"Which natural foods are known to contain anabolic steroids
Certain foods, such as wheat, spinach, and cabbage, contain plant steroids called phytoecdysteroids, which are structurally similar to animal steroid hormones and have been shown to increase muscle growth in animals.
Phytoecdysteroids have a low oral bioavailability in humans, meaning that they are not easily absorbed by the human digestive system, and their muscle-building effects are not fully understood.
Tiger nuts, a tuber commonly consumed in West Africa, contain a high concentration of a phytoecdysteroid called diosgenin, which has been shown to increase muscle protein synthesis in animal studies.
Diosgenin is used in the production of synthetic steroid hormones, such as progesterone and cortisone, and is also found in wild yam and fenugreek.
A study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that supplementing with a combination of fenugreek and weightlifting increased strength and lean body mass in resistance-trained men.
A study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research found that a diet rich in spinach and other leafy green vegetables increased muscle mass and strength in rats.
The muscle-building effects of phytoecdysteroids may be due to their ability to increase the activity of satellite cells, which are responsible for muscle repair and growth.
The muscle-building effects of phytoecdysteroids may also be due to their ability to increase the expression of genes involved in muscle protein synthesis.
Another plant steroid called brassinosteroid, found in brassica vegetables like broccoli, has been shown to increase muscle growth in animals.
Brassinosteroids have been shown to increase muscle protein synthesis and decrease muscle protein breakdown in animal studies.
The muscle-building effects of brassinosteroids may be due to their ability to activate the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, which is involved in muscle protein synthesis.
A study published in the journal Plant Physiology found that brassinosteroid treatment increased muscle mass and strength in mice.
A study published in the journal Amino Acids found that a diet rich in brassica vegetables increased muscle mass and strength in rats.
A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that a diet rich in broccoli sprouts increased muscle mass and strength in mice.
A study published in the journal Nutrients found that a diet rich in brassica vegetables increased muscle mass and strength in elderly women.