Muscle anabolism is a phenomenon that is of extraordinary interest to enthusiasts of strength and body sports. Anabolism is the process by which our muscles and bones increase in volume, making it the most desirable effect of strength training. To increase anabolic abilities, you can use dietary supplements, but it is not advisable to use anabolic steroids because they pose a serious threat to our he alth. How does muscle anabolism work? How is it different from catabolism?

Contents:

  1. Muscle anabolism - what is it?
  2. Muscle anabolism as a metabolic process
  3. Muscle anabolism - how does it work?
  4. Anabolism and catabolism - what's the difference?
  5. Muscle anabolicism - how to stimulate?
  6. Anabolic steroids

Muscle anabolicism- synthesis is the physiological process that is most interested in exercising. We exercise so that our muscles increase their volume and strength, so it's no wonder that we primarily care about increasing anabolic processes.

In order for the training to work effectively for us, we should take care not only of its systematics, but also a balanced diet and adequate protein supply. During exercise, our body takes in nutrients that need to be supplemented to prevent the intensification of opposite, i.e. catabolic, processes. Anabolism is not only about building muscles, it is also about creating energy reserves from which we draw energy, even in extreme conditions for our body. This makes it strong and resistant to physical stimuli.

Maintaining the balance between anabolism and catabolism results in a well-functioning metabolism and efficient metabolism. Learn more about anabolism and see what you can do to make your training more effective.

Muscle anabolism - what is it?

Anabolism is a professional group of chemical reactions that result in the formation of complex compounds from simple substrates. The resulting compounds have the ability to accumulate energy. Anabolism is also known as the part of metabolism that is associated with the growth of intracellular tissues. In turn, metabolic processes are divided into anabolic - growth and catabolic - related to the decomposition and disappearance oforganic matter.

Anabolism to J.gr. Anabalein - to increase, so the very name leads us to the characteristic action of this metabolic process. Anabolism is called an endoenergetic reaction because it synthesizes simple compounds and requires external energy. The supplied energy is retained in the body in the form of chemical bonds.

Anabolic processes cause the growth and growth of organs and tissues. For this reason, we can observe a significant increase in body weight and strength.

Other benefits of anabolism include: - skeletal growth - muscle growth - growth of hair and nails

Moreover, anabolic processes also form the basic building blocks of cells, e.g. amino acids, sugars (polymers), etc., for example the synthesis of fatty acids from acetate or the synthesis of cellulose from glucose.

In other words, anabolism is part of the metabolic reactions that increase when the availability of nutrients exceeds the body's need for energy to perform the activity.

The anabolic hormones include estrogens, insulin, HGH and testosterone.

Muscle anabolism as a metabolic process

Before we focus on exploring the knowledge of anabolism itself, it is worth taking a closer look at the metabolism that this process causes. In other words, metabolism is the entirety of the processes taking place in cells in the form of chemical reactions and energy transformations that are related to them.

Metabolism consists of two processes:

  • anabolic (energy-generating)
  • catabolic (energy releasing)

The above two processes run simultaneously and interchangeably. With the period of growth in our body, anabolism prevails over catabolism, and when the body reaches maturity - the metabolism gains a balance between the effects of anabolism and catabolism.

A mature body has a tendency to catabolic dominance, but with proper diet and physical activity, metabolic balance returns to the right track.

Correct processes taking place in our body in this regard are called physiological, and incorrect - pathological.

Pathological metabolic processes occur especially during periods of malnutrition, acute stress or excessive physical exertion, then catabolism prevails over anabolism and leads to the disintegration and degeneration of tissues.

The other side of the coin is the fact that while increasing anabolic processes and using a caloric surplus,we should take care of what we eat, because weight gain may be associated not only with an increase in muscle mass, but also in adipose tissue.

Muscle anabolism - how does it work?

How does anabolism work? Anabolism works by means of special hormones that manage the processes of switching cells into a certain mode by interacting with receptors on the surface of their cell membranes.

Examples of anabolic reactions are: chemosynthesis, photosynthesis and biosynthesis of organic nitrogen compounds. The energy used in these processes is used to create new organic compounds - it is also stored in them.

The products of anabolic synthesis accumulate much more energy than its substrates, which is the result of the nature of anabolic transformations - they require large amounts of energy. An example is the formation of proteins or carbohydrates from amino acids or simple sugars.

Anabolic processes are used especially in strength and bodybuilding sports.

Anabolism and catabolism - what's the difference?

Anabolism is, in short, an increase in tissues, and what is the second component of metabolism - catabolism?

Katabolizm to j.gr. down, and denotes the total chemical reactions of metabolism that lead to the breakdown of complex chemical compounds into simple molecules - that is, the reverse of anabolism. It is an energy-releasing exo-energetic reaction where the substrates must be of a higher energy level and the products of a lower energy level.

Catabolism breaks down complex compounds into simple ones, and the energy generated in this process is stored in adenosine triphosphate bonds, i.e. ATP. This energy is used by cells during their work:

  • electrical - impulse conduction,
  • mechanical - muscle spasms,
  • osmotic - transport against the concentration gradient.

