I don't take credit for it, but it is very in depth.
This information was taken from various sources. Accuracy may not be 100% but in my opinion is very informative and correct from everything I've gathered. Please do as much research as you can and make your own opinions based on the info you have gathered, respectively.
IGF
What is it? And what is the difference between huIGF-1 and LR3 IGF-1?
IGF-1 stands for insulin like growth factor. IGF-I is the primary protein involved in responses of cells to growth hormone (GH): that is, IGF-I is produced in response to GH and then induces cellular activities. One such example is muscle growth or hyperplasia
This compound also makes the human body more sensitive to insulin. It is the most potent growth factor found in the human body. IGF-1 causes muscle cell hyperplasia, which is an actual splitting and forming of new muscle cells, this is a good thing.
LR3 IGF-1
Long Recumbent 3 IGF-1, which is an 83 amino acid analog of human IGF-1 sequence with the substitution of an arg for the glu at position 3 (hence R3), and a 13 amino acid extension peptide at the N-terminus (hence the long).
HuIGF-1
It has a 70 amino acid string. It is very short lived in the body (half life of probably around 10-15 minutes). This type of IGF-1 is very useful if you are seeking local site growth. Since it is so short lived, little of the IGF-1 makes it to other tissues and IGF-1 receptors in the body. The way to inject this is immediately post work out into the muscle that you wish to have local site growth. This coupled with PGF2a and TNE would do wonders for site specific growth IMO.
What can I expect?
First off you can expect to drop a little BF if your diet is good. LR3 seems to increase fat loss somewhat. You can expect an increase in hunger, this is ideal when bulking. That though can be controlled while cutting. Another thing to remember is hyperplaisa, once again the forming of new muscle cells, thus more size. Strength will go up along with the new muscle mass.
You can expect great pumps. For some people so bad it hurts... you be the judge. I for one have never got pumps that hurt like that... for me personally I feel more pumps with insulin.
Dosing For LR3
The general consensus for dosing LR3 seems to be 40mcg to 60mcg. For no longer than 4-6 weeks. Do not exceed 100mcg. The average user should have no reason to ever come close to that dose. Some people shoot everyday, some just PWO. So on the days you do not work out the best thing to do is shoot whenever you wake up this helps maintain constant blood levels and helps fight of catabolism. Although this is much debated on how often to use, it seems the most beneficial (doses vs amount vs price) you can seek results with EOD shots or 5 on, 2 off, respectively.
The first time user should just use 40mcg on PWO days only. This way you can use 40mcg for 5 weeks assuming you have just one MG of LR3. It is a great starting dose that will get you results. But if you have used 40mcg in the past and didnt see the results you wanted, try 60mcg.
How to figure out dosing
1mg = 1000mcg... assuming there is 1ml of liquid we can say that 1ml = 1000mcg and also = 100units...
So 2 units = 20 mcg (slin pin)
The best way to measure this is to use an insulin syringe. You can get away with a 1cc syringe but I prefer to use the .5cc or even the .33cc ones. They measure out each unit, so when you are measuring two units it is much easier on the smaller pin. While the 1cc syringe is fine, it is mesured out by two IU at a time. So one "tick" on the 1cc is 2iu, the .5cc each "tick" is one IU.
Wow so you mean you’re telling me I shoot 4iu of this stuff?
What if I do not get it all out of there ?
I thought you would never ask. I have found the best way to get it and even measure my LR3 is like this. First draw out 30iu of B12 or BW (bacteriostatic water) on the dot. Then draw your LR3 out for a total of 34iu. This means you have 4iu of LR3 in the end of your syringe. Shoot out all of it and that way you can be sure all of the LR3 is out and into your desired muscle of choice.
Reconstitution.
But just about always you do not have to worry about reconstituting it yourself. All of the manufacturers usually suspend their LR3 in either BA or AA for you.
The calculation:
Distilled white vinegar is supposed to be standardized to ~5% acetic acid, which would make it 850mM. To get it to the recommended 100mM, you'd want 11.76% white vinegar (100mM/850mM = 11.76%). Since it would be almost impossible to draw out 11.76IU's, I round this to 12, which is certainly going to be close to our desired 100mM.
The filtering process:
I use off the shelf grocery store distilled white vinegar. In order to ensure safety, I filter it using .20u whatman filters. Here is the step by step for those that may not be familiar with filtering using whatmans. What you will want to have on hand before starting out is some sterile vials, some .20u whatman filters, some syringes and needles (I use a 10cc syringe, and .23 gauge 1" needles), and some alcohol swabs.
(1) First draw up about 10cc of the distilled white vinegar
(2) screw on the .20u whatman to the 10cc syringe (or whatever size you use)
(3) screw on a .23 gauge needle (or whatever size you decide to use)
(4) take your sterile vial, swab the top with alcohol, insert a needle for venting.
(5) Insert your syringe/whatman/needle apparatus and slowly push the 10cc's into the sterile vial.
Now you have safe vinegar to use for your reconstituting.
ALTERNATE METHOD - Alternately, you could simply mix your water and distilled white vinegar before filtering using about 7.5 parts of water per 1 part of distilled white vinegar. After mixing these together in this ratio, run the mixture through your .20u whatman as above. You will end up with a vial of dilutent this way that has the proper PH for use with your IGF-1.
Reconstituting:
How much water/vinegar you reconstitute with is going to somewhat depend on which LR3 IGF-1 you are using. Igtropin is shipped in 100mcg vials, which I usually reconstitute at 1ml(cc) per 100mcg vial (which will make the 10 mark on your insulin syringe = 10 mcgs). The gropep based IGF-1's are primarily shipped in 1mg vials, and I usually use 5ml for these (which will make the 10 mark on your insulin syringe = 20mcgs).
At any rate, what I do is:
(1) take an alcohol swab and swab the tops of my water, vinegar solution, and IGF-1 vials
(2) take a syringe with a 23 gauge, 1" needle and draw out .12 cc's of vinegar for the 100mcg vials or .60 cc's for the 1mg vials.
(3) next I take this syringe and draw out the water - .88cc's for 100mcg, 4.4cc's for the 1mg.
