Insulin:

Insulin is the chemical hammer that drives nutrients into muscle cells. The bigger the hammer, the bigger the nutrient nail, the bigger the anabolic response. It's really that simple.

Insulin upregulates and activates all the transporters responsible for pumping in amino acids, creatine, and glucose — all of which are critical for building maximum muscle mass, as fast as humanly possible.

Unfortunately, there's a huge problem that puts an end to insulin production, and it's called exercise. That's right, during intense exercise catecholamines (adrenal hormones) are released, which in turn shut down insulin production and all these transporters along with it.

In other words, insulin gets shut down and muscle cells begin to starve. Don't forget, this occurs at the worst time possible — during intense training — which is also when you need these nutrients the most.

The end result is not only a diminished capacity for building muscle, but potentially a highly catabolic state, which is a far cry from an extreme-anabolic physiology, the kind required for maximum hypertrophy.

Granted, contracting muscle will still shuttle some nutrients into muscle through something called non-insulin mediated uptake, provided you actually consumed enough of the right nutrients to make a difference. But the effect of non-insulin mediated uptake is minimal compared to the powerful effects of insulin.

On the other hand, even with insulin production shut down, intense training dramatically enhances the sensitivity (effectiveness) of amino acid, creatine, and glucose uptake. This simply means that if insulin were available, amino acids, creatine, and glucose could be driven into muscle at a much higher rate and in much greater volumes.

So in effect, going into a workout with insulin spiked, and the bloodstream loaded with an abundance of these nutrients, would in effect produce the extreme physiology required for extreme muscle-mass gains.

Professional bodybuilders, of course, have known about and utilized a drug-induced version of this technique for years. To the elite bodybuilder, insulin use is every bit as important and exploited as androgen use.

Tim Patterson and Christian Thibaudeau have taken this strategy to an entirely new level, except that they don't need the use of drugs. Instead, they utilize the body's own insulin production to drive supraphysiologic levels of anabolic nutrients into working muscle — effectively turning the body into a high-pressure anabolic pump.

According to those who've experienced it, the effect produces a near skin-splitting pump. Tim and Christian are quick to point out, however, that even though the pump feels very pronounced and definitely addictive, it's not the feel that's anabolic. It's just a vivid reminder of what's being pumped into the engorging muscle tissue that's making the difference.

Insulin causes glucose transport proteins to increase their activity, which allows for increased glucose uptake by muscle cells. Although insulin helps dispose of blood glucose by storing it as glycogen in muscle tissue and the liver, it can also convert the excess to fat. But then again, insulin can also shut off the fat-burning process. That makes insulin truly a double-edge sword. Many people don't know that insulin causes amino acid uptake into muscle tissue, giving the muscle cells more amino acids to help in the growth-and-recovery process. Insulin promotes protein synthesis via stimulation of the RNA translation process.

Most studies done on the subject seem to show the body is most anabolic in the 10-12% body fat range. That is the range when natural hormone production is at its highest, insulin sensitivity is at its peak in the tissues, and cardiovascular fitness is generally better.

Spiking insulin levels after a workout by taking in simple carbohydrates and protein - preferably in liquid form - can block the catabolic effects of the hormone cortisol and enable key nutrients to replenish muscle cells. It can also enhance protein breakdown synthesis and lower the breakdown of protein secondary to weight training.

Just are there are times that you want to spike insulin levels to maximize nutrient uptake, there are also times when you want to lower insulin as much as possible to prevent fat storage. One of those key times is at night, before bedtime. Since metabolism is generally lower at night, eating carbohydrates or certain amino acids, like the BCAAs (Branch Chain Amino Acids) - leucine, isoleucine and valine - can cause an insulin response, which may lead to greater fat storage.

It's a good idea to lower your carb intake at night and eat more fiber and protein. Eating fat, fiber or even protein - especially caseinate - along with carbohydrates lowers the rate at which they enter the bloodstream. This tactic reduces insulin levels and may halt fat storage that can result from eating the carbohydrate by itself.

As you can tell, manipulating insulin levels can be hard, but when the desired results are received, your body (and girlfriend) will thank you.

insulin is anabolic in that it allows for a greater absorption of amino acids into muscle tissue but a problem because it can cause fat storage.

How important is it to take advantage of insulin post workout?

