Dr. Mike Jansen
Dr. Mike JansenCurious about where to buy ecdysterone in the UK?
Do you wonder if ecdysteorne is legal in the UK, or a banned substance?
Then you’ve come to the right place. In this comprehensive guide, we cover everything you need to know about purchasing ecdysterone in the UK.
We also answer your most important questions, including:
- What is ecdysterone?
- What are the benefits of ecdysterone?
- Where can I buy ecdysterone in Canada?
- What are the best ecdysterone vendors in Canada?
…And much more!
In this guide we detail exactly what this over-the-counter supplement is and what you need to know about buying it in the UK – while also detailing side effects and any safety concerns.
We know which online supplement vendors ship legit ecdysterone to the UK, as well as which ones are not particularly reputable.
You’ll find that buying ecdysterone in the UK is usually a smooth and convenient process. It’s like Jay Cutler doing a warmup set!
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What is Ecdysterone?
Sports supplements often come under a lot of scrutiny from both the fitness community, and the public at large – especially when it’s been shown to work extremely well.
As such, it becomes necessary to take a critical look at all the scientific literature, data, and anecdotal evidence regarding it, in order to make sure it’s both safe and legal.
This is especially true in the case of ecdysterone.
Referred to also as beta-ecdysterone, 20-beta-hydroxyecdysterone, and beta-ecdysone, ecdysterone is a naturally occurring hormone in plants, fungi, and arthropod insects belonging to a larger class of substances called ecdysteroids.
In fact, over 200 different types of ecdysteroids have been isolated, with ecdysterone being one of the most studied, especially on humans.
It’s available as an over-the-counter supplement in most countries, and is usually sold by online sports supplement vendors [1, 2].
Just like humans produce the testosterone hormone, arthropods and several plants also produce ecdysterone. For arthropods, such as scorpions, the hormone helps in their molting and reproduction process.
In plants, most commonly spinach and quinoa, the hormone serves to deter invertebrate predators.
Studies on ecdysterone first began back in the 1960s in Russia, with the first pharmacological tests being done on rodents to determine adverse effects of ecdysteroids on vertebrates.
As time has gone on, more and more studies have produced data pointing to a number of anabolic benefits for those involved in fitness and bodybuilding.
They include increased stamina, strength, muscular hypertrophy, and enhanced recovery [3].
Ecdysterone and other ecdysteroids can be distinguished from commonly used anabolic steroids in a few key ways. While studies have shown that ecdysterone can have effects matching or even surpassing the potency of steroids like dianabol or trenbolone, it doesn’t actually bind to the same androgen receptors for steroids found in vertebrates [4].
Due to this difference, cycling off Ecdysterone doesn’t require the use of drugs like Clomid or Nolvadex to stimulate recovery of the endocrine system.
Ecdysterone Side Effects and Safety Concerns
Adverse side effects are always at the forefront of people’s minds when it comes to trying new supplements.
For example, with anabolic steroids, several studies clearly indicate that side effects are almost inevitable. Of course, it depends on what kind of steroid is used, for how long, and what the dosage is. These side effects can be fairly minor, such as irritability or an increased appetite.
On the other hand, data has also shown more severe reactions, such as skin rashes, shrinking of the gonads, cardiac issues, high blood pressure, and even permanent liver damage [5, 6].
In contrast, studies have shown that ecdysterone does not have any serious or even minor side effects.
This is another reason why ecdysterone has seen such a surge in popularity recently.
For instance, we can refer to a study from 2006 carried out on a group of 45 men who were already working out on a regular basis. Researchers split them up into 3 groups and instructed each to take a daily dose of a compound for a period of 8 weeks. One of those groups took just 30 milligrams of ecdysterone once per day.
In conclusion, the study found that the men were significantly stronger on mainly two lifts – the bench press, and the leg press.
Most importantly, no adverse side effects were reported [4].
A second study showing that ecdysterone has no adverse effects on humans involved male and female subjects in their 50s.
51 subjects participated in a 12-week double-blind placebo study, where half the group took 2000 milligrams of ecdysterone per day. Similar to the first study we mentioned, these participants were also required to train three times a week, for an hour each time.
Results of this study showed that the group of men and women taking ecdysterone had a significant increase in strength and muscle mass, without any harmful side effects [7].
