My first article relates to a personal philosophy regarding general health and fitness, which has undergone considerable evolution over time. I call this philosophy, The "Anabolic Imperative." Simply put, this idea encompasses the relationship of lean body mass, and the maintenance of a healthy hormonal profile with overall health and longevity. Lean body mass is built and maintained in an “anabolic environment. Webster’s Dictionary defines “anabolism” as “the constructive part of metabolism concerned especially with macromolecular synthesis.”  So in essence anabolic processes are those in which body tissues are biosynthesized.  In light of this, the importance of maintaining an anabolic environment in the body is evident.

The "Catabolic Cascade" is a term I have coined to refer to a very damaging and debilitating process that can be set into motion by the stress accompanying physical or emotional trauma, or by the declining levels of certain hormones with advancing age. Although these precipitating factors can occur separately, they often occur simultaneously in ageing individuals with devastating results. Catabolic processes, refer to the breakdown of tissue, characterized by muscle “wasting”, and seen very often in diseases like cancer and AIDS. What happens in this condition is that the body begins to break down muscle, in part because there has been a shift in the relative levels of anabolic vs. catabolic hormones. In healthy individuals, you would want Human Growth Hormone (or HGH as it’s called) and Testosterone to be at relatively high levels, correlated to age and gender of course. Correspondingly, you would want levels of hormones such as cortisol, and insulin to be relatively low. I use the term relative, because it is beyond the scope of this essay to get into the details of what these levels should be for individuals of every age or gender. I am speaking in general terms, when I say that for the most part, the levels in healthy individuals should show this pattern.

Human Growth Hormone – high
Testosterone – high

Cortisol – low
Insulin – low

There are more hormones involved, but these are the most dominant when considering anabolic vs. catabolic conditions. There is a factor called the Testosterone/Cortisol ratio. This ratio is very important when attempting to maintain a healthy state in the body. The ratio should reflect Testosterone as being higher relative to Cortisol. This is I believe a good starting point for addressing the problem of the “catabolic cascade” The stress associated with these catabolic processes can be major, or subtle. Things like illness, pain, trauma, fear, or grief can bring it on. It is insidious, often preceding the general physical decline in a person’s health, and can result in death if not countered by the right medical or nutritional interventions. Death can result when an individual loses as much as 40% of their lean body mass. I believe that a good portion of the health issues of older people, and also those recovering from some sort of trauma, involve these destructive processes, and addressing them becomes a key strategy in recovering and maintaining health.

The "Anabolic Strategy" which is the term I would use for addressing this problem rests upon what I call the “three pillars”, proper exercise, proper diet, appropriate nutritional supplementation, and possibly a sparing and judicious use pharmaceutical agents, where indicated. It should be understood that the heart of this approach is what I will call the anabolic strategy. This means that all three components discussed have as their goal the establishment of a general physiological condition whereby the body is maintained in a strong, healthy, and vital state. Especially important is the recognition that progressive resistance training has a large role to play as the major exercise component. Weight training can actually have the effect of increasing levels of anabolic hormones such as Human Growth Hormone, and Testosterone. These hormones facilitate the development and maintenance of lean body mass. In turn the lean body mass helps to maintain insulin sensitivity, keep blood glucose levels under control, and also results in greater bone density. Greater insulin sensitivity, and lower blood glucose concentrations have been correlated in studies with better cardiovascular health, and greater longevity. Diet has a very important role to play in the maintenance of this all important anabolic environment. Sufficient high quality proteins, including fish, poultry, eggs and red meat are important. Few people understand that the body needs saturated fats to produce hormones such as Testosterone. As well, good (unrefined) carbohydrate sources are best, as the fiber content will serve to slow the breakdown of the carbohydrate into glucose, and prevent rapid elevation in insulin levels. Fat sources can vary, but more recent research indicates the importance of Omega Three, and Monounsaturated fatty acids in maintaining health. Again, a discussion of fats and fatty acid metabolism is too complex to get into here, but I will provide links to sites of interest with regard to all of these factors.

Lastly, there is supplementation and pharmaceutical intervention. The proliferation of high quality supplements called nutraceuticals is making what I feel is an important contribution to this strategy. What I call “hormonal manipulation” can be to some degree achieved with these supplements. Examples are Tribulis Terrestris, and 5-methyl,7-methoxyisoflavone. Since these are not considered drugs and therefore not regulated, it is important for the individual to do some research of their own into these compounds before considering their use. As for the pharmaceutical end of things, there are the infamous “anabolic steroids” the dangers of which have been quite a bit overstated. They can be useful in certain medical conditions, but of course have to be used “holistically” and by that I mean in concert with other strategies, which compliment their use. Hormone replacement therapy is another possibility, but here again, caution must be taken not to overdo a good thing. Remembering that the endocrine system is highly complex, hormonal manipulation with powerful chemical analogues should proceed with care. In short, an individual’s lifestyle, diet, and supplement regimen should reflect an effort to maintain a favorable anabolic profile. I believe this approach will become much more common in years to come, as the current medical system struggles to come to terms with our aging population.

In closing, let me state that it is my belief that hormonal manipulation for the purpose of maintaining a healthy “anabolic” profile, is the way to go. With this approach, we can extend not only maximum lifespan, but also the healthy and active years that people can enjoy. We will also be able to prevent loss of function, and even loss of life where previously catabolic processes proceeding without intervention caused premature disability and death. To be sure, there are some potential pitfalls, however what is to be gained is more than worth the attendant risks. I have not gotten into the area of stress management here, but I will delve into that in a future article. Suffice it to say the management of stress is an important component in maintaining health, and there are a number of effective strategies, which I will outline at a later date.

For more information about this topic, reference these links. Testosterone/Cortisol part 1 Testosterone/Cortisol part 2 Anabolic Nutrition - Controlling Cortisol Stress and Cortisol Information Udo Erasmus on Fats

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