A: It depends on your goals. For starters, just so that everyone is up to speed, insulin plays important roles in both carbohydrate and amino acid uptake across the muscle cell membranes as well as acts as a key signaling molecule to stimulate protein synthesis. The insulin signaling pathway is an elegant one because once the insulin molecule binds to the cell membrane, it sets in motion two different chemical messenger systems that accomplish three goals. 1) This system increases transcription (RNA formation), 2) Increases glucose uptake into the cell, and 3) Increases the translation of the cellular RNA into protein. Although there are other pathways that stimulate translation of RNA into protein, the insulin pathway is one of the most important nutritional ones.

I hope it’s therefore clear that insulin plays a critical role in post-workout recovery of protein balance. Now, whether or not we need a HUGE insulin burst depends on our goals. If someone is interested in maximum growth and recovery, lots of carbohydrate, protein and insulin should flood the body immediately after a workout. With respect to glycogen synthesis, once you get enough glycogen resynthesis to pass the insulin independent threshold (see below), you’ll need that extra insulin to boost cellular uptake of nutrients. My research shows that when full glycogen depletion is induced, carbohydrate only drinks and carbohydrate plus protein drinks perform similarly with respect to glycogen resynthesis. However, when full glycogen depletion is not induced, drinks containing protein and carbohydrates offer much more glycogen resynthesis. I think this happens because anything will help restore glycogen when glycogen is very low (due to upregulation of glycogen synthetic enzymes and even the branching structure of the glycogen itself) but when glycogen isn’t fully depleted, it takes a strong signal to drive synthesis and the insulin signal (from protein and carb drinks) is strong enough to do it. Of course, these drinks also give a better insulin response than either protein or carbs alone. Furthermore the protein is critical for flooding the muscles with amino acids for enhancing the translation of RNA into new proteins.

On the other hand, if someone is interested in getting as ripped as possible, topped off glycogen isn’t a goal. Since a huge insulin response might be counterproductive to fat loss and therefore a simple amino acid flooding may be all that’s needed. But before I move on I have to say that I often go back and forth on this one in my mind (that’s why I say “might” above) especially in the case of very low carb diets because a big post-exercise boost in insulin (as a result of a carb plus protein drink) may rapidly promote recovery and muscle preservation as well as rapidly bring blood glucose down and bring you right back into ketosis. Furthermore, studies show that the body shifts toward fat oxidation during the post exercise period even in the presence of high insulin. This means that even in the presence of hyperinsulinemia, lots of fat is still burned, leaving all the carbs to be stored preferentially.

So I’m not totally sure which is a better strategy for dieters. Usually I just try the carbohydrate and protein drinks in all trainees during the post exercise period and if there is a noticeable stagnation in the rate of fat loss (at very low body fat percentages), I have them drop the carbs and use protein only to minimize the insulin response while still providing amino acids.

Q: If one were insulin resistant, would consuming a larger amount of whey protein minus carbohydrates suffice post workout?

A: Again, it depends on their goals. In this situation it also depends on what we mean by insulin resistant. If we’re talking clinically measured insulin resistance, the individual is probably in need of serious weight loss (because obesity and heart disease are characteristic of true insulin resistant) anyway so in their case, the latter suggestion of just amino acids is probably warranted. Interestingly, type 2 diabetics (people with real insulin resistance) see an equal insulin response whether they ingest protein or carbohydrate - so perhaps a smaller protein only drink is warranted.

While I’m no expert on diabetes, it is important to note that insulin resistance is characterized by a larger insulin release in response to a normal carbohydrate or protein load. In other words, because muscle and fat cells are partially resistant to the effects of insulin, a whole lot of insulin needs to be released for it to do its job. Fortunately for diabetics, exercise can dramatically increase the sensitivity of the muscles for glucose uptake and overall insulin sensitivity. Therefore the postworkout period is one time where diabetics are more normal.

With your question, though, I suspect that you are more interested in those weightlifters or athletes who think that a slight propensity to gain more fat on a higher carb diet means that they are insulin resistant. In this case, it’s become clear to me that a lot of athletes have just enough knowledge to be dangerous. Somehow they think that they can diagnose their own insulin and glucose tolerance by how they “feel” after a carb meal. That’s nonsense. Therefore if someone suspects some sort of carbohydrate or insulin problem, they need to get their doc to check them out by doing a 3-hour oral glucose tolerance test complete with insulin measures as well as blood glucose measures. That’s the only way to be sure if there is a legitimate problem or if they are just eating poorly and that’s why they’re too fat.

