Strength hormone therapy refers to the use of certain hormone as a prescription medication. Getting these hormones to work so that you can maximize muscle and strength is one of the secrets of natural weight training.
Hormone Therapy That Build Strength
Testosterone Therapy
Testosterone therapy includes Testosterone Supplements, Testosterone Replacement Therapy etc. Benefits of this therapy:
- Less fat, more muscle
Testosterone is responsible for increased muscle mass. Leaner body mass helps control weight and increases energy. For men with low testosterone, studies show that treatment can decrease fat mass and increase muscle size and strength.
- Stronger bones
Testosterone plays a huge role in bone mineral density. Bone density decreases as men age and testosterone levels drop. This raises the risk of weak bones and osteoporosis. Strong bones help support your muscles and internal organs, which can boost athletic performance.
Research shows that bone density increases with testosterone treatment as long as the dose is high enough. Clinical trials on the effect of testosterone on bone density found increases in spinal and hip bone density. Another study of females transitioning into males found that testosterone increased bone mineral density. But it’s unknown if testosterone can help with reducing fracture risk.
Insulin
Insulin is the storage hormone. The pancreas produces insulin in response to food. When you consume food, enzymes break it down into constituent glucose, fatty acids and amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Insulin responds to carbohydrate and protein by storing glucose in muscle and liver, fat in fat cells, and by the utilizing amino acids from food protein in bodybuilding and repair. It’s incorrect to think of insulin as only responding to carbohydrate foods because some protein foods such as fish and beef elicit a very strong insulin response in their own right. In diabetes, insulin is either insufficiently produced or is available yet fails to store glucose efficiently (called insulin resistance).
Combining pre- and post-exercise foods or sports drinks containing protein and carbohydrate elicits a very strong insulin response in the refueling period after an exercise session. The value of this is that along with the glucose storage and amino acids synthesis in new protein, you get a powerful anabolic, muscle building response. Insulin is an important anabolic hormone. Manipulating insulin is one of the main tools described in bodybuilding.
Cortisol
Cortisol is a very important hormone that’s for sure. It is produced by the adrenal glands and is often called the ‘stress hormone’ because it responds to stress, either physical or emotional. Cortisol helps control inflammation, makes glucose available by breaking down muscle to amino acids, suppresses the immune system, and is likely to enhance fat storage at the expense of protein and muscle. Cortisol rises when blood glucose gets low — in the early morning and during exercise, especially prolonged endurance exercise. Cortisol is a catabolic hormone, meaning it breaks down tissue. In manufactured forms, it’s called hydrocortisone or cortisone.
Epinephrine (Trade Name Adrenaline)
We all know this hormone as adrenaline but epinephrine is considered the “fight and flight” hormone because it acts quickly on cue to constrict arteries and raise blood pressure. Epinephrine also dilates the airways to enable your heart to beat faster and you to breathe more efficiently — all of which are important if you suddenly need to run away from an attacking lion! As well, epinephrine elicits the muscles and liver to give up stored glucose (glycogen) so that you have the instant energy to fuel that survival run. In this sense, epinephrine is a catabolic hormone, like cortisol.
