Question: A friend suggested I take insulin along with IGF-1 and I don’t know a thing about either one. Another buddy of mine suggested that I get my hands on some Glucophage. So is that insulin or IGF-1? Where do I get it?
Answer: Glucophage is a brand name of metformin hydrochloride, not a type of insulin. A lot of people in the bodybuilding community confuse that fact. Okay, so here’s the deal: When your body releases insulin, over time, your insulin receptors actually become less responsive. If it goes further than that, it becomes Diabetes Type II. Metformin refreshes those receptors, making them more sensitive to the insulin that your own body releases, or that you inject. It’s a great product for this fact, and if you take it just after a large meal, your muscles will become extremely full. A lot of guys use it before going on stage for this reason. Doses are 500mg after a normal meal, 100mg after a carb loading meal and 1500mg after a big meal, like you’ve just downed a large pizza. You can actually administer Glucophage after any substantial carb meal, but if you take in less than 100g of carbs, you really don’t want to take even 500mg of metformin, because you’ll go into hypoglycemia or hypo shock. There is a long-acting version of Glucophage that you take before bed too. So, in summation, Glucophage is an “anti-hyperglycemic” drug that is a great tool for bodybuilders and can be safe provided you take in enough carbs when you dose accordingly.
