Can You Get Brain Disease from Steroid Use? by Jerry Brainum

   One of the primary questions often asked about anabolic steroids is how they will affect future health. As with any drug the effects of steroids depends on time and dosage; that is, how much you use and how long you use them. The higher the dose and the longer you stay on the drugs, the greater your chances of health problems.
    Bodybuilders and athletes who use steroids rarely suffer serious health problems directly related to steroid use because they cycle the drugs—few stay on them year-round. Various studies have shown that most adverse changes in the body induced by steroids tend to fade when people stop using them. In short, giving the body a break from steroids enables it to repair any damage.
     Some effects of high-dose steroid use are more controversial than others; for example, how steroids affect the brain. Numerous reports of out-of-control bodybuilders and other athletes on steroids have given birth to the term “roid rage.” It implies that using high-dose steroid regimens may affect the brain, causing feelings of anger and rage to be increased. Indeed, most of the wars in history have been blamed on higher testosterone levels in men.
     The truth, however, is a bit more nebulous. Studies of men who lacked normal testosterone showed that having low testosterone tends to increase feelings of anger more than having normal-to-high levels. That, of course, is the opposite of what most people believe, but it makes sense when you consider all the symptoms that come with having a deficiency in testosterone, including depression and lack of sex drive. What appears to be true is that when an already angry person uses a high-dose steroid regimen, he is likely to become angrier and more reactive to things that peeve him.
That’s not to say that high-dose steroids don’t affect the brain. In recent years numerous studies, almost all involving animals, have shown definite effects, most of them negative. It appears, based on those studies, that both deficient and superphysiological levels of testosterone or steroids affect the brain badly. Having too little testosterone has been linked to an increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease; however, according to a recent animal study, using high-dose steroid regimens for extended periods may set you up for the same problems.¹
     It has to do with the way that steroids affect a protein called nerve growth factor. The scientists who discovered NGF in the 1950s earned a Nobel Prize in physiology in 1986 for their work. As the name implies, NGF nourishes, repairs and promotes the growth of nerves. Several degenerative-brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, show a deficiency of NGF, suggesting that the brain is unable to repair the damage induced by Alzheimer’s. When injected into rat brains, NGF leads to a complete rapid repair of damaged neurons.
     When body inflammation is increased, NGF increases, since it exerts anti-inflammatory activity. NGF is also known to set off the repair of myelin, the fatlike coating of nerves that permits nerve transmission.Athletes lose speed with age because of the ineffective myelin repair that occurs. Basically, nerve transmissions are slowed as a result, and the physical effect is evident. (This is not to be confused with the far more pathological disease of multiple sclerosis, in which patches of myelin are destroyed as a result of a self-inflicted attack by the immune system Giving NGF to people suffering from M.S. can lead to considerable relief of symptoms.)
      Although it has not been tested on athletes, NGF may, theoretically, extend the career of athletes whose sports require quick reflexes and power. Then again, not many athletes would want to have NGF injected directly into their brains—no matter how fast it made them.
    Various mental diseases are related to a lack of NGF, including dementia, depression, autism, anorexia and bulimia. It’s involved in diseases not directly related to brain function as well, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. Among other functions, it interacts with insulin and can suppress excessive appetite. It can even accelerate wound healing and has been linked to feelings of being in love. It peaks during the first year of being in love and then returns to normal.
    NGF interacts with two receptors in the brain. The new rat study looked at the effects of steroids on both NGF activity and brain receptors. Although this was a rat study, all of the affected structures in the brain also exist in humans. Whether the same effects would be duplicated in the human brain is probable but still speculative.
    As noted, recent animal studies have shown that high-dose steroid regimens—comparable to those used by some bodybuilders and other athletes—are toxic to neurons in the brain. Some have shown that high-dose steroid use amplifies excitotoxic damage to the neurons. One example is the sudden release of the excitatory amino acid glutamate in large amounts in the brain, which commonly occurs during strokes. It’s the exposure to high levels of glutamate that leads to most of the damage or even death of brain neurons during a stroke. That doesn’t mean that the glutamic acid you get from protein foods or drinks is toxic. It relates to a large-scale release of the amino acid in the brain that is unrelated to dietary intake.
     Previous animal-based studies have shown that athletic-use doses of testosterone and nandrolone (trade name Durabolin) have interfered with the activity of one of the two brain receptors for NGF. Another study showed that high-dose nandrolone and stanozolol (Winstrol) reduced levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the brain. That’s problematic because BDNF is also involved in the normal maintenance of brain neurons and is increased with exercise. The study implies that using high-dose steroids may block that exercise-related benefit.
    In the new study rats were injected with nandrolone and stanozolol in doses equivalent to those used in humans for athletic purposes for 28 days. The result? The steroids significantly interfered with the activity of NGF in the basal forebrain, an area of the brain that is heavily involved in intelligence and memory functions.The steroids inhibited the transport of NGF from the hippocampus of the brain to the basal forebrain by interfering with the activity of one of the two NGF brain receptors. In doing that, they also interfered with the primary enzyme that produces acetylcholine in the brain. Acetylcholine is a brain neurotransmitter thought to be the primary neurotransmitter involved in memory and intelligence. Notably, neurons that produce acetylcholine are the most heavily damaged in Alzheimer’s disease. Most of the current drugs used to treat Alzheimer’s work by attempting to boost acetylcholine in the brain.
     The loss of memory in the steroid-treated rats was reflected in their difficulty navigating a simple maze. Again, it was thought to be a result of loss of NGF activity that adversely affected acetylcholine production. The underlying cause of the whole problem, however, was likely an overactivation of androgen receptors in the brain brought on by the high-dose steroids.
     This study raises two questions. First, was the negative effect on memory temporary or permanent? As noted above, most side effects linked to steroid use tend to recede when the steroid use ceases; however, that wasn’t tested here. The other salient question is whether this negative brain effect can occur in humans who are using high-dose steroids. It also suggests that those who stay on such regimens without a break are seriously risking the future health and function of their brains, as their brains will be unable to completely repair any damage that may occur due to the loss of NGF activity.
The damage can result from various factors, such as blows to the head or, less dramatically, constant attack by free radicals produced during the metabolism of oxygen. The brain is largely composed of polyunsaturated fat, which makes it more susceptible to free-radical attacks. Without NGF to repair any damage that may ensue from the constant attacks, the effects on brain function could eventually prove catastrophic.
     A recent rat study found that providing the rats with the popular anabolic steroid, Trenbolone, induced a build-up in the brain of beta-amyloid, one of two proteins that are thought to be the underlying cause of Alzheimer's disease when they accumulate in the brain. Again, this was a rat study, and there is no proof that this same event would occur in a human brain exposed to trenbolone. However, all the mechanisms that caused it in the rats also exist in the human brain, so it's something to consider for those who chronically use trenbolone as part of their steroid regimes. 

