DefMetalLifter
MuscleChemistry Registered Member
Recombinant Human Growth Hormone (rHGH) is without question the most expensive drug in ready use by athletes today. The financial investment necessary for this drug, which can exceed $1,000 for even a halfway decent cycle, dwarfs the costs associated with anabolic steroids. Consequently, an air of misunderstanding has come to surround this drug. To many bodybuilders personally unfamiliar, the high cost of GH is an indicator of its potency. To them, it’s thought of as the ultimate anabolic— far superior to steroids in its abilities to help one pack on muscle mass and a must for any serious bodybuilder. To others, it’s a terribly overrated bodybuilding drug— useless for building muscle and barely passable as a fat loss agent. As with most things in life, of course, we can assume the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. With this in mind, I thought it would be a good idea to take a look at some of the solid medical studies conducted with human growth hormone, detailing when possible the actual effectiveness of this drug as an anabolic, anti-catabolic and lipolytic agent.
Anabolic Potency
Studies looking at the true anabolic effectiveness of GH on trained athletes are few and far between. Only one study looking at muscle strength gains is to be found on Medline (an online database of medical studies) that meets the criteria of a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted with trained young adults. [ii] In this paper, 22 powerlifting athletes were reportedly recruited from a local health club to participate in a study on the effects of GH in trained athletes. These men all exercised for 8-14 hours per week, and had been consistent in keeping up with their routines for at least the prior six months. Of the 22 subjects, half were given a reasonable dose of rHGH (several IU’s, according to body weight) every night for six weeks, while the remaining 11 were given placebo injections. All subjects remained on a controlled low-fat/high-protein diet consisting of 1.5-2.5 grams per kilogram body weight (g/kg) of protein each day. The investigators also monitored urine samples to be sure anabolic steroids were not taken at the same time. A few people discontinued because of side effects or other unrelated reasons, so a total of 8 subjects completed the six-week course with rHGH and 10 with placebo.
Contrary to what some of the strong proponents of this drug might have suggested, the results in this study did not demonstrate GH to have a noticeable anabolic effect at all. Quadriceps and biceps strength did increase significantly for the men, but this occurred comparably for those in both the rHGH and placebo groups. As such, none of the gains could rightly be attributed to the use of growth hormone.
In a second, admittedly less ideally structured, study, seven competitive adult weight-trained male athletes were given a high dose of rHGH for two weeks.[iii] The amount used measured .04mg/kg/day, which would equate to 10IU or more for the average man weighting above 85 kilograms (187 pounds). This is quite a formidable dose, in fact, as most athletes will usually limit themselves to four to eight IU per day of drug due to its high cost and common side effects at higher doses. In this study, subjects had their levels of IGF-1 measured, which did sharply increase with the use of GH. What did not increase, however, was the measure of muscle protein synthesis. Total body protein breakdown did not change either, indicating that the drug had no significant effect at all as an anabolic agent. This study was admittedly limited in duration, however is still telling given the high dose and nature of the subjects using it.
Lipolytic Potency
We do have a lot more positive data supporting the effectiveness of growth hormone as a lipolytic (fat loss) agent. One study, for example, looked at the effect of GH on fat loss in a group of obese subjects.[iv] Twenty-four subjects between the ages of 22 and 46 participated. Half were given placebo injections, while the remaining individuals were given a relatively low dose of GH, which measured only .18IU/kg/week, or about two IU per day for the average man. This dose was, however, significant enough to cause a 1.6-fold increase in circulating IGF-1 concentrations on average. All subjects were kept on a controlled diet, as well, to be sure any losses in body fat could be attributable to the drug itself and not the level of calorie restriction.
The results here were quite impressive, with GH use causing a 1.6-fold increase in the amount of actual fat lost during the study. There was also a noticeably greater loss of visceral fat when GH was given, as well as an increase in lean body weight. This was in notable contrast to the placebo group, which as a whole lost not only fat, but lean muscle, during the study. For the group of overweight subjects, GH not only served to dramatically increase fat loss, but it also preserved, and even built, lean muscle tissue in the process.
