Perhaps it’s no surprise that steroid use has been on the uptick in recent years among younger and younger athletes, especially high school competitors. The dangers of steroids are well known and anabolic steroids have been banned from international competition to protect athletes from a plethora of potentially harmful side effects that range from the mental, such as irritability and paranoia, to the physical, including kidney and liver damage, the risk of an enlarged heart, incidents of heart attack, stroke, plus hair loss, impotence and more.

Back in 2004, the United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration determined that .5 percent of the population (or over 1 million Americans) had used anabolic steroids. In the younger group of 18- to 34-year-olds, fully1 percent of the population had used anabolic steroids. As of 2017, that number had grown, and even younger males were trying steroids: Over 1.1 percent of America’s 12th graders were using steroids.

Rather than try to convince athletes that they don’t need to build muscle to be faster, stronger, and more competitive, one strategy is to encourage replacing dangerous anabolic steroid use with natural herbs that can help the body’s own process of building muscle mass naturally, without the need for synthetic hormones. Here are six popular herbs that are scientifically shown to help build muscle and lose body fat, if taken in a safe and moderate way.

Before you take any herbs or supplements be sure to talk to your doctor about whether they are safe and appropriate for you and your personal health profile. “Remember, just because an herbal supplement might be natural doesn’t mean it’s safe,” the Mayo Clinic warns.

1. Kapikacchu & Safed Musli

A combination of kapikacchu (mucuna pruriens or velvet bean) and Safed Musli (chlorophytum borivilianum) has been shown to increase circulating growth hormone in exercise-trained men, according to the research. To put it another way, this simple combination of herbal supplements acts functionally like anabolic steroids by boosting growth hormone in the body.

The study notes that “future studies should seek to determine which of these agents is responsible for the effect on GH — in particular when delivered at the same dosage to the same subjects using a cross-over design.”

It may be that kapikacchu is more responsible for the increase in circulating growth hormone as it contains L-DOPA, the precursor to the neurotransmitter dopamine, which has been shown to effectively stimulate growth hormone.

Safed Musli has been shown to be spermatogenic and to increase testosterone, and animal research also shows that it might increase sexual activity and have effects similar to testosterone. But so far the research is preliminary.

2. Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is a prominent herb in the Ayurvedic tradition, revered as an aphrodisiac, a mood regulator, and a boon to athletic performance.  It has been used by athletes to improve muscular strength, resistance to fatigue, recovery from exercise.

Modern science concurs that ashwagandha is an effective herb for increasing athletic performance, as it has been shown to increase cardiorespiratory endurance.  According to one study, “The test for VO2 max is perhaps the most commonly employed procedure in exercise physiology. This measurement determines an athlete’s ability to take in, transport, and utilize oxygen and is probably the best assessment of the athlete’s endurance capabilities.” Ashwagandha supplementation resulted in significantly higher VO2 maxes after eight and twelve weeks.

The study also found that ashwagandha also helps increase muscular strength, and exercise tolerance while lowering blood lipids and aid in the quality of sleep.

3. Rhodiola and Bitter Orange

Scientists have studied another pair of herbs—Rhodiola and bitter orange. The two herbs in combination have been shown to reduce adipose tissue (aka belly fat) in lab studies, but there are potentially risky side effects to bitter orange supplements that have been widely reported on because of its similarities to ephedra.

Bitter orange, which is not the same as the citrus we buy in the store, is a sour fruit native to East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Syria, and Southeast Asia. It is so sour that it’s hard to eat by itself, but is commonly used as the main ingredient in some marmalades. Eating it, as opposed to taking it in supplement form, is considered safe.

Rhodiola imparts more benefits, by helping you recover from a workout by reducing “both lactate levels and parameters of skeletal muscle damage after an exhaustive exercise session.” Bitter orange is less widely praised.

The side effects and risks of bitter orange

Bitter orange sounds innocuous enough but contains synephrine, which is structurally similar to ephedrine, the main component in ephedra, which has been banned by the FDA as a dietary supplement.

Ephedra raises blood pressure and has been linked to heart attack and stroke. Bitter orange is commonly used as a substitute for ephedra in dietary supplements, and according to the Mayo Clinic is not worth taking for its potentially risky side effects.

Bottom line: Skip taking bitter orange, which can have unwanted side effects.

4. Saffron and Cinnamon

Both saffron and cinnamon have been proven to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (or DOMS.) Regularly add some saffron to your savory dishes or cinnamon in your sweeter dishes will deliver carotenoids, which are powerful antioxidants that help reduce inflammation and allow your muscles to recover without that signature soreness that can stop you from training day after day.

A general rule when taking herbs is half of a teaspoon once or twice a day – this rule applies almost universally to powders. Dose tinctures as directed on the packaging. For saffron, use about four to six threads; saffron goes nicely in a hot tea with some steamed plant milk.

