Catabolic Vs Anabolic State: The Difference And How It Affects Muscle Growth | Steroids4U.eu - Steroids4U.net - Steroids4U.to

 

Catabolic Vs Anabolic State: The Difference And How It Affects Muscle Growth

While the terms “anabolic state” and “catabolic” are common in the fitness world, they’re often misused. Do you know what these terms truly mean? And do you know in which state your body is in?

If not, this article provides the answer. We’ll take a close look at both anabolism and catabolism, and we’ll discuss how they influence your figure and muscle growth.

Let’s dive right in.

What is Anabolism and Catabolism?

Anabolism and catabolism are two types of biochemical reactions that make up metabolism.

• Anabolism refers to constructive processes. It causes the synthesis of complex molecules from simpler ones. An example is what happens when your body builds muscle − it turns amino acids and other compounds into muscle tissue.
• Catabolism refers to the breakdown of large, complex molecules in the body into smaller, simple ones. An example is when your body breaks down body fat to burn it as energy.

Anabolism and catabolism are essential for every cell of your body. That’s because these processes ensure that your cells get energy and remove waste products.

But if you’re reading this article, it’s most likely because you want to build muscle. That’s why we’ll focus throughout the rest of the content on how anabolism and catabolism influence muscle growth.

How Anabolism and Catabolism Influence Muscle Growth

While the mechanisms of muscle growth are complicated, it eventually comes down to one thing: protein turnover rate. That works as follows:

• If protein synthesis exceeds protein breakdown, you gain muscle.
• If protein breakdown exceeds protein synthesis, you lose muscle.

If you don’t fully understand what that means, then think of a muscle as a wall, and each brick as a protein. If you wanted to make that wall bigger and stronger, you would add extra bricks to it, correct?

Exactly. And the same thing applies to your muscles. To grow and strengthen them, your body must add bricks (proteins) to your muscles. In other words, anabolism has to take place.

The things with muscles, however, is that while you add bricks to them, bricks also get broken down. (Catabolism). That happens at all times within your muscles to generate energy and remove bad bricks (dysfunctional muscle fibers).

Now, the reason I mention this is that muscle growth is all about the balance between how many bricks your body adds and how many it breaks down.

If your body removes more bricks than it adds, the wall shrinks (muscle loss). But if your body adds more bricks than it removes, the wall expands (muscle growth).

In other words, a muscle must be in a predominantly anabolic state in order to grow. That way the body adds more bricks than it removes. How you can ensure such a state is what we’ll cover in the next sections.

The Five Main Factors that Influence Anabolic State

Your body is a complex system, and countless factors influence whether your body is in a predominantly anabolic state or not. What follows are five main factors, which – if you enhance them – will help you build more muscle and gain more strength.

NOTE: this section is a bit technical. If you don’t understand a particular piece, don’t worry − you can build muscle without this data, and you’ll learn how at the end of this article.

Also, please note that these influencers don’t work in isolation. Instead, they’re connected. If one of these influencers gets stimulated or increases, others usually rise or activate as well.

1. Hormones

There are about 50 hormones in your body, many of which influence anabolism, whetherdirectly or indirectly. Here are the four main ones that enhance muscle growth:

• Testosterone: This cholesterol-derived hormone is powerful at boosting muscle. That’s because it increases protein synthesis, decreases protein breakdown, and increases the release of other anabolic hormones, like growth hormone and IGF-1.
• Insulin: This hormone, which primarily functions to regulate blood sugar, also aids muscle growth. How insulin enhances hypertrophy is by reducing muscle protein breakdown, something we call “anti-catabolism.”
• Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1): This is a hormone that has both anabolic and anti-catabolic effects on your muscles. That means it both reduces muscle breakdown and stimulates muscle build-up.
• Growth hormone. This hormone, which is also known as GH, doesn’t directly benefit muscle growth. Still, it helps you grow muscle, and that’s because it potentiates the effects of IGF-1.

These four hormones benefit muscle growth. That’s why higher levels of these hormones help you pack on more mass.

Some hormones, however, don’t benefit but instead hurt muscle growth. An example is cortisol, which is also known as the “stress hormone.”

2. Signaling pathways

A signaling pathway refers to a group of molecules in a cell that works together to control cellular functions like cell division and cell death.

While research has made considerable strides to find out which of such pathways influence muscle growth, it still remains a relatively unexplored territory.

The following pathways, however, are believed to influence anabolism and muscle growth:

• The PI3K/Akt pathway
• The phosphatidic acid pathway
• The AMPK pathway
• MAPK pathways
• Calcium-dependent pathways

3. Mechanical tension

Mechanical tension is a type of force that tries to stretch a material.

In the case of weight training, this means you load your body with resistance. Your muscles then contract with the goal to overcome that stretching force.

In other words, mechanical tension refers to the resistance you put on your muscles when you lift weights. And the more weight you use, the higher the mechanical tension is.

When it comes to exercising, research shows that mechanical tension is the primary driver of muscle growth. That’s why you should lift relatively heavy weights if you want to build muscle.

4. Muscle damage

The mechanical tension produced during weight training causes microscopic damage to muscle fibers. This is especially the case when you train with high levels of tension; for example, if you bench-press a lot of weight.

Such muscle damage is actually good. That’s because your body will not only repair the affected muscle fibers but will also add new fibers to your muscles to prepare for a similar stressor in the future. In other words, it grows your muscles.

SIDE NOTE: Although most experts believe it to be true, it’s not entirely clear whether muscle damage indeed stimulates growth.

Some scientists claim muscle damage is just a side effect of weight training and does not benefit hypertrophy.

