Torch Fat & Get Hard with Viagra
Get Jacked With Viagra!
If you’ve ever sat down on a Sunday afternoon to watch an NFL football game, you’ve undoubtedly been exposed to one of those awkward commercials for the erectile dysfunction (ED) drug Viagra. That’s because one of the largest demographics watching the NFL are men at the age where impotency might be an issue, and Viagra effectively alleviates this condition. Well, as it turns out, Viagra apparently does more than just mitigate ED, as this drug has also been shown to produce numerous muscle-enhancing effects. That is because Viagra functions by inhibiting the enzyme phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5), which normally degrades the signaling molecule cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cyclic GMP or cGMP). The inhibition of PDE-5 by Viagra increases cyclic GMP levels within the body. For those with ED, more cyclic GMP stimulates certain cellular signaling cascades that relax the smooth muscle within the arterial wall, ultimately causing the arteries to open up more, or dilate. The improved vasodilation within the arterial wall increases overall blood flow to the penis, enhancing the ability to obtain an erection. Conversely, elevated cGMP promotes muscular performance by amplifying the body’s response to nitric oxide. This happens because cGMP is normally produced in response to nitric oxide, causing many of the effects stimulated by nitric oxide. So, naturally, higher levels of cGMP from Viagra use amplifies the response to nitric oxide.
Hardened Stamina and Muscle Growth
One performance-enhancing effect brought on by nitric oxide that can be improved by Viagra is greater muscular endurance. The conventional way that nitric oxide improves muscular endurance is by increasing blood flow to working muscle tissue, providing essential nutrients and oxygen to the laboring muscles while simultaneously removing metabolic waste, which improves muscular endurance. While Viagra probably boosts muscular endurance by improving blood flow to the muscle, this drug also improves stamina by causing the covalent attachment of nitric oxide to certain proteins within the muscle cell, in a process known as nitrosylation. This covalent modification alters the function of each nitrosylated protein, manifesting superior muscular stamina. In fact, one study by Sheffield-Moore et al.1 showed that healthy male subjects given 25 milligrams of Viagra per day for eight days could complete significantly more repetitions during the knee extension movement, relative to those receiving a placebo. Test subjects who received Viagra also had greater levels of nitrosylated proteins, along with greater levels of muscle protein synthesis, which together likely contributed to their reduced muscle fatigue.
The study by Sheffield-Moore et al. also showed that the increase seen in muscle protein synthesis fueled by Viagra was commensurate with what was observed in other studies where test subjects received 200 milligrams of testosterone per week.2,3,4 This is a testosterone dosage that has been shown to increase muscle mass and strength.3,4,5 These results indicate that Viagra has a robust anabolic influence that conceivably promotes considerable muscle growth.
Erect Greater Strength With Viagra
The authors of the aforementioned study also note several proteins involved in calcium signaling within the muscle cell had the largest increases in protein expression and protein nitrosylation after Viagra consumption. This phenomenon indicates that Viagra enhances muscular performance, in part, by regulating the influence that calcium has on muscular contraction— as more calcium within the muscle cell at the right time enhances actin-myosin interaction, augmenting muscular contractile forces for improved strength and endurance. In fact, one second study by Moon et al.6 showed greater nitrosylation of the ryanodine receptor (RyR1)— a protein that controls the release of calcium within the muscle cell— which likely triggered calcium release within the muscle cell, enhancing muscular endurance and strength. In addition, a third investigation by Evangelista et al.7 showed that nitrosylation of the muscle protein myosin caused a doubling of force production, further supporting the concept that heightened nitrosylation of specific muscle proteins from Viagra use boosts muscular strength.
Torch Fat and Get Hard With Viagra
In addition to packing on size and strength, Viagra could also help you get lean— as Viagra has been reported to convert white adipose tissue (WAT) into brown adipose tissue (BAT).8 This conversion causes an increase in metabolic rate and a reduction in weight gain during high-fat feeding.9 The increased metabolic rate occurs because the newly formed BAT has the capacity to thermogenically burn fat, a process that uncouples fat burning with the production of ATP. So, instead of the energy from fat being used to synthesize ATP, the fat is expended as heat, which effectively increases energy expenditure— ultimately increasing metabolic rate and thus loss of body fat.
