Many athletes have heard about beta-2 agonists, but few of them know about the effect of drugs in this group on muscle tissue hypertrophy. Learn how to use them to treat muscle hypertrophy. Every person has heard about adrenaline, and thanks to the cinema, he even saw the effect of this drug on a person. Conventional medicine uses adrenaline when there is asystole (no pulse). In ordinary life, injections of adrenaline into the heart are not required, since there is an organ synthesizing this hormone - the adrenal glands. The beta-andrenergic system interacts with the symptomatic nervous system and stimulates the production of catecholamine substances (epinephrine and norepinephrine), which are involved in a large number of processes.
Types of beta-2 receptors
There are three types of beta receptors in the body:
- Beta-1;
- Beta-2;
- Beta-3.
They are found in all tissues except red cells. Each type of beta receptor is predominant in specific organs. This is how most beta-2 is in the heart. In turn, beta-3 is mainly located in adipose fibers and is designed to regulate the processes of energy metabolism and thermogenesis. The greatest effect on these processes is produced by norepinephrine.
However, today is the article devoted to the topic? beta-2 agonists: how to stimulate muscle hypertrophy and for this reason we will focus only on beta-2 receptors. They can have an effect on muscle hypertrophy. In preparation for the competition, athletes begin to use Clenbuterol to stimulate the processes of thermogenesis and lipolysis. However, this drug is considered to be quite dangerous.
Research on beta-agonists continues, and in the course of the last experiment it was found that these drugs are able to affect the genes responsible for stimulating anabolism in the body, as well as the retention of protein compounds. The most popular drugs in this group today are the already mentioned Clenbuterol, Fenesterol, Tsimaterol, Salmeterol.
Effects of beta-2 agonists on protein production
To date, scientists have not been able to fully understand the mechanisms of the effect of beta-agonists on the synthesis of protein compounds in muscle tissues. However, it is already possible to speak with confidence about a rather large role of beta-receptors. In the course of experiments, it was found that when administered to a person in a fasting state of epinephrine, the breakdown of proteins is blocked. However, at the same time, there was an increase in catabolic processes and the subsequent breakdown of protein compounds.
During experiments with animals, with the introduction of a beta-2-agonist, a 130% increase in the synthesis of protein compounds was observed during the first week after taking the drugs. Scientists attribute this to the effects of a beta agonist on muscles. In animals with removed adrenal glands, the acceleration of synthesis was 20%. This may indicate that catecholamines can significantly inhibit the breakdown of muscle fibers.
It was also found that beta-agonists can increase cAMP, thereby affecting muscle hypertrophy, since an increase in cAMP accelerates the production of protein kinase, the main task of which is to regulate protein kinetics. Clenbuterol has a similar effect and thus reduces the level of Ca + dependent proteases.
The level of Ca + proteases in tissue cells should be at the same level, and when it rises, cell membranes can be destroyed. There is also a second theory that beta-2 agonists improve nutrient delivery, which leads to faster protein production.
The mechanism of action of beta-2 agonists on muscle hypertrophy
Scientists believe that beta-agonists act directly on muscles without using endogenous hormones, such as insulin or growth hormone. A very interesting study for athletes was the results of one study in which subjects were simultaneously injected with a beta-agonist (Clenbuterol) and a beta-antagonist (Propranol). As a result, it was found that the effects of beta-agonists were completely suppressed.
This suggests that beta-2 receptors are an important component of muscle tissue regeneration, since a significant increase in the level of beta-agonists was noted when they were damaged. If this assumption is correct, then through the use of beta-agonists can significantly accelerate the recovery process. It is well known that high dosages of these drugs increase the cross-section of the muscles, and the type of hypertrophy does not affect this in any way.
Most likely, beta-agonists are able to interact with secondary messengers, molecules that transmit signals from receptors to target cells. In addition, they are also able to amplify these signals. Scientists were able to establish that when using Clenbuterol, muscle tissue hypertrophy is alleviated after a change in the level of kinase-C protein caused by denervation. This enzyme is found in membrane phospholipids and calcium.
During denervation, muscle atrophy is significantly accelerated, and this method is widely used in the study of anabolic and anti-catabolic drugs.
Beta agonist side effects
Any drug has certain side effects. Beta agonists were no exception. The first thing to note is the transience of the anabolic response. On average, this effect lasts about 10 days, after which the number of beta receptors begins to decline sharply.
This affects the ability of athletes to conduct high-intensity training. As mentioned above, a large number of beta-2-receptors are located in the heart. For this reason, beta-agonists are the source of tachycardia.
We can say with great confidence that at high dosages of beta-agonists, muscle hypertrophy will be ensured, but the presence of serious side effects makes such use of drugs irrational. That's all I wanted to say on the topic - beta 2 agonists: how to stimulate muscle hypertrophy.
For more information on the effects of beta-2 agonists, see this video:
