Anabolic Hormones and Muscle

The hormones that influence muscular growth are known as anabolic hormones. With a little help from some thyroid hormones, these hormones (like testosterone, growth hormone, insulin, and insulin-like growth factor) help build all kinds of body tissue. They also block catabolic hormones, such as cortisol and progesterone, which destroy muscular tissue. Testosterone and growth hormone rise when men train with weights. Some studies have shown that weight training does not significantly increase testosterone in women, but it does increase the levels of growth hormone in the blood. Maybe this is one reason why women's muscles don't get as large as men's; they don't have that double shot of hormones. But even just a healthy level of growth hormone is useful to have around. Not only does it stimulate new tissue growth, but it also helps the body break down fat to use for energy and improves immune function.