However, with that said, it’s important to note that insulin resistance is a sliding scale. You don’t need to have full-blown diabetes to be on the road to it. If your blood work shows some impairment in glucose and insulin tolerance, you need to start managing your overall nutritional plan with a higher protein, lower carbohydrate (low GI carb) diet. In addition, supplements like fish oil and rALA can help out too.

In this situation, with respect to post-workout nutrition, the great thing is that the person with borderline insulin resistance can do the same thing as someone with normal insulin tolerance. Here’s why. First of all, if someone is insulin resistant, they need more insulin to do the same job (in terms of lowering blood glucose). Therefore the synergistic insulin release associated with protein and carbohydrate consumption should drive insulin high enough to do its job with respect to stimulating protein synthesis and increasing glycogen storage. Interestingly, since recent data has demonstrated that there are insulin dependent and independent stages of glycogen recovery during the post workout period, it’s important that insulin resistant people get their carbohydrates during the early stages of recovery when glycogen recovery is insulin independent. You see, in any given muscle fiber, if glycogen concentrations are low enough (below 35mmol/L for anyone who cares), even in the presence of low insulin concentrations, glycogen resynthesis is maximal when enough carbohydrate is around. Therefore after exercise, especially high intensity strength exercise (where type II fibers may be very depleted) or high intensity aerobic exercise (where type I fibers may be very depleted) the provision of carbohydrate can assist with glycogen recovery during the insulin independent phase of glycogen resynthesis. During this phase of glycogen resynthesis, even type 2 diabetics have normal glycogen recovery. However, once above the glycogen threshold, during the insulin dependant phase, the synergistic insulin response associated with protein and carbs can help pack those fibers full of glycogen again.

So although it’s customary to prescribe low carb (especially low GI) diets for those with some degree of insulin resistance, the post exercise period is the one time of the day when insulin tolerance is much better than the rest of the day. So use this time to promote growth and recovery. You can use the rest of the day to avoid carbs and take supplements to improve glucose and insulin tolerance.

Q: How effective is ALA or R-LA in terms of being an effective nutrient partitioner during the postworkout period.

A: Recent data are demonstrating that the r- isomer of ALA is a very effective nutrient partitioner in terms of reducing blood glucose response to a meal (it does this by increasing glucose disposal into target tissues). While I think it is a good idea to consume ALA if your insulin sensitivity is poor (again as diagnosed by a 3 hour blood glucose tolerance test), if your insulin sensitivity is normal to good, it’s probably unnecessary. Furthermore, as indicated above, the post-workout period is marked by excellent insulin sensitivity. Therefore ALA will probably have very little additional effect during the post workout period. It’s a matter of redundant systems. It’s kind of like pushing your gas pedal to the floor. When the car is going as fast as it can go, another gas pedal isn’t going to do anything but waste gas.

© 2002 - 2005 Science Link, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Glycogen is the principal stored form of carbohydrate energy (glucose), which is reserved in muscles. When your muscles are full of glycogen, they look and feel full.

What Is Glucagon (Not Glycogen)?
Glucagon is a hormone produced by the pancreas that stimulates an increase in blood sugar levels, thus opposing the action of insulin.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/issa44.htm

INSULIN

Insulin is the most anabolic hormone, yet it is anti-catabolic as well. Since this is a storage hormone, anabolism is initiated by inducing storage intracellularly of glucose, amino acids, and fats, as well as electrolytes. Remember, creatine is an amino acid structure as are several growth inducing chemicals. As well, there is a great deal of evidence that by creating a state of cellular hydration, supraphysiological insulin induces a secondary anabolism and cellular hypertrophy.

Insulin has anti-catabolic qualities simply because the presence of Insulin in the blood stream at high enough levels prevents catabolic hormones such as cortisol and glucagon from becoming elevated. This obviously creates a state in which amino acids and glucose cannot exit cells.

As noted in the treatment of type II diabetics, insulin receptor-sites can be desensitized from over use of exogenous Insulin. Ever notice how fat diabetic couch potatoes get? This is because the lack of exercise allows muscle cell insulin receptor-sites to become insulin resistant and the fat cells become the main point of storage. Which of course sucks!

For this reason, (and others) long protocols with exogenous Insulin could have greatly reduced long term potential.