FOR ALTERNATE METHOD in lieu of steps (2) and (3) - Just draw out the desired amount of dilutent from your pre-mixed vial of
vinegar / water.
(4) next i poke the needle into the LR3 IGF-1 vial and dribble this solution down the side of the vial, avoid any direct spray on the lyophilized powder until all of the dilutent is in the vial
(5) using a gentle swirling motion, I reconstitute the powder.
(6) I stick the vial in the fridge and it is now ready for use.
Well, I think that about sums it up. Hope this helps anyone who may have been wondering about using vinegar to reconstitute. I would advise that if you end up using Igtropin, you seriously consider using this vinegar method. Igtropin and other dilutents such as BA do not get along well together at all.
Storage
The stability of a liquid solution of LR3IGF-I was monitored for a period of two years at storage conditions of -20 C, +4 C, +22 C, and +37 C. The final concentration of LR3IGF-I was in acetic acid. At various time points, samples were taken and compared to a lyophilized control (stored at 4 C). Listed below are the stability results for each respective storage condition.
Storage Condition: -20 C (-4 F)
Biological Potency No Change up to 2 years
Immunological Activity No Change up to 2 years
Mobility of Protein No Change up to 2 years
Elution Profile by reversed phased HPLC No Change up to 2 years
Storage Condition: +4 C (39.2 F)
Biological Potency No Change up to 2 years
Immunological Activity No Change up to 2 years
Mobility of Protein No Change up to 2 years
Elution Profile by reversed phased HPLC No Change up to 2 years
Storage Condition: +22 C (71.6 F)
Biological Potency No Change up to 2 years
Immunological Activity No Change up to 2 years
Mobility of Protein No Change up to 2 years
Elution Profile by reversed phased HPLC No Change up to 2 years
Storage Condition: +37 C (98.6 F)
Biological Potency No Change up to 1 year
Immunological Activity No Change up to 1 year
Mobility of Protein No Change up to 1 year
Usage
This is where stuff gets somewhat debatable. Best IGF-1 treatment protocol isn't a science yet. It is nowhere close to the state of advancement that AAS use has attained, and there will be much argument as to which protocol is best. Still, I will attempt to give an objective, wide-ranging set of available options for the IGF-1 researcher.
For a good while now, it has been found that a dose of 40mcg divided in bilateral administration in the muscles trained gave good results. It has been found that after 30 to 40 days of such a protocol, results diminish and stop. From this fact has stemmed an effective protocol recommending 30-day cycles of 40mcg daily IGF-1 bilateral intramuscular administration, followed by 30 days off. This works, no doubt about it. Most users prefer cycles of 25 days on, 25 days off since the 40mcg dose will use up one miligram in a cycle. IGF-1 receptors seem to downregulate proportionally to the dosage used.
Some people have tried 80mcg with a greater immediate response. I have seen up to 200mcg daily administration and of course short-term effects are proportional to the dosage administered. Some people find that they get a better pump when injecting the IGF-1 preworkout. Others feel that IGF-1 should be something more than a simple pump product and use it postworkout in an attempt to generate as much mitosis of myoblasts as possible.
Based on the science posted above about IGF-1 biochemistry and effects, the following points stand out as a base to fashion a good IGF-1 treatment protocol. Firstly, the most important effect to be sought is myoblast mitosis, as ONLY IGF-1 can achieve this effect, arguably the single most important thing for bodybuilding. Anything else should be seen as a bonus. Secondly, you want to use just enough IGF-1 to initiate mitosis in the target muscle and avoid spillover of the peptide to systemic distribution where probability says it will grow your guts instead of your muscles. This stuff is far from free and "GH guts" are far from aesthetic. Thirdly, you want this quantity of IGF-1 to be in as small a volume of liquid as practical. Fourthly, you want to administer the IGF-1 immediately postworkout when the receptors are maximally stimulated. Any other administration timing is suboptimal.
Now because IGF-1 treated cells leech glucose from the bloodstream like crazy, it is possible to go into hypoglycemia from IGF-1 supplementation. Feed carbs steadily from the time of the injection up until about 6-8 hours afterwards or whenever glycemia stabilizes. This is effect is dose-dependent
It needs to be shot PWO. Most shoot bilaterally into the muscle that was worked. Though this is not totally essential, you can shoot it all into one injection site. Just make sure to switch off each workout.
Stacking- because LR3 increases hyperplasia it is best when used in conjunction of other AAS.
The ideal situation would be to inject twice ED due to the life of LR3. If this isnt feasible PWO will suffice, and suffice well.(muscle breakdown).
If you add insulin to your LR3, be careful. LR3 will make you more sensitive to the effects that insulin has on you. So raise your PWO carb intake to accommodate the added LR3.
Effects
Muscle satellite cell prolferation is the single most important effect of IGF-1 to us bodybuilders. In order to perfectly understand what this means, we must examine how muscles grow.
Muscle grows in two ways: the amount of contractile protien inside a fiber increases, which increases muscular strength and the space taken up by that additional strand of protein is added lean body mass. This is a comparatively small amount of size, but a lot of strength. The second way that muscles grow is when satellite cells merge with real muscle cells and donate their nucleus. Satellite cells have only one nucleus. And muscle cells, unlike the other cells in the human body, have at least one nucleus, without a set ceiling to how many there can be.
Myonucleii are the parts of the cell that are responsible for protein synthesis and expression. Whenever you damage a muscle through training, the rebuilding process that ensues is accomplished mostly by the myonucleii, which make new contractile protein which is used to repair and when possible upgrade the muscle cell's ability to generate and withstand force. Moreover, the size of a muscle cell is directly proportional to its myonuclear number, i.e. the number of nucleii that the cell contains. So the maximum amount of carbohydrate, water, minerals and protein that a muscle cell can absorb and retain are all dependent on ONE thing: the myonuclear number.
