I’ve been taking Nubain (nalbuphine) continuously for the past five years. I am finally sick and tired of being a slave to the “needle.” What is the best way to beat this habit? What can I expect in the way of withdrawal symptoms?Nubain is a narcotic analgesic (painkiller) many bodybuilders use in an effort to make pre-contest dieting easier (Nubain takes away hunger pains). They also take it to make training easier (Nubain kills pain and discomfort induced by lactic acid buildup in the muscle). And Nubain just makes life easier in general (it numbs emotional pain, as well). The key word in the above descriptions is “easier.” The thing to consider is, Nubain might make things easier, but does that actually make them better? Pain (whether physical, emotional, or spiritual) is necessary if we are to evolve as individuals and if we are to make progress in our personal and professional relationships. The best way to kick the Nubain habit is to stop cold turkey. Trying to bridge the hours “off” the drug by taking Valium, Ultram and GHB (like some suggest) will only serve to prolong the physical withdrawal symptoms over weeks (rather than days). After three days completely off Nubain, the physical withdrawal symptoms of sneezing, shivering, running nose, frequent trips to the bathroom and feelings of “crawling” skin will eventually begin to subside. However, this is when the emotional withdrawal symptoms begin. All those years of suppressed emotions will now become very readily apparent and you better be ready to deal with dramatic mood swings (crying one minute, feeling fine the next). These emotional withdrawal symptoms will last approximately two weeks, after which you should start to feel released from the stranglehold of Nubain. On a positive note, once off the drug, you will notice a much “clearer” view of the world. You will find yourself to be voraciously hungry and you will notice that sex “feels” a lot more sensitive. Additionally, if you truly worked through your issues of why you got hooked on the drug to begin with, you might find that you’ll start making tremendous strides in your professional career, as well. Don’t try to stop taking a drug like Nubain unless you are truly ready and committed to stopping it.
I did a cycle of Equipoise and testosterone (400 milligrams of each per week) last summer and halfway through the cycle, I lost my libido. I took time off for about seven months after I finished my bottles. My sex drive came back a little, but I was still not as “rigid” as I once was. I decided to go back on a very similar cycle, but with 500 milligrams of test instead of 400, and my libido hasn’t changed at all. I need to get back to the way I once was. I’m 22 and I don’t think I should be relying on Viagra or something like it just to have sex. I use Clomid therapy after each cycle and really see no results. What should I do?
I have said this numerous times before; whenever testosterone is exogenously taken, it should be administered in dosages of at least 750 milligrams per week in order to get an adequate response from the body. One must realize that 250 milligrams per week of testosterone is almost what a natural athlete produces. Once an individual starts self-administering testosterone, his own testicular production will cease. Therefore, the first 250 milligrams of testosterone one takes is just about adequate to replace what was normally produced. The second 250 milligrams (that’s a total of 500 milligrams for the week) is what is effectively raising the ante and causing muscle growth. We must also take into account the fact that testosterone is no longer being produced in the testicles (since it is being injected into the bloodstream). Therefore, the local testicular concentration of testosterone is still lower than normal. (This fact could account for your inability to maintain an erection). I would venture to guess that if you upped the testosterone dosage into the range I suggest (750 milligrams per week) you would once again see your libido skyrocket because now the blood concentration of testosterone will be adequately high enough to produce “hard” erections and a heightened sex drive. It’s also important to note that once you start self-administering high dosages of testosterone, when you eventually “come off” the injections and try to restore your body to a “normal” state, you will find that your body no longer knows what normal is. The body is still used to the heightened sex drive induced by the high exogenous testosterone administration. It may take months of being “off” for you to finally feel as “aroused” and as rigidly erect as you were before you ever decided to start cycling. What is insulin sensitivity? How can I optimize the amount of insulin in my body (without getting fat)? Insulin is released from the beta cells of the pancreas in response to a rise in blood glucose (sugar) levels. Insulin, in turn, facilitates the transport of glucose into the cells of the body so it (glucose) can be used as an energy source for fueling cellular functions. On each cell in the body there are receptors for insulin. The number of insulin receptors dictates how easily the body will be able to clear the sugar from the blood and push it into the cells. If the number of insulin receptors on the cell membrane is very low, this is called a state of “insulin resistance.” The body’s first response to this state is to release more insulin from the pancreas (thinking there isn’t enough insulin present). When insulin is over-secreted, the body has a much greater tendency to store glucose as fat. Therefore, it is very important for the body to be as receptive as possible to insulin. Insulin sensitivity, then, defines how responsive the insulin receptor is at shuttling glucose into the various cells in the body. Individuals who have numerous responsive insulin receptors tend to under-secrete insulin and thus tend to be leaner by nature, whereas individuals who are very insulin resistant tend to over-secrete insulin and thus tend to put on fat weight more readily. People who fall into the first group (under-secreters) might find that by adding “small” amounts (two to four IU) of exogenous insulin (Humulin-R) to their daily regimens, they will increase the amount of lean muscle tissue they accrue, since they will have a greater anabolic drive (more Amino Acids and glucose will be pushed into the muscle cells).
On the other hand, people who fall into the second group (over-secreters) will benefit by taking supplements or drugs that increase insulin sensitivity. One new drug, to recently hit the market is called Avandia (rosiglitazone maleate). Avandia improves glycemic (blood glucose) control while lowering circulating insulin levels. Therefore, it will restore an insulin resistant individual (low insulin receptors, high insulin levels) to a more normal, healthier state in which he will stay leaner and have better control of blood glucose levels.
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Performance Nutrition 
