Somatotropin is currently one of the best drugs for prolonged muscle building. While this is the only drug that makes you forget about the bad genetic inheritance. Injection of growth hormone is always a risk because some phenomena are not reversible. But, despite the risk of possible side effects, it remains one of the most favorite drugs in athletes. Growth hormone is surrounded by a mystery aura in its application. Some call it a miracle tool, which in the shortest time gives a gigantic increase in strength and mass. Others consider it completely useless in achieving sports results and explain this by the fact that the drug stimulates the growth of only „dwarfs“: children who are lagging behind in physical development. Some think that growth hormones cause in adults terrible deformities of bones in the form of the Habsburg jaw and giant growth. Also there is complete confusion: how to apply growth hormones and in what dosage? Disagreements about hormones are so complex that the reader must have some initial basic information in order to understand the essence of the problem.
What is Growth hormone?
Growth hormone is a polypeptide consisting of 191 amino acids. It is produced by the human pituitary gland and is secreted with appropriate stimuli (for example, training, sleep, stress, low blood sugar). And here it is important to understand that the released human growth hormone does not directly affect the body itself, but only stimulates the production in the liver and subsequent release of insulin-like growth factors and somatomedins into the blood. They also have different effects on the body. The only problem is that the liver can produce a limited amount of these substances, so that the effect of these substances on the body is limited. If hormones are injected from the outside, they only excite the liver to produce and release these substances into the bloodstream and do not, as mentioned above, have direct effects.
Until the mid-80's there was only an active human form as an exogenous source of administration. It was extracted from the pituitary gland of the deceased, which was extremely costly. When in 1985. the intake of human growth hormone began to be associated with the extremely rare disease of Jakob Kraufalda (brain disease), which faded with dementia and death, then some, but not all manufacturers began to withdraw the drug from production. Fortunately, science did not doze and created a synthetic hormone growth, which is produced by genetic engineering from transformed muscle cells. And here it is sold in many countries.
Use of growth hormone
The use of growth hormone has a threefold effect on the athlete in the field of his achievements. First, the growth hormone has a strong anabolic effect, which contributes to the intensive synthesis of proteins, which is expressed in muscle hypertrophy (increase in the size of the muscle cell) and in muscle hyperplasia (an increase in their number). The effect of hyperplasia is extremely interesting, because Steroids do not give it. This is probably the reason why the growth hormone is called the strongest anabolic hormone. Secondly, the growth hormone has a strong effect on the fat burning process. He intensely turns fat into energy, which leads to an intensive disappearance, and this allows the athlete to consume more calories. Thirdly, what often remains unnoticed is that the Somatotropin strengthens the connective tissue, tendons, bones and cartilage, and this is probably one of the main reasons for the incredible increase in strength that is observed in some athletes. Athletes of bodybuilding and powerlifting say that the growth hormone protects, thanks to this quality, athletes from damage, if the simultaneous reception of steroids, the force is growing rapidly.
But with all this there are a lot of athletes who have taken growth hormone and have not made any serious progress. There are several explanations for this.
1. The athlete regularly took an inadequate amount of the hormone, and, moreover, also for a short time. This is due to the fact that the growth hormone is a very expensive drug and for many in the required dose is not financially available.
2. With the use of samatotropin, the body's need for a hormone of the thyroid gland, insulin, corticosteroids, gonadotropins, estrogens, and also in androgen hormones increases. This is the reason that the growth hormone, taken as the only drug, is not very effective. To show its phenomenal anabolic properties, somatotropin can only with the joint administration of steroids, thyroid hormone and insulin (see Insulin). Only in this case the liver can produce and release the optimal amount of somatomedins and insulin-like growth factors. This anabolic formula can be further strengthened by the simultaneous administration of substances with anti-catabolic properties, steroid and clenbuterol. Only then comes the synergistic effect.
What are peptides?
As you know, proteins are the building material of any living organism. Proteins are composed of amino acids. Outwardly, the protein resembles a chain, the number of links of which depends on the amount of amino acid residues in the protein. Proteins, or chains of amino acids, can be either long or short. Short proteins are called peptides.
Peptides are molecules consisting of two or more amino acids linked together by a peptide bond.
The peptides have a size of not more than 1 nm, therefore they are rightfully assigned to the nanomir. It is conventionally considered that peptides contain up to 100 amino acid residues in the molecule, and proteins – over 100. Moreover, peptides distinguish oligopeptides containing no more than 10 amino acid residues in the chain, and polypeptides containing up to 100 amino acid residues. Peptides can be isolated from plants, animals, and can be artificially synthesized.
Functional role of peptides in bodybuilding
To the athlete gained strength, volume and relief, only training and proper nutrition are not enough. Proper training necessarily includes sports nutrition with pharmacological drugs that support the body of an athlete at the hormonal level. The optimal and harmless analog of common hormonal drugs in bodybuilding are peptides. Their main purpose is getting rid of excess weight and a set of muscle mass.
Common advantages of peptides
Their main useful qualities for bodybuilding:
- activation of growth hormone;
- stimulation of muscle mass gain;
- increase in the rate of metabolic processes;
- burning of fat;
- reduction of the recovery period after heavy training;
- strengthening bones and cartilage;
- increased immunity;
- rejuvenation of the body.
Many peptides improve sleep, increase muscle tone, heal the skin, and also have a curative effect on wounds and micro-injuries. If compared with full-value proteins, the assimilation of peptides is much easier and faster.
Types of peptides and their characteristics
In bodybuilding, peptides are divided into functional and structural peptides.
Structural peptides
Their action begins after the final cleavage on a sequence of amino acids that begin their protein synthesis. This leads to the formation of new muscle fibers. Structural peptides include hydroisolate and whey protein concentrate.
These compounds supply the body with amino acids – „building materials“. Their main effect is to feed the nutrients of the body, the formation of conditions for anabolism. As a result, muscle mass grows or persists with prolonged starvation. The side negative effect is the possibility of protein poisoning and the advance of muscle development in comparison with the ligaments.
Functional peptides
They are used in bodybuilding for two purposes: reducing excess weight and gaining muscle mass. Their action begins with the moment of entering the body.
Peptides for muscle growth increase the secretion of growth hormone in comparison with the usual state. An additional positive effect is the strengthening of immunity and the improvement of the ligaments. A collateral negative effect is its unpredictability.
Functional peptides for weight loss stimulate the secretion of growth hormone – growth hormone in 2-4 times. They accelerate metabolism, suppress appetite and cravings for sweet food, stimulate the burning of fat.
