Crappiie said:
Not to sound like an idiot here but what is cortisol and anti-catabolism? When i used SD all I used after was a sort of PCT called Inhibit-E. Should that be enough for keeping away say gyno and/or high levels of estrogen?
Thank you for all the help!!!
We have a thread here called
What is AX Retain (a powerfull PCT addon) , it explains the effects and benefits of using an anti-cortisol.
Catabolism is a term that I'm personally affraid of. It basically means, destruction of your muscles.
Inhibit E reduces is an anti-aromatase/anti-estrogen and naturally raises testosterone levels. So reducing the high levels of estrogen is good and needed, it has the same purpose as Rebound Xt, AX PCT.
What is AX Retain (a powerfull PCT addon)
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Evil Hormones Are Eating Your Muscle Mass… and Limiting Your Progress!
* Lower cortisol levels in muscle tissue
* Significant lean mass retention or addition
* Decreased water retention
* Faster recovery
* Increased strength
* Improved body composition
Several hormones and hormone-like-substances trigger catabolism or muscle wasting. Glucagon does so by setting into motion a series of metabolic events that result in the release of fatty acids, amino acids, and glucose/glycogen from body tissues to restore blood circulatory glucose and energy substrate levels. However, the group we are most concerned with are called corticosteroids or glucocorticoids. This is a group of steroids that originate at the adrenal cortex of the adrenal glands (above your kidneys). The most commonly discussed hormone of this group is cortisol. When a cortisol molecule merges with a muscle cell cortisol receptor-site, it triggers the release of amino acids from the cell. That probably does not sound like a big deal until you realize that these amino acids come from the breaking down of the muscle cell proteins. This of course means all of that hard earned lean mass tissue begins to waste away and become energy or toilet trash.
Cortisol levels are elevated as a result of stress. Unfortunately, the body views stress stimuli such as increases in muscle tissue mass, training, sickness, and the spouse in a bad mood as reason to increase circulatory cortisol levels. Cortisol production can also inhibit endogenous GH and testosterone production while fueling pathways that allow fat to accumulate around the waste and upper legs.
Two Sides of the Muscle Mass Augmentation Equation
The use of anabolic/androgenic steroids (AAS) or hormonalogs triggers anabolism or tissue building (more commonly referred to as protein synthesis) in excess of what is considered normal. In short, packing on the beef. This is a means of altering the balance or ratio between anabolism/catabolism in favor of anabolism and increased muscle mass. During protocols employing hormonal substances such as hormonologs, the body attempted to re-establish the balance between anabolism/catabolism (homeostasis) in a variety of ways. First, after a few weeks, the body begins to step-up cortisol production to trigger catabolism equal to AAS induced anabolism.
Second, through aromatization, his body attempts to create excessive estrogen levels that would induce a negative feed-back loop resulting in HPTA suppression. The excessive unnatural estrogen levels would have also triggered female pattern fat deposits, gyno, water retention and prolactin release. (which are counter-productive for the most part) Excess fat accumulation is also a major aromatase enzyme production site.
Back To Muscle Wasting…
As most of you know, steroids, prohormones and hormonalogs help you get bigger and stronger by up-regulating anabolic processes within the body. They aid greatly in tipping the scales in our favor in terms of protein synthesis vs protein degradation. However, what you may not know is how "anti-catabolic" steroids and prohormones are as well. Simply put, this means they can also block some of the nasty effects of cortisol, a hormone which I mentioned earlier that can rob you of hard-earned muscle tissue pretty fast. A major problem occurs once a cycle of steroids or PH’s has been completed, in that the very compounds that were keeping cortisol at bay have now been removed from the picture, and just at a time when the body is looking to re-achieve the balance between testosterone and cortisol that it so badly desires.
So here’s the ugly scenario...your body wants more cortisol, so it enhances production of a hormone called adrenocorticotropin, or ACTH, which in turn triggers the adrenal cortex to pour out more cortisone/cortisol. You no longer are taking steroids, PH’s or Hormonalogs, so not only will your body have less androgens, but more muscle-wasting cortisol screaming through your veins and your muscles! The result is a bodybuilder’s worst nightmare, as you will now be in a state where protein breakdown is exceeding protein synthesis, which means only one thing...declining lean muscle mass! What to Do…
Retain Phases are a way of creating a state of “protein sparing”. When we altered the anabolic/catabolic ratio by decreasing protein wasting, we realize a net gain in lean tissue mass. Let me explain that.
Some studies have stated that we gain and lose daily, equal amounts of protein based tissue at a rate of bodyweight x 1.818 expressed in grams. Obviously we have the ability to increase protein based tissue mass either by addition (Anabolism) or by accumulation (Protein sparing/anti-catabolic/saving). And for many, just decreasing the loss side of the equation a little bit results in superior post-cycle retention.