A muscle-building recipe is power tea: Boil your favorite tea blend (ditch the tea bag, and boil it loose-leafed and then strain it for a steeper brew), and add half of a teaspoon each of ashwagandha, kapikacchu, and Safed Musli powder, then add a generous amount of sweetener and steamed soy milk.

Whatever your athletic or aesthetic goals are, there are herbal supplements for every purpose one might take a synthetic supplement for. Try them in their organic form for herbs that are 30 percent more nutritious.

For more content like this, such as How Herbs Can Boost Your Libido, check out this story.

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Now 61, Horton has turned his focus to nutrition as part of his wellbeing message as he recovered from an auto-immune disease, Ramsay Hunt Syndrome (a rare complication from Shingles). He had lost 25 pounds, including his strength, his balance and his ability to “bring it” — temporarily. Now, he’s built back his strength and is fitter than he’s been in years. He wants to help others stay active and energized, and experience “active aging.” His new mission is to “shatter the concept that people have to slow down because of their age.​”

Horton has launched a new product line, and while he is still motivating people to work out every day, this is his first foray into the nutrition field, having designed a new supplement line, Power Life, to help people get the protein and nutrients they need.

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The Beet caught up with Tony over email to ask him to help us with the pressing question: “How do we get motivated to be healthy now while sheltering at home?” Here is the advice he has to share now, to gather up your strength, stay fit and healthy to fight off any potential infection. He holds Facebook Live workout sessions in his home gym (which we envy right now) with his wife. You can follow along at TonyHortonLife.com.

Check out his home gym: Watch this video. Favorite line: “Here are my classic parallel bars. Everyone should have parallel bars in their backyard!”Also another favorite moment: When he misses the tomahawk throw and hits the turf to do five pushups. Anyone who watches America’s Ninja Warrior will love his backyard Ninja course. Watch him go up three bar-hop-ups and down three bar-hop-ups. As he says: “Not bad for an old guy!” Watch his gym tour and you’ll see why we asked him how to “Continue to bring it” now, when we are all locked inside.

 Q. What are some home workout techniques to try during this time?

A. Being stuck at home is no excuse, not to exercise or at least move your body one way or another. I learned long ago that the best piece of equipment in your home is your own body. Upper body, lower body, core, and cardiovascular exercises can all be done without a single piece of fitness equipment.

Push-ups, squats & lunges, crunches and running or marching in place are perfect examples. Stairs are also a perfect way to strengthen your legs, heart, and lungs. One, two, and three stairs at a time will certainly provide variety and varied intensity too. If exercise isn’t your thing, then turn up the music and dance around the house like nobody is watching. My wife Shawna and I have 4-song dance parties twice a week.  

Q. What are some tips for people who are just now discovering they want to get healthy and begin working out for the 1st time?

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There is a new diet sweeping the nation and it works better than keto, without the controversial emphasis on oils, fats and animal products. It’s Intermittent Fasting, and it’s based in good science, done by doctors, like Dr. Jason Fung, who has co-authored the book, Life in the Fasting Lane, out this spring (but you can pre-order it now on Amazon.)

I had an extensive interview with Dr. Fung about a week ago, and then I started this regimen—and lost weight almost instantly. It felt like cheating. I ate all the foods I normally like, but in a window of about 8 hours, and fasted for the other 16. And my body shed fat, fast. I had been considering getting “cool” sculpting on my thighs (since no matter how much I work out I have always had stubborn fat pockets on my outer thighs) and just as I was making the appointment, I tried Intermittent Fasting, and low and behold, I lost fat. Okay, not all of it and not exactly where I wanted to but my stomach felt flatter, my pants looser, and although I don’t weigh myself, I could estimate that I dropped about 5 pounds in one week. Without changing my diet. I just changed the timing of when I eat. (Which for me is plant-based but Dr. Fung said you can try Intermittent Fasting on any diet, so long as you don’t go crazy on processed foods and carbs, which is good advice on any diet.)

Intermittent Fasting Is the Most Popular Diet Right Now.

Dr. Fung explained that he first figured out this was an effective weight-loss tool when he worked with diabetics who were overweight and suffering from kidney failure. Rather than treat the kidneys he decided to backtrack and treat the obesity that was causing the insulin to short circuit. And in every case that the patient complied they lost weight, saw their insulin levels regulate and were able to avoid dialysis. Intermittent Fasting works by lowering the insulin spike, that, when you eat extra calories you are not going to burn off right away, signals to your body to store this excess energy as fat.

Intermittent Fasting is having a major moment, partly because it works and partly because celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Halle Berry, Reese Witherspoon, and Kourtney Kardashian have talked about how they use it to effectively control their weight. In a quick search, more than 3.2 million people have hashtagged #intermittentfasting on IG, and it was the most searched diet term on Google in 2019, according to the search engine.

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One Reason Intermittent Fasting Is So Popular Is That It’s Natural.