Anti-Catabolic Potency
Another study of notable interest perhaps was one published in 2001, which looked at the anti-catabolic effects of GH on men put in a state of testosterone deficiency.[v] In this investigation, a group of healthy young men (21-23 years of age) were made selectively hypogonadotropic with the use of a GnRh analog. This suppressed testosterone levels rapidly and almost completely, putting the men in a physiological state in which maintaining normal muscle mass would be extremely difficult. This is clearly supported by previous studies in which male subjects took GnRH without the benefit of another anabolic drug, and noted a strong catabolic response to the newly diminished androgen concentrations.
However, with the use of GH, the normal catabolic response was avoided, and subjects had retained muscle tissue as if they had maintained normal levels of testosterone. The relevance to the steroid user is obvious, who is faced with selectively hypogonadotropic states all the time with the use of these agents. Perhaps we have missed a very important use of GH— as a vital post-cycle anti-catabolic drug. Certainly, this study suggests some strong possibilities.
The Big Picture
When we look closely at the above studies, I think we find solid support for making certain conclusions about human growth hormone. To begin with, the studies presented illustrate well that the anabolic activity of this drug just does not seem to be at a level that would justify calling it any type of “super anabolic.” There are other studies on different groups, such as GH deficient adults or HIV infected patients, that can still be used to support an anabolic action of this drug, and I believe this is still present regardless of the offered data. However we do need to push aside the unrealistic notions in this regard.
When we do, we still find a drug of undeniable usefulness to the bodybuilder. We see that it can be a potent fat loss drug and we can understand why some profess it to be an irreplaceable cutting agent. And just as many probably find it equally irreplaceable during bulking phases, during which the strong lipolytic activity of GH might allow one to maintain, or even increase, daily caloric intake without having to struggle as hard to keep body fat levels down.
One of the presented studies even suggests we might want to start looking closely at this drug during the post-cycle window. Perhaps we will come to find it can play an even more important role here than a classic testosterone recovery stack of HCG and Nolvadex. This article therefore closes not with a call to abandon this expensive drug, just simply some of the misinformation that can at times surround discussions about its anabolic potency.
Black Market Update
Pictured here is a pile of various “paper steroid” products from the underground “Redi Cat” operation. These paper-roids are oral steroids that were soaked into sheets of blotter paper so they can be easily mailed to the U.S. from international locations as normal correspondence letters (no tablets). The process to manufacture them is simple, actually, and involves the use of an evaporable liquid carrier that soaks into the sheets and leaves behind the steroid material. I believe Dan Duchaine would claim credit for the idea actually, as he was the first to write about it years ago. Redi-Cat boasts an extremely high success rate with its customers, assuring a very low percentage of customs seizures, even though they are shipped from Thailand (a country high on the customs alert list). The alternative for those who risk mail order, of course, is at best having a bunch of loose tablets stuffed in an envelope (not as good an option, obviously). Currently, Redi-Cat sells paper forms of methandrostenolone (Paperbol; 10mg X 100/500 square sheets), stanozolol (PaperStrol 10mg X 100/500 square sheets), oxymetholone (PaperDrol 50mg X 100 square sheets), and most recently, oxandrolone (PaperVar 10mg X 100 square sheets).
Pictured also this month is an odd and crude looking black market item called Trenaplix. Trenaplix is but one in a long line of underground trenbolone injectables. Most, including this one, are obviously manufactured from Finaplix (trenbolone acetate) cattle implant pellets. Since these pellets are available without a prescription in the U.S., the active steroid is easily obtainable. A product like Trenaplix can be quickly put together with the use of any of a number of kits sold over the Internet and designed to extract the active steroid and create a sterile solution with it. We obviously have no guarantees of sterility with a product like this, nor that there’s even the right amount of steroid in it, as the chances for it being manufactured under pharmaceutically clean and controlled conditions are extremely slim.