A Natural Viagra-Like Blend
Despite the many muscle-building and fat-burning capabilities of Viagra, it is very risky to take Viagra without the consent of a physician, because of the potentially dangerous health effects. In fact, many patients have died from adverse cardiovascular events while using Viagra, even under the guidance of a physician.10 So, stay away from this drug because it can be very risky. Instead, use a combination of good nutritional supplements that boost nitric oxide and cGMP levels, as this will safely provide many of the physique-enhancing effects triggered by Viagra without the inherent danger of a prescription drug.
One natural compound that strongly inhibits PDE-5 is the flavanol icariin, which is isolated from the epimedium plant, more commonly known as horny goat weed. Icariin has been shown in many studies to act as a sufficient PDE-5 inhibitor, boosting cGMP11,12,13 in a similar fashion to Viagra. What’s more, icariin has been shown to improve erections in male rats, demonstrating the biochemical similarity between icariin and Viagra, which indicates that icariin should bolster muscle growth and strength just like Viagra.
The best nitric oxide-boosting compound to co-ingest with icariin is the amino acid citrulline, which is quickly converted in the body into arginine. Because nitric oxide is biosynthesized from the amino acid arginine, citrulline consumption vigorously increases endogenous arginine levels14, driving nitric oxide production15 that, when combined with icariin, will substantially improve muscular endurance and strength while simultaneously burning body fat.
For most of Michael Rudolph’s career he has been engrossed in the exercise world as either an athlete (he played college football at Hofstra University), personal trainer or as a research scientist (he earned a B.Sc. in Exercise Science at Hofstra University and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Stony Brook University). After earning his Ph.D., Michael investigated the molecular biology of exercise as a fellow at Harvard Medical School and Columbia University for over eight years. That research contributed seminally to understanding the function of the incredibly important cellular energy sensor AMPK— leading to numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals including the journal Nature. Michael is currently a scientist working at the New York Structural Biology Center doing contract work for the Department of Defense on a project involving national security.
References:
1. Sheffield-Moore M, Wiktorowicz JE, et al. Sildenafil increases muscle protein synthesis and reduces muscle fatigue. Clin Transl Sci 2013;6,463-468.
2. Ferrando AA, Tipton KD, et al. Testosterone injection stimulates net protein synthesis but not tissue amino acid transport. Am J Physiol 1998;275, E864-871.
3. Urban RJ, Bodenburg YH, et al. Testosterone administration to elderly men increases skeletal muscle strength and protein synthesis. Am J Physiol 1995;269, E820-826.
4. Sheffield-Moore M, Dillon EL, et al. A randomized pilot study of monthly cycled testosterone replacement or continuous testosterone replacement versus placebo in older men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2011;96, E1831-1837.
5. Bhasin S, Woodhouse L, et al. Testosterone dose-response relationships in healthy young men. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2001;281, E1172-1181.
6. Moon Y, Cao Y, et al. GSNOR Deficiency Enhances In Situ Skeletal Muscle Strength, Fatigue Resistance, and RyR1 S-Nitrosylation Without Impacting Mitochondrial Content and Activity. Antioxid Redox Signal 2016.
7. Evangelista AM, Rao VS, et al. Direct regulation of striated muscle myosins by nitric oxide and endogenous nitrosothiols. PLoS One 2010;5, e11209.
8. Mitschke MM, Hoffmann LS, et al. Increased cGMP promotes healthy expansion and browning of white adipose tissue. Faseb J 2013;27, 1621-1630.
9. Ayala JE, Bracy DP, et al. Chronic treatment with sildenafil improves energy balance and insulin action in high fat-fed conscious mice. Diabetes 2007;56, 1025-1033.
14. Osowska S, Moinard C, et al. Citrulline increases arginine pools and restores nitrogen balance after massive intestinal resection. Gut 2004;53, 1781-1786.
15. Schwedhelm E, Maas R, et al. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of oral L-citrulline and L-arginine: impact on nitric oxide metabolism. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2008;65, 51-59.
