In this article, we will explain the increasingly frequent use of insulin, often combined with growth hormone or HGH, in modern competitive and non-competitive bodybuilding. Before we begin, however, we would like to point out that this article describes very advanced and potentially very dangerous practices: do not improvise anything unless you are an experienced bodybuilder or are being supervised by a specialized sports doctor.
What is insulin and how does it relate to growth hormone?
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas and, without going into detail, is a "storage" hormone. When blood glucose levels rise, the pancreas secretes insulin, which binds with the glucose in the blood and stores it where necessary (if not necessary, it stores it as fat). Since glucose is the "transport" for all nutrients in the blood, when glucose is transported and stored, the various nutrients bound to it are also transported and stored.
Insulin, although not directly, acts as an agonist with growth hormone: when insulin is low, our body tends to secrete more growth hormone and vice versa. As you know, growth hormone is responsible (among other things) for cell duplication and the production of IGF1 (a hormone peptide necessary for muscle growth).
Why is insulin used with growth hormone in bodybuilding?
Let's take things in order to simplify matters. A bodybuilder takes exogenous growth hormone (HGH) to, in fact, grow. The more GH they take externally, the less insulin the body produces (agonist hormones). If blood sugar rises too high, not only is there a risk of diabetes, but all the nutrients needed for growth (eat big to get big) are not stored, and over time this causes the metabolism to become desensitized to growth hormone, which will only produce side effects. Keep in mind that we are talking about AGONIST bodybuilders who take dozens of units per day.
However, if you take exogenous insulin, the problem is theoretically solved: you will have high levels of nutrients in your blood, high levels of HGH, and high levels of insulin, which will store all the nutrients where they are needed and also transport growth hormone to the receptors.
Side effects of insulin and GH used together
So far, it seems that HGH and insulin used in synergy are the perfect combination for growth, and indeed, when used scientifically, they are. Unfortunately, however, it's not all roses and sunshine. Insulin is a very powerful hormone; just a few drops can lead to hypoglycemic crises because there are not enough nutrients and glucose in the blood, and these can be LETHAL. In addition, prolonged use of insulin, especially with GH, can lead to severe insulin desensitization of the body, resulting in diabetes. Furthermore, if insulin is used or abused with GH, or if the timing of use is wrong, there is a risk that not only will the "aesthetic" muscles enlarge, but all lean tissues, including the heart and intestines (a phenomenon recently called bubble guts, where some bodybuilders, despite being very lean, look pregnant). Finally, if your diet is not perfectly calibrated to the doses taken, you risk gaining weight, and not just a little, since insulin also stores fat.
Conclusions
To conclude: it is true that all top bodybuilders in the world have used or use insulin and HGH together off season to grow disproportionately, but these practices are difficult to manage and potentially very dangerous. The choice is yours...