People still regularly use products like this though, and rarely report problems, making for a stable and demanding market of customers, apparently. (I can only assume that if these products were unpopular, we wouldn’t see so damn many of them). I think it’s still safer to go with a pharmaceutically manufactured trenbolone, such as Ttokkyo’s Trenbol. However, if you are willing to risk it, these underground versions are at times very affordable in comparison. —WL
Does Exogenous Growth Hormone Improve Athletic Performance? H. Dean. Clin J Sport Medicine 12 (2002) 250-53
[ii] Effect of Growth Hormone Treatment on Hormonal Parameters, Body Composition and Strength in athletes. Deyssig, Frisch, Blum. Acta Endocrinol 128 (1993) 313-18
[iii] Short term growth hormone treatment does not increase net protein synthesis in experienced weight lifters. Yaraeshi et al. J Appl Physiol 74 (1993) 3073-76
[iv] Low-dose growth hormone treatment with diet restriction accelerates body fat loss, exerts anabolic effect and improves growth hormone secretory dysfunction in obese adults. Kim, Nam et al. Horm Res 1999;51(2):78-84
[v] Recombinant human growth hormone and recombinant human insulin-like growth factor I diminish the catabolic effects of hypogonadism in man: metabolic and molecular effects. Hayes, Urban et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2001 May;86(5):2211-9
Black Market Update
Pictured here is a pile of various “paper steroid” products from the underground “Redi Cat” operation. These paper-roids are oral steroids that were soaked into sheets of blotter paper so they can be easily mailed to the United States from international locations as normal correspondence letters (no tablets). The process to manufacture them is simple actually, and involves the use of an evaporable liquid carrier that soaks into the sheets and leaves behind the steroid material. I believe Dan Duchaine would claim credit for the idea actually, as he was the first to write about it years ago. Redi-Cat boasts an extremely high success rate with their customers, assuring a very low percentage of customs seizures even thought they are shipped from Thailand (a county high on the customs alert list). The alternative for those who risk mail order, of course, is at best having a bunch of loose tablets stuffed in an envelope (not as good an option obviously). Currently Redi-Cat sells paper forms of methandrostenolone (Paperbol; 10mg X 100/500 square sheets), stanozolol (PaperStrol 10mg X 100/500 square sheets), oxymetholone (PaperDrol 50mg X 100 square sheets), and most recently oxandrolone (PaperVar 10mg X 100 square sheets).
Pictured also this month is an odd and crude looking black market item called Trenaplix. Trenaplix is but one in a long line of underground trenbolone injectables; most including this one obviously manufactured from Finaplix (trenbolone acetate) cattle implant pellets. Since these pellets are available without a prescription in the U.S., the active steroid is easily obtainable. A product like Trenaplix can be quickly put together with the use of any of a number of kits sold over the internet and designed to extract the active steroid and create a sterile solution with it. We obviously have no guarantees of sterility with a product like this, nor that there is even the right amount of steroid in it, as the chances for it being manufactured under pharmaceutically clean and controlled conditions are extremely slim. People still regularly use products like this though and rarely report problems, making for a stable and demanding market of customers apparently (I can only assume if these products were unpopular we wouldn’t see so damn many of them). I think it still safer to go with a pharmaceutically manufactured trenbolone such as Ttokkyo’s Trenbol, however if you are willing to risk it these underground version are at times very affordable in comparison. -WL
Anabolic Potency
Studies looking at the true anabolic effectiveness of GH on trained athletes are few and far between. Only one study looking at muscle strength gains is to be found on Medline (an online database of medical studies) that meets the criteria of a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted with trained young adults. [ii] In this paper, 22 powerlifting athletes were reportedly recruited from a local health club to participate in a study on the effects of GH in trained athletes. These men all exercised for 8-14 hours per week, and had been consistent in keeping up with their routines for at least the prior six months. Of the 22 subjects, half were given a reasonable dose of rHGH (several IU’s, according to body weight) every night for six weeks, while the remaining 11 were given placebo injections. All subjects remained on a controlled low-fat/high-protein diet consisting of 1.5-2.5 grams per kilogram body weight (g/kg) of protein each day. The investigators also monitored urine samples to be sure anabolic steroids were not taken at the same time. A few people discontinued because of side effects or other unrelated reasons, so a total of 8 subjects completed the six-week course with rHGH and 10 with placebo.
Contrary to what some of the strong proponents of this drug might have suggested, the results in this study did not demonstrate GH to have a noticeable anabolic effect at all. Quadriceps and biceps strength did increase significantly for the men, but this occurred comparably for those in both the rHGH and placebo groups. As such, none of the gains could rightly be attributed to the use of growth hormone.
In a second, admittedly less ideally structured, study, seven competitive adult weight-trained male athletes were given a high dose of rHGH for two weeks.[iii] The amount used measured .04mg/kg/day, which would equate to 10IU or more for the average man weighting above 85 kilograms (187 pounds). This is quite a formidable dose, in fact, as most athletes will usually limit themselves to four to eight IU per day of drug due to its high cost and common side effects at higher doses. In this study, subjects had their levels of IGF-1 measured, which did sharply increase with the use of GH. What did not increase, however, was the measure of muscle protein synthesis. Total body protein breakdown did not change either, indicating that the drug had no significant effect at all as an anabolic agent. This study was admittedly limited in duration, however is still telling given the high dose and nature of the subjects using it.