Get Jacked With Viagra!
If you’ve ever sat down on a Sunday afternoon to watch an NFL football game, you’ve undoubtedly been exposed to one of those awkward commercials for the erectile dysfunction (ED) drug Viagra. That’s because one of the largest demographics watching the NFL are men at the age where impotency might be an issue, and Viagra effectively alleviates this condition. Well, as it turns out, Viagra apparently does more than just mitigate ED, as this drug has also been shown to produce numerous muscle-enhancing effects. That is because Viagra functions by inhibiting the enzyme phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5), which normally degrades the signaling molecule cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cyclic GMP or cGMP). The inhibition of PDE-5 by Viagra increases cyclic GMP levels within the body. For those with ED, more cyclic GMP stimulates certain cellular signaling cascades that relax the smooth muscle within the arterial wall, ultimately causing the arteries to open up more, or dilate. The improved vasodilation within the arterial wall increases overall blood flow to the penis, enhancing the ability to obtain an erection. Conversely, elevated cGMP promotes muscular performance by amplifying the body’s response to nitric oxide. This happens because cGMP is normally produced in response to nitric oxide, causing many of the effects stimulated by nitric oxide. So, naturally, higher levels of cGMP from Viagra use amplifies the response to nitric oxide.
Hardened Stamina and Muscle Growth
One performance-enhancing effect brought on by nitric oxide that can be improved by Viagra is greater muscular endurance. The conventional way that nitric oxide improves muscular endurance is by increasing blood flow to working muscle tissue, providing essential nutrients and oxygen to the laboring muscles while simultaneously removing metabolic waste, which improves muscular endurance. While Viagra probably boosts muscular endurance by improving blood flow to the muscle, this drug also improves stamina by causing the covalent attachment of nitric oxide to certain proteins within the muscle cell, in a process known as nitrosylation. This covalent modification alters the function of each nitrosylated protein, manifesting superior muscular stamina. In fact, one study by Sheffield-Moore et al.1 showed that healthy male subjects given 25 milligrams of Viagra per day for eight days could complete significantly more repetitions during the knee extension movement, relative to those receiving a placebo. Test subjects who received Viagra also had greater levels of nitrosylated proteins, along with greater levels of muscle protein synthesis, which together likely contributed to their reduced muscle fatigue.
The study by Sheffield-Moore et al. also showed that the increase seen in muscle protein synthesis fueled by Viagra was commensurate with what was observed in other studies where test subjects received 200 milligrams of testosterone per week.2,3,4 This is a testosterone dosage that has been shown to increase muscle mass and strength.3,4,5 These results indicate that Viagra has a robust anabolic influence that conceivably promotes considerable muscle growth.
Erect Greater Strength With Viagra
The authors of the aforementioned study also note several proteins involved in calcium signaling within the muscle cell had the largest increases in protein expression and protein nitrosylation after Viagra consumption. This phenomenon indicates that Viagra enhances muscular performance, in part, by regulating the influence that calcium has on muscular contraction— as more calcium within the muscle cell at the right time enhances actin-myosin interaction, augmenting muscular contractile forces for improved strength and endurance. In fact, one second study by Moon et al.6 showed greater nitrosylation of the ryanodine receptor (RyR1)— a protein that controls the release of calcium within the muscle cell— which likely triggered calcium release within the muscle cell, enhancing muscular endurance and strength. In addition, a third investigation by Evangelista et al.7 showed that nitrosylation of the muscle protein myosin caused a doubling of force production, further supporting the concept that heightened nitrosylation of specific muscle proteins from Viagra use boosts muscular strength.
Torch Fat and Get Hard With Viagra
In addition to packing on size and strength, Viagra could also help you get lean— as Viagra has been reported to convert white adipose tissue (WAT) into brown adipose tissue (BAT).8 This conversion causes an increase in metabolic rate and a reduction in weight gain during high-fat feeding.9 The increased metabolic rate occurs because the newly formed BAT has the capacity to thermogenically burn fat, a process that uncouples fat burning with the production of ATP. So, instead of the energy from fat being used to synthesize ATP, the fat is expended as heat, which effectively increases energy expenditure— ultimately increasing metabolic rate and thus loss of body fat.
