DON’T ASSUME SHE IS ON STEROIDS

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We all know some women who are naturally much more muscular than average and if you’re into health and fitness this is usually seen as a good thing. Of course, many of us see a muscular woman and jump to the conclusion she must be using steroids. Before we accuse these ladies of “using,” let’s consider they produce more growth hormone then men and may be making the most of their higher growth hormone production .There are several ways they may be doing things differently that allows them to take advantage of their GH.

First, these muscular women are probably engaging in some very intense exercise. Hard-hitting workouts increase growth hormone levels in both men and women, with the highest GH production occurring when workouts last longer than ten minutes and push athletes past their lactate threshold. General strength training has been shown to increase GH levels in both men and women. However, women need more intense strength training with less rest and more work done in a set amount of time to raise their growth hormone above baseline. This may be why we see women who engage in intense workouts developing more muscular and leaner physiques. The intense exercise, little rest, and considerable volume of work athletes engage in on a regular basis primes their bodies to produce more GH, form muscle, and burn fat.