Anabolic and catabolic: properly avoid muscle breakdown

Muscular man and muscular woman

Summary

  • Anabolic means muscle growth, catabolic means muscle breakdown. To avoid muscle breakdown, it is important to keep the body in an anabolic state, such as through a balanced diet and regular strength training.
  • Adequate protein intake is essential for building and maintaining muscle. A daily protein intake of around 1,5 to 2 grams per kilogram of body weight is recommended.
  • Getting enough sleep and reducing stress are also important factors in keeping the body in an anabolic state and avoiding muscle breakdown. Sufficient regeneration after training is also important.

You know that fear. Don't eat something quickly - right after your workout - he strikes: the catabolic devil. Your body burns your muscles. But is that really true? Now you will learn what anabolic and catabolic really mean and how to avoid losing muscle mass unnecessarily.

What is anabolism?

For days he had Bodybuilder Thomas Munzer no longer laughed. His face was pale stomach hurt and was blown up like a hot air balloon. Until he couldn't take it anymore and his girlfriend called a doctor. But too late. His stomach had bled dry, the blood was fatty and his liver was only the size of a kidney bean. An emergency operation stopped the bleeding, but not the Tod - Munzer's organs failed and the light went out.

How did he die? For years he had been dealing with anabolic steroids vergiftet, with testosterone and stimulants until the organs refused to work. Anabolic steroids - exactly this combat term immediately jumps through the brain, if you hear anabolism. You think of pumped-up muscles, skin thin as blotting paper, and veins rippling across limbs like rattlesnakes.

However, anabolic steroids are just misbegotten children of a natural process: anabolism. Anabolism or the anabolic metabolism natural functions of the body and simply mean "constructive". Your body is building something. That The opposite of anabolic is catabolic, more about that in a moment. But what happens to your body once it's anabolic?

Consumed in the anabolic phase Your body energy to high-energy substances build up - either muscle mass, fat or glycogen as carbohydrate stores. So for the biceps to grow, you have to be anabolic. Responsible for this is a hormone cocktail, namely insulin and Testosteron. That's why bodybuilders also turn to the growth hormone testosterone and inject it into their veins when ambition is stronger than patience. But what is the opposite of anabolic?

What is catabolism?

catabolism

Muscle mass, fat and glycogen are backup generators. If the power goes out – your body needs energy – he draws on his reserves: he becomes catabolic and breaks down energy-storing substances (fat, muscles...).to release energy. when does this happen

Especially under stress and when you're lifting weights, jogging through the park or scoring goals - so under stress. But how does the body burn these substances? First, the body taps into carbohydrate stores on in muscles and liver; they contain 300-350 grams of carbs and will eventually run out if you train hard enough (rarely).

In addition, your body attacks fat and - unfortunately - on your muscles. But don't worry: Your body does NOT burn your muscles like denatured alcohol - compared to fat and carbohydrates he uses only 1,25 percent of protein and not even to power your body. From the He extracts enzymes from proteins and only with you is the body able to metabolize fat and carbohydrates.

So don't be afraid of the catabolic devil with his trident and cloven hoof that plagues, plagues and torments strength athletes for their sin of working out several hours a day. Your muscles will NOT disappear once you become catabolic.

A pure myth! Still, you should Don't underestimate anabolic and catabolic metabolic processes – understanding them will help you tremendously in building and maintaining muscle. And this is exactly what you will do now: understand the processes.

Function of anabolic and catabolic metabolism

The muscles grow and grow, your chest threatens to tear, but you continue to lie under her, the weight bench. Your head is now bright red and you are finding it difficult to breathe. Just one more step... You struggle with the knowledge that the filing is within reach. Just one more piece... you gasp, snort, the dumbbell lies in your hands like glowing coals. One more piece... and done! The weights clink metallically as you put them down. You can hardly breathe, but this does not detract from your joy. You shine Stolz about it again pressed a few pounds more to have.

However, while you were coughing and spluttering like the wolf in a fairy tale, Is your body under stress? fine tears ran through your muscle tissue and your Blood was flooded with cortisol - a stress hormone. With it the body commands: Hey I need energy! Instantly breaks down fats, protein and carbohydrates!

Once you lift weights automatically become catabolic, but not for long. They calm down, shower and drive down. Have a drink at home protein shake and prepare the food - chicken, rice and broccoli. What else.

Your body also relaxes and whistles back the cortisol. To do this, he releases a different hormone: Insulin. As soon as the insulin level rises, become anabolic (anabolic phase): Because insulin enables the cells absorb nutrients from food. Your body builds from these nutrients new tissue structures, i.e. muscles.

But how long does that take? When should you eat? And the body doesn't break down muscle if you don't immediately - in few minutes after training - some feed? It's not for nothing that bodybuilders lug gallons of protein shakes to the gym! Let's take a closer look below.

How long does the anabolic phase last?

woman training

A rumor goes around: 45 minutes after training you must have eaten something – this is the window of time when the body absorbs the most proteins. The protein synthesis runs at full speed and the muscles pile up like sandbags to the Elbe flood.

However, exercise longer than 60 Minutes, the catabolic devil immediately rises from asparagus-arm hell and haunts you. But is that true? Rather not.

Professional bodybuilders train several hours a day. The anabolic window isn't just open for 45 minutes - rather, there is a draft for up to 48 hours (even longer after hard training) because that is how long your body needs to regenerate and muscles only develop during regeneration. Nevertheless, the first 24 hours are crucial: Protein synthesis is highest here. Nevertheless, the protein shake right after training is no nonsense.