A Natural Viagra-Like Blend
Despite the many muscle-building and fat-burning capabilities of Viagra, it is very risky to take Viagra without the consent of a physician, because of the potentially dangerous health effects. In fact, many patients have died from adverse cardiovascular events while using Viagra, even under the guidance of a physician.10 So, stay away from this drug because it can be very risky. Instead, use a combination of good nutritional supplements that boost nitric oxide and cGMP levels, as this will safely provide many of the physique-enhancing effects triggered by Viagra without the inherent danger of a prescription drug.
One natural compound that strongly inhibits PDE-5 is the flavanol icariin, which is isolated from the epimedium plant, more commonly known as horny goat weed. Icariin has been shown in many studies to act as a sufficient PDE-5 inhibitor, boosting cGMP11,12,13 in a similar fashion to Viagra. What’s more, icariin has been shown to improve erections in male rats, demonstrating the biochemical similarity between icariin and Viagra, which indicates that icariin should bolster muscle growth and strength just like Viagra.
The best nitric oxide-boosting compound to co-ingest with icariin is the amino acid citrulline, which is quickly converted in the body into arginine. Because nitric oxide is biosynthesized from the amino acid arginine, citrulline consumption vigorously increases endogenous arginine levels14, driving nitric oxide production15 that, when combined with icariin, will substantially improve muscular endurance and strength while simultaneously burning body fat.
For most of Michael Rudolph’s career he has been engrossed in the exercise world as either an athlete (he played college football at Hofstra University), personal trainer or as a research scientist (he earned a B.Sc. in Exercise Science at Hofstra University and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Stony Brook University). After earning his Ph.D., Michael investigated the molecular biology of exercise as a fellow at Harvard Medical School and Columbia University for over eight years. That research contributed seminally to understanding the function of the incredibly important cellular energy sensor AMPK— leading to numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals including the journal Nature. Michael is currently a scientist working at the New York Structural Biology Center doing contract work for the Department of Defense on a project involving national security.
References:
1. Sheffield-Moore M, Wiktorowicz JE, et al. Sildenafil increases muscle protein synthesis and reduces muscle fatigue. Clin Transl Sci 2013;6,463-468.
2. Ferrando AA, Tipton KD, et al. Testosterone injection stimulates net protein synthesis but not tissue amino acid transport. Am J Physiol 1998;275, E864-871.
3. Urban RJ, Bodenburg YH, et al. Testosterone administration to elderly men increases skeletal muscle strength and protein synthesis. Am J Physiol 1995;269, E820-826.
4. Sheffield-Moore M, Dillon EL, et al. A randomized pilot study of monthly cycled testosterone replacement or continuous testosterone replacement versus placebo in older men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2011;96, E1831-1837.
5. Bhasin S, Woodhouse L, et al. Testosterone dose-response relationships in healthy young men. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2001;281, E1172-1181.
6. Moon Y, Cao Y, et al. GSNOR Deficiency Enhances In Situ Skeletal Muscle Strength, Fatigue Resistance, and RyR1 S-Nitrosylation Without Impacting Mitochondrial Content and Activity. Antioxid Redox Signal 2016.
7. Evangelista AM, Rao VS, et al. Direct regulation of striated muscle myosins by nitric oxide and endogenous nitrosothiols. PLoS One 2010;5, e11209.
8. Mitschke MM, Hoffmann LS, et al. Increased cGMP promotes healthy expansion and browning of white adipose tissue. Faseb J 2013;27, 1621-1630.
9. Ayala JE, Bracy DP, et al. Chronic treatment with sildenafil improves energy balance and insulin action in high fat-fed conscious mice. Diabetes 2007;56, 1025-1033.
14. Osowska S, Moinard C, et al. Citrulline increases arginine pools and restores nitrogen balance after massive intestinal resection. Gut 2004;53, 1781-1786.
15. Schwedhelm E, Maas R, et al. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of oral L-citrulline and L-arginine: impact on nitric oxide metabolism. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2008;65, 51-59.
