IGF and Fat cells

[Th3w0rld1sm1ne]

Hey fellas.

I posted this at another site reported to be a decent place for igf-1 info.

Either it is such a stupid question that i am being ignored, or no one there has an answer for me.

I started looking into IGF for a cycle that i am starting here in a few weeks, and discovered a few things during my research. Apparently it causes any cells, including cancerous ones to multiply (or perhaps not die off naturally - i don't pretend to understand the biology behind it). At any rate, it seems to be a poor idea to use this if you have a history of cancer in your family or have had cancer. I don't and i haven't.

My next question was... what other cells can IGF-1 cause to replicate? I had always heard that your body has a set number of fat cells and that those existing fat cells can only be inflated or deflated through cardio and diet (or lack thereof). I have also heard this about muscle cells to some extent, but i must admit that i am not super educated on the biology of how all of this works.

So my question for the board is... if IGF-1 can cause muscle cells to multiply, can it do the same for fat cells?
Why or why not? I have searched on the net and several boards to the best of my abilities and have found a few people who say yes and a few who say no. No one however has given any reason or proof as to why they feel that way.

Here was my post at the other board.

http://www.beyondmass.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19540

Thanks for your help...

[Equalizer]

Re: IGF and Fat cells

This is from BASSKILLERONLINE.COM, article 1 on IGF1, he has 5 articles that are very good u might wanna peek at them, ive been looking into ifg1 as well and stumbled across these when another member reminded me of basskiller's site. The answer to the cancer question might not be in there but its pretty good about explaining muscle cell production and stored fat utilization.

"To understand how IGF-1 works you have to understand how muscles grow. The ability of muscle tissue to constantly regenerate in response to activity makes it unique. It’s ability to respond to physical/mechanical stimuli depends greatly on what are called satellite cells. Satellite cells are muscle precursor cells. You might think of them as "pro-muscle" cells. They are cells that reside on and around muscle cells. These cells sit dormant until called upon by growth factors such as IGF-1. Once this happens these cells divide and genetically change into cells that have nuclei identical to those of muscle cells. These new satellite cells with muscle nuclei are critical if not mandatory to muscle growth.

Without the ability to increase the number of nuclei, a muscle cell will not grow larger and its ability to repair itself is limited. The explanation for this is quite simple. The nucleus of the cell is where all of the blue prints for new muscle come from. The larger the muscle, the more nuclei you need to maintain it. In fact there is a "nuclear to volume" ratio that cannot be overridden. Whenever a muscle grows in response to functional overload there is a positive correlation between the increase in the number of myonuclei and the increase in fiber cross sectional area (CSA). When satellite cells are prohibited from donating new nuclei, overloaded muscle will not grow (Rosenblatt,1992 & 1994; Phelan,1997). So you see, one important key to unnatural muscle growth is the activation of satellite cells by growth factors such as IGF-1.

IGF-1 stimulates both proliferation (an increase in cell number) and differentiation (a conversion to muscle specific nuclei) in an autocrine-paracrine manner, although it induces differentiation to a much greater degree. This is in agreement with the Dual Effector theory. In fact, you can inject a muscle with IGF-1 and it will grow! Studies have shown that , when injected locally, IGF-1 increases satellite cell activity, muscle DNA content, muscle protein content, muscle weight and muscle cross sectional area (Adams,1998).

On the very cutting edge of research scientists are now discovering the signaling pathway by which mechanical stimulation and IGF-1 activity leads to all of the above changes in satellite cells, muscle DNA content, muscle protein content, muscle weight and muscle cross sectional area just outlined above. This research is stemming from studies done to explain cardiac hypertrophy. It involves a muscle enzyme called calcineurin which is a phosphatase enzyme activated by high intracellular calcium ion concentrations (Dunn, 1999). Note that overloaded muscle is characterized by chronically elevated intracellular calcium ion concentrations. Other recent research has demonstrated that IGF-1 increases intracellular calcium ion concentrations leading to the activation of the signaling pathway, and subsequent muscle fiber hypertrophy (Semsarian, 1999; Musaro, 1999). I am by no means a geneticist so I hesitated even bringing this new research up. In summary the researchers involved in these studies have explained it this way, IGF-1 as well as activated calcineurin, induces expression of the transcription factor GATA-2, which accumulates in a subset of myocyte nuclei, where it associates with calcineurin and a specific dephosphorylated isoform of the transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T cells or NF-ATc1. Thus, IGF-1 induces calcineurin-mediated signaling and activation of GATA-2, a marker of skeletal muscle hypertrophy, which cooperates with selected NF-ATc isoforms to activate gene expression programs leading to increased contractile protein synthesis and muscle hypertrophy. Did you get all that?"

