Warning: Opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of this magazine’s publisher or its editorial staff. MD does not condone any form of illegal drug use for bodybuilding or for any recreational purpose. MD also does not condone the abuse of legal drugs for any purpose. Prison UpdatesThe other day, I received the following photograph from the men at FCI Morgantown. Although missing a few choice characters, by and far this was the motley group I shared the weight “pit” with on a daily basis. Men of Morgantown, stay hardcore and stop fighting over the dumbbells (even though there’s probably only three left by now).Tracy “Traybag” Roach, 32 years old, wrote to me from Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institution in New Jersey. He informs me that when he arrived at Fort Dix, he weighed a measly 130 pounds. Now, after daily masochistic workouts in the weight pit and countless homemade protein shakes (consisting of oatmeal, granola, peanut butter and powdered milk), he now weighs a solid 167 pounds. Way to go “Traybag.”For any prisoners interested (state or federal), I’m holding a “Best Prison Arms Contest” (since that’s the only muscle you can officially show off in a photograph). Anyone out there who thinks they have impressive-looking arms, send your story and photo to:Dave PalumboP.O. Box 1122Seaford, NY 11783I will print the top 10 photos in a future issue of my column. The top three places will receive a free one-year subscription to Muscular Development.
Anabolic Wrist Straps?ATP Wrist Straps and “The Anabolic Freak” have joined forces to create the first official Jumbo Palumbo Wrist Straps. Unlike other lifting straps, these are indestructible. They can be purchased from the products section of my website at www.DavePalumbo.com. New Non-Steroidal Anabolic Super DrugAs reported in Popular Science, this new drug— a manufactured antibody called MYO-029— targets myostatin, a protein that regulates satellite cells (stem cells) to repair and replenish muscle fibers. By inhibiting myostatin, MYO-029 can enable these cells to multiply unchecked, yielding bigger, stronger, muscles from the same workout.Wyeth, the company that manufactures the drug, expects results late next year from tests it’s performing on patients with muscular dystrophy. Distended Gut TheoryMy new theory on stomach distention is that it’s the tremendous quantity of food being consumed, in an all-out effort to gain massive amounts of muscle, which winds up stretching out the internal fascia and connective tissue of the abdominal cavity. When this happens, the abdominal fascia can no longer tightly hold the internal organs in place. This “laxity” would help explain the protruding, yet still ripped, abdominal muscles exhibited by many of the super-sized pros.While many people think it’s the drugs, the truth is that, by and far, everyone uses the same drugs; yet some people get distended while others don’t.I, personally, have stretch marks all over my abdominal region. When I bulked up, I’d eat 12 meals a day just to sustain my insane metabolism. I’m sure most of the truly dedicated, slightly neurotic, mass-craving bodybuilders out there do the same thing.The solution to the problem may be as easy as increasing the density of the meals while reducing the volume. Stick to small, frequent, easily digestible forms of protein (chicken, fish and turkey) and combine with high caloric “good fats” like olive oil, macadamia nut oil and all-natural peanut butter. Also, take a good fiber supplement two to three times per day to keep the food moving through your digestive tract. This practice should enable bodybuilders to keep their caloric count high while still minimizing the overfilled gut scenario.Invariably, someone will pose the question as to why pregnant women don’t lose the elasticity in their abdominal region. My belief is that although the abdominal region in pregnant women does get extremely stretched, it’s only truly overextended for the last two months of pregnancy. Bodybuilders, on the other hand, have the overloaded distention for upward of eight months out of the year. It seems as though once that fascia is stretched beyond a certain point, there’s very little recourse to get it to retract. Perhaps, one day, some plastic surgeon will figure a way to “fix” the problem. Q: I have a terrible appetite and was wondering if there was anything you could recommend. What is vitamin B12 used for? What’s the best dose? Are there any other supplements or tricks you can recommend?A: The best way to increase appetite is to cycle carbohydrates. As your body becomes depleted of carbohydrates, your brain sends out signals to increase appetite. Ever notice how good food tastes when you’re dieting? If you reduce carbohydrates to fewer than 150 grams per day for two days out of every week, I can guarantee your appetite will increase.
From another perspective, the consumption of oral anabolic steroids destroys appetite. It might not occur the first few weeks, but, invariably, you’ll lose your desire to eat eight meals a day. My advice to stubborn bodybuilders who insist on taking orals steroids such as Anadrol®, Anavar, Winstrol and Dianabol is, “If you can’t eat, you won’t grow.”
