First Female-Driven IGF-1 Research

Ok, Let's set the stage here. The product is IGF-1 Long, from MuscleChemistry, and is being stored in the freezer. I plan on doing 40-50mcg a day in the morning. I am continuing on a high protein, mod fat (EFA's), low (not zero) carb diet because typically this works best for me. My goal: hmmm, a bit complicated. Aesthetically I am using it for cutting - decrease body fat, gain a bit of muscle mass. However it's more than just that. I own my own biz and went through a really intense year of high stress = 18 hr days, 1.5 hrs training a day, and as you can imagine, about 4 hours sleep. At the end of that period my body crashed... my adrenals were BURNT, which affected my endocrine system, energy, metabolism and then some. It's been about 5-6 months yet ,my body is still in repair. I wanted to take the IGF because I knew it would also speed up this process (since it is derived from GH). So in essence, my main goal is BF loss, but I am looking forward to other benefits.

Stats: 5'3, Mesomorph. 26 yrs old.
Normally between 112 and 115 at 14% BF, but have gone up to 125/126 and ? BF over the past few months. I have never taken any AAS and am currently taking IGF alone. I now train 5 days a week (2 days on 1 day off), about 45 min weight with Praetorian and 30 min cardio. I started walking in the morning for 20 min as soon as I wake up B4 breakfast. I think that's about all the variables we need to consider...

Ok, now to the good stuff

I started yesterday. Day 1) Didn't feel a thing except perhaps a bit tired - hard to tell because I didn't get much sleep the night before.

Day 2) Today. Still, no fatigue, no hunger pangs. In fact, I found it to be a bit of an appetite suppressant if you can believe that.
Went to the gym to do Quads and Calves and I felt a pump like you wouldn't believe. IT was great. I injured my back a few weeks ago so I have been going easy with the weights, but this time I had the strength to squat 95 lbs (which was the weight I was pushing prior to the injury).
Now... for me to get such a pump I imagine that blood is pumping through my veins and a faster rate right? With regard to that, when I was working out, I also felt that my heart was pumping HARDER if that makes sense. Definite side effect of IGF. I take a deep breath before I push a weight and hold that breath almost throughout the movement in order to stabilize my body and use all my strength so I definately felt the blood pumping through - my heart almost felt 'strained'. Anyone else get that feeling on this? Women in general are more prone to heart palpitations so it may not be a side effect that you guys would notice.

My prediction? I think IGF will react very different with women. I think it's something that works synergistically with anabolics and those doing it alone are at an advantage, however I do presume that I will be able to gain some muscle on this. As for fat loss, minimal. But that's my hypothesis. Comments?

can't wait to see the results I have a female lab rat that I think might benifit from this

oops, I meant those doing it alone are at a 'DISadvantage'. Also, one more thing, perhaps it is the dosage, but it makes me a bit light headed and 'cloudy'. I can't concentrate as well.

Definite mood enhancement too....... of course, it always puts you in a better mood when you feel you are 'doing something' to make a change in your life, body, health.. etc

how far into the IGF run is your test >?

Today is the second day. I will run it straight for as long as I can (about 21-25 days)

thats cool I really would like to know how this goes for you !

best of luck !

Thanks If it inspires me to take some pics I'll post them

;-)

if you can take some b4 pics as well just to see the diffrence !

I have also felt a bit of a lightheaded type feeling when I started out. This went away after a week. Hunger took about 3 day's to notice and tired was almost immediate from what I remember.
The pumps are incredible huh, in a little over a week you should begin to notice fat loss and a change in your muscle structure. Please keep us updated !!

Sweet! I hope so. Choke03 - were u using any anabolics, or did it by itself. I think it reacts the same, but is just intensified (a lot) w/AAS. The pumps themselves makes things worthwhile. I still feel pumped even hours after my workout.

Very interesting post. I can tell you are well versed and well read. It took me about day 4 or 5 post workout, then I noticed a huge increase in hunger. The pumps came early for me, however I was in the tail end of a bulker. Toward the 2nd week, my forearms hurt all the time. Like I just did curls. Biceps always felt full. Very odd sensation. Mood enhancement is a great sign, I also got lethargic. Keep up the journal, glad you are here!!

Thanks. I did at least 8 weeks of intense research before starting this.
Some thoughts on women and IGF:
1) as for the 'cancer-connection' I'm putting it in perspective, and I think others should too. Also, there is no history of breast cancer (whew!) or such in my family history. I think this is a big scare for many women thinking of IGF.
2) I don't think there is really such a thing as a non-responder, I think there are just different levels of response.
3) For those wondering how I came up with this dosage (50 mcg), which is basically what most men are doing, I considered the following chart. I think I originally found it on this site. Women have the same, if not more at some points, of IGF-1 levels circulating in their blood than men, so essentially I think it is fruitless for a woman to do 10-20 mcg. My 2 cents.

TABLE 1: IGF-1 concentrations by age
AGE (M)ALE (F)EMALE

2 months-5 years
(M)17-248 ng/ml (F)17-248 ng/ml

6-8 years
(M) 88-474 ng/ml (F)88-474 ng/ml

9-11 years
(M)110-565 ng/ml (F)117-771 ng/ml

12-15 years
(M)202-957 ng/ml (F)261-1096 ng/ml

16-24
(M)182-780 ng/ml (F)182-780 ng/ml

25-39
(M)114-492 ng/ml (F)114-492 ng/ml

40-54
(M)90-360 ng/ml (F)90-360 ng/ml

55 years and older
(M)71-290 ng/ml (F)71-290 ng/ml

I was on at the time, but I could easily notice the positive effects it had on me, it was like nothing I had ever fealt before. Unfortunately I had a pretty serious injury which made me cut my research short but I can not wait to recover and start up again.

