NO, Viagra and Pentoxifylline in bodybuilding
Medications for pumping
At the moment, perhaps the most difficult issue in the field of sports nutrition and pharmacology is the choice of an effective means for pumping.
The most popular category of additives is nitrogen donors, among which arginine is the leader. However, recently a lot of data has appeared that refute the effectiveness of arginine and similar supplements (norvaline), so in this article we will take a detailed look at pharmacological agents that have a sufficient evidence base.
Mechanism of action
The action of all means for pumping is directed at the vessels of skeletal muscles. They expand, which in turn leads to an acceleration of blood flow, improved transport of nutrients and oxygen to the muscles, and there is also a noticeably rapid increase in muscles - "pharmacological pumping".
The most popular category of additives is nitrogen donors, among which arginine is the leader. However, recently a lot of data has appeared that refute the effectiveness of arginine and similar supplements (norvaline), so in this article we will take a detailed look at pharmacological agents that have a sufficient evidence base.
Mechanism of action
The action of all means for pumping is directed at the vessels of skeletal muscles. They expand, which in turn leads to an acceleration of blood flow, improved transport of nutrients and oxygen to the muscles, and there is also a noticeably rapid increase in muscles - "pharmacological pumping".
Nitrogen donors
Basic information on these additives can be found in the articles: arginine and nitrogen donors. The effectiveness of complex additives is low and moderate.
Additionally, inorganic nitrates should be mentioned. It has been proven that they actually increase the level of nitric oxide in the blood and cause vasodilation. Inorganic nitrates (potassium nitrate) are present in quite large quantities in some vegetables, especially beets. For example, the additive NO-Bomb (MHP) contains beetroot extract. However, based on reviews and application practice, it can be concluded that the effectiveness of the additive is low. Obviously, this may be due to the low nitrate content.
There is evidence that some athletes successfully use potassium nitrate (fertilizer for plants).
One of the most effective nitrogen donors is a class of pharmacological drugs - nitrates. These include short-acting agents (nitroglycerin) and long-acting agents (nitrosorbide). However, their use is complicated by the fact that they act mainly on large veins, whereas small vessels dilate slightly. This means that with a sufficient dose, blood pressure will drop, performance will decrease, headache and a number of other side effects will occur.
Additionally, inorganic nitrates should be mentioned. It has been proven that they actually increase the level of nitric oxide in the blood and cause vasodilation. Inorganic nitrates (potassium nitrate) are present in quite large quantities in some vegetables, especially beets. For example, the additive NO-Bomb (MHP) contains beetroot extract. However, based on reviews and application practice, it can be concluded that the effectiveness of the additive is low. Obviously, this may be due to the low nitrate content.
There is evidence that some athletes successfully use potassium nitrate (fertilizer for plants).
One of the most effective nitrogen donors is a class of pharmacological drugs - nitrates. These include short-acting agents (nitroglycerin) and long-acting agents (nitrosorbide). However, their use is complicated by the fact that they act mainly on large veins, whereas small vessels dilate slightly. This means that with a sufficient dose, blood pressure will drop, performance will decrease, headache and a number of other side effects will occur.
Viagra in bodybuilding
Viagra (active ingredient - sildenafil citrate) is a popular remedy for improving erectile function in men, but recently this drug has found wider use both in medicine and bodybuilding.
Many people believe that Viagra is another nitrogen donor, but this is not the case. It does not affect the level of NO (nitric oxide), but the vessels in the muscles do expand. If true nitric oxide donors increase the level of NO, which increases the concentration of cellular cGMP, as a result of which a cascade of reactions is triggered, which ultimately leads to relaxation of the vascular wall. Viagra blocks the enzyme phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE - 5), which destroys cGMP, so its concentration also begins to increase, and the same end result is obtained.
There are a number of advantages that make the use of Viagra in bodybuilding the most promising. The drug slightly reduces blood pressure, has a positive effect on the heart, effectively improves blood flow in the muscles and causes a minimum of side effects. At the same time, the very high cost is repulsive, but there are cheaper generics (dynamico, tornetis, sindelafil itself, and others).
Some people mistakenly believe that taking Viagra causes a permanent erection, but this is not the case. In the absence of sexual arousal (stimulation), an erection usually never occurs.
Reception mode
"Attention" There are also a number of much cheaper generic Viagra made in Russia, which contain exactly the same active ingredient - sildenafil, but are much cheaper. For example, Sildenfil SZ, Sildenafil-NPO, Effex Sildenafil, Sildenafil Vertex, Sildenafil Express Canon and others.
Cialis
The international name of the drug is tadalafil, which is a more modern analogue of sildenafil. The regimen is actually the same, with the only difference that a single dose is 5-10 mg, and it is taken once a day, that is, it has a much longer period of action - up to 36 hours, whereas Viagra acts 4-5 hours.
Now generic tadalafil has appeared in pharmacies for daily use in a dosage of 5 mg. The following generics of domestic production are available in pharmacies: "Tadalafil-SZ", "Tadalafil-Alium", "Tadalafil Vertex" and others.