Jerry Brainum has been an exercise and nutrition researcher and journalist for more than 37 years. He’s worked with pro bodybuilders as well as many Olympic and professional athletes. To get his  e-book, Natural Anabolics—Nutrients, Compounds and Supplements That Can Accelerate Muscle Growth Without Drugs, visit www.JerryBrainum.com. His newsletter, Applied Metabolics,which covers in detail nutrition, ergogenic aids, anti-aging, fat-loss techniques, exercise science, hormonal therapy, and general preventive health is available at: www.appliedmetabolics.com.

Have you been ripped off by supplement makers whose products don’t work as advertised? Want to know the truth about them? Check out Jerry Brainum's book Natural Anabolics, available at JerryBrainum.com.

 

Want more evidence-based information on exercise science, nutrition and food supplements, ergogenic aids, and anti-aging research? Check out Applied Metabolics Newsletter at www.appliedmetabolics.com.

 

The Applied Ergogenics blog is a collection of articles written and published by Jerry Brainum over the past 20 years. These articles have appeared in Muscle and Fitness, Ironman, and other magazines. Many of the posts on the blog are original articles, having appeared here for the first time. For Jerry’s most recent articles, which are far more in depth than anything that appears on this blog site, please subscribe to his Applied Metabolics Newsletter, at www.appliedmetabolics.com. This newsletter, which is more correctly referred to as a monthly e-book, since its average length is 35 to 40 pages, contains the latest findings about nutrition, exercise science, fat-loss, anti-aging, ergogenic aids, food supplements, and other topics. For 33 cents a day you get the benefit of Jerry’s 53 years of writing and intense study of all matters pertaining to fitness,health, bodybuilding, and disease prevention.

