Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1), A.K.A Somatomedin C, is a protein like hormone that has a “non-suppressible insulin-like action” in the body. IGF-1 is similar in molecular structure to insulin and has a similar function to Growth Hormone; IGF-1 plays a role in a person’s growth during childhood and continues to have an anabolic effect through adulthood.
IGF-1 is made in response to Growth Hormone (GH) and IGF-1 is responsible for many of the effects attributed to GH; including the promotion of growth & regeneration of body muscles, organs, and almost all other body tissues. Specifically, GH tells the liver to increase the production of IGF-1. In this way, you can think of GH as the master hormone that controls a bunch of other elements & interactions in the body, but IGF-1 is the one actually responsible for driving the growth & regeneration of the body.
Attributes of IGF-1
Reverses Testicular Atrophy.
Helps you sleep deeper.
Supplementation may cause the gut to look bigger. But I don’t believe this is the same if IGF-1 is naturally stimulated through exercise and other natural means.
IGF-1 fights against age-related muscle atrophy.
IGF-1 is crucial to muscle regeneration.
For the Hippocampus, IGF-1 increases Long Term Potentiation (LTP) that is required for learning, neuroplasticity, and neurogenesis.
Both insulin and GH stimulates the production of IGF-1. That’s probably why both insulin and GH are commonly discussed about in the Body Building communities.
Topics that need to be covered:
- What does IGF-1 do?
- Why is IGF-1 important?
- What are the benefits/harms of IGF-1?
- What increases/decreases the production of IGF-1?
