How to Choose a Quality Ecdysterone: What to Look for on the Label

The ecdysterone market has grown in recent years, and with it the number of products in which the actual content of the active substance does not match what is promised. The editorial team has compiled a practical guide: which lines of the label are truly informative, which wordings should raise concern, and how to distinguish a standardized product from marketing.

Why the quality of ecdysterone is a separate problem

Ecdysterone is sold as a food supplement, and therefore it does not undergo registration as a medicine and does not require proof of efficacy or dosing accuracy before entering the market. Responsibility for the composition matching the label lies with the manufacturer, and state control is mostly selective.

Independent testing has confirmed the validity of these concerns. The group of Ambrosio and colleagues (2020) analyzed commercial supplements with ecdysterone and found that the content stated on the label often did not match the actual content: in some products there was significantly less of the substance than promised. The authors concluded that the labeling of such supplements is unreliable.

The reason is partly technological. Ecdysterone is obtained by extraction from plants — leuzea, cyathula, spinach — and the content of the active compound in the raw material depends on the variety, region, season of harvest and processing method. Without careful analytical control of each batch it is impossible to obtain a stable dose.

For athletes who undergo doping control there is another risk. The International Olympic Committee consensus on supplements (Maughan et al., 2018) and the study by Geyer and colleagues (2008) show that sports supplements can be contaminated with prohibited substances, in particular prohormones and stimulants that are not on the label.

The name of the substance and the source of the raw material

The first thing worth finding on the label is the exact name of the active substance. Correct variants: 'beta-ecdysterone', '20-hydroxyecdysone', 'ecdysterone'. But if only 'leuzea extract' or 'Rhaponticum carthamoides root extract' is indicated without the amount of ecdysterone, you do not know how much of the active substance you are getting.

The second is the botanical source. Most often the root of maral root (Rhaponticum carthamoides, synonym — Leuzea carthamoides) and the root of cyathula (Cyathula officinalis or C. prostrata) are used. A mention of the Latin name of the plant and the part from which the extract is made is a sign of a more professional approach by the manufacturer.

The term 'ecdysteroids' or 'phytoecdysteroids' without clarification means a mixture of related compounds. It may contain both 20-hydroxyecdysone and other, less-studied ecdysteroids. This is not necessarily bad, but the amount of each compound should be clear.

Finally, pay attention to the form: pure powder, capsules, tablets or a combined product. Capsules with a single active component are the easiest to evaluate, whereas complexes like 'test boosters' complicate both verification and understanding of possible side effects.

Standardization and dose calculation

Most often the percentage of standardization is indicated on the packaging: for example, 'extract standardized to 95% 20-hydroxyecdysone'. To get the real amount of the substance, you need to multiply the mass of the extract in a serving by this percentage. This simple calculation is useful to perform for each product.

The example shows why two products with the same 'extract weight' can differ in the content of active substance by tens of times. A low percentage of standardization is not a sign of a counterfeit, but it makes the product less concentrated and often more expensive per milligram of substance.

Next, it is important to indicate the method by which the percentage was determined. The most reliable is considered to be high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), preferably with mass-spectrometric detection. Less specific methods, for example ultraviolet spectrophotometry, can overstate the result, because they also react to other compounds with similar absorption.

Certificates, analyses and manufacturer transparency

A Certificate of Analysis (CoA) is a document in which a laboratory confirms the composition of a specific batch. Conscientious manufacturers publish the CoA on their website or provide it on request. Check that the batch number in the certificate matches the number on your packaging, and that the analysis date is recent.

It is even more valuable if the analysis was performed by an independent laboratory rather than the manufacturer's own quality service. For athletes there are programs for testing supplements for prohibited substances, for example Informed Sport, Informed Choice or the Kölner Liste. Such a mark does not guarantee efficacy, but it reduces the risk of contamination.

• The batch number and expiration date are printed on the packaging, not stuck on with a sticker.
• The full name and address of the manufacturer or importer are indicated.
• The composition in Ukrainian matches the composition on the original label.
• There are contacts for requesting a certificate of analysis.
• Manufacture to GMP standards is declared with the name of a specific facility.

The absence of any contacts and documents is not proof of a counterfeit, but a weighty reason to choose a different product. Also consider the price: a quality, highly standardized extract cannot cost several times less than market analogues.

Finally, the product must comply with the requirements of the legislation of the country of sale regarding food supplements. In Ukraine and the EU this includes, in particular, correct labeling of composition, dosage and warnings.

Red flags on the packaging

Some wordings should immediately raise concern. The first among them is a comparison with anabolic steroids like 'an effect like Dianabol' or 'a legal steroid'. Such claims are not only unscientific but may also indicate that undeclared synthetic substances have been added to the product.

The second sign is promises of specific results: '+5 kg of muscle in a month', 'strength will increase by 30%'. No study of ecdysterone has shown such results, and responsible manufacturers do not make such promises.

The third is 'proprietary blends' with hidden dosing of each component. The manufacturer may cite a trade secret, but for the consumer this means the impossibility of assessing how much ecdysterone is actually in a serving.

The fourth is dubious sales channels: social networks without a legal entity, the absence of receipts, 'original' products at a suspiciously low price. It is precisely in such channels that counterfeits most often occur.

Editorial conclusions

Quality ecdysterone is a product that indicates the exact name of the substance, the percentage of standardization, the analysis method and the batch number, with an available certificate.

Calculating the real content of 20-hydroxyecdysone takes a minute and allows products to be compared by the price per milligram of active substance rather than by the loudness of the marketing.

Independent analyses show that the labels of such supplements are not always truthful, so for athletes subject to doping control third-party certification is especially important.

We also recommend reading 'Ecdysterone for Bulking: Does It Make Sense', 'How to Choose a Quality Turkesterone: What to Look for on the Label' and 'The History of Turkesterone: How the Supplement Became Popular'.

References

1. Ambrosio G, Wirth D, Joseph JF, et al. How reliable is dietary supplement labelling? Experiences from the analysis of ecdysterone supplements. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2020;177:112877.
2. Maughan RJ, Burke LM, Dvorak J, et al. IOC consensus statement: dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(7):439–455.
3. Geyer H, Parr MK, Koehler K, et al. Nutritional supplements cross-contaminated and faked with doping substances. J Mass Spectrom. 2008;43(7):892–902.
4. Isenmann E, Ambrosio G, Joseph JF, et al. Ecdysteroids as non-conventional anabolic agent: performance enhancement by ecdysterone supplementation in humans. Arch Toxicol. 2019;93(7):1807–1816.
5. Dinan L. Phytoecdysteroids: biological aspects. Phytochemistry. 2001;57(3):325–339.
6. Directive 2002/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to food supplements. Off J Eur Communities. 2002;L183:51–57.