Vitamin C, Cortisol Control and PCT - Swifto

[Swifto]

During PCT cortisol is a big problem and should be reduced at all costs. Its efftcts on destroying muscle are fairly dramatic and moreso post exercise.

Cortisol is a catabolic hormone thats produced by the adrenal glands, moreso post exercise. Combine that with it already being elevated during times of PCT, whilst endogenous testosterone is low is the worst case possible scenerio.

There are many products on the market (and I dont know how effective they are) that claim to reduce cortisol. But, the cheapest and best priced has to be our good old friend, Vitamin C.

I've been doing some digging on using Vitamin C for this purpose and have found some fairly good studies on it and how it can benifit us bodybuilders, or anyone during PCT.

Cortisol is elevated during times of stress, this includes both weight/resistance training AND cardio. The below study is done on long distance endurance activites, that isnt to say it cant be translated into weight/resistance training or times of stress.


1: J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2008 Jun;48(2):217-24.Links
Effect of vitamin C supplementation on lipid peroxidation, muscle damage and inflammation after 30-min exercise at 75% VO2max.Nakhostin-Roohi B, Babaei P, Rahmani-Nia F, Bohlooli S.
Department of Exercise Physiology, Guilan University, Rasht, Iran [email protected].

AIM: Hypothetically, supplementation with the antioxidant vitamins C could alleviate exercise-induced lipid peroxidation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of vitamin C supplementation on exercise-induced lipid peroxidation, muscle damage and inflammation. METHODS: Sixteen healthy untrained male volunteers participated in a 30-min exercise at 75% Vo2max. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups: 1) placebo and 2) vitamin C (VC: 1 000 mg vitamin C). Blood samples were obtained prior to supplementation (baseline), 2 h after supplementation (immediately pre-exercise), post-exercise, 2 and 24 h after exercise. Plasma levels of VC, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), creatine kinase (CK), malondealdehyde (MDA), total leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and cortisol were measured. RESULTS: Plasma vitamin C concentrations increased significantly in the VC in response to supplementation and exercise (P<0.05). TAC decreased significantly in Placebo group 24 h after exercise compared to pre-exercise (P<0.05). Although MDA levels were similar between groups at baseline, it increased significantly 2 h after exercise only in the Placebo group (P<0.05). CK increased immediately and 2 h after exercise in both groups and 24 h after exercise only in placebo group compared to pre-exercise (P<0.05). Markers of inflammation (total leukocyte counts, neutrophil counts and IL-6) were increased significantly in response to the exercise (P<0.05). In VC group, there was significant increase in lymphocyte counts immediately after exercise compared with pre-exercise (P<0.05). Serum cortisol concentrations significantly declined after supplementation compared with baseline (P<0.05) as well as declined 2 and 24 h after exercise compared with immediately after exercise in VC group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: VC supplementation prevented endurance exercise-induced lipid peroxidation and muscle damage but had no effect on inflammatory markers.


Not many PCT's contain a cortisol reducer and they should! I'll be updating my PCT thread to include one. I may even add a cortisol reducing supplement if one is worthy!

Some may disagree that Vitamin C does not help, but it should still be a stable in your diet anyhow. Whether you take it in your multi-vitamin or consume enough of it daily from various fruits, so it cant hurt.

I'd advise users to take around 1-3g/ED of Vit C for its effects on cortisol and for its overall health benifits. Take 1g apon awakening with all your other vits/supps/minerslas etc...And a further 1-2g PWO.
There are also supplements marketed to reduce cortisol, such as Primordial Performances EndoAmp and Anabolic Extreme's Retain.

 

[Myosin10]

Good post and I am anxious to hear what you come up with for the best cortisol blocking supplement/steroid for PCT!!!

 

[Swifto]

Good post and I am anxious to hear what you come up with for the best cortisol blocking supplement/steroid for PCT!!!

Without getting BW done, its hard to see how effective a cortisol supplement reducer, like EndoAmp is. VitC is proven, thats a fact. I always take 2-3g PWO, sometimes 1g after resistane training, then 1-2g after cardio.

 

[Myosin10]

Here is some supps that I have heard block cortisol and I would like to test each out to see which is most effective.

Vitamin C

Imodium (loperamide) Article by Paul Johnson

**broken link removed**

Relacore
Carbohydrates
11-OXO
Phosphatidylserine (PS)
7-oxo DHEA
androstenetriol
Glutamine
Acetyl-L Carnitine (ALC)
Glycyrrhizinate
Relora

Any peptides that reduce Cortisol or research chems?

 

[bigguns078]

Better yet.. Just include vitamin C rich foods into your diet.. I'd rather get it naturally than in a pill...

WHFoods: vitamin C

 

[Newman]

Good topic Swifto.

