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Buffalo
07-07-2014, 03:58 PM
Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) is the single most powerful synthetically produced hormone available to date. IGF-1 has the unique and remarkable ability to influence muscle cell hyperplasia (i.e. the synthesis of new muscle cells-- a phenomenon once thought impossible until only a few years ago). In the following paragraphs I will examine IGF-1's role in the human body, how it is naturally produced in the liver, how it can be taken exogenously, and the various forms that are now available to the scientific and (through backdoor means) bodybuilding community.

PHYSIOLOGY OF GROWTH:

The hypothalamus gland (located in the brain) sends signals to another brain-based gland known as the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland, in turn, releases a variety of hormones (or signaling hormones, as I like to call them). The signaling hormone of interest in this article is known as growth hormone (GH). Growth hormone, while possessing some very impressive fat mobilizing effects on its own, also possesses an important "signaling" hormone role in the human body thus essentially classifying it as a "dual" functioning hormone (e.g.. It directly metabolizes stored adipose tissue and it indirectly acts as a signaling compound to cause the release of another very important hormone, IGF-1, from the liver).

Insulin-like growth factor-1:

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 then be synthesized into new muscle tissue). When bodybuilders take growth hormone injections, they are not injecting a pure growth stimulus-- they are taking a stimulating or releasing factor. It is for this very reason that high dosing of GH is not necessarily going to result in more growth-- growth is limited by the amount of IGF-1 that the liver can produce in response to any given dosage of GH. Knowing this little bit of endocrinology, it becomes apparent that there must be an ideal GH dosage whereby IGF-1 release will be maximized by the liver and any further GH administration will be a waste (from an anabolic standpoint); however, fat burning effects may continue indefinitely with additional GH injections. Given my vast experience working with both pioneering life extension doctors and top ranked competitive bodybuilders, I feel safe in predicting that an ideal dosage of GH is in the range of 2-6 IU's per day. As the amount of injected GH increases over 6 IU's, the liver seems to lose its ability produce anymore IGF-1 (i.e. maximal IGF-1 release seems to occur at an injected GH level of 6 IU's). This suggestion is based on the assumption that the GH user has a liver that is fully functional. It is known those liver toxic substances such as alcohol and barbiturates can blunt the efficiency of IGF-1 release. It has also recently been shown that the anti-estrogenic compound, Nolvadex (tamoxifen), can decrease the output of IGF-1 in the liver. IGF-1 has been synthetically synthesized (using similar technology to 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 maximize the output of IGF-1 in order to further increase muscle mass, it becomes much easier to just administer IGF-1 directly? In pursuit of this goal, scientists began to study the physiology and pharmacology of the hormone, IGF-1. What they found was that IGF-1 circulates in the bloodstream (99%) bound to specific binding proteins. It is the remaining unbound or FREE (1%) of the IGF-1 that actually causes the anticipated muscle cell hyperplasia (the bound 99% 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 3 long side chains that have been added to the original molecule). These large, space occupying, side chains are attached to the IGF-1 molecule prevent these blood borne binding proteins (BP's) from "snatching" up and inactivating the IGF-1. For the last several years, most bodybuilders that were privy enough to get their hands on synthetically produced IGF-1 have been using the Long R3 IGF-1 variety thinking that it will last longer in the body (12 hours as opposed to 20 minutes) and that more of it will 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 10-20mcg (micrograms)] within 15 minutes following a workout so that 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 receptors so that 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 rumored). 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 occurring concentration of IGF-1 receptors-- the extremities (i.e. Feet, hands, and facial bones), whereby, side effects like 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. Therefore, 10-20mcg per day of Long R3 IGF-1 will cause significant muscle cell hyperplasia and it 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 period of time, therefore, I usually suggest that bodybuilders take a 2-4 week "holiday" off the Long R3 IGF-1 after every 30 day course of administration. Another reason that Long R3 IGF-1 may stop working is that the Long R3 IGF-1 is not an exact match for that found in nature (it has the added side chain), therefore, a person's immune system may launch an immune response (producing neutralizing antibodies) against what it perceives as a foreign human hormone. To combat this phenomenon, some scientists suggest that, instead of using Long R3 IGF-1, you should inject pure, unadulterated, IGF-1 in small amounts (10-20mcg) all day long (perhaps 2-3 times). The need for low dose, frequent injections, is because pure IGF-1 only lasts 20-60minutes in the body and too high of an IGF-1 dose can result in receptor downgrade. On the positive side, when using pure IGF-1, no neutralizing (inactivating) antibodies are produced by the immune system. Many people ask me "how and what" to mix the powdered IGF-1 with? Should I add human serum albumin? What about adding HCl? Should I keep my IGF-1 and GH in the freezer? First off, human serum albumin (HSA) is only added to IGF-1 mixtures that will be used in a "serum free environment" (as the pamphlet states). Cell culture is a serum free environment. Human blood vessels contain albumin; therefore, it is NOT a serum free environment, as thus you do NOT need to add human serum albumin to your IGF-1 mixture. Secondly, the addition of 10mM HCL (an acid) to the IGF-1 vial is suggested so that the IGF-1 molecules will not stick to the glass of the vial. Do I suggest using it? No. The amount of IGF-1 that is lost in the crevices of the glass vial is negligent compared to the disaster that can occur if you add too much HCl to your IGF-1 solution (it will destroy the entire IGF-1 mixture). Thirdly, IGF-1, unlike growth hormone, CAN be frozen (freezing does not harm the IGF-1 molecule like it does to the complex GH molecule). Why am I telling you this? When you mix up a bottle of powdered IGF-1, instead of just storing it in the refrigerator until its used up (which can be up to 100 days with the 1mg bottles), you should freeze most of it so that it will not degrade as fast. My suggestion is to freeze anything over a thirty-day supply of IGF-1.