Overall, Ecdysterone doesn’t reportedly cause the side effects normally seen with anabolic steroid use, which makes it an attractive option for individuals who want to gain a boost in the gym, without having to take the risk of using anabolic steroids.
Is Ecdysterone Legal in the UK?
After hearing so much about this potent ‘naturally-occurring steroid alternative’, you’re probably wondering what law has to say about ecdysterone in the UK.
Is it legal to buy ecdysterone in the UK? Does the law treat ecdysterone in the same way as anabolic steroids and pro-hormones?
The short answer is that yes, ecdysterone is completely legal to buy, sell, use, and import in the UK.
As mentioned earlier, ecdysterone falls into a category of compounds called ecdysteroids. If we consult the list of illicit substances in the UK, we find that ecdysteroids are not mentioned.
But wait… is ecdysterone a steroid?
While the name of this compound certainly has the potential to confuse people involved in the fitness community, as well as the public at large, ecdysterone is not considered an anabolic androgenic steroid.
This is due to several factors.
As was already touched upon, ecdysterone doesn’t act in the same way on the body as anabolic steroids do, in that it won’t cause hormonal levels to fluctuate and crash once a cycle finishes.
In addition, scientific information and studies about ecdysterone and other ecdysteroids is still limited, which has yet to provide solid grounds for it to be added to the UK’s list of scheduled substances.
However, ecdysterone’s legal status could change soon.
Apart from mainstream media reports painting the substance in a negative light, the world of professional sports has also begun to pay special attention to this substance [8].
WADA – the World Anti-Doping Agency, which is responsible for ensuring that professional sports competitors like those in the Olympics are drug-free – has recently placed ecdysterone and its close cousin, turkesterone, on their Monitoring List [5].
Although this doesn’t mean that the substance has been banned from usage, it may indicate future plans to prohibit it’s use in professional sports.
Drug Schedules in the UK
Every country tends to have a list of controlled substances split into categories of how they are regulated.
We took the time to compile the most relevant information in this section to further understand how ecdysterone is regarded under the law of the UK.
It’s interesting to note that, in the UK, anabolic compounds like steroids and pro-hormones are treated a little differently than in places like the United States and Canada.
In fact, we can refer directly to what the NHS has to say regarding anabolic steroids in the UK:
“Anabolic steroids are class C drugs, which can only be sold by pharmacists with a prescription. It’s legal to have anabolic steroids for personal use. They can also be imported or exported, as long as this is carried out in person. This means they can’t be posted or delivered by a courier or freight service.
However, it’s illegal to possess, import, or export anabolic steroids if it’s believed you’re supplying or selling them. This includes giving them to friends.
The penalty is an unlimited fine, or even a prison sentence of up to 14 years. In professional sport, most organizations ban anabolic steroid use and test competitors for banned steroids [9].
Furthermore, certain changes were made to the UK’s steroid law as of April 2012, in order to close loopholes that were being exploited.
The phrase “medicinal product” has now been removed from the legislation.
This removes the ambiguity around the interpretation of that phrase within the law.
Import restrictions are now in place for all image and performance enhancing drugs covered by the Misuse of Drugs Act (1971). Following advice from the ACMD, anyone wishing to import these drugs from outside the UK will have to do so in person (“personal custody”).
It will no longer be permitted to buy steroids and associated drugs from outside the UK, through internet and mail order sites, and have the products delivered [10].
Regulations from 2001 in the UK determine in what circumstances it is lawful to possess, supply, produce, export, and import controlled drugs.
These schedules range from Schedule 1, which is subjected to the most restrictive control.
On the other hand, Schedule 5 contains drugs that are considered to have therapeutic value and are commonly available as over the counter medicines [11, 12, 13].
Schedule 1 Drugs
These are drugs that are viewed as having no therapeutic value and cannot be lawfully possessed or distributed, such as LSD and MDMA.
Schedule 1 drugs can, however, be used for the purposes of research but a Home Office license is required.
Schedule 2 and 3 Drugs
The drugs in these schedules can be prescribed, legally possessed, and supplied by pharmacists and doctors. If you have a prescription, you can lawfully possess them, otherwise, it is a criminal offense.
Examples of schedule 2 drugs are methadone, heroin, and cannabis. Schedule 3 drugs include subutex and most of the barbiturate family.