That said, it’s likely that muscle damage does drive muscle growth, which is why it deserves a spot in this list.

5. Metabolic stress

The burning sensation you feel while you do an exercise for a relatively high number of reps − let’s say fifteen − is what we call metabolic stress.

Such metabolic stress occurs because higher-rep weight training causes the build-up of metabolites in your muscles, the main ones being lactate, inorganic phosphate, and H+.

That metabolic stress, in turn, stimulates muscle growth in various ways. For instance, it increases muscle fiber recruitment, stimulates anabolic hormone levels, causes cellular swelling, and alters myokine production.

How to Increase Muscle Anabolism Naturally − The Four Fundamentals

By now, you know the basics of what influences anabolism and catabolism. As a result, you may wonder how you can increase anabolism, so that you can build more muscle and shape your dream figure.

If so, below you’ll find four ways in which you can do just that. While this is by no means a comprehensive list, it’ll show you the fundamentals and steer you in the right direction.

1. Lift Weights

It’s no surprise that weight lifting helps you build muscle. But why is that? The reason is that it causes three things within your body and muscles: mechanical tension, metabolic stress, and muscle damage.

As a result, protein synthesis increases while protein breakdown reduces, which means your body gets into a more anabolic, muscle-building state.

While it’s beyond the scope of this article to discuss how you should train to optimize muscle growth, this article answers that question. It covers seventeen evidence-based tips you can instantly use to maximize your gains.

2. Be in a Calorie Surplus

If you’re in a calorie surplus, which means you consume more calories than you burn, you can build more muscle.

That’s because such an act causes physiological changes that boost hypertrophy. Examples are higher testosterone and IGF-1 levels, and reduced cortisol.

It’s important to note, however, that consuming more calories doesn’t necessarily mean more muscle gains.

One 12-week study, for example, found similar muscle gains between resistance-trained athletes who maintained a small calorie surplus and those who ate an extra 600 calories on top of that.

However, the subjects of the higher-calorie group gained an average of five times more fat, which indicates that you should avoid excessive calorie intake, even though you’re ‘bulking.’

Comparative changes in body weight (BW), fat mass (FM), and lean body mass (LBM) between those consuming a small calorie surplus (NCG) and those eating an average of 600 extra calories (ALG).

 Source: Eur J Sport Sci. 2013;13(3):295-303.

Here’s an easy, step-by-step formula you can use to calculate how many calories you should take in each day to optimize muscle growth while minimizing fat gain.

Not all calories are the same and following macros for building muscle is essential for your success.

3. Consume Enough Protein

Protein forms the foundation of muscles. In fact, to grow a muscle, it’s all about building up more protein (amino acids) within that tissue than get broken down.

Now, in order to create such a positive ‘protein turnover rate,’ it’s essential that you consume enough protein. That’ll help you pack on more muscle mass.

But how much protein should you consume?

The answer is at least 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. So, if you’re 80 kilos (176 pounds), that means at least 128 grams of protein per day.

If you do that, you’ll reap all the muscle-building benefits of protein, as concluded by a 2018 meta-analysis published in British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Source: Br J Sports Med. 2018 Mar;52(6):376-384

4. Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is crucial to stimulate an anabolic state and shape an eye-catching figure. One weight-loss study, for example, looked at how sleep deprivation influences body composition during a calorie deficit.

During the study, overweight and obese adults were randomly divided into two groups.

One group could sleep as much as they wanted each night; the other group had to shorten their sleep schedule by forty minutes per day from Monday to Friday.

The results?

Even though both groups lost the same amount of weight, those who were sleep deprived lost four times more lean body mass (20% vs 80%). And that was even though they could catch up on sleep during the weekend!

In other words, if you want to optimize muscle mass − whether that’s to gain muscle while you bulk or maintain it during a cut − it’s essential to get enough sleep.

For most people, that means getting between seven and nine hours per night, as recommended by the National Sleep Foundation. But you may need more or fewer hours based on factors like your genetics and the quality of your sleep.

The Bottom Line on Anabolism vs. Catabolism for Muscle Growth

Anabolic state refers to building up while catabolic refers to breaking down. Both processes always take place within your muscles, and in case the rate of anabolism is higher than the rate of catabolism, you build muscle.

To achieve such positive turnover rate, there’s a lot you can do. The four main ones are lifting weights, maintaining a calorie surplus, consuming enough protein, and optimizing sleep.

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Steroids VS Natural: Effects Of Steroid Use In Bodybuilding, Studies And Real Life Examples | Steroids4U.eu - Steroids4U.net - Steroids4U.to

 

Steroids VS Natural: Effects Of Steroid Use In Bodybuilding, Studies And Real Life Examples

If you want to know the difference in muscle growth between natural and enhanced bodybuilding, then you’ll want to read this article.

We’ll look at how steroids work, how effective they are, how much muscle you can build naturally, and more… all based on the latest scientific research. So let’s dive in!

SIDE NOTE: We do not condone steroid use. Steroids are Schedule III controlled substances, which means that they’re illegal to own without medical prescription and illegal to distribute unless you’re a medical doctor.

What are Anabolic Steroids?

Anabolic steroids are man-made substances that have identical effects to testosterone in the body. They speed up recovery between workouts, boost fat loss, and increase strength and build muscle.

While testosterone is the most popular steroid, here are some other often-used variations:

• Anadrol
• Deca-Durabolin
• Dianabol
• Equipoise
• Oxandrin
• Winstrol

The exact muscle building mechanisms of steroids are complex and depend on the variation being used. All steroids, however, induce muscle growth by benefiting muscle protein balance.

