FLEX138 MUSCLE & FITNESS/JULY 2019
Dear Dr Matt,
I’m in my forties and just recently returned
to the gym after a few years off.
I’m really struggling with losing the fat I’ve
accumulated and with my endurance in
completing a heavy leg session. I bought a
supplement called ‘Cardarine’ online which
I’m told should help with this.
What sort of dose should I take to improve
performance?
Ron
Aspiring veteran bodybuilder
Dear Ron,
Thanks for your mail.
Cardarine is an interesting drug that
has been shown (in mice), to boost fat
metabolism, improve lipid profiles and aid
endurance by improving structural muscle
adaptions and ATP efficiency.
However, as the trials continued, the
mice began to develop malignancies in a
multitude of various organs, so the drug
was pulled.
I can see online there are multiple
companies selling this product. With these
adverse effects occurring in mice, I
personally wouldn’t take the risk, even
though it is reported to be a wonder drug.
My advice would be to build things up
slowly again by working on your endurance
with some brisk walking, hill sprints and HIIT
style workouts. This style of training ticks
both of your boxes.
Safer ergogenic aids include caffeine,
beetroot juice, co-enzyme q10 and beta-
alanine.
It would also be sensible to get a review
done by a doctor who specialises in
performance and wellbeing, like myself.
A simple consultation would investigate any
background issues affecting your potential
endurance threshold, plus include a
thorough physical exam and appropriate
blood work.
Dear Dr Matt,
I’ve recently finished a 12-week course
of oral winstrol (stanazolol), then took
a PCT (Post Course Treatment) of clomid
(clomiphene citrate) for two weeks
afterwards, as recommend by my
training coach.
Having read your previous articles, I had
ASK THE DOC
/// BY DR MATT MILNER MBBS FRCEM @DRMATTHEWMILNERDr Matt Milner answers the questions
FLEX readers were too afraid to ask
their own GP...
mid-cycle bloods taken to include a
supra-physiological reading of my
testosterone level and a serum oestradiol
<98 (99-192pmol/l).
On repeating my bloods six weeks post
clomid, my testosterone level was at
4 (11.4-27.9nmol/l).
I’m disappointed with this result,
any ideas?
Rick
Men’s physique competitorDear Rick,
To answer your question, I think we should
take a brief look at male hormone/
spermatogenesis production via thehypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPGa).
Firstly, the hypothalamus within the brain
produces gonadotrophin hormone releasing
hormone GnRH. This peptide stimulates the
pituitary gland to produce luteinising
hormone (LH) which stimulates the leydig
cells within the testes to produce
testosterone and follicle stimulating
hormone FSH, which in turn stimulates the
sertoli cells to produce sperm.
Testosterone is then metabolised by
aromatase, mainly within adipose tissue to
oestrogen and by 5-alpha reductase to
dihydro-testosterone in areas such as the
scalp and prostate gland.
These three steroidal hormones when
produced create a negative feedback loop
back to the hypothalamus and pituitary
gland, dependent on the elevation of their
levels which normally varies throughout the
day, with testosterone peaking at 8am due
to its normal circadian rhythm.
‘Selective oestrogen receptor agonists’
SERMs such as clomid were originally
developed for female infertility, with the
drug inhibiting oestrogen action at the
hypothalamus and pituitary gland levels. PHOTO CREDIT: ISTOCK