 

See Jerry's book at  http://www.jerrybrainum.com

©,2015 Jerry Brainum. Any reprinting in any type of media, including electronic and foreign is expressly prohibited.

What is the most anabolic nutrient? By Jerry Brainum

The expression “anabolic nutrient” is much bandied about these days in articles and ads. It suggests that a particular nutrient may promote growth processes, particularly in muscle tissue. Despite the hype and hyperbole attached to the term, however, the only real anabolic nutrients are protein and amino acids.
   Protein is made up of 22 amino acids, some of which are considered essential, while others are nonessential. The difference is that the essential amino acids, of which there are nine, must be supplied in the diet, while the unessential aminos can be synthesized from the essential amino acids and other nutrients.
    Research in recent years has shown that when it comes to muscle protein synthesis, which is the main process that results in muscle growth, essential amino acids are the key. And you don’t need a lot. As little as six to eight grams of essential aminos is all that’s required for promoting maximum muscle protein synthesis after training. You can get that in about 25 grams of whey protein.
    Of the essential amino acids, the most anabolic are the branched-chain aminos. They are often referred to as “the muscle aminos” because, unlike other aminos, which are metabolized in the liver, the BCAAs are metabolized primarily in muscle. In fact, muscle itself consists of 60 percent BCAAs.
There are three BCAAs—leucine, isoleucine and valine—with leucine being the most potent in aiding the growth process. That relates to its ability to stimulate directly a protein complex called mammalian target of rapamycin—mTOR for short. When mTOR is stimulated, it initiates a cascade of other signaling factors that results in upgraded protein synthesis. No other amino acid comes close to the potency of leucine in triggering mTOR activity.

