bodybuilding muscle growth

As bodybuilders and weight training enthusiasts, we all know about our best friend called testosterone. But testosterone has an ‘arch enemy’ which most people have never heard of. While testosterone is an anabolic hormone, cortisol on the other hand is a catabolic hormone – which means that it easily breaks down muscle. And of course, you don’t want that – EVER!

There is a mini war going on inside your muscles, between these two rivals. They compete for receptors in muscle cells, which causes limiting actions of testosterone. Another downer of cortisol is a that it causes your body to resist insulin. Your muscles become less affected by insulin, which again is a really bad thing when you want to pack on pounds of muscle.

Insulin aids carbohydrates, protein and creatine enter muscle cells. It also plays an important part in of protein synthesis. Cortisol makes the muscle receptors ‘scare’ off insulin and prevents them from binding with them so they can do their job. This basically means that essential food components (protein, carbs, creatine) are readily blocked by cortisol, from entering the muscle cells. This essentially halts protein synthesis, limits how much your muscles can repair and grow and in extreme cases, breakdown of muscles.

Another side effect of the cortisol effect, is that it causes your body to make more insulin when you don’t need it. This can possibly lead to putting on fat, not muscle and in worse cases, it can cause type II diabetes.

Fortunately, the mineral chromium can help control the effects of cortisol.

Chromium, which is found naturally in broccoli, tomatoes, cheese, yeast, grape juice and in some meats (in small quantities), encourages fat loss. It is an essential mineral which also helps the insulin process, by extracting nutrients out of the bloodstream and further aiding protein synthesis functions. Chromium has been proved to lower cortisol production.

Although chromium is found naturally in many products, the problem with it is that your body does not absorb it very well from these sources. So if you are looking to increase your chromium levels (or want to add this mineral to your supplement regime after reading this article), then you are best advised to take it in supplement form. You can purchase it in any good health and fitness store, usually in the form of chromium picolinate.

The foldaway cardio stair stepper does exactly what it says. When you are not tightening your buttocks and thigh muscles, it can easily be stored away in a closet until the next time you want a fitness workout. Foldaway cardio steppers are also easily adjusted for tall and short people alike.

I hope this is a joke.

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