Moreover, the ability to recover (and upgrade) from damage is also proportional to the myonuclear number. As such, having high myonuclear numbers should be on top of every bodybuilder's priority list. Now how do we get the satellite cells to donate their nucleii? Interestingly, it is the autocrine IGF-1 that signals adjacent satellite cells to donate their myonucleii. Autocrine IGF-1 expression happens with exercise and is proportional to many things, including the level of androgen receptor stimulation. Yes this means that one of the ways in which anabolic steroids help growth is through the added expression of autocrine IGF-1 and merging of satellite cells.
One very interesting theory of steroids is that the decreasing results from successive cycles, which have absolutely nothing to do with receptor downregulation, actually has more to do with having merged more and more of the satellite cells into the muscles and having less and less new satellite cells for merging and donation puposes.
As you guessed, exogenous IGF-1 administration fixes this splendidly by its potent stimulation of satellite cell hyperplasia. Hyperplasia pulls a lot of carbohydrate and protein from the bloodstream to make new cells. This also requires a very large amount of energy, which can be obtained from burning fats, since the energy expenditure is not extremely rapid. The low blood glucose that ensutes IGF-1 administration as well as greatly increased triglyceride metatolism on the part of the dividing myoblasts compound to generate a substantial fatloss effect.
When injected, IGF-1 floats around until it finds an IGF-1 receptor or another binding site such as the IGFBP. Of course for the usual Long R3 form that most use, the IGFBP is not a factor and the IGF molecule will just wander until it finds a receptor. Exercise upregulates the trained muscle's receptor, bringing it to the cell's surface and "opening" it for business with an IGF-1 molecule. Once IGF-1 binds to that site, it will be absorbed by the cell and metabolized. One IGF-1 molecule can only trigger one receptor. Obviously, we want to target muscle receptors, as all other cell types also have IGF-1 receptors. Skin & hair follicles, sure why not. What you want to avoid growing are bones, internal organs such as intestines, and tumors. Interestingly, the highest concentration of IGF-1 receptors are in the gut.
IGF-1 and Bodybuilding, IGF-1 LR3 Side Effects
** Interesting Read **
IGF-1 LR3, Long R3 IGF-1, IGF-1- Insulin-like Growth Factor - is an experimental drug that represents the next generation in performance enhancing in bodybuilding athletes. This peptide hormone also has the promise of becoming the ultimate fountain of youth.
As the world has finally caught on to the fact that world-class athletes from all sports have been using steroids and other performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), the athletes themselves have moved on to the next generation of substances.
Long R3 IGF-1 is mainly secreted by the liver as a result of stimulation by Human Growth Hormone (HGH). Almost every cell in the human body is affected by IGF-I, especially cells in muscle, cartilage, bone, liver, kidney, nerves, skin, and lungs. In addition to the insulin-like effects, IGF-I can also regulate cell growth and development, especially in nerve cells, as well as cellular DNA synthesis.
IGF-1 LR3 Benefits:
* Stimulates muscle growth and has been shown to benefit the heart (a muscle).
* Encourages the absorption of Chondroitin Sulfate and Glucosamine Sulfate (also found in Velvet Antler).
* Regenerates nerve tissue
* Helps burn fat, increase protein transport into cells, and reduce protein breakdown
* Improves the production of white blood cells
* Decreases LDL Cholesterol
IGF-1 LR3 is a hormone just like HGH, but IGF-1 is the most important growth factor that the body produces. IGF-1 is much more powerful than HGH.
Currently the license to conduct human trials using IGF-1 is held by biopharmaceutical company Tercica and is limited to the study of children suffering from growth failure due to IGF-1 deficiency.
Even though the human study of IGF-1 LR3 is extremely narrow and limited to kids, the fact that this substance has been studied on rats and humans and is in the hands of people in labs means that the genie is out of the bottle.
IGF-1 has been used in lab studies since at least the late 1990s; so many people have had access to this drug for quite a long time. And there are people with tons of money who would love to get their hands on this stuff.
IGF-1 LR3 has produced some amazing results in lab rats. Now before you get all over me for talking about success with lab rats, you have to realize that this success with lab rats did lead to the human trials. And the results of the tests with lab rats have been astounding.
The benefits from IGF-1 are so astounding - and offer such promise to humans - that back in 2002, H. Lee Sweeney, Ph.D., Professor and Chairman of Physiology at the University of Pennsylvania and a recognized expert on the subject of the genetic enhancement of skeletal muscle, spoke to the World Anti-Doping Association with regard to the muscle building and regenerating properties of IGF-1.
In 2002, speaking before The President?s Counsel On Bioethics, Dr. Sweeney was of the opinion that the advent of genetically engineered athletes was not imminent and that studies needed to be done in order to determine the safety and long-term effects of IGF-1.
To think that using IGF-1 LR3 to build a better athlete is off in the future, and that this hormone won?t be used until human safety studies can be done, is to ignore the history of how these drugs have been used by athletes. Dr. Sweeney?s position is one of wishful thinking. And I mean no offense to the doctor in any way.
Going back to the HGH situation, bodybuilders were using this hormone in the mid-?80s well before people totally understood how and what this drug really could do. To this day there are many unknowns that are associated with the use of HGH, including the debate as to its safety, yet the use of this hormone is widespread in bodybuilding, in real sports, and in the general population.
Here are some of the reasons why IGF-1 will revolutionize the world of performance enhancing substances, and why athletes will risk - are risking - their health to use it.
IGF-1 has been shown to increase the rate and extent of muscle repair after injury and increase the rate of muscle growth from training. And not only are existing muscle fibers repaired quicker, IGF-1 is responsible for hyperplasia, which is an increase in the amount of muscle fibers.
Hyperplasia is the Holy Grail of performance enhancing benefits, and occurs when muscle fibers actually split, therefore creating more muscle fibers. Hypertrophy is simply an increase in the size of the existing muscle cells, and occurs from weight training and from steroid use. Hyperplasia plus hypertrophy equals a new breed of amazing athlete.
Rats that were given IGF-1 and did nothing were bigger and stronger than rats that weren?t given IGF-1 but exercised. And I?ll bet you guessed that rats that were given IGF-1 and exercised were the biggest, strongest rats in the house. The positive effects of IGF-1 on the rats continued for months after the rats stopped getting the supplemental hormone, whereas the exercising rats immediately lost size and strength as soon as they stopped exercising.