They do so by either increasing protein synthesis, reducing protein breakdown, or both. As a result, more proteins build up inside a muscle (i.e., muscle growth).

Besides increasing muscle growth directly, steroids also speed up gains indirectly. This is because steroids influence the psyche.

One study, for example, found that lifters still gain much more muscle and strength if think they’re on steroids but in reality take a placebo.[1]

In other words, part of the reason steroids work is that users expect them to work.

Now, while steroids may seem alluring if you want to get buff, they have a dark side.

Steroids carry various short-term risks, such as liver toxicity, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, acne, lowered sperm count, and testicular shrinkage.

Steroids can also have (permanent) long-term side effects, such as liver disease, male-pattern baldness, heart dysfunction, and gynecomastia (breast development).

And steroids carry the risk of biological and psychological addiction, causing about 30% of steroids users to become dependent on the drug. [2-3]

How Many People Use Anabolic Steroids?

Due to the potent muscle building effects of steroids, it’s no wonder that they’re often used by bodybuilders, strength athletes, and even regular folks.

Just consider the following:

• A 2002 self-reported study found that 4% of twelfth-grade high-school students had used steroids. [4]
• An article by US Department of Justice notes that 1,084,000 Americans – that’s 0.5% of the adult population – said they’re using anabolic steroids or have done so in the past.[5]
• A 1989 study indicates that among competitive bodybuilders, 54%of males and 10% of females use steroids on a regular basis. [6]
• Researchers from a study published in The Physician and Sportsmedicine estimate that “at least 90% of the male professional bodybuilders and about 80% of the women currently use steroids.” [7]

While these are high figures, the actual number of steroid users is likely even higher. This is because the findings above are based on self-report surveys.

Sure, these surveys were anonymous, so maybe all participants were honest. But that’s unlikely due to the stigma attached to steroids. Some steroid users likely gave a false negative.

Besides, the numbers are based on research that is at least fourteen years old. Since it’s believed that steroid use has risen over the last decade, the current numbers are likely higher.

How Effective are Steroids?

There’s much controversy on steroids.

Many bodybuilders claim that steroids don’t benefit muscle growth as much as everyone thinks. Others believe that it’s impossible to sport a decent amount of muscle tissue without juicing.

Who’s right?

Well, to see how effective steroids truly are, let’s consider a fascinating ten-week study published in The New England Journal of Medicine.[8]

The study involved 43 men of normal body weight between the ages of 19 and 40. All of them had resistance training experience, and they were split into four groups, as follows:

• Group one did not receive steroids and did not exercise.
• Group two received 600 mg of testosterone enanthate each week and followed a progressive weight lifting routine.
• Group three did not receive steroids but followed a progressive weight lifting routine.
• Group four received 600 mg of testosterone enanthate a week while following a progressive weight lifting routine.

The diet of each man – calorie intake, protein intake, and micronutrient intake – were standardized based on body weight, and these nutrition variables were adjusted every two weeks based on body weight changes.

The results? Here’s what happened after ten weeks:

• Group one (natural, no exercise) saw no significant changes in muscle tissue and strength.
• Group two (steroids, no exercise) gained, on average, seven pounds of muscle.

• Group three (natural with exercise) gained, on average, four pounds of muscle
• Group four (steroids with exercise) gained, on average, thirteen pounds of muscle.

In other words, those who were given testosterone injections gained over three times as much muscle in ten weeks compared to those who trained naturally (13 pounds vs. 4 pounds).

And those who received testosterone but did not work out still gained a lot more muscle than the naturals who lifted weights three times a week (7 pounds vs. 4 pounds)!

Yes, that’s right, taking 600 mg of testosterone caused more muscle growth than following a progressive weight training routine three days a week.

And please note that 600 mg is a moderate dosage by today’s standards. Lots of athletes take much higher amounts, often combined with other steroids.

And also keep in mind that steroids have a dose-response curve relating to muscle growth. The more you take, the more mass you gain.[9]

So, as a natural lifter, it’s impossible to compete with an enhanced bodybuilder who takes a decent amount of steroids – no matter how hard you exercise and how well you eat.

How Much Muscle Can You Build Naturally?

Unfortunately, it’s impossible to predict your exact muscle growth potential. That amount is influenced by many factors, including:

• Your natural hormonal levels: If you naturally have high testosterone levels, you can build more muscle than those who’re less gifted.
• Your height and bone structure: If you’re naturally large-structured, you have the potential to build more and larger muscles than those who are shorter and have a smaller frame.[10]
• Your dedication: Most people never come close to their genetic potential because they don’t eat and train properly or because they give up before reaching their genetic limit.

In addition, there are many other factors that impact how much muscle you can gain naturally. That’s why it’s impossible to predict your exact natural muscle building potential.

You can, however, make a relatively accurate estimate with a formula created by natural bodybuilder Dr. Casey Butt.

His formula, which is outlined below, is based on six years of statistically analyzing drug-free strength athletes and bodybuilders, ranging from the pre-steroid era up to the modern days.

H = Height in inches

A = Ankle circumference at the smallest point

W = Wrist circumference measured on the hand side of the styloid process (the bony lump on the outside of your wrist.)
%bf = The body fat percentage at which you want to predict your maximum lean body mass

Now, if that looks like balderdash to you, then don’t worry: just click here and you’ll go to a calculator develop by Dr. Casey Butt to make the math easy.

The formula requires you to take some measurements, such as assessing your ankle and wrist circumferences and your body fat percentage.

