Taking a dive into the work of professional bodybuilding, we can see the advantages some supplements have in advancing our development in the field of muscle building. Many people complain that there is just something missing in their workout pharmacopoeia, and the results are just not that impressive. Understanding the human anatomy is the only way to go about this; especially hormones, neurotransmitters etc. I have been a personal fitness instructor for quite a long time time, and I feel it is necessary to share with the world the tricks I have learned so far about proper nutrition, proper supplement intake and the mystery surrounding some controversial elements. In this article we will be talking about the ‘sleep hormone’ melatonin and the positive effects this molecule has on building rich, durable and solid muscle tissue. Note that taking melatonin as supplement might be good for a while, but if you want to make sure that it is right for you, it is best to talk to your personal physician about safety issues regarding the supplement.
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Metalonin is an fascinating hormone, secreted by the pineal gland to induce sleep. Our biological clock allows us to regulate the production of this hormone; being more active (15 times so) at night than during the day. The amino acid typtophan is required for the production of this hormone, forming serotonin as a precursor before forming melatonin. As we all know melatonin is used to induce sleep. The mechanisms behind this action are not important, and unless you are a full-fledged neuro-biologist, chances are you will not get half-a-word of what I will be writing. So let us focus on the other property of melatonin – namely burning fat.
People suffering from a disrupted pineal gland function show significant lipid build-up, while people who have more melatonin in their system tend to store less fat, even at meal time. Melatonin is also responsible for the proper regulation of your body’s temperature. By expanding the blood vessels, the hormone is able to relive internal temperature and hypertension, making the user feel ‘cooler’ so to speak. It has been proven, that when melatonin is taken as a supplement, it actually prevents heatstrokes when a person is subjected to intensive exercising in hot weather.
Melatonin is also considered having even more powerful anti-oxidizing effect on the body, than vitamin E. It fortifies the immune system and deal beneficial effects on stress. Melatonin also prevents damage associated with DNA replication, making it an ideal fighting agent against cancer.
It is interesting to know, that the ‘Dream Hormone’ not only brings about better muscle growth, due to the increased secretion of HGH, but it also prevents muscle atrophy just as much as testosterone, especially if the second is lacking.
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Melatonin contra-reacts with the stress hormone cortisol, meaning that when one is predominant in the body, the other has to back down. This means that bodybuilders are advises to take melatonin to avoid catabolism due to high cortisol levels. Just 20 minutes after the workout has begun, the cortisol levels in your body are already going up. This can disrupt your sleeping patterns, prevent the secretion of HGH and even lead to catabolism.
The intake of melatonin would help bodybuilders to better rid their bodies of cortisol at about the 12 g. dose range. Less would be enough if used a an sleeping aid. Melatonin is great in combination with other bodybuilding supplements, such as powder protein, creatine, vitamins, BCAA, glutamine etc.