A few questions:

1. If I understand it correctly, the study seemed to indicate anti-cortisol success with vitC doses administered 2 hours before workouts, but I think that aside from the 1000mg morning/waking dose, you're advising 1-2 grams PWO. Did I mistake the study dosing details, or are you trying something different?

2. I've already got time-release vitC tabs. (1000mg) I was told that for general health use, time release is superior to straight ascorbic acid. Apparently, vitC has a short half life. (if that's the right term for a vitamin's metabolism)

I'm thinking that for anti-cortisol application, the cheapest effective vitC product would be bulk vitC bought from local wine art stores. Whatever the case, I think the cheapest source of human food grade vitC would likely be the "best" choice for this application. Does this make sense? I mean, do we really need acerola & rosehips etc added?

Thanks.

 

[Newman]

I just wanted to add that I've read that OPCs etc do increase vitC absorption, but I'm not sure that trendy expensive vitC supps offer significant enough doses of OPCs to really enhance vitC absorption in a way that's significantly equal to the extra added cost. For example, I can buy green tea & raw cocoa quite cheaply & both are reported to have strong antioxidant action, so perhaps cheap vitC can be added to cheap green tea to offer a cost effective a well absorbed anti-cortisol tool.

 

[Ashop]

Good post and I am anxious to hear what you come up with for the best cortisol blocking supplement/steroid for PCT!!!

Ive been looking at a topical thats a cortisol controlling agent.
Looks interesting and may try,,,but still leary for numerous reasons,,one is I just dont like topicals,,,another is absorbtion rates can be poor.

 

[Thebigone]

Not sure if there is any truth behind it but I heard that ashwagandha can lower cortisol up to %25.

 

[Newman]

Not sure if there is any truth behind it but I heard that ashwagandha can lower cortisol up to %25.

Wow, I hope that's true. I've got a 1/2 dozen seeds germinating right now.

 

[qbkilla]

I take about 10g of vitamin C per day, is this a good dose? Its so cheap and I read so little actually gets absorbed, and you just piss the extra out, why not? I take about 2-3g pwo.

I read something where Bill Romanowski says that he used to get hooked up to a Vitamin C IV, so he could actually get megadoses in his system (since you hardly get anything from the pills).

 

[Athlete]

Some information about intravenous Vitamin C that I've saved in a text file on my computer.. don't remember who said what except when mentioned.

"For acute infectious and toxic states, I still recommend getting intravenous sodium ascorbate, usually at doses of 50 grams or more over several hours for most individuals."

"Poliquin: Research has previously indicated that 10 g of ascorbic acid given orally to patients may cause liver stress, but by bypassing the liver with an intravenous push you can significantly increase the dose to 50-100g.

In addition, Vitamin C in the injectable form seems to have a specific effect on increasing insulin sensitivity. We have observed this very important function many times here at the center. The day after an athlete receives and I.V. push of Vitamin C, their body fat usually decreases 1-2%. "

I also have a longer text about vitamin c use in cancer treatment, but if anyone wants that they can PM me.

 

[taslajrisi]

Here is some supps that I have heard block cortisol and I would like to test each out to see which is most effective.

Vitamin C

Imodium (loperamide) Article by Paul Johnson

**broken link removed**

Relacore
Carbohydrates
11-OXO
Phosphatidylserine (PS)
7-oxo DHEA
androstenetriol
Glutamine
Acetyl-L Carnitine (ALC)
Glycyrrhizinate
Relora

Any peptides that reduce Cortisol or research chems?

I like (PS) but its expensive. Humanofort is very good too. I think green tea works also.
Cortisol also gives you brainfog. I know its an AAS but d-bol even low dose drastically lowers cortisol.

 

[alan1973]

Some information about intravenous Vitamin C that I've saved in a text file on my computer.. don't remember who said what except when mentioned.

"For acute infectious and toxic states, I still recommend getting intravenous sodium ascorbate, usually at doses of 50 grams or more over several hours for most individuals."

"Poliquin: Research has previously indicated that 10 g of ascorbic acid given orally to patients may cause liver stress, but by bypassing the liver with an intravenous push you can significantly increase the dose to 50-100g.

In addition, Vitamin C in the injectable form seems to have a specific effect on increasing insulin sensitivity. We have observed this very important function many times here at the center. The day after an athlete receives and I.V. push of Vitamin C, their body fat usually decreases 1-2%. "

I also have a longer text about vitamin c use in cancer treatment, but if anyone wants that they can PM me.

IV....hell no, have no desire. and I heard regular shots of Vit C sting like crazy and for a long time.
just pop some vit C every couple hours. that way it is less stressful on the liver.

 

[mikeyt869]

Any new material on vit c?

 

[Brendan]

Great for making the body and shine in the sky.

 

[ronnieron]

iv vit c... that shit doesnt burn? nicked a vein with some tren once and i would have sworn it was gasoline