1

2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Conclusion  

The central idea of this paper is to research various aspects of bodybuilding.  Firstly, it was determined that the tearing of muscles due to contractions results in increased protein synthesis which ultimately results in muscle growth.  Thus, anaerobic exercise is more effective for muscular growth because powerful contractions occur.  Aerobic exercise results in more muscular endurance, due to the increased efficiency of cellular respiration.  Essentially, we can determine the effectiveness of a particular anaerobic workout by calculating the amount of work performed (the intensity of the workout must be adequate, thus a heavy load balanced with a reasonable amount of reputations (e.g. 7-10) results in maximal success).  Conceptions that fast reputations are more effective are actually false.  This is primarily due to the concept of impulse and the fact that the work done is the same.  Furthermore, a faster workout could result in the injury of tendons.  

Essentially, the arm of a human being acts as a third class lever; that is to say that a small contraction of the bicep results in a large movement of the load although the bicep is exerting a proportionally larger force.  Thus, this further demonstrates the effectiveness of anaerobic exercise resulting in larger muscles.  

The idea of promoting an appealing self-image has resulted in the increased demand for supplements and prohormones.  Protein and creatine supplements have been especially used for the purpose of increased effectiveness of weight training.  Although creatine and protein are ingested through various foods that are consumed daily (such as red meat), although fat and cholestrol are also in these food products and can hinder the process of developing a leaner image.  Protein supplement intake results in the increased availability of amino acids which are ultimately responsible for muscle growth due to increased actin and myosin synthesis.  Creatine is a source of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production; ATP is the energy “currency” in the body.  Essentially, by ingesting creatine, it is brought in to the bloodstream, then phosphorylated by the creatine kinase and eventually the phosphate group is broken off the phosphocreatine, where the phosphate group is then added to the adenosine diphosphate (ADP), yielding ATP.  As well, creatine is advertised to “buffer” the lactic acid (a product of anaerobic respiration) in muscles.  In reality, it is not the creatine which buffers lactic acid, as demonstrated by by the lab, although the lab was inconclusive in regard to phosphocreatine.  However it is likely that the phosphate acts as the buffer for lactic acid.  Phosphate ion acts as a buffer in the intracellular environment.  Some athletes load on carbohydrates with the idea that more energy will be produced due to the synthesis of ATP from the breakdown of glucose.  

The use of anabolic-androgenic steroids essentially promotes masculine characteristics, such as relatively larger muscles (whereas estrogens promote feminine characteristics).  Anabolic steroids are illegal to buy or intake unless they are clinically prescribed.  However, prohormones (synthetically produced chemicals which are taken manually are typically converted within the body into anabolic steroids) were legal to purchase and use in the United States until recently.  The side effects of anabolic steroids are quite dangerous, and there are many.  For example, men can grow breasts, shrinking of the testicles, stimulation of hair growth, etcetera.  Because the intake of steroids are becoming more and more common in the athletic community and thus the process of detecting steroids has become more vigorous and more routine.  To detect the presence of anabolic steroids in the human body, urine samples are passed through a mass spectrometer.

[top]

[main page]