Lipolytic Potency
We do have a lot more positive data supporting the effectiveness of growth hormone as a lipolytic (fat loss) agent. One study, for example, looked at the effect of GH on fat loss in a group of obese subjects.[iv] Twenty-four subjects between the ages of 22 and 46 participated. Half were given placebo injections, while the remaining individuals were given a relatively low dose of GH, which measured only .18IU/kg/week, or about two IU per day for the average man. This dose was, however, significant enough to cause a 1.6-fold increase in circulating IGF-1 concentrations on average. All subjects were kept on a controlled diet, as well, to be sure any losses in body fat could be attributable to the drug itself and not the level of calorie restriction.
The results here were quite impressive, with GH use causing a 1.6-fold increase in the amount of actual fat lost during the study. There was also a noticeably greater loss of visceral fat when GH was given, as well as an increase in lean body weight. This was in notable contrast to the placebo group, which as a whole lost not only fat, but lean muscle, during the study. For the group of overweight subjects, GH not only served to dramatically increase fat loss, but it also preserved, and even built, lean muscle tissue in the process.
Anti-Catabolic Potency
Another study of notable interest perhaps was one published in 2001, which looked at the anti-catabolic effects of GH on men put in a state of testosterone deficiency.[v] In this investigation, a group of healthy young men (21-23 years of age) were made selectively hypogonadotropic with the use of a GnRh analog. This suppressed testosterone levels rapidly and almost completely, putting the men in a physiological state in which maintaining normal muscle mass would be extremely difficult. This is clearly supported by previous studies in which male subjects took GnRH without the benefit of another anabolic drug, and noted a strong catabolic response to the newly diminished androgen concentrations.
However, with the use of GH, the normal catabolic response was avoided, and subjects had retained muscle tissue as if they had maintained normal levels of testosterone. The relevance to the steroid user is obvious, who is faced with selectively hypogonadotropic states all the time with the use of these agents. Perhaps we have missed a very important use of GH— as a vital post-cycle anti-catabolic drug. Certainly, this study suggests some strong possibilities.
The Big Picture
When we look closely at the above studies, I think we find solid support for making certain conclusions about human growth hormone. To begin with, the studies presented illustrate well that the anabolic activity of this drug just does not seem to be at a level that would justify calling it any type of “super anabolic.” There are other studies on different groups, such as GH deficient adults or HIV infected patients, that can still be used to support an anabolic action of this drug, and I believe this is still present regardless of the offered data. However we do need to push aside the unrealistic notions in this regard.
When we do, we still find a drug of undeniable usefulness to the bodybuilder. We see that it can be a potent fat loss drug and we can understand why some profess it to be an irreplaceable cutting agent. And just as many probably find it equally irreplaceable during bulking phases, during which the strong lipolytic activity of GH might allow one to maintain, or even increase, daily caloric intake without having to struggle as hard to keep body fat levels down.
One of the presented studies even suggests we might want to start looking closely at this drug during the post-cycle window. Perhaps we will come to find it can play an even more important role here than a classic testosterone recovery stack of HCG and Nolvadex. This article therefore closes not with a call to abandon this expensive drug, just simply some of the misinformation that can at times surround discussions about its anabolic potency.
Black Market Update
Pictured here is a pile of various “paper steroid” products from the underground “Redi Cat” operation. These paper-roids are oral steroids that were soaked into sheets of blotter paper so they can be easily mailed to the U.S. from international locations as normal correspondence letters (no tablets). The process to manufacture them is simple, actually, and involves the use of an evaporable liquid carrier that soaks into the sheets and leaves behind the steroid material. I believe Dan Duchaine would claim credit for the idea actually, as he was the first to write about it years ago. Redi-Cat boasts an extremely high success rate with its customers, assuring a very low percentage of customs seizures, even though they are shipped from Thailand (a country high on the customs alert list). The alternative for those who risk mail order, of course, is at best having a bunch of loose tablets stuffed in an envelope (not as good an option, obviously). Currently, Redi-Cat sells paper forms of methandrostenolone (Paperbol; 10mg X 100/500 square sheets), stanozolol (PaperStrol 10mg X 100/500 square sheets), oxymetholone (PaperDrol 50mg X 100 square sheets), and most recently, oxandrolone (PaperVar 10mg X 100 square sheets).
