Johnny Cage

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I'm unbias on IGF but I did find an interesting article.


posted by buffness on SBI


You be the judge, their will always be two sides to a story. It's up to you to pick which one is right for you....

By Cy Willson.....

IGF-1: Worst Bodybuilding Drug Ever?

Q: What ever happened to IGF-1? It was talked about in 'roid books in the early '90s but you don't hear much about it now, except for a few sleazy supplement companies who are using the name.

A: IGF-1 can allow for hypertrophy of muscle. Will it do such a thing when administered to humans? Yes. However, the gains seen really aren’t spectacular. More often than not, they don’t even come close to gains seen using androgens.

For the most part, people should realize that IGF-1 is primarily responsible for GH’s anabolic effects in skeletal muscle as well as cell proliferation, leading to enlarged internal organs and increasing the risk for cancer dramatically. Oh, and this most certainly includes Long R3 IGF-I as I know some people will try to argue that it's much safer.

Well, in order to give you the total picture, I’m going to go over some basic molecular biology as well as list the direct evidence we have concerning the side effects of IGF-1 and yes, that includes Long R3 IGF-I.

First, people should understand that in the human cell cycle, growth requires growth factors in general. Seems simple enough. The next thing people need to understand is that for a normal cell, death is something that'll inevitably occur via loss of telomerase or apoptosis (programmed cell death). Again, I can’t overemphasize enough that the default pathway in humans is death, not growth. (Reassuring, isn't it?)

Now, when you hear of cancer, malignant cancer, people tend to think of uncontrolled cell division. Essentially though, these transformed cancerous cells are immortalized. Now, many changes are required for this to occur (i.e. increased telomerase, increased bcl-2, increased myc and decreased p53). In the development of cancer, we tend to think of carcingogens consisting of both initiators and promoters. For instance, some initiators are UV radiation and tobacco smoke, usually causing DNA damage or mutation, whereas promoters tend to stimulate cell division. A few examples are phorbol esters, hormones (e.g. estrogens) and yes, growth factors.

Now, keep in mind both events, initiation and promotion, are required for the development of malignant cells. As a side note, viral infection can also lead to the two events, but I digress. Anyhow, normally a cell serves its purpose and then dies via apoptosis. However, malignant cells don’t undergo apoptosis. They are, as I said before, immortal. The normal triggers to apoptosis are DNA damage, loss of cell-matrix contact, loss of cell to cell contact, and last but most certainly not least, lack of growth factors.

When you introduce growth factors, you’re providing the catalyst for cancer formation, so to speak. Let’s say, for instance, you get many sunburns during your lifetime. Now, let’s say that one cell has its DNA damaged or altered. This, in and of itself, isn’t too much of a concern as this is only one part of the equation, the iniation. The second part is the promoter (including growth factors).

Well, let’s imagine we introduce growth factors to the cell which has damaged or mutated DNA and it then begins to divide at a more and more rapid rate until it won’t stop. Voila, you have a tumor, which is now capable of even faster growth as well as being invasive (able to invade surrounding tissues) and metastatic (able to cause growth in completely unrelated and distant tissues) in regard to other tissues.

In other words, you now have a malignant tumor, which we commonly refer to as cancer. The fact is, cancer stems from just one cell, just one cell, which begins to divide uncontrollably. People often talk about GH and the side effects thereof, but what most don’t realize is that many of those side effects aren't necessarily mediated by growth hormone but by IGF-1.

Many people may go their whole lives with some DNA damage (or mutation rather) and never have cancer, but with the addition of growth factors, you’re asking for trouble. Even more specifically, you can increase the risk of developing rare forms of cancer, like sarcomas, which are tumors commonly found in connective tissues (i.e. muscle, bone, cartilage, etc.)

Okay, now on to the more cosmetic side effects. With Long R3 IGF-I, it was shown to stimulate growth of the gastrointestinal tract. IGF-1 actually had no effect on body weight and wet tissue weight of the small and large intestine, whereas Long R3 IGF-I resulted in a 20% increase in the weight of the small and large intestine. This is what's causing a "GH gut" although using Long R3 IGF-I is much, much worse than using GH.

Something else to keep in mind is that Long R3 IGF-I was shown to be even more potent than IGF-1 in inhibiting apoptosis and thus its potential for causing cancer is many times greater.

Another idea is that IGF-1 may also keep telomerase activity high, which as we noted previously is a contributing factor for the loss of regulation in terms of cell division. In other words, it again can substantially increase the risk for developing cancer. Long R3 IGF-I was shown to increase telomerase activity in human prostate cancer cells, whereas IGF-1 had no effect.

So, when I tell you to stay away from IGF-1, I’m actually referring to Long R3 IGF-I as it’s what's most commonly circulated and used. Although both aren't something a person should use, Long R3 IGF-1 is probably the worst choice you can make.

So, unless you’re an IFBB pro who consistently places in the top ten at popular contests, you should forget about using IGF-1, or specifically the analogue of IGF-1 called Long R3 IGF-I. It’s really not worth the risk. This, out of all the compounds that bodybuilders may use, is probably the worst in terms of potential side effects.

If you want a true distended belly and increased risk of cancer, be my guest. (47-52)

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Great Post! Now I am going to take twice the amount that I was normally take! have bumped it from 20mcg's to 40-50mcg's a day.

Thanks for the post man, but I already knew all of these sides, and I do not get any! Cheers!

Yum, IGF!
 
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The caveat to cancer is that increasing the telomeres in a cell will basically decrease the age of the cell. Aging is not that well understood but what is known is that telomeres are one of the most significant biomarkers for aging.

So increasing the telomeres in your cells is probably not a bad thing at all and one reason why some people in the past mistakenly called HGH the new "Fountain of Youth".

