Clenbuterol for fat loss!  Like most bodybuilding drugs, Clenbuterol, or Clen, was first developed for legitimate medical use. Contrary to popular belief it is not an anabolic steroid. It was originally manufactured to treat breathing problems brought on by asthma and other obstructions of the airway. In Europe it is still used in bronchodilators to make breathing easier for asthma sufferers, but has since been banned for human use in North America. It was also widely used in the cattle industry to promote gains in lean muscle tissue.   Clen falls into the same family of drugs as ephedrine. This means that it operates on beta-2 receptors by increasing the manufacture and secretion of a group of hormones called cathecholamines (i.e. epinephrine (adrenaline),norepinephrine (noradrenaline), and dopamine), which are secreted from the adrenal region. These hormones have numerous actions in the human body. For starters they seem to relax the contractile properties of smooth muscle. This is why drugs such as Clenbuterol are so effective in treating asthma and other breathing conditions. The lining of the bronchial tubes is heavily made up of smooth muscle.   For bodybuilders and other athletes, Clen’s fat-loss properties are what make it such a popular drug. It does this in numerous manners. For starters Clen is a thermogenic drug. Thermogenisis is the process by which fat deposits become more readily burned as a fuel source when body temperature is elevated slightly.   Clen can also reverse the effects of insulin, which results in a release of glycogen back into the blood stream as glucose to be burned as an energy source.   Finally the drug also increases the rate of fat being burned in the body. It does this by speeding up the person’s overall metabolism causing an increase in the total number of calories being burned.   When taken for its fat-burning properties, Clenbuterol, is best used in a pyramid scheme. This means slowly building up the dose over time. Given its effects on blood pressure it’s best to start with 20-40 µg per day and slowly work up to a maximum of 120-160 µg per day. Most bodybuilders find that 80 µg is the best compromise in terms of positive and negative effects. Its also best not to use the drug for extended periods of time. In fact because of receptor desensitizing, clen seems to only cause fat loss for three to four weeks. To get around this most bodybuilders go off the drug for two to three weeks and then begin another three to four week cycle.     Should I use Clenbuterol? Given its short-term effects and risk of side effects, you may want to give Clen a pass. There are viable options that are legal, safe and very effective. They are called legal steroid alternatives and bodybuilders are reporting that they are just as effective for burning fat as Clen. But don’t take our word for it. Check them out for yourself.   © Bob Howard, 06, 09, 2006