Mr Ontario
02-04-2008, 07:14 PM
Insulin explained.... something we all should read!
First let me preface by saying that insulin IS NOT for newbies.... gain weight with AAS first.... then try this.... This is an informative article, but it is not the end all. Research your ass off...
And finally.... I am not a doctor.... so use this as a guide....
Also I do not mind if this gets posted else where... just give me credit
Insulin and all that it entails.
Chemical structure
Insulin is the hormone that is released by the beta cells of the pancreas. It is the hormone that regulates blood glucose levels. It is a polypeptide that is made up of a chain of 20 and 31 amino acids, thus a total of 51 amino acids. This nifty little hormone just so happens to be the most anabolic hormone in the body.
Actions of Insulin
In addition to its role in regulating glucose metabolism, insulin stimulates, lipogenesis (the formation of fatty acids from acetyl co enzyme in the living body), diminishes lipolysis, (the hydrolysis (breakdown) of fat). It also stimulates the uptake of amino acids contributing to its overall anabolic effect. We as bodybuilders should be interested in that. Insulin also modulates transcription, altering the cell content of numerous mRNAs. It stimulates growth, DNA synthesis, and cell replication, effects that it holds in common with the insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) (1)
For our bodybuilding needs
Our reason for using insulin is to use its ability to shuttle nutrients to the muscles at a very high rate. It shuttles large amounts of protein and sugars to the muscles for fuel, repair, and growth. The ability of insulin to transport nutrients is what makes it perfect for our needs and goals. More nutrients is simply more muscle mass.
The use of Insulin for bodybuilding purposes
There are a few types of insulin available to the public, these I feel are the only ones that apply for our needs.
Humalin R*, Duration ~10-12 hours, peaks at 3rd hour until the 5th hour
Humalog* Duration ~6 hours, peaks at 80min to 120 min.
Nolvalog, Just a different maker of a fast acting insulin, same times as humalog.
Few notes, Duration is the amount of time the chemical is active.
Peak time, is the time in which you have the highest level of the chemical in the blood (2)
*This is for subcutaneous (subc, or subq) injections... we as body builders do not use insulin this way. We should and need to shoot intramuscularly (IM) see below.
Knowing what you know about the duration and peak times of humalog shot subcutaneous. Below is a graph to represent how humalog shot IM affects the blood glucose levels.
T= -5 is post w/o before insulin
T=0 is 10IU Humalog IM into left bicep
T= 5 is BG prior to my ingesting 85g of dextrose, 5g of glutamine and 7g of creatine
T=35 is BG prior to ingesting 80g of whey
T=105 is BG prior to 25g of dextrose and 150g of chicken breasts
After 150min past an IM Humalog injection, the BG remains stable
First off the warnings...
-Insulin is dangerous. Yes you can die from it, you can have some serious complications. But my goal is to educate you enough to where you never have to worry about these problems.
-Hypoglycemia- symptoms include disorientation, headache, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, fast heartbeat, sweating, tremor, and nausea in NO particular order. This can and WILL happen to you... so be prepared.
How to use it for our needs...
Once you are finished with your work out, get the hell out of the gym to take your shot. Do not look around for a new girl to talk to.... get your ass home.
Once you are home, and this is your first time using it, start off with 4 IU. Every PWO there after add one more IU, until you hit 10iu.
Then follow the diet below
Diet- 10min after your shot, ingest the proper amount of dextrose* and 65-90G of whey isolate protein in WATER
One hour after your shot have your PPWO meal. This meal is a solid one. (no shakes)
40-50g of protein, 40-50g of carbs, NO FATS
Also avoid fat at all costs for the next two and half hours. Remember if insulin transports AA and protein at a high rate, it will also transport fat**.... you have been warned
*You simple carb ratio should start off at a very safe, 10g of carbs per 1iu of insulin. So if you are at 7ius you need 70g of dextrose.