Pictured also this month is an odd and crude looking black market item called Trenaplix. Trenaplix is but one in a long line of underground trenbolone injectables. Most, including this one, are obviously manufactured from Finaplix (trenbolone acetate) cattle implant pellets. Since these pellets are available without a prescription in the U.S., the active steroid is easily obtainable. A product like Trenaplix can be quickly put together with the use of any of a number of kits sold over the Internet and designed to extract the active steroid and create a sterile solution with it. We obviously have no guarantees of sterility with a product like this, nor that there’s even the right amount of steroid in it, as the chances for it being manufactured under pharmaceutically clean and controlled conditions are extremely slim.
People still regularly use products like this though, and rarely report problems, making for a stable and demanding market of customers, apparently. (I can only assume that if these products were unpopular, we wouldn’t see so damn many of them). I think it’s still safer to go with a pharmaceutically manufactured trenbolone, such as Ttokkyo’s Trenbol. However, if you are willing to risk it, these underground versions are at times very affordable in comparison. —WL
Does Exogenous Growth Hormone Improve Athletic Performance? H. Dean. Clin J Sport Medicine 12 (2002) 250-53
[ii] Effect of Growth Hormone Treatment on Hormonal Parameters, Body Composition and Strength in athletes. Deyssig, Frisch, Blum. Acta Endocrinol 128 (1993) 313-18
[iii] Short term growth hormone treatment does not increase net protein synthesis in experienced weight lifters. Yaraeshi et al. J Appl Physiol 74 (1993) 3073-76
[iv] Low-dose growth hormone treatment with diet restriction accelerates body fat loss, exerts anabolic effect and improves growth hormone secretory dysfunction in obese adults. Kim, Nam et al. Horm Res 1999;51(2):78-84
[v] Recombinant human growth hormone and recombinant human insulin-like growth factor I diminish the catabolic effects of hypogonadism in man: metabolic and molecular effects. Hayes, Urban et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2001 May;86(5):2211-9
Black Market Update
Pictured here is a pile of various “paper steroid” products from the underground “Redi Cat” operation. These paper-roids are oral steroids that were soaked into sheets of blotter paper so they can be easily mailed to the United States from international locations as normal correspondence letters (no tablets). The process to manufacture them is simple actually, and involves the use of an evaporable liquid carrier that soaks into the sheets and leaves behind the steroid material. I believe Dan Duchaine would claim credit for the idea actually, as he was the first to write about it years ago. Redi-Cat boasts an extremely high success rate with their customers, assuring a very low percentage of customs seizures even thought they are shipped from Thailand (a county high on the customs alert list). The alternative for those who risk mail order, of course, is at best having a bunch of loose tablets stuffed in an envelope (not as good an option obviously). Currently Redi-Cat sells paper forms of methandrostenolone (Paperbol; 10mg X 100/500 square sheets), stanozolol (PaperStrol 10mg X 100/500 square sheets), oxymetholone (PaperDrol 50mg X 100 square sheets), and most recently oxandrolone (PaperVar 10mg X 100 square sheets).
Pictured also this month is an odd and crude looking black market item called Trenaplix. Trenaplix is but one in a long line of underground trenbolone injectables; most including this one obviously manufactured from Finaplix (trenbolone acetate) cattle implant pellets. Since these pellets are available without a prescription in the U.S., the active steroid is easily obtainable. A product like Trenaplix can be quickly put together with the use of any of a number of kits sold over the internet and designed to extract the active steroid and create a sterile solution with it. We obviously have no guarantees of sterility with a product like this, nor that there is even the right amount of steroid in it, as the chances for it being manufactured under pharmaceutically clean and controlled conditions are extremely slim. People still regularly use products like this though and rarely report problems, making for a stable and demanding market of customers apparently (I can only assume if these products were unpopular we wouldn’t see so damn many of them). I think it still safer to go with a pharmaceutically manufactured trenbolone such as Ttokkyo’s Trenbol, however if you are willing to risk it these underground version are at times very affordable in comparison. -WL
