Clenbuterol is a sympathomimetic amine used by sufferers of breathing disorders as a decongestant and bronchodilator. People with chronic breathing disorders such as asthma use this as a bronchodilator to make breathing easier. It is most commonly available as the hydrochloride salt, clenbuterol hydrochloride. It was patented in 1967 and came into medical use in 1977. Medical uses Clenbuterol is approved for use in some countries as a bronchodilator for asthma. Clenbuterol is a β2 agonist with some structural and pharmacological similarities to epinephrine and salbutamol, but its effects are more potent and longer-lasting as a stimulant and thermogenic drug. It is commonly used for smooth muscle-relaxant properties as a bronchodilator and tocolytic. It is classified by the World Anti-Doping Agency as an anabolic agent, not as a β2 agonist. Clenbuterol is prescribed for treatment of respiratory diseases for horses, and as an obstetrical aid in cattle. It is illegal in some countries to use in livestock used for food. Side effects Clenbuterol can cause these long and short term side effects: Short term side effects: Increased blood pressure Increased heart rate Nervousness and jitters Sweating and shaking Difficulty sleeping Headaches Dry mouth and thirstiness Cramping and diarrhea Long term side effects: Increased risk of heart disease and stroke Kidney damage Liver damage Muscle weakness Anxiety and depression Overdosage Use over the recommended dose of about 120 μg can cause muscle tremors, headache, dizziness, and gastric irritation. Persons self-administering the drug for weight loss or to improve athletic performance have experienced nausea, vomiting, diaphoresis, palpitations, tachycardia, and myocardial infarction. Use of the drug may be confirmed by detecting its presence in semen or urine. Society and culture Legal status Clenbuterol is not an ingredient of any therapeutic drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and is now banned for IOC-tested athletes. In the US, administration of clenbuterol to any animal that could be used as food for human consumption is banned by the FDA. Weight-loss Although often used by bodybuilders during their "cutting" cycles, the drug has been more recently known to the mainstream, particularly through publicized stories of use by celebrities such as Victoria Beckham, Britney Spears, and Lindsay Lohan, for its off-label use as a weight-loss drug similar to usage of other sympathomimetic amines such as ephedrine, despite the lack of sufficient clinical testing either supporting or negating such use. In 2021, Odalis Santos Mena, a