If you don’t have the required measuring tools nearby or don’t want to go through the hassle, there are simpler, although less accurate, alternatives available to predict your natural muscle building potential.

The well-respected health and fitness writer Lyle McDonald created one of such alternatives. Here’s his formula:

Years of proper training VS Potential muscle gain rate per year

• 1 year = 20-25 pounds (2 pounds per month)
• 2 years = 10-12 pounds (1 pound per month)
• 3 years = 5-6 pounds (0.5 pounds per month)
• 4+ years = 2-3 pounds (not worth calculating)

In other words, Lyle states that men can build 40 to 50 pounds of muscle during their first four to five years of proper training and dieting, after which the rate of additional muscle gains become fairly negligible.

So, if you start out at 140 pounds, you should be able to reach around 180 to 190 pounds after four to five years. (That is due to an increase in muscle mass, not due to fat gain.)

It’s important to note, however, that these numbers are based on male lifters. According to Lyle, females can build muscle at about half the rate outlined in the formula.

He also notes that starting age plays a role. Someone who is in his or her twenties can, generally speaking, gain muscle faster than someone age forty or above.

It’s also important to note that the numbers outlined above are for those who exercise, eat, and recover properly.

So, it’s for the lifters who have the fundamentals in check. These include working out consistently, applying progressive overload, consuming enough calories and protein, getting enough high-quality sleep, and so forth.

Someone who’s been lifting weight poorly for years may still be able to reap the benefits of the “newbie gains” linked to the first years of working out.

How to Tell if a Bodybuilder Uses or Has Used Steroids?

It’s easy. Everyone who’s bigger than you… stronger than you… leaner than you… makes more money than you… and has a hotter girlfriend is on steroids – period! At least, that’s how the average gym bro thinks.

In truth, however, it’s hard to tell if someone is taking steroids, although some clues can give it away.

The most obvious clue is if someone’s fat-free mass index (FFMI) is above 25.

Here’s how that works.

The FFMI is a measurement of how much muscle mass you have relatively to your height. You can view it as the body mass index (BMI) for muscle.

To figure out your FFMI, you first have to know your total fat-free mass. To do this, subtract the amount of body fat you have from your total body weight.

So, if you weigh 80 kilos and 25% (20 kilos) of that is body fat, your fat-free mass is 60 kilos.

Then, use the following formula to figure out your FFMI:

• FFMI = (Lean / 2.2) / ((Height in ft x 12.0 + in) x 0.0254)² x 2.20462

(If that looks like gobbledygook to you, just use this simple calculator. Fill in your height, body weight, and body fat percentage and the app will calculate your FFMI.)

So, if a guy’s fat-free mass is 60 kilos and he is 180 cm tall, his FFMI according to the formula is 18.519.

What’s the relevance of FFMI?

Well, one study on 157 male athletes, including elite level bodybuilders and strongmen athletes, compared the difference in FFMI between using and not using steroids.

And the researchers found that an FFMI of 25 was the highest a natural athlete achieved.[11]

In other words, if someone’s FFMI overreaches the 25-points mark, it’s very plausible that he is or has used steroids.

Here are some visuals of different FFMI’s.

First, let’s look at a photo of Cristiano Ronaldo at 187 cm, 84 kg, and 7% body fat, which gives him an FFMI of 22.39.

Such a physique is achievable naturally if you train hard and smart, follow a proper nutrition plan, get enough high-quality sleep, and stay dedicated.

The next physique, however, is more questionable. It is bodybuilder Steve Cook at 186 cm, 6% body fat, and a body weight of 93 kg. This puts his FFMI at 25.5.

Because his FFMI is above 25, you likely won’t achieve this physique naturally; however, it may be possible if you’re blessed with excellent genetics.

Okay, moving on, here’s a photo of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who admitted to having used steroids.

Based on Arnold’s stats (188 cm, 107 kg, 5% body fat), his FFMI in the photo is 28.55 – a state that is not attainable naturally. If you want to attain such a figure, you’ll have to reach for illegal substances.

At last, let’s look at the current Mr. Olympia Shawn Rhoden.

At 109 kg, 178 cm, and 4% body fat, his FFMI is 33.10. Once more, you won’t build such a body with just chicken, rice, broccoli, and creatine.

Other Visual Signs of Steroids Use

Calculating someone’s FFMI isn’t the only way to estimate whether someone is natural. Other signs include:

Overdeveloped Shoulders and Traps but Underdeveloped Legs

Sure, this can also be due to neglecting leg day. However, if the upper body – with the shoulders and traps in particular – is significantly bigger than the lower body, that can be a sign of steroid use.

The reason is that the upper body has much more androgen receptors than the lower body, which is why steroids stimulate more growth in these areas.[12]

Breast Tissue Development in Males

Gynecomastia, also known as breast development in males, is a common side effect of steroids. It’s caused by an imbalance between estrogen and testosterone levels.

Male Pattern Baldness

Steroids often cause elevated dihydrotestosterone levels. That can lead to male pattern baldness (hair loss that begins at the crown or temples of the head).

Acne (Especially on the Back)

Sure, some people are naturally more prone to acne than others. But steroids can significantly intensify acne. So, if someone is huge and their entire back is covered with zits, he’s likely taking steroids.

Extremely Lean Year-Round

As a bodybuilder, you can obtain and maintain a very lean (<8%) physique for a short period, such as when you prepare for a photo shoot or wedding.

But maintaining such a lean state year-round is not sustainable as a natural. If someone carries a lot of muscle and is always shredded to the bone, he’s likely juicing.