[Equalizer]

Re: IGF and Fat cells

another article:

IGF stands for insulin-like growth factor. It is a natural substance that is produced in the human body and is at its highest natural levels during puberty. During puberty IGF is the most responsible for the natural muscle growth that occurs during these few years. There are many different things that IGF does in the human body; I will only mention the points that would be important for physical enhancement. Among the effects the most positive are increased amino acid transport to cells, increased glucose transport, increased protein synthesis, decreased protein degradation, and increased RNA synthesis.

When IGF is active it behaves differently in different types of tissues. In muscle cells proteins and associated cell components are stimulated. Protein synthesis is increased along with amino acid absorption. As a source of energy, IGF mobilizes fat for use as energy in adipose tissue. In lean tissue,

IGF prevents insulin from transporting glucose across cell membranes. As a result the cells have to switch to burning off fat as a source of energy.

IGF also mimic's insulin in the human body. It makes muscles more sensitive to insulin's effects, so if you are a person that currently uses insulin you can lower your dosage by a decent margin to achieve the same effects, and as mentioned IGF will keep the insulin from making you fat.

Perhaps the most interesting and potent effect IGF has on the human body is its ability to cause hyperplasia, which is an actual splitting of cells. Hypertrophy is what occurs during weight training and steroid use, it is simply an increase in the size of muscle cells. See, after puberty you have a set number of muscle cells, and all you are able to do is increase the size of these muscle cells, you don't actually gain more. But, with IGF use you are able to cause this hyperplasia which actually increases the number of muscle cells present in the tissue, and through weight training and steroid usage you are able to mature these new cells, in other words make them grow and become stronger. So in a way IGF can actually change your genetic capabilities in terms of muscle tissue and cell count. IGF proliferates and differentiates the number of types of cells present. At a genetic level it has the potential to alter an individuals capacity to build superior muscle density and size.

[Slightly Enhanced]

Re: IGF and Fat cells

I’m no expert, not even an educated dumbass when it comes to IGF……….but

Theoretically I guess it could, but “clinical” results suggest that the body sheds fat during IGF usage

[SMILEY FACE]

Re: IGF and Fat cells

Theoretically I guess it could, but “clinical” results suggest that the body sheds fat during IGF usage

i heard that opposite..igf1 puts msucle mass and gets u massive and GH for shedding fat

[Slightly Enhanced]

Re: IGF and Fat cells

maybe sheds wasn't a good word, but most posts i have read state the the person was able to eat and eat without fat gains, and most reported fat loss, but not to the degree of gh

[SMILEY FACE]

Re: IGF and Fat cells

ok

[HungarianBeast]

Re: IGF and Fat cells

This is from BASSKILLERONLINE.COM...

Be sure to NOT use this information exclusively. Do more research to add to these articles posted from this site. I am not bashing the site, but I have seen some "articles" come from there that are just complete crap.

[Th3w0rld1sm1ne]

Re: IGF and Fat cells

heh, should have come here first. Equalizer - Thanks bro, those were the kinds of things i was looking for.

SE - My thoughts too after reading that. Seems like even if it is possible, the added muscle / consequent higher metabolism post cycle coupled with fat shedding sides during cycle would at the minimum make you break even. Sounds like most people are losing fat so it seems like a safe bet.

BM - Too bad i can't afford GH or we would find out for sure...

HB, thanks for the heads up, i always do outside research but i will keep what you said in the back of my mind and double check things when browsing the site.

Thanks again to all.

[Slightly Enhanced]

Re: IGF and Fat cells

I was thinking about running it with my next cycle, but now I am thinking of running it solo, If I am going to spend that kind of money I want to know what I am getting for the buck

[Equalizer]

Re: IGF and Fat cells

Be sure to NOT use this information exclusively. Do more research to add to these articles posted from this site. I am not bashing the site, but I have seen some "articles" come from there that are just complete crap.

Yea ive read alot of different boards over the years and have tried to save particular articles of interest...i am new to research on igf1 and had just finished reading that particular article...ive actually always trusted most the info i read from there but i dont read everything either....i remember basskiller from the fitnessboard i believe. But i know what u mean....