Metformin year round?

[nothuman]

After 2 days of cheating, eating shitloads of food while doing keto, I went back to my keto diet and after 1 week I keep fullness in my muscles, no flat.

Used 500mg morning after cheat, another 500mg 6h later and 500mg before bed, I was in keto state again after 36h...

I love this drug pre contest :headbang:

How can you tell if you're in a keto state or not?

 

[aphextwin]

Check your pm's....been trying to get a hold of you for months dude.

Hello Knight, I don't have any PMs from you. I recently got back responding to various post. I just needed a break from always staring at computer screen. However, I'm looking forward to learning from my fellow PM Bros. Keep up the great work..........Try and send my a PM again..... Thanks

 

[aphextwin]

Hello Mike, I was curious if you believe there's much of a difference from standard ALA compared to R-ALA? Also, I'm sure it depends on the individual but what do you recommend as far as dosage?

Thanks!!!

 

[Knight9]

Hello Knight, I don't have any PMs from you. I recently got back responding to various post. I just needed a break from always staring at computer screen. However, I'm looking forward to learning from my fellow PM Bros. Keep up the great work..........Try and send my a PM again..... Thanks

Weird! I feel like I have sent you like 2-3 total...one every couple months! I am about to send you a private message now brother. Good to see you back here!

 

[saffire]

@FranJ how it's going? do you still using met year around?

 

[Ray28]

Do you still feel the same way about metformin mike.

I am not aware of any mechanisms by which metformin might negatively affecting muscle growth to any significant degree. I am not saying they don't exist--I am just not aware of them.

However, I do know that insulin resistance can have a profoundly negative impact on muscle growth, while also increasing the likelihood of fat gain.

Unfortunately, insulin resistance is all too common in off-season bodybuilders. Growth hormone, insulin, and the typical off-season diet all have a negative effect on insulin sensitivity, especially when all 3 are risk factors are present at once. High doses of these drugs just make the problem worse.

The positive effects metformin can have on insulin sensitivity, and therefore growth, far outweigh any negative effects it may have on muscle growth. I know this by experience, as I have had numerous clients use metformin and other sensitizers/mimetics during a lean muscle gain phase with tremendous results. Not only was growth not compromised at all in comparison to those who didn't use the drug(s), but results were significantly improved--with greater gains in lean muscle mass and a reduce propensity for fat gain. In fact, the most dramatic results were witnessed in those individuals following the most extensive sensitizer/mimetic regimens.

Metformin is just one tool in the toolbox. Although I have spoken more on this site about sensitizers like metformin and berberine, it should be said that mimetics are also an invaluable tool, as they help increase insulin sensitivity through a different mechanism, ultimately allowing one to achieve a much greater degree of sensitivity compared to sensitizers alone.

I saw one member here comment that he didn't think sensitizers like Met will make much of a difference when used during super high-carb off-season diets. This is completely untrue. While Met alone will provide only moderate results, the right combination of sensitizers and mimetics are able to maintain an impressive degree of sensitivity even when the individual is following a high-carb diet and using substantial doses of GH and insulin.

There are also other steps one can take, in addition to sensitizers/mimetics, that can contribute to improved insulin sensitivity. The more real-world experience I gain with these drugs/supps, the more impressed I become. As with most things in bodybuilding, the best results will always be obtained when using a variety of compounds, rather than using very high doses of just 1-2 of them. Unfortunately, most bodybuilders won't want to invest the money necessary to utilize these kind of programs.


I will also say that these drugs can be very useful during fat loss or pre-contest diets, as anytime insulin sensitivity is improved, the easier fat loss becomes. Insulin works directly against fat loss by preventing fat from leaving the fat cell, while simultaneously diverting excess calories into the fat cell, where they are then stored as fat. The better one's insulin sensitivity, the less insulin the body will need to secrete in order to maintain a normal blood glucose level. This indirectly increases the body's chances of turning to lipolysis as a way of meeting its energy needs, while also making the fat cell more resistant to fat storage. The end result is increased fat loss and an improved ability to maintain lean muscle mass.

Decreased insulin production is the main reason why keto diets cause such rapid fat loss. In theory, a strong enough mimetic should enable one to receive all the growth and recovery benefits of a high-carb diet, while obtaining the fat loss benefits of a keto diet. Of course, this would require a mimetic with a neutral effect on the fat cell and with glucose shuttling abilities on par with insulin itself--something we haven't yet achieved, but the principle is valid none the less. Remember, mimetics "replace" insulin, as they act like insulin in the body, while sensitizers increase insulin efficiency. Ultimately, both drugs lead to a decrease in insulin production--one by way of replacement and the other through increased efficiency. Only by optimizing both of these processes can we maximize growth and fat loss at the same time. .

Sorry if I wasn't very clear in my explanation. I am tired and it is hard to concentrate right now.

 

[superbigd]

What’s the chance of getting lactic acidosis by taking 1g a Day year round? And does it have any negative impact on any other organs I.e kidneys?

I have been taking it for a couple months now @1 gram everyday upon waking and really don’t want to come off if I don’t have to.

 

[G.I.Bro]

What’s the chance of getting lactic acidosis by taking 1g a Day year round? And does it have any negative impact on any other organs I.e kidneys?

I have been taking it for a couple months now @1 gram everyday upon waking and really don’t want to come off if I don’t have to.

Rare.... Metformin is very safe

Global impact is all positive. Lowers blood sugar, increases insulin sensitivity, ampk anti cancer, etc.

It's one of the best overall health/longevity supplements someone can take. Especially of your diet isn't the best and you eat too many carbs.

 

[superbigd]

Rare.... Metformin is very safe

Global impact is all positive. Lowers blood sugar, increases insulin sensitivity, ampk anti cancer, etc.

It's one of the best overall health/longevity supplements someone can take. Especially of your diet isn't the best and you eat too many carbs.

I definitely fall under that category. Don’t get me wrong I love my metformin but I’m curious if I should cycle it or reduce my year round long dosage. What are you Guys taking year round?

 

[G.I.Bro]

I definitely fall under that category. Don’t get me wrong I love my metformin but I’m curious if I should cycle it or reduce my year round long dosage. What are you Guys taking year round?

I take it year round. I don't feel it has an impact. Some gurus, like Palumbo, don't recommend it all the time unless needed to regain insulin sensitivity. It's not something he'd put everyone on year round. That is because it lowers IGF-1. This is a potent natural growth factor. This is also one method of action that helps it reduce cancer.

So if natty, or just moderate test, the effects of metformin could theoretically reduce gains. It think this is pretty marginal though. It's not like you'd have no gh/IGF-1 because of 1g metformin a day. The health benefits out weigh the negatives. If taking exogenous GH, the issue becomes completey moot in terms of IGF-1 reduction imo. I take metformin and gh most of the year. I'm just making you aware of the counter point.

If someone takes a lot of gh year round and eats a lot, metformin is beneficial for maitinaing good insulin sensitivity. If you take gh year round, you need to see how it's impacting your blood sugar too. A test kit is dirt cheap.

http://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2001/9/report_metformin/Page-01