How Steroid Use Indirectly Hurts Natural Bodybuilders

Steroids can not only have severe drawbacks for their users, but also for those who decide to stay natural. There are various reasons why steroids can hurt natural bodybuilding, for example:

It Causes Unrealistic Expectations

If, as a natural bodybuilder, you compare your progress and appearance to those of enhanced bodybuilders, you’re setting yourself up for frustration.

Certain physiques just aren’t attainable as a natural lifter, no matter how hard and smart you exercise and how on-point your diet is.

So, don’t compare your results to those of enhanced lifters. Instead, focus on your own progress and ensure that you get a little bit better each day.

It Scares Women Away from Lifting Weights

Many females believe that lifting more than the plastic, pink dumbbells will cause them to look like the She-Hulk.

The truth, however, is that females only become bulky in response to strenuous strength training combined with steroid use.

If, as a female, you follow a well-designed workout routine involving exercises such as squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, rows, and lunges without using anabolic steroids, you won’t become overly muscular.

Instead, it will help you obtain and maintain a “toned” figure – like the ones you see on the cover of magazines like Shape and Women’s Health.

It Creates Unqualified Experts

We’ve all been guilty of believing that a particular gym bro must be a trustworthy information source just because he is ripped.

And while it may be true at times that someone who looks like a Greek god must be smart about fitness and nutrition, that’s often incorrect.

Many times, steroid users have the dumbest fitness advice. They just “look the part” because they can overcome stupid with steroids.

Now, I’m not saying you can’t trust all steroid users. Some of them share excellent information. But what I am saying is that you must be careful from whom you take advice – whether he or she is on steroids or not.

The Bottom Line on Natural versus Enhanced Bodybuilding

While there’s a lot of misinformation on the difference between natural and enhanced bodybuilding, you now know better how steroids influence muscle growth.

For instance, you’ve learned that much progress is possible as a drug-free lifter, but that if you want a physique like Arnold in his prime, you’ll need steroids. That’s just the way it is.

It’s up to you whatever path you choose. No one should judge you for deciding to stay natural or not. But at least you now have a better view of your muscle building potential.

Sounds fair? Great. But before you go, we’d like to hear from you. What is your opinion on natural versus enhanced bodybuilding? Or do you have any questions about the topic? Let us know by commenting below.

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PRE-WORKOUT CAFFEINE: FUNCTIONS, BENEFITS, RISKS AND DOSAGE | Steroids4U.eu - Steroids4U.net - Steroids4U.to

 PRE-WORKOUT CAFFEINE: FUNCTIONS, BENEFITS, RISKS AND DOSAGE

Contents

Where can we find caffeine everywhere?

What effects does caffeine have on the body?

5 benefits of caffeine intake before training

5 disadvantages of caffeine intake before training

Recommended dosage of caffeine

What to take from it?

Caffeine is probably the most widely used stimulant worldwide. In the form of freshly prepared coffee, tea or through dietary supplements, we use it in the morning, during the day, and many of us like it even before training. Not only can it give us a real kick in front of it, but it also has a number of other benefits, such as supporting sports performance and helping with weight loss. However, we must remember that caffeine is a good servant but a bad master. There are also some risks associated with it that can negatively affect our performance or health. It is therefore important to monitor your caffeine intake and know how to use it correctly.

Where can we find caffeine everywhere?

The most well-known natural source of caffeine is undoubtedly coffee beans, from which we prepare espresso, filtered coffee and other coffee drinks. Tea leaves, especially green tea, matcha or yerba mate, also contain this stimulating substance. Caffeine in its natural form can also be found in cocoa beans. When you need a change, feel free to try swapping coffee for a mug of cocoa or a small cube of quality dark chocolate. However, expect that you will receive less caffeine this way than from coffee. 

It is also worth mentioning guarana or kola nut, which can be found in the original recipe for the world-famous Coca-Cola. It still contains caffeine, but in the wide assortment of lemonades we can find many others that have caffeine in their composition. It is also added to nutritional supplements, which are typically used before or during sports activity. These include, for example, pre-workout supplements or energy drinks, shots or gels.

What effects does caffeine have on the body?

1. Reduction of fatigue and supply of energy

Many of us cannot even imagine going to training without drinking a fresh espresso. We take it as a ritual that kicks us off and sets us on the right note. What is actually behind the stimulating effect of caffeine? Its main mechanism of action is its unique ability to bind to adenosine receptors. By doing so, it blocks them and can thus limit the action of adenosine, whose role is to calm us down, induce a feeling of relaxation, sleepiness and fatigue. Instead, caffeine makes us suddenly more alert and we can feel a rush of energy, which is exactly what we need at that moment. That is why caffeine has its place of honor in the composition of pre-workout supplements.

2. Good mood and satisfaction

Drinking coffee is also associated with a feeling of satisfaction and good mood. This effect is probably related to the potential ability of caffeine to increase the amount of receptors of certain neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, serotonin or GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). It is these substances that affect our mental state and can induce almost euphoric feelings in us. Over time, we can even work our way into feeling the urge or need to have coffee at certain times of the day. If we don't get it, we may experience headaches, irritability and other unwanted symptoms. Our body has already formed a habit and craves the pleasant effects of caffeine. The more caffeine we consume, the more intense the symptoms may be after it is stopped.

3. Greater vigilance

After consuming caffeine, the levels of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol can also rise in our body. We recognize it by increased alertness, faster heart activity and better blood circulation to the muscles. It is also manifested by a momentary increase in blood pressure and heart rate. All these effects can have their positives and negatives in terms of sports performance.

