all about Igf-1
IGF stands for insulin-like growth factor. It is a natural substance that is
produced in the human body and is at its highest natural levels during puberty.
During puberty IGF is the most responsible for the natural muscle growth that
occurs during these few years. There are many different things that IGF does in
the human body; I will only mention the points that would be important for
physical enhancement. Among the effects the most positive are increased amino
acid transport to cells, increased glucose transport, increased protein
synthesis, decreased protein degradation, and increased RNA synthesis.
When IGF is active it behaves differently in different types of tissues.
In muscle cells proteins and associated cell components are stimulated. Protein
synthesis is increased along with amino acid absorption. As a source of energy,
IGF mobilizes fat for use as energy in adipose tissue. In lean tissue,
IGF prevents insulin from transporting glucose across cell membranes. As
a result the cells have to switch to burning off fat as a source of energy.
IGF also mimic’s insulin in the human body. It makes muscles more
sensitive to insulin’s effects, so if you are a person that currently uses
insulin you can lower your dosage by a decent margin to achieve the same
effects, and as mentioned IGF will keep the insulin from making you fat.
Perhaps the most interesting and potent effect IGF has on the human body
is its ability to cause hyperplasia, which is an actual splitting of cells.
Hypertrophy is what occurs during weight training and steroid use, it is simply
an increase in the size of muscle cells. See, after puberty you have a set
number of muscle cells, and all you are able to do is increase the size of these
muscle cells, you don’t actually gain more. But, with IGF use you are able to
cause this hyperplasia which actually increases the number of muscle cells
present in the tissue, and through weight training and steroid usage you are
able to mature these new cells, in other words make them grow and become
stronger. So in a way IGF can actually change your genetic capabilities in terms
of muscle tissue and cell count. IGF proliferates and differentiates the number
of types of cells present. At a genetic level it has the potential to alter an
individuals capacity to build superior muscle density and size.
There is
a lot of talk about the similarity between IGF and growth hormone. The most
often asked question is simply which is more effective. GH doesn’t directly
cause your muscles to grow, it works very indirectly by increasing protein
synthesis capabilities, increasing the amount of insulin a person can use
effectively, and increasing the amount of anabolic steroids a person can use
effectively. GH also indirectly causes muscle growth by stimulating the release
of IGF when it (the GH) is destroyed in the human body. So one way you could
look at it as GH being a precursor to IGF. So to put it simple IGF is more
effective at directly causing muscle growth and density increases. IGF is also
much more cost effective.
IGF can also be effectively used by itself and
gains will still be easily noticeable. With growth hormone you need to use high
amounts of anabolics and often insulin to see any gains at all, this is not the
case with IGF. IGF can be used by itself and is often used by bodybuilders who
bridge between cycles, during this bridge is a good time to use IGF since it has
no effect on natural testosterone production so it will therefore allow you to
return to normal in terms of hormone levels. A stack of IGF, PGF2a, HCG, and
clomid would be a good bridge stack and would allow your body to return to
normal and still allow you to retain and make new gains.
IGF is a
research drug, it hasn’t been approved by the FDA for use as a pharmaceutical
and it is currently being researched for nerve tissue repair, possible burn
victims, and also as a possible aid in muscle wasting for AIDS patients. There
are many different analogs of IGF available, instead of mentioning them all, I
will simply mention the two most common and the most effective. Regular
recombinant IGF is one of the two, it is also the more expensive and the least
effective. Regular IGF only has a half-life of about 10-20 minutes in the human
body and is quickly destroyed, it can be combined with certain binding proteins
to extend the half-life, but it is not a very simple procedure and there is a
more effective and less expensive version available. The most effective form of
IGF is Long R3 IGF-1, it has been chemically altered and has had amino acid
changes which cause it to avoid binding to proteins in the human body and allow
it to have a much longer half life, around 20-30 hours. “Long R3 IGF-1 is an 83
amino acid analog of IGF-1 comprising the complete human IGF-1 sequence with the
substition of an Arg(R) for the Glu(E) at position three, hence R3, and a 13
amino acid extension peptide at the N terminus. This analog of IGF-1 has been
produced with the purpose of increasing the biological activity of the IGF
peptide.”
“Long R3 IGF-1 is signifacantly more potent than IGF-1. The
enhanced potency is due to the decreased binding of Long R3 IGF-1 to all known
IGF binding proteins. These binding proteins normally inhibit the biological
actions of IGF’s.”
