January 1, 1999
Volume 2, Number 1
Research Update
by Bryan Haycock MSc., CSCS
bryan@thinkmuscle.com
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As we approach the new millennium we find the science of building
muscle progressing faster than ever before. Long gone are the days of
simple trial and error when it comes to building muscle. The modern
bodybuilder demands more than just "hear say" if they are to
adopt a new training routine or nutritional supplement. This column was
created to keep today’s bodybuilder on the cutting edge of scientific
research that might benefit them in their quest for body perfection.
Some call it cruelty to animals, some call it science, I call it
Research Update! Our primate friends [not to be confused with our
acromegalic, GH abusing, homosapien friends] have stepped up to the
plate to ensure new drugs are safe and ready for human consumption. Our
hats go off to them in this months Research Update.
Shooting blanks? It may be the Tamoxifen.
Title: Effect of chronic administration of Tamoxifen on
fertility in male bonnet monkeys (Macaca radiata).
Researchers: Rao AJ, Ramachandra SG, Ramesh V, Krishnamurthy
HN, Jayaraman S, Gopalakrishnan K, Juneja HS
Department of Molecular Reproduction, Development and Genetics,
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
Source: Andrologia 1998 May-Jun;30(3):129-32
Summary: Administration of Tamoxifen via the
Alzet pump at a rate of 50 micrograms hr-1 for 90 days in the adult male
bonnet monkeys Macaca radiata had no effect on the serum testosterone
concentration determined at 10 AM and 10 PM as well as total sperm count
determined at 15-day intervals over a period of 260 days. However, a
significant reduction in sperm motility was observed beyond 90 days up
until the 225th day. Breeding studies conducted from day 90 to 260
revealed that these males were infertile.
Discussion: Tamoxifen, or
Nolvadex, is classified as an antiestrogen. I’m sure most of you are
already familiar with this drug. It works as an antiestrogen by
competitively binding to estrogen receptors. Although it has high
affinity for estrogen receptors it has little if any estrogenic effects
in most tissues. It is used by bodybuilders to prevent or treat
gynecomastia and water retention. The interesting thing about this study
was the fact that Tamoxifen, an antiestrogen, made the male
monkeys infertile. This is in agreement with another recent study
looking at the effects of an aromatase inhibitor (Steroids 1998
Jul-Aug;63(7-8):414-20) on fertility also in male monkeys. Both of these
studies point to an important role of estrogen in male fertility.
Tamoxifen, unlike the aromatase inhibitor which caused a 2-10 fold
increase in serum testosterone levels, showed no effect on serum
testosterone. The effect on spermatogenesis was clearly due to estrogen.
Their sperm count was fairly normal, however, the sperm couldn’t swim
to save their own lives. The take home message is that if you want to
start a family between shows, stay away from Nolvadex and Proviron. On
the other hand, these two compounds may be potential male birth control
remedies. I guess the glass is either half full or half empty depending
on how you look at it.
Protein is key to holding on to precious gains!
Title: Myofibrillar protein catabolism is rapidly suppressed
following protein feeding
Researchers: Nagasawa T, Hirano J, Yoshizawa F, Nishizawa N
Department of Bioscience and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate
University, Japan.
Source: Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 1998 Oct;62(10):1932-7
Summary: The immediate response of protein degradation to food
intake and the factors for its regulation in rat skeletal muscle were
examined. The concentration of N tau-methylhistidine (MeHis) in serum
and the rates of MeHis release from isolated soleus and extensor
digitorum longus muscles were reduced in the period from 3 to 6 h after
refeeding, indicating that the rate of myofibrillar protein degradation
in the rat decreased immediately after refeeding. Changes in the serum
concentration of insulin and corticosterone were not synchronized with
those in the myofibrillar protein degradation. When rats were fed on a
protein-free diet, no reduction of serum MeHis concentration or of the
rate of MeHis release from isolated muscles after refeeding was
apparent. Furthermore, there was a tendency toward suppressing
myofibrillar protein degradation with a higher protein content of the
diet. These results suggest that the suppression of myofibrillar protein
degradation by food intake was regulated by dietary proteins.