5 benefits of caffeine intake before training

Caffeine has a permanent place in the pre-workout routine of many athletes. The proof is, for example, research results, according to which 3 out of 4 elite athletes indulge in caffeine before or during performance. It probably won't be much less even in the case of recreational people who go for sports, for example, only after work. In short, caffeine in various forms is popular with endurance athletes, strength athletes, soccer players and other team athletes. 

An interesting fact is that this substance was on the list of prohibited substances of international sports organizations between 1984 and 2004. If the athlete's sample (urine) was taken with a caffeine concentration higher than 12 μg/ml, it was considered doping. This corresponds to an intake of approximately 10 mg of caffeine per 1 kg of body weight, which is well above the commonly recommended values. Currently, athletes are no longer tested for caffeine, but the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) continues to monitor caffeine intake and advises athletes to stay below 12 μg/ml in case the topic comes up again in the future.

1. Encouragement before training

Almost everyone needs a little or a big boost before exercise. It often happens that we feel somehow without energy before a planned sports activity. We then automatically reach for caffeine in the form of coffee, an energy drink or a pre-workout drink and wait for the well-known stimulating effect. It can appear within a few minutes and is most pronounced between 30 and 120 minutes after consuming caffeine. Then we can feel more alert, more motivated, more concentrated and more prepared for the next sports load.

2. Improving sports performance

From the point of view of supporting sports performance, caffeine is one of the most researched substances worldwide. It is most often associated with improving endurance performance, but many studies have also confirmed its positive effect on strength, coordination and other sports skills. In addition, it can improve brain functions such as alertness, attention and reaction time. It is therefore a universal support that can help a sprinter run a faster time, a basketball player shoot the basket more accurately or a soccer player perceive the game more attentively and be one step ahead of the opponent.

The positive effect of caffeine on sports performance is mainly due to the aforementioned effect on reducing fatigue or increasing the level of adrenaline, which can often bring out literally unearthly performances from us.

Better blood circulation to the muscles, higher resistance to exertion and pain can also contribute.

A certain role can be played by supporting the breakdown of fat into energy, which can be better used during sports.

As part of the research, an improvement of only one percent was observed, for example. Athletes' endurance improved by an average of 2-4% and strength by 2-7% after caffeine intake. It may seem like a small number, but in the case of athletes, success and failure are often decided by milliseconds that can bring them closer to, for example, winning a medal. 

3. Support fat burning and weight loss

Caffeine can kick not only our mind or muscles. In his abilities, there is even an acceleration of metabolism. Thanks to this, its intake before training can lead to a greater amount of burned calories, which will be especially appreciated when losing weight. Thanks to its effects, it also belongs to thermogenic fat burners.

First of all, it can encourage us to practice more focused, more honestly, with more passion and at a higher intensity, which can be reflected in a greater amount of energy burned.

According to conducted research, caffeine affects catecholamine hormones (adrenaline and noradrenaline), which can speed up metabolism.

Caffeine can increase the consumption of oxygen (oxygen uptake) during exercise, which can also increase the consumption of calories during performance.

This substance also has the ability to increase the breakdown of fat (lipolysis) into energy, which is then used for movement. For this reason, the burning effect of caffeine works best after sports.

According to experts, the effect of this substance on increasing the concentration of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) also plays a certain role. The latter can activate the enzyme lipase, which breaks down fats and helps break them down into usable energy.

4. Reduction of fatigue and muscle pain

Runners and other endurance athletes, who usually spend the most time in sports, struggle most often with fatigue during training. They easily run out of stored energy in the form of glycogen, which is manifested by a decrease in performance. The intake of simple carbohydrates during exercise in the form of gels or ionic drinks helps to prevent them from this. However, caffeine can also contribute. This is because during physical activity, it helps to break down stored fats into a usable source of energy, thanks to which glycogen can be saved. Caffeine during sports activity also helps to reduce fatigue and increase the subjective level of energy due to the reduction of adenosine activity and the effect on the nervous system (CNS).

In addition, it has been shown to reduce muscle soreness during training. Apparently, the ability to suppress the effects of adenosine, which affects pain signaling, is behind this. Thanks to this, we can, for example, handle a slightly larger load or maintain the intensity of the performance for as long as possible. 

5. Better handling of demanding or long training sessions

When we put together all the effects of caffeine, we get a key that can help us unlock the next level of athletic potential. Right from the first kick, through the reduction of fatigue and pain, we can work our way up to master slightly more demanding or longer training sessions. It's also possible that exercise might seem a little easier to us compared to when we don't drink caffeine before training.

5 disadvantages of caffeine intake before training

After reading all the positive effects, it may seem that caffeine before training will bring us only positives. Unfortunately, even this substance has its risks, and it is not always suitable before exercise. What can happen if we exceed the maximum daily recommended dose, have a higher sensitivity to caffeine or take it at the wrong time?

1. Risk of sleep disturbance

Caffeine generally has a quick onset of action and we can feel its effect after just a few minutes. However, it remains in our organism for quite a long time. It can easily take up to 9.5 hours to break it down completely. It takes 4-6 hours for most people. So, even 6 hours after drinking coffee, we may have trouble relaxing the body, calming the mind and getting ready for sleep. Even if we do manage to fall asleep, we may wake up at night and probably not get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep. The influence of caffeine can also reduce the time of deep sleep, which is essential for quality rest. For this reason, it is generally recommended to avoid caffeine 6 hours before going to bed. 

What effect does DNA have on the breakdown of caffeine?

