Is turkesterone banned in sport?

Turkesterone itself isn’t universally banned across all sports, but ecdysteroids have been on WADA’s radar. If you compete in tested sport, always check the latest rules for your federation before using it.

Can I stack turkesterone with creatine?

Yes. Turkesterone and creatine are commonly stacked since they support performance through different mechanisms and don’t overlap in the same way.

What is the best form of turkesterone?

The best turkesterone products are the ones that combine:

• a high-standardised extract (e.g. 40%)
• a genuine absorption strategy (like cyclodextrin complexing)

Because without delivery, the active content often doesn’t translate into real results.

References

1) Velislava Todorova, Stanislava Ivanova, Dzhevdet Chakarov, Krasimir Kraev, Kalin Ivanov. Ecdysterone and Turkesterone—Compounds with Prominent Potential in Sport and Healthy Nutrition. Nutrients. 2024 May 2;16(9):1382.

2) M.Parr. Ecdysteroids as non-conventional anabolic agents: Pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and detection of ecdysterone. 2015. German Sport University WADA

3) M.Parr. Ecdysterone as Non-Conventional Anabolic Agent, Part 2: Urinary Excretion, Metabolism and Prevalence in Elite Athletes

4) Gorelick-Feldman J, MacLean D, Ilic N, et al. Phytoecdysteroids increase protein synthesis in skeletal muscle cells. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry. 2008;56(10):3532-3537.

5) Isenmann E, Ambrosio G, Joseph JF, et al. Ecdysteroids as non-conventional anabolic agent: performance enhancement by ecdysterone supplementation in humans. Archives of toxicology. 2019;93(7):1807-1816.

6) Todorova, V.; Savova, M.S.; Ivanova, S.; Ivanov, K.; Georgiev, M.I. Anti-Adipogenic Activity of Rhaponticum carthamoides and Its Secondary Metabolites. Nutrients 2023

7) Antonio J, Silver T, Lukowiak A, Jiannine L. A Preliminary Investigation of Turkesterone: It’s Not Deca. Research in Health and Medicine. 2024

8) Franco R.R., de Almeida Takata L., Chagas K., Justino A.B., Saraiva A.L., Goulart L.R., de Melo Rodrigues Ávila V., Otoni W.C., Espindola F.S., da Silva C.R. A 20-Hydroxyecdysone-Enriched Fraction from Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen Roots Alleviates Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in Mice.,

9) Sun Y., Zhao D.-L., Liu Z.-X., Sun X.-H., Li Y. Beneficial Effect of 20-hydroxyecdysone Exerted by Modulating Antioxidants and Inflammatory Cytokine Levels in Collagen-induced Arthritis: A Model for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Mol. Med. Rep. 2017;16:6162–6169. 

10) Kokoska L., Janovska D. Chemistry and Pharmacology of Rhaponticum carthamoides: A Review. Phytochemistry. 2009;70:842–855. 

11) Temirgaziyev BS, Kučáková K, Baizhigit YA, Jurášek M, Džubák P, Hajdúch M, Dolenský B, Drašar PB, Tuleuov BI, Adekenov SM. Bioavailability and structural study of 20-hydroxyecdysone complexes with cyclodextrins. Steroids. 2019

12) Wang L, Li S, Cai H, Liu X, Feng T, Zhao X. Preparation and characterisation of ecdysterone/hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex with enhanced oral and transdermal bioavailability. J Microencapsul. 2022