Discussion: People have been debating the need of dietary
protein in athlete’s diets for decades. You usually have two camps,
those who say bodybuilders "might" need a little extra
protein, and those who claim that massive quantities of protein are
best. This study backs up the claims that protein is critical to
preserving muscle. Science is finally telling us what we already new
from trial and error. If you recall from December’s
Research Update (Mesomorphosis Volume 1, Number 9), there
are crucial initiation factors, that control protein synthesis, which
are sensitive to the availability of amino acids within the muscle.
These initiation factors are bound to binding proteins rendering them
inactive until free amino acids are available. You may have all the
right hormones present, but if you don’t have free amino acids present
at the same time you will not get muscle growth. You may be able
to hold on to muscle with hormones alone, but you will not have a net
gain in muscle without all the players present together including
hormones, macronutrients, and autocrine growth factors.
New fix for hair loss: They call it RU58841, I call it Miracle
Grow!
Title: Evaluation of RU58841 as an anti-androgen in prostate
PC3 cells and a topical anti-alopecia agent in the bald scalp of
stumptailed macaques.
Researchers: Pan HJ, Wilding G, Uno H, Inui S, Goldsmith L,
Messing E, Chang C Department of Pathology, University of Rochester
Medical Center, NY 14642, USA.
Source: Endocrine 1998 Aug;9(1):39-43
Summary: The effect of androgen receptor transcriptional
activation by RU58841, a nonsteroidal anti-androgen, was studied in the
human prostate cancer PC3 cell line by cotransfection with wild-type
androgen receptor (wt AR) and an androgen-responsive reporter
(MMTV-ARE-CAT) construct. Anti-androgens, hydroxyflutamide [Eulexin],
and bicalutamide [Casodex], and the antiestrogen, genistein, were
studied in parallel for comparison with RU58841. The wt AR was activated
only by the androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Neither the
anti-androgens nor antiestrogen can enhance AR transcriptional activity
at 10(-11)-10(-7)M in PC3 cells. Hydroxyflutamide, RU58841, and Casodex,
but not genistein, displayed competitively suppressive effects on DHT
activation of wt AR. The potency of RU58841 was comparable to that of
hydroxyflutamide. From this result, topical application of RU58841,
which is considered to be a potential therapy for skin diseases, may
induce systemic side effects. However, RU58841, on topical application,
revealed a potent increase in density, thickening, and length of hair in
the macaque model of androgenetic alopecia, whereas no systemic effects
were detected. Together our results suggest that RU58841 may have potent
antagonism to the wt AR and could be considered as a topically applied
active anti-androgen for the treatment of androgen-dependent skin
disorders, such as acne, androgenetic alopecia, and hirsutism.
Discussion: RU58841 is ready to kill two birds with one stone.
Not only does it save your hair during those once in a life time cycles,
it can also prevent acne. Now, Finasteride
(Propecia,Proscar) can also do this to some extent, but it is taken
internally and has systemic effects. RU58841 can be applied topically
and, in this study, was shown not to have any systemic affects. In fact,
RU58841 has been used on humans,...sort of (Br J Dermatol 1997
Nov;137(5):699-702). In the study just referred to, scalp was cut off
the head of balding men and grafted onto female nude mice taking test
propionate. Now that’s what I call science! Anyway, RU58841 was then
applied to the scalp sewn onto the mice. The results were very positive
with significant hair growth as well as the induction of repeated growth
cycles. RU58841 has also been shown to significantly prevent acne when
applied topically. You may be wondering when RU58841 will become
available. I wish I could say for sure. Right now all that I know for
sure is that it is looking like the most promising drug to treat both
balding and acne simply by rubbing it on where you need it. Convenience
and ease of use with no unwanted side effects, what more could you ask
for? Keep your eye out for this one!
by Bryan Haycock MSc., CSCS
bryan@thinkmuscle.com
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