Review: Syntrax SyntraEC

Posted By elissa on May 29, 2009 | 0 comments

“SyntraEC contains 200mg per capsule of 20-Hydroxyecdysterone. 20-Hydroxyecdysterone is a non-hormonal anabolic supplement with highly potent body transforming and performance enhancing effects.*

20-Hydroxyecdysterone is believed to elicit its potent body transforming effects by increasing nitrogen retention, ultimately leading to rapid protein synthesis and muscle growth.* Research also suggests that in vertebrates the active component in SyntraEC drastically increases lean body mass and endurance, decreases adipose tissue, maintains healthy blood sugar levels that are already within the normal range and improves nearly every bodily process including liver and brain function.* Best of all it’s safe for both men and women.”

The above appears pretty self-explanatory…SyntraEC contains exactly one active ingredient: 20-hydroxyecdysterone—or 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-E), as it’s officially known. 20-E is a natural compound classified as an “ecdysteroid”. Although there are a large number of ecdysteroids, 20-E is one of the best-known and characterized.

What are ecdysteroids?

Ecdysteroids are insect moulting (ecdysis) hormones that are also found in a range of plants (phytoecdysteroids), where they serve a defensive purpose. Although they’re classified as steroids, they’re somewhat different than human steroid hormones and do not bind to our steroid hormone receptors.

Ecdysteroids are used extensively in molecular biology as part of gene switching systems. Certain ecdysteroids may also exert physiological effects in animals and humans, although considerably more research needs to be done to determine their therapeutic potential.

Ecdysteroid-containing plant extracts have been sold as bodybuilding supplements for several years, now. Their use is based on a scattershot array of animal and in-vitro studies, many of which were conducted in Eastern Europe/Russia and published in obscure journals (such as “Doklady Akademii Nauk Respubliki Uzbekistana” and “Eksperimental’naya i Klinicheskaya Farmakologiya”).

These reports are far from conclusive, as Eastern Bloc research is notoriously unreliable.

The results, however, are still intriguing. For example, Czech researchers found 20-E had growth-promoting effects in Japanese quail; another group found similar results in pigs.

“Ecdysterone” (another synonym for 20-E) also improved physical performance in experimental animals (rats?), while Leuzea carthamoides extracts (an ecdysteroid source) improved forced swimming time in mice.

For what it’s worth, some Western research also indicates phytoecdysteroids are physiologically active. In one experiment, they increased protein synthesis in-vitro, as well as improved rat grip strength.

So, there’s certainly a lot of “smoke” where ecdysteroids—including 20-E—are concerned. But does that mean there’s a “fire” behind it all? In a comprehensive review, researchers Rene Lafont and Lawrence Dinan concluded:

“Ecdysteroids are probably the most abundant steroids in nature because they are produced not only by arthropods, but also by many plant species. They seem to display a wide array of pharmacological effects on vertebrates, many of which are beneficial. However, these claims require more thorough validation and clinical testing.”

That last sentence is an understatement, since—as Lafont and Dinan acknowledge—ecdysteroids have a very short half-life in mammals, and often the reported effects—while positive—are “not spectacular”. In a later review, they go even further to state:

“Internet claims for ‘spectacular’ effects of ecdysteroids on humans and other mammals are unsubstantiated or apocryphal.”

This caution is warranted when applying ecdysteroid research (such as it is) to humans. I know of only one non-Eastern Bloc study (conducted at Baylor University) on the effects of 20-E on human muscle mass/strength, and the results were far from encouraging…

“Results of the present study contrast these reports. In this regard, ecdysterone supplementation had no significant effects on body mass, body composition, strength, or markers of anabolic and catabolic status. Since most of the previous studies reporting positive effects of ecdysterones have been reported in obscure journals with limited details available to evaluate the experimental design and quality of the research, it is difficult to compare results. Nevertheless, present findings do not support the purported ergogenic benefit of ecdysterone supplementation in resistance-trained males.”

In other words, 20-E didn’t do diddly-squat…

On the other hand, the researchers used only 100mg/day of an extract, standardized to 30mg 20-E. This is low compared to even a single serving of SyntraEC (275mg extract, standardized to provide 200mg 20-E), so the above result isn’t necessarily definitive.

As you can see , the science is pretty muddled, which makes it tough to draw any firm conclusions. The one thing that everyone agrees on, however, is that the stuff’s completely non-toxic…which means there’s no harm in giving it a try.

So I did…I picked up not one, but two bottles of SyntraEC, and took 2 caps, 3 times a day (a max dose) for a month. I was also eating a high protein diet (natch!) and working pretty hard in the gym. The results?

Nada. Mind you, nothing bad happened, but nothing noticeably good happened either, that couldn’t be explained through diet and training alone. Might as well have been taking a placebo, for all that it mattered. Thus, I’m inclined to agree with the conclusion of the Baylor study: SyntraEC is a bust, at least as far as athletic performance or mass gains are concerned.

It’s a shame, in a sense, as the research—such as it is—indicates that ecdysteroids are safe, and may have beneficial effects beyond what they’re being marketed for. For example, 20-E may ameliorate insulin resistance, prevent skin damage and reduce oxidative stress.

While the evidence is tentative, it would appear that 20-E and related ecdysteroids are potentially healthful. They are, however, unproven and overrated as anabolics, so—if increasing mass and strength are your goals—you’re probably better off investing your supplement money elsewhere.