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09/28/09
As a follower of all things “steroid”, you have probably already heard a great deal of information about the drug known as IGF-1. From casual discussion on message boards, you probably already know that it is part of this new not-so-secret combination of growth hormone, insulin, and IGF-1 that has allowed bodybuilders to achieve size previously unheard of in decades past. But what is IGF-1, and why does it matter so much to bodybuilders? Let’s learn more!
IGF-1 is actually what is called a polypeptide hormone. It is released in the liver and highly associated with growth hormone. What is actually does involves a detailed description of multiple cellular processes. In layman’s terms, IGF-1 helps the number of muscle cells in your body to grow. It helps growth hormone to become more anabolic. IGF-1 also raises your red blood cell count and delivers greater bone density. These intangibles assist with long-term growth and the ability to recover from very tough weight training. They also give IGF-1 one of its legitimate medical uses, repair and recovery from bone injuries. You may have been under the impression that IGF-1 was created by a heavily muscled mad scientist in a white lab coat. The truth is, like most other medical miracles used with bodybuilding, the drug was designed with the intent of helping those with injury or disease. Bone and collagen formation is aided greatly, and there is emerging research that shows IGF-1 may even help to prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
Together, in concert with human growth hormone, IGF-1 does even more. In subjects being tested, strength levels on compound lifts moved up anywhere from 5 to 15 percent. This may not seem much. However, an increase on a 400 pound squat of 15 percent is equal to 60 new pounds! And are you may already know, the physical muscle size that would accompany an increase of that much weight on an exercise would be very noticeable. IGF-1’s efforts are exaggerated greatly when protein consumption is high. When used in conjunction with anabolic steroids, which allow for much greater protein uptake ability (up to 100 grams daily!) one can begin to understand the synergistic effects of IGF-1.
You may begin to understand just why IGF-1 is becoming so popular not only in professional bodybuilding circles, but among amateur athletes as well. Some college kids aren’t taking the usually route of running 2 to 5 cycles of testosterone alone or testosterone with Nandrolone. Instead, they are getting hold of growth hormone and IGF-1 from minute one, and using those on their first cycles. Obviously, this is not advisable, as the chance of you being able to continue to use GH and IGF-1 on additional cycles will be small. However, the prevalence of this drug in modern bodybuilding cannot be denied. IGF-1 is here to stay, and will change a great deal about the limits of human physical development that people once accepted. It won’t be long until we see a 320-pound ripped body onstage accepting a trophy, with IGF-1 being a major part of the drug regimen which makes that possible.
