Clenbuterol

Benjamin Clanner-Engelshofen is a freelance writer in the medical department. He studied biochemistry and pharmacy in Munich and Cambridge / Boston (USA) and noticed early on that he particularly enjoyed the interface between medicine and science. That is why he went on to study human medicine.

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The active ingredient Clenbuterol is used to treat asthma because it causes the bronchi to widen. Because of its metabolism-stimulating and performance-enhancing effect, it is also often misused as a doping agent. Here you can read everything interesting about Clenbuterol, effect, application and possible side effects.

This is how Clenbuterol works

Functionally, the nervous system can be roughly divided into two systems, the "sympathetic nervous system" and the "parasympathetic nervous system", which behave like adversaries to one another. The activated sympathetic system ensures that the body is designed for performance: the heart beats faster, the bronchi widen (so that more oxygen reaches the organs), organs that are not required temporarily stop working (such as the digestive organs), and the pupils become Further. The parasympathetic system has exactly the opposite effect - when it is active, the body is at rest: digestion and thus the replenishment of energy reserves is in full swing, the heart beats slower and the blood pressure is lower.

The sympathetic nervous system is activated by certain hormones and messenger substances known as "stress hormones", namely adrenaline and noradrenaline. They act at many docking points - also called receptors - throughout the body.

In asthma sufferers, attempts are now being made to use active ingredients such as Clenbuterol to specifically imitate the effect of these messenger substances in order to widen the bronchi. Since the receptors in the various organs differ minimally, a specific chemical change in the structure of the messenger substances can be used to activate mainly the receptors in the lungs, for example. This prevents other "sympathetic" reactions such as palpitations, sweating and indigestion from occurring when taking asthma medication. Clenbuterol therefore works primarily in the lungs and expands the bronchi there.

In obstetrics, Clenbuterol is also used as a reliable contraceptive agent. This prevents premature birth, which gives the child even more time to develop in the womb.

Clenbuterol also works to a certain extent "off-target" (i.e. away from the actual target = the lungs) on the metabolism, muscles and fat burning. Therefore it is abused as a doping agent in sport.

Uptake, breakdown and excretion of Clenbuterol

Once ingested, Clenbuterol is quickly and completely absorbed into the blood. The highest blood levels are reached after two to three hours. The active ingredient leaves the body unchanged and half of it is excreted in the urine after 34 hours (half-life).

When is Clenbuterol used?

The active ingredient Clenbuterol is used for the symptomatic treatment of asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Since it does not work against the cause of the disease, it must be taken long-term to expand the bronchi. In addition, the concentration in the blood increases steadily over the first four days of taking Clenbuterol and then levels off (so-called "steady-state" state). Therefore, the full effect can only be expected from the fourth day.

This is how Clenbuterol is used

Most often, Clenbuterol is prescribed in the form of tablets that are taken twice a day. At the beginning of treatment until symptoms improve, a higher dose of Clenbuterol is often prescribed - a maximum of one milligram of Clenbuterol per day. In the further course of therapy, 0.2 to 0.4 milligrams per day (divided into two doses) are usually prescribed.

In patients who have problems swallowing tablets (for example, the elderly), Clenbuterol can also be given in the form of drops to be swallowed or through an inhaler.

Depending on the severity of the respiratory disease, it may also be necessary to use other active ingredients (such as cortisone).

It should be noted that Clenbuterol does not work in time for acute attacks. An emergency spray with a fast-acting agent is necessary here.

What side effects does Clenbuterol have?

One in ten to one hundred people treated experience side effects such as tremors, headaches, feeling restless, nausea and palpitations.

Occasionally (i.e. in one in a hundred to a thousand patients) clenbuterol side effects such as dizziness, muscle pain and cramps, nervousness, allergic reactions with itching and rash (inform doctor!), Heartburn, palpitations, irregular heartbeat, too high or too low Blood pressure and urination problems.

Most side effects occur especially at the beginning of therapy and disappear as treatment progresses.

What should be considered when taking Clenbuterol?

The effect of Clenbuterol can be increased with the additional intake of other active ingredients that have a stimulating effect on the sympathetic system. However, it can also lead to increased side effects such as palpitations and cardiac arrhythmias. Examples of such active ingredients are those that are also used for respiratory diseases such as Astham and COPD, namely theophylline, ipratropium (bromide), salmeterol, formoterol and cortisone derivatives such as budesonide and ciclesonide.

Simultaneous use of beta blockers such as metoprolol, bisoprolol and propranolol should be avoided as these suppress the anti-asthmatic effect of clenbuterol.

Clenbuterol can raise blood sugar levels. In diabetics it may therefore be necessary to increase the dosage of oral blood sugar lowering drugs.

As a precaution, asthma therapy with Clenbuterol is not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women. However, the active ingredient can be used to inhibit labor in the days before birth, provided the therapy is supervised by a doctor.

There is no experience with the therapy of children under the age of twelve, which is why it should not be taken as a precaution.

How To Get Medication With Clenbuterol

The active ingredient is only available on a prescription in any dosage and can only be obtained from a pharmacy with a prescription.

Since when has Clenbuterol been known?

At first, Clenbuterol was only used as a veterinary drug to treat asthma and to increase muscle mass (in fattening animals). The active ingredient is also used in bodybuilding to build muscle. However, it was put on the list of prohibited doping substances by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1972. Clenbuterol was first approved as a medicinal product for human use in Germany in 1983.

Tags:  prevention hospital organ systems