WHAT ABOUT INSULIN?

IGF-1 has insulin-like effects in the body (i.e. It pushes nutrients into the muscle cells), therefore, when administering IGF-1, there is a decreased need for insulin [The opposite occurs when you take growth hormone since GH creates a state of insulin resistance, which requires that you take more insulin to compensate]. Many people still feel that you need to take insulin with IGF-1 but that is mostly because users of IGF-1 are also taking large amounts of GH. It is the GH that prevents insulin from reaching its target tissues. In GH-using individuals who become very insulin resistant (due to low natural levels of insulin secretion-- these people are typically lean people to begin with), insulin supplementation is completely warranted so that they can adequately absorb their food; however, in individuals that overproduce insulin (these people typically gain weight-muscle and fat-- easily) under normal circumstances, these people do NOT require supplemental insulin. GH administration among these "over-secretors" may, in fact, make them "normal" to a point that their insulin secretion is now adequate to induce growth but not to store fat.

IGF-1 and GROWTH HORMONE?

Is it necessary to inject GH while cycling IGF-1? Despite claims by some so-called "experts", there is absolutely no reason why one should get a better growth response by using GH with IGF-1. As far as I can see in all my research, IGF-1 is the intermediary (known as somatomedin-C) hormone that is responsible for initiating hyperplasia in the muscle cell. GH has no scientifically proven direct effect on muscle growth-- all of its growth-promoting effects are indirectly initiated via IGF-1 release from the liver. There is some new research that hypothesizes the possibility of a G2 receptor which when bound with GH would initiate a hyperplastic growth similar to that seen with IGF-1. If this hypothesis proves to be true then it would make sense, perhaps, to take a low maintenance dose of GH while cycling IGF-1. I would suggest taking 2IU's of GH in the morning (immediately upon rising) with 10-20mcg of IGF-1 within 15 minutes after training.

IGF-1 and THYROID HORMONE?

What happens to the thyroid gland in people who self-administer IGF-1? Interestingly enough, IGF-1 users usually have high T3 (the active thyroid hormone) levels on Thyroid Function Tests (TFT's). This is contrary to what is seen in patients on GH therapy-they usually have low T3 and normal to high T4 (inactive thyroid hormone) levels probably due to the body's constant yearning to maintain homeostasis (i.e. As the metabolic rate of the GH user increases-due to GH's direct fat mobilizing effect-the lower the body will adjust the T3 level so that it will not "burn up"). IGF-1 users experience an increase in metabolic rate related to the increase in T3 levels (i.e. IGF-1 causes more T4-inactive thyroid-to be converted to T3-active thyroid-thus indirectly increasing the users metabolic rate). When performing a TFT, the IGF-1 user will show elevated T3 and elevated T3 uptake (i.e. the excess T3 that gets converted back into T4) demonstrating firsthand how the supercharged metabolic rate of the IGF-1 user is in part responsible for the greatly increased anabolic rate.

guardianactual
07-07-2014, 05:14 PM
Higher T3? Hmmm is this why post administration I'm hungry?

Buffalo
07-07-2014, 05:54 PM
Higher T3? Hmmm is this why post administration I'm hungry?

I never notice it too much because I'm usually eating right after too.

guardianactual
07-07-2014, 05:59 PM
I eat b4 like 1.5-2 hrs then IGF1 100-250mcg then eat again w/in say an hr I'm starving... Unless I take a preW/O then it's ifry. IGF1 also, for me, creates carb cravings... And I indulge alil but lose fat. If I administrator in the AM when my appetite is low it kicks in. Not to the degree of GHRP-2/6 but it's def increased... I never used T3 but I used T2 the OTC version & it does the same. Def a game changer I just cant wait to use it w/ AAS.

Gurhka
07-08-2014, 04:24 AM
Great post. I'm thinking about giving it a try. Have you had any negative sides? WHat would you do differently?

DefMetalLifter
07-08-2014, 11:51 AM
Great post


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Buffalo
07-08-2014, 12:24 PM
I eat b4 like 1.5-2 hrs then IGF1 100-250mcg then eat again w/in say an hr I'm starving... Unless I take a preW/O then it's ifry. IGF1 also, for me, creates carb cravings... And I indulge alil but lose fat. If I administrator in the AM when my appetite is low it kicks in. Not to the degree of GHRP-2/6 but it's def increased... I never used T3 but I used T2 the OTC version & it does the same. Def a game changer I just cant wait to use it w/ AAS.

Never done it in the am. I usually apply it post workout on my bi's, tri's or chest and then on my abs before bed.