Since beta-2 adrenergic receptor agonists (think Clenbuterol and Salbutamol/Albuterol) are a staple of the chemical athlete's arsenal, and I started using some myself recently, can we try to settle some questions in one thread, once and for all? I don't mind anecdotal evidence, but please refrain from telling us about your buddy Chad who got totally ripped on clen and is now considered an authority in the field (by himself).
1. Albuterol vs. Clenbuterol
Those two being the most popular choices available, what's the main difference here?
From my understanding Albuterol
a) is faster acting (half-life of 4-6 hours vs. 36-48 hours)
b) has a way higher binding affinity to the beta-2 receptor, i.e. the one you want to hit, vs. clenbuterol which is less specific
c) is anabolic in muscle tissue at a therapeutic dose vs. clenbuterol which starts having anabolic potential at 7-9 times the therapeutic dose (
)
d) is way easier to handle in terms of side effects with the only downside being it requires more frequent dosing (see a)
e) is - according to anecdotal evidence i.e. shit people say on the internet - less effective at oxidizing body fat than clenbuterol
2. Agonist induced receptor downregulation/desensitization
Does it actually matter in terms of effects or are the drugs becoming useless to us after a certain amount of time, generally considered to be about 2 weeks? Anecdotal evidence seems to suggest Albuterol can be taken longer than Clen without losing its effect. I mean obviously the drugs don't just stop working, or else they couldn't be used for their therapeutic purpose, could they? So what's the deal here?
3. Counteracting agonist induced receptor downregulation/desensitization with histamine antagonists
Word on the internet is that because of science, diphenhydramine (Benadryl) isn't actually doing anything to reverse receptor downregulation, but again, anecdotal evidence seems to suggest the opposite. Ketotifen seems to be generally accepted to be a solution to the problem. Do you still have to take time off or would you technically be able to take it indefinitely, as long as you take your Ketotifen every 3rd week?
4. The role of thyroid hormone (T3) in the upregulation of β2 ARs in fatty tissue
Does T3 actually upregulate your receptors? In other words, does it make Ketotifen (see 3) obsolete, if you take thyroid hormone with your Clen/Albuterol anyway?