Recall that by itself, the presence of the drug in the body does not lead to a stable long-term erection - an erection appears in response to sexual stimulation and passes after ejaculation (restoration of natural erectile function).
Levitra
This is another high-quality "long" analogue of Viagra from the German company Bayer Sharing Pharma, the international name of this prolonged analogue is vardanafil.The effect of the drug resembles Cialis, but it is shorter in duration of action - up to 12 hours. Dosages are identical to those of Cialis - from 5 to 20 mg, for systemic use in bodybuilding - up to 10 mg. It is believed that Levitra is in many cases more effective in terms of erectile dysfunction than cialis or sildnenafil, due to the higher selectivity of action on the vessels of the penis. It also works in response to a sexual stimulus, suitable for daily use. It has fewer side "nitrate-like" complications: redness of the face, palpitations, a critical decrease in blood pressure.
Many people believe that Viagra is another nitrogen donor, but this is not the case. It does not affect the level of NO (nitric oxide), but the vessels in the muscles do expand. If true nitric oxide donors increase the level of NO, which increases the concentration of cellular cGMP, as a result of which a cascade of reactions is triggered, which ultimately leads to relaxation of the vascular wall. Viagra blocks the enzyme phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE - 5), which destroys cGMP, so its concentration also begins to increase, and the same end result is obtained.
There are a number of advantages that make the use of Viagra in bodybuilding the most promising. The drug slightly reduces blood pressure, has a positive effect on the heart, effectively improves blood flow in the muscles and causes a minimum of side effects. At the same time, the very high cost is repulsive, but there are cheaper generics (dynamico, tornetis, sindelafil itself, and others).
Some people mistakenly believe that taking Viagra causes a permanent erection, but this is not the case. In the absence of sexual arousal (stimulation), an erection usually never occurs.
Reception mode
- It is necessary to carefully study the instructions in order to exclude all contraindications
- In bodybuilding, a sufficient dosage is considered to be 25 mg at a time
- The best time to take it is before and after training. On rest days, the drug can not be taken, firstly, for economic reasons (on rest days the benefit is significantly lower), secondly, so that tolerance does not develop to the drug.
- The duration of the course is 3-4 weeks with daily intake, or 4-6 weeks with use only on training days.
"Attention" There are also a number of much cheaper generic Viagra made in Russia, which contain exactly the same active ingredient - sildenafil, but are much cheaper. For example, Sildenfil SZ, Sildenafil-NPO, Effex Sildenafil, Sildenafil Vertex, Sildenafil Express Canon and others.
Cialis
The international name of the drug is tadalafil, which is a more modern analogue of sildenafil. The regimen is actually the same, with the only difference that a single dose is 5-10 mg, and it is taken once a day, that is, it has a much longer period of action - up to 36 hours, whereas Viagra acts 4-5 hours.
Now generic tadalafil has appeared in pharmacies for daily use in a dosage of 5 mg. The following generics of domestic production are available in pharmacies: "Tadalafil-SZ", "Tadalafil-Alium", "Tadalafil Vertex" and others.
Recall that by itself, the presence of the drug in the body does not lead to a stable long-term erection - an erection appears in response to sexual stimulation and passes after ejaculation (restoration of natural erectile function).
Levitra
This is another high-quality "long" analogue of Viagra from the German company Bayer Sharing Pharma, the international name of this prolonged analogue is vardanafil.The effect of the drug resembles Cialis, but it is shorter in duration of action - up to 12 hours. Dosages are identical to those of Cialis - from 5 to 20 mg, for systemic use in bodybuilding - up to 10 mg. It is believed that Levitra is in many cases more effective in terms of erectile dysfunction than cialis or sildnenafil, due to the higher selectivity of action on the vessels of the penis. It also works in response to a sexual stimulus, suitable for daily use. It has fewer side "nitrate-like" complications: redness of the face, palpitations, a critical decrease in blood pressure.
Viagra
Pentoxifylline in bodybuilding
Another drug that improves blood circulation of peripheral tissues, including muscle, but at the same time has a slight effect on blood pressure. The low cost makes it one of the best bodybuilding products for pumping. It is often found under the brand name Trental, Agapurin.
The mechanism of action is similar to viagra, that is, pentoxifylline causes vasodilation by inhibiting phosphodiesterase. The only difference is that if in the previous case the vessels of the genital organ took advantage, then pentoxifylline does not act selectively, but this does not negatively affect the blood flow of muscles.
Pentoxifylline has a pronounced effect, which is felt as early as 20-40 minutes after administration. Almost 90% of reviews report powerful pumping that lasts for several hours.
The drug sometimes causes the following side effects:
The mechanism of action is similar to viagra, that is, pentoxifylline causes vasodilation by inhibiting phosphodiesterase. The only difference is that if in the previous case the vessels of the genital organ took advantage, then pentoxifylline does not act selectively, but this does not negatively affect the blood flow of muscles.
