yuwn....it's a long read but its
Every muscle cell has about 50 different types of receptor-sites. Most receptorsites
can only be activated by their specific chemical counter part. This is like a key
that fits and actuates only one type of lock. The receptor-site specific to
testosterone
and other
AAS (Anabolic/Androgenic Steroids) is called a muscle cell androgen
receptor-site.
When an
AAS molecule merges with an androgen receptor-site, interesting
things happen...or not. The androgen receptor /
AAS molecule complex travels inside
the cell and delivers a "make new proteins" (protein synthesis/ anabolism) message by
way of DNA/mRNA interaction.
The result is repair of damaged proteins and subsequent growth due to over
compensation if the number of anabolic messages exceeds the number of catabolic
(tissue wasting) messages occurring. In short, hypertrophy. Cool huh?
Low cellular ATP/CP levels seriously screw up the whole program. When cells
contain adequate, or about, amounts of ATP, androgen receptors are continuously
moving in and out of them. They must be outside of the cell to merge with
AAS
molecules and then be capable of moving inside of the cell to trigger the
whole "Make new proteins" sequence. This is great until cellular ATP/CP reserves
suck. The entry of androgen receptors into cells is ATP/energy dependent, but the
exit is not. This means low ATP levels trap androgen receptors outside of the cell
nucleus. When this happens,
AAS molecules merge with androgen receptors and no
signal or message is transmitted regardless of the level of androgens circulating in
the body.
So when is cellular ATP/CP low? A single set of curls reduces the level of bicep
muscle cell ATP/CP significantly as you may realize since positive failure occurs.
Imagine the reduction that results from all of the sets that follow!
Another reality also reduces cellular ATP/CP. When muscle fibers are damaged
from training, inflammation results. The inflammation is due to an increase in water
being pumped into the muscle fibers (we call this swelling). The damage triggers the
pumps located on the surface of each cell which then works feverously to pump out
the incoming water. Their goal is to rebalance the intracellular and extracellular
(inside and outside) water tables by forcing out salt.
Unfortunately, the extracellular water rushes into damaged cells at a high rate
forcing the pumps to work very hard. This would appear to be a good thing, since
increased cellular volume triggers osmotic induced anabolism (growth caused by an
increase in total intracellular nutrients and cell stretching). But it's not.
As a result of these cellular pumps requiring ATP/energy to actuate, energy
stores are further depleted. So the water pumping process further decreases cellular
ATP/CP stores and inhibits receptor activity even more. To make things worse,
damage causes the intracellular release of calcium and other factors which destroy
androgen receptors thus reducing the possible number of
AAS molecule / androgen
receptor-site mergence or paring.
Diet has a profound effect upon cellular ATP/CP stores and formation. When an
athlete decreases available energy /ATP substrates (Nutrients from which ATP/energy
can be manufactured by bodily processes), cellular loss of CP occurs and the entry of
any creatine source is inhibited. This is simply due to a decrease in cellular energy
/ATP available for cellular processes as a result of reduced calorie /substrate intake.
In short, you feel lazy and so do your cells. This is a major reason why
AAS
provided very poor muscle building qualities during calorie restricted periods. It was
very important to use a carbohydrate "spike" day every 3rd or 4th day during diet
phases and
AAS use. This simply meant eating more carbs on a "spike" day to refill
glycogen stores so creatine and androgens in the blood stream can enter muscle
cells.