IGF-2 (240 caps/700 mg)

Applied Nutriceuticals Research is proud to introduce the newest and most effective muscle enhancing product on the market, IGF-2™. IGF-2™ is a powerful blend of the strongest legally available herbal compounds, perfectly standardized to provide the highest quality and effectiveness. IGF-2™ incorporates Safed Musli, Mucuna Pruriens, Dodder Seed, and Rhodiola Rosea combined into a specific, synergistic formula that produces amazing results faster than would ever be expected from an over-the-counter preparation.

Safed Musli is an Ayurvedic herb used for centuries to improve physical strength and male fertility. We now know that this due to the high concentrations of spirosta-steroidal saponins found in this compound, which have been shown to significantly increase testosterone levels (1,2,3,6). Mucuna Pruriens, another Ayurvedic herb, contains high concentrations of L-Dopa, a compound responsible for increasing endogenous GH and testosterone secretion (15). Dodder Seed (Cuscuta Chineses) is an herb used by the Chinese for centuries to treat male impotence and infertility, which has been shown to increase cAMP production (cyclic AMP – a precursor to ATP, the primary cellular energy molecule), as well as testosterone levels (26). Rhodiola Rosea is an adaptogenic herb that has been shown in animal studies to boost ATP, glycogen, and Creatine Phosphate levels, and has been shown in humans to decrease physiological stress while increasing memory, alertness, and energy (23,24,25).

Product Overview: IGF-2 and Hormonal Systems

The compounds contained in IGF-2™ stimulate a variety of complex reactions and messenger systems in the body, most notably through direct gene activation and the second messenger system. Safed Musli, Mucuna Pruriens, and Dodder Seed all have been shown to increase testosterone production in the body via a number of different mechanisms (1,2,26,27).

Testosterone Production

Safed Musli, in particular, contains large amounts of Spirosta-steroidal saponins: desoxydiosgenin, tigogenin, neotigogenin, which are intermediates to various hormonal pathways in the body (1,2). When ingested, desoxydiosgenin from Safed Musli is enzymatically converted to 11-oxa-5 alpha-androstane-3,17-dione, some of which is converted to testosterone through the testes. The increased testosterone produced by this process binds to the androgen receptor (AR), signaling the muscles via mRNA to increase protein synthesis and nitrogen retention, leading to greater strength, mass, and recovery (1,2,27).
Testosterone, which is lipid soluble, diffuses through the cell wall, binding to the intracellular androgen receptor (AR). The binding causes an activation of the hormone receptor, and the activated receptor complex continues on to the nucleus of the cell, where the hormone binds to a DNA receptor protein. This signals the transcription of DNA to produce mRNA(3). The mRNA is then transplanted to the ribosomes of the cell, signaling the body to increase protein synthesis in a variety of target tissues (skeletal muscle) (3).

L-Dopa and its effects on Testosterone and Human Growth Hormone

Another important chemical mechanism of IGF-2™ is L-Dopa-induced growth hormone (GH) release, and increased testosterone secretion through prolactin inhibition. Prolactin is a hormone that regulates testosterone production, and too much of it can suppress the secretion of gonadotropins, which hinders testosterone production. By inhibiting prolactin, IGF-2 increases endogenous testosterone levels dramatically. The variety of Mucuna Pruriens used in IGF-2™ is standardized to 25% L-Dopa, delivering large amounts of this active ingredient per capsule (27). L-Dopa is a precursor to Dopamine, a powerful biogenic amine, and L-Dopa is the only method of transport of Dopamine through the blood-barrier(3,15,16). Dopamine is a potent GH and testosterone agonist, meaning that dopamine inhibits prolactin release and hypothalamic somatostatin secretion, which allows for a greater stimulatory effect of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and secretion of testosterone by the testes. GHRH signals the pituitary to release GH, a polypeptide hormone produced by the somatotropic cells of the anterior pituitary (3,11,12,14,15,16). GH stimulates skeletal muscle cells to grow and, in some cases, divide. Acting directly, GH mobilizes fats from fat depots and decreases the rate of glucose intake and metabolism. In mammals, GH exerts most of its muscle building effects through being mediated by IGF; IGF is also known as somatomedin, which stimulates the uptake of amino acids from the blood and into skeletal muscle, providing for a variety of myotropic effects in the human body. This is important, as IGF-2™ provides the biochemical stimulus for the aforementioned muscle-building processes.

Dodder Seed, Rhodiola Rosea

Dodder Seed is another important component of IGF-2™ as it also activates the second messenger system, and subsequently causes adenylate cyclase to generate cAMP from ATP (3,26). cAMP generation has a variety of effects on tissue and glandular activity, but the most notable is the stimulation of the thyroid to produce thyroxin (promoting elevated fat burning). Increased cAMP levels to also activate the protein kinase enzyme, which in turn activates hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) in targeted tissues(10,11,13) and signals for the production of luteinizing hormone, which elevates testosterone levels in males. Elevations in these two hormones can cause a marked increase in fat as body fuel, as well as a strong correlation to decreased body fat and increased muscle mass, density and strength.

Rhodiola Rosea also displays some individualistic qualities of greater ATP enhancement and creatine phosphate storage in animal studies. At the Tomsk State University and Medical Institute in Russia, mice were administered Rhodiola supplementation and made to swim to exhaustion twice a day for six days. At the end of the testing period, muscle biopsies were performed, with the Rhodiola-treated mice having 17% greater ATP levels 45% greater creatine phosphate stores, and 53% greater muscle glycogen levels, while having lower intramuscular concentrations of lactic acid and ammonia (23,24,25). The rosavin and salidroside content of Rhodiola Rosea has also been shown to have significant effects on stress reduction in human studies by reducing cortisol release, while optimizing levels of key brain chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine that function together to maintain a healthy response to stress (20-25). Blocking cortisol is a very important effect, as cortisol breaks down muscle tissue and increases body fat, slowing the metabolism and lowering immune function. Rhodiola has been shown to also have adaptogenic qualities, allowing the human body to work harder during stress, while at the same time maintaining higher energy reserves (20-25). This is important to hard-training athletes because intense stress and strain can cause significant increases in stress hormone levels like cortisol (20-25), thus diminishing results.

Synergy

The ingredients in IGF-2™, precisely blended to optimal ratios together produce a powerful synergistic combination. Synergism of hormones occurs in situations where more than one hormone produces the same effects at the target cell, and their combined effects are amplified. Safed Musli contains large amounts of the spirosta-steroidal saponins and Mucuna Pruriens, as mentioned before, converts to L-Dopa. L-Dopa converts to dopamine, which increases testosterone (via prolactin inhibition) and growth hormone through an increase in GHRH release (1,10,11,12,16,17,18,27). GH converts to IGF-1, and exerts myotropic effects in skeletal muscle. Also, and even more importantly, hormonal compounds (like desoxydiosgenin) can increase IGF-1 in muscle tissue as well, and maybe even aid in the ability of the skeletal muscles to use GH and IGF. Increased testosterone also tells the body to continue producing GH endogenously, stopping the negative feedback loop (10-12). In conclusion, IGF-2™ employs powerful inter-compound synergism, leading to more rapid muscular growth, along with increased recovery and noticeable strength increases.

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