It is also not as expensive since a media grade
version is available which is sufficient for bodybuilding use. There is also a
receptor grade available but it is VERY expensive and the only noticeable
difference between the two would only be able to be noticed in a laboratory
setting. The price on the black market for Long R3 IGF-1 can be seen anywhere
from $300-$500 per milligram depending on the source, be wary of black market
dealers of any IGF since it is a VERY difficult item to obtain. As mentioned IGF
is a research product and is only available from a few laboratories in the world
and is only available to research companies and biotechnology institutions. For
the rest of this article when I say IGF I am now referring to Long R3 IGF-1 for
simplicity sake.
Any form of IGF is ONLY supplied in a lyphosized form,
which means a dry powder state. NEVER PUCHASE PRE-DILUTED LIQUID IGF!!!! There
is no such product made anywhere in the world and even if there were real IGF
ever present in the vial it would all be dead by the time you receive it. IGF is
a very delicate peptide and must be diluted by yourself, where you have access
to a refrigerator and freezer. There has also been a lot of talk by certain
sources claiming to have IGF made by the Eli Lilly company, to clear things up
Lilly is a pharmaceutical company and as stated IGF is a research drug and has
not yet been approved, Lilly does not and never has manufactured research drugs
for retail sale.
The dilutents you will need for the IGF are a weak
concentration of hydrochloric acid and a sterile buffer(sterile water or
bacteriostatic water) the procedure for diluting the IGF is not very difficult,
the dilutents can be obtained from most local chemical suppliers and a good
source of IGF would also be able to supply the necessary dilutents.
The
most effective length for a cycle of IGF is 50 days on and 20-40 days off. The
most controversy surrounding Long R3 IGF-1 is the effective dosage. The most
used dosages range between 20mcg/day to 120+mcg/day. IGF is only available by
the milligram, one mg will give you a 50 day cycle at 20mcg/day, 2mg will give
you a 50 day cycle at 40mcg/day, 3mg will give you a 50 day cycle at 60mcg/day,
4mg will give you a 50 day cycle at 80mcg/day and so on. The dosage issue mainly
revolves around how much money you have to spend, plenty of people use the
minimum dosage of 20mcg/day and are happy with the results, and in fact several
top bodybuilders use the 20mcg/day dosage and are pleased with the results. IGF
is most effective when administered subcutaneously and injected once or twice
daily at your current dosage. The best time for injections is either in the
morning and/or immediately after weight training.
Another frequently
asked question of IGF refers to the real world results, in terms of pure weight
gain don’t expect to gain 5 lbs. a week like you may off of anadrol or a similar
steroid. The only weight you will gain from IGF use is pure lean muscle tissue,
with steroids most of the weight gained is water weight. With an effective
dosage you can expect to gain 1-2 lbs of new lean muscle tissue every 2-3 weeks
and these effects can be increased with the use of testosterone, anabolic
steroids, and insulin use. Increased vascularity is also very common, people
report seeing veins appear where they never have before. And yet another effect
reported is the ability to stay lean while bulking with heavy dosages of
steroids and TONS of food while on an IGF cycle, this is perhaps the most
pleasing effect. Increased pumps are also noticeable almost immediately, the
pumps can almost become painful, pumps are even noticeable when doing cardio.
Overall, IGF is a very exciting drug due to its ability to alter ones
genetic capabilities. If you can find a trustworthy source and you use it
correctly it can be a VERY useful tool in your bodybuilding drug
arsenal
IGF1, also known as somatomedin C, is polypeptide hormone about
the same size as insulin. It is produced predominantly in the liver in response
to growth hormone (GH) release from the pituitary gland. Many of the growth
promoting effects of GH are due to its ability to release IGF1 from the liver.
The conversion ratio of GH to IGF1 varies greatly in different individuals but
most external sources of GH convert around 4-6mcg of IGF per one I.U. of GH.
IGF-1 acts on several different tissues to enhance growth. IGF1 belongs in the
’superfamily’ of substances known as ‘growth factors,’ along with epidermal
(skin), transforming; platelet derived fibroblast, nerve, and ciliary
neurotrophic growth factors. None of the other factors have any bearing on
exoskeletal tissue incidentally however These agents all have in common the
ability to stimulate cell division, known as mitogenesis, and cell
differentiation. Meaning That In the case of IGF1 which does act on muscle
tissue it will initiate the growth of new muscle fibers, and subsequently new
receptors for testosterone. Users have unanimously concluded that it enhances
cycles of steroids significantly. They also seem to be adamant about its ability
to reduce fat and improve vascularity a great deal.