**But I don't wanna get fat
- Hey neither do I.... so to avoid this complication once you get to your 10ius of insulin and everything is good. Lower your carb to slin ratio SLOWLY. Once you feel funny, you are too low. This varies from person to person... I feel hypo at 7g/iu.... some of my buddies can go 5g/iu. So proceed with caution whenever you try to figure this stuff out.
Things to remember-
-This HAS to be cycled 4 weeks on, and 4-6 weeks off. Otherwise your insulin sensitivity will go down and you count have some problems. This is where you could become insulin dependent...... bad news!
-Its a good idea to have a partner around that knows that you are on insulin... Just in case something happens then can be prepared to help you out.
-Have all of your supplies with you ready to go before you take your shot. I live close enough away from the gym where I can drive home and shoot at the house. But some of you do not have that luxury. So if you shoot in the car or in the locker room, make sure you have your dex/whey drink. Along with some sweet tarts, dextrose tablets or even a soft drink. That way if you do come across a problem (going hypo) you can stop it before it really starts.
- Do not exercise while the insulin is active... it will throw off your glucose levels and cause you to go hypo a lot easier.
- Do not go to sleep whenever the insulin is active, seems like common sense to me but I just want to say it. If you are asleep... you have NO way of knowing if you are going hypo.... so STAY AWAKE!
- Do not shower while the insulin is active.... makes it very hard to determine if you are going hypo.... trust me I know
- Hypoglycemia can happen VERY fast... so make sure you are ready to fight it IF it happens.
Things you need to do prior to using insulin, once you feel you are ready.
-First you need to get a blood glucose meter... if you do not have one, do not mess with insulin, period
Second, once you get your BG meter, check your BG first thing in the morning when you wake up. This will be YOUR personal baseline. Test this for a few days to see what your levels are.
Third- It would be a good idea to eat like you would on insulin and check your BG PWO. You just have to check it once.... 15 min after your dex/whey shake is great.
These are just precautions.... Im trying to save your butt here.
Some questions-
-Can I get away with using an insulin pin to inject IM?
Sure you can, make sure you shoot into an area of low body fat. IE bis, tris and for some delts and quads.
-Can I use this to cut? Yes you can, but this is for an advanced user. Chances of hypo increase whenever this is done.
-Can I bulk with it? You bet you can.... and its EASY. Just up your carb intake to 12g+ per IU and you will be gaining in NO time.
-Can I use this in PCT?
shoot yeah you can and its a very good idea. This is a great way to keep some of the mass you have gained in your AAS cycle.
-Can I add supplements to my PWO shake?
Yes, I add 1.5g of CEE (creatine ethyl ester) as soon as I take my shot. Also you can use glutamine, but you need to split up your shakes.... so 5 min after injection, you have your glu+dex drink. 10min after that you have your whey iso drink. FWIW I do not use glutamine.
-Do I need to use insulin twice a day?
IMO no... the only time you have to have it is PWO. But some use it in the morning to fight of catabolism... If this is what you want to do, use a small amount ie 4-6iu.
Insulin use with LR3 IGF-1
I am writing this for the seasoned insulin and LR3 user
LR3 makes you more sensitive to insulin. So even if you know what your carb ratio should be.... up it. And lower your initial intake of insulin.
Start at 7iu, and with a 10g of carbs ratio.
Work up or go to 10ius... keeping your dex high.
Then lower it accordingly.
If you are using both, hypo comes way faster than it did before.... I have had to keep my carbs over 9g...
So just be careful.
Increasing your Insulin sensitivity
There are a few ways that you can go about to accomplish this, OTC or prescription.
OTC
-ALA any form of it but Kr-ala is the best, as it does not break down thanks to the potassium. The dosage is around 400mg-600mg... and add some biotin. For more on this visit the supp section....
-GTF Chromium or Chromium Piccinolate at 300-400mcgs. This stuff is cheap so get some.
By prescription-
-Actos this med comes in 15mg 30mg and 40mg tablets... for the average person with lowered sensitivity, 15mg will be enough to bring it back to the normal range.