     One recent study examined four varied protein sources—wheat, soy, eggs and whey—in terms of their ability to stimulate protein synthesis in rats.¹ Their leucine contents vary as follows: wheat, 6.8 percent; soy, 8 percent; egg, 8.8 percent; and whey, 10.09 percent. The rats were deprived of food for 12 hours to slow down their muscle protein synthesis activity and then got meals that contained one of the above sources of protein.
    The whey and egg meals produced the highest rates of muscle protein synthesis, which correlates to their higher leucine contents; however, an important point was what the study showed about dosage. Once a critical amount of leucine was ingested, consuming any more didn’t further extend the protein-synthesis effect.
    Looking at it another way, there is a minimal threshold of leucine in a meal that promotes muscle protein synthesis. So the take-home point of this study is that when you’re eating smaller protein meals, the leucine content is the critical factor for stimulating growth. A corollary is that you can get all the benefits of protein, even with small meals, by choosing higher-quality proteins that are richer in leucine, such as eggs, milk and whey.
    Leucine’s potent effect was illustrated in the study when the researchers supplemented the wheat protein with additional leucine. That produced a protein-stimulating effect similar to that of whey. My interpretation is that if you’re eating lower-quality protein foods, such as wheat or vegetables, you can considerably boost the protein-synthesis effect simply by also taking in a higher-quality protein, such as whey, at the same time.
   Another study examined just how potent leucine is in promoting muscle protein synthesis.² Twenty-four men took part in the experiment, in which the researchers tested a dose of whey that was considerably less than the 25 grams that has been found to maximize protein synthesis. Instead, the subjects got 6.25 grams, which contains 0.75 grams of leucine, as compared to the three grams contained in 25 grams of whey. The men first did a set of one-legged extensions before having one of the following meals:
1) 25 grams of whey protein
2) 6.25 grams of whey with added leucine, enough to equal the content of 25 grams of whey
3) 6.25 grams of whey with essential amino acid content equal to that of whey for all aminos except leucine
    The results showed that adding the leucine to a smaller dose of whey did provide a postmeal boost in muscle protein synthesis, but it was short-lived, lasting only one to three hours. Even the whey with the added aminos minus leucine led to only a temporary boost. Only the greater dose of whey produced a sustained boost in protein synthesis that lasted three to five hours. That was true even though the blood amino acid elevations provided by all the sources usually return to baseline about 2 1/2 hours after the peak plasma amino spike.
   The authors suggest that the nonessential amino acids may be the key to the sustained rate of protein synthesis produced by whey. This study also underscores the fact that while leucine may be a key arbiter of muscle protein synthesis, you still need the presence of other amino acids for it to proceed at an optimal rate. Specifically, if you provide a large amount of other amino acids, you don’t need a large dose of leucine to trigger protein production.
    Although leucine is most known for its positive effect on protein synthesis, it has a few other attributes that can be very helpful for bodybuilding purposes. Related to body composition, in the hypothalamus section of the brain, leucine helps to reduce appetite by modifying the activity of leptin. a protein produced by fat cells. Leptin signals the brain, which turns off sensations of hunger.
  Once leucine has done its work in relation to muscle protein synthesis, excess leucine can be converted into other amino acids, such as alanine and glutamine. That helps to maintain blood glucose under carbohydrate-restricted conditions. In other words, it helps you maintain energy when on a low-carb diet.
    In addition, leucine appears to aid in the creation of mitochondria, the cellular structures where energy is produced as ATP and fat is burned. Leucine also blunts the release of certain peptides in the brain that are associated with intense food cravings, and as such it helps in the fat-loss process.
    Mice that are fed a high-fat diet but supplemented with leucine show a 32 percent reduction in weight gain along with 25 percent less bodyfat. The fat loss is related to an uptick in the activity of thermogenic proteins that convert fat calories into heat. The effect may be more potent in mice, as they have more of the highly thermogenic brown adipose tissue than humans. In one study of mice on a high-fat diet, the subjects showed all the symptoms of the metabolic syndrome, including obesity, fatty liver, insulin resistance and negative inflammatory changes in fat cells. Yet, giving them leucine blocked most of those negative metabolic syndrome effects.
     Another recent study found that a combination of leucine and vitamin B6 may significantly boost bodyfat loss.³The supplement consisted of 2.25 grams of leucine and 30 milligrams of B6. Cell culture studies had previously shown that leucine exerts a partitioning effect, diverting energy from being stored in fat to being burned in muscle. Leucine increases the activity of genes that control fat release and encourages muscle-fat oxidation. The B6 is added because its actions appear to blunt an enzyme called fatty acid synthase that is an important player in the fat-storage process. The combination of leucine and B6 boosted fat burning in human subjects by 33.6 grams a day while also reducing oxidative and inflammatory markers. In addition, the supplement boosted by 67 percent levels of adiponectin, a fat-cell protein associated with reduced inflammation and increased insulin sensitivity.
    The same authors also published a study that examined the effects of combining either leucine or its metabolite, HMB, with resveratrol. Resveratrol is currently a superstar nutrient because numerous animal studies have shown that it blunts many of the processes in the body associated with aging.
Animal-based studies also show that resveratrol can dramatically boost exercise tolerance and may aid in helping to control insulin resistance while encouraging bodyfat loss. That said, the doses that accomplished those effects in animals were massive compared to the levels of resveratrol found naturally. You would need to drink thousands of bottles of red wine (a good natural source of resveratrol) to obtain similar doses. Still, the new study showed that when low doses of resveratrol are combined with either leucine or HMB, the effect is synergistic, leading to body-composition changes similar to those seen with huge doses of resveratrol. Of course, this study involved rodents, so we don’t know yet whether the effect also occurs in humans. We do, however, know that the mechanisms behind the effect exist in humans.
    So how much leucine should you ingest to promote muscle protein synthesis and fat loss? The usual suggested dose is 2.5 grams per meal and another 2.5 grams taken 1 1/2 hours after the meal to help extend muscle protein synthesis.


Have you been ripped off by supplement makers whose products don’t work as advertised? Want to know the truth about them? Check out Natural Anabolics, available at JerryBrainum.com.

For the latest information and research about nutrition, exercise science, ergogenic aids, hormonal therapy, anti-aging, fat-loss, and preventive health, check out Applied Metabolics newsletter at: www.appliedmetabolics.com.

¹Norton, L., et al. (2012). Leucine content of dietary proteins is a determinant of postprandial skeletal muscle protein synthesis in adult rats. Nut and Metabol. 9:67.
²Churchward-Venne, T.A., et al. (2012). Supplementation of a suboptimal protein dose with leucine or essential amino acids: effects on myofibrillar protein synthesis at rest and following resistance exercise in men. J Physiol. 590:2751-2765.
³Zemel, M.B., et al. (2012). Effect of a leucine and pyridoxine-containing nutraceutical on fat oxidation and oxidative and inflammatory stress in overweight and obese subjects. Nutrients4;529.41.