The IGF1
Hype
There is a considerable amount of hype surrounding IGF1. Every one is
blaming the distended bellies of modern Bodybuilders on it. Also the freaky
proportions that old bodybuilders that have been around for years are starting
to attain. Anti-aging proponents are touting it as the miracle cure for every
thing from Parkinson’s disease to Alzheimer’s. And the medical community has
published numerous articles on it for its ability to cause cancer, diabetes and
gigantism. While at the same time performing documented experiments on thousands
of patients of muscle wasting diseases. And reporting significant turnabouts in
there conditions. So what is a guy to think about IGF1 as far as athletic
enhancement is concerned? Well first of all you need to know that most
experiments conducted with IGF1 do not list the type of IGF used. I have written
Dr. Robert Saline of the Swedish rejuvenation institute on several occasions and
we have had in-depth discussions on the subject of IGF1 for physical appearance
enhancement. He feels it would be unethical to prescribe IGF1 to a bodybuilder
to increase muscle mass simply due to the fact that IGF1 has valid applications
in the medical community, (Like I could give a rats ass about “ethical”). He can
not argue that it is extremely effective as a promoter of muscle growth far
beyond what androgens (steroids) alone can offer. Well fortunately in America
IGF1 is not a drug (yet) and the FDA has no control over it as of now. This will
change in the very near future however, Im absolutely sure of it.
How to
use IGF1
Assuming that you have acquired legitimate IGF1 (R3) long chain,
That’s IGF1 with the binding protein added. You should take dosages ranging from
60mcg up to 120mcg per day in divided doses. One injection in the morning and
again at bed time. Never exceed 120mcg in one day. IGF1 can cause serious
gastrointestinal problems such as tumors intestinal swelling diarrhea and
vomiting. Most IGF1 comes in a concentration of 1000mcg per ML or CC so it makes
it easy to measure in an insulin syringe. 10 IU on the syringe is 100mcg. Do the
math.
IGF + Insulin
If you plan on doing IGF1 with Insulin, listen
closely IGF1 is not that expensive, sure you can get away with using less by
including insulin in the stack, but IGF1 and Insulin together have a pro-insulin
effect on your blood sugar balance. It can enhance the chances of a hypoglycemic
episode ten fold. I would recommend against it for any one not ABSOLUTLY
comfortable with insulin or IGF1.
Here is how insulin and IGF1 work
together. Igfbp3 is the binding protein, which allows IGF1 to remain active in
the system for a long enough period of time to really work its magic. IGF1 by
nature has a half-life of less than 10 minutes by its self. The molecule was so
small it would escape the blood stream very rapidly. This was the reason IGF1
was so “underground”. It took very frequent injections at high dosages to
achieve even minimal results. Aside from this reconstituting the compound
required a degree in biochemistry. This short acting version was the only IGF1
known until recently IGF1 would have been administered in 100 mcg dosages 4-6
times a day. That is a hell of a lot of IGF1. That explains a lot of the
distended bellies. Now with R3 long chain IGF1 and the Binding protein IGFBP3
IGF1 will last up to 6 hours in the system. By binding IGF to the IGFBP3 you
make the molecule larger and it gets trapped in the blood stream until the
protein is broken down and the IGF molecule escapes. You can further its life by
combining Insulin with it, although I here its very risky. Insulin prevents the
breakdown of IGFBP3 and leaves the IGF1 molecule roaming free in the blood
stream for longer periods of time up to 12 hours as insulin levels return to
normal IGFBP3 will begin to break down and the IGF1 will escape from its bound
protein IGFBP3 again having a half life of less than 10 minutes.
Insulin
should be taken at the normal dosage it is usually administered at minus 10%
about 45 minutes prior to the IGF1 infusion. Again let me remind you this can be
deadly if you don’t know what you are doing. And of course do not use Insulin
for the nighttime injection of IGF1 by taking it in the morning you prolong the
IGF1’s half life to 12 hours and then take a 6 hour injection, you should be
fine. Hell if you want to eat a big bowl of rice and drink another 100g of
simple carbs 45 minutes before the bed time IGF1 infusion you could spike
insulin for at least a few hours of extended IGF1 activity. If your not going to
be using insulin in the stack then go ahead and do the same in the
morning.
