crankin'stein
New member
OK. You guys better appreciate me typing this out for you. This is the info he shared after being asked a question in his column in MD this month.
Yes it is long.... but it took me for ever to type it out.... and it is a GREAT read!! So get reading!
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IGF-1, as the name implies, is an extremely anabolic hormone that has insulin-like actions (i.e. it shuttles nutrients, specifically amino acids and glucose, into the muscle cells where they can be synthesized into new muscle tissue.) When bodybuilders take growth hormone injections, they are not injecting a pure growth stimulus - they are taking a stimululating or releasing factor. It is for this reason that high dosing of GH is not necessarily going to result in more growth. Growth is limited by the amount of IGF-1 the liver can produce in response to any given dosage of GH. IGF-1 has been synthetically synthesized (using similar technology as that used to make GH) to circumvent the shortcomings that are associated with GH-mediated IGF-1 production in the liver. If we try to maxamize the output of IGF-1 in order to further increase muscle mass, it becomes much easier to just administer IGF-1 directly. In persuit of this goal, scientists began to study the pysiology and pharmacology of the hormone IGF-1. What they found was that IGF-1 circulates in the bloodstream (99 percent) bound to specific binding proteins. It is the remaining unbound or free (1 percent) of the IGF-1 that causes the anticipated muscle cell hyperplasia. (The bound 99 percent is essentially wasted).In order to combat this phenomenon of the binding proteins "stealing" our precious IGF-1, scientists have chemically altered the original IGF-1 molecule and have added chemically bound side chains, thus creating a new hormone known as LONG R3 IGF-1. (The long R3 refers to the three long side chains that have been added to the original molecule). These large, space-occupying, side chains are attached to the IGF-1 molecule to prevent these blood born binding proteins from "snatching" up and inactivating the IGF-1. For the last several years, most bodybuilders who were privy enough to get their hands on synthetically produced IGF-1 have been using the Long R3 IGF-1 variety thinking it will last longer in your body (12 hours opposed to 20 minutes). Also, that more of it will be available (unbound) to help build and repair muscle. The theory is essentially correct, however, what bodybuilders started noticing after extended usage of Long R3 IGF-1 was that it stopped working as effectively after about 4 weeks.
I began to keep notes and I worked out a system by which bodybuilders would inject Long R3 IGF-1 [about 10-20 mcg] within 15 mins following a workout so the IGF-1 could circulate and locate these newly produced IGF-1 receptors on the damaged muscle cell membranes. (These new receptors appear as a direct result of damage induced by intense weight training and muscular trauma). It is at these damaged cells that the body increases the number of IGF-1 recpetors so it can signal where the muscle repairs must be performed. (This is why muscle cells grow, preferentially, and not bone tissue or internal organs, as rumoured).
However, as the dosage of IGF-1 increases above the suggested 10-20mcg per day, the IGF-1 muscle cell receptors become saturated and now all this excess IGF-1 goes straight to the highest naturally occuring concentration of IGF-1 receptors - The extremisties (i.e feet, hands and facial bones). Thereby, side effects such as shoe and hand size increases and facial bone thickening can occur. Additionally, high Long R3 IGF-1 dosing will lead to decreases in muscle cell IGF-1 receptors, thus diminishing the results seen with Long R3 IGF-1 usage over time. In summation, empiracal evidence has shown that 10-20mcg per day of Long R3 IGF-1 causes significant muscle cell hyperplasia and will continue to do so extremely effectively for approximately 30 days.
Even with conservative amounts of Long R3 IGF-1, the hormone still stops functioning after a perios of time. Therefore, I usually suggest that bodybuilders take a two to four week "holiday" off the Long R3 IGF-1 after every 30 day course of administration.
PHEW..... Now that was a great response to a question about IGF-1!!!
Yes it is long.... but it took me for ever to type it out.... and it is a GREAT read!! So get reading!
----------------------------------------------------
IGF-1, as the name implies, is an extremely anabolic hormone that has insulin-like actions (i.e. it shuttles nutrients, specifically amino acids and glucose, into the muscle cells where they can be synthesized into new muscle tissue.) When bodybuilders take growth hormone injections, they are not injecting a pure growth stimulus - they are taking a stimululating or releasing factor. It is for this reason that high dosing of GH is not necessarily going to result in more growth. Growth is limited by the amount of IGF-1 the liver can produce in response to any given dosage of GH. IGF-1 has been synthetically synthesized (using similar technology as that used to make GH) to circumvent the shortcomings that are associated with GH-mediated IGF-1 production in the liver. If we try to maxamize the output of IGF-1 in order to further increase muscle mass, it becomes much easier to just administer IGF-1 directly. In persuit of this goal, scientists began to study the pysiology and pharmacology of the hormone IGF-1. What they found was that IGF-1 circulates in the bloodstream (99 percent) bound to specific binding proteins. It is the remaining unbound or free (1 percent) of the IGF-1 that causes the anticipated muscle cell hyperplasia. (The bound 99 percent is essentially wasted).In order to combat this phenomenon of the binding proteins "stealing" our precious IGF-1, scientists have chemically altered the original IGF-1 molecule and have added chemically bound side chains, thus creating a new hormone known as LONG R3 IGF-1. (The long R3 refers to the three long side chains that have been added to the original molecule). These large, space-occupying, side chains are attached to the IGF-1 molecule to prevent these blood born binding proteins from "snatching" up and inactivating the IGF-1. For the last several years, most bodybuilders who were privy enough to get their hands on synthetically produced IGF-1 have been using the Long R3 IGF-1 variety thinking it will last longer in your body (12 hours opposed to 20 minutes). Also, that more of it will be available (unbound) to help build and repair muscle. The theory is essentially correct, however, what bodybuilders started noticing after extended usage of Long R3 IGF-1 was that it stopped working as effectively after about 4 weeks.
I began to keep notes and I worked out a system by which bodybuilders would inject Long R3 IGF-1 [about 10-20 mcg] within 15 mins following a workout so the IGF-1 could circulate and locate these newly produced IGF-1 receptors on the damaged muscle cell membranes. (These new receptors appear as a direct result of damage induced by intense weight training and muscular trauma). It is at these damaged cells that the body increases the number of IGF-1 recpetors so it can signal where the muscle repairs must be performed. (This is why muscle cells grow, preferentially, and not bone tissue or internal organs, as rumoured).
However, as the dosage of IGF-1 increases above the suggested 10-20mcg per day, the IGF-1 muscle cell receptors become saturated and now all this excess IGF-1 goes straight to the highest naturally occuring concentration of IGF-1 receptors - The extremisties (i.e feet, hands and facial bones). Thereby, side effects such as shoe and hand size increases and facial bone thickening can occur. Additionally, high Long R3 IGF-1 dosing will lead to decreases in muscle cell IGF-1 receptors, thus diminishing the results seen with Long R3 IGF-1 usage over time. In summation, empiracal evidence has shown that 10-20mcg per day of Long R3 IGF-1 causes significant muscle cell hyperplasia and will continue to do so extremely effectively for approximately 30 days.
Even with conservative amounts of Long R3 IGF-1, the hormone still stops functioning after a perios of time. Therefore, I usually suggest that bodybuilders take a two to four week "holiday" off the Long R3 IGF-1 after every 30 day course of administration.
PHEW..... Now that was a great response to a question about IGF-1!!!