In another study the muscle fibers of 27-month old rats - old age for rats - that were given IGF-1 during middle age, exhibited no deterioration of muscle fibers that indicate the classic and inevitable signs of aging. These rats did not lose any fast twitch muscle fibers - the fibers responsible for power and speed - and had the same speed and power output that they had when they were six months of age.
To quote Dr. Sweeney, ?So we were able to conclude that IGF-1 could prevent all of the hallmarks of age-related atrophy and loss of skeletal muscle function in mammalian aging, at least based on the rodent model, and now we?re hoping to pursue this in larger animal models.?
Dr. Sweeney also says that IGF-1 could be used as an instant muscle builder for members of the general population.
And here?s the final and most compelling reason why IGF-1 is being used right now, and why the demand for this hormone will increase exponentially as time goes by: IGF-1 is undetectable by both blood and urine testing. Because IGF-1 can be injected directly into the muscle, it never enters the blood stream. Therefore, a muscle biopsy is the only way to determine if a person has used IGF-1. And the anti-doping forces will never, ever be allowed to take muscle biopsies from athletes.
In a January 18th, 2004 New York Times Magazine cover story by Michael Sokolove, Dr. Sweeney says (page 30) that after presenting his IGF-1 info at an American Society for Cell Biology conference he was contacted by a high school football coach from Pennsylvania who wanted Dr. Sweeney to treat his entire team. Do you think by now world-class athletes - with world-class money - are interested in IGF-1?
Included in this article (page 28) were additional details with regard to the results of studies, in which rodents given IGF-1 before birth and at four weeks of age experienced a 35% increase in strength in targeted muscles, did not lose any size and strength as they aged and did not lose any of these gains when they stopped training.
Later on in the article Dr. Sweeney admits that athletes could already be using IGF-1. Elisabeth Barton, an assistant professor who was involved with Dr. Sweeney?s studies, says that creating a human athlete along the lines of these super mice ?is easy.?
She goes on to explain, ?It?s a routine method that?s published. Anyone who can clone a gene and work with cells could do it. It?s not a mystery.?
Dr. Sweeney added that there?s no limit to what can be done with IGF-1 and gene therapy with regards to building a better athlete. To make a sprinter faster Sweeney said, ?I?d put the whole leg on bypass. I would put (IGF-1) in through the blood. It would be more efficient than injections (directly into the muscle), which you would need a lot of because you?re dealing with large muscles. But this is nothing a vascular surgeon couldn?t do.?
So to recap, IGF-1 provides almost permanent muscle-creating, muscle-repairing, and anti-aging benefits and is totally undetectable. Do you think athletes are chomping at the bit to get their hands on this stuff?
The legitimate scientific world is following the proper protocols with regards to IGF-1, but the underground world is not bound by the same rules. Legitimate science - rightly so - is nowhere near ready to allow ?us? to start using this stuff. But this isn?t the point.
The point is that there is a substance out there that scientists are cautiously touting as an instant muscle builder and a fountain of youth, and for some people this is all that they need to hear. These people aren?t going to wait - haven?t waited - for legit science to bless the use of IGF-1 LR3 for human consumption before they go out and inject themselves with it. Adverse side affects? Please.
In 2004 the leading experts on the subject admitted that this gene therapy could already be in use, and that the technology and knowledge is such that the process to deliver it isn?t complicated. Two and a half years later this circle of knowledge, and use, is that much larger.
Knowing how HGH was purloined by people who were too impatient to wait for legit science to do it?s thing, bodybuilders and real athletes did what they had to do to get it and use it, danger be damned. There?s no reason to think that the same situation isn?t occurring right now.
Bodybuilding web sites, bulletin boards, and chat rooms are awash with discussions about IGF-1, what it can do, how to use it, and what drugs to stack with it. There?s talk that underground labs are synthesizing IGF-1, HGH, and a host of other substances.
According to Chemical Muscle Enhancement, a well-known underground PED guidebook written by Internet steroid guru L. Rea and available via download or through Amazon, IGF-1 has even been altered to increase its effectiveness, making IGF-1 ten times more potent (pages 134-136 of Chemical Muscle Enhancement). Several websites make reference to this altered form of IGF-1 - known as DES (1-3) IGF-1. This version of IGF-1, Insulin-like Growth Factor is also refereed to as Lr3IGF-1 (Note: Lr3IGF-1 is 2-3x more potent than regular IGF-1).
IGF-1 is being synthesized and altered in underground labs and is being sold on the black market. Bodybuilders are using IGF-1 and it is illogical and naive to think that some athletes at the highest level of sport are not using IGF-1 right now. People who you?ve probably never even heard of are using it just as there are well-known athletes who have already benefited from the use of IGF-1.
People did crazy things to get their hands on HGH 20 years ago, did crazy things to get their hands on whatever the next-generation drug was 30 years ago, and it?s no different today.
While in some sense the public has finally caught on to ?steroids,? the high-tech, high-minded athletes have moved on, light years ahead of what the public can conceive of and comprehend. ?Steroids? is the Model-T Ford; IGF-1 is the USS Enterprise or the Millennium Falcon.
With each advance in the field of PEDs the underground has been responsible for the spread of knowledge and supply of these drugs. Advances in technology and today?s free flow of information have made it possible for underground labs to synthesize, alter, and deliver into the body drugs of all types.
With money, fame, and even a kind of immortality involved, there?s no telling what some people will do. The mindset of the PED user is that IGF-1 can deliver all three of these.
The use of PEDs up until this point has pretty much been a black and white issue, but with this next generation of substances now available the debate will get much more complicated. PEDs are NOT going to be eradicated, their use will become more widespread as the benefits that they provide become more and more attractive to potential users.
Tips for maximizing your Insulin-like growth factor, IGF-1 LR3:
If you are not using ZMA currently, you should start it up before starting the IGF-1. Zinc plays a very crucial role in enzyme activation of IGF-1. It also increases blood plasma levels of total and free IGF-1. A deficiency actually hinders IGF-1 formation.
Since IGF-1 LR3 is such a new peptide, there are no long term studies about the IGF-1 side effects.