What users report
Users of IGF1 have reported various results
but all along the same lines, It does not appear to be dramatically less
effective in any one individual (at least not to the best of my knowledge). I
have a good friend who had to stop taking IGF1 due to stomach illness that was
completely unrelated But he to experienced good gains from it for the 2 weeks he
was on it, his dosage was 120mcg per day. One hour after the first injection he
went to the gym and immediately told me about the uncontrollable pump he got
from just one set.
That would indicate to me that he was experiencing
some form of cell volumization. The general consensus on IGF1 seems to be that
its benefits are as fallow:
Increased Pump Pumps are reported to be so
severe that workouts are often cut short due to lack of ability to the muscle
through the full range of motion…ouch
Gains retention is increased if
IGF is used in a cycle I am not sure why, but IGF1 seems to make gains on a
cycle stick with virtually no post cycle loss. Every bodybuilder I’ve spoken
with seems to think this for some reason. Most of them use drugs like Anadrol or
Dianabol with it because of the amount of size attained with these drugs. The
usual draw back to these drugs is that in most users there is a post cycle
“crash” that occurs, so the reasoning is to toss IGF1 into the stack and grow
larger faster with out the post cycle crash blues.
Reverses testicular
atrophy
Testicles if shrunken will return to “full swing” so to speak even in
the middle of a cycle. If not shrunken they will not shrink during the cycle.
This may explain partially why gains are kept after the cycle.
Fatigue
Users report feeling drained and tired all day. This seems to
be one of the negative side effects to IGF1, it will make you sleep longer and
you will require more sleep at night to feel rested for the morning. This is
common with high doses of HGH and exhibited in children, whose IGF1 levels are
extraordinarily high. A child needs 4 hours more sleep than an adult on average
does. This may be directly or indirectly related to IGF1 levels.
Stiffness
An almost arthritic feeling is commonly associated with
high levels of HGH, well IGF1 has the exact same property. IGF1 will cause your
hands, fingers and knuckles to ache this is one way you can be sure you got real
IGF1.
IGF-1’s Side effects
Every thing has a down side. To bake a
cake ya gotta brake an egg. IGF1 is no exception. The drug used in larger
quantity around the 100mcg+ range will cause headaches, occasional nausea and
can contribute to low blood sugar or hypoglycemia in some users. Although I have
never heard of this first hand I’m sure its true.
IGF1 will attach its
self to the lining of the intestine and cause atrophy of the gut. Every thing
IGF1 touches will grow and you have a lot of receptors on the lining of the
large intestine and inner wall of the abdominal well. This is what causes the GH
gut look. You can easily avoid this by limiting your dosages and cycle lengths.
IGF1 cycles should be kept to 4-6 weeks with 4-6 weeks off in-between. IGF-1 is
considerably more powerful than HGH and you need to think of it along those
lines as far as dosing goes. We all know what to much HGH can do over prolonged
periods of usage. The Neanderthal look is definitely not going to win any shows
this year. I would recommend 80 mcg a day for 4 weeks at a time you should get
good results from that for a while. I don’t know if you will need to up the
dosage at any point, but I would think in the case of IGF1 it wouldn’t matter.
If 80mcg doesn’t do it for ya, then bump it up to 100 You should definitely feel
it at this point If not suspect the IGF1 as being fake. Beyond 120 mcg per day
your asking for trouble, This compound demands as much respect as its sister
amino Insulin.
Clinical Facts about IGF-1
IGF-1 is a polypeptide of
70 amino acids (7650 daltons), and is one of a number of related insulin-like
growth factors present in the circulation. The molecule shows approximately 50%
sequence homology with proinsulin and has a number of biological activities
similar to insulin. IGF-1 is a mediator of longitudinal growth in humans or how
tall you are capable of becoming. Serum IGF-1 concentrations are altered by age,
nutritional status, body composition, and growth hormone secretion. A single
basal IGF-1 level is useful in the assessment of short stature in children and
in nutritional support studies of acutely ill patients. For the diagnosis of
acromegaly, a single IGF-1 concentration is more reliable than a random hGH
measurement (Oppizi, et al., 1986). IGF-1 can be used for the assessment of
disease activity in acromegaly (Barkan, et al., 198.
Almost all
(>95%) of serum IGF-1 circulates bound to specific IGF binding proteins
(IGFBPs), of which six classes (IGFBPs 1-6) have been identified (Rudd, 1991).
BP3 is thought to be the major binding protein.