Schedule 4 (i) & (ii) Drugs
Schedule 4(i) oversees control of most benzodiazepines, and can only be possessed under prescription.
The drugs falling under Schedule 4(ii) can be possessed for personal use, and can be imported or exported for personal use where a person himself carries out that importation or exportation. The most common example of a schedule 4(ii) drug is steroids.
Schedule 5 Drugs
Schedule 5 drugs are sold over the counter. Possession of these substances is allowed without a prescription.
Upon reviewing the data, ecdysterone isn’t listed in any category of scheduled substances in the UK, which means there are no restrictions on using, buying, selling, or importing ecdysterone in the UK.
Shipping Ecdysterone to the UK
Since ecdysterone isn’t listed as a scheduled substance in the UK, there are no restrictions on importing ecdysterone.
While there is a possibility that the authorities can seize a package if they suspect it to carry illicit substances, the absolute worst outcome would be that they destroy your package.
Again, since ecdysterone is legal in the UK, there would be no grounds for criminal prosecution if the authorities did happen to inspect your package and contact you about it.
Where to Buy Ecdysterone Online in the UK
Huge Supplements
Huge Ecdysterone ecdysterone is our top recommendation for an ecdysterone supplement in the UK for a number of reasons.
Firstly, their products are all produced in accordance with high standards of quality in an FDA-approved facility in the United States.
We also found Huge Supplements to possess excellent customer service.
While other supplement companies tend to be slow in answering their phones and replying to email inquiries, Huge Supplements were able to get back to us promptly – answering all our questions and handling concerns in an in-depth and comprehensive manner.
To make things even better, Huge Supplements include cyclodextrin in their supplements – a polysaccharide that functions to speed up and enhance absorption of ingested ecdysterone into the body.
We recommend grabbing 3 bottles of Huge Ecdysterone, so that you have enough to complete a proper 12-week cycle.
Huge Supplements
| Our Rating: | 5/5 |
| Quality: | 5/5 |
| Price: | 5/5 |
| Customer Service: | 5/5 |
| Trustworthiness & Accuracy: | 5/5 |
Intelligent Ecdysterone
Intelligent Ecdysterone is sold at a competitive price point.
At the time this article was written, Intelligent Ecdysterone has over 20 positive reviews from verified customers stating their results. For those who prefer alternative payment methods, such as with cryptocurrency, they offer the options to pay for your order with Ethereum, Bitcoin, Dash, and Litecoin.
Intelligent Ecdysterone
| Our Rating: | 4.5 / 5 |
| Quality: | 4.5 / 5 |
| Price: | 4.5 / 5 |
| Customer Service: | 5 / 5 |
| Trustworthiness & Accuracy: | 5 / 5 |
Haya Labs Ecdysterone via Amazon.co.uk
Our next recommended vendor to buy ecdysterone capsules from is Haya Labs.
Their ecdysterone is HACCP certified, and also has over 52 reviews at the time this article was written. It’s important to note that it contains 100 capsules dosed at 250 milligrams, which would only be suitable for about 4 weeks of use.
Since they sell through Amazon, you can expect that their customer service and shipping will be fairly reliable.
Haya Labs Ecdysterone via Amazon.co.uk
| Our Rating: | 4 / 5 |
| Quality: | 4 / 5 |
| Price: | 5 / 5 |
| Customer Service: | 3 / 5 |
| Trustworthiness & Accuracy: | 4 / 5 |
Where to Buy Ecdysterone in the UK | Verdict
In conclusion…
Yes, ecdysterone is 100% legal in the UK.
If you are living in the UK, then you can purchase, possess, and use ecdysterone without worrying about breaking the law.
Most of the confusion surrounding ecdysterone’s status as a naturally sourced supplement originates from it being marketed as a ‘natural plant steroid’.
Again, it’s important to point out that ecdysterone is not an anabolic steroid. It doesn’t bind to androgen receptors in the same way that regular steroids do, and it doesn’t manipulate hormonal levels.
This is why we also identified reliable sources on where to buy ecdysterone in the UK.
Speaking of UK ecdysterone vendors, we strongly recommend the online company Huge Supplements. They produce a premium ecdysterone product, complete with a special “cyclodextrin” ingredient to maximize absorption.
So what are you waiting for? Grab a bottle of ecdysterone today and watch your body transform faster than you can say “Eddie Hall!”