There were some supplements employed that enhanced Insulin sensitivity and allowed for lower dosages to be more effective. This in turn helped to prevent Insulin resistance. Alfa Lipoic Acid, Chromium, Corosolic Acid, D-Pinitol, Selenium, 4- Hydroxyisoleucine, L-Phenyl Alanine, and Courdin which is a fraction from bitter melon (Momridica Charantia).

These supplements made a huge difference in results both during and post-Insulin use. Frank always included a mixture of 200 mg Lipoic Acid, 1000 mg L-Phenyl Alanine, and 50 mg of D-Pinitol twice daily with Insulin, and twice daily for 14 days after with 4-hydroxyisoleucine added at a dosage of 200mg 2xd.

Over the years, I have noted many athletes obtained the same results utilizing "up to" half of their normal exogenous Insulin dosages with this supplement schedule. They also stored less fat.

The essential fatty acid supplement CLA was probably the best OTC product for fat synthesis inhibition during exogenous insulin use. (We are currently patenting a fat that tells the body to not store fat and to burn fat at a higher rate. This is like super CLA x 1 0)
Misuse of Insulin and the normally required 10 g of carbs or appropriate super substrate per i.u. has been known to lead to coma, beta cell burn out, pancreatic damage, and blindness among other things such as cataracts.
Insulin significantly and quickly reduces blood sugar and can create a state of hypoglycemia. You will need to know that later. (There will be a test)

This means Insulin is a major storage hormone, right?! So it was absolutely vital for Frank or any of the beasts to protect against Insulin insensitivity. GH release was inhibited by elevated blood sugar by the way. Think about it.
The examples that follow often list Humalog or Humulin-R insulin because they are fast/short acting and easier to control. Going to sleep with supraphysiological Insulin levels could have killed.

So by utilizing a fast acting Insulin, the system was mostly clear within 1.5-3 or 6-8 hours respectively after injection.

Obviously a meal before sleep was a must. For Frank, or any beast, a single injection of Humulin-R that exceeds 1 i.u. per 10 lbs. of body weight would have significantly increased risks. This was simply because metabolic processes would not have been able to keep up with necessary glucose supplies in most cases.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT...

I realize I have pointed this out several times, but Action/Reaction principles applied for greatest growth potential rely on synergy. This meant not only strategic use of drugs that interacted to induce a more powerful stimuli, but also anticipating and responding to the negative feed-back loops drugs can produce.

In the applications I had utilized with Frank and other beasts, this required atleast a basic understanding of drug Action/Reaction Factors as well as drug interaction. Using Insulin and GH as an example, let's look at some factors taken into consideration.


GH and Insulin Action/Reaction Factors
1. Insulin is hypoglycemic - GH is hyperglycemic.
2. Insulin is fat storing - GH is fat releasing.
3. Insulin promotes cellular uptake of about half of the amino acids needed for repair and growth - GH promotes the uptake of the other half.
4. Insulin increases T-4 conversion to T-3 - GH decreases liver conversion of T- 4toT-3.



It would seem obvious that when Frank had utilized a protocol that required 30iu of insulin per day with 2iu of GH 3-5xd he could have theoretically administered 30iu of Combination: 70% N/30% R subcutaneously upon waking in the morning (About 10 minutes before a meal), if a meal had been ingested just prior to retiring the night before. But there is a problem with that. Go re-read GH and Insulin Action/Reaction Factors.

This would have been applicable only during a mass phase. This is due to the fact that insulin stops the fat burning effect of GH. So the better choice was GH first and a fast acting Insulin 30-60 minutes later.

NOTE: A fragment of the GH molecule stimulates the B-3 receptors on fat cells. This then triggers lipolysis (fat burning) while simultaneously blocking fat storage.

Some have stated that they believe an elevation in insulin during GH activity would result in a decrease in anabolic value. This is interesting in that both GH and insulin must be present in the liver and available to tissues for the synthesis of IGF-1. As most are aware IGF-1 is by far a superior anabolic on a dose dependent basis and all three are necessary for the natural synergy need for maximum growth.