©,2015 Jerry Brainum. Any reprinting in any type of media, including electronic and foreign is expressly prohibited.

Have you been ripped off by supplement makers whose products don’t work as advertised? Want to know the truth about them? Check out Jerry Brainum's book Natural Anabolics, available at JerryBrainum.com.

 

Want more evidence-based information on exercise science, nutrition and food supplements, ergogenic aids, and anti-aging research? Check out Applied Metabolics Newsletter at www.appliedmetabolics.com.

 

The Applied Ergogenics blog is a collection of articles written and published by Jerry Brainum over the past 20 years. These articles have appeared in Muscle and Fitness, Ironman, and other magazines. Many of the posts on the blog are original articles, having appeared here for the first time. For Jerry’s most recent articles, which are far more in depth than anything that appears on this blog site, please subscribe to his Applied Metabolics Newsletter, at www.appliedmetabolics.com. This newsletter, which is more correctly referred to as a monthly e-book, since its average length is 35 to 40 pages, contains the latest findings about nutrition, exercise science, fat-loss, anti-aging, ergogenic aids, food supplements, and other topics. For 33 cents a day you get the benefit of Jerry’s 53 years of writing and intense study of all matters pertaining to fitness,health, bodybuilding, and disease prevention.

 

See Jerry's book at  http://www.jerrybrainum.com

 

Postworkout Protein and Optimal Timing by Jerry Brainum

Much has been made in recent years of the importance of nutrient timing, a.k.a. making sure that you get adequate amounts of protein and carbohydrates after you train. Research shows that there’s a
two-hour metabolic window of opportunity after a workout, in which the effects of the exercise interact with elevated enzymes to produce a heightened absorption of nutrients.

Getting just protein then is enough to trigger muscle protein synthesis, and the active portions of protein for that are essential amino acids. It takes as little as six to 10 grams of essential amino acids to produce a maximum rate of protein synthesis. That translates to 20 grams of protein in your post-workout feeding.

As I’ve discussed in previous installments of this column, researchers found the 20-gram dose to be ideal after providing various amounts of protein (up to 40 grams) to subjects post-workout and then measuring the extent of muscle protein synthesis. The one exception is for those over age 40, who have a certain amount of anabolic resistance and so need more protein.

Most studies that have tracked muscle protein synthesis after resistance training have gone no longer than six hours, but it’s known to be accelerated for 24 hours if trainees get the optimal amounts of nutrients. So can we forget about the two-hour “anabolic window” after a workout? The answer is no—for reasons that I’ll get into below. The more important question at this point is, If muscle protein synthesis is elevated for 24 hours after training, what’s the ideal protein-meal schedule to take advantage of that?

A new study reveals precisely how much protein to get and how often to get it in during the 12 hours after a workout.¹ Twenty-four healthy young men, all of whom had at least two years of training experience, were assigned to three groups, with all subjects getting 80 grams of whey protein over a 12-hour period after a workout consisting of four sets of leg extensions. Here’s the breakdown of the groups and what they took in:

1) The pulse group got eight servings of 10 grams of whey protein, one every 1.5 hours after the workout.
2) The intermediate group got four servings of 20 grams, one every three hours.
3) The bolus group got two servings of 40 grams, one every six hours.

Muscle biopsies were taken from the subjects at rest and at one, four, six, seven and 12 hours after exercise. The total protein intake of 80 grams amounted to 1.5 grams per kilogram of bodyweight, and they also got four grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of bodyweight. The protein was tagged with an amino acid tracer to determine the extent of protein synthesis.

The results showed that taking in 20 grams of whey protein every three hours following a workout leads to the greatest rate of production. Feeding yourself more often than that would not improve the outcome because of what’s known as a “muscle full” effect. Basically, muscle becomes immune to amino acids if they are provided continuously for more than two hours. Protein synthesis stops despite all the amino acids still in the blood. Intakes of more than 20 grams are rapidly oxidized in the liver, so you waste anything beyond that. Getting 20 grams every three hours is just enough to stimulate protein production but not enough to cause the muscle-full effect.

The two bolus feedings, 40 grams of whey every six hours, produced the greatest amount of amino acid transport activity, in addition to blunting muscle breakdown, but that lasts only through the first four hours after the workout. By the six-hour mark it was no longer apparent, and the aminos from the extra 20 grams of protein were oxidized in the liver.