This is like a checking account. If we have a daily deposit of $100 and withdrawal $100 daily, then our account is in a state of homeostasis or “no change balance”. But if we increase our daily deposits without also increasing or daily withdrawals we increase by addition (Anabolism). Now, how about if we left our daily deposits at $100 but decreased our daily withdrawals? Yes, you are right. Our account would experience an increased balance daily due to accumulation. In theory this would mean that a (Small) 200 lb bodybuilder could experience a net gain in lean mass tissue daily of 363.6 grams (200 lb x 1.818 = 363.6 grams) if the catabolism side of the anabolic/catabolic ratio were reduced 100%. That would result in a net gain of about 24 lbs of lean tissue in a month. Of course this is not only impossible, it would also be very unhealthy.
But… we can decrease the catabolic side of the ratio enough to not only put an end to cortisol induced post cycle lean mass tissue loss, but in many cases, we have actually augmented gains while “off-cycle”. Yes, I know, systemic (whole body) reduction in cortisol using prescription drugs like Cytadren only works for a short time…but what if this can be done site-specifically (like muscle mass)?
Retain is formulated to be a synergistic protein sparing repartitioning agent that works based upon well know principals of science…we just did it better and more cost effectively.
MbAET (17a-methyl-b-androstenetriol): We have all heard and in many cases experienced the positive effects of DHEA and its even better metabolites. As example are the patented and effective products 7-OXO-DHEA and of course 7-Hydroxy-DHEA analogs. They are noted for their unique ability to avoid conversion into androgenic metabolites or affect androgen receptors while promoting fat loss, lean mass retention and even maximizing thyroid gland activity. Of course oral bioavalability is pretty poor with most of these analogs thus requiring higher dosages. Did I mention that bAET (b-androstenetriol) is between 100 and 100,000 times more active than its DHEA precursor metabolites? Okay, how about that MbAET is nearly 100% orally bioavailable and only takes a few milligrams to do its job? Of course, this makes this a very liver friendly compound!
Okay, let me explain a little about the fat loss and lean muscle side of things in regard to MbAET…
Glucocorticoids in humans are in two forms. Inactive cortisone and very active in eating muscle cortisol. There are two enzymes that are able to make each of these convert into the other.
11b-HSD-1: Converts inactive cortisone into cannibalistic cortisol. Studies have implicated this event in fat tissue as a pathway for increased fat storage. Part of the reason GH has a positive affect upon body composition is through its ability to inhibit 11b-HDS-1
11b-HSD-2: Converts nasty cortisol into cortisone. 11betaHSD2 debulks intracellular cortisol by 90%. (Let the 11b-HSD-2 rule the house)
Hmmm, more 11b-HSD-1 means more cortisol which eats more muscle. And less means…
MbAET inhibits the 11b-HSD-1 enzyme both locally and systemically. This means that there is less conversion of cortisone to cortisol. Based upon the studies it appears that in mediating this pathway, it increases immune function and recovery of cells as well. Less cortisol and fat, more lean muscle and positive support to health. Not bad!
Clary Sage: Clary sage is a rather interesting herb that can be standardized for many of its active compounds. In one study it was shown that, as an aroma therapy, it aids in improving stress scores significantly.
Okay, but the really cool effect it has is due to cAMP stimulating value that lasts for several hours. There is a significant similarity between compounds in this interesting herb and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). As most are aware, increased TSH means more fat burning anabolism promoting T-3 production (yes, it acts synergistically with MbAET in this regard…but through different pathways).
The connection here is that the TSH-like effect triggers an enzyme called adenylate cyclase in the thyroid that results in an increase in cAMP activity and subsequently lots of extra T-3 production…naturally. Since there is an increase in cAMP there is an accompanying increase in nitrogen retention. There appears to be some research that supports the belief that increased cAMP results in greater LH release as well (you know, that stuff that tells “The Boy’s” to make more testosterone?) So more muscle and less fat.
p-Tyramine: Tyramine is a naturally occurring compound that is known for its fat burning and metabolic increasing affects. Unfortunately there are some whom have to eat very low tyramine diet due to allergies to the compound itself. However, p-tyromine is an analog that has some interesting effects in regard to lean mass retention. Mammalian research has shown that p-Tyramine is an effective inhibitor of prolactin release. In males prolactin levels can be a cause of low libido, gyno and some less than interesting female pattern fat deposits. Additionally, severe inhibition of HPTA function is a fact.
Many are not aware of the reality that the use of androgens that aromatize to estrogens significantly increases prolactin production…that only gets worse post-protocol. This is due to the body’s natural response to any hormonal alteration in that it will seek ways to control the increased through either negative feed-back loops or by increasing the production of other hormones to make things more equal.
Just as a point of interest, we should also note that in dieting individuals prolactin levels increase significantly while testosterone levels decrease. And as explained prior, prolactin inhibits testosterone production.
Sounds pretty simple, huh? Well, it is. Simple science applied to the betterment of human performance and an end to the 2-steps forward and 1.5 steps back results most have endured.
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