Blood Glucose Ranges (mg/dl)
Taken first thing on the morning (fasting for 8+ hours)
70 - 110 mg/dl - normal range this is individualistic.
110 - 126 mg/dl - impaired tolerance range. This means you need to monitor closely as becoming a diabetic is a problem.
126 - above mg/dl - You are a diabetic....
Types of Diabetes: Added by; Praetorian
The three major types of diabetes are:
Type 1 diabetes (previously known as insulin-dependent diabetes)
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease where the body's immune system destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. This type of diabetes, also known as juvenile-onset diabetes, accounts for 10-15% of all people with the disease. It can appear at any age, although commonly under 40, and is triggered by environmental factors such as viruses, diet or chemicals in people genetically predisposed. People with type 1 diabetes must inject themselves with insulin several times a day and follow a careful diet and exercise plan.
Type 2 diabetes (previously known as non-insulin dependent diabetes)
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, affecting 85-90% of all people with the disease. This type of diabetes, also known as late-onset diabetes, is characterised by insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency. The disease is strongly genetic in origin but lifestyle factors such as excess weight, inactivity, high blood pressure and poor diet are major risk factors for its development. Symptoms may not show for many years and, by the time they appear, significant problems may have developed. People with type 2 diabetes are twice as likely to suffer cardiovascular disease. Type 2 diabetes may be treated by dietary changes, exercise and/or tablets. Insulin injections may later be required.
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM)
GDM, or carbohydrate intolerance, is first diagnosed during pregnancy through an oral glucose tolerance test. Between 5.5 and 8.8% of pregnant women develop GDM in Australia. Risk factors for GDM include a family history of diabetes, increasing maternal age, obesity and being a member of a community or ethnic group with a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. While the carbohydrate intolerance usually returns to normal after the birth, the mother has a significant risk of developing permanent diabetes while the baby is more likely to develop obesity and impaired glucose tolerance and/or diabetes later in life. Self-care and dietary changes are essential in treatment. <!-- / message --> <!-- sig --> __________________
First let me preface by saying that insulin IS NOT for newbies.... gain weight with AAS first.... then try this.... This is an informative article, but it is not the end all. Research your ass off...
And finally.... I am not a doctor.... so use this as a guide....
Also I do not mind if this gets posted else where... just give me credit
Insulin and all that it entails.
Chemical structure
Insulin is the hormone that is released by the beta cells of the pancreas. It is the hormone that regulates blood glucose levels. It is a polypeptide that is made up of a chain of 20 and 31 amino acids, thus a total of 51 amino acids. This nifty little hormone just so happens to be the most anabolic hormone in the body.
Actions of Insulin
In addition to its role in regulating glucose metabolism, insulin stimulates, lipogenesis (the formation of fatty acids from acetyl co enzyme in the living body), diminishes lipolysis, (the hydrolysis (breakdown) of fat). It also stimulates the uptake of amino acids contributing to its overall anabolic effect. We as bodybuilders should be interested in that. Insulin also modulates transcription, altering the cell content of numerous mRNAs. It stimulates growth, DNA synthesis, and cell replication, effects that it holds in common with the insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) (1)
For our bodybuilding needs
Our reason for using insulin is to use its ability to shuttle nutrients to the muscles at a very high rate. It shuttles large amounts of protein and sugars to the muscles for fuel, repair, and growth. The ability of insulin to transport nutrients is what makes it perfect for our needs and goals. More nutrients is simply more muscle mass.
The use of Insulin for bodybuilding purposes
There are a few types of insulin available to the public, these I feel are the only ones that apply for our needs.
Humalin R*, Duration ~10-12 hours, peaks at 3rd hour until the 5th hour
Humalog* Duration ~6 hours, peaks at 80min to 120 min.
Nolvalog, Just a different maker of a fast acting insulin, same times as humalog.
Few notes, Duration is the amount of time the chemical is active.