One notable caveat about this study is that the subjects were not very big and were also lean. Whether the results would apply to larger and/or obese men is not known. Also, it used a fast-acting protein source, whey, rather than actual food meals. Consequently, the results are more pertinent to having a whey-protein supplement than eating a meal that contains carbohydrate and fat as well as protein, which would slow its digestion significantly in comparison to whey only. What’s more, amino acids are known to stay elevated in the blood for an average of five hours after a high-protein meal, which suggests that meal timing of food meals to optimize muscle protein synthesis would be different from that of whey protein alone.

Free Radicals and Muscle Gains

Free radicals, also known as reactive oxygen species, or ROS, are by-products of oxygen metabolism that are known to be involved in various diseases as well as exercise metabolism. Past studies have linked elevated free radicals produced during exercise with increased muscle soreness and a blunting of recovery. To combat that, various antioxidant nutrients, such as vitamins C and E, are often suggested as a means of promoting better recovery from exercise.

On the other hand, the body is known to upgrade its in-house antioxidant system with continued training, and the various enzymes and proteins act as a built-in fail-safe mechanism against the increased ROS.

Some studies suggest that the body’s defense system is easily overwhelmed by intense and extensive exercise. By adding various dietary antioxidants, you can bolster your antioxidant reserve.

All that said, more recent studies, especially those done with endurance exercise, show that free radicals may offer some important advantages. For one thing, a higher rate of free-radical production promotes the development of mitochondria, the portion of the cell where fat is oxidized, and energy, in the form of ATP, is produced.

According to some studies, taking antioxidants close to a workout interferes with the ROS-induced beneficial changes and may blunt the beneficial effects of exercise on insulin sensitivity. Not all studies have found those negative points, so the issue of whether antioxidant supplements interfere with the exercise-induced ROS benefits is still open for discussion.

The picture is even less clear regarding the effects of ROS on muscle growth. One particular ROS, known as peroxynitrate, results when the free radical superoxide comes into contact with nitric oxide. Peroxynitrate is considered a particularly potent ROS, yet recent studies show that it’s involved in the calcium signaling process within muscle that plays an integral role in growth, which suggests that trying to control it may interfere with muscle gains.

One recent rat-base study showed that giving vitamin C to rats that had been exposed to a form of resistance exercise resulted in a blockage of the rats’ muscle gains.² The catch here is that rats, unlike humans, can synthesize vitamin C in their bodies from glucose. So giving exercising rats a large dose of vitamin C is an unnatural act that may have produced a stress effect sufficient to interfere with the animals’ exercise response.

The studies that have been published thus far about antioxidant supplementation and muscle growth show no interference whatsoever, which should be good news for those who take antioxidants. On the other hand, as noted with peroxynitrate, ROS do seem to play a role in the cellular signaling process that is involved in muscle growth. So the end of this story hasn’t yet been written. —Jerry Brainum

 Editor’s note: Jerry Brainum has been an exercise and nutrition researcher and journalist for more than 35 years. He’s worked with pro bodybuilders as well as many Olympic and professional athletes. To get his new e-book, Natural Anabolics—Nutrients, Compounds and Supplements That Can Accelerate Muscle Growth Without Drugs, visit www.JerryBrainum.com.   IM

¹Areta, J.L., et al. (2013). Timing and distribution of protein ingestion during prolonged recovery from resistance exercise alters myofibrillar protein synthesis. J Physiol. 9:2319-2331.

² Makanae, Y., et al. (2013). Vitamin C administration attenuates overload-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy in rats. Acta Physiol. 208(1):57-65

Have you been ripped off by supplement makers whose products don’t work as advertised? Want to know the truth about them? Check out Natural Anabolics, available at JerryBrainum.com

 For the latest information and research about nutrition, exercise science, ergogenic aids, hormonal therapy, anti-aging, fat-loss, and preventive health, check out Applied Metabolics newsletter at: www.appliedmetabolics.com  



©,2015 Jerry Brainum. Any reprinting in any type of media, including electronic and foreign is expressly prohibited. 