This information was taken from various sources. Accuracy may not be 100% but in my opinion is very informative and correct from everything I've gathered. Please do as much research as you can and make your own opinions based on the info you have gathered, respectively.
IGF
What is it? And what is the difference between huIGF-1 and LR3 IGF-1?
IGF-1 stands for insulin like growth factor. IGF-I is the primary protein involved in responses of cells to growth hormone (GH): that is, IGF-I is produced in response to GH and then induces cellular activities. One such example is muscle growth or hyperplasia
This compound also makes the human body more sensitive to insulin. It is the most potent growth factor found in the human body. IGF-1 causes muscle cell hyperplasia, which is an actual splitting and forming of new muscle cells, this is a good thing.
LR3 IGF-1
Long Recumbent 3 IGF-1, which is an 83 amino acid analog of human IGF-1 sequence with the substitution of an arg for the glu at position 3 (hence R3), and a 13 amino acid extension peptide at the N-terminus (hence the long).
HuIGF-1
It has a 70 amino acid string. It is very short lived in the body (half life of probably around 10-15 minutes). This type of IGF-1 is very useful if you are seeking local site growth. Since it is so short lived, little of the IGF-1 makes it to other tissues and IGF-1 receptors in the body. The way to inject this is immediately post work out into the muscle that you wish to have local site growth. This coupled with PGF2a and TNE would do wonders for site specific growth IMO.
What can I expect?
First off you can expect to drop a little BF if your diet is good. LR3 seems to increase fat loss somewhat. You can expect an increase in hunger, this is ideal when bulking. That though can be controlled while cutting. Another thing to remember is hyperplaisa, once again the forming of new muscle cells, thus more size. Strength will go up along with the new muscle mass.
You can expect great pumps. For some people so bad it hurts... you be the judge. I for one have never got pumps that hurt like that... for me personally I feel more pumps with insulin.
Dosing For LR3
The general consensus for dosing LR3 seems to be 40mcg to 60mcg. For no longer than 4-6 weeks. Do not exceed 100mcg. The average user should have no reason to ever come close to that dose. Some people shoot everyday, some just PWO. So on the days you do not work out the best thing to do is shoot whenever you wake up this helps maintain constant blood levels and helps fight of catabolism. Although this is much debated on how often to use, it seems the most beneficial (doses vs amount vs price) you can seek results with EOD shots or 5 on, 2 off, respectively.
The first time user should just use 40mcg on PWO days only. This way you can use 40mcg for 5 weeks assuming you have just one MG of LR3. It is a great starting dose that will get you results. But if you have used 40mcg in the past and didnt see the results you wanted, try 60mcg.
How to figure out dosing
1mg = 1000mcg... assuming there is 1ml of liquid we can say that 1ml = 1000mcg and also = 100units...
So 2 units = 20 mcg (slin pin)
The best way to measure this is to use an insulin syringe. You can get away with a 1cc syringe but I prefer to use the .5cc or even the .33cc ones. They measure out each unit, so when you are measuring two units it is much easier on the smaller pin. While the 1cc syringe is fine, it is mesured out by two IU at a time. So one "tick" on the 1cc is 2iu, the .5cc each "tick" is one IU.
Wow so you mean you’re telling me I shoot 4iu of this stuff?
What if I do not get it all out of there ?
I thought you would never ask. I have found the best way to get it and even measure my LR3 is like this. First draw out 30iu of B12 or BW (bacteriostatic water) on the dot. Then draw your LR3 out for a total of 34iu. This means you have 4iu of LR3 in the end of your syringe. Shoot out all of it and that way you can be sure all of the LR3 is out and into your desired muscle of choice.
Reconstitution.
But just about always you do not have to worry about reconstituting it yourself. All of the manufacturers usually suspend their LR3 in either BA or AA for you.
The calculation:
Distilled white vinegar is supposed to be standardized to ~5% acetic acid, which would make it 850mM. To get it to the recommended 100mM, you'd want 11.76% white vinegar (100mM/850mM = 11.76%). Since it would be almost impossible to draw out 11.76IU's, I round this to 12, which is certainly going to be close to our desired 100mM.
The filtering process:
I use off the shelf grocery store distilled white vinegar. In order to ensure safety, I filter it using .20u whatman filters. Here is the step by step for those that may not be familiar with filtering using whatmans. What you will want to have on hand before starting out is some sterile vials, some .20u whatman filters, some syringes and needles (I use a 10cc syringe, and .23 gauge 1" needles), and some alcohol swabs.
(1) First draw up about 10cc of the distilled white vinegar
(2) screw on the .20u whatman to the 10cc syringe (or whatever size you use)
(3) screw on a .23 gauge needle (or whatever size you decide to use)
(4) take your sterile vial, swab the top with alcohol, insert a needle for venting.
(5) Insert your syringe/whatman/needle apparatus and slowly push the 10cc's into the sterile vial.
Now you have safe vinegar to use for your reconstituting.
ALTERNATE METHOD - Alternately, you could simply mix your water and distilled white vinegar before filtering using about 7.5 parts of water per 1 part of distilled white vinegar. After mixing these together in this ratio, run the mixture through your .20u whatman as above. You will end up with a vial of dilutent this way that has the proper PH for use with your IGF-1.
Reconstituting:
How much water/vinegar you reconstitute with is going to somewhat depend on which LR3 IGF-1 you are using. Igtropin is shipped in 100mcg vials, which I usually reconstitute at 1ml(cc) per 100mcg vial (which will make the 10 mark on your insulin syringe = 10 mcgs). The gropep based IGF-1's are primarily shipped in 1mg vials, and I usually use 5ml for these (which will make the 10 mark on your insulin syringe = 20mcgs).
At any rate, what I do is:
(1) take an alcohol swab and swab the tops of my water, vinegar solution, and IGF-1 vials
(2) take a syringe with a 23 gauge, 1" needle and draw out .12 cc's of vinegar for the 100mcg vials or .60 cc's for the 1mg vials.
(3) next I take this syringe and draw out the water - .88cc's for 100mcg, 4.4cc's for the 1mg.
