Ask Dave Palumbo #5 (The Truth According to Palumbo)

Nothing in this article is intended to take the place of advice from a licensed health professional. Consult a physician before taking any medication.

Subject: Pre-Mixed GH from Genetech?

I came across some "premixed GH" from Genetech that had "no label" and a "blue" top. Are they legit?

There is quite a decent number of unlabelled growth hormone (GH) from Genentech circulating on the black market. The NUTROPIN AQ® as it is called, is an acid-stabilized version of GH (which means that it stays "good" for an extended period of time once opened - 3 weeks). Most GH preparations go bad within 2 days to a week once they are mixed (even when mixed with bacteriostatic water). Bacteriostatic water prevents bacterial growth; however, Genentech has a specially patented acidic water that further preserves the Nutropin AQ beyond all the other versions. Getting back to your question, the "blue tops" are actually the bacteriostatic water for the powdered Nutropin (in other words, a total scam). The only real Nutropin AQ® comes in a small clear vial with a green top.

Subject: Diabetes and Insulin Manipulation

I'm a 27 year old juvenile diabetic. I have had diabetes basically my whole life. I've been involved with sports in the past and now I've gotten into weight lifting. Anyway, I've read a lot about insulin levels and how to manipulate insulin spikes with certain products, but I've never seen anything concerning diabetics. I'm constantly having to monitor my blood sugar levels while watching my diet. I guess my main question is about creatine. Do I need to take it with juice or carbs or just take it with water and take a couple units of Regular insulin?

I've read several articles concerning insulin management in diabetics, and the new dogma seems to be more frequent fast acting (e.g. Humulin-R) insulin shots over less frequent longer acting insulins. Perhaps you should take your Humulin-R with every meal (6 meals -six Humulin-R shots and that’s it). In other words, take a fast acting insulin shot every time you eat. Food for thought. As for the creatine question, if you are taking your Humulin-R with the creatine, you do not need to worry about stimulating insulin release.

Subject: Anabolics During ‘Cutting Phase’?

I want to do a cycle where the first phase is bulking and the second is cutting. Each phase would last 6 weeks. My question is: Will I have a major loss in lean body mass and strength if I go directly from a high calorie diet (bulking) into a calorie restricted diet? Should I have a phase between the bulking and cutting phase in which I come off all anabolics and just use Clomid? Would this work in raising my natural testosterone levels so that I won't have a significant loss of size and strength in the cutting phase.

The solution to your "problem" lies in your one false "assumption" That is, you assume that when you start a cutting phase you cannot use testosterone - this is false! You should stay on 1000mg of testosterone all the time especially when you enter the diet phase of your diet because you need the fullness and the strength to help you retain as much muscle as possible. Save the Clomid until after the contest when you go "off".

Subject: Fat Loss Solutions for Endomorphs

Excellent column! It is great to see someone with knowledge give advice. My question pertains to fat loss. I have a strong endomorphic component to my physique. I build muscle quite easily, with and without drugs. I am blessed with thick joints so I never seem to get any serious injuries. My problem is that just looking at food causes me to gain weight. I have a nearly insatiable appetite. I try to eat only good foods. I don’t eat junk food and almost never drink. The problem is the quantities are simply too great. I have tried the ECA stack, I have tried MET-Rx, I have tried clenbuterol and all to no avail. I am now considering using T3. I don’t mind losing a little muscle if required. My question is, can I lose any fat by using small amounts of T3 like 25-75mcg per day?

First of all, 25-75mcg of T3 (Cytomel) per day is not a small amount by any means; therefore, we need to identify your "problem". I think you actually identified it for us when you stated that just "looking at food" causes you to gain weight. It just might. Why? Well, endomorphs tend to be over-secreters of insulin. Smelling food in people like yourself can actually lead to insulin release. What to do? You must adhere to a lower carbohydrate diet (to suppress insulin release) but at the same time you must keep protein high (to retain muscle) and fat moderate to high (to prevent a starvation mode from occurring in your body which it sounds like is going on right now. Your body senses fat deprivation so it is storing everything - utilizing insulin as the "busdriver").

Subject: Preventing Gynecomastia

I am 21 years old and I just finished a long cycle of Dianabol (around 15 weeks) in which I took four tabs a day. During the last two weeks I began to get a little gyno (i.e. very small lump) and I could feel another even smaller lump in the other nipple. My question is how can I avoid or put off getting gyno for the longest period of time. Should I stay away from testosterones or just do something like a Sustanon 250. Or should I stay with low aromatization steroids like Deca and Winstrol. Also, I do have access to Nolvadex. I plan on keep my next cycle much shorter around eight weeks. I also plan to do relatively low dosages, if possible can you give milligram amount too. I do plan to compete some day.

Your cycle length was fine. Try adding 1/2mg Arimidex (1/2 pill) every other day to your regimen; that will inhibit any aromatization of the AS to estrogen. Forget the Nolvadex. It’s a terrible drug for men to take; it has been documented in the literature that tamoxifen (Nolvadex) inhibits IGF-1 release from the liver - not a great way to put on size! Try mixing 500-750mg test per week with a mild anabolic (say, 400 mg Deca per week) and stay on them for 8 weeks at which time you can switch to another type of test and another mild anabolic. After on these for 8 weeks, consider coming off for a 6-8 week "rest".

Subject: Growth Hormone and IGF Questions

How’s it going Dave? I wanted your input on GH and IGF. I have taken Serostim by Serona and Humatrope by Lilly. I like Serostim a little better. Is one a little better than the other? Also, how much should I be taking. I was 6' 270 lbs. before my diet and about 255 right now at 10% bodyfat. Currently, I’m using about 14 IUs/week which I know is on the low end. When is the best time to take the GH? Also, is it better to split it up in morning and evening or just once a day? I take insulin about 10-12 IUs after training with food...Now that I am dieting should I take less or more GH? I hear it is more effective on a higher calorie diet. Also, what about IGF-1? Is it all it’s cracked up to be? I take about 25 mcgs/day before I go to bed.

Serostim (a very pure, very potent form of GH) is only "good" for 24 hours-- it doesn’t matter what water you use. If you do not use it all in 2 days, you are "wasting" your money. If you can only afford, or wish to use, small amounts, I would suggest taking Nutropin (Genentech), Humatrope (Lilly), or Genatropin or Norditropin (from Europe). IGF-1 is great but it needs to be taken 6 weeks on 6 weeks off (it causes enormous receptor downregulation - at least empirically it does). You can definitely get by on 2IUs of GH per day. Take the GH in morning (it will keep you up at night). It makes no difference when you take the GH (your natural release times and peak serum levels are only relevant when trying to stimulate natural release. Since you are self-injecting the GH, who cares when you would normally naturally release it - understand?)

Subject: Real and Fake Nutropin AQ

Hey Dave, I was just talking to a friend who indicated that you thought the blue top Nutropins were useless. I would really appreciate any info you have, I know that there are a lot of guys spending a lot of money on them. Thanks.

Look in the PDR (physicians desk reference) picture section under GH - they have pictures of the real liquid NUTROPIN (known as NUTROPIN AQ®) and they only have green tops! The "blue tops" are actually the bacteriostatic waters for the powdered NUTROPIN (Don’t believe me? Check out the picture of the powdered NUTROPIN-- you'll notice that the included waters have blue tops. Why do you think they are selling them so cheap? They are WATER! Don't waste your time or money and tell your friends!