Have you been ripped off by supplement makers whose products don’t work as advertised? Want to know the truth about them? Check out Jerry Brainum's book Natural Anabolics, available at JerryBrainum.com

 
 

The Applied Ergogenics blog is a collection of articles written and published by Jerry Brainum over the past 20 years. These articles have appeared in Muscle and Fitness, Ironman, and other magazines. Many of the posts on the blog are original articles, having appeared here for the first time. For Jerry’s most recent articles, which are far more in depth than anything that appears on this blog site, please subscribe to his Applied Metabolics Newsletter, at www.appliedmetabolics.com. This newsletter, which is more correctly referred to as a monthly e-book, since its average length is 35 to 40 pages, contains the latest findings about nutrition, exercise science, fat-loss, anti-aging, ergogenic aids, food supplements, and other topics. For 33 cents a day you get the benefit of Jerry’s 53 years of writing and intense study of all matters pertaining to fitness,health, bodybuilding, and disease prevention.

 

See Jerry's book at  http://www.jerrybrainum.com

 

Want more evidence-based information on exercise science, nutrition and food supplements, ergogenic aids, and anti-aging research? Check out Applied Metabolics Newsletter at www.appliedmetabolics.com

 

Muscle-Building Science by Jerry Brainum

 Someone once wrote that “bodybuilding isn’t rocket science,” which implies that bodybuilding training is simplistic and requires no thinking or analysis. Anyone who has been involved in bodybuilding for any length of time, however, knows that it’s not quite as simple as it appears.

For one thing, individual differences come into play. People respond to different styles of training in different ways—one man’s optimal workout for muscle gains may be another’s gross overtraining. There are genetic factors to consider too. It’s no secret that some people take to weight training far more efficiently than others, and that shows up in their rates of progress.

In the past I’ve written about a study in which groups of men began lifting weights. Some, despite using the same workout and a similar diet, gained nearly twice as much muscle as others.

The disparity in muscle gains can be explained in several ways. Testosterone is a major anabolic hormone. Some men have more of it naturally than others, and that sets the stage for rapid muscle gains. Interestingly, recent research shows that the temporary rise in testosterone produced by exercise does little or nothing to trigger muscle gains. At first that seems confusing, since anabolic steroid drugs, which are based on testosterone, without a doubt produce potent anabolic effects in muscle. The answer is that it takes an extended high level of testosterone to boost muscle gains. You accomplish that by either using anabolic steroids or having a naturally higher testosterone production.

Research studies have examined various bodybuilding training and dietary practices, but none has compared typical bodybuilding techniques with the official recommendations on how best to train for muscle gains and fat loss. Another relevant factor to be explored is the differences between so-called natural bodybuilders, who eschew any type of anabolic drug use, and those who use the drugs. Since anabolics do extend and speed various growth and recovery factors, the workouts used by bodybuilders on anabolic drugs may not be suitable for those who aren’t. That, in fact, is the problem with attempting to follow the routines of the champions as published in many muscle magazines.

For one thing, you don’t have their genetic advantages. For another, you don’t use their drug programs. It’s not hard to see that duplicating the training methods of pro bodybuilders is a complete waste of time for most people.

A recent study examined typical training, diet and drug practices used by competitive male bodybuilders.¹ The source of the information was a Web-based survey of 127 male competitive bodybuilders. Their average age was 28, and they had an average of 7 1/2 years of competition experience. Among the subjects were two elite bodybuilders who had won natural, or drug-free, world-championship competitions.

All of the men in the survey trained on split routines, working different muscles on different days, rather than whole-body routines. They trained an average of five or six times a week, with each workout lasting 40 to 90 minutes. During the off-season most of the men averaged three to six sets per exercise, with a rep range of seven to 12. They rested one to two minutes between sets. Many of them lifted heavier during the off-season to gain more muscle, but just over 60 percent still did aerobics to stave off fat gains. The two elite natural bodybuilders did not do any aerobics in the off-season.

In their muscle-building efforts, the bodybuilders used several advanced training techniques, like pyramiding the weights and dropping the reps on each successive set and performing supersets, which are two exercises done back to back with no rest in between. Other techniques they used included forced reps, in which a training partner helps with additional reps past the point of muscle fatigue; partial reps; and negatives, or using a heavier-than-normal weight but only lowering, not raising, the weight.

For precontest training, the bodybuilders again averaged four to five exercises per muscle group, but their reps per set increased to 10 to 15. The rest time between sets dropped to 30 to 60 seconds. Most of the men also did aerobics, averaging five times a week and using a low-to-moderate pace. During the final two weeks before a contest they reduced the number of sets but increased their reps, using lighter weights. Many also increased the aerobics.

