How to Use and Stimulate Hormones for Bodybuilding

There are numerous hormones at play when it comes to building real muscle. Testosterone, growth hormone, insulin, cortisol, and glucagon are the main players.

But what is the best growth hormone for bodybuilding and can it really be manipulated to build muscle faster? 

The Science Behind the Best Growth Hormone For Bodybuilding

Let’s face facts — there is no singular growth hormone that holds all the magic power to building muscle mass. Instead, there are a few key hormones involved in this process.

These key hormones play an important role in the body’s endocrine response network. If your main goal is to build serious muscle mass, the good news is that there are ways to stimulate these hormones in a natural way.

These key hormones promote muscle growth, while others influence the way in which the body uses and stores glucose for energy:

Growth Hormone and IGF-1

The pituitary gland, found in the brain, is responsible for growth hormone (GH). When GH is released, this stimulates the liver to produce IGF-1, which is one of the most important hormones in muscle growth.

The production of GH actually declines as we age, as the body’s need for muscle mass tends to decrease. These hormones also regulate how your body stores fat. The less GH and IGF-1 you produce, the more your body holds onto its fat stores for energy.

GH and IGF-1 can be stimulated naturally through supplementation, such as MK 677. This supplement is also beneficial for bone density and anti-aging. Diet and exercise split also plays a crucial role in stimulating these hormones.

Testosterone

This is primarily a male hormone that is produced in the testicles but can also be found in the adrenal glands.  The role of testosterone is key to the development of male characteristics. Testosterone is a naturally-occurring anabolic steroid hormone. So, essentially, it’s your body’s answer to building muscle.

Testosterone has been mimicked in the form of anabolic steroids and has been used as a quick-fix to building muscle mass for decades. However, steroids are not safe and carry serious health risks.There are other natural ways of stimulating levels of testosterone, including natural supplements. But mostly, it’s down to diet, exercise, and rest periods.

Insulin

Insulin plays a primary role in breaking down and processing the foods you eat. Manufactured by the pancreas, insulin breaks down food into their essential components, such as vitamins, minerals, glucose, amino acids, etc. Insulin helps with the storage and conversion of glucose in the body, also known as glycogen. Glycogen is then stored in the muscles and liver and helps to regulate your energy levels.

Insulin is also very important in the facilitation of amino acids and the repair of damaged tissue. This means it plays an important function in building and repairing muscle mass. Insulin production is largely influenced by diet and exercise, especially with regards to the amount of protein and carbohydrates you eat.

Cortisol

Known as the stress hormone, cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands and is released depending on levels of emotional or physical stress. As a catabolic hormone, cortisol actually breaks down tissue in the body. So why is this important for building muscle mass?

Basically, cortisol helps to control inflammation and also increases the availability of glucose stores for increased energy. However, it breaks down muscle mass when blood sugar is too low. That’s why constantly heightened cortisol levels can be unhealthy. This is where your diet and carbohydrate intake is key. A good level of cortisol can be beneficial to your workout routine, but too much can undo your hard work.

Glucagon

This hormone performs a very similar function to insulin. When your glycogen stores are low, glucagon steps in to supply back-up energy. Glucagon also responds faster and more efficiently than insulin. Essentially, glucagon breaks down muscle mass to increase cortisol levels, which then stimulates the release of glucose.

How to Naturally Stimulate Growth Hormones For Bodybuilding

Testosterone, growth hormone, cortisol, insulin, and glucagon all respond to the intensity of your weight training. When it comes to bodybuilding, anabolic vs. catabolic is crucial. It’s important to keep anabolic hormones high and catabolic hormones low. This includes testosterone, growth hormone, and insulin. Catabolic hormones such as cortisol and glucagon should be kept low.

How to Enhance Anabolic Hormone Response

Your pre and post-exercise nutrition are crucial in stimulating anabolic hormones. Remember these key pointers:

• Eating carbohydrates before and during exercise minimizes the increase of cortisol levels
• Eating protein after a workout keeps testosterone levels high, and helps to manage cortisol levels
• Consuming easily-digested protein before a workout also helps to keep testosterone levels high
• Consume approximately 20-grams of protein after each workout as well as 40-grams of carbohydrates to keep anabolic hormone levels stable

It’s also super important to incorporate healthy fats into your diet. A diet that is well-balanced in fat helps to enhance nutrient absorption and testosterone output.

Make sure to include some form of fat in your post-workout nutrition to stimulate and maintain hormone levels.

Low-fat diets and high-protein/low-carb diets are not recommended when trying to build bulk muscle mass. In other words, carbohydrates are important!

Your body needs a good portion of every macronutrient to keep hormone levels at their optimum. Try to stick to a ratio such as 30-40% of your calories from carbohydrates, 20-25% from protein, and 15-25% from fat.

The nature of hormones is reactive. They can be stimulated and manipulated according to how you treat your body.

The most effective way to stimulate the key hormones in building bulk muscle mass is through diet, exercise, rest, and recovery. It’s all about your lifestyle.

Take Control of Your Health and Nutrition

Now that you know more about the best growth hormone for bodybuilding, you’ll know that diet plays an integral role in hormone stimulation.

Find all the healthy diet inspiration you’re looking for by exploring the rest of this site. We offer healthy recipes, nutrition advice, and much more.