What Is Clenbuterol, How Does It Work, And Is It A Safe And Effective Way To Lose Weight?

February 1, 2009 -- Question: What is Clenbuterol, how does it work, and is it a safe and effective way to lose weight?

Answer: Clenbuterol is a medication that tends to relax the airways in the lung, allowing airflow to improve. It is used by prescription for patients who have asthma. It is not approved for use as a weight control medication and I would not recommend it. I don't believe that it has any proven effectiveness in that regard and I would definitely be concerned about health risks from using it. It is sometimes abused by performance athletes seeking to improve their performance, but I don't recommend it in that context either.