Why pain killers can stop muscle growth dead in its tracks...

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I thought this was interesting... Love to all, Carol

" Why pain killers can stop muscle growth dead in its tracks... "

Over-the-counter pain killers (such as ibuprofen) are a popular

way to ease the pain and soreness that manifests itself 24-48

hours after a tough workout.

However, what most people don't realize is that high doses of

these pain killers can " blunt " the normal rise in protein

synthesis that occurs after exercise. In other words, while they

can control the pain, regular use of these pain killers could put

the brakes on muscle growth.

Protein synthesis is one important factor controlling the rate of

muscle growth. In simple terms, your muscles grow larger when

protein synthesis is greater than protein breakdown.

Think of your muscles like a bath. Water coming into the bath is

known as protein synthesis. Water leaving the bath is known as

protein breakdown. When there's more water coming into the bath

than there is going out, you'll end up with bigger muscles.

One of the ways that pain killers such as ibuprofen work is to

suppress the synthesis of substances known as prostaglandins.

However, these very same prostaglandins also have a profound

effect on muscle growth.

Some evidence linking prostaglandins to a reduced rate of protein

synthesis comes from a trial published in the Journal of Clinical

Endocrinology and Metabolism. A group of male subjects with an

average age of 25 were assigned to one of three groups. All

groups performed 10-14 sets of 10 eccentric repetitions for the

muscles on the front of the thigh.

* After completing the workout, group one received the maximal

over-the-counter dose of ibuprofen (1200 milligrams daily).

* Group two was given acetaminophen (4000 milligrams daily).

* The third group received a placebo (a " dummy " supplement) that

contained no active ingredients.

When muscle samples were analyzed 24 hours after exercise, levels

of a prostaglandin called PGF2 increased by an average of 77% in

the group using the placebo. This represents the normal response

to exercise. However, PGF2 levels dropped by 1% and 14% in the

ibuprofen and acetaminophen groups respectively.

Of course, this was only a short-term study. The extent to which

the prolonged use of pain killers affects muscle growth over a

period of several weeks or months is open to debate. However,

while the occasional use of pain killers isn't likely to cause a

problem, they're certainly not something you should use too

often.

If you do want to avoid feeling sore after exercise, the best way

is simply to ease your way into a new training program gradually.

Even stretching, commonly recommended as a way to reduce

delayed-onset muscle soreness (also known as DOMS) has very

little effect on the pain and soreness you feel after exercise.

To view this update on-line, visit:

http://thefactsaboutfitness.com/research/painkillers.htm

Carol