As bodybuilders we are always seeking the perfect pairing of Physique Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) for more muscle gain and limiting fat gain at the same time. Some look to the latest exotic research compound that has barely been tested in rodents, while others jump to a cocktail of various anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) to combine. But there might be a forgotten option here?
Testosterone and AAS Progression Model
Before jumping to the stack of choice, just a reminder of what should make the base of this stack is testosterone. testosterone is well-tolerated and provides a solid foundation for other compounds to build upon providing a source of estradiol for its anabolic properties of GH to IGF-1 conversion, insulin sensitivity, and improved nitric oxide production (Anderson, 2018) Estrogen is protective for the brain, heart, skin, kidney, liver.
However at some point we must increase the testosterone dosage to grow more but can be limited by how much we can handle due to estrogenic side effects. This then arrives at the question of what should we stack next to grow? We can make justification to go to secondary AAS like Primobolan and Nandrolone, but let’s consider Growth hormone as an option.
Enter Human Growth Hormone
An issue with only increasing AAS only is that this is the most deleterious to organ health. Rather than only using one tool to grow, we can leverage something like human growth hormone (HGH), which creates a strong synergy with testosterone to elicit muscle gain but potentially with less risk. Let’s get nerdy for a second.
Nerdy Meathead Study Time
Sattler et al (2009), tested the combination of testosterone and HGH vs testosterone alone on body composition changes. The study was done in 121 older (~70 year old) men to receive transdermal testosterone (5 or 10 g/d) plus HGH at (0, 3, or 5 mcg/kg/d) for 16 weeks.
One standout of the study was the 5g of test + 5mcg/kg/day of GH had the same lean mass gain of the 10g of testosterone alone group at 1.5kg. The interesting part though is the test + HGH group lost -1.3kg fat mass, while the test alone group only lost 0.7kg of fat mass. The same muscle gain with half the testosterone dose, but had 2x the amount of fat loss.
Now the group on the highest dosages at 10g of test + 5mcg of GH added a total of 2.6kg lean mass and decreased fat mass by 2.1kg. The synergy for muscle gain while dropping body fat gain is potent in this combination. Keep in mind these are old community dwelling seniors, replacement test and HGH doses, not even resistance training, or following an optimized bodybuilding diet. The effect would be profound once in an optimized situation for young health men, supraphysiological dosing, resistance training, and bodybuilding diets.
The Testosterone Growth Hormone Synergy
Testosterone increases GH receptor expression and local IGF-1 expression in skeletal muscle and alters IGF-1 binding proteins all of which are in favor of enhancing HGH effects. HGH can increase lipolysis and partition nutrition towards skeletal muscle anabolism and also increase Androgen receptor expression. Not to mention HGH really shines in repairing connective tissue. This means Limit body fat gain, increase lean mass, sustain training via connective tissue repair in the offseason phase.
The Savvy Enhanced User
Many use to say HGH is something to save for one you are a pro, but a case is to be made for starting HGH earlier to benefit from the synergies with AAS, decrease health risk, and make leaner gains.
Don’t reach quickly for a secondary AAS to add in, before considering HGH as a major tool for progress.
Want to learn more on AAS stack design and HGH, J3U level 1 has a comprehensive PED module that will teach the framework of how to progress your enhancement whether amateur or top level IFBB Pro.
John Jewett, MS, RD, J3U-PC
References
Sattler FR, Castaneda-Sceppa C, Binder EF, Schroeder ET, Wang Y, Bhasin S, Kawakubo M, Stewart Y, Yarasheski KE, Ulloor J, Colletti P, Roubenoff R, Azen SP. Testosterone and growth hormone improve body composition and muscle performance in older men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009 Jun;94(6):1991-2001. doi: 10.1210/jc.2008-2338. Epub 2009 Mar 17. PMID: 19293261; PMCID: PMC2690426.
Anderson LJ, Tamayose JM, Garcia JM. Use of growth hormone, IGF-I, and insulin for anabolic purpose: Pharmacological basis, methods of detection, and adverse effects. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2018 Mar 15;464:65-74. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2017.06.010. Epub 2017 Jun 9. PMID: 28606865; PMCID: PMC5723243.