Peak time, is the time in which you have the highest level of the chemical in the blood (2)
*This is for subcutaneous (subc, or subq) injections... we as body builders do not use insulin this way. We should and need to shoot intramuscularly (IM) see below.
Knowing what you know about the duration and peak times of humalog shot subcutaneous. Below is a graph to represent how humalog shot IM affects the blood glucose levels.
T= -5 is post w/o before insulin
T=0 is 10IU Humalog IM into left bicep
T= 5 is BG prior to my ingesting 85g of dextrose, 5g of glutamine and 7g of creatine
T=35 is BG prior to ingesting 80g of whey
T=105 is BG prior to 25g of dextrose and 150g of chicken breasts
After 150min past an IM Humalog injection, the BG remains stable
First off the warnings...
-Insulin is dangerous. Yes you can die from it, you can have some serious complications. But my goal is to educate you enough to where you never have to worry about these problems.
-Hypoglycemia- symptoms include disorientation, headache, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, fast heartbeat, sweating, tremor, and nausea in NO particular order. This can and WILL happen to you... so be prepared.
How to use it for our needs...
Once you are finished with your work out, get the hell out of the gym to take your shot. Do not look around for a new girl to talk to.... get your ass home.
Once you are home, and this is your first time using it, start off with 4 IU. Every PWO there after add one more IU, until you hit 10iu.
Then follow the diet below
Diet- 10min after your shot, ingest the proper amount of dextrose* and 65-90G of whey isolate protein in WATER
One hour after your shot have your PPWO meal. This meal is a solid one. (no shakes)
40-50g of protein, 40-50g of carbs, NO FATS
Also avoid fat at all costs for the next two and half hours. Remember if insulin transports AA and protein at a high rate, it will also transport fat**.... you have been warned
*You simple carb ratio should start off at a very safe, 10g of carbs per 1iu of insulin. So if you are at 7ius you need 70g of dextrose.
**But I don't wanna get fat
- Hey neither do I.... so to avoid this complication once you get to your 10ius of insulin and everything is good. Lower your carb to slin ratio SLOWLY. Once you feel funny, you are too low. This varies from person to person... I feel hypo at 7g/iu.... some of my buddies can go 5g/iu. So proceed with caution whenever you try to figure this stuff out.
Things to remember-
-This HAS to be cycled 4 weeks on, and 4-6 weeks off. Otherwise your insulin sensitivity will go down and you count have some problems. This is where you could become insulin dependent...... bad news!
-Its a good idea to have a partner around that knows that you are on insulin... Just in case something happens then can be prepared to help you out.
-Have all of your supplies with you ready to go before you take your shot. I live close enough away from the gym where I can drive home and shoot at the house. But some of you do not have that luxury. So if you shoot in the car or in the locker room, make sure you have your dex/whey drink. Along with some sweet tarts, dextrose tablets or even a soft drink. That way if you do come across a problem (going hypo) you can stop it before it really starts.
- Do not exercise while the insulin is active... it will throw off your glucose levels and cause you to go hypo a lot easier.
- Do not go to sleep whenever the insulin is active, seems like common sense to me but I just want to say it. If you are asleep... you have NO way of knowing if you are going hypo.... so STAY AWAKE!
- Do not shower while the insulin is active.... makes it very hard to determine if you are going hypo.... trust me I know
- Hypoglycemia can happen VERY fast... so make sure you are ready to fight it IF it happens.
Things you need to do prior to using insulin, once you feel you are ready.
-First you need to get a blood glucose meter... if you do not have one, do not mess with insulin, period
Second, once you get your BG meter, check your BG first thing in the morning when you wake up. This will be YOUR personal baseline. Test this for a few days to see what your levels are.
Third- It would be a good idea to eat like you would on insulin and check your BG PWO. You just have to check it once.... 15 min after your dex/whey shake is great.
These are just precautions.... Im trying to save your butt here.
Some questions-
-Can I get away with using an insulin pin to inject IM?
Sure you can, make sure you shoot into an area of low body fat. IE bis, tris and for some delts and quads.
