The main, basic function for human growth hormones (HGH) and hormones associated with it, such as insulin-like growth factor-1, is to promote cellular growth, replication, and renewal.
When it comes to bodybuilders, it means muscle building, growth, mass, bulk, bigger and larger muscles.
Many bodybuilders and sportspersons seeking for a way to enhance their performance usually turn to an on-again, off-again process known as cycling. That is what we mean by an IGF-1 cycle.
IGF-1 Cycle Dosage
IGF-1 or insulin-like growth factor-1 is a type of growth hormone, and like other growth hormones, it is manufactured and secreted by the pituitary gland.
The growth hormone also triggers the creation and secretion of insulin-like growth factor-1 from the liver.
Insulin-like growth factor-1, as a growth factor, is a peptide hormone and is necessary for cellular growth and stimulation of protein synthesis in not only the muscle cells but other types of cells in the body.
An IGF-1 cycle is a process often employed by bodybuilders when using supplements to enhance their bulking or cutting phases of bodybuilding.
The bulking phase is a period of time when a bodybuilder or athlete is focused on developing muscle mass, size, strength, and endurance, while the cutting phase is a period of time when the bodybuilder or athlete focuses on losing fat or working to improve on lean body mass.
The Typical IGF-1 Cycle
IGF-1 differs from steroids in many ways one of which is that IGF-1 is a natural compound that is produced organically in the body.
It can also be administered in an artificial form as a supplement, but this is not the preferred choice to organic products for side effects risks and product efficacy.
As mentioned earlier, IGF-1 comes from HGH (Human Growth Hormone) which is produced by the pituitary gland and then synthesized in the liver, and has a shorter half-life than either HGH or steroids.
It can only stay in the body for a maximum of 20 hours.
IGF-1 acts quickly and starts to promote anabolic tissue growth within 3 weeks of starting use, and improvements to metabolism and endurance can be felt within very short periods from use.
It should be noted at this point that the medical professionals do not recommend taking hormones such as growth hormone, IGF-1, testosterone, or other drugs for bodybuilding or athletic enhancement performance.
This makes the growth hormone, IGF-1 injections, and testosterone as prescription-only drugs, leaving bodybuilders and athletes too, often turn to black-market resources for these drugs.
This is a risky behavior by itself, not only from a legal standpoint but from a medical and health standpoint.
Thus, it’s illegal to buy or sell growth hormones or similar anabolic steroids, and the use of such products is also banned by a large number of athletic organizations around the world.
Staying Safe with IGF-1 Supplements
The uses of IGF-1 are intended to be performed only with a doctor’s supervision and prescription, as IGF-1 cannot even be legally purchased for injection without a prescription.
To further compound the difficulty in this, doctors generally will not prescribe the compound for voluntary bodybuilding, leaving many weightlifters to either turn to the internet grey market or look for legal alternatives for supplementing IGF-1.
So far, the only way to legally take an IGF-1 cycle without a doctor’s prescription is with the use of commercial deer antler extract spray.
Taking IGF-1 as a Daily Spray
IGF-1 in the form of a spray (deer antler extract) is an over the counter product that can be found in many health and fitness shops online as an under-the-tongue oral spray.
This kind of product is indeed legitimate and effective.
These antlers sprays are gotten from the IGF-1 found in deer and elk antlers and are often called “deer antler velvet.
They can be used as a part of a weight training regime to accelerate muscle growth and protect against strain and injury.
In fact, the use of antler extracts, powders, and gelatins has been recorded many thousands of years back to the earliest recorded Chinese medicine, when tonics prepared from antler were believed to increase overall vitality, immunity, strength, and sexual potency.
These ancient remedies were the earliest form of growth factor supplementation, and today, we can attribute many of these effects to the high IGF-1 content found in the growing antler of the deer or elk.
As regards to timing and periods, these sprays must be taken regularly for a complete IGF-1 cycle while training, and you don’t have to worry about overdose since the delivery method makes it quite difficult to overdose.
Thus, side effects risks are reduced to a minimum. Your IGF-1 cycle should last at least 3 – 5 weeks during heavy bulking phases and should be taken daily.
Lower doses of IGF-1 can be used in seasons when you are looking to lean up (cutting phase).