However, this general recommendation may not apply to everyone. Maybe you just remembered someone who drinks coffee after dinner and sleeps like a baby. On the other hand, there are many people who can indulge in coffee or strong green tea only in the morning, because otherwise they have trouble falling asleep. The explanation for this phenomenon can be found in our DNA. The enzyme responsible for caffeine metabolism is encoded by the CYP1A2 gene. Depending on which variant of this gene we have, we can be classified as either slow or fast metabolizers of caffeine.

2. Digestive problems

If we have a more sensitive stomach or overdo it with caffeine, it can happen that we spend most of our training on the toilet instead of lifting weights. This substance increases the production of gastric acid (hydrochloric acid), which in larger quantities can cause stomach irritation or reflux (return of gastric juices into the esophagus).

In addition, it supports the activity of the intestines, which is not suitable during exercise. If you don't drink much coffee and want to start supplementing with caffeine, it's better to start with a smaller dose and watch the body's reaction. 

3. Increased nervousness, irritability and other side effects

Caffeine triggers a whole host of reactions in our body that make us suddenly feel more motivated and energized. But everything does a lot of harm. When we exceed the limit of safe caffeine intake or are more sensitive to it, we can observe a feeling of nervousness, anxiety, irritability, stress or heart palpitations.

In most cases, it's nothing serious and these symptoms should disappear as the caffeine is eliminated from the body, but we certainly don't want to feel this way during training or at any time during the day. In order to prevent this, we must follow the recommended dosage and individual tolerance to caffeine.

4. Increasing tolerance

If we are regular consumers of caffeine in any form, it may happen over time that the same dose does not kick us as much as before. Our body can develop a tolerance to caffeine. To achieve the same benefits, we will therefore have to increase our daily intake, which may not be possible without side effects. In that case, we can try caffeine cycling.

How does caffeine cycle?

We will remove all sources of caffeine from your diet and supplementation plan for 2-8 weeks. It is important to prepare for the fact that withdrawal symptoms may appear during the first days. It is more common especially in people who used higher doses of caffeine. Such symptoms typically include irritability and sometimes headaches. However, if we overcome the first days and endure the caffeine withdrawal cycle, we can enjoy the greater effect of caffeine again. A smaller dose will simply be enough to achieve the targeted effect. 

5. Risk of excessive intake or overdose

Consuming more caffeine than is healthy throughout the day is easier than it might seem. It is enough to have two strong espressos, drink a liter of cola without sugar, and one energy drink before training, and suddenly we are over the upper limit. When we really overdo it with caffeine intake during the day, we can even experience indigestion, heart palpitations and sleep problems, which result in another need to boost ourselves with caffeine, which leads us into a vicious circle. For this reason, we should guard our daily intake of this substance.

Recommended dosage of caffeine

EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) has set the upper limit of caffeine intake at 400 mg per day for a 70 kg person, which corresponds to an intake of 5.7 mg/kg per day.

One dose should contain a maximum of 200 mg of caffeine (3 mg/kg). 

According to the ISSN (International Society of Sports Nutrition), an amount of 3-6 mg/kg of caffeine per day is suitable for supporting sports performance.

Very high caffeine intake, for example 9 mg/kg, is associated with frequent occurrence of side effects and does not seem to have a positive effect on performance. In this case, more is not better.

It is recommended to take caffeine 30-60 minutes before training.

Which sources of caffeine are the best?

Before training, we can enjoy, for example, fresh espresso or filtered coffee. Ideally without milk and sugar, thanks to which the caffeine is absorbed faster and we also avoid extra calories.

Another option is BCAA drinks, which, in addition to caffeine and amino acids, often contain vitamins and minerals.

Caffeine tablets, which contain an effective amount of 200 mg of caffeine in one dose, are also suitable.

You can also use pre-workout drinks containing caffeine, energy shots, capsules or extracts from green tea or guarana.

The advantage of food supplements with caffeine is that we can find out how much of the active substance we have taken based on the composition. Unfortunately, this cannot be determined in the case of coffee or tea, in which a large number of factors influence the caffeine content.

What to take from it?

By adding caffeine to pre-workout supplementation, we can get a lot of benefits. This substance encourages us, prepares us for physical activity, so we can perform better during training. We will be able to train longer and more easily overcome more intense exercise. However, caffeine also has its second, darker side. We can easily exceed its recommended daily intake, which can cause digestive problems or sleep problems in more sensitive individuals. It is therefore important to follow this recommendation and at the same time listen to the reactions of your own body. That's the only way to get the best out of caffeine.

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How To Get A Wider Back Science Explained | Steroids4U.eu - Steroids4U.net - Steroids4U.to

 How To Get A Wider Back Science Explained

How can you grow a wider back? In this post, I'm going to break down how to properly train the back for width based on the muscle functionality.

Just like many other gym goers, the one thing that I really wanted to achieve when I first started lifting weights was to get a wider back.

If you're seeking to build a wider back, there are two primary factors that play a role:

1. Your Lat development.

2. Your waist circumference

The smaller the waist, the more pronounced your V-Taper will be and the wider your back will appear.

Obviously, you cannot alter your waist with training. You need a good diet for that. And that's a topic for another day.

In this article we're going to focus on how to add more width to your back by optimizing the growth of the lats through optimal training techniques.

Let's get right into it.

Lat Functionality

In order for us to understand how we can effectively target the lats, we need to first understand how they function.

The lats are responsible for:

Shoulder adduction – bring the arms closer to the body when they're out to the side. Think of bringing the weight down during lateral raises.

Shoulder extension – bring the arms closer to the body when they're out in front.

Most people are under the impression that vertical pulls (such as pull ups and pull downs) are better at building a wider back.