Pentoxifylline has a pronounced effect, which is felt as early as 20-40 minutes after administration. Almost 90% of reviews report powerful pumping that lasts for several hours.
The drug sometimes causes the following side effects:
- From the nervous system: headache, dizziness; anxiety, sleep disorders; seizures; aseptic meningitis (rarely).
- From the skin and subcutaneous fat: hyperemia of the skin of the face, "flushes" of blood to the skin of the face and upper chest, swelling, increased fragility of nails.
- From the digestive system: dry mouth, decreased appetite, intestinal atony, nausea, vomiting, exacerbation of cholecystitis, cholestatic hepatitis.
- From the sensory organs: visual impairment, scotoma.
- From the cardiovascular system: tachycardia, arrhythmia, cardialgia, progression of angina pectoris, decrease in blood pressure.
- From the organs of hematopoiesis and hemostasis: thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, pancytopenia, hypofibrinogenemia; bleeding (including from the mucous membranes of the stomach, intestines.
- Allergic reactions: itching, hyperemia of the skin, urticaria, angioedema, anaphylactic shock.
- It is necessary to carefully study the instructions to exclude contraindications
- In bodybuilding, a single dosage of pentoxifylline is approximately 300-400 mg (4 tablets of 100 mg each).
- The best time to take it is before and after training. On rest days, the drug can be taken 2 times a day: in the morning and after lunch.
- If side effects occur, reduce the dosage or stop taking it
- The course duration is 3-4 weeks
Pentoxifylline
Aktovegin
Aktovegin received publicity mainly due to Yuri Bombela's article "Pharma before and after training." The author writes:
"In order to better fill muscles with blood during training, sports nutrition manufacturers recommend taking the amino acid arginine before training (recently, the supplement "NO", which, in fact, is the same arginine). But the problem of blood supply is better, nevertheless, to solve by pharmacological methods. More precisely, it is more reliable. To solve this problem, it is worth using such means as actovegin or pentoxifylline. The first is more effective, the second is cheaper."
In general, the article cannot be called good, at least for recommendations on the use of insulin before training, or dexamethasone, which destroys muscles. These are very serious mistakes, but let's not get distracted from the main topic. Bombela also points out that actovegin is "more effective." This is absolutely not true. This drug has not passed any reputable studies and is not recognized in the West at all.[1] Actovegin is a deproteinized blood product of calves[2] and is offered for the treatment of brain diseases.
"Attention" Theoretically, the drug can slightly dilate blood vessels, but it cannot be called effective. "Attention" However, it is worth paying attention to the pharmacological effect of actovegin. Actovegin activates cellular metabolism (metabolism) by increasing the transport and accumulation of glucose and oxygen, enhancing their intracellular utilization. These processes lead to an acceleration of the metabolism of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and an increase in the energy resources of the cell. Under conditions that limit the normal functions of energy metabolism (hypoxia / insufficient supply of oxygen to the tissue or a violation of its assimilation /, lack of substrate) and with increased energy consumption (healing, regeneration / restoration of tissue/), actovegin stimulates the energy processes of functional metabolism (the process of metabolism in the body) and anabolism (the process of assimilation of substances by the body). A secondary effect is increased blood supply.
"In order to better fill muscles with blood during training, sports nutrition manufacturers recommend taking the amino acid arginine before training (recently, the supplement "NO", which, in fact, is the same arginine). But the problem of blood supply is better, nevertheless, to solve by pharmacological methods. More precisely, it is more reliable. To solve this problem, it is worth using such means as actovegin or pentoxifylline. The first is more effective, the second is cheaper."
In general, the article cannot be called good, at least for recommendations on the use of insulin before training, or dexamethasone, which destroys muscles. These are very serious mistakes, but let's not get distracted from the main topic. Bombela also points out that actovegin is "more effective." This is absolutely not true. This drug has not passed any reputable studies and is not recognized in the West at all.[1] Actovegin is a deproteinized blood product of calves[2] and is offered for the treatment of brain diseases.
"Attention" Theoretically, the drug can slightly dilate blood vessels, but it cannot be called effective. "Attention" However, it is worth paying attention to the pharmacological effect of actovegin. Actovegin activates cellular metabolism (metabolism) by increasing the transport and accumulation of glucose and oxygen, enhancing their intracellular utilization. These processes lead to an acceleration of the metabolism of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and an increase in the energy resources of the cell. Under conditions that limit the normal functions of energy metabolism (hypoxia / insufficient supply of oxygen to the tissue or a violation of its assimilation /, lack of substrate) and with increased energy consumption (healing, regeneration / restoration of tissue/), actovegin stimulates the energy processes of functional metabolism (the process of metabolism in the body) and anabolism (the process of assimilation of substances by the body). A secondary effect is increased blood supply.
Aktovegin
Anabolic drugs may only be used by a doctor's prescription and are contraindicated in children. The information provided does not call for the use or distribution of potent substances and is aimed solely at reducing the risk of complications and side effects.