FOR ALTERNATE METHOD in lieu of steps (2) and (3) - Just draw out the desired amount of dilutent from your pre-mixed vial of
vinegar / water.
(4) next i poke the needle into the LR3 IGF-1 vial and dribble this solution down the side of the vial, avoid any direct spray on the lyophilized powder until all of the dilutent is in the vial
(5) using a gentle swirling motion, I reconstitute the powder.
(6) I stick the vial in the fridge and it is now ready for use.
Well, I think that about sums it up. Hope this helps anyone who may have been wondering about using vinegar to reconstitute. I would advise that if you end up using Igtropin, you seriously consider using this vinegar method. Igtropin and other dilutents such as BA do not get along well together at all.
Storage
The stability of a liquid solution of LR3IGF-I was monitored for a period of two years at storage conditions of -20 C, +4 C, +22 C, and +37 C. The final concentration of LR3IGF-I was in acetic acid. At various time points, samples were taken and compared to a lyophilized control (stored at 4 C). Listed below are the stability results for each respective storage condition.
Storage Condition: -20 C (-4 F)
Biological Potency No Change up to 2 years
Immunological Activity No Change up to 2 years
Mobility of Protein No Change up to 2 years
Elution Profile by reversed phased HPLC No Change up to 2 years
Storage Condition: +4 C (39.2 F)
Biological Potency No Change up to 2 years
Immunological Activity No Change up to 2 years
Mobility of Protein No Change up to 2 years
Elution Profile by reversed phased HPLC No Change up to 2 years
Storage Condition: +22 C (71.6 F)
Biological Potency No Change up to 2 years
Immunological Activity No Change up to 2 years
Mobility of Protein No Change up to 2 years
Elution Profile by reversed phased HPLC No Change up to 2 years
Storage Condition: +37 C (98.6 F)
Biological Potency No Change up to 1 year
Immunological Activity No Change up to 1 year
Mobility of Protein No Change up to 1 year
Usage
This is where stuff gets somewhat debatable. Best IGF-1 treatment protocol isn't a science yet. It is nowhere close to the state of advancement that AAS use has attained, and there will be much argument as to which protocol is best. Still, I will attempt to give an objective, wide-ranging set of available options for the IGF-1 researcher.
For a good while now, it has been found that a dose of 40mcg divided in bilateral administration in the muscles trained gave good results. It has been found that after 30 to 40 days of such a protocol, results diminish and stop. From this fact has stemmed an effective protocol recommending 30-day cycles of 40mcg daily IGF-1 bilateral intramuscular administration, followed by 30 days off. This works, no doubt about it. Most users prefer cycles of 25 days on, 25 days off since the 40mcg dose will use up one miligram in a cycle. IGF-1 receptors seem to downregulate proportionally to the dosage used.
Some people have tried 80mcg with a greater immediate response. I have seen up to 200mcg daily administration and of course short-term effects are proportional to the dosage administered. Some people find that they get a better pump when injecting the IGF-1 preworkout. Others feel that IGF-1 should be something more than a simple pump product and use it postworkout in an attempt to generate as much mitosis of myoblasts as possible.
Based on the science posted above about IGF-1 biochemistry and effects, the following points stand out as a base to fashion a good IGF-1 treatment protocol. Firstly, the most important effect to be sought is myoblast mitosis, as ONLY IGF-1 can achieve this effect, arguably the single most important thing for bodybuilding. Anything else should be seen as a bonus. Secondly, you want to use just enough IGF-1 to initiate mitosis in the target muscle and avoid spillover of the peptide to systemic distribution where probability says it will grow your guts instead of your muscles. This stuff is far from free and "GH guts" are far from aesthetic. Thirdly, you want this quantity of IGF-1 to be in as small a volume of liquid as practical. Fourthly, you want to administer the IGF-1 immediately postworkout when the receptors are maximally stimulated. Any other administration timing is suboptimal.
Now because IGF-1 treated cells leech glucose from the bloodstream like crazy, it is possible to go into hypoglycemia from IGF-1 supplementation. Feed carbs steadily from the time of the injection up until about 6-8 hours afterwards or whenever glycemia stabilizes. This is effect is dose-dependent
It needs to be shot PWO. Most shoot bilaterally into the muscle that was worked. Though this is not totally essential, you can shoot it all into one injection site. Just make sure to switch off each workout.
Stacking- because LR3 increases hyperplasia it is best when used in conjunction of other AAS.
The ideal situation would be to inject twice ED due to the life of LR3. If this isnt feasible PWO will suffice, and suffice well.(muscle breakdown).
If you add insulin to your LR3, be careful. LR3 will make you more sensitive to the effects that insulin has on you. So raise your PWO carb intake to accommodate the added LR3.
Effects
Muscle satellite cell prolferation is the single most important effect of IGF-1 to us bodybuilders. In order to perfectly understand what this means, we must examine how muscles grow.
Muscle grows in two ways: the amount of contractile protien inside a fiber increases, which increases muscular strength and the space taken up by that additional strand of protein is added lean body mass. This is a comparatively small amount of size, but a lot of strength. The second way that muscles grow is when satellite cells merge with real muscle cells and donate their nucleus. Satellite cells have only one nucleus. And muscle cells, unlike the other cells in the human body, have at least one nucleus, without a set ceiling to how many there can be.
Myonucleii are the parts of the cell that are responsible for protein synthesis and expression. Whenever you damage a muscle through training, the rebuilding process that ensues is accomplished mostly by the myonucleii, which make new contractile protein which is used to repair and when possible upgrade the muscle cell's ability to generate and withstand force. Moreover, the size of a muscle cell is directly proportional to its myonuclear number, i.e. the number of nucleii that the cell contains. So the maximum amount of carbohydrate, water, minerals and protein that a muscle cell can absorb and retain are all dependent on ONE thing: the myonuclear number.
Moreover, the ability to recover (and upgrade) from damage is also proportional to the myonuclear number. As such, having high myonuclear numbers should be on top of every bodybuilder's priority list. Now how do we get the satellite cells to donate their nucleii? Interestingly, it is the autocrine IGF-1 that signals adjacent satellite cells to donate their myonucleii. Autocrine IGF-1 expression happens with exercise and is proportional to many things, including the level of androgen receptor stimulation. Yes this means that one of the ways in which anabolic steroids help growth is through the added expression of autocrine IGF-1 and merging of satellite cells.