-Can I use this to cut? Yes you can, but this is for an advanced user. Chances of hypo increase whenever this is done.
-Can I bulk with it? You bet you can.... and its EASY. Just up your carb intake to 12g+ per IU and you will be gaining in NO time.
-Can I use this in PCT?
shoot yeah you can and its a very good idea. This is a great way to keep some of the mass you have gained in your AAS cycle.
-Can I add supplements to my PWO shake?
Yes, I add 1.5g of CEE (creatine ethyl ester) as soon as I take my shot. Also you can use glutamine, but you need to split up your shakes.... so 5 min after injection, you have your glu+dex drink. 10min after that you have your whey iso drink. FWIW I do not use glutamine.
-Do I need to use insulin twice a day?
IMO no... the only time you have to have it is PWO. But some use it in the morning to fight of catabolism... If this is what you want to do, use a small amount ie 4-6iu.
Insulin use with LR3 IGF-1
I am writing this for the seasoned insulin and LR3 user
LR3 makes you more sensitive to insulin. So even if you know what your carb ratio should be.... up it. And lower your initial intake of insulin.
Start at 7iu, and with a 10g of carbs ratio.
Work up or go to 10ius... keeping your dex high.
Then lower it accordingly.
If you are using both, hypo comes way faster than it did before.... I have had to keep my carbs over 9g...
So just be careful.
Increasing your Insulin sensitivity
There are a few ways that you can go about to accomplish this, OTC or prescription.
OTC
-ALA any form of it but Kr-ala is the best, as it does not break down thanks to the potassium. The dosage is around 400mg-600mg... and add some biotin. For more on this visit the supp section....
-GTF Chromium or Chromium Piccinolate at 300-400mcgs. This stuff is cheap so get some.
By prescription-
-Actos this med comes in 15mg 30mg and 40mg tablets... for the average person with lowered sensitivity, 15mg will be enough to bring it back to the normal range.
Blood Glucose Ranges (mg/dl)
Taken first thing on the morning (fasting for 8+ hours)
70 - 110 mg/dl - normal range this is individualistic.
110 - 126 mg/dl - impaired tolerance range. This means you need to monitor closely as becoming a diabetic is a problem.
126 - above mg/dl - You are a diabetic....
Types of Diabetes: Added by; Praetorian
The three major types of diabetes are:
Type 1 diabetes (previously known as insulin-dependent diabetes)
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease where the body's immune system destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. This type of diabetes, also known as juvenile-onset diabetes, accounts for 10-15% of all people with the disease. It can appear at any age, although commonly under 40, and is triggered by environmental factors such as viruses, diet or chemicals in people genetically predisposed. People with type 1 diabetes must inject themselves with insulin several times a day and follow a careful diet and exercise plan.
Type 2 diabetes (previously known as non-insulin dependent diabetes)
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, affecting 85-90% of all people with the disease. This type of diabetes, also known as late-onset diabetes, is characterised by insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency. The disease is strongly genetic in origin but lifestyle factors such as excess weight, inactivity, high blood pressure and poor diet are major risk factors for its development. Symptoms may not show for many years and, by the time they appear, significant problems may have developed. People with type 2 diabetes are twice as likely to suffer cardiovascular disease. Type 2 diabetes may be treated by dietary changes, exercise and/or tablets. Insulin injections may later be required.
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM)
GDM, or carbohydrate intolerance, is first diagnosed during pregnancy through an oral glucose tolerance test. Between 5.5 and 8.8% of pregnant women develop GDM in Australia. Risk factors for GDM include a family history of diabetes, increasing maternal age, obesity and being a member of a community or ethnic group with a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. While the carbohydrate intolerance usually returns to normal after the birth, the mother has a significant risk of developing permanent diabetes while the baby is more likely to develop obesity and impaired glucose tolerance and/or diabetes later in life. Self-care and dietary changes are essential in treatment. <!-- / message --> <!-- sig --> __________________