Fasting for short bursts is as ancient as humankind, Dr. Fung explains. We were not built to eat all the time, snacking and gorging all day long. We were built to find, forage, hunt or grow our meals and eat sporadically. We were also programmed to be sharper and more focused as our hunger increases. This is so our survival is ensured when our brains become even more attuned to our surroundings as hunger signals: Feed me.

If you can push through the initial surge of hunger, you can fast and turn on your body’s fat-burning hyper chargers, since your body will do everything it can to feed itself, Dr. Fung explains. If you don’t put something in your mouth, your insulin levels flatline, letting your body know: We need some energy here, let’s get it out of reservers. It dips into the body’s natural storage system to burn fat for fuel. You may even feel slightly euphoric or energized as the adrenaline, cortisol, and norepinephrine (your three “fight or flight” hormones) flood your body and brain to keep your heightened awareness up until you eventually do eat. How long you go is up to you.

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Another reason Intermittent Fasting is taking off is that, unlike keto diets, which often get criticized for cutting out healthy carbs such as those from veggies and fruits, you can eat the entire spectrum of healthy foods and still lose weight. In fact, Intermittent Fasting allows you to eat what you want, within a certain window—either 4 or 6 or 8 hours, depending on whether you want to fast for 14, 16, 18 or 20 hours. Dr. Fung admits that at his most extreme, he went five days without eating, other than green tea, water, and coffee, to slim down and shed fat fast after an indulgent holiday.

But the health benefits of IF go well beyond the potential wins of weight loss (like lower blood sugar, blood pressure, lower cholesterol, lower insulin resistance to name a few). There is research to show that IF leads to a reduction in inflammation which is known to be a precursor to disease and illness, and improve glucose regulation. It can also help you stave off stress and slow the free-radical damage that shows up as aging in your cells and even lead to disease over time.

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Stars like Jennifer Aniston, Kourtney Kardashian, Hugh Jackman and Lance Bass, Chris Pratt, Kate Walsh, Molly Simms and others have posted about their Intermittent Fasting regimens. All of them look amazing, and now we know why.

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Is Intermittent Fasting Right For You?

This question is one only you can answer. We tried it. And while I usually hate being hungry, I got past it easily because I kept hearing Dr. Fung’s words in my head: Hunger does not keep going up. It’s a momentary thing and then you feel it abate when your body switches on the fat-burning process. You literally “feed” yourself, but it happens internally. He also pointed out that most people have about 200,000 calories stored in their body in the form of fat. You have enough calories to last about two weeks without eating. You are not going to collapse. In fact, you are going to feel better.

That’s what I found. After doing it for just two days out of three, I felt lighter, tighter and less puffy and bloated. My jeans floated off my hips for the first time in months, and while I didn’t weigh myself before starting my first fast of 16 hours, I felt like I had lost about five pounds by the end of week one. (Which involved two our of three days of fasting, on two cycles.)

Here Is How to Do It.

Don’t get overly ambitious all at once. Instead, try different windows for eating (such as ten hours on, 14 hours off) and find the one that works for you. We suggest that you start with the most popular window: Eat for 8 hours and fast for 16. So if you have dinner at 7 p.m. and finish by 8 p.m. (including wine) then fast until noon or slightly after the next day. Then you get the next eight hours to eat. While you can eat what you want, the body will be more likely to not store calories as fat if you stay away from the carbs. Other than that this diet works for plant-based and omnivores alike. Of course, the healthier you eat the better your body will feel, and the healthier you will be.

If you want to ramp-up to fasting for longer you basically have two choices: Eat breakfast or a mid-day meal and then fast through dinner until the next morning, or eat dinner and then hold off until the next evening. These are personal decisions and most people find that it’s social to dine with their loved ones, but if you are a dinner skipper, or enjoy lunch with colleagues or have work functions during the day that require you to eat that works as well.

Make friends with your hunger and tell yourself this is your body’s way of dialogue over where the next energy source is coming from. If from food then eat, If from fasting, tell yourself this is just a signal that it’s switching over to burning fat.

Dr. Fung recommends fasting helpers like green tea or coffee with the antioxidants that help speed up metabolism. And if you want to break your fast, then do so with a snack that is lower in carbs and has fiber, a little bit of fat and protein (almond butter on a celery stick is a great choice) so that your insulin levels don’t spike too high and come right back down again. If you snack, don’t beat yourself up, you can still be effective with small snacks that help you stay on track.

The most important thing about fasting is to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water, tea, coffee, and other non-calorie fluids so that you don’t mistake thirst and hunger. You need to drink. Our recommendation is that you follow the routine of two days of fasting a week, three at the most, alternating normal days with Intermittent Fasting days. Enjoy the food you eat and appreciate your amazing body for working with you on the important job of being healthy, active and strong.

The post Your Guide to Intermittent Fasting on a Plant-Based Diet appeared first on The Beet.