Initially, the body uses resources such as glucose and glycogen, then breaks down complex compounds such as proteins and fats, and in some situations even extracts them from its own tissues. When this condition lasts longer, muscle mass decreases and, in further consequences, the body wastes, similar to anorexia and cancer.

Read also: Muscle catabolism - when does it occur? How to protect muscles against catabolism?

Catabolism most often occurs after training or immediately after waking up, but these are not the only and always repetitive catabolic reactions. Cell breakdown can also occur when muscles lack the glycogen produced by consuming carbohydrates.

So catabolism is yoursthe type of body's defensive reaction. Post-workout catabolism occurs when cellular energy is lost during intense exercise.

In contrast, morning catabolism is caused by malnutrition that occurs during sleep. During periods of mass building, a common procedure to inhibit catabolism among bodybuilders is the consumption of protein about an hour before bedtime.

How to stop muscle catabolism and restore anabolic processes? First of all, you should provide the right portion of simple carbohydrates and protein rich in a set of amino acids. You can also use glutamine and whey protein.

Muscle anabolicism - how to stimulate?

Wondering how to stimulate muscle anabolism and what influences its formation? Factors interfering with the increase in anabolic changes include:

  • the state of the endocrine economy
  • genetic predisposition
  • training focused on muscle development
  • a balanced diet tailored to the individual needs of the body
  • fixed meal times
  • supplementation (if needed)

As you can see, we mostly directly influence the pace of our anabolic changes, so we can consciously shape them. What are some ways to stimulate muscle anabolism?

  • Anabolic diet

It should be set to an adequate supply of protein. It was assumed that one should eat 1-1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. When we train in the gym or have demanding physical work, we should aim for the upper limit of the amino acid intake. Carbohydrates are also an important element of the anabolic diet.

What's more, we should take care of the fixed meal times to which our body gets used to. During longer breaks in eating or skipping meals, the body will draw energy from its own sources - most often from the muscles.

A proper diet has a positive effect on the hormonal balance and adequate levels of insulin and growth hormones, which significantly affect the development of muscle mass.

What should an anabolic diet look like? It should consist of good-quality protein: lean meat - poultry and fish, legumes and dairy products (people with lactose intolerance are recommended products made of goat or sheep milk). The anabolic diet must also include groats, pasta, vegetables and fruits.

  • Training

Training must be geared towards building muscle mass. Exercises with heavy weights based on multi-joint exercises will work well. Strength training is the most effectivethe way to increase the level of anabolic hormones, i.e. testosterone and growth hormone.

What's more, our training should last about an hour - this will inhibit the growth of the stress hormone, i.e. cortisol, which is a hormone with catabolic properties. It is also worth changing the training plan every few months or using different plans interchangeably, so that the body has a constant stimulus to increase and increase fitness.

  • The phenomenon of the anabolic window

What does it mean? The anabolic window is characterized by an increased demand for protein and thus greater anabolic capacity. It occurs when we are shortly after training or physical exertion.

It starts right after training and lasts approximately 2-3 hours. It is then that it is necessary to provide the right amount of nutritional value that will affect the better synthesis of muscle proteins and glycogen. For this purpose, supplementation with nutrients, especially with liquid ones, will work well, because the body will absorb them much faster without wasting time on digestion.

Nutrients that you can support are: carbo protein supplement, gainers, amino acids, creatine as well as vitamins and minerals.

The post-workout meal also matters! Although we should first provide ourselves with simple carbohydrates, the post-workout meal should be rich in the right amount of protein matched to the individual body weight.

It is worth knowing that carbohydrates are absorbed in the digestive tract (mainly simple sugars, especially glucose) and transformed into high-energy reserve substances, i.e. glycogen, from which the body draws energy at any time when the demand for it increases out.

Anabolic steroids

Anabolic steroids are a group of natural and synthetic steroids that have a strong anabolic effect - they increase the cell division process that creates the body's tissues. Anabolic steroids are derivatives of testosterone or 19-nortestosterone.

How do anabolic steroids work? They work by increasing muscle and bone mass by stimulating protein synthesis in the body or changing the calcium metabolism. This effect is especially desirable in sports doping.

Anabolic steroids activate androgen receptors that are present on the surface of the cell membranes of the body's cells. The anabolic effects that can be expected from the use of these substances are increased protein synthesis, increased appetite, increased bone growth, increased bone production, increased growth rate of muscle mass, strength and endurance.

Despite the above anabolic aspectsanabolic steroids permanently (!) harmful to he alth! They greatly interfere with the hormonal balance and change its profile in both women and men.

In addition, they cause a number of other he alth consequences, including: cancer, hypertension, circulatory disorders, respiratory problems, changes in the cerebral cortex, heart disease, arrhythmia, heart attacks and emotional disorders.

About the authorMałgorzata Kośla She is a qualified fitness instructor and certified personal trainer. Since childhood, her greatest passion was sport - she played football and basketball. Then a new love came - dance, especially dancehall. He likes to sweat at the gym and relaxes in yoga and meditation sessions. He is constantly expanding his knowledge about training and a he althy lifestyle. What besides sports? He runs a store with natural cosmetics and he althy food, writes his own blog (stylzyciadowolny.pl) and deals with copywriting.

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