One very interesting theory of steroids is that the decreasing results from successive cycles, which have absolutely nothing to do with receptor downregulation, actually has more to do with having merged more and more of the satellite cells into the muscles and having less and less new satellite cells for merging and donation puposes.
As you guessed, exogenous IGF-1 administration fixes this splendidly by its potent stimulation of satellite cell hyperplasia. Hyperplasia pulls a lot of carbohydrate and protein from the bloodstream to make new cells. This also requires a very large amount of energy, which can be obtained from burning fats, since the energy expenditure is not extremely rapid. The low blood glucose that ensutes IGF-1 administration as well as greatly increased triglyceride metatolism on the part of the dividing myoblasts compound to generate a substantial fatloss effect.
When injected, IGF-1 floats around until it finds an IGF-1 receptor or another binding site such as the IGFBP. Of course for the usual Long R3 form that most use, the IGFBP is not a factor and the IGF molecule will just wander until it finds a receptor. Exercise upregulates the trained muscle's receptor, bringing it to the cell's surface and "opening" it for business with an IGF-1 molecule. Once IGF-1 binds to that site, it will be absorbed by the cell and metabolized. One IGF-1 molecule can only trigger one receptor. Obviously, we want to target muscle receptors, as all other cell types also have IGF-1 receptors. Skin & hair follicles, sure why not. What you want to avoid growing are bones, internal organs such as intestines, and tumors. Interestingly, the highest concentration of IGF-1 receptors are in the gut.
IGF-1 and Bodybuilding, IGF-1 LR3 Side Effects
** Interesting Read **
IGF-1 LR3, Long R3 IGF-1, IGF-1- Insulin-like Growth Factor - is an experimental drug that represents the next generation in performance enhancing in bodybuilding athletes. This peptide hormone also has the promise of becoming the ultimate fountain of youth.
As the world has finally caught on to the fact that world-class athletes from all sports have been using steroids and other performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), the athletes themselves have moved on to the next generation of substances.
Long R3 IGF-1 is mainly secreted by the liver as a result of stimulation by Human Growth Hormone (HGH). Almost every cell in the human body is affected by IGF-I, especially cells in muscle, cartilage, bone, liver, kidney, nerves, skin, and lungs. In addition to the insulin-like effects, IGF-I can also regulate cell growth and development, especially in nerve cells, as well as cellular DNA synthesis.
IGF-1 LR3 Benefits:
* Stimulates muscle growth and has been shown to benefit the heart (a muscle).
* Encourages the absorption of Chondroitin Sulfate and Glucosamine Sulfate (also found in Velvet Antler).
* Regenerates nerve tissue
* Helps burn fat, increase protein transport into cells, and reduce protein breakdown
* Improves the production of white blood cells
* Decreases LDL Cholesterol
IGF-1 LR3 is a hormone just like HGH, but IGF-1 is the most important growth factor that the body produces. IGF-1 is much more powerful than HGH.
Currently the license to conduct human trials using IGF-1 is held by biopharmaceutical company Tercica and is limited to the study of children suffering from growth failure due to IGF-1 deficiency.
Even though the human study of IGF-1 LR3 is extremely narrow and limited to kids, the fact that this substance has been studied on rats and humans and is in the hands of people in labs means that the genie is out of the bottle.
IGF-1 has been used in lab studies since at least the late 1990s; so many people have had access to this drug for quite a long time. And there are people with tons of money who would love to get their hands on this stuff.
IGF-1 LR3 has produced some amazing results in lab rats. Now before you get all over me for talking about success with lab rats, you have to realize that this success with lab rats did lead to the human trials. And the results of the tests with lab rats have been astounding.
The benefits from IGF-1 are so astounding - and offer such promise to humans - that back in 2002, H. Lee Sweeney, Ph.D., Professor and Chairman of Physiology at the University of Pennsylvania and a recognized expert on the subject of the genetic enhancement of skeletal muscle, spoke to the World Anti-Doping Association with regard to the muscle building and regenerating properties of IGF-1.
In 2002, speaking before The President?s Counsel On Bioethics, Dr. Sweeney was of the opinion that the advent of genetically engineered athletes was not imminent and that studies needed to be done in order to determine the safety and long-term effects of IGF-1.
To think that using IGF-1 LR3 to build a better athlete is off in the future, and that this hormone won?t be used until human safety studies can be done, is to ignore the history of how these drugs have been used by athletes. Dr. Sweeney?s position is one of wishful thinking. And I mean no offense to the doctor in any way.
Going back to the HGH situation, bodybuilders were using this hormone in the mid-?80s well before people totally understood how and what this drug really could do. To this day there are many unknowns that are associated with the use of HGH, including the debate as to its safety, yet the use of this hormone is widespread in bodybuilding, in real sports, and in the general population.
Here are some of the reasons why IGF-1 will revolutionize the world of performance enhancing substances, and why athletes will risk - are risking - their health to use it.
IGF-1 has been shown to increase the rate and extent of muscle repair after injury and increase the rate of muscle growth from training. And not only are existing muscle fibers repaired quicker, IGF-1 is responsible for hyperplasia, which is an increase in the amount of muscle fibers.
Hyperplasia is the Holy Grail of performance enhancing benefits, and occurs when muscle fibers actually split, therefore creating more muscle fibers. Hypertrophy is simply an increase in the size of the existing muscle cells, and occurs from weight training and from steroid use. Hyperplasia plus hypertrophy equals a new breed of amazing athlete.
Rats that were given IGF-1 and did nothing were bigger and stronger than rats that weren?t given IGF-1 but exercised. And I?ll bet you guessed that rats that were given IGF-1 and exercised were the biggest, strongest rats in the house. The positive effects of IGF-1 on the rats continued for months after the rats stopped getting the supplemental hormone, whereas the exercising rats immediately lost size and strength as soon as they stopped exercising.