The included BCAAs help you transition into the anabolic phase faster than your body secretes insulin and suppresses cortisol. Also, take care of them Carbohydrates with energy and the whey protein gets into the blood quickly – These amino acids can be detected in the blood just 15 to 30 minutes after training.

But as I said: Nicht the minutes directly after training are decisive, but the days of regeneration; your body only builds muscle when you are at rest.So don't worry, if you haven't eaten anything XNUMX-XNUMX hours after your workout.

What Can You Do About Muscle Loss?

keep muscles

Anabolic and catabolic are necessary processes - they can influence you, but you don't have much power over them. Therefore, do NOT fear the catabolic devil. Rather, you should fear disobeying the following five rules – because breaking the law is punished with shrinking muscles:

1. Train regularly and with variety

Muscle is like a heavy bag that you carry around. At some point it will be too much for your body and it goes on strike: Why should I keep lifting this weight and feeding it? Then he breaks down the muscles like a scaffold – and that after a 1-2 week break from training.

So keep setting new stimuliby engaging your muscles, but not always in the same way! Your body also loves variety, otherwise you will stagnate. Switch between as many times a year Hypertrophy training, maximum strength and strength endurance.

2. Sleep - like Michael Phelps

woman sleeping

At his best, Michael Phelps slept XNUMX to XNUMX hours a day. Is this really necessary? Of course you don't want to go to the Olympics. Nevertheless, the Muckis should grow; and under sleep deprivation you refuse the service. Why?

Your hormone cocktail tips and becomes a stale broth - if you don't sleep enough, testosterone falls and cortisol rises. And I mentioned it above: Testosterone is responsible for anabolic metabolism, cortisol for catabolic. Seven to eight hours of sleep is therefore not a luxury, but duty! Besides that regenerated Your body only when it sleeps...

3. Don't forget about regeneration

Training is like a jackhammer for the muscles. You will be torn open and damaged everywhere. These cracks are charms that the muscles should grow, become thicker and fill the T-shirt in a well-formed way. But only in the In the recovery phase, you build muscle and your energy stores fill up again.

However, if you strain the same muscle group too early, want to achieve even more, even bigger muscles, you will get exactly the opposite: The muscles shrink and the risk of injury increases. So treat your body regeneration and time for the muscles to grow. And how? with fixed break days.

4. No stress!

stress

Cortisol doesn't just get active while you exercise - In any stressful situation, the body accumulates energy to either flee or fight. It can be stress with your partner, stress at work, or your child throwing himself on the floor in front of the candy aisle and yelling at the whole supermarket.

You should therefore avoid catabolic stress situations and give yourself a rest, when the world threatens to crush you. How about a massage, a visit to the sauna or a warm bath?

5. Eat often and plenty of protein

If you want your muscles to sprout like porcini mushrooms in early October, forget it Interval fasting and Time Restriced Eating (TRE), because what are you telling your body with that? There is little energy, so he has to economize. And what does the body do then? Er won't build muscle, if you work it out and Fast overdo it, it might even "eat" your muscles.

So: When building muscle, it is better to eat more often than too little.It should be three meals – on the other hand, if you want to lose weight, you are welcome to reduce the meals in the diet phase. But what should your diet look like? Pay attention to the right one nutrient distribution – and especially when it comes to protein, there are no limits:

Up to 2,8 grams per kilogram of body weight are no problem, in a 2000 study researchers could not find any damage to health. And there probably won't be any about that either. The researchers have only 2,8 grams stopped testing.

Conclusion on anabolic and catabolic metabolism

muscle secret

Anabolic and catabolic phases are normal processes in the body - nothing to be afraid of. Eat enough protein your body hardly ever thinks of burning your muscles like charcoal. You can also train longer than 60 minutes; Your body will not break down your muscles. Finally, the 45-minute anabolic window is also a myth. Protein synthesis is in full swing for a full 24 hours after training.

So pay attention to three things: 

  1. Eat enough protein (at least 2 grams per kilogram of body weight).
  2. Relax with fixed break days.
  3. And sleep seven to eight hours.

Then the catabolic devil does not come, but the three anabolic angels for Charlie. When do you eat after training? And what? Write it in the comments 🙂

FAQ

1. What is anabolism?

Anabolism is a natural process in the body and means "building up". In the anabolic phase, the body uses energy to build energy-rich substances - either muscle mass, fat or glycogen as carbohydrate stores. A hormone cocktail made up of insulin and testosterone is responsible for this.

2. What is catabolism?

Catabolism is the opposite of anabolism and means "degrading". When the body needs energy, it falls back on the backup generators of fat and muscle and breaks them down to release energy. This happens especially with stress and physical exertion.

3. Does the body break down muscle when it's catabolic?

It's a myth that the body breaks down muscle when it's catabolic. The body does not burn muscle like alcohol, but mainly relies on fats and carbohydrates to generate energy. Only a small percentage of protein is used for this purpose.

4. What happens to the body in the anabolic state?

In the anabolic phase, the body uses energy to build energy-rich substances - either muscle mass, fat or glycogen as carbohydrate stores. Insulin and testosterone are released to promote muscle growth.

5. Why is it important to understand anabolic and catabolic metabolism?

Understanding anabolic and catabolic metabolic processes helps build and maintain muscle. It is important to know which nutrients the body needs and how to dose them correctly in order to optimize the metabolism.

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