Nearly 77 percent admitted to using bodybuilding drugs. That, of course, did not apply to the natural bodybuilders, who used no drugs. The most common steroids used during the off-season were nandrolone, Sustanon, boldenone and testosterone. Prior to a contest the bodybuilders switched to what they perceived as more “anabolic” drugs, such as Winstrol and Anavar. They also threw in some alleged cutting drugs, such as thyroid and clenbuterol.

All the bodybuilders used food supplements. Protein shakes were the most popular, followed by creatine, branched-chain amino acids, glutamine, vitamins and fish oil. The authors noted that the training methods used by the respondents were in line with principles established in scientific studies regarding the best methods for boosting muscle growth. On the other hand, they think that the drop in training volume prior to a contest wasn’t enough to maximize muscle growth. That’s a contentious statement, since some scientists suggest that it’s intensity, not volume, that determines muscle gains. In addition, the bodybuilders were likely on severe calorie- and carb-reduced diets, which made overtraining a possibility, even while they were taking in more protein. This is one example of how exercise scientists can get it wrong if they go strictly by the book.

The authors note that the greatest elevations in anabolic hormones, such as testosterone, growth hormone and insulinlike growth factor 1, are produced after training that involves higher volume and moderate-to-high intensity. As mentioned above, however, more recent research shows that the fleeting elevation in these hormones following training does not seem to significantly influence muscle protein synthesis, which is the basis for muscle growth.

The authors say that advanced bodybuilders need to do at least 10 sets per muscle group to promote gains in muscle mass. The bodybuilders in the survey did 12 to 30 sets per group. Doing 30 sets per muscle constitutes overtraining for anyone, and in those who aren’t using anabolic drugs, it will usually lead to a catabolic state, meaning muscle loss. A primary goal in precontest training is to keep or maintain as much muscle as possible while reducing bodyfat to minimal levels.

Another thing noted in the study was that keeping rest times between sets to a minimum—60 seconds or less—increases the metabolic stress, which is a basic mechanism of muscle growth. Short rest periods lead to hypoxia, or a relative lack of oxygen in the blood, which signals the release of various anabolic hormones. Once again, though, whether the short rise in anabolic hormone release during exercise actually does anything is still subject to debate.

As for training frequency, studies show that training any muscle just once a week is sufficient to trigger growth. That’s good news for most bodybuilders, since the trend in recent years has been to hit each muscle group only once a week. Other studies have shown, however, that training a muscle two or three times a week produces twice as much muscle size compared to once a week in strength-training and power athletes. Another study showed that those who trained a muscle group three times a week vs. once had greater muscle gains, even though the volume of training was the same under both conditions.

The advanced techniques used by bodybuilders don’t have a lot of scientific evidence behind them, but they do influence the three major factors associated with gains in muscle size: increase in mechanical tension, muscle damage and metabolic stress. Plus, you don’t have to publish a research study to know that they work. They have stood the test of time in helping countless bodybuilders build impressive physiques over the years.

The higher reps done during precontest workouts are thought to boost metabolism—when combined with short rests between sets—and so aid in creating muscle definition through greater bodyfat loss. The higher reps also deplete more muscle glycogen, making carbohydrate-loading techniques more effective. Carb loading is used to produce a fuller-looking muscle, although its effects are questionable at best. Still, if a muscle is depleted of glycogen through exercise and lack of carb intake, adding back the carbs will no doubt produce a fuller appearance, if only because glycogen is stored with water in muscle.

The authors think that it’s a mistake for natural bodybuilders to use lighter loads during the final two weeks before a contest, since it can lead to muscle loss. They also note that doing a lot of aerobic exercise can have the same effect in natural, but not drug-using, bodybuilders. A better method is to lose fat through diet manipulation, rather than attempting to burn it off with a lot of aerobics.

Editor’s note: Jerry Brainum has been an exercise and nutrition researcher and journalist for more than 25 years. He’s worked with pro bodybuilders as well as many Olympic and professional athletes. To get his new e-book, Natural Anabolics—Nutrients, Compounds and Supplements That Can Accelerate Muscle Growth Without Drugs, visit www.JerryBrainum.com.   IM

¹ Hackett, D.A., et al. (2013). Training practices and ergogenic aids used by male bodybuilders. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 27(6):1609–17.




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