You are a great addition to MC, very happy you are taking the time and sharing your experience with us and I hope you stick around

"Women have the same, if not more at some points, of IGF-1 levels circulating in their blood than men, so essentially I think it is fruitless for a woman to do 10-20 mcg. My 2 cents. "

Actually, this would be incorrect.

Your chart is not applicable to this situation as it only compares ng/ml between men and women.

You seem like an intelligent person so I will let you figure it out for yourself but here's a hint. 8%

And therefore, whatever results or effects you notice at 50mcg's/day, would require roughly 100mcg's/day for a good sized male BB to notice. The males here reporting various benefits at 50mcg/day could be achieved by you at 25mcg/day.

Please don't take this in a negative way as I too am very happy to see a woman here utilizing IGF and reporting its effects.

Best regards,

MaxRep

No offense taken. Granted there are weight differences here. It's all relative though. I will probrably stick with about 40 mcg the whole way through. If my body was in perfect health (as per my original post) I might do 25 mcg, but I think your general state of health and how things are functioning affect the result of IGF - so that's why I am taking a 'higher' dose. In terms of other non-responders, one variable to take into consideration is whether are not their body had reached homeostatis or whether they were coming off a cycle, etc etc. AKA timing. Nothing scientific to found this theory, just a feeling.

Day 3) Didn't have as much strength today, but my Quads were still wiped from yesterday's workout. Did Hams and Shoulders today at the gym with a pump in my hams but not really my shoulders. Go figure. Took a nap that knocked me out in the afternoon and am feeling really nauseas right now. Otherwise no other changes. Appetite is still relatively dulled.

From Scorpiochiq:

Day 4 - mid day) First I have to say that it is official, this works as an appetite suppressant. I am literally forcing myself to intake more than a couple protein shakes throughout the day. Yesterday night my Quads were so hard and you could feel the seperation, this stuff is amazing. As for today, it's 1pm, mood is still really good, I had just a shake so far and am not hungry at all, but will try and eat some chicken. Might be a tad leaner, but it is hard to say. More like.... I FEEL leaner because I FEEL harder. BTW, this stuff is giving me quite a bit of energy. I was feeling really lethargic because of the weather and time change before but now I feel great.

I don't want to seem overly critical but so far, everything you're reporting is very subjective, and when this is all over, will not end up being very useful.

As I read through your feelings for your first 4 days, what first comes to mind is that what you're reporting could have any one of numerous causes. To say all these things are the direct result of the IGF, is possible but unlikely. Things like mood changes, as I think you already suggested, would not be directly due to the IGF.

A friendly suggestion is to try and set this up in a more objective manner, so that at the end, there will be hard facts instead of just feelings.

Example

1. beginning weight and weight measurements on a weekly basis.
2. beginning BF% and ending BF%
3. bench, squat, curl, etc., beginning poundages for x reps and ending poundages for same x reps.
4. measure caloric intake and protein/carb/fat breakdown on a daily basis.

This is just a quick example of objective measures and you may choose to do others. The point is, without objective measurements, will you really know if the IGF was worth it or what its effects are, when the cycle is over? Or will you just have a general feeling with nothing to back it up?

This may all seem onerous but is really much easier to do and takes much less time than it seems. And, when your cycle is over, you'll have hard facts from which to develop an intelligent opinion.

Best regards,
MaxRep

I am monitering two close personal friends, both female, who are starting IGF-1 at 20mcg daily. both are ahrd core lifters who have used anavar and primo on two occasions each. I will keep all informed of their progress.

squatter

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MaxRep said:

I don't want to seem overly critical but so far, everything you're reporting is very subjective, and when this is all over, will not end up being very useful.

As I read through your feelings for your first 4 days, what first comes to mind is that what you're reporting could have any one of numerous causes. To say all these things are the direct result of the IGF, is possible but unlikely. Things like mood changes, as I think you already suggested, would not be directly due to the IGF.

A friendly suggestion is to try and set this up in a more objective manner, so that at the end, there will be hard facts instead of just feelings.

Example

1. beginning weight and weight measurements on a weekly basis.
2. beginning BF% and ending BF%
3. bench, squat, curl, etc., beginning poundages for x reps and ending poundages for same x reps.
4. measure caloric intake and protein/carb/fat breakdown on a daily basis.

This is just a quick example of objective measures and you may choose to do others. The point is, without objective measurements, will you really know if the IGF was worth it or what its effects are, when the cycle is over? Or will you just have a general feeling with nothing to back it up?

This may all seem onerous but is really much easier to do and takes much less time than it seems. And, when your cycle is over, you'll have hard facts from which to develop an intelligent opinion.

Best regards,
MaxRep

Click to expand...

Some good points are made, as to the scientific efficacy of the experiment this it true. I think subjective effects may be a result of many things but the "entire" scope of using IGF-1 is a result of unmistakable evidence gained thru subjective observation. As well the accuracy of these measurements must also be taken into consideration as they can "lead" the experiment. I agree with true scientific experiments using placebo and control groups to support any changes seen or measured. But if this is necessary to record changes when using IGF-1 then it is a complete waste of time and money to be using the product. I believe most members on this board and others are looking for substantial changes in LBM and body comp..not subtle changes requiring exact measurement. These measuremant will no doubt give a true representation of the experiment but most people could care less what the scale says or what a fat caliper says...what most people want is to "see" dramatic changes. These changes are what has driven us to experiement ourselves. If someone said they measured a % changes in bf and gained lbs of muscle but couldnt see much difference in the mirror we wouldnt be discussing this at this point in time.
Dont get me wrong..scientifc measurement holds more water...but dramatic results speak louder and it is these results that have stemmed most experiemnts with IGF-1.

Peace,
P