A few questions, considering an insulin-only cycle

**kvnd** · 08-25-2014, 10:10 PM

19 years old complete natty lifting/bodybuilding since 14 considering insulin -only cycle for two reasons:

1. I have MPB and its one of the few things I can take and not effect my hair
2. I am in remission for a type of cancer and my doctor wants to give me an obviously less potent diabetic medication that in theory may slow cancer growth as part of a study, but considering insulin instead to kill two birds with one stone (muscle growth and extended lifespan if I am not cured)

I spent a few hours today reading about insulin and how to take it relatively safely and it's short term effects and dangers. I know it is very dangerous.

A few questions though I could not find a definitive answer to.

1. Will insulin *ALONE* cause a distended gut and if so will it go away off cycle? Whenever I read about distended guts online they would talk about drug combos and never just insulin by itself. I lift for looks so I have absolutely no interest in a distended gut...
2. What is the longest my cycle should safely be to avoid becoming insulin resistant? How long should my gap be between cycles?
3. A post from a random guy on a random forum said something about causing low potassium. Is this a concern and if so should I supplement my potassium intake?
4. As a natty I use a 5x5 based regimen and only do compounds most of the time. Will optimal routine be more volume based while on cycle of insulin or is 5x5/compounds still good?
5. Will this lower my maintenance calories? Right now maintenance for me is about 2750 cals
6. Any long term effects that I have not heard of besides insulin resistance, possible fertility issues caused by low blood glucose?

I am an ecto and using it to bulk primarily but I am at about 13% bf right now so not looking to gain much fat (actually lose 1 or 2%) I will only be taking a few cycles, as I heard you do not lose your gains when you stop. My goal is 200lbs at 5'11 at 10% bf. If gains do not stay indefinitely I will just go on cycle whenever I fall below a certain weight. Planning on taking humilin R twice daily (once when I get up in the morning and once post workout)

thank you so much to anyone who helps answer my questions

**Times Roman** · 08-26-2014, 08:34 PM

I won't touch slin.

just make sure if you do go for it, you have an injection buddy.

but you probably already know that?

**lovbyts** · 08-27-2014, 01:23 AM

I'm a little confused.
You are diabetic?
You are on some type of diabetic medication right now but not insulin ?
You are in remission for a type of cancer. For how long?

I would talk to your doctor more about the insulin so he is on board with it.

**Machdiesel** · 09-05-2014, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by lovbyts

I'm a little confused.
You are diabetic?
You are on some type of diabetic medication right now but not insulin ?
You are in remission for a type of cancer. For how long?

I would talk to your doctor more about the insulin so he is on board with it.

I think he's saying his DR. is prescribing a diabetic medication for off label use. Sounds like there's studies showing it will slow down the cancer

**jimmyinkedup** · 09-05-2014, 09:44 AM

Are you sure about this insulin with cancer thing. My intuition tells me that slin would not hinder but potentially promote tumor growth.

**Bonaparte** · 09-05-2014, 02:27 PM

Insulin sure as hell won't help your cancer issue.
This other drug may help fight cancer as a side effect, but that doesn't mean that insulin would share this property just because they both lower blood sugar..

**thisAngelBites** · 09-06-2014, 04:59 AM

I think the drugs that tend to reduce cancer are those that increase sensitivity to insulin , whereas insulin secretatogues (drugs that increase insulin secretion) do not have this effect. So we could hypothesise that adding more insulin (which causes a similar situation to an insulin secretatogue) probably does not have the cancer suppressing effect.

**DukeMorrison** · 09-08-2014, 02:10 PM

I believe the drug that you are speaking of is metformin. There has been some talk of re-purposing metformin as a cancer medication due to the fact that some studies have shown patients have shown a significant increase in lifespan decrease in death. However, other diabetes medications, including insulin , don't show the same effects. I would be willing to say that, as jimmy also mentioned, if anything insulin would promote tumor growth. The reason that insulin promotes muscle growth is due to an increase in the bioavailability of IGF-1. Igf-1 has two different effects that may make it problematic for fighting cancer. First is cell proliferation which basically means it increases the sizes and number of cell. This happens anywhere IGF-1 receptors are present which include muscles, internal organs and cancer. This is also the reason that people get the "GH gut" from abusing insulin and growth hormone . Now obviously proliferation of cancer cells is a bad thing. Secondly it has antiapoptotic effects. Apoptosis is basically targeted cell death. So now we have IGF-1 both causing cell growth and production, and hindering the death of damaged cells. Now I don't necessarily think that insulin is overly dangerous in terms of causing cancer (obviously it can be quite dangerous in other ways), but I wouldn't want to play around to much with it if I was in remission or fighting cancer, and given that it shows no anti-cancer effects, I definitely wouldn't use it as a cancer prevention.