In my opinion the goal should have been to utilize steps to realize maximum potential, not limit possibilities. (More on that in a moment) Using Frank's creation as an example (at different levels of development) the following rough guide-lines were followed for dosage adjustments. Remember; calorie intake had to exceed calorie expenditure for growth augmentation... and thyroid hormones increased metabolic rate.
INTERMEDIATE
Insulin: 5-7 i.u. 2xd (Humalog only) Growth Hormone: 2 i.u. 2-3 xd. 'Thyroid T-4: 100-200 mcg/d.
ADVANCED
Insulin: 20-30 i.u. total daily. (Prefer Humalog or Humulin-R) Growth hormone: 2 i.u. 3-4 xd.
Insulin-Like-Growth-Factor-l (Long R-3): 20 mcg 2-4 xd. Prostaglandin as PGF-2: 2 mg 2-4 xd. *Thyroid T-4: 200- 300 mcg/d (or T-3). 'Thyroid T-3: 50-125 mcg/d.
VERY ADVANCED
Insulin: 24-40 i.u. total daily. (Prefer Humalog or Humulin-R) Growth Hormone: 2 i.u. 4-5 xd.
Insulin-Like-Growth-Factor-l Long R-3): 20-40 mcg 3-5 xd. Prostaglandin as PGF-2: 2 mg 3-5 xd.
Thyroid T-4: 350 mcg maximum (or 200 mcg T-4 with 1 00-1 25 mcg T-3/d)
*During contest prep, T-3 and / or T-4 dosages were slightly higher for brief periods.
We will discuss Frank's DNP (2,4-dinitrophenol) use later. However, there was a natural occurring substance that had reported similar effects (supposedly) called Usnic acid. It was suppose to increase metabolic rate 100-200 %, but I have not had

"great" success with it or the green tea that contained a similar substance. I have not given up on it yet as it does have potential.

In so many evaluated cases, even 21 days of continuous insulin use was pushing it. Frank never used any insulin protocol for more than 28 days, or repeated use without at least a 28 day insulin-free period.
"Becoming a diabetic is not a good thing or the goal anyone would seek intelligently. That is the equivalent of cutting a finger off to collect insurance. Let me count your fingers, Frank...now the other 9."

Absolute Anabolic Phases
Example #2A - Chart
DAY DRUGS
1.GH 2 iu 4xd/Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 mcg.
2.GH 2 iu 4xd/Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 mcg.
3.GH 2 iu 4xd/Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 mcg.
4.Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 mcg.
5.Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 mcg.
6.Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 mcg.
7.Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 meg.
8.GH 2 iu 4xd/Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 mcg.
9.GH 2 iu 4xd/Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 mcg.
10.GH 2 iu 4xd/Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 mcg.
11.Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 meg.
12.Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 meg.
13.Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 meg.
14.Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 meg.
15.GH 2 iu 4xd/Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 mcg.
16.GH 2 iu 4xd/Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 mcg.
17.GH 2 iu 4xd/Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 mcg.
18.Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 mcg.
19.Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 mcg.
20.Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 mcg.
21. Humulin-R 10 iu 2xd/Cytomel 50-75 mcg.

Absolute Anabolic Phases Example #2A - Details
This was a very straight-forward protocol utilizing the theoretical growth protocol set by nature for GH. The liver had a limited capacity for conversion of GH into growth factors such as IGF-1 during a given period of time. I have noted that GH dosages of 4 iu did not significantly increase circulatory IGF-1 levels above that which were realized from injections of only 2-3 iu. And IGF-1 (as well as other GH fractions) has a very brief half-life.
This meant that four 2iu injections spaced through out the day had obviously produced significantly greater, total amount of IGF-1 than would 2-4 iu or one 8 iu injection.
It was important to avoid administration of GH just before sleep and right after training as these are two natural periods of endogenous production/pulses. Why would Frank given up the extra help? I had also noted "slightly" better results by injecting directly into muscles trained the day prior until after that day's body part was trained. (At which time we switched to that muscle group for injections sites. Duh!)

Humulin-R is a fast-acting human insulin with a half-life of 3-4 hours and, obviously, an active-life of about twice that. Frank's first 10 iu injection was administered upon waking since Frank did not train until about 6-hours later. And the second 10 iu injection was administered immediately following training. GH injections were spaced in between.

So Humulin-R was at 8am and 4pm with GH at 10 am, 2pm, 6pm, 10pm. Frank utilized less insulin due to the activity of IGF-1 produced from GH conversion and because he was using the supplement mix I described earlier. More would have been totally unnecessary at this time (and not necessary in the future because insulin receptor sensitivity was maintained. More on that later...of course)

10gram sugar=1 iu Insulin

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/matt55.htm

Check out http://www.t-nation.com/...ic.do?id=460833 and http://www.t-nation.com/...ic.do?id=462147 for details on why you want high-glyceminc carbs (sugars) following intense training.