The problem of course is cancer in that not only are cancer cells immortal, but they are greedy as well and also have been mutated to keep dividing as if a permanent growth factor has been induced on them whereas fat cells for example generally only divide once they have been fully saturated with lipids.

So yah it is a double edged sword. Of course, even if you lengthen the telomeres on your cells it won't do anything for repeated DNA damage done to your body over time which effectively mutates the genetic code in each individual cell (if things get too fucked up then apoptosis occurs).

Anyways, I think we are probably about 20 years or less away from having anti-aging therapies which for the most part will make humans rich enough to take advantage of them that for all practical purposes will make them immortal.

When and if that day happens it will be a scary day for mankind for some very common sense reasons you can probably come up with when you have a whole planet of people who do not age, yet still have children. In effect, humanity itself at that point will become a cancer to the planet sucking up all the available resources until everything dies all at once.
 
Good article. Supra, how can you be sure your intestine hasn't enlarged?
 
He could disembowel himself or else march an army of angry Scottsman to invade England like William Wallace did before he got the intestine treatment.
 
Supra said:
Great Post! Now I am going to take twice the amount that I was normally take! have bumped it from 20mcg's to 40-50mcg's a day.

Thanks for the post man, but I already knew all of these sides, and I do not get any! Cheers!

Yum, IGF!

This is supras way of using humor to block out all of those horrible side effects and forget about them. lol
 
This kind of information worries me. I mean does anybody know whethere Penis Enlargement:ing is dangerous in the long run? Nobody has gotten dickcanser from it yet anyhow....
 
Well considering I am the only one who is taking it, that would be a no!
 
Hope nothing bad happens to you Supra, youd be a great loss to the Penis Enlargement Community and your buddies :(
 
Yes, IGF-1/GH can "SPenis EnlargementED UP" cancerous cell's/tumor growth's (that you already have), but clinical studies have already shown that IGF-1/GH will not cause cancer/tumor's to grow out of nowhere... So, if you've had cancer or a tumor growth in the past...or cancer run's rampant in your family, then IGF-1/GH are probably not a very good idea...also if you're a smoker/chewer...

As far as the side-effect's of the "enlarged intestine's/gut"...side-effect's such as those and acromegaly are only present in the more "extreme" bodybuilder's...because of the amount's of "drug's" taken and the duration of the cylcle's...

Now, I'm not saying that their are'nt risk's with growth factor's, but they alway's tend to be over-hyped and misleading... My brother-in-law is a former bodybuilder, so I've been around alot of this stuff and researched alot, as well as taking IGF-1LR3 and a few other Anabolic's/Androgen's, and I can tell you first hand, that the side-effect's are "over-hyped"... that's not to say that their aren't any risk's...and it's possible that an already present cancerous cell can be speed up into a potentially lethal cancer, but the chance's are pretty small...

I just want to make clear, that I am not endorsing IGF-1 or any other "reseachable" drug... (except maybe cialis, wich is a wonderful Penis Enlargement aid, I might add)... and that's why I won't put source's here in the forum or try and push anybody into using these "substances"... Use these "drug's" at your own risk!

Peace
 
SLICEDBEEF said:
...or cancer run's rampant in your family, then IGF-1/GH are probably not a very good idea...


My families got a bad case of that problem. Hopefully I dont get cancer... :(
 
or smoke...or chew...or drink "alot"...or anyother thing that may be detrimental to your health...
 
SLICEDBEEF said:
Yes, IGF-1/GH can "SPenis EnlargementED UP" cancerous cell's/tumor growth's (that you already have), but clinical studies have already shown that IGF-1/GH will not cause cancer/tumor's to grow out of nowhere... So, if you've had cancer or a tumor growth in the past...or cancer run's rampant in your family, then IGF-1/GH are probably not a very good idea...also if you're a smoker/chewer...

As far as the side-effect's of the "enlarged intestine's/gut"...side-effect's such as those and acromegaly are only present in the more "extreme" bodybuilder's...because of the amount's of "drug's" taken and the duration of the cylcle's...

Now, I'm not saying that their are'nt risk's with growth factor's, but they alway's tend to be over-hyped and misleading... My brother-in-law is a former bodybuilder, so I've been around alot of this stuff and researched alot, as well as taking IGF-1LR3 and a few other Anabolic's/Androgen's, and I can tell you first hand, that the side-effect's are "over-hyped"... that's not to say that their aren't any risk's...and it's possible that an already present cancerous cell can be speed up into a potentially lethal cancer, but the chance's are pretty small...

I just want to make clear, that I am not endorsing IGF-1 or any other "reseachable" drug... (except maybe cialis, wich is a wonderful Penis Enlargement aid, I might add)... and that's why I won't put source's here in the forum or try and push anybody into using these "substances"... Use these "drug's" at your own risk!

Peace

I agree in a healthy individual even if they do develop a cancer cell the body just destroys it. Its why we see people like older people or sick people getting cancer like crazy. In fact thousands of times per day cancer cells are mutating into existence and your body is killing them off.

I think his argument in this article is sort of retarded. Basicaly hes saying don't take growth factors because the cancer cells will grow too. But he also says that the cancer cells have perma growth in them anyway because of mutations. So wouldn't growth factors balance it more with that logic? Which is flawed anyway.

The one part that was interesting however was where he mentioned that IGF develops the inner skeletal muscles. For example organs.
 
I aint takeing this IGF shit, better IMHO to sticking with Ciallis and/or Muira Puima , both work great in pe and bodybuilding.

I have cancer in my family but mainly on the woman side ... I however dont smoke nor drink much, but when I drink I DRINK lol but fuck it, I gotta enjoy myself right.
 
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