Why Are Hormones Important in Bodybuilding? 

Human growth hormones play a crucial role in bodybuilding. They are responsible for both muscle strength and growth. That’s why if you’re serious about your workouts, you need to know everything about the hormones that affect your results. Don’t worry if you don’t—we’ll explain all of that in this article!

Types of Growth Hormones Crucial for Bodybuilding

So, which growth hormones help with bodybuilding, and how many types of them are they? Generally, we could underline two: testosterone and human growth hormone (HGH), which is also called somatotropin. However, some additional ones could impact your progress. Let’s take a look at all of them.

Testosterone

Testosterone is a hormone in our body that is responsible for muscle growth, libido, and body hair. It’s produced in male testicles and female ovaries, and men usually have a higher concentration. What’s important is that both too little and too much testosterone can cause unpleasant side effects. You can technically test your testosterone levels with a simple blood test, but that’s not going to give you the answer to whether you have enough of this hormone or not. The problem here is that there is no “standard” level of testosterone—its amount depends on the part of the day or your age. So, the best way to determine whether you have enough testosterone is to look at whether you have any side effects of higher/lower levels of this hormone, namely:

• Too much testosterone:
  • low sperm counts, shrinking testicles, impotence,
  • heart muscle damage,
  • prostate enlargement,
  • liver disease,
  • acne,
  • swelling legs/feet,
  • weight gain with increased appetite,
  • insomnia,
  • high blood pressure,
  • headaches.

• Not enough testosterone:
  • decreased sex drive,
  • less energy,
  • weight gain,
  • bad moods and depression,
  • poor concentration,
  • thin, fragile bones.

What’s important is that many of the symptoms can be caused by other conditions unrelated to your testosterone level. Hence, you need to observe your body closely, especially if you plan to take testosterone boosters.

How to Increase Testosterone Levels

So, how do you boost testosterone? You can do it in several ways, namely:

• through exercising,
• by sleeping more,
• by avoiding stress,
• by quitting smoking and drinking,
• with testosterone boosters.

What’s important here is that you cannot just take more of this growth hormone, which is helpful for bodybuilding—you need to take other compounds that promote its production in your body. 🏋️Learn what testosterone boosters are🏋️

Human Growth Hormone (HGH)

The second type of growth hormones that are good for bodybuilding is somatropin (human growth hormone/HGH). It’s mainly important for kids, as it affects their growth. However, it’s also the hormone responsible for managing how your body uses food for energy. HGH affects insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) that are directly responsible for stimulating muscle growth. It can also manage fat burning, helping you achieve the lean shape you’re aiming for. Like testosterone, human growth hormone is produced in our bodies, namely in the pituitary gland. As such, you can stimulate its production instead of taking it, although there is a synthetic version of this hormone as well. The artificial HGH is prescribed by physicians to manage growth-related conditions.

How to Increase HGH Levels

You can boost your HGH levels naturally and with the help of supplements, for instance, by:

• aerobic exercises,
• intermittent fasting,
• losing body fat,
• taking arginine-rich supplements,
• adopting a healthy sleep routine.

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Insulin

Insulin might not be a human growth hormone per se, but it’s extremely important for bodybuilding. Its role is to store glucose produced by the pancreas from the food you eat. Why is this important? This hormone releases glucose to boost your energy levels and, most importantly, help you repair broken tissues. When training, your muscle tissues get damaged with hundreds of microfractures, and regenerating them causes your muscles to grow. Hence, indirectly, insulin accelerates your bodybuilding—as long as you work out!

How to Increase Insulin Levels?

Boosting insulin levels is similar to other human growth hormones helpful for bodybuilding—you need to:

• exercise,
• eat healthy—typically, carbohydrates increase insulin levels, though you don’t want to overdo them.

Cortisol

Once again, this is not a direct growth hormone for bodybuilding. Cortisol is mainly responsible for breaking down tissue and controlling inflammation. It also makes glucose available when blood sugar levels are low, enhancing endurance training and helping insulin regenerate your muscles.

How to Increase Cortisol Levels

To lift your cortisol levels, you need to have a proper diet—eat foods that are high in:

• vitamin B,
• vitamin C,
• fish oil,
• tryptophan.

Why Are Hormones Important for Bodybuilding?

Having seen the most important types of growth hormones, you should already know the answer. Why are hormones important for bodybuilding? They manage the most basic processes related to muscle growth and regeneration while also maintaining your energy levels. That’s why you should ensure that your body produces sufficient amounts of the most important hormones; otherwise, you might not be able to progress at the most optimal pace. At the same time, you should be careful when planning your hormone-boosting intakes—exceeding the standard amounts will cause unpleasant side effects. Thus, don’t focus too much on the hormones—take testosterone boosters if you need, and include good nutrition in your diet to accelerate the production of the rest. Also, control your hormone levels and look out for the side effects—it’s the best way to see whether you overdo them!

The Takeaway

Testosterone, somatropin, insulin, and cortisol are the most important hormones that are helpful for muscle growth during your bodybuilding periods. That’s why you need to ensure that they are on the right levels. What’s interesting is that you can increase their amount in your body just by working out, so sometimes it’s not necessary to take supplements. At other times, you might need a testosterone booster or a pre-workout with the right ingredients, but optimizing your hormone levels will accelerate your progress, so it’s worth it! You may also read: Why Muscle Density Matters & How To Build It

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