And horizontal pulls (like rows) are better at building back thickness.

However, this is not the case at all.

Rows are actually great for targeting both width and thickness.

This is supported by this 2004 study, where the seated row out-performed the lat pulldown for both the lat and trap activation.

And this 2014 paper shows that lat pulldowns are great at targeting both the lats and the traps.

Rows are the dominant way of targeting the lats through shoulder extension.

Where as pull ups and pull downs target the lats through shoulder adduction.

From a programming perspective, you would want your back workout to include vertical and horizontal pulling exercises to target the lats from all angles.

Speaking of vertical pulls.

Vertical Pulling Exercises

Vertical pulling exercises are usually pull-ups and pull-downs.

While a lot of people put the pull-up on a pedestal, there's really no difference.

As a matter of fact there's supporting evidence that suggests that the lat pulldown is better at isolating the lats by incorporating less biceps involvement (study).

So if you want to incorporate some indirect biceps work you can do pull-ups.

If you want to isolate the lats and reduce biceps involvement, you can do pulldowns.

What about grip and hand position?

Grip and hand position

Firstly, there doesn't seem to be much of a difference between pulldowns to the front and to the back of the neck (study, study, study).

However, there was this one 2002 paper that showed that the front pulldown is slightly better at lat activation.

However, since the front pulldowns puts the shoulders at a less vulnerable position. And allow for heavier loads to be used I'd recommend sticking with front pulldowns.

Commonly, most trainees believe that the wider the grip, the wider the back. But again, this is not really the case.

And while the differences are small, this 2014 paper suggests that a medium pronated (palms facing out) grip is better at targeting the lats. Medium as in 1.5 times shoulder width.

This was mainly based on the trend that they observed of higher lat and trap activation during the eccentric. In other words, when lowering the weight.

And this medium grip also allowed for heavier loads to be used.

This 2010 study supports this as it found that a pronated (overhand) grip produced higher lat activation compared to a supinated (underhand).

What about cable attachments? Should you only stick to the straight bar?

As much as I love the V-Bar pulldowns, I would suggest sticking with the straight bar when doing vertical pulls.

A close grip pulldown will emphasize more on shoulder extension. Since most rowing exercises are going to target the lats through shoulder extension it'd be wise for you to use a straight bar so that you can target the lats through adduction.

That being said, you can do both variations.

From a mechanical standpoint, the fact that you're using a vertical pull to do shoulder extensions will hit the lats from a different angle. Which is always a good thing.

Also, if the idea of ​​shoulder adduction confuses you here is something that you can do that will improve your pulldown form.

Extend your arms above your head as if you're about to do a pulldown. Have your arms at about 1.5 times shoulder width with a pronated grip.

Instead of focusing on pulling your hands down, focus on pulling your elbows in. Visualize your elbows moving in an arch as they come down to your body.

I'll talk about this in more detail later in the article, but this type of practice is what really helped me increase my lat activation during pulldowns.

Horizontal Pulling Exercises

Like we already said, rows yield a slightly higher lat activation compared to pulldowns.

Which basically means that if you want a wider back, rows are a must in your back workout.

The question is:

Is there a way to target more back width with the rows?

Oddly enough, there's not a lot of data that looks into grip width and hand position for lat activation. So we'll have to rely on bio-mechanics to see if there is any difference.

With rows, we basically need to flip the narrative – a wide grip is going to target more back thickness, whereas a more narrow grip will target back width.

This sounds confusing, but it actually makes complete sense.

If we look at the seated cable rows

A close grip will allow you to better perform shoulder extension. By driving your elbows down and in, which will emphasize the lats over the traps.

Whereas, a wide grip will more effectively emphasize horizontal shoulder abduction and scapular retraction, which target the rhomboids and traps.

The same holds true for dumbbell rows and barbell rows.

Speaking of dumbbell rows, which is my personal favorite horizontal pull for the lats. You really want to focus on pulling your elbows back in an arc, rather than just straight up.

This is true for all rowing exercises, but I've noticed that dumbbell rows are where most people have a hard time with that. And they often tend to just pull the dumbbell up.

Also, use a bench. With the dumbbell rows you want your torso to be almost parallel to the floor.

Standing too up right might allow for heavier loads, but you seriously limit the range of motion of the lats.

Lat Pre-Activation

One of the most common issues I hear people have when trying to build a wider back is that they cannot feel the lats being worked.

While this is not necessarily a problem, if your form is good, studies have shown that better mind-muscle connection leads to better lat activation overall.

This is probably because most who do not focus on targeting the lats end up having the biceps and traps take over and do most of the heavy lifting.

This study, for example, concluded increased EMG activation of the lats following palpation (touching) and thinking about engaging the lats.

Some experts suggest a pre-activation routine to engage the lats and allow you to really feel the lats contract.

What I've found to work really well for me is just doing "practice runs". I basically mimic the exercise movement, without actually doing the exercise, and focus on squeezing/flexing the lats. This has really helped me improve my rows and pulldowns.

 

Bottom line

If you want to get a wider back you need to emphasize on lat development.

Include a vertical and horizontal pull to your back routine. Make sure that you use a straight bar if you're going to do pulldowns or stick to a traditional pull up to emphasize shoulder adduction.

A medium pronated grip has been shown to have the best lat activation.

Use a narrow grip for your horizontal pulls (rows) for shoulder extension to focus on back width.

Practice your range of motion and the execution of the exercises so that you can more effectively target the lats.

A pre-activation movement where you feel and think of the lats contracting to increase muscle activation.

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