In another study the muscle fibers of 27-month old rats - old age for rats - that were given IGF-1 during middle age, exhibited no deterioration of muscle fibers that indicate the classic and inevitable signs of aging. These rats did not lose any fast twitch muscle fibers - the fibers responsible for power and speed - and had the same speed and power output that they had when they were six months of age.
To quote Dr. Sweeney, ?So we were able to conclude that IGF-1 could prevent all of the hallmarks of age-related atrophy and loss of skeletal muscle function in mammalian aging, at least based on the rodent model, and now we?re hoping to pursue this in larger animal models.?
Dr. Sweeney also says that IGF-1 could be used as an instant muscle builder for members of the general population.
And here?s the final and most compelling reason why IGF-1 is being used right now, and why the demand for this hormone will increase exponentially as time goes by: IGF-1 is undetectable by both blood and urine testing. Because IGF-1 can be injected directly into the muscle, it never enters the blood stream. Therefore, a muscle biopsy is the only way to determine if a person has used IGF-1. And the anti-doping forces will never, ever be allowed to take muscle biopsies from athletes.
In a January 18th, 2004 New York Times Magazine cover story by Michael Sokolove, Dr. Sweeney says (page 30) that after presenting his IGF-1 info at an American Society for Cell Biology conference he was contacted by a high school football coach from Pennsylvania who wanted Dr. Sweeney to treat his entire team. Do you think by now world-class athletes - with world-class money - are interested in IGF-1?
Included in this article (page 28) were additional details with regard to the results of studies, in which rodents given IGF-1 before birth and at four weeks of age experienced a 35% increase in strength in targeted muscles, did not lose any size and strength as they aged and did not lose any of these gains when they stopped training.
Later on in the article Dr. Sweeney admits that athletes could already be using IGF-1. Elisabeth Barton, an assistant professor who was involved with Dr. Sweeney?s studies, says that creating a human athlete along the lines of these super mice ?is easy.?
She goes on to explain, ?It?s a routine method that?s published. Anyone who can clone a gene and work with cells could do it. It?s not a mystery.?
Dr. Sweeney added that there?s no limit to what can be done with IGF-1 and gene therapy with regards to building a better athlete. To make a sprinter faster Sweeney said, ?I?d put the whole leg on bypass. I would put (IGF-1) in through the blood. It would be more efficient than injections (directly into the muscle), which you would need a lot of because you?re dealing with large muscles. But this is nothing a vascular surgeon couldn?t do.?
So to recap, IGF-1 provides almost permanent muscle-creating, muscle-repairing, and anti-aging benefits and is totally undetectable. Do you think athletes are chomping at the bit to get their hands on this stuff?
The legitimate scientific world is following the proper protocols with regards to IGF-1, but the underground world is not bound by the same rules. Legitimate science - rightly so - is nowhere near ready to allow ?us? to start using this stuff. But this isn?t the point.
The point is that there is a substance out there that scientists are cautiously touting as an instant muscle builder and a fountain of youth, and for some people this is all that they need to hear. These people aren?t going to wait - haven?t waited - for legit science to bless the use of IGF-1 LR3 for human consumption before they go out and inject themselves with it. Adverse side affects? Please.
In 2004 the leading experts on the subject admitted that this gene therapy could already be in use, and that the technology and knowledge is such that the process to deliver it isn?t complicated. Two and a half years later this circle of knowledge, and use, is that much larger.
Knowing how HGH was purloined by people who were too impatient to wait for legit science to do it?s thing, bodybuilders and real athletes did what they had to do to get it and use it, danger be damned. There?s no reason to think that the same situation isn?t occurring right now.
Bodybuilding web sites, bulletin boards, and chat rooms are awash with discussions about IGF-1, what it can do, how to use it, and what drugs to stack with it. There?s talk that underground labs are synthesizing IGF-1, HGH, and a host of other substances.
According to Chemical Muscle Enhancement, a well-known underground PED guidebook written by Internet steroid guru L. Rea and available via download or through Amazon, IGF-1 has even been altered to increase its effectiveness, making IGF-1 ten times more potent (pages 134-136 of Chemical Muscle Enhancement). Several websites make reference to this altered form of IGF-1 - known as DES (1-3) IGF-1. This version of IGF-1, Insulin-like Growth Factor is also refereed to as Lr3IGF-1 (Note: Lr3IGF-1 is 2-3x more potent than regular IGF-1).
IGF-1 is being synthesized and altered in underground labs and is being sold on the black market. Bodybuilders are using IGF-1 and it is illogical and naive to think that some athletes at the highest level of sport are not using IGF-1 right now. People who you?ve probably never even heard of are using it just as there are well-known athletes who have already benefited from the use of IGF-1.
People did crazy things to get their hands on HGH 20 years ago, did crazy things to get their hands on whatever the next-generation drug was 30 years ago, and it?s no different today.
While in some sense the public has finally caught on to ?steroids,? the high-tech, high-minded athletes have moved on, light years ahead of what the public can conceive of and comprehend. ?Steroids? is the Model-T Ford; IGF-1 is the USS Enterprise or the Millennium Falcon.
With each advance in the field of PEDs the underground has been responsible for the spread of knowledge and supply of these drugs. Advances in technology and today?s free flow of information have made it possible for underground labs to synthesize, alter, and deliver into the body drugs of all types.
With money, fame, and even a kind of immortality involved, there?s no telling what some people will do. The mindset of the PED user is that IGF-1 can deliver all three of these.
The use of PEDs up until this point has pretty much been a black and white issue, but with this next generation of substances now available the debate will get much more complicated. PEDs are NOT going to be eradicated, their use will become more widespread as the benefits that they provide become more and more attractive to potential users.
Tips for maximizing your Insulin-like growth factor, IGF-1 LR3:
If you are not using ZMA currently, you should start it up before starting the IGF-1. Zinc plays a very crucial role in enzyme activation of IGF-1. It also increases blood plasma levels of total and free IGF-1. A deficiency actually hinders IGF-1 formation.
Since IGF-1 LR3 is such a new peptide, there are no long term studies about the IGF-1 side effects.