Some people believe that by supplementing with vitamin B12, you can increase appetite. While there’s no proven evidence it works, it certainly can’t hurt. After all, vitamin B12 has an extremely unique oral absorption pathway. Unlike all other orally ingested vitamins, B12 requires linkage with the cofactor, intrinsic factor (IF), in the stomach. The Vitamin B12/IF complex, then, subsequently aids in the absorption of vitamin B12 in the terminal ileum of the small intestine. This difficult absorption route can sometimes lead to vitamin B12 deficiencies. In these isolated cases, supplemental B12 can prove to be invaluable; especially since vitamin B12 is known to be instrumental in protein synthesis reactions. Many bodybuilders take vitamin B12 injections (one mL every one to four weeks) to avoid concerns associated with this difficult oral absorption route.My response to the question of whether vitamin B12 increases appetite is, “If you think it increases appetite and you’ll eat more because of it, then do you really care what the real answer is?”
Q: What’s DHT? How does it affect the body? How do you prevent DHT in the body?
A: When testosterone is either naturally secreted or exogenously injected, invariably, some of it is converted, by the enzyme 5-alpha reductase, into another hormone known as dihydrotestosterone (DHT).In male fetuses, DHT causes development of the prostate gland and the descent of the testicles. In children entering puberty, DHT is responsible for the development of secondary sex characteristics— deepening of the voice, body hair growth, acne and thickening of the jaw. In adult males, DHT plays a role in the abnormal enlargement of the prostate and male pattern baldness. Excess DHT in women can result in facial hair growth (hirsuitism), acne and deepening of the voice.To date, the best method for reducing the deleterious side effects of DHT is by use of the prescription drug, finasteride. Sold under the brand names, Propecia and Proscar, finasteride effectively decreases DHT by inhibiting the enzyme, 5-alpha reductase. As 5-alpha reductase levels decrease, less testosterone is converted to DHT.In women, excess DHT can be counteracted by use of the prescription diuretic, Aldactone, which has been shown to possess moderate anti-androgenic activity due to its interaction with DHT and the intracellular androgen receptor. Through this activity, Aldactone has proven to be effective in the treatment of female androgenization.
Q: What’s the difference between grass-fed beef and regular beef from the butcher or supermarket?
A: The vast majority of beef eaten in America today is grain (corn) fed. Grass-fed beef is lower in fat and calories, higher in important vitamins such as beta-carotene and vitamin E and has two to four times more omega-3 fatty acids than meat from grain-fed animals.Omega-3 fatty acids are most abundant in seafood (salmon, herring and mackerel) and certain nuts and seeds (flaxseeds and walnuts), but they’re also found in animals raised on pasture (grass). The reason is simple; omega-3 fatty acids are formed in the chloroplasts of green leaves and algae. As a result, 60 percent of the fatty acids in grass are omega-3. When cattle are taken off omega-3 rich grass and shipped to a feedlot to be fattened on omega-3 poor grain (corn), they begin losing their stores of this beneficial fat. Each day an animal spends in the feedlot, its supply of omega-3 fatty acids is diminished. Just like in seafood, the omega-3 fatty acids in grass-fed beef are high in two specific fatty acids crucial to human health, DHA and EPA. These two fatty acids are pivotal in preventing heart disease, cancer and many other diseases. The human brain is also highly dependent on DHA. Low DHA levels have been linked to depression, schizophrenia, memory loss and a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's. Researchers are now also linking inadequate intake of these omega-3 fats in pregnant women to premature births, low birth weights and even to hyperactivity in children.When chickens are housed indoors and deprived of greens, their meat and eggs also become artificially low in omega-3 fatty acids. Eggs from pastured (grass-fed) hens can contain as much as 10 times more omega-3s than eggs from factory (corn fed) hens. It’s been estimated that only 40 percent of Americans consume an adequate supply of omega-3 fatty acids. Twenty percent have blood levels so low they can’t be detected. Switching to meat, milk and dairy products of grass-fed animals is one way to restore this vital nutrient to your diet.Meat and dairy products from grass-fed ruminants are the richest known source of another type of good fat called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). When ruminants are raised on fresh grass alone, their products contain from three to five times more CLA than products from animals fed conventional diets. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been experimentally shown to increase lean muscle and decrease body fat, thus making it an ideal nutrient for bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts, alike.In addition to being higher in omega-3 fatty acids and CLA, meat from grass fed animals is also higher in vitamin E— a potent antioxidant. In fact, the meat from grass-fed cattle is four times higher in vitamin E than the meat from grain fed cattle and, interestingly, almost twice as high as the meat from the feedlot cattle given vitamin E supplements.Based on all these facts, it seems pretty apparent that grass-fed beef just might be the ideal muscle-building, fat-shedding and health-restoring food of the future. Grass-fed beef can be ordered, online, from innumerable different sources. When purchasing, make sure the company specifies that their cattle spend their entire lives grazing